Mg-Al hydrotalcites as the first heterogeneous basic catalysts for the Kornblum oxidation of benzyl halides to benzaldehydes using DMSO

Mg-Al hydrotalcites (Mg/Al = 2, 3, 5) act as efficient heterogeneous base catalysts for the conversion of benzyl halides to the corresponding benzaldehydes using DMSO as an oxidant.     

Discovery of new heterogeneous catalysts for the selective oxidation of propane to acrolein

Combinatorial synthesis and screening technique have been applied to investigate the catalytic activity and selectivity of ternary and quaternary mixed-metal oxide catalysts for the selective oxidation of propane. The catalyst libraries were prepared via a modified sol-gel method using a synthesis robot and library design software, and examined for the catalytic activities in a simple high-throughput reactor system connected to a mass spectrometer for product analysis. Ternary Mo-Cr-Te, V-Cr-Sb, and Mo-V-Cr catalysts have been selected for potential candidate by composition spread approach. In a next generation composition spread library, the composition space of these three ternary compositions was sampled. Screening of this 198-member library provided substantial evidence that each ternary system has its own optimum composition where acrolein formation is highest. In addition, the composition space of the quaternary reference system Mo-V-Te-Nb mixed-oxides has also been prepared and sampled.     

Immobilized polyoxometalates onto mesoporous organically-modified silica aerogels as selective heterogeneous catalysts of anthracene oxidation

Immobilized molybdovanadophosphoric acids onto organically surface-modified silica aerogels were successfully prepared and investigated in heterogeneous catalysis of anthracene oxidation. The catalysts were obtained by supporting mono- and di-vanadium substituted molybdophosphoric acids on hybrid silica materials synthesized via the sol–gel process followed by surface amino-functionalization. The FTIR, DR UV–vis, and AA spectroscopy confirmed the loading and distribution of the polyoxometalate molecules on the surface of the aerogels. The nitrogen adsorption–desorption technique revealed a systematic decrease in the specific surface area and pore volume after the immobilization of the polyoxometalates. The application of the supported molecules as catalysts for anthracene oxidation showed 100% selectivity for 9,10-anthraquinone as opposed to the reactions conducted under homogeneous conditions. Moreover, at certain conditions, the catalytic activity of the supported polyoxometalates was greater than their corresponding free polyoxometalates with a clear effect of the surface chemical groups of the supporting silica aerogels. Additionally, the oxidant and solvent nature showed a crucial effect on the catalytic activity and selectivity of the immobilized polyoxometales. The heterogeneous catalysts were regenerated and reused over consecutive catalytic cycles reflecting a potential economic interest in these materials besides their high efficiency in heterogeneous catalysis.     

TEMPO visible light photocatalysis: The selective aerobic oxidation of thiols to disulfides

TEMPO(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpipe ridine-1-oxyl) is well-established in orangocatalysis that usually work in synergy with transition-metal catalysis or semiconductor photocatalysis.Here,TEMPO was turned into a visible light photocatalyst to conduct the selective aerobic oxidation of thiols into disulfides.With O_2 as an oxidant,a mild and efficient protocol for the selective oxidation of thiols into disulfides including symmetrical and unsymmetrical ones with 5 mol% of TEPMO as a photocatalyst was developed at room temperature under the irradiation of 460 nm blue LEDs.It was found that a complex formed between TEMPO and thiols underpinned the visible light activity and disulfides were obtained in very high isolated yields.This work suggests that TEMPO takes diverse roles in for photocatalytic selective oxidative transformations with O_2 as the oxidant.     

Natural hydroxyapatite‐supported MnO2: a green heterogeneous catalyst for selective aerobic oxidation of alkylarenes and alcohols

Natural hydroxyapatite‐supported MnO₂ (MnO₂@NHAp) was easily prepared in situ from reduction of potassium permanganate with natural hydroxyapatite derived from cow bones in water at room temperature, and its structure was characterized using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The catalytic activity of the synthesized catalyst was investigated for the aerobic oxidation of alkylarenes and alcohols. MnO₂@NHAp shows excellent catalytic performance for the oxidation of alkylarenes and alcohols to their corresponding carbonyl compounds without using any other oxidizing agent. This catalyst can be readily recycled and reused for several runs without any significant loss of efficiency. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New efficient catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of ethers

Some nickel, copper, and silver salts or complexes are efficient catalysts for the oxidation of benzylic ethers with oxygen in 1,2-dimethoxyethane. Salts of the weakly coordinating anion trifluoroacetate are particularly efficient, approaching (and, in some cases, improving) the yields obtained with cobalt(II) chloride, the best catalyst so far reported.     

Polyoxometalate compound: a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for aerobic alcohol oxidation

Oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones has been studied using atmospheric oxygen and a catalytic amount of Na_6.3Fe_0.9[AlMo₁₁O₃₉]·2H₂O in toluene under heating (80 or 110 °C) in high yields. Secondary alcohols can be chemoselectively converted into ketones in the presence of primary hydroxyl groups.     

Selective oxidation of hydrocarbons catalyzed by iron-containing heterogeneous catalysts

Recent studies on iron-based heterogeneous catalysts for selective oxidation of hydrocarbons are reviewed with emphasis on the partial oxidation of methane and the epoxidation of alkenes. High dispersion of iron sites is essentially important for the selective oxidations. The effective catalysts include immobilized or encapsulated iron complexes, iron-doped metal oxides such as Fe³⁺-doped silica, iron-containing microporous and mesoporous materials, and iron-containing compounds with isolated iron sites typified by iron phosphate. The structure-reactivity relationships and the factors affecting the catalytic performances are discussed with the aim to uncover the requirements of the active iron sites in target-selective oxidation.     

Selective oxidation of hydrocarbons catalyzed by iron-containing heterogeneous catalysts

Recent studies on iron-based heterogeneous catalysts for selective oxidation of hydrocarbons are reviewed with emphasis on the partial oxidation of methane and the epoxidation of alkenes. High dispersion of iron sites is essentially important for the selective oxidations. The effective catalysts include immobilized or encapsulated iron complexes, iron-doped metal oxides such as Fe³⁺-doped silica, iron-containing microporous and mesoporous materials, and iron-containing compounds with isolated iron sites typified by iron phosphate. The structure-reactivity relationships and the factors affecting the catalytic performances are discussed with the aim to uncover the requirements of the active iron sites in target-selective oxidation.     

Cr(VI) oxidation using cetylpicolinium dichromate: Kinetics of oxidation of benzaldehydes with a green protocol

Oxidation kinetics of benzaldehyde and some of its ortho- and para-monosubstituted derivatives have been studied using cetylpicolinium dichromates, a class of novel phase transfer oxidants, in dichloromethane medium. The rate of reaction is first order with respect to oxidant and fractional order with respect to the substrates. The Michaelis–Menten type oxidation was observed with respect to the substrates. Benzaldehydes are found to be oxidized to their corresponding acids. The mechanism of oxidation reaction has been suggested based on the solvent isotope effect, Hammett plot, and thermodynamic study. The solvent isotope effect (k_CHCl3/k_CDCl3 = 1.57) indicates the involvement of hydrogen exchange with the medium during oxidation reactions. A strong influence of specific solute–solvent interactions on the rate of the reaction is observed. Both the electron-withdrawing and electron-releasing substituents on the substrates accelerate the rate of reaction.     

Solvent-free aerobic oxidation of ethylbenzene over supported Ni catalysts using molecular oxygen at atmospheric pressure

We investigated the aerobic oxidation of ethylbenzene in the absence of solvent or any additive carried out over Ni on different types of supports namely SiO2, hydroxyapatite, SBA-15, and USY Zeolites. The oxidation of ethylbenzene activities was measured in a round bottom flask immersed in oil bath at known reaction temperature. The physicochemical characteristics of the catalysts were examined by BET surface area, XRD, FT-IR and the oxidation activities were correlated with the acidities of the catalysts obtained by TPD of NH3. It was observed that both hydroxyapatite and USY （13% Na2O） supported Ni catalysts displayed higher ethylbenzene conversion and 80% selectivity towards acetophenone.     

Selective aerobic oxidation of hydroxy compounds catalyzed by photoactivated ruthenium-salen complexes (selective catalytic aerobic oxidation)

Selective oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds is one of the most fundamental reactions in organic synthesis. Traditional methods for this transformation generally rely on stoichiometric amount of oxidants represented by Cr(VI) or DMSO reagents, though their synthetic utility is encumbered by unpleasant waste materials. From ecological and atom-economic viewpoints, catalytic aerobic oxidation is much more advantageous because molecular oxygen is ubiquitous and the byproduct is basically non-toxic water or hydrogen peroxide. On the other hand, phenol derivatives undergo oxidative coupling, forming C-C or C-O bond, through radical intermediates coupled with an electron-transfer process. Molecular oxygen is also well known to serve as electron acceptor in this reaction. Thus, a variety of transition metal complexes have so far been examined for aerobic oxidations of alcohols and phenols, and high catalytic activities have been achieved in some cases. However, stereo- and chemo-selective aerobic oxidations are still limited in number and are of current interest. Presented in this paper is our recent studies on catalytic aerobic oxidations with photoactivated nitrosyl ruthenium-salen complexes, including asymmetric oxidation of secondary alcohols to ketones (kinetic resolution), enantioselective oxidative coupling of 2-naphthols to binaphthols and oxygen-radical bicyclization of 2,2'-dihydroxystilbene, chemoselective oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes and diols to lactols, and asymmetric desymmetrization of meso-diols to lactols.     

pH-Sensitive gold nanoparticle catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of alcohols

Gold nanoparticles (NPs) stabilized by carboxylate modified polyvinylpyrrolidone have been prepared and fully characterized. The gold NPs efficiently catalyze the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol in water at ambient temperature and are easily separated from the reaction mixture by lowering the pH of the solution, causing the NPs to precipitate. The mechanism of the precipitation process has been studied. Due to the efficiency of this process, the NPs may be reused as catalysts by readjusting their pH.     

Immobilized metalloporphyrins on 3-aminopropyl-functionalized silica support as heterogeneous catalysts for selective oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols

Abstract  

Iron(III), manganese(III), and cobalt(II) complexes of meso-tetrakis(p-chlorophenyl)porphyrin (Fe(TClPP)X, Mn(TClPP)X, and Co(TClPP)X, X = Cl or OAc) were immobilized onto 3-aminopropyl-functionalized silica (SF-3-APTS). SF-3-APTS acts as both axial base and support for immobilization of these metalloporphyrins. The obtained heterogeneous catalysts were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV–Vis, and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. Their catalytic activity as biomimetic catalysts was investigated for the selective oxidation of primary and secondary benzylic alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds with t-butylhydroperoxide as oxidant. SF-3-APTS–Fe(TClPP)Cl demonstrated higher catalytic activity than SF-3-APTS–Mn(TClPP)Cl and SF-3-APTS–Co(TClPP)OAc. The presence of electron-withdrawing substituents on benzylic alcohols enhances the rate of catalytic oxidation. SF-3-APTS–Fe(TClPP)Cl could be reused at least four times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.