Investigating the mechanism of chiral surface reactions: the interaction of methylacetoacetate with (S)-glutamic Acid modified Ni{111}

The enantioselective hydrogenation of beta ketoesters over Ni-based catalysts is a rare example of a heterogeneously catalyzed chiral reaction. The key step in catalyst preparation is the adsorption from solution of chiral molecules (modifiers). One particularly interesting modifier is (S)-glutamic acid because the dominant enantiomeric product in the catalytic reaction depends upon the modification temperature. We report a reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) study of the adsorption of methylacetoacetate (the simplest beta ketoester) onto (S)-glutamic acid modified Ni{111} surfaces as functions of the modifier coverage and modification temperature. We show that the sticking probability of methylacetoacetate is close to 0 on saturated (S)-glutamic acid covered surfaces. At lower modifier coverage, methylacetoacetate adsorption can occur. Adsorption of methylacetoacetate onto a Ni{111} surface modified by (S)-glutamic acid at 300 K results in the diketo tautomeric form, with evidence being observed for a 1:1 interaction between zwitterionic (S)-glutamate and methylacetoacetate. In contrast, adsorption of methylacetoacetate onto a Ni{111} surface modified by (S)-glutamic acid at 350 K occurs exclusively in the enol tautomeric form. The implications for the heterogeneous catalytic reaction are discussed.     

Chirally modified platinum generated by adsorption of cinchonidine ether derivatives: towards uncovering the chiral sites

The adsorption behavior of O-methyl and O-trimethylsilyl derivatives of cinchonidine (CD), employed as chiral modifiers for heterogeneous enantioselective hydrogenations on supported Pt catalysts, has been investigated by using attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and density functional theory (DFT) electronic structure calculations. The ATR-IR spectroscopic investigation provided detailed insight of the adsorbed modifiers under conditions close to those employed during catalytic processes, and electronic structure calculations were used as a complement to the experiments to uncover the implications of conformational changes in generating the topology of the surface chiral site. The structural investigation of the adsorbed modifiers revealed a relationship between the spatial positions of the ether substituents and the enantiodifferentiation induced by the modified catalyst observed in the hydrogenation of alpha-activated ketones. Experiments and calculations corroborate a model, according to which the addition of a bulky ether group to CD reshapes the chiral sites, thus generating catalytic chiral surfaces with different and, in some cases (e.g. hydrogenation of ketopantolactone), even opposite enantioselective properties to those obtained with CD without altering the absolute configuration of the modifier. The study also confirms that active surface conformations of cinchona modifiers are markedly different from those existing in vacuum and in solution, thus underlying the necessity of investigating the surface-modifier interaction in order to understand enantioselectivity.     

Enantiospecific adsorption of cysteine at chiral kink sites on Au(110)-(1 x 2)

Enantiospecific adsorption of cysteine molecules onto chiral kink sites on the Au(110)-(1x2) surface was observed by scanning tunneling microscopy. l- and d-cysteine dimers were found to adopt distinctly different adsorption geometries at S kinks, which can be understood from the need to reach specific, optimum molecule-substrate interaction points. Extended, homochiral domains of l/d-cysteine were furthermore observed to grow preferentially from R/S kinks. The results constitute the first direct, microscopic observation of enantiospecific molecular interaction with chiral sites on a metal single-crystal surface.     

The influence of anions and kink structure on the enantioselective electro-oxidation of glucose

The electro-oxidation of glucose in sulfuric acid using well-defined chiral platinum single crystal electrodes has been demonstrated previously to be an enantioselective reaction with the degree of enantioselectivity being dependent on the surface density of kink sites. The chirality of the surface originates from the microstructure of the kink site whereby the sequence of the three fundamental adsorption sites [111], [100] and [110] constituting the kink may be viewed from the electrolyte phase either in a clockwise (R-enantiomer) or anti-clockwise (S-enantiomer) fashion. In the present study, this work is extended to examine the role of both kink structure and specifically adsorbed anions on the mechanism of chiral discrimination. Kinked surfaces based on [111] terraces (Pt[976],Pt[643] and Pt[531]),[100] terraces (Pt[721]) and [110] terraces (Pt[11,7,1] and Pt[841]) have been investigated and both the magnitude and potential dependence of the enantioselective electro-oxidation of glucose characterised. Additionally, the changes engendered by interchanging the character of the two steps whose confluence form the kink whilst maintaining the symmetry of the terrace has also been examined via a comparison of Pt[643] and Pt[431]. Low energy electron diffraction (LEED) was used to confirm that all surfaces when clean and thermally annealed were in their (1 x 1) state. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) confirmed this finding for flame-annealed electrodes after cooling in hydrogen. Three general points emerge from the electro-oxidation studies: (i) The highest degree of enantioselectivity is exhibited by kink sites adjacent to [111] and [110] terraces in sulfuric acid. (ii) The adsorption of specifically adsorbed anions like bisulfate/sulfate influences strongly the chiral discriminatory behaviour of all surfaces. (iii) No electro-oxidation takes place at [110] sites, as evidenced by complete overlap of the [110] step hydrogen underpotential deposition (UPD) charge in glucose and glucose-free solutions. Nonetheless it is deduced that [110] sites must play some part in the initial orienting of the glucose molecule prior to reaction. Ideas based on these findings are developed in order to rationalise in particular the influence of anion adsorption on the initial enantioselective interaction of the glucose molecule with the chiral surface.     

Aspects of heterogeneous enantioselective catalysis by metals

Some aspects of metal-catalyzed heterogeneous enantioselective reactions are reviewed with specific reference to four different systems where the phenomena that control enantioselection appear to be very different. In the case of glucose electro-oxidation, it is clear that any intrinsic chirality present at the metal surface plays a vital role. With α-keto hydrogenation, achiral surfaces modified by the adsorption of chiral agents become effective enantioselective catalysts and the formation of extended arrays of chiral species appears not to be of importance: instead a 1:1 docking interaction controlled by hydrogen bonding between the adsorbed chiral modifier and the prochiral reactant determines the outcome. Hydrogen bonding also plays a central role in β-ketoester hydrogenation, but here fundamental studies indicate that the formation of ordered arrays involving the reactant and chiral ligand is of importance. Asymmetric C═C hydrogenation, though relatively little studied, has the potential for major impact in synthetic organic chemistry both on the laboratory scale and in the manufacture of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The structural attributes that determine whether a given chiral ligand is effective have been identified; the ability to form strong covalent bonds with the metal surface while also resisting hydrogenation and displacement by the strongly adsorbing reactant under reaction conditions is an essential necessary condition. Beyond this, ligand rigidity in the vicinity of the chirality center coupled with resistance to SAM formation is a critically important factor whose absence results in racemic chemistry.     

Biosynthesis of platinum nanoparticles by Escherichia coli MC4100: can such nanoparticles exhibit intrinsic surface enantioselectivity?

The biomanufacture of two types of platinum bionanoparticle (bioNP) using Escherichia coli MC4100(1% and 20% by mass metal loading) together with a method for both liberating the nanoparticles (NPs) from the bacterial layer and their subsequent critical cleaning is reported. The possibility of an enantiomeric excess of chiral kink sites forming on the surface of the Pt nanoparticles produced by the bacteria was investigated using the electrooxidation of D- and L-glucose as the chiral probe. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the Pt bioNPs (after recovery and cleaning) were typically 2.3 ± 0.7 nm (1% loading) and 4.5 ± 0.7 nm (20% loading) in diameter. The D- and L-glucose electrooxidation measurements did not give rise to any chiral response using either of the Pt bioNPs types but did display differing CV profiles. This suggested that the overall surface morphology of each bioNP could be controlled by the degree of metal loading but that no enantiomeric excess of intrinsically chiral surface kink sites was present.     

Monitoring Surface Processes During Heterogeneous Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Ketones on a Chirally Modified Platinum Catalyst by Operando Spectroscopy

Surface processes occurring at the catalytic chiral surface of a cinchona‐modified Pt catalyst during the asymmetric hydrogenation of activated ketones have been monitored for the first time using operando ATR‐IR spectroscopy. Fundamental information about this catalytic system could be gained, including the chiral modification process of the catalyst, the surface interaction of reactant ketone with preadsorbed chiral modifier, the role of hydrogen as well as the influence of the product enantiomers in the catalytic cycle. The formation of a diastereomeric transient surface complex between ketone and chiral modifier was found to be related to the ketone consumption. Among the studied activated ketones, a correlation between stereoselection and the strength of the intermolecular hydrogen bond was identified. Dissociated hydrogen from the catalytic surface is found to play a crucial role in the formation of the diastereomeric surface complex.     

The origin of chemo- and enantioselectivity in the hydrogenation of diketones on platinum

In the Pt-catalyzed hydrogenation of 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-diketones, addition of trace amounts of cinchonidine, O-methyl-cinchonidine, or (R,R)-pantoyl-naphthylethylamine induces up to 93% ee and enhances the chemoselectivity up to 100% in the hydrogenation of the activated carbonyl group to an OH function. A combined catalytic, NMR and FTIR spectroscopic, and theoretical study revealed that the two phenomena are coupled, offering the unique possibility for understanding the substrate-modifier-metal interactions. The high chemo- and enantioselectivities are attributed to the formation of an ion pair involving the protonated amine function of the chiral modifier and the enolate form of the substrate. DFT calculations including the simulation of the interaction of a protonated amine with the enolate adsorbed on a Pt 31 cluster revealed that only the C-O bond next to the CF3 group of the substrate is in direct contact with Pt and can be hydrogenated. The present study illustrates the fundamental role played by the metal surface and indicates that also the enol form can be the reactive species in the hydrogenation of the activated ketone on chirally modified Pt.     

Enantioselective separation on a naturally chiral surface

Kinked-stepped, high Miller index surfaces of metal crystals are chiral and, therefore, exhibit enantiospecific properties. Previous temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) spectra have shown that the desorption energies of R-3-methylcyclohexanone (R-3-MCHO) on the chiral Cu(643)(R) and Cu(643)(S) surfaces are enantiospecific (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 2384). Here, a comparison of the TPD spectra from Cu(111), Cu(221), Cu(533), Cu(653)(R&S), and Cu(643)(R&S) surfaces reveals that the enantiospecific desorption occurs from the chiral kink sites on the Cu(643) surfaces. Titration of the chiral kink sites with I atoms confirms this assignment of desorption features in the TPD spectra. Finally, the enantiospecific difference in the desorption energies of R- and S-3-MCHO has been used as the basis for demonstration of an enantioselective, kinetic separation of racemic 3-MCHO into its purified components during adsorption and desorption on the Cu(643)(R&S) surfaces.     

Role of guiding groups in cinchona-modified platinum for controlling the sense of enantiodifferentiation in the hydrogenation of ketones

Systematic structural variations of cinchona-type modifiers used in the platinum-catalyzed hydrogenation of ketones give insight into the adsorption mode of the modifier and its interaction with the substrate on the platinum surface under truly in situ conditions. The performance of a new modifier, O-(2-pyridyl)-cinchonidine, is compared to that of O-phenyl-cinchonidine and cinchonidine (CD). In the hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate, ketopantolactone, and 2-methoxyacetophenone, CD gives the (R)-alcohol in excess. Introduction of the bulky O-phenyl group favors the (S)-enantiomer, whereas upon replacement of the phenyl by a 2-pyridyl group the (R)-alcohol is again the major product. This finding is particularly striking, because the two ether groups have virtually identical van der Waals volumes. A catalytic study including the nonlinear behavior of modifier mixtures, and attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy of the solid-liquid interface in the presence of hydrogen, revealed the adsorption mode and strength of the modifiers on Pt. Theoretical calculations of the modifier-substrate interactions offered a feasible explanation for the different role of the bulky ether groups: repulsion by the phenoxy and attraction by the 2-pyridoxy groups. Simulation of the interaction of o-pyridoxy-CD with ketopantolactone on a model Pt surface suggests that formation of two N-H-O-type H-bonds--involving the quinuclidine and pyridine N atoms, and the two keto-carbonyls in the substrate--controls the adsorption of the substrate during hydrogen uptake. This mechanistic study demonstrates the potential of insertion of suitable substituents into CD and their influence on adsorption and stereocontrol on the platinum surface.     

Surface processes occurring on Rh/alumina during chiral modification by cinchonidine: an ATR-IR spectroscopy study

Cinchona alkaloids are frequently used for chiral modification of supported noble metal catalysts employed in heterogeneous enantioselective hydrogenation. In order to gain molecular insight into the surface processes occurring at the metal/liquid interface, cinchonidine (CD) adsorption on vapor-deposited Rh/Al2O3 films has been studied in the presence of solvent and hydrogen by means of attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy. The spectrum of CD adsorbed on Rh exhibited two dominant signals at 1593 and 1511 cm(-1), which are characteristic of a surface species having a quinoline ring tilted with respect to the metal. Interestingly, no adsorbed modifier in the flat geometry (quinoline parallel to the metal plane) was observed. During desorption, these signals vanished, and a new prominent signal appeared at 1601 cm(-1) which belongs to a species with the quinoline ring hydrogenated on the heteroaromatic side. Concentration-dependent experiments and the reversibility of the observed phenomenon indicate that CD was readily hydrogenated to 1',2',3',4',10,11-hexahydrocinchonidine (CDH(6)) on Rh. The ATR-IR spectra also reveal that the flat species was indeed immediately hydrogenated when CD was provided from solution, and the only visible adsorbed species was the tilted species, which displaced the hydrogenation product from the metal surface. In the absence of dissolved CD, during desorption, the tilted species was converted to the flat species and rapidly hydrogenated. The hydrogenation product was stable on the metal surface only in the absence of CD. Therefore, the adsorption strength of the different species is as follows: flat > tilted > CDH(6). Evidence for the formation of the flat species and its role as an intermediate to the hydrogenation product is given by an experiment in which CD was adsorbed in the absence of dissolved hydrogen after surface cleaning. The adsorption and hydrogenation of CD on Rh deviate significantly from that observed earlier on Pt and Pd under similar conditions, where the flat species could be observed even in the presence of hydrogen. This difference is attributed to the weaker interaction and lower hydrogenation rate occurring on Pt and Pd.     

Enantioselective hydrogenation over cinchona-modified Pt: the special role of carboxylic acids

The influence of acetic acid (AcOH) and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) on the hydrogenation of ethyl-4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate has been investigated by using Pt/Al(2)O(3) modified by cinchonidine and O-methylcinchonidine. We have shown that the sometimes dramatic changes in enantioselectivity and rate cannot simply be interpreted by protonation of the alkaloid modifier. We propose a new three-step reaction pathway, involving interaction of the carboxylic acid with the reactant and the chiral modifier. The mechanism is supported by IR spectroscopic identification of cyclic TFA-modifier ion pairs. This new approach can rationalise the poorly understood role of acids in the enantioselective hydrogenation of activated ketones over cinchona-modified platinum metals.     

Correlation between Chiral Modifier Adsorption and Enantioselectivity in Hydrogenation Catalysis

Infrared absorption spectroscopy performed in situ at the solid–liquid interface revealed that the adsorption on platinum supported catalysts of 1‐(1‐naphthyl)‐ethylamine, which is used as a chiral modifier in hydrogenation catalysis, occurs through the amine group, not the aromatic ring as is widely believed. Comparisons were performed against a set of related modifier compounds with targeted substitutions to help identify the key moiety involved in the adsorption. It was determined that neither naphthalene‐based modifiers without amine groups nor those with tertiary amine moieties are capable of adsorbing on the metal surface to any significant extent. A direct correlation was also found between the ability of the amines to adsorb on the platinum surface and their performance as chiral modifiers that impart enantioselectivity to the hydrogenation of α‐keto esters such as ethyl pyruvate.     

Interaction between ketopantolactone and chirally modified Pt investigated by attenuated total reflection IR concentration modulation spectroscopy

The combination of ATR-IR and modulation spectroscopy allowed for the study of the interaction of ketopantolactone with Pt/Al2O3 films chirally modified by cinchonidine under hydrogenation conditions. The spectra reveal a significant influence of ketopantolactone on the adsorption of the modifier and indicate a N-H-O hydrogen bond between modifier and reactant. The latter was corroborated by a comparative study with N-methyl cinchonidine chloride modified Pt/Al2O3.     

Thermodynamic characterization of the adsorption of selected chiral compounds on immobilized amyloglucosidase in liquid chromatography

Immobilized amyloglucosidase was used as a chiral stationary phase (CSP). First, the retention and enantioselectivity of several model chiral amines and acids were investigated. We found that this CSP was unable to separate the enantiomers of acids, though all selected amines could be resolved. The adsorption of (R)- and (S)-propranolol and its influence on column temperature and 2-propanol content in the eluent were then studied in detail, using a three-step methodology. The adsorption was first evaluated using Scatchard plots; thereafter, the adsorption was characterized in detail by calculating the adsorption energy distribution. With this model-independent information, a better judgment could be made of the possible adsorption models selected in the last step, the model fitting to the data. In the case examined, the bi-Langmuir model (containing nonselective and enantioselective sites) describes the system well. The retention of (R)- and (S)-propranolol at low temperatures increases with the content of 2-propanol in the eluent, due to the increased saturation capacity of the enantioselective sites. The retention is an enthalpy-driven process at both types of sites, whereas the enantioseparation is due to differences between the entropy changes of the two enantiomers at the enantioselective sites. The enthalpy of adsorption at the nonselective sites is almost identical at the two concentrations of 2-propanol in the eluent. Enantioselective adsorption, on the other hand, is more exothermic at higher modifier content (20%). Thus, at high temperatures the retention decreases with increasing modifier content, whereas the opposite (unusual) trend is the case at low temperatures.     

Ordered mesoporous silicates of MCM-41 type as support of pt catalysts for the enantioselective hydrogenation of 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione

Summary Platinum catalysts (1 wt.%) supported on MCM-41 type and SiO₂have been prepared, characterized and evaluated in the enantioselective hydrogenation of 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione at 298 K and 20 bar of hydrogen pressure, using cinchonidine (CD) as chiral modifier. Chemisorption and TEM results revealed that both catalysts posses similar metal dispersion, however, significant differences in the catalytic behavior were observed. With dichloromethane as solvent, high hydrogenation rates and ee values around 47% were obtained for the Pt/MCM-41 catalyst. This fact is attributed to a confinement effect. The initial reaction rate is strongly dependent on the CD concentration, and the reaction rate (or ee) vsCD concentration plot exhibits bell-type curves. The main products were (R) -1-hydroxy-1-phenylpropanone and (S) -1-hydroxy-1-phenylpropanone.</o:p>     

1-(1-Naphthyl)ethylamine adsorption on platinum surfaces: on the mechanism of chiral modification in catalysis

The adsorption of 1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine (NEA) on platinum surfaces has been characterized by reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) both under ultrahigh vacuum and in situ from liquid solutions. The main focus of this study was to identify the mechanism by which single enantiomers of NEA bestow chirality on the platinum surface. Evidence was acquired for both of the prevailing explanations available in the literature for the NEA behavior: formation of supramolecular chiral templates and complexation of individual modifiers with the reactant. Indeed, TPD titrations of NEA-modified Pt(111) using propylene oxide (PO) as a chiral probe point to a relative enhancement in the adsorption of one enantiomer over the other at intermediate NEA coverages, which is the behavior expected from the templating mechanism. However, a difference in adsorption energetics was also observed. Both the TPD and RAIRS data suggest possible interactions between the adsorbed NEA and adjacent PO that differ according to the relative chirality of the two compounds. The NEA uptake from solution displays additional enantioselectivity, in particular when the adsorption of enantiopure compounds is compared with that of racemic mixtures, and also points to possible adsorption changes induced by ethyl pyruvate, a common reactant in chiral hydrogenation processes.     

Aspects of enantioselective heterogeneous catalysis: structure and reactivity of (S)-(-)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine on Pt[111

The molecular orientation, spatial distribution, and thermal behavior of the powerful chiral catalyst modifier precursor (S)-naphthylethylamine adsorbed on Pt[111] have been studied by NEXAFS, XPS, STM, and temperature programmed reaction. At 300 K, both in the presence and in the absence of coadsorbed hydrogen, the strongly tilted molecules do not form ordered arrays. These results constitute the first direct evidence against the template model and are at least consistent with the 1:1 interaction model of chiral induction in the enantioselective hydrogenation of alkyl pyruvates. Raising the temperature beyond 320 K (the temperature of enantioselectivity collapse) leads either to irreversible dimerization with hydrogen elimination or to dissociation of the ethylamine moiety, depending on whether coadsorbed H(a) is present. Either way, the stereogenic center is destroyed. These findings provide the first direct clue as to the possible origin of enantioselectivity collapse, by a mechanism not previously considered. When NEA and methyl pyruvate are coadsorbed in the presence of H(a), STM reveals entities that could correspond to a 1:1 docking complex between the prochiral reactant and the chiral modifier.     

Heterogeneously catalyzed asymmetric C=C hydrogenation: origin of enantioselectivity in the proline-directed Pd/isophorone system

We have studied the proline-directed, Pd-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of isophorone in the liquid state using a variety of methods. Our results unambiguously reveal the true reaction pathway and demonstrate that all earlier mechanistic hypotheses are wrong: although a proline/isophorone condensation product is formed, it is merely a spectator and not a key reaction intermediate in subsequent heterogeneous hydrogenation. Enantioselectivity is the result of kinetic resolution-a process that occurs homogeneously in solution and not at the metal surface. Racemic 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanone (TMCH) is produced by initial heterogeneous hydrogenation of isophorone; proline then reacts homogeneously, preferentially with one enantiomer of TMCH, leaving an excess of the other. Thus in complete contrast to the case of ketoester asymmetric hydrogenation, the metal surface is not involved in the crucial enantio-differentiation step. The mechanism we propose also explains why the maximum attainable yield of enantiopure TMCH cannot exceed 50%.     

Theoretical study of CCl(4) adsorption and hydrogenation on a Pt (111) surface

The adsorption and hydrogenation of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) on a Pt (111) surface have been investigated using density functional theory (DFT). We have performed calculations on the adsorption energies and structures of CCl(4) on four different adsorption sites of a Pt (111) surface using the full adsorbate geometry optimization method. The results show that the adsorption energy of all of the potential sites is less than -17 kcal/mol, which indicates that CCl(4) is physiosorbed on a Pt (111) surface through van der Waals interactions. The dissociation and hydrogenation pathways were investigated by a transition state search. For the Pt(15), Pt(19), and Pt(25) cluster surfaces, the activation energies of dissociation obtained in this work are 15.69, 16.94, and 16.77 kcal/mol, respectively. The hydrogenation of CCl(3). was studied at the on-top site of the Pt(15) cluster, and the calculated activation energy is 5.06 kcal/mol. The small activation energies indicate that the Pt (111) surface has high catalytic activity for the CCl(4) hydrogenation reaction. In addition, the Hirshfeld population analysis reveals that the charge transfer from the Pt (111) surface to the adsorbates occurs in both the dissociation and hydrogenation pathways.