Effect of Brønsted/Lewis Acid Ratio on Conversion of Sugars to 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural over Mesoporous Nb and Nb‐W Oxides

A series of mesoporous Nb and Nb‐W oxides were employed as highly active solid acid catalysts for the conversion of glucose to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF ). The results of solid state ³¹P MAS NMR spectroscopy with adsorbed trimethylphosphine as probe molecule show that the addition of W in niobium oxide increases the number of Brønsted acid sites and decreases the number of Lewis acid sites. The catalytic performance for Nb‐W oxides varied with the ratio of Brønsted to Lewis acid sites and high glucose conversion was observed over Nb₅W₅ and Nb₇W₃ oxides with high ratios of Brønsted to Lewis acid sites. All Nb‐W oxides show a relatively high selectivity of HMF , whereas no HMF forms over sulfuric acid due to its pure Brønsted acidity. The results indicate fast isomerization of glucose to fructose over Lewis acid sites followed by dehydration of fructose to HMF over Brønsted acid sites. Moreover, comparing to the reaction occurred in aqueous media, the 2‐butanol/H₂O system enhances the HMF selectivity and stabilizes the activity of the catalysts which gives the highest HMF selectivity of 52% over Nb₇W₃ oxide. The 2‐butanol/H₂O catalytic system can also be employed in conversion of sucrose, achieving HMF selectivity of 46% over Nb₅W₅ oxide.     

Effect of Different Ionic Liquids on 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Preparation from Glucose in DMA over AlCl3: Experimental and Theoretical Study

In this work, effect of different ionic liquids (ILs) on 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) preparation from glucose in N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMA) over AlCl₃ was revealed by a combined experimental and computational study. ILs used as cocatalysts in this work included N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone hydrogen sulfate ([NMP]HSO₄), N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone methyl sulfate ([NMP]CH₃SO₃), N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone chlorine ([NMP]Cl) and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone bromide ([NMP]Br) which were endowed with the same cation but different anions. According to the conclusion that fructose was intermediate product from glucose to HMF, we found fructose was transformed to more by‐products by [NMP]HSO₄, making HMF yield decline significantly when glucose was treated as substrate. Neither glucose nor fructose could be converted by [NMP]CH₃SO₃ efficiently, leading to its no influence on glucose conversion to HMF. [NMP]Br had a higher selectivity for HMF from fructose than [NMP]Cl and AlCl₃. Besides, Al³⁺ preferred to combine with Br^?, slightly decreasing both the overall free energy barrier for glucose isomerization and activation barrier for H‐shift at 393.15 K. So a high HMF yield of 57% was obtained from glucose catalyzed by AlCl₃ together with [NMP]Br under mild conditions.     

双相体系中凹土负载型固体酸 SO42-/In2O3-ATP催化己糖降解5-羟甲基糠醛

凹土(ATP)有“千用之土、万土之王”之美誉,我国江苏省盱眙凹土矿资源量占世界储量的49%和我国储量的74%. ATP是一种天然链层状结构的含水镁铝硅酸盐黏土矿物,其分子式为(Mg,Al)4(Si)8(O,OH,H2O)26·nH2O. ATP具有一定酸性,层结构中的结构羟基可形成 Br?nsted酸位点,暴露的 Al3+离子可形成 Lewis酸位点. ATP经酸化或离子交换后作为催化剂直接应用较少.由于 ATP具有较大的比表面积和较好的热稳定性,是良好的催化剂载体,因此多将 ATP作为载体负载催化活性组分制备负载型催化剂. 5-羟甲基糠醛(HMF)是由生物质得到的十二种平台化合物之一,是非常重要的中间体,可用于生产呋喃类衍生物,制备精细化学品、液体燃料和多种聚合物,还可生产5-羟基-4-酮-2-戊烯酸和乙酰丙酸.γ-戊内酯(GVL)是一种乙酰丙酸的加氢产物,可以代替乙醇作为汽油添加剂,也可用来生产丁烯同分异构体等化学品.本文以天然 ATP为载体,通过浸渍-焙烧法设计和制备了兼具 Br?nsted酸和 Lewis酸的新型固体酸催化剂 SO42?/In2O3-ATP.该催化剂可催化己糖直接转化为 HMF. ATP固有的微观结构和高比表面积使反应选择性提高.同时,结合固体酸活性位表征技术探索了己糖转化历程和 HMF生成机制.结果表明, In(III)的引入使 ATP催化性能更加优越.固体酸的 Lewis酸位和 Br?nsted酸位能分别有效催化葡萄糖异构和果糖脱水.优化的最佳反应条件为： GVL：H2O双相体系比例9：1,反应温度180oC,反应时间60 min.底物为葡萄糖时, HMF最高收率为40%. SO42?/In2O3-ATP固体酸比纯 ATP酸性更强,可重复使用4次,且不腐蚀设备,后处理简单,绿色环保.     

Conversion of d-glucose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) using zeolite in [Bmim]Cl or tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC)/CrCl2

The formation of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from glucose was studied. It was found that the CrCl₂-catalyzed conversion in the ionic liquid, butylmethylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) leads to negligible quantities of 3-deoxyglucosone confirming that fructose is the main intermediate. It was found that the environmentally unfriendly chromium salt could be replaced with zeolite (H-ZSM-5) leading to a 45% yield of HMF. It was also found that the solvent [Bmim]Cl could be replaced with non-toxic tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC) giving a 56% yield of HMF.     

A Chromium(III)‐Superoxo Complex as a Three‐Electron Oxidant with a Large Tunneling Effect in Multi‐Electron Oxidation of NADH Analogues

Metal‐superoxo species are involved in a variety of enzymatic oxidation reactions, and multi‐electron oxidation of substrates is frequently observed in those enzymatic reactions. A Cr^III‐superoxo complex, [Cr^III(O₂)(TMC)(Cl)]⁺ ( 1 ; TMC=1,4,8,11‐tetramethyl‐1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane), is described that acts as a novel three‐electron oxidant in the oxidation of dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) analogues. In the reactions of 1 with NADH analogues, a Cr^IV‐oxo complex, [Cr^IV(O)(TMC)(Cl)]⁺ ( 2 ), is formed by a heterolytic O−O bond cleavage of a putative Cr^II‐hydroperoxo complex, [Cr^II(OOH)(TMC)(Cl)], which is generated by hydride transfer from NADH analogues to 1 . The comparison of the reactivity of NADH analogues with 1 and p ‐chloranil (Cl₄Q) indicates that oxidation of NADH analogues by 1 proceeds by proton‐coupled electron transfer with a very large tunneling effect (for example, with a kinetic isotope effect of 470 at 233 K), followed by rapid electron transfer.     

A Heterobimetallic Superoxide Complex formed through O2 Activation between Chromium(II) and a Lithium Cation

The reaction of 1,1,3,3‐tetraphenyl‐1,3‐disiloxandiol (LH₂) with n‐butyllithium and CrCl₂ results in a mononuclear chromium(II) complex ( 1 ) that further reacts with O₂ at low temperatures to yield a mononuclear chromium(III) superoxide complex [L₂CrO₂(THF)][Li₂(THF)₃] ( 2 ). The crystal structure revealed that the chromium superoxido entity is stabilized by the coordination to an adjacent lithium cation. Complex 2 thus contains an unprecedented heterobimetallic [Cr^III(μ‐O₂)Li⁺] core; beyond this it is the first chromium superoxide for which a temperature‐dependent magnetic characterization could be achieved, and the first structurally characterized representative with chromium in an exclusive O‐donor environment.     

Highly efficient and N-bromosuccinimide-mediated conversion of carbohydrates to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural under mild conditions

Highly efficient and selective conversion of different carbohydrates to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has been successfully performed with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) as a promoter. In the presence of single NBS, a 64.2 % yield of HMF from fructose was obtained in N-methylpyrrolidone for 2 h. The effects of time, temperature and reaction media are discussed. It was concluded that the preliminary bromination of substrate could improve the generation of HMF compared to the direct dehydration process. Moreover, the HMF yield could be elevated to 79.6 and 82.3 % when FeCl₃ and SnCl₄ were used as the additives, respectively. Furthermore, the addition of CrCl₃ facilitated the conversion pathway from glucose, sucrose, inulin, or cellulose to HMF. A 57.3, 68.2, 62.4, or 6.1 % yield of HMF was, respectively, obtained in the presence of CrCl₃ and NBS under mild conditions, which will therefore generate a promising application strategy for biomass transformation.     

Glucose transformation to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural in acidic ionic liquid: A quantum mechanical study

Isomerization and transformation of glucose and fructose to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in both ionic liquids (ILs) and water has been studied by the reference interaction site model self‐consistent field spatial electron density distribution (RISM‐SCF‐SEDD) method coupled with ab initio electronic structure theory, namely coupled cluster single, double, and perturbative triple excitation (CCSD(T)). Glucose isomerization to fructose has been investigated via cyclic and open chain mechanisms. In water, the calculations support the cyclic mechanism of glucose isomerization; with the predicted activation free energy is 23.8 kcal mol^?1 at experimental condition. Conversely, open ring mechanism is more favorable in ILs with the energy barrier is 32.4 kcal mol^?1. Moreover, the transformation of fructose into HMF via cyclic mechanism is reasonable; the calculated activation barriers are 16.0 and 21.5 kcal mol^?1 in aqueous and ILs solutions, respectively. The solvent effects of ILs could be explained by the decomposition of free energies and radial distribution functions of solute‐solvent that are produced by RISM‐SCF‐SEDD. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

An IR study of NO adsorption on a CrOx/ZrO2 catalyst

The adsorption of NO at room temperature (RT) on a CrO_x/ZrO₂ catalyst has been investigated by IR spectroscopy and compared with data previously obtained by ESR spectroscopy and chemical titrations. Prior to NO adsorption, the sample was heated in O₂ at 923 K (average oxidation number of chromium, ñ = 5.5) and reduced in CO from 373 to 623 K (ñ varying from 5.5 to 2.5). The adsorption of NO on samples heated in O₂ yields mainly dinitrosyls of Cr^III, arising from the reduction of Cr^V. The adsorption of NO on samples reduced at 373 K yields mainly dinitrosyls of Cr^III, in addition to N₂O, nitrites and nitrates. The admission of NO on fully reduced samples (ñ = 2.5) yields dinitrosyls of Cr^III and mono- and dinitrosyls of Cr^II, in addition to N₂O, nitrites and nitrates. Upon evacuation of the latter sample at 423 K, the adsorbed NO oxidized most of the Cr^II to Cr^VI (ñ = 4.2) and, in fact, the nitrosyls of Cr^III are the only species detected by IR on NO readmission after evacuation treatment, in addition to N₂O_ads, nitrites and nitrates. Blank experiments on pure ZrO₂ show that the dismutation of NO leading to N₂O and nitrites (or nitrates) takes place on sites of the ZrO₂ support. When a fully reduced sample is further reacted with water at 853 K, mainly dinitrosyls and mononitrosyls of Cr^III are detected upon exposure to NO, since reaction with water selectively oxidized Cr^II to chromia-like species.     

Production of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural from Fructose in Ionic Liquid Efficiently Catalyzed by Cr(III)‐Al2O3 Catalyst

A series of metal‐Al₂O₃ catalysts were prepared simply by the conventional impregnation with Al₂O₃ and metal chlorides, which were applied to the dehydration of fructose to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). An agreeable HMF yield of 93.1% was achieved from fructose at mild conditions (100°C and 40 min) when employing Cr(III)‐Al₂O₃ as catalyst in 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl). The Cr(III)‐Al₂O₃ catalyst was characterized via XRD, DRS and Raman spectra and the results clarified the interaction between the Cr(III) and the alumina support. Meanwhile, the reaction solvents ([Bmim]Cl) collected after 1^st reaction run and 5^th reaction run were analyzed by ICP‐OES and LC‐ITMS and the results confirmed that no Cr(III) ion was dropped off from the alumina support during the fructose dehydration. Notably, Cr(III)‐Al₂O₃ catalyst had an excellent catalytic performance for glucose and sucrose and the HMF yields were reached to 73.7% and 84.1% at 120°C for 60 min, respectively. Furthermore, the system of Cr(III)‐Al₂O₃ and [Bmim]Cl exhibited a constant stability and activity at 100°C for 40 min and a favorable HMF yield was maintained after ten recycles.     

Polymerization of Ethylene by Silica‐Supported Dinuclear CrIII Sites through an Initiation Step Involving CH Bond Activation

The insertion of an olefin into a preformed metal–carbon bond is a common mechanism for transition‐metal‐catalyzed olefin polymerization. However, in one important industrial catalyst, the Phillips catalyst, a metal–carbon bond is not present in the precatalyst. The Phillips catalyst, CrO₃ dispersed on silica, polymerizes ethylene without an activator. Despite 60 years of intensive research, the active sites and the way the first Cr? C bond is formed remain unknown. We synthesized well‐defined dinuclear Cr^II and Cr^III sites on silica. Whereas the Cr^II material was a poor polymerization catalyst, the Cr^III material was active. Poisoning studies showed that about 65 % of the Cr^III sites were active, a far higher proportion than typically observed for the Phillips catalyst. Examination of the spent catalyst and isotope labeling experiments showed the formation of a Si–(μ‐OH)–Cr^III species, consistent with an initiation mechanism involving the heterolytic activation of ethylene at Cr^III? O bonds.     

Complexes of 1-isonicotinoyl-4-benzoyl-3-thiosemicarbazide with manganese(II), iron(III), chromium(III), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II)

1-Isonicotinoyl-4-benzoyl-3-thiosemicarbazide (IBtsc) and its Cr^III, Mn^II, Fe^III, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II and Zn^II complexes have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, magnetic susceptibility measurements, u.v.–vis., i.r., n.m.r. and FAB mass spectral data. The room temperature e.s.r. spectra of the Cr^III, Fe^III and Cu^II complexes yield values, characteristic of octahedral, tetrahedral and square-planar complexes, respectively. The Mössbauer spectra of [Fe(IBtsc-H)Cl₂] at room temperature and at 78 K suggest the presence of high-spin Fe^III. The Ni^II, Cr^III and Cu^II complexes show semiconducting behaviour in the solid state, but the Zn^II complex is an insulator at room temperature. IBtsc and its soluble complexes have been screened against several bacteria, fungi and tumour cell lines.     

Polymerization of Ethylene by Silica‐Supported Dinuclear CrIII Sites through an Initiation Step Involving C?H Bond Activation

The insertion of an olefin into a preformed metal–carbon bond is a common mechanism for transition‐metal‐catalyzed olefin polymerization. However, in one important industrial catalyst, the Phillips catalyst, a metal–carbon bond is not present in the precatalyst. The Phillips catalyst, CrO₃ dispersed on silica, polymerizes ethylene without an activator. Despite 60 years of intensive research, the active sites and the way the first Cr C bond is formed remain unknown. We synthesized well‐defined dinuclear Cr^II and Cr^III sites on silica. Whereas the Cr^II material was a poor polymerization catalyst, the Cr^III material was active. Poisoning studies showed that about 65 % of the Cr^III sites were active, a far higher proportion than typically observed for the Phillips catalyst. Examination of the spent catalyst and isotope labeling experiments showed the formation of a Si–(μ‐OH)–Cr^III species, consistent with an initiation mechanism involving the heterolytic activation of ethylene at Cr^III O bonds.     

The chemistry and kinetic behavior of Cu-Cr-As/B wood preservatives. I. Fixation of chromium on wood

The kinetic behavior of CrO₃ in its reaction with wood has been elucidated. Various reactions take place between CrO₃ and the lignin and cellulose in wood. CrO₃ reacts with cellulose in a two-step reaction: the first step is an adsorption of Cr^VI onto the cellulose to form Cr^VI/cellulose activated complexes. The second step is a Cr^VI → Cr^III reduction taking place on the cellulose surface. The Cr^III formed is only physically adsorbed to the cellulose or very weakly bound as small amounts of Cr^III can be released into the reaction medium. The Cr^VI adsorbed by cellulose appears mainly to be reduced to Cr^III. The reaction of Cr^VI with lignin has been shown to be the composition of the three successive reaction of Cr₂O₇^2?, HCrO₄^?, and CrO₄^2? with the guaiacyl units of lignin. Insoluble and stable Cr^VI/lignin complexes in which chromium maintains its hexavalent oxidation state are formed. Rate constants and energies of activation for all the reactions have been determined. The fixation of CrO₃-derived compounds on wood has been explained as the combination of the various reactions investigated. The results indicate that 60% of Cr is fixed irreversibly to the lignin of wood as Cr^VI and 40% is weakly bound, probably just precipitated, on the cellulose surface as Cr^III of which small amounts can be released in a water medium. The complex Cr^VI and Cr^III species forming complexes with the guaiacyl units have been identified.     

Ambidenticity of a tridentate oxygen-nitrogen donor towards bivalent and trivalent transition metal ions

Summary N-salicylidene anthranilamide (H₂SAA) and its Cr^III, Mn^II, Fe^III, Co^II, Ni^II and Cu^II complexes were prepared and characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic data. H₂SAA enolizes to give a dibasic ONO donor set in the divalent metal complexes. It also binds to the trivalent metal ions in a nonenolized form using a monobasic ONN donor set. Co^II is oxidized to Co^III during complexation. Octahedral geometries are proposed for Cr^III, Mn^II, Fe^III and Co^III complexes, while square planar geometries are suggested for the Ni^II and Cu^II complexes. Phenoxide bridging in the Cr^III and Fe^III complexes and enoxide bridging in the Ni^II and Cu^II complexes is proposed.     

Synthesis of new 14- and 16-membered macrocycles and their transition metal complexes

Summary Benzoylacetic acid (1 mol) interacts with ethylenediamine or with propanediamine (2 mol) to yield new N₄ macrocycles 1,5,8,12-tetraazacyclotetradeca-2,4,9,11-tetraphenyl-3, 10-dicarboxylic-4,11-diacetic acid- 1,8-diene (L¹) and 1,5,9,13-tetraazacyclohexadeca-2,4,10,12-tetraphenyl-3, 11-dicarboxylic-4,12-diacetic acid-1,9-diene (L²), respectively. These macrocycles have been successfully complexed with Cr^III, Fe^III, Mn^II, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II and Zn^II. The complexes of the divalent metal ions are non-electrolytes, while those of Fe^III and Cr^III are 1:1 electrolytes in DMSO. On the basis of ligand field spectra and magnetic moments an octahedral geometry has been proposed for all the complexes.     

Removal of chromate from aqueous solution by reduction with nanoscale Fe–Al layered double hydroxide

Nanoscale layered double hydroxides of Fe^II and Al^III (Fe–Al LDH) have been applied for removal of chromate (Cr^VI) from aqueous solution. Given the reaction stoichiometry, Cr^VI was completely reduced to Cr^III and coprecipitated with Fe^III and Al^III oxyhydroxides. The extent of Cr^VI removal decreased with increasing initial pH and decreasing molar ratio of Cr^VI/structural Fe^II in the LDH. The chromate reduction rate at different initial concentrations of Cr^VI was well described by the pseudo-second-order model with reaction rate constant ranging from 197.4 to 13.53 (mmol min)^?1. Initial pH and substitution of various amounts of Fe^III in the LDH structure had little effect on the reaction rate. Backtransformation of Cr^III to Cr^VI by birnessite Mn oxide (δ-MnO₂) after 40 days of reaction was less than 1% of the initial Cr (as Cr^III solid), indicating high stability of the final reaction products and high efficiency of nanoscale Fe–Al LDHs for removal of chromate from aqueous solution.     

Magnetic Anisotropy of Cyanide‐Bridged Core and Core–Shell Coordination Nanoparticles Probed by X‐ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism

The local symmetry and local magnetic properties of 6 nm‐sized, bimetallic, cyanide‐bridged CsNiCr(CN)₆ coordination nanoparticles 1 and 8 nm‐sized, trimetallic, CsNiCr(CN)₆@CsCoCr(CN)₆ core–shell nanoparticles 2 were studied by X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). The measurements were performed at the Ni^II, Co^II, and Cr^III L_2,3 edges. This study revealed the presence of distorted Ni^II sites located on the particle surface of 1 that account for the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy observed by SQUID measurements. For the core–shell particles, a combination of the exchange anisotropy between the core and the shell and the pronounced anisotropy of the Co^II ions is the origin of the large increase in coercive field from 120 to 890 Oe on going from 1 to 2 . In addition, XMCD allows the relative orientation of the magnetic moments throughout the core–shell particles to be determined. While for the bimetallic particles of 1 , alignment of the magnetic moments of Cr^III ions with those of Ni^II ions leads to uniform magnetization, in the core–shell particles 2 the magnetic moments of the isotropic Cr^III follow those of Co^II ions in the shell and those of Ni^II ions in the core, and this leads to nonuniform magnetization in the whole nanoobject, mainly due to the large difference in local anisotropy between the Co^II ions belonging to the surface and the Ni^II ions in the core.     

Kinetics and Mechanism of Oxidation of Chromium(III)‐guanosine 5‐Monophosphate Complex by Periodate

The kinetics of oxidation of the chromium(III)‐guanosine 5‐monophosphate complex, [Cr^III(L)(H₂O)₄]³⁺(L = guanosine 5‐monophosphate) by periodate in aqueous solution to Cr^VI have been studied spectrophotometrically over the 25–45 °C range. The reaction is first order with respect to both [IO₄^?] and [Cr^III], and increases with pH over the 2.38–3.68 range. Thermodynamic activation parameters have been calculated. It is proposed that electron transfer proceeds through an inner‐sphere mechanism via coordination of IO₄^? to chromium(III).     

Über Chrom(II)-carboxylate und Halogenochromate(II)

Highly pure chromium(II) acetate, was obtained from chromium powder and anhydrous acetic acid in the presence of a small amount of acetylhalide. Cr^II acetate reacts with acetyl halide in anhydrous acetic acid to sesquisolvates like CrCl₂ · 3/2 CH₃COOH. If one equivalent of alkali acetate or an organic nitrogen base is added to solutions of Cr^II acetate in acetyl halide/acetic acid mixtures, trihalochromates(II) are precipitated which are hexagonal in structure, except the ammonium and the potassium salt. With two equivalents of alkali or ammonium acetate tetrachlorochromates(II) of cesium, rubidium and ammonium are precipitated. They are tetragonal in structure (K₂NiF₄ type). Using pyridinium acetate with various mixtures of acetyl bromide and acetic acid, only the solvates (PyH)₃(CrBr₅) · 2CH₃COOH is formed.