Potassium Acetate/18-Crown-6 Pair: Robust and Versatile Catalyst for Synthesis of Polyols from Ring-Opening Copolymerization of Epoxides and Cyclic Anhydrides†

Efficient synthesis of polyester polyols with tunable molecular weight and microstructures from cyclic anhydride/epoxide mixtures by taking advantage of chain transfer reaction remains a great challenge, because most of the catalysts exhibit poor tolerance to chain transfer agent (CTA). In this contribution, we demonstrated that potassium acetate (KOAc) and 18-crown-6 (18-C-6) combination has great potential in the synthesis of diverse polyester polyols with controllable molecular weight and high-end group fidelity. Compared with KOAc, KOAc/18-C-6 pair could induce a much faster chain transfer between the active and dormant chains, and thus produce polyester polyols with narrow and monomodal distribution. In addition, polyester polyols could be efficiently prepared in laboratory by using commercially available cyclic anhydride without further purification (containing about 2% diacid residual as CTA) with an extremely low catalyst loading ([catalyst pair] : [anhydride] : [epoxide] = 1 : 50000 : 250000, [catalyst pair] = 0.0004 mol%). KOAc/18-C-6 could also promote the self-switchable copolymerization of cyclic anhydride/epoxide/cyclic ester mixtures. Ring- opening copolymerization of cyclic ester was initiated automatically after the full conversion of cyclic anhydride, finally producing polyester polyols with ABA-type block structure.      

One-Carbon Homologation of α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes: Access to α-Tertiary β,γ-Unsaturated Aldehydes

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of enolizable α-substituted β,γ-unsaturated aldehydes is reported. The developed strategy involves two steps, epoxidation and Meinwald rearrangement, to result in a one-carbon homologation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes enabling the insertion of a CHR unit.     

A Nuclearity-Dependent Enantiodivergent Epoxide Opening via Enthalpy-Controlled Mononuclear and Entropy-Controlled Dinuclear (Salen)Titanium Catalysis

A nuclearity-dependent enantiodivergent epoxide opening reaction has been developed, in which both antipodes of chiral alcohol products are selectively accessed by mononuclear (salen)Ti^III complex and its self-assembled oxygen-bridged dinuclear counterparts within the same stereogenic ligand scaffold. Kinetic studies based on the Eyring equation revealed an enthalpy-controlled enantio-differentiation mode in mononuclear catalysis, whereas an entropy-controlled one in dinuclear catalysis. DFT calculations outline the origin of the enantiocontrol of the mononuclear catalysis and indicate the actual catalyst species in the dinuclear catalytic system. The mechanistic insights may shed a light on a strategy for stereoswichable asymmetric catalysis utilizing nuclearity-distinct transition-metal complexes.     

Exposed Zinc Sites on Hybrid ZnIn2S4@CdS Nanocages for Efficient Regioselective Photocatalytic Epoxide Alcoholysis

Photocatalytic epoxide alcoholysis through C−O bond cleavage and formation has emerged as an alternative to synthesizing anti-tumoral pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. However, the lack of crucial evidence to interpret the interaction between reactants and photocatalyst surface makes it challenging for photocatalytic epoxide alcoholysis with both high activity and regioselectivity. In this work, we report the hierarchical ZnIn₂S₄@CdS photocatalyst for epoxide alcoholysis with high regioselectivity nearly 100 %. Mechanistic studies unveil that the precise activation switch on exposed Zn acid sites for C−O bond polarization and cleavage has a critical significance for achieving efficient photocatalytic performance. Furthermore, the establishment of Z-scheme heterojunction facilitates the interface charge separation and transfer. Remarkably, the underlying regioselective photocatalytic reaction pathway has been distinctly revealed.