Impact of the Oxygen Defects and the Hydrogen Concentration on the Surface of Tetragonal and Monoclinic ZrO2 on the Reduction Rates of Stearic Acid on Ni/ZrO2

The role of the specific physicochemical properties of ZrO₂ phases on Ni/ZrO₂ has been explored with respect to the reduction of stearic acid. Conversion on pure m‐ZrO₂ is 1.3 times more active than on t‐ZrO₂, whereas Ni/m‐ZrO₂ is three times more active than Ni/t‐ZrO₂. Although the hydrodeoxygenation of stearic acid can be catalyzed solely by Ni, the synergistic interaction between Ni and the ZrO₂ support causes the variations in the reaction rates. Adsorption of the carboxylic acid group on an oxygen vacancy of ZrO₂ and the abstraction of the α‐hydrogen atom with the elimination of the oxygen atom to produce a ketene is the key to enhance the overall rate. The hydrogenated intermediate 1‐octadecanol is in turn decarbonylated to heptadecane with identical rates on all catalysts. Decarbonylation of 1‐octadecanol is concluded to be limited by the competitive adsorption of reactants and intermediate. The substantially higher adsorption of propionic acid demonstrated by IR spectroscopy and the higher reactivity to O₂ exchange reactions with the more active catalyst indicate that the higher concentration of active oxygen defects on m‐ZrO₂ compared to t‐ZrO₂ causes the higher activity of Ni/m‐ZrO₂.     

Iron-Catalyzed Cleavage Reaction of Keto Acids with Aliphatic Aldehydes for the Synthesis of Ketones and Ketone Esters

The radical–radical coupling reaction is an important synthetic strategy. In this study, the iron-catalyzed radical–radical cross-coupling reaction based on the decarboxylation of keto acids and decarbonylation of aliphatic aldehydes to obtain valuable aryl ketones is reported for the first time. Remarkably, when tertiary aldehydes were used as carbonyl sources, ketone esters were selectively obtained instead of ketones. The gram-scale preparation of aryl ketone through this strategy was easily achieved by using only 3 mol % of the iron catalyst. As a proof-of-concept, the bioactive molecule flurprimidol was synthesized in two steps by using this strategy.     

Integrating Biomass into the Organonitrogen Chemical Supply Chain: Production of Pyrrole and d-Proline from Furfural

Production of renewable, high-value N-containing chemicals from lignocellulose will expand product diversity and increase the economic competitiveness of the biorefinery. Herein, we report a single-step conversion of furfural to pyrrole in 75 % yield as a key N-containing building block, achieved via tandem decarbonylation–amination reactions over tailor-designed Pd@S-1 and H-beta zeolite catalytic system. Pyrrole was further transformed into dl -proline in two steps following carboxylation with CO₂ and hydrogenation over Rh/C catalyst. After treating with Escherichia coli, valuable d -proline was obtained in theoretically maximum yield (50 %) bearing 99 % ee. The report here establishes a route bridging commercial commodity feedstock from biomass with high-value organonitrogen chemicals through pyrrole as a hub molecule.     

Rhodium(I)‐Catalyzed Decarbonylative Spirocyclization through CC Bond Cleavage of Benzocyclobutenones: An Efficient Approach to Functionalized Spirocycles

The rhodium‐catalyzed formation of all‐carbon spirocenters involves a decarbonylative coupling of trisubstituted cyclic olefins and benzocyclobutenones through C? C activation. The metal–ligand combination [{Rh(CO)₂Cl}₂]/P(C₆F₅)₃ catalyzed this transformation most efficiently. A range of diverse spirocycles were synthesized in good to excellent yields and many sensitive functional groups were tolerated. A mechanistic study supports a hydrogen‐transfer process that occurs through a β‐H elimination/decarbonylation pathway.     

钯催化脱羰反应研究及若干昆虫性信息素的合成

综述了基于钯催化脱羰端烯化反应的若干昆虫性信息素的合成     

Kinetic Carbon Isotope Effects in the Decarbonylation of Lactic Acid of Natural Isotopic Composition and of [1-14C] Lactic Acid

Studies of carbon-13 and carbon-14 kinetic isotope effects (K. I. E.) in the decarbonylation of lactic acid (L. A.) in sulphuric acid and in phosphoric acids media have been summarized and compared with earlier studies of ¹⁴C and ¹³C K. I. E. in the decarbonylation of formic and oxalic acids in concentrated sulphuric acid. Supplementary data concerning the decarbonylation of L. A. in sulphuric acid diluted with water and in pyrophosphoric acid are presented and discussed. The observed temperature dependences of ¹³C and ¹⁴C K. I. E. in concentrated H₂SO₄ and in concentrated phosphoric acids media have been rationalized by invoking a change of the mechanism of decarbonylation of L. A. in concentrated sulphuric and phosphoric acids with temperature. Preliminary calculational results concerning ¹³C and ^1??C K. I. E. in decarbonylation processes are also presented. In H₂SO₄ diluted with water and in H₃PO₄ diluted with water the temperature dependence of ¹³C and ¹⁴C K. I. E. is normal and well reproduced by one frequency approximation. In concentrated sulphuric acid and in concentrated phosphoric acids besides the C—OH bond rupture the rupture of a C—C bond had to be considered also to reproduce the observed ¹³C K. I. E. in selected temperature regions.     

Convenient Preparation of 2,7,8‐Trimethyl‐6‐hydroxychroman‐2‐carboxylic Acid (γ‐Trolox)

The title chroman is useful in synthesis and as a water‐soluble analog of γ‐tocopherol, a member of the vitamin E family. This new synthesis of γ‐trolox proceeds via selective aromatic demethylation of Trolox, the more easily available 2,5,7,8‐tetramethyl homolog compound. This route is shorter than the previous synthesis, avoids the use of cyanide and methoxybutadiene, and requires no chromatography.     

Regioselective Arene Functionalization: Simple Substitution of Carboxylate by Alkyl Groups

Arenes with various alkyl side‐chains were synthesized in high yields and excellent regioselectivities. Starting from toluic and naphthoic acids, the carboxylate group was conveniently substituted by alkyl halides by Birch reduction and subsequent decarbonylation. The method is characterized by inexpensive starting materials and reagents, and methylation of arenes was realized. Besides simple alkyl substituents, the scope of arene functionalization was extended by benzyl, fluoro, amino, and ester groups. We were able to control the alkylation of 1‐naphthoic acid during Birch reduction by the addition of tert‐butanol. This allowed the regioselective synthesis of mono and bis‐substituted naphthalenes from the same starting material.     

On the reactivity of platina‐β‐diketones: a straightforward synthesis of trans‐acetylchlorobis(phosphine)platinum(II) complexes and their reactivity

The platina‐β‐diketone [Pt₂{(COMe)₂H}₂(µ‐Cl)₂] ( 1 ) was found to react with monodentate phosphines to yield acetyl(chloro)platinum(II) complexes trans‐[Pt(COMe)Cl(PR₃)₂] (PR₃ = PPh₃, 2a ; P(4‐FC₆H₄)₃, 2b ; PMePh₂, 2c ; PMe₂Ph, 2d ; P(n‐Bu)₃, 2e ; P(o‐tol)₃, 2f ; P(m‐tol)₃, 2g ; P(p‐tol)₃, 2h ). In the reaction with P(o‐tol)₃ the methyl(carbonyl)platinum(II) complex [Pt(Me)Cl(CO){P(o‐tol)₃}] ( 3a ) was found to be an intermediate. On the other hand, treating 1 with P(C₆F₅)₃ led to the formation of [Pt(Me)Cl(CO){P(C₆F₅)₃}] ( 3b ), even in excess of the phosphine. Phosphine ligands with a lower donor capability in complexes 2 and the arsine ligand in trans‐[Pt(COMe)Cl(AsPh₃)₂] ( 2i ) proved to be subject to substitution by stronger donating phosphine ligands, thus forming complexes trans‐[Pt(COMe)Cl(L)L′] (L/L′ = AsPh₃/PPh₃, 4a ; PPh₃/P(n‐Bu)₃, 4b ) and cis‐[Pt(COMe)Cl(dppe)] ( 4c ). Furthermore, in boiling benzene, complexes 2a – 2c and 2i underwent decarbonylation yielding quantitatively methyl(chloro)platinum(II) complexes trans‐[Pt(Me)Cl(L)₂] (L = PPh₃, 5a ; P(4‐FC₆H₄)₃, 5b ; PMePh₂, 5c ; AsPh₃, 5d ). The identities of all complexes were confirmed by ¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses of 2a ·2CHCl₃, 2f and 5b showed that the platinum atom is square‐planar coordinated by two phosphine ligands (PPh₃, 2a ; P(o‐tol)₃, 2f ; P(4F‐C₆H₄)₃, 5b ) in mutual trans position as well as by an acetyl ligand ( 2a, 2f ) and a methyl ligand ( 5b ), respectively, trans to a chloro ligand. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis of 3b exhibited a square‐planar platinum complex with the two π‐acceptor ligands CO and P(C₆F₅)₃ in mutual cis position (configuration index: SP‐4‐3). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Epoxidation of cyclooctene using soluble or MCM-41-supported molybdenum tetracarbonyl-pyridylimine complexes as catalyst precursors

The ligand N-(n-propyl)-2-pyridylmethanimine (pyim) and an immobilised analogue of this ligand (MCM-41-pyim) were prepared by the condensation reaction of 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde with either propylamine or aminopropyl groups covalently attached to the ordered mesoporous silica MCM-41. Free and immobilised tetracarbonyl complexes of the type cis-[Mo(CO)₄(L)] (L = pyim (1), MCM-41-pyim) were then prepared by microwave-assisted heating of a mixture of Mo(CO)₆ and the organic ligand or ligand-silica in toluene at 110 °C for 30-45 min. The products were characterised by NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C and ²⁹Si, in solution and in the solid state), elemental analysis, N₂ adsorption, and FT-IR spectroscopy. When used as catalyst precursors for the epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene by tert-butylhydroperoxide at 55 °C (1 mol% catalyst (Mo), no additional co-solvent), 1,2-epoxy-cyclooctane was obtained as the only reaction product in quantitative yield after 5 h for 1 and 36% yield after 24 h for the supported complex. The use of the ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate as co-solvent led to lower catalytic activities (epoxide selectivity was always 100%) but allowed the catalyst/IL mixtures (homogeneous mixture for IL+1 and a biphasic solid + IL system for IL+MCM-41-pyim/Mo) to be easily recovered and reused in subsequent runs without loss of catalytic performance.