High oxidation state organometallic chemistry in aqueous media: new opportunities for catalysis and electrocatalysis

Molybdenum has been used as a case study for the rational development of a new domain of organometallic chemistry, combining oxo-stabilized high oxidation state metals and aqueous media. The pH-dependent conversion of oxo, hydroxo, and aqua ligands allows the opening of free coordination sites, while the use of a redox active metal opens possible pathways for coupled proton and electron transfer to and from activated substrates. While our work has so far only concentrated on synthesis and analytical investigations, the development of catalytic and electrocatalytic processes in water or aqueous media is a promising application of this new research area.     

Development of an amphiphilic resin-dispersion of nanopalladium catalyst: Design,preparation, and its use in aquacatalytic hydrodechlorination and aerobic oxidation

An amphiphilic polystyrene-poly(ethylene glycol) (PS-PEG) resin-dispersion of nanoparticles of palladium was designed and prepared with a view toward use for catalysis in water. The amphiphilic PSPEG resin-dispersion of nanoparticles of palladium exhibited high catalytic performance in the hydrodechlorination of chloroarenes under aqueous conditions. The amphiphilic resin-supported nanopalladium particle also catalyzed alcohol oxidation, which is one of the most fundamental and important yet immature processes in organic chemistry, in water under an atmospheric pressure of oxygen gas to form aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids.     

Manganese(II) naphthenate as effective catalyst for the clean oxidation of 2-methylnaphthalene by hydrogen peroxide

Oxidation of 2-methylnaphthalene (2-MN) with aqueous hydrogen peroxide was conducted in acetic acid. The epoxidation pathway was investigated by increasing the CH₃CO₃H content and adding manganese(II) naphthenate (MnPc) as catalyst. 2-Methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone was obtained in 75.6% conversion and with 80.0% selectivity under the latter conditions. A probable mechanism in which MnPc catalyzes the oxidation of 2-MN by hydrogen peroxide in acetic acid is proposed.     

Continuous flow metal-free oxidation of picolines using air

The metal free, direct oxidation of 2-, 3-, and 4-picoline to the corresponding carboxylic acid using either oxygen or air has been developed under continuous flow conditions. Complete conversion for all three substrates was obtained at moderate temperatures and pressures within minutes.     

Selective ruthenium-catalyzed oxidation of 1,2:4,5-di-O-isopropylidene- beta-D-fructopyranose and other alcohols with NaOCl

[reaction: see text] The asymmetric epoxidation catalyst 1,2:4,5-di-O-isopropylidene-beta-D-erythro-2,3-hexadiulo-2,6-pyranose 2 was obtained in high yield from 1,2:4,5-di-O-isopropylidene-beta-D-fructopyranose 1 via a recyclable ruthenium-catalyzed hypochlorite oxidation protocol under biphasic conditions (MTBE/water) in the presence of an alkaline buffer (pH 9.5). Other secondary alcohols were also oxidized selectively to the corresponding ketones.     

Reactivity, chemoselectivity, and diastereoselectivity of the oxyfunctionalization of chiral allylic alcohols and derivatives in microemulsions: comparison of the chemical oxidation by the hydrogen peroxide/sodium molybdate system with the photooxygenation

The chiral allylic alcohols 1a-d and their acetate (1e) and silyl ether (1f) derivatives have been oxidized by the H2O2/MoO4(2)- system, a convenient and efficient chemical source of singlet oxygen. This chemical peroxidation (formation of the allylic hydroperoxides 2) has been conducted in various media, which include aqueous solutions, organic solvents, and microemulsions. The reactivity, chemoselectivity, and diastereoselectivity of this chemical oxidation are compared to those of the sensitized photooxygenation, with the emphasis on preparative applications in microemulsion media. While a similar threo diastereoselectivity is observed for both modes of peroxidation, the chemoselectivity differs significantly, since in the chemical oxidation with the H2O2/MoO4(2)- system the undesirable epoxidation by the intermediary peroxomolybdate competes efficiently with the desirable peroxidation by the in situ generated singlet oxygen. A proper choice of the type of microemulsion and the reaction conditions furnishes a high chemoselectivity (up to 97%) in favor of threo-diastereoselective (up to 92%) peroxidation.     

Development of a new triphase catalyst and its application to the epoxidation of allylic alcohols

[see reaction]. A new triphase catalyst has been developed. When an aqueous solution of H3PW12O40 (1) was added to a solution of the amphiphilic chain copolymer 2, a new self-assembled and macroporous complex 3 was formed. This complex was effective as a catalyst in the epoxidation of allylic alcohols. Even in the use of 2.7 x 10(-5) mole equiv of the catalyst, the epoxidation with aqueous H2O2 proceeded without organic solvents to give the corresponding epoxy alcohols in high yields.     

Epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones using hydrogen peroxide in the presence of basic hydrotalcite catalysts

The basic layered hydrotalcites have been used as catalysts for the epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones in heterogeneous reaction media using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. A wide variety of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones were oxidized to the corresponding epoxyketones in excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. For example, 2-cyclohexen-1-one gave 2,3-epoxycyclohexanone in 91% yield at 40 degrees C for 5 h with high efficiency in hydrogen peroxide. The catalytic activity of the hydrotalcites increased as the basicity of their surfaces increased. In the case of the epoxidation of less reactive substrates, adding a cationic surfactant such as n-dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTMAB) to the above oxidation system accelerated the epoxidation reaction. These hydrotalcite catalysts were easily separated from the reaction mixture and were reusable.     

Olefin epoxidation by alkyl hydroperoxide with a novel cross-bridged cyclam manganese complex: demonstration of oxygenation by two distinct reactive intermediates

Olefin epoxidation provides an operative protocol to investigate the oxygen transfer process in nature. A novel manganese complex with a cross-bridged cyclam ligand, MnIV(Me2EBC)(OH)2(2+) (Me2EBC = 4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane), was used to study the epoxidation mechanism with biologically important oxidants, alkyl hydroperoxides. Results from direct reaction of the freshly synthesized manganese(IV) complex, [Mn(Me2EBC)(OH)2](PF6)2, with various olefins in neutral or basic solution, and from catalytic epoxidation with oxygen-labeled solvent, H2 18O, eliminate the manganese oxo moiety, Mn(IV)=O, as the reactive intermediate and obviate an oxygen rebound mechanism. Epoxidations of norbornylene under different conditions indicate multiple mechanisms for epoxidation, and cis-stilbene epoxidation under atmospheric 18O2 reveals a product distribution indicating at least two distinctive intermediates serving as the reactive species for epoxidation. In addition to alkyl peroxide radicals as dominant intermediates, an alkyl hydroperoxide adduct of high oxidation state manganese(IV) is suggested as the third kind of active intermediate responsible for epoxidation. This third intermediate functions by the Lewis acid pathway, a process best known for hydrogen peroxide adducts. Furthermore, the tert-butyl peroxide adduct of this manganese(IV) complex was detected by mass spectroscopy under catalytic oxidation conditions.     

Recent advances in vanadium catalyzed oxygen transfer reactions

Vanadium complexes have proven to be effective catalysts for the activation of peroxides and the selective oxidation of substrates like bromides, sulfides and alkenes. Besides their capability to form metalloperoxo species, which effectively transfer oxygen atoms to the substrate, these systems are synthetically useful for obtaining valuable oxidized molecules on a preparative scale, with a high degree of selectivity and TONs. Furthermore, the use of environmentally friendly oxidants like hydrogen and alkyl hydroperoxides increases significantly their potential application at an industrial level.Here we report a critical survey on the most effective homogeneous vanadium catalysts reported in the last decade concerning their synthetic application in oxygen transfer reactions (sulfoxidation, epoxidation, haloperoxidation) using hydrogen peroxide or alkyl hydroperoxides, demonstrating the different classes of ligands and complexes, their catalytic performances, their reactivity, chemo, stereo and substrate selectivity. Some examples of the use of non conventional reaction media or techniques and catalyst recycling studies will be also discussed.     

Synthesis of Y-shaped poly(solketal acrylate)-containing block copolymers and study on the thermoresponsive behavior for micellar aggregates

One novel type of Y-shaped amphiphilic copolymers with two hydrophobic poly(solketal acrylate) (PSA) branches and one hydrophilic monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) block was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). These Y-shaped polymers can disperse in aqueous media to self-assemble into micellar aggregates with a spherical core-shell structure. The aqueous copolymer solutions exhibited transmittancy transition in the temperature range of 30-60 °C via optical transmittance measurements. An interesting thermo-dependent size of the micellar aggregates was observed by dynamic light scattering techniques and transmission electron microscopy, which showed that the micelle diameters were decreased with temperature increasing. The nile red release from the micelles at 25 °C and 37 °C under various pHs showed that temperature has great influence on release behavior. With good biocompatibility, the micellar aggregates formed from MPEG-block-(PSA)(2) may serve as one promising thermosensitive nanovehicle for targeted drug delivery.     

New efficient organocatalytic oxidation of benzylic compounds by molecular oxygen under mild conditions

Efficient aerobic oxidation of benzylic compounds has been achieved under no irradiation using a new organocatalytic system in the presence of acridine yellow and N-hydroxyphthalimide with assistance of a catalytic amount of molecular bromine. Various substrates, especially alkylaromatics, were effectively oxygenated to the corresponding carbonyl compounds with molecular oxygen as oxidant under mild conditions. For instance, indan was oxidized with 92% conversion and 79% selectivity for 1-indanone under 0.3 MPa of O₂ at 75 °C.     

Polymeric porphyrin and metalloporphyrin assemblies in bulk solution

Some water-soluble porphyrins aggregate in aqueous media to form fibrous assemblies. When polynucleotides are used as matrices, porphyrin monomers are aligned at the periphery or intercalated. Porphyrin-porphyrin interactions hardly occur. Metal-metal or metal-ligand-metal interactions have been observed in oxo-oligomers, pyrazine-bridged dimers and radical dimers. β-Substituted metallo-porphyrins, however, form no polymers. The only linear polymerization, which has so far been observed in molecular asemblies, occurs with amphiphilic porphyrin amides, amines and carboxylates and their metal complexes in water and of bacteriochlorophyll in DMF/water. These compounds form long-lived high molecular weight micellar, inverse micellar and vesicular fibers spontaneously in aqueous media. The porphyrin fibers in water are about 4-6 nm thick and up to several of μm long.     

Investigation of pH-responsive properties of polymeric micelles with a core-forming block having pendant cyclic ketal groups

In this study, three kinds of amphiphilic block copolymers, termed MPEG-block-PDMMA, MPEG-block-PCPMA, and MPEG-block-PMPMA, which were composed of one hydrophilic monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) block and one hydrophobic polyacrylate block bearing pendant six-member cyclic ketal groups, were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). These polymers can disperse in aqueous media to self-assemble into micellar aggregates with a spherical core-shell structure with mean diameter below 300 nm. The stimuli-responsiveness of polymeric micelles from MPEG-block-PDMMA was detected by fluorescence-probe technique at pH 3.5 and 37 °C. The effect of chemical architecture and composition of the polymers on the pH-responsive properties of polymeric micelles was also studied. A combination of pH and temperature to trigger release behavior of these polymeric micelles was discussed by comparing the encapsulated molecule release ability under various pH and temperature conditions and analyzing chemical structural changes of the polymer before and after the triggering.     

温和条件下离子液体／水两相体系中α，β-不饱和羰基化合物的环氧化反应研究

在室温下，以双氧水为氧化剂，研究了六氟磷酸1—甲基—3—烷基咪唑离子液 体与水构成的两相体系内α，β-不饱和羰基化合物的环氧化反应，详细考察了反 应时间、NaOH浓度、氧化剂用量和不同底物对反应结果的影响，并对其反应机理进 行了探讨。此催化体系同传统的相转移催化体系相比，实验操作简单，反应条件更 加温和，并且有效地抑制了反应过程中环氧化合物的开环，在较为适宜的反应条件 下，甲基戊烯酮转化率达到100％，环氧化选择性可达98。     

Intramolecular chain reaction of artemisinin oxidation

The intramolecular chain oxidation of artemisinin was analyzed using the parabolic model. The competition of the mono- and bimolecular peroxy radicals formed from artemisinin was considered. Artemisinin is predominantly oxidized via the intramolecular chain mechanism to form polyatomic hydroperoxides. This results in the situation when, under aerobic conditions, artemisinin is transformed from the monofunctional into polyfunctional initiator with several hydroperoxide groups. The enthalpy was calculated, and the activation energies and rate constants of the intramolecular reactions of the artemisinin peroxy radicals, as well as those of their bimolecular reactions with C-H, S-H, and O-H bonds of biological substrates and their analogs, were calculated in the framework of the parabolic model. A new kinetic scheme for artemisinin oxidation was proposed. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 267–275, February, 2008.     

Formation and Characterization of Reversed Micelles Composed of Phospholipids and Fatty Acids

The formation of reversed micellar systems composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and fatty acid was newly demonstrated by a significant increase in water content in the organic ethyl oleate phase when the micelles were prepared by the contact method. The solubilized water concentration in the reversed micellar organic phase reached 3 wt%. The new systems are expected to be used as highly biocompatible reversed micellar systems. The structure of the reversed micelles composed of PC and oleic acid was characterized by determining the water concentration and by small-angle X-ray scattering analysis. The reversed micelles composed of PC and oleic acid formed in ethyl oleate were spherical. The radius of gyration was between 30 and 50 Å. The size of the reversed micelles decreased with an increase in the oleic acid concentration and was independent of the PC concentration. Experimental results indicated that the structure of the reversed micellar system was determined by the oleic acid concentration. An increase in the PC concentration caused an increase in the number of reversed micelles of the same size. These reversed micellar systems are expected to be used as solubilization media in pharmaceutical and food industries because they are not toxic.     

Liquid phase oxidation of C6-C8 cycloolefins with air oxygen catalyzed by metal-containing microstructured carbon materials

Catalytic oxidation of cyclohexene and its methyl and vinyl derivatives with air oxygen in the presence of Co- and Mo-Co-modified microstructured carbon materials has been studied. Regardless of structure of the parent cycloalkene, cobalt-containing samples at 40–50°C are highly selective towards formation of corresponding hydroperoxides, whereas molybdenum-cobalt containing samples are selective towards cycloalkenes epoxidation. The ratio of epoxide to unsaturated alcohol strongly depends on the structure of the starting substrate.     

正离子型疏水改性聚氧乙烯单成相组分双水相系统的相行为

对正离子型疏水改性聚氧乙烯(HM-EO)单成相组分双水相系统的相行为进行了考察,并分析其电荷特性.HM-EO在水溶液中呈现两亲性,可以形成胶束,进而形成带电的胶束簇集体.通过改变溶液的pH值、盐浓度及添加带相反电荷的表面活性剂SDS,可改变胶束簇集体的带电状态,从而影响系统的相行为.增大pH值,有利于系统的分相.盐的添加也可以增大双水相两相区域,正离子影响次序为K+>Na+,负离子次序为SO42->F->Cl->Br->I-.进一步考察了HM-EO和SDS之间的相互作用,结果表明SDS能与HM-EO形成混合胶束簇集体,改变HM-EO双水相系统的带电特性.     

A model for isotropic,nematic, and columnar ordering in a self-assembling system - comparison with the phase behavior of 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexa-(1,4,7-trioxaoctyl)-triphenylene in water

Many amphiphilic molecules in aqueous solution spontaneously self-assemble into labile anisotropic aggregates. At large enough concentration, this shape anisotropy may lead to complex liquid-crystalline mesophases. Here we compare the results of a recent excluded volume model for reversible assembling flexible linear aggregates to a corresponding experimental amphiphilic system, 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexa-(1,4,7-trioxaoctyl)-triphenylene, in water. Our comparison emphasizes the importance of including aggregate flexibility into theories of micellar assembly.