Efficient and selective oxidation of alcohols with <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-BuOOH catalyzed by a dioxomolybdenum(VI) Schiff base complex under organic solvent-free conditions

The catalytic activity of dioxidobis{2-[(E)-p-tolyliminomethyl]phenolato}molybdenum(VI) complex was studied, for the first time, in the selective oxidation of various primary and secondary alcohols using tert-BuOOH as oxidant under organic solvent-free conditions at room temperature. The effect of different solvents was studied in the oxidation of benzyl alcohol in this catalytic system. It was found that, under organic solvent-free conditions, the catalyst oxidized various primary and secondary alcohols to their corresponding aldehyde or ketone derivatives with high yield. The effects of other parameters such as oxidant and amount of catalyst were also investigated. Among different oxidants such as H₂O₂, NaIO₄, tert-BuOOH, and H₂O₂/urea, tert-BuOOH was selected as oxygen donor in the oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Also, it was found that oxidation of benzyl alcohol required 0.02 mmol catalyst for completion. Dioxomolybdenum(VI) Schiff base complex exhibited good catalytic activity in the oxidation of alcohols with tert-BuOOH under mild conditions. In this catalytic system, different primary alcohols gave the corresponding aldehydes in good yields without further oxidation to carboxylic acids.     

Electrochemistry Broadens the Scope of Flavin Photocatalysis: Photoelectrocatalytic Oxidation of Unactivated Alcohols

Riboflavin‐derived photocatalysts have been extensively studied in the context of alcohol oxidation. However, to date, the scope of this catalytic methodology has been limited to benzyl alcohols. In this work, mechanistic understanding of flavin‐catalyzed oxidation reactions, in either the absence or presence of thiourea as a cocatalyst, was obtained. The mechanistic insights enabled development of an electrochemically driven photochemical oxidation of primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols using a pair of flavin and dialkylthiourea catalysts. Electrochemistry makes it possible to avoid using O₂ and an oxidant and generating H₂O₂ as a byproduct, both of which oxidatively degrade thiourea under the reaction conditions. This modification unlocks a new mechanistic pathway in which the oxidation of unactivated alcohols is achieved by thiyl radical mediated hydrogen‐atom abstraction.     

Iron(II)‐Catalyzed Biomimetic Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols

We report the first Fe^II‐catalyzed biomimetic aerobic oxidation of alcohols. The principle of this oxidation, which involves several electron‐transfer steps, is reminiscent of biological oxidation in the respiratory chain. The electron transfer from the alcohol to molecular oxygen occurs with the aid of three coupled catalytic redox systems, leading to a low‐energy pathway. An iron transfer‐hydrogenation complex was utilized as a substrate‐selective dehydrogenation catalyst, along with an electron‐rich quinone and an oxygen‐activating Co(salen)‐type complex as electron‐transfer mediators. Various primary and secondary alcohols were oxidized in air to the corresponding aldehydes or ketones with this method in good to excellent yields.     

Copper(II) Schiff Base Complex Immobilized on Superparamagnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 as a Magnetically Separable Nanocatalyst for Oxidation of Alkenes and Alcohols

A new heterogeneous catalyst containing a copper(II) Schiff base complex covalently immobilized on the surface of silica‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐Schiff base‐Cu(II)) was synthesized. Characterization of this catalyst was performed using various techniques. The catalytic potential of the catalyst was investigated for the oxidation of various alkenes (styrene, α‐methylstyrene, cyclooctene, cyclohexene and norbornene) and alcohols (benzyl alcohol, 3‐methoxybenzyl alcohol, 3‐chlorobenzyl alcohol, benzhydrol and n ‐butanol) using tert ‐butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant. The catalytic investigations revealed that Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐Schiff base‐Cu(II) was especially efficient for the oxidation of norbornene and benzyl alcohol. The results showed that norbornene epoxide and benzoic acid were obtained with 100 and 87% selectivity, respectively. Moreover, simple magnetic recovery from the reaction mixture and reuse for several times with no significant loss in catalytic activity were other advantages of this catalyst     

One-pot oxidation of sulfides to sulfones by reusable heterogeneous ruthenium catalyst in the presence of molecular oxygen

A reusable solid catalyst, MnFe_1.8Cu_0.15Ru_0.05O₄, has been developed as an effective catalyst for the aerobic oxidation of sulfides and sulfoxides to sulfones. The ruthenium modified spinel catalyst is the first example reported for such reaction under mild condition with molecular oxygen as the only oxidant. The oxidation reaction proceeded via an electrophilic attack of the oxygen atom of the catalyst on the electron-rich sulfur atom of the substrate.     

Alcohol Oxidations Using Reduced Polyoxovanadates

A full account of our recently communicated room temperature alcohol oxidation using reduced polyoxovanadates (r‐POV s) is presented. Extensive optimizations revealed optimal conditions employing 0.02 equiv. of r‐POV catalyst Cs₅(V₁₄As₈O₄₂Cl), 5 equiv. tert‐butyl hydrogen peroxide (^t BuOOH ) as the terminal co‐oxidant, in an acetone solvent for the quantitative oxidation of aryl‐substituted secondary alcohols to their ketone products. The substrate scope tolerates most aryl substituted secondary alcohols in good to quantitative yields while alkyl secondary and primary activated alcohols were sluggish in comparison under similar conditions. Catalyst recyclability was successful on a 1.0 mmol scale of starting alcohol 1‐phenylethanol. The oxidation was also successfully promoted by the V^IV /V^V mixed valent polyoxovanadate (POV ) Cs₁₁Na₃Cl₅(V₁₅O₃₆Cl). Finally, a third POV , Cs_2.64(V₅O₉)(AsO₄)₂, was investigated for catalytic activity using our established reaction protocol, but proved ineffective as compared to the other two r‐POV catalysts. This study expands the field of POM ‐mediated alcohol oxidations to include underexplored r‐POV catalysts. While our catalysts do not supplant the best catalysts known for the transformation, their study may inform the development of other novel oxidative transformations mediated by r‐POV s.     

Immobilization of Ru(terpyridine)(2,6‐pyridinedicarboxylate) onto MCM‐41 and its catalysis in the oxidation of alcohols

The ruthenium complex Ru(terpyridine)(2,6‐pyridinedicarboxylate) was successfully grafted onto MCM‐41 using a multi‐step grafting method. The immobilized ruthenium complex was characterized thoroughly using Fourier transform infrared, Raman, UV–visible diffuse reflectance and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopies, X‐ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and inductively coupled plasma analysis. This immobilized ruthenium complex showed excellent performance in the oxidation of various secondary alcohols to their corresponding ketones with tert‐butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant under solvent‐free conditions, and had the advantages of easy recovery and good reusability. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Ruthenium Complex–Porphyrin–Fullerene‐Linked Molecular Pentad as an Integrative Photosynthetic Model

A ruthenium complex, porphyrin sensitizer, fullerene acceptor molecular pentad has been synthesized and a long‐lived hole–electron pair was achieved in aqueous solution by photoinduced multistep electron transfer: Upon irradiation by visible light, the excited‐state of a zinc porphyrin (¹ZnP*) was quenched by fullerene (C₆₀) to afford a radical ion pair, ^1,3(ZnP^.+‐C₆₀^.−). This was followed by the subsequent electron transfer from a water oxidation catalyst unit (Ru^II) to ZnP^.+ to give the long‐lived charge‐separated state, Ru^III‐ZnP‐C₆₀^.−, with a lifetime of 14 μs. The ZnP worked as a visible‐light‐harvesting antenna, while the C₆₀ acted as an excellent electron acceptor. As a consequence, visible‐light‐driven water oxidation by this integrated photosynthetic model compound was achieved in the presence of sacrificial oxidant and redox mediator.     

CoFe2O4@SiO2@ Co (III) salen complex nanoparticle as a green and efficient magnetic nanocatalyst for the oxidation of benzyl alcohols by molecular O2

In the presence of cobalt (III) salen complex, selective oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds was studied by molecular oxygen using isobutyraldehyde as an oxygen acceptor. The effect of cobalt (III) salen complex in the oxidation reaction was studied, and the results showed that Co (III) salen complex is very active and selective in the oxidation of various alcohols. Also, the effect of important factors including catalyst amount, solvent and temperature was investigated on the reaction. Furthermore, the catalytic activities of CoFe₂O₄@SiO₂‐supported Schiff base metal complex as well as the effect of molecular oxygen (O₂) as a green oxidant were studied. The results showed that benzaldehyde was the major product and the heterogeneous catalyst was highly reusable.     

Cerium(IV)-driven oxidation of water catalyzed by mononuclear ruthenium complexes

This paper reviews results from study of mononuclear ruthenium complexes capable of catalyzing the oxidation of water to molecular oxygen. These catalysts may be classified into three groups, with different rate laws associated with O₂ evolution. In one class, O₂ evolution proceeds via radical coupling of the oxygen atom of an Ru^V=O species with a hydroxocerium(IV) ion. O₂ evolution catalyzed by the second class occurs via acid–base reaction of the oxygen atom of an Ru^V=O species with a water molecule. In the third group, the dominant mechanism is oxo–oxo radical coupling between two Ru^V=O species. Several significant properties of the oxidant Ce(IV) are also discussed, including the singlet biradical character of the hydroxocerium(IV) ion.     

Application and Mechanistic Studies of a Water‐Oxidation Catalyst in Alcohol Oxidation by Employing Oxygen‐Transfer Reagents

By using a dimeric ruthenium complex in combination with tert‐butyl hydrogen peroxide (TBHP) as stoichiometric oxidant, a mild and efficient protocol for the oxidation of secondary benzylic alcohols was obtained, thereby giving the corresponding ketones in high yields within 4 h. However, in the oxidation of aliphatic alcohols, the TBHP protocol suffered from low conversions owing to a competing Ru‐catalyzed disproportionation of the oxidant. Gratifyingly, by switching to Oxone (2 KHSO₅ ? KHSO₄ ? K₂SO₄ triple salt) as stoichiometric oxidant, a more efficient and robust system was obtained that allowed for the oxidation of a wide range of aliphatic and benzylic secondary alcohols, giving the corresponding ketones in excellent yields. The mechanism for these reactions is believed to involve a high‐valent Ru^V–oxo species. We provide support for such an intermediate by means of mechanistic studies.     

Pt-Sn/γ-Al2O3-catalyzed highly efficient direct synthesis of secondary and tertiary amines and imines

Versatile syntheses of secondary and tertiary amines by highly efficient direct N‐alkylation of primary and secondary amines with alcohols or by deaminative self‐coupling of primary amines have been successfully realized by means of a heterogeneous bimetallic Pt–Sn/γ‐Al₂O₃ catalyst (0.5 wt % Pt, Pt/Sn molar ratio=1:3) through a borrowing‐hydrogen strategy. In the presence of oxygen, imines were also efficiently prepared from the tandem reactions of amines with alcohols or between two primary amines. The proposed mechanism reveals that an alcohol or amine substrate is initially dehydrogenated to an aldehyde/ketone or NH‐imine with concomitant formation of a [PtSn] hydride. Condensation of the aldehyde/ketone species or deamination of the NH‐imine intermediate with another molecule of amine forms an N‐substituted imine which is then reduced to a new amine product by the in‐situ generated [PtSn] hydride under a nitrogen atmosphere or remains unchanged as the final product under an oxygen atmosphere. The Pt–Sn/γ‐Al₂O₃ catalyst can be easily recycled without Pt metal leaching and has exhibited very high catalytic activity toward a wide range of amine and alcohol substrates, which suggests potential for application in the direct production of secondary and tertiary amines and N‐substituted imines.     

A De Novo Heterodimeric Due Ferri Protein Minimizes the Release of Reactive Intermediates in Dioxygen‐Dependent Oxidation

Metalloproteins utilize O₂ as an oxidant, and they often achieve a 4‐electron reduction without H₂O₂ or oxygen radical release. Several proteins have been designed to catalyze one or two‐electron oxidative chemistry, but the de novo design of a protein that catalyzes the net 4‐electron reduction of O₂ has not been reported yet. We report the construction of a diiron‐binding four‐helix bundle, made up of two different covalently linked α₂ monomers, through click chemistry. Surprisingly, the prototype protein, DF‐C1, showed a large divergence in its reactivity from earlier DFs (DF: due ferri, two iron). DFs release the quinone imine and free H₂O₂ in the oxidation of 4‐aminophenol in the presence of O₂, whereas Fe^III‐DF‐C1 sequesters the quinone imine into the active site, and catalyzes inside the scaffold an oxidative coupling between oxidized and reduced 4‐aminophenol. The asymmetry of the scaffold allowed a fine‐engineering of the substrate binding pocket, that ensures selectivity.     

Green oxidation of alcohols by using hydrogen peroxide in water in the presence of magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles as recoverable catalyst

Magnetically nano Fe₃O₄ efficiently catalyzes green oxidation of primary and secondary benzylic and aliphatic alcohols to give the corresponding carbonyl products in good yields. The reactions were carried out in an aqueous medium in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant at 50°C. In addition, the magnetically nano Fe₃O₄ catalyst could be reused up to four runs without any significant loss of activities. Catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, vibrating sample magnetometer, and IR.     

Probing the effect of nitrate anion in CAN: An additional opportunity to reduce the catalyst loading for aerobic oxidations

Catalyzed by cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN), the oxidative cracking reaction of alkenes occurred to produce carbonyls in good yields under mild conditions. The reaction employed molecular oxygen (O₂) as the safe and clean oxidant. The catalyst dosage was reduced to as low as 0.5 mol%, while no additive was required. Thus, it may afford a generally green synthetic approach for introducing oxygen into organic molecules as well as the biomass degradation and the resource recycling from the C=C bond-containing waste polymers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis and control experiments demonstrated that the process proceeded via a single electron transfer (SET) reaction-initiated free radical reaction mechanism. In the process, both Ce and NO₃⁻ acted as the oxygen carrier to promote the oxidation reaction. The application of the abundantly existed nitrate in CAN was found to be the key for reducing the catalyst loading.     

Synthesis,characterization and catalytic studies of ruthenium(II) chalconate complexes

Stable ruthenium(II) carbonyl complexes of the type [RuCl(CO)(EPh₃)(B)(L)] (E = P or As; B = PPh₃, AsPh₃ or Py; L = 2′‐hydroxychalcones) were synthesized from the reaction of [RuHCl(CO)(EPh₃)₂(B)] (E = P or As; B = PPh₃, AsPh₃ or Py) with 2′‐hydroxychalcones in benzene under reflux. The new complexes were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic (IR, electronic ¹H, ³¹P and ¹³C NMR) data. They were assigned an octahedral structure. The complexes exhibited catalytic activity for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols into their corresponding aldehydes and ketones in the presence of N‐methylmorpholine‐N‐oxide (NMO) as co‐oxidant and were also found to be efficient transfer hydrogenation catalysts. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A TEMPO‐Free Copper‐Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols

The copper‐catalyzed aerobic oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols without an external N‐oxide co‐oxidant is described. The catalyst system is composed of a Cu/diamine complex inspired by the enzyme tyrosinase, along with dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) or N‐methylimidazole (NMI). The Cu catalyst system works without 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐l‐piperidinoxyl (TEMPO) at ambient pressure and temperature, and displays activity for un‐activated secondary alcohols, which remain a challenging substrate for catalytic aerobic systems. Our work underscores the importance of finding alternative mechanistic pathways for alcohol oxidation, which complement Cu/TEMPO systems, and demonstrate, in this case, a preference for the oxidation of activated secondary over primary alcohols.     

Unraveling the Degradation Mechanism of Purine Nucleotides Photosensitized by Pterins: The Role of Charge‐Transfer Steps

Photosensitized reactions contribute to the development of skin cancer and are used in many applications. Photosensitizers can act through different mechanisms. It is currently accepted that if the photosensitizer generates singlet molecular oxygen (¹O₂) upon irradiation, the target molecule can undergo oxidation by this reactive oxygen species and the reaction needs dissolved O₂ to proceed, therefore the reaction is classified as ¹O₂‐mediated oxidation (type II mechanism). However, this assumption is not always correct, and as an example, a study on the degradation of 2′‐deoxyguanosine 5′‐monophosphate photosensitized by pterin is presented. A general mechanism is proposed to explain how the degradation of biological targets, such as nucleotides, photosensitized by pterins, naturally occurring ¹O₂ photosensitizers, takes place through an electron‐transfer‐initiated process (type I mechanism), whereas the contribution of the ¹O₂‐mediated oxidation is almost negligible.     

Reoxidation of Transition‐metal Catalysts with O2

Transition‐metal catalyzed oxidation reactions are central components of organic chemistry. On behalf of green and sustainable chemistry, molecular oxygen (O₂) has been considered as an ideal oxidant due to its natural, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly characters, and therefore offers attractive academic and industrial prospects. In recent years, some powerful organic oxidation methods have been continuously developed. Among them, the use of molecular oxygen (O₂) as a green and sustainable oxidant has attracted considerable attentions. However, the development of new transition metal‐catalyzed protocols using O₂ as an ideal oxidant is highly desirable but very challenging because of the low standard electrode potential of O₂ to reoxidize the transition‐metal catalysts. In this Account, we highlight some of our progress toward the use of transition‐metal catalyzed aerobic oxidation reactions. Through the careful selection of ligand and the acidic additives, we have successfully realized the reoxidation of Cu, Pd, Mn, Fe, Ru, Rh, and bimetallic catalysts under O₂ or air atmosphere (1 atm) for the oxidative coupling, oxygenation reactions, oxidative C‐H/C‐C bond cleavage, oxidative annulation, and olefins difunctionalization reactions. Most of the reactions can tolerate a range of functional groups. These methods provide new strategies for the green synthesis of alkynes, (α ‐keto)amides/esters, ketones/diones, O/N‐heterocycles, β ‐azido alcohols, and nitriles. The high efficiency, low cost, and simple operation under air make these methodologies very attractive and practical. We will also discuss the mechanisms of these reactions which might be useful to promote the new type of aerobic oxidative reaction design.     

Synergistic Catalysis of Se and Cu for the Activation of α‐H of Methyl Ketones with Molecular Oxygen/Alcohol to Produce α‐Keto Acetals†

Selenium and copper synergistically catalyzed the oxidation/alkoxylation of methyl ketones to synthesize α‐keto acetals directly. Using O₂ as oxidant and alcohol as solvent and alkoxylation reagent, the reaction is practical from industrial viewpoint. Mechanistic studies revealed that copper promoted the oxidation of organoselenium intermediates with O₂ to allow the key rearrangement and selenoxide syn‐elimination regenerating the catalytically active organoselenium species.