Catalytic synthesis of thiazolidines by the reaction of Nef-isocyanide reaction

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A practical and efficient method for the synthesis of thiazolidine derivatives via Nef-isocyanide three-component reaction using supported phosphoric acid on...     

Ab initio study of the reaction path of the reaction HNCO+CN

HNCO is a convenient photolytic source of NCO and NH radicals for laboratory kinetics studies of elementary reaction[1] and plays an important role in the combustion and atmosphere chemistry. It can re- move deleterious compounds rapidly from exhausted ga…     

DFT studies on the acid-catalyzed Curtius reaction: the Schmidt reaction

The Schmidt reaction is the acid-catalyzed analogue of the Curtius reaction and is extensively used in organic synthesis. In this work, the mechanism of this reaction has been explored using DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level. Protonated formyl azide may undergo rearrangement to the product, protonated isocyanic acid, with simultaneous extrusion of molecular nitrogen (concerted mechanism), or undergo rearrangement to the anti conformer, followed by removal of nitrogen to form the nitrenium ion, which then rearranges to the final product, protonated isocyanic acid (step-wise mechanism). Like the Curtius reaction, it is found that the concerted pathway is definitely preferred. The key role of acidification in decreasing the overall energy barrier is more highlighted in case of phenyl substitution, with negligible effect on the lower homologues. For methoxy and amine substituents, there is very little difference in the activation energies of the concerted and step-wise reactions, with the former being still slightly preferred. Unlike the parent compound, the rearrangement of substituted nitrenium ion in some cases involves side reactions like C-H insertion and cyclization.     

Coordinate of the reaction methylcarbene-ethylene

An MO study of the coordinate of the reaction methylcarbene—ethylene, using semi-empirical methods, has been performed. The calculated critical energies for the reaction were: 17 kcal/mole by the EH method, 5 kcal/mole by INDO and 1 kcal/mole by MINDO/2.     

苯酞类化合物重排反应的研究——————3－位烷基取代苯 酞的重排反应

发现了3-正丁基苯酞在三氯化铝作用下进行重排反应生成1-甲基-5-羧基四氢萘,并提出了氢迁移的重排反应机制。研究了3-位不同烷基取代的苯酞类化合物在三氯化铝作用下的重排反应。在重排过程中,既有氢迁移,也会有烷基迁移,这取决于形成的碳正离子的稳定性。     

Catalysis of the Michael reaction

Two nearly equivalent procedures have been evolved for catalysis of the Michael reaction : (i) potassium $\text{t}$-butoxide deposited on xonotlite; and (ii) alumina supported potassium fluoride. These catalysts will undergo 150+ turnovers and enable Michael additions to be run at room temperature or below in good yields.     

Review of the aldol reaction

Aldol condensation is an important synthetic method widely used in organic synthesis. Development of catalytic methods that avoids the production of stoichiometric by-products while maintaining high levels of control available from stoichiometric processes provides an atom-economical alternative for these important transformations. Indeed, numerous catalysts for the aldol reaction have been reported in recent years, including enzymes, catalytic antibodies, organometals, organocatalysts, and small molecules. The direct aldol reaction is the most important reaction employed by synthetic chemists and is common in nature. Recently, various Lewis acids have been examined as catalysts for aldol reactions, but aldol condensation in a micellar medium has not been studied in detail so far. Because of stronger environmental concerns, organic reactions in green media, especially in water, have attracted more attention. It is believed that micelles act as nano reactors to enhance the reaction rates and give very good to excellent yields of end products.     

Kinetics of the Fischer-tropsch reaction

Long carbon chains: Self-assembly of monomeric carbon intermediates into long-chain hydrocarbons on catalytically reactive surface was studied when full reversibility of the chain growth is included in the kinetic model. Using Br?nsted-Evans-Polanyi relations, the maximum chain growth as a function of the surface reactivity is predicted.     

Impact of reaction products on the Grignard reaction with silanes and ketones

Grignard reactions with alkoxysilanes or carbonyl compounds produce alkoxymagnesium halides as by-products. Kinetic measurements for reactions of silanes and of a ketone were performed with Grignard reagents, enriched in alkoxymagnesium halides and taken in a great excess.The alkoxide-type reaction products complex tightly with Grignard reagents and enhance in this way their nucleophilicity, thus accelerating the reaction. However, alkoxides branched at α-C atom exert an unfavorable steric hindrance to reaction resulting in a decrease in the reaction rate.     

Decomposition of reaction networks: the initial phase of the permanganate/oxalic acid reaction

The determination of all chemical reaction networks composed of elementary reactions for a given net chemical reaction is one of the fundamental problems in chemistry, since the decomposition elucidates the reaction mechanism. It is essential in a wide range of applications: from the derivation of rate laws in physical chemistry to the design of large-scale reactors in process engineering where presence of unexpected side products can disturb operation. As an example we consider the well-known permanganate/oxalic acid reaction. We characterize all intermediate substances that can in principle act (auto-)catalytic, list all possible additional intermediate substances that would suffice to start the reaction without assuming presence of any autocatalyst. In particular, we propose for the first time a minimal network in which the well-known autocatalyst Mn²⁺ is produced. To derive our results we present an automatic method to determine whether a net chemical reaction can be explained by some reaction network with a given list of intermediate substances, how to generate all such networks, and how to suggest more intermediate substances if no network with the initially given substances exists.     

Finding reaction paths using the potential energy as reaction coordinate

The intrinsic reaction coordinate curve (IRC), normally proposed as a representation of a reaction path, is parametrized as a function of the potential energy rather than the arc-length. This change in the parametrization of the curve implies that the values of the energy of the potential energy surface points, where the IRC curve is located, play the role of reaction coordinate. We use Caratheodory's relation to derive in a rigorous manner the proposed parametrization of the IRC path. Since this Caratheodory's relation is the basis of the theory of calculus of variations, then this fact permits to reformulate the IRC model from this mathematical theory. In this mathematical theory, the character of the variational solution (either maximum or minimum) is given through the Weierstrass E-function. As proposed by Crehuet and Bofill [J. Chem. Phys. 122, 234105 (2005)], we use the minimization of the Weierstrass E-function, as a function of the potential energy, to locate an IRC path between two minima from an arbitrary curve on the potential energy surface, and then join these two minima. We also prove, from the analysis of the Weierstrass E-function, the mathematical bases for the algorithms proposed to locate the IRC path. The proposed algorithm is applied to a set of examples. Finally, the algorithm is used to locate a discontinuous, or broken, IRC path, namely, when the path connects two first order saddle points through a valley-ridged inflection point.     

Controlling the Scholl reaction

Guidelines for the application of the Scholl reaction were developed. Labeling experiments demonstrate that the Scholl reaction fails in small, unsubstituted oligophenylenes (e.g., o-terphenyl) due to oligomerization of the products (e.g., triphenylene). Incorporation of suitably placed blocking groups (e.g., t-butyl) suppresses oligomerization. The well-established directing group effects in electrophilic aromatic substitution predict the outcome of Scholl reactions of substituted substrates. Activating o,p-directing groups (e.g., MeO) direct bond formation o,p, either intramolecularly or intermolecularly. Deactivating o,p-directing groups (e.g., Br) also direct bond formation o,p but yields are lower. Deactivating m-directors (e.g., NO2) suppress reaction. MoCl5 and PhI(OOCCF3)2/BF3.Et2O are general and effective reagents for the Scholl oxidation. Calculations (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) predict the Scholl reaction in alkoxyarenes to proceed via arenium cations, not radical cations. Suzuki-Miyaura couplings were used to generate 12 substituted o-terphenyl derivatives.     

The reaction path intrinsic reaction coordinate method and the Hamilton-Jacobi theory

The definition and location of an intrinsic reaction coordinate path is of crucial importance in many areas of theoretical chemistry. Differential equations used to define the path hitherto are complemented in this study with a variational principle of Fermat type, as Fukui [Int. J. Quantum Chem., Quantum Chem. Symp. 15, 633 (1981)] reported in a more general form some time ago. This definition is more suitable for problems where initial and final points are given. The variational definition can naturally be recast into a Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The character of the variational solution is studied via the Weierstrass necessary and sufficient conditions. The characterization of the local minima character of the intrinsic reaction coordinate is proved. Such result leads to a numerical algorithm to find intrinsic reaction coordinate paths based on the successive minimizations of the Weierstrass E-function evaluated on a guess curve connecting the initial and final points of the desired path.