Water-wire catalysis in photoinduced acid-base reactions

The pronounced ability of water to form a hyperdense hydrogen (H)-bond network among itself is at the heart of its exceptional properties. Due to the unique H-bonding capability and amphoteric nature, water is not only a passive medium, but also behaves as an active participant in many chemical and biological reactions. Here, we reveal the catalytic role of a short water wire, composed of two (or three) water molecules, in model aqueous acid-base reactions synthesizing 7-hydroxyquinoline derivatives. Utilizing femtosecond-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, we tracked the trajectories of excited-state proton transfer and discovered that proton hopping along the water wire accomplishes the reaction more efficiently compared to the transfer occurring with bulk water clusters. Our finding suggests that the directionality of the proton movements along the charge-gradient H-bond network may be a key element for long-distance proton translocation in biological systems, as the H-bond networks wiring acidic and basic sites distal to each other can provide a shortcut for a proton in searching a global minimum on a complex energy landscape to its destination.     

Glycoside bond formation via acid-base catalysis

Acid-base catalyzed glycosyl donor and then glycosyl acceptor activation with phenylboron difluoride or diphenylboron fluoride permits hydrogen bond mediated intramolecular S(N)2-type glycosidation in generally high anomeric selectivity.     

Electron and proton transfer in acid-base catalysis

The role of electron and proton transfer in acid-base catalysis is discussed, with two reactions as examples, in one of which (polymerization of cyclobutenes) an acid, and in another (nitramide decomposition), a base acts as the catalyst.     

Protonation of reagents and acid-base catalysis in acylation

The kinetic characteristics of the model reaction of electron transfer and the reaction of acylation of aromatic amines by aromatic acid anhydrides were investigated as a function of the concentration of acid catalyst and a correlation was established between the type of this function and the characteristics of protonation of the amines. The rate constants of the catalytic and noncatalytic flows of the forward and reverse reactions in the phthalic anhydride—p-toluidine system were determined as a function of the molarity and proton-acceptor properties of the solvent. The mechanism of acid-base catalysis was examined as a sequence of proton and electron transfer processes.Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199004 St. Petersburg. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1048–1056, May, 1992.     

Strategic design and refinement of Lewis acid-base catalysis by rare-earth-metal-containing polyoxometalates

Efficient polyoxometalate (POM)-based Lewis acid-base catalysts of the rare-earth-metal-containing POMs (TBA(6)RE-POM, RE = Y(3+), Nd(3+), Eu(3+), Gd(3+), Tb(3+), or Dy(3+)) were designed and synthesized by reactions of TBA(4)H(4)[γ-SiW(10)O(36)] (TBA = tetra-n-butylammonium) with RE(acac)(3) (acac = acetylacetonato). TBA(6)RE-POM consisted of two silicotungstate units pillared by two rare-earth-metal cations. Nucleophilic oxygen-enriched surfaces of negatively charged POMs and the incorporated rare-earth-metal cations could work as Lewis bases and Lewis acids, respectively. Consequently, cyanosilylation of carbonyl compounds with trimethylsilyl cyanide ((TMS)CN) was efficiently promoted in the presence of the rare-earth-metal-containing POMs via the simultaneous activation of coupling partners on the same POM molecules. POMs with larger metal cations showed higher catalytic activities for cyanosilylation because of the higher activation ability of C═O bonds (higher Lewis acidities) and sterically less hindered Lewis acid sites. Among the POM catalysts examined, the neodymium-containing POM showed remarkable catalytic performance for cyanosilylation of various kinds of structurally diverse ketones and aldehydes, giving the corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers in high yields (13 substrates, 94-99%). In particular, the turnover frequency (714,000 h(-1)) and the turnover number (23,800) for the cyanosilylation of n-hexanal were of the highest level among those of previously reported catalysts.     

Two-metal-ion mechanism for hammerhead-ribozyme catalysis

The hammerhead ribozyme is one of the best studied ribozymes, but it still presents challenges for our understanding of RNA catalysis. It catalyzes a transesterification reaction that converts a 5',3' diester to a 2',3' cyclic phosphate diester via an S(N)2 mechanism. Thus, the overall reaction corresponds to that catalyzed by bovine pancreatic ribonuclease. However, an essential distinguishing aspect is that metal ions are not involved in RNase catalysis but appear to be important in ribozymes. Although various techniques have been used to assign specific functions to metals in the hammerhead ribozyme, their number and roles in catalysis is not clear. Two recent theoretical studies on RNA catalysis examined the reaction mechanism of a single-metal-ion model. A two-metal-ion model, which is supported by experiment and based on ab initio and density functional theory calculations, is described here. The proposed mechanism of the reaction has four chemical steps with three intermediates and four transition states along the reaction pathway. Reaction profiles are calculated in the gas phase and in solution. The early steps of the reaction are found to be fast (with low activation barriers), and the last step, corresponding to the departure of the leaving group, is rate limiting. This two-metal-ion model differs from the models proposed previously in that the two metal ions function not only as Lewis acids but also as general acids/bases. Comparison with experiment shows good agreement with thermodynamic and kinetic data. A detailed analysis based on natural bond orbitals (NBOs) and natural energy decomposition (NEDA) provides insights into the role of metal ions and other factors important for catalysis.     

The mechanism of N-alkylation of weak N-H-acids by phase transfer catalysis

The alkylation of aromatic amines in the presence of inorganic bases is accelerated by a PT catalyst $\text{even}$ if KHCO₃ is the base. ArNR^θ ions seem not to be involved. A novel type of mechanism for a PTC process is proposed.     

Mechanisms of acid-base catalysis of beta-elimination reactions in systems activated by a pyridine ring

Beta-elimination reactions from 1 (in quinuclidine/quinuclidinium chloride, imidazole/imidazolium, and acetate/acetic acid buffers) and from 2 (in imidazole/imidazolium and acetate/acetic acid buffers) with formation of 4-vinylpyridine and 2-vinylpyridine, respectively, were studied. The results of a kinetic study of acid-base catalysis and H/D exchange are consistent with NH(+), the protonated substrate, as the species that undergoes carbon deprotonation with an E1cb mechanism. The comparison with previously studied reactions in acetohydroxamate/acetohydroxamic acid buffer confirms this assignment. The high proton activating factor, PAF, value observed (PAF = 1.2 x 10 (6) with isomer 1 in quinuclidine/quinuclidinium buffer) can be explained with the high stability by the resonance of the intermediate carbanion.     

The mechanism of the heterogeneous catalysis of α and γ-cyclic six-membered aminoketones

On the basis of catalytic deuteration of cyclic α and γ -aminoketones in 1-2N DCl/D₂ or H₂, in the presence of PtO₂, it is assumed that the mechanism of heterogenous catalysis for both classes of compounds is ionic in character, and that the reaction takes place in the electrical double layer at the interface of solid and liquid. As a consequence of the reduction, two deuteriums (or hydrogens if HC1 is used) from the reduction medium are introduced into the molecule, the catalyst only facilitating and not participating in the reaction itself.     

The mechanism of carbon dioxide catalysis in the hydrogen peroxide N-oxidation of amines

The reactivity of the peroxymonocarbonate ion, HCO4- (an active oxidant derived from the equilibrium reaction of hydrogen peroxide and bicarbonate), has been investigated in the oxidation of aliphatic amines. Tertiary aliphatic amines are oxidized to the corresponding N-oxides in high yields, while secondary amines give corresponding nitrones. A closely related mechanism for the H2O2 oxidation of tertiary amines catalyzed by CO2 (under 1 atm) and H2O2 at 25 degrees C is proposed. The rate laws for the oxidation of N-methylmorpholine (1) to N-methylmorpholine N-oxide and N,N-dimethylbenzylamine (2) to N,N-dimethylbenzylamine N-oxide have been obtained. The second-order rate constants for the oxidation by HCO4- are k1 .016 M(-1) s(-1) for 1 in water and k1=0.042 M(-1) s(-1) for 2 in water/acetone (5:1). The second-order rate constants for tertiary amine oxidations by HCO4- are over 400-fold greater than those for H2O2 alone. Activation parameters for oxidation of 1 by HCO4- in water are reported (DeltaH=36+/-2 kJ mol(-1) and DeltaS=-154+/-7 J mol(-1) K(-1)). The BAP (NH4HCO3-activated peroxide) or CO2/H2O2 oxidation reagents are simple and economical methods for the preparation of tertiary amine N-oxides. The reactions proceed to completion, do not require extraction, and afford the pure N-oxides in excellent yields in aqueous media.     

Kinetic evidence for the occurrence of general acid-base catalysis in N-methylhydroxylaminolysis of N-ethoxycarbonylphthalimide (NCPH)

Pseudo-first-order rate constants (k_{1 obs}) for the reaction of MeNHOH with NCPH obey the relationship: k_{1 obs}=k^′_b[MeNHOH]_T² where [MeNHOH]_T represents total concentration of N-methylhydroxylamine buffer. The rate constants, k_{1 obs} obtained at different total concentration of acetate buffer ([Buf]_T) in the presence of 0.004 mol dm⁻³ MeNHOH follow the relationship: k_{1 obs}=k_b[Buf]_T. The values of acetate buffer-catalyzed rate constant (k_b) at different pH reveal the occurrence of both general base- and general acid- or general base-specific acid-catalysis in the reaction of MeNHOH with NCPH. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 29: 647–654, 1997.