Using soluble polymers in latent biphasic systems

A new strategy for carrying out reactions with a soluble polymer-bound reagent or catalyst is described. In this latent biphasic process, a solvent mixture at the cusp of immiscibility is prepared and used to carry out a reaction under homogeneous conditions. Then, after the reaction is complete, this mixture is perturbed by the addition of solvent or some other perturbing agent to produce a biphasic mixture. The product-containing phase is then separated under liquid/liquid conditions from the polymer-containing phase. The generality of this process is demonstrated using both dye-labeled polymers as surrogates for polymer-bound catalysts and with various polymer-bound organic and transition metal catalysts or reagents. In cases where a polymeric catalyst is used, the addition of fresh solvent and substrate reforms the original mixture allowing facile reuse of the catalyst.     

Polyethylene as a nonvolatile solid cosolvent phase for catalyst separation and recovery

The studies described here show that a relatively low molecular weight, narrow polydispersity polyethylene (PE) wax (Polywax) can serve as a nontoxic and nonvolatile alternative to alkane solvents in monophasic catalytic organic reactions where catalysts and products are separated under biphasic conditions. In this application, a polymer that is a solid at room temperature substitutes for a conventional alkane solvent at ca. 80 °C. In addition to the advantages of being a nonvolatile, nontoxic, reusable solvent, this hydrocarbon polymer solvent, like heptane, can sequester nonpolar soluble polymer-bound catalysts after a reaction and separate them from products. The extent of this separation and its generality were studied using polyisobutylene (PIB)- and poly(4-dodecylstyrene)-bound dyes and PE-bound Pd allylic substitution catalysts, PIB-bound Pd cross-coupling catalysts, and PE- and PIB-bound metathesis catalysts. Catalytic reactions were effected using single-phase reaction mixtures containing Polywax with toluene, THF, or THF/DMF at ca. 80 °C. These solutions either separate into two liquid phases on addition of a perturbing agent or separate as a solid/liquid mixture on cooling. The hydrocarbon polymer-bound dyes or catalysts either separate into the hot liquid Polywax phase or coprecipitate with Polywax and are subsequently isolated as a nonvolatile Polywax solid phase that contains the dye or the recyclable catalyst.     

Synthesis of acetylene-terminated polymers using supported palladium (II) catalysts

A polymer-bound palladium catalyst was synthesized from palladium diacetate and a single crystal polyethylene having 2,2′-bipyridyl moieties as pendant groups. The resulting material was used in place of a free palladium catalyst in the synthesis of acetylene-terminated resins. Supports other than polyethylen were also tested for their ability to bind palladium and their subsequent activity as catalysts in the synthesis of acetylene-terminated polymers.     

Polyolefin-supported recoverable/reusable Cr(III)-salen catalysts

The design of functional soluble polyolefins for use as supports for salen ligands and metal complexes is described. Examples and applications that use both polyisobutylene (PIB)- and polyethylene (PE(Olig))-bound recoverable/recyclable salen ligands/metal complexes are detailed. In the case of using PIB as a support, the polymer-bound complexes can be recovered through the use of latent biphasic or a thermomorphic mixed solvent systems. In the case of PE(Olig)-supported complexes, the thermomorphic PE(Olig)-bound salen species can be dissolved in "hot" solvents and quantitatively recovered as solids upon cooling to room temperature. Both the PIB- and PE(Olig)-bound salen catalysts were shown to catalyze the ring-opening of epoxides with various nucleophiles. Both sorts of polyolefin-bound catalysts can be recycled and reused with no observed loss in activity. However, limitations of catalyst concentration make chiral versions of these complexes uncompetitive in comparison to conventional chiral salen catalysts that can be used in neat substrate at higher concentration to produce high enantioselectivity in the ring-opening products. The preparation of a PIB-bound "half-salen" catalyst was also briefly examined.     

Fluoroacrylate-bound fluorous-phase soluble hydrogenation catalysts

[reaction: see text] Fluoroacrylate polymer-bound hydrogenation catalysts are described. N-Acryloxysuccinimide-containing fluoroacrylate polymers were converted into phosphine ligands and subsequently into analogues of Wilkinson's catalyst by amidation of N-acryloxysuccinimide active ester residues and Rh exchange. The resulting catalysts have excellent activity and can be reused following fluorous biphasic liquid/liquid separation and extraction.     

Phase-transfer catalytic activity of soluble polystyrenes containing crown ether moieties and hydroxyl groups adjacent to the macrorings

Soluble polystyrenes with crown ether structures and hydroxyl groups adjacent to the macrorings were prepared by the reaction of epoxide-containing polystyrenes with monoaza-15-crown-5 or monoaza-18-crown-6. Rate of formation of the polymer-bound alkali cation-crown alkoxide ion pair from the soluble polystyrenes and aqueous NaOH or KOH depended on the loading of crown ether and hydroxyl units and on the size of the macroring. The elimination of HCl from less reactive 2-chloroethylbenzene with aqueous NaOH or KOH in the presence of the soluble polystyrene catalysts under two-phase conditions was limited mainly by the intrinsic reaction rate. The elimination of HBr from more reactive 2-bromoethylbenzene in the presence of the less (11%) ring-substituted polymer catalyst with 18-crown unit was limited by the alkoxide formation rate. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Parallel approach to selective catalysts for palladium-catalyzed desymmetrization of 2,4-cyclopentenediol

[reaction: see text] Work toward the development of a bis-phosphine ligand system for the palladium-catalyzed desymmetrization of meso-diols is reported. A parallel approach using phosphine-containing amino acids and a "representational search" was taken to find a polymer-supported catalyst system. The selectivities reported are comparable to many other polymer-bound asymmetric catalysts.     

Organogel media for on-bead screening in combinatorial catalysis

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) forms thermoreversible gels with a number of dipolar aprotic solvents. Gels were prepared containing chromogenic substrates, subject to transformation by polymer-bound catalysts. When the catalysts were mixed with inactive beads and applied to the surface of the gels, the active beads were identifiable through colour changes. Active beads could also be visualised by thermographic imaging. These methods hold promise for catalyst discovery from split-and-mix combinatorial libraries.     

Immobilization of BINOL by cross-linking copolymerization of styryl derivatives with styrene, and applications in enantioselective Ti and Al Lewis acid mediated additions of Et2Zn and Me3SiCN to aldehydes and of diphenyl nitrone to enol ethers

The chiral ligand 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL) has been succesfully immobilized on polystyrene. Several dendritic and non-dendritic BINOL derivatives (3, and 13-17), bearing at least two polymerizable styryl groups, were prepared and fully characterized. Suspension copolymerization of the MOM- or TIPS-protected cross-linking BINOL ligands (MOM = methyloxymethyl, TIPS = triisopropylsilyl) with styrene, cleavage of the protecting-groups, and loading with a Lewis-acid afforded catalytically active polystyrene-supported BINOLates. The polymer-bound BINOLs p-3, and p-13-p-16 were tested in the Ti-BINOLate-mediated addition of Et2Zn to PhCHO. The enantioselectivities (up to 93%) and conversions obtained with the polymer-bound catalysts were in most cases identical (within experimental error) to those obtained with the unsubstituted 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol and with the non-polymerized BINOL cross-linkers under homogeneous conditions. Special focus was put on the reusability of the supported catalyst: the polymer-beads were used in up to 20 consecutive catalytic runs, with the best polymers showing no or only minor loss of selectivity. BINOL-polymers p-17, obtained by copolymerization of a 3,3'-distyryl-substituted BINOL 17a with styrene, were used in the BINOL. AlMe-mediated cycloaddition of diphenyl nitrone with alkyl vinyl ethers. In all cases the exo/endo selectivity (> or =92:8) and the enantioselectivities with which the exo-cycloadducts were formed (> or =95%) correspond to those observed in the homogeneous reactions. A dendritically cross-linked BINOL-polymer was also employed in the Ti-BINOLate-mediated cyanosilylation of pivalaldehyde. The enantiopurity of the cyanohydrine obtained in the first run was as high as in the homogeneous reaction (72%); surprisingly the catalytic performance of the supported catalyst increased steadily during the first catalytic cycles to reach 83%. Thus, cross-linking BINOLs can be succesfully incorporated into a polystyrene matrix (without racemization!) to give polymer-bound BINOL ligands that give excellent performance over many catalytic cycles with catalytic activities comparable with those of soluble analogues.     

Fluorous-phase soluble polymeric supports

Fluorous phase soluble polymer supports derived from fluoroacrylate polymers are described. N-Acryloxysuccinimide-containing fluoroacrylate polymers were readily prepared from commercially available monomers. The activated acrylates so prepared were then converted into chelating and non-chelating ligands by amidation of the N-acryloxysuccinimide active ester residues. Phosphine ligands attached to these supports were used to prepare neutral and cationic rhodium(I) hydrogenation catalysts as well as palladium(0) catalysts. Similar substitution of pendant active ester groups to form hydroxamic acid ligands for metal sequestration is also feasible. Liquid/liquid extraction readily separated, recycled and reused these polymer-bound ligands and catalysts. While fluorous phase solubility could be attained with polymers containing only heptafluorobutyryl groups, selective solubility in a fluorous phase in contact with an organic phase was only seen with fluoroacrylates that contained larger fluorinated ester groups.     

Asymmetric reduction of acetophenone in membrane reactors: comparison of oxazaborolidine and alcohol dehydrogenase catalysed processes

The enantioselective reduction of acetophenone was studied in two different ways. Chemical borane reduction using a homogeneously soluble polymer-bound oxazaborolidine catalyst was carried out in a continuously operated membrane reactor and yielded (R)-phenylethanol in good enantiomeric excess with high space–time yields. An enzymatic reduction using a dehydrogenase two-enzyme system as the catalyst and formate as the hydrogen source was carried out in an extractive bi-membrane reactor and yielded (S)-phenylethanol in excellent enantiomeric excess with a low enzyme consumption. A comparison of the two systems with respect to space–time yield, total turnover number and other parameters is made.     

Liquid-phase parallel synthesis of tetrahydro-β-carbolines

Parallel synthesis of β-carbolines on soluble polyethylene glycol (PEG-OH) support is demonstrated. One-pot condensation of polymer-bound tryptophan residues with various aldehydes and ketones has been carried out in the presence of p-TSA as a catalyst to deliver immobilized 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolines. Subsequent disengagement of the appendant from the polymer support afforded the desired products in good yield and acceptable purity.     

聚苯乙烯苄基(8-氨基喹啉)负载鈀催化剂的催化加氢性能

本文在带有8-氨基喹啉螯合基团的树脂上负载了二氯化钯,再经甲醇-水还原合成混合价态钯催化剂。考察并比较了两类催化剂的加氢活性及选择性,发现混合价态钯催化剂具有活性高、选择性强、金属不易流失的特点。     

可溶性高分子负载催化剂*

均相催化剂的负载化是解决催化剂分离与回收的一条有效途径,也是绿色化学研究的重要内容。可溶性高分子,尤其是树状大分子作为另一类催化剂载体近年来受到了越来越多的关注。通过选择合适的反应介质,可溶性高分子负载催化剂可以在均相条件下催化有机反应,反应结束后通过外加不良溶剂的固/液相分离、温度等调控的液/液相分离以及膜过滤等方法进行催化剂的分离与回收。本文概述了在可溶性高分子负载催化剂研究中取得的新进展,重点介绍了负载手性催化剂在不对称催化反应中的应用。     

Poly(4-tert-butylstyrene) as a soluble polymer support in homogeneous catalysis

[reaction: see text] Use of soluble poly(4-tert-butylstyrene) (PtBS) as a support in synthesis is demonstrated. These soluble polymers supported catalysts that were used in a monophasic medium. Subsequent separation of the catalysts after reaction was effected either by cooling- or by water-induced liquid/liquid-phase separation. Specific catalysts studied included both phosphine and DMAP nucleophilic catalysts. Low loadings of an azo dye quantified the efficiency of separation and recovery of these catalysts through multiple reaction cycles.     

Synthesis of Fe—Ni—Ce trimetallic catalyst nanoparticles via impregnation and co-precipitation and their application to dye degradation

In this study, trimetallic catalysts were prepared via the co-precipitation and impregnation methods. In order to investigate the effect of impregnation on the catalytic activity and crystallite size, a trimetallic catalyst, Fe—Ni—Ce, was prepared through the co-precipitation method in one set of experiments, and cerium was impregnated with the Ni—Fe mixture in the final stage of the preparation in another set. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to confirm the formation of trimetallic catalysts and the success of the impregnation method. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller nitrogen adsorption isotherm exhibits a high specific surface area (approximately 39 m² g^?1) for the nanoparticles obtained by the impregnation method. The crystallography and morphology of the trimetallic catalysts thus prepared were characterised by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. UV-VIS spectroscopy and methylene blue dye degradation tests were also performed to investigate the catalytic activity of the synthesised catalysts. The crystalline size was found to be smaller for the catalysts prepared by the impregnation method. In addition, the samples synthesised using the cerium impregnation method showed superior activity in the methylene blue dye degradation test. The effect of the catalyst dosage on dye degradation, as well as the effect of the initial dye concentration on the catalyst activity, was also studied for both methods.     

Macromolecular metal complexes as catalysts with improved stability

Polymer-bound tertiary amine–copper complexes and polymer-bound phosphite–rhodium complexes were studied as catalysts for oxidative coupling of phenols and hydroformylation of alkenes, respectively. The activity and stability of these catalysts could be tuned or optimized by adapting the structure of the ligands and by changing the distance between adjacent ligands along the polymer chains. The latter effect has been described in terms of strain in the intermediate chain segments in the copper complexes or enhancement of the effective local ligand concentration around the rhodium complexes. So-called immobilized homogeneous catalysts were obtained by end-grafting of both types of macromolecular catalysts on to inert and insoluble silica particles. These immobilized polymeric catalysts could easily be separated and recovered. Under proper conditions a grafted polymerbound imidazole–copper complex and a new type of polymer-bound triphenyl–phosphite–rhodium complex showed excellent stability in continuous processes.     

Polymer-bound metal complexes as catalysts: Synthesis, characterization, reactivity and catalytic activity in E-H bond activation

An account of recent research of our groups is presented, focusing on the preparation of several polystyrene anchored complexes and their use as catalysts in functionalization of alkenes. The procedures for covalently binding the ligands or ligand precursors are outlined, as well as for coordination of the metal ions. Instrumental techniques used for the characterization of the polymer-bound complexes have been highlighted. The heterogenized complexes are used as catalysts for the functionalization of alkenes, namely for oxidative aminations, hydroaminations and several types of oxidations, and results obtained using the catalysts prepared are presented. The main advantages of the use of the prepared supported catalyst are specified, namely their recyclability and their higher activity, also confirmed in many cases by comparison with their homogeneous counterparts. An account of the success in the use of EPR to characterize the V^IVO- and Cu^II-systems is also given.     

Synthesis of catalytically active polymer-bound Schiff base manganese complexes for selective epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins

A polymerizable unsymmetric tetradentate Schiff base with one vinyl group 3 was synthesized and copolymerized with styrene in toluene. Mn(III) ion was quantitatively incorporated into the copolymers by the functional moieties. The resulting linear polymer-bound manganese complexes ( 4a ′ and 4b ′) were used as catalyst under homogeneous condition for selective epoxidation of unfunctionalized olefins (i.e. styrene, α-methylstyrene and cyclohexene) at room temperature in the presence of iodosylbenzene (PhIO) as the terminal oxidant. The efficacy of epoxidation using the polymeric catalysts was comparable to that of the monomolecular analog. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3249–3254, 1997