Direct carboxylation reaction of methane with CO by a Yb(OAc)3/Mn(OAc)2/NaClO/H2O catalytic system under very mild conditions

A new method of synthesis of acetic acid in water has been developed from the carboxylation of methane with carbon monoxide using lanthanide catalysts. Ytterbium(III) acetate has been found to be the most active catalyst among the compounds of the lanthanide series in the carboxylation reaction of methane with carbon monoxide. Sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide was used as the oxidant in this reaction. Sodium hypochlorite exhibited more favorable activity than hydrogen peroxide in the reaction. The catalytic activity was improved by the addition of transition-metal salts such as manganese(II) acetate. The best result has been found at a ratio of manganese(II) acetate to ytterbium(III) acetate of 1:10. The optimum reaction conditions (reaction temperature, 40 °C; time, 20 h; methane, 20 atm; carbon monoxide, 5 atm) have been obtained. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Two‐Photon H2O2‐Activated CO Photoreleaser

Carbon monoxide (CO) is proposed as an active pharmaceutical agent with promising pharmaceutical prospects, as it has been involved in multifaceted modulation of diverse physiological and pathological processes. However, questions remain for therapeutic application of inhaled CO attributed to the inherent great affinity between CO and hemoglobin. Therefore, a robust platform with the function of CO transport and controllable release, depending on the local status of an organism, is of prominent significance for effectively avoiding the side effects of CO inhalation and optimizing the biological regulation function of CO. Utilizing the oxidative stress biomarker H₂O₂ as a trigger and combining with photo‐control, a two‐photon H₂O₂‐activated CO photoreleaser, FB, featuring highly sensitive and specific H₂O₂ sensing and photocontrollable CO release, was developed and the vasodilation effect of CO against angiotensin II was demonstrated.     

Noble‐Metal‐Free Single‐Atom Catalysts CuAl4O7–9− for CO Oxidation by O2

The single copper atom doped clusters CuAl₄O_7–9^? can catalyze CO oxidation by O₂. The CuAl₄O_7–9^? clusters are the first group of experimentally identified noble‐metal free single atom catalysts for such a prototypical reaction. The reactions were characterized by mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations. The CuAl₄O₉CO^? is much more reactive than CuAl₄O₉^? in the reaction with CO to generate CO₂. One adsorbed CO is crucial to stabilize Cu of CuAl₄O₉^? around +I oxidation state and promote the oxidation of another CO. The widely emphasized correlation between the catalytic reactivity of CO oxidation and Cu oxidation state can be understood at the strictly molecular level. The remarkable difference between Cu catalysis and noble‐metal catalysis was discussed.     

Catalytic CO Oxidation by O2 Mediated by Noble‐Metal‐Free Cluster Anions Cu2VO3–5−

Catalytic CO oxidation by molecular O₂ is an important model reaction in both the condensed phase and gas‐phase studies. Available gas‐phase studies indicate that noble metal is indispensable in catalytic CO oxidation by O₂ under thermal collision conditions. Herein, we identified the first example of noble‐metal‐free heteronuclear oxide cluster catalysts, the copper–vanadium bimetallic oxide clusters Cu₂VO_3–5^? for CO oxidation by O₂. The reactions were characterized by mass spectrometry, photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional calculations. The dynamic nature of the Cu?Cu unit in terms of the electron storage and release is the driving force to promote CO oxidation and O₂ activation during the catalysis.     

Homogeneous Light‐Driven Catalytic Direct Carboxylation with CO2

Carbon dioxide is a ubiquitous and inexpensive one‐carbon source for chemical synthesis, and the efficient incorporation of CO₂ into organic molecules is of widespread research interest both for economic and ecological reasons. The methodologies to employ carbon dioxide as a single‐carbon unit to construct molecules relevant for agrochemical and pharmaceutical research include many elegant approaches, including asymmetric transformations. Even though remarkable achievements have been made in the field of light‐driven catalysis, especially photoredox catalysis, homogeneous light‐driven catalytic carboxylation by employing CO₂ as the key reagent has only become a subject of increasing attention in recent years. Therefore, this concise review will discuss the latest advances in this research area.     

2‐Arylsilacyclobutane as a Latent Carbanion Reacting with CO2

An electronically neutral 2‐arylsilacyclobutane generates a nucleophilic carbanion at room temperature through cleavage of the benzylic C?Si bond when simply dissolved in polar aprotic solvents such as N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). The nucleophilic species is capable of capturing carbon dioxide to furnish a silalactone. The carboxylation reaction is unique in that no additional activating agents are required.     

Ti0.99Pd0.01O2−δ: A New Pt‐free Catalyst for High Rates of H2+O2 Recombination with High CO Tolerant Capacity

A platinum‐free H ₂ /O ₂ recombination catalyst , Ti_0.99Pd_0.01O_2?δ, is synthesized by a solution combustion method where Pd²⁺ ions adsorb protonic H₂^δ+ ion and oxygen on the oxide ion vacancy sites (see picture). The rate of H₂+O₂ recombination at 50 °C is 15 μmoles g^?1 s^?1, which is much higher than that of Pt‐containing catalysts.

     

Highly Regioselective Palladium‐Catalyzed Carboxylation of Allylic Alcohols with CO2

Various allylic alcohols were carboxylated in the presence of a catalytic amount of PdCl₂ and PPh₃ using ZnEt₂ as a stoichiometric transmetalation agent under a CO₂ atmosphere (1 atm). This carboxylation proceeded in a highly regioselective manner to afford branched carboxylic acids predominantly. The β,γ‐unsaturated carboxylic acid thus obtained was successfully converted into an optically active γ‐butyrolactone, a known intermediate of (R)‐baclofen.     

Quercetin 2,4‐Dioxygenase Activates Dioxygen in a Side‐On O2–Ni Complex

Quercetin 2,4‐dioxygenase (quercetinase) from Streptomyces uses nickel as the active‐site cofactor to catalyze oxidative cleavage of the flavonol quercetin. How this unusual active‐site metal supports catalysis and O₂ activation is under debate. We present crystal structures of Ni‐quercetinase in three different states, thus providing direct insight into how quercetin and O₂ are activated at the Ni²⁺ ion. The Ni²⁺ ion is coordinated by three histidine residues and a glutamate residue (E⁷⁶) in all three states. Upon binding, quercetin replaces one water ligand at Ni and is stabilized by a short hydrogen bond through E⁷⁶, the carboxylate group of which rotates by 90°. This conformational change weakens the interaction between Ni and the remaining water ligand, thereby preparing a coordination site at Ni to bind O₂. O₂ binds side‐on to the Ni²⁺ ion and is perpendicular to the C2?C3 and C3?C4 bonds of quercetin, which are cleaved in the following reaction steps.     

Concurrent Stabilization of π‐Donor and π‐Acceptor Ligands in Aromatized and Dearomatized Pincer [(PNN)Re(CO)(O)2] Complexes

Aromatized cationic [(PNN)Re(π acid)(O)₂]⁺ ( 1 ) and dearomatized neutral [(PNN*)Re(π acid)(O)₂] ( 2 ) complexes (where π acid=CO ( a ), tBuNC ( b ), or (2,6‐Me₂)PhNC ( c )), possessing both π‐donor and π‐acceptor ligands, have been synthesized and fully characterized. Reaction of [(PNN)Re(O)₂]⁺ ( 4 ) with lithiumhexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS) yield the dearomatized [(PNN*)Re(O)₂] ( 3 ). Complexes 1 and 2 are prepared from the reaction of 4 and 3 , respectively, with CO or isocyanides. Single‐crystal X‐ray structures of 1 a and 1 b show the expected trans‐dioxo structure, in which the oxo ligands occupy the axial positions and the π‐acidic ligand occupies the equatorial plane in an overall octahedral geometry about the rhenium(V) center. DFT studies revealed the stability of complexes 1 and 2 arises from a π‐backbonding interaction between the d_xy orbital of rhenium, the π orbital of the oxo ligands, and the π* orbital of CO/isocyanide.     

硒催化CO/H2O还原1-硝基萘制1-萘胺

 以具有反应控制相转移特点和可回收再利用的硒为催化剂,以CO/H2O为还原剂,在常压条件下还原1-硝基萘制1-萘胺,考察了不同溶剂和碱对反应的影响. 结果表明,在极性非质子溶剂如二甲基甲酰胺中,以氢氧化钠为助催化剂时1-硝基萘可定量还原为1-萘胺.     

K2CO3‐Promoted Cascade Michael‐Alkylation Reactions: A Facile Preparation of Diethyl trans‐2,3‐Disubstituted 1,1‐Cyclopropanedicarboxylates

A cascade Michael‐alkylation reaction of diethyl benzylidenemalonates with chloroacetophenones was realized by using K₂CO₃ as the promoter. With this method, a series of diethyl trans‐2,3‐disubstituted 1,1‐cyclopropane‐ dicarboxylates have been facilely synthesized in moderate yields under mild conditions. The relative configurations of two typical products were confirmed by X‐ray crystallographic analysis.     

Cyclization of a 1,4‐Diborabutadiene Ligand with Both Atoms of CO

A 1,4‐dibora‐1,3‐butadiene iron complex was successfully synthesized through the stoichiometric reaction of an iron bis(borylene) complex with diphenylacetylene. This complex was treated with CO and PMe₃, which led to the formation of an unusual six‐membered B₂C₃O ylidic ring bound to both the PMe₃ group and zerovalent iron center. The reaction is a very rare example of the incorporation of both atoms of CO into a ring system.     

CO2‐promoted Water‐medium Ullmann Reaction over a Pd/Phenyl‐SBA‐15 Mesoporous Catalyst

Water‐medium Ullmann reaction was carried out in CO₂ atmosphere over the mesoporous Pd/Ph‐SBA‐15 catalyst exhibiting high activity and selectivity owing to the uniform dispersion of Pd particles and hydrophobilic mesoporous channels which facilitate the diffusion and adsorption of organic molecules, especially in an aqueous medium. The CO₂ also shows promoting effect on activity and selectivity, which could be understood by considering the role of H⁺ in the mechanism of Ullmann reaction. The optimum Ph‐Ph yield (84.0%) was obtained at p=0.8 MPa and V=6.0 mL and could remain almost unchanged even after the catalyst has been used repetitively for 5 times.     

Cu‐Catalyzed Formal Methylative and Hydrogenative Carboxylation of Alkynes with Carbon Dioxide: Efficient Synthesis of α,β‐Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids

The sequential hydroalumination or methylalumination of various alkynes catalyzed by different catalyst systems, such those based on Sc, Zr, and Ni complexes, and the subsequent carboxylation of the resulting alkenylaluminum species with CO₂ catalyzed by an N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)–copper catalyst have been examined in detail. The regio‐ and stereoselectivity of the overall reaction relied largely on the hydroalumination or methylalumination reactions, which significantly depended on the catalyst and alkyne substrates. The subsequent Cu‐catalyzed carboxylation proceeded with retention of the stereoconfiguration of the alkenylaluminum species. All the reactions could be carried out in one‐pot to afford efficiently a variety of α,β‐unsaturated carboxylic acids with well‐controlled configurations, which are difficult to construct by previously reported methods. This protocol could be practically useful and attractive because of its high regio‐ and stereoselectivity, simple one‐pot reaction operation, and the use of CO₂ as a starting material.     

The interaction of CO2 and CO with Fe‐doped SrTiO3(100) surfaces

The interaction of CO₂ and CO with 0.013 at.% Fe‐doped SrTiO₃(100) was investigated in situ with Metastable Induced Electron Spectroscopy (MIES) and XPS at room temperature. To clear up the influence of surface defects, cleaned and sputtered SrTiO₃ surfaces were investigated. Sputtering results in the breaking of Ti? O bonds in the surface and the formation of oxygen‐related defects as well as reduced titanium on the surface. Cleaned SrTiO₃ surfaces do neither interact with CO₂ nor with CO. Sputtered surfaces show a CO formation during CO₂ exposure and—to a lesser extent—during CO exposure. The CO groups can be detected very well with MIES because of its extreme surface sensitivity. With XPS, the characteristic carbonate peak shift of the C 1s orbitals can be detected. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrocarboxylation of Acetophenone to 2‐Hydroxy‐2‐phenylpropionic Acid in the Presence of CO2

Electrocarboxylation of acetophenone with CO₂ to obtain 2‐hydroxy‐2‐phenylpropionic acid was carried out in acetonitrile solution containing 0.1 mol·L^?1 tetraethylammonium bromide. Influences of the nature of the electrodes, the working potential, the passed charge and the concentration of acetophenone on the electrocarboxylation were studied. After optimizing the synthetic parameters, the maximal isolated yield reached 73.0% on Mg‐stainless steel couple electrodes under potentiostatic electrolysis until 2.2 F·mol^?1 of charge was passed at 25 °C. The reduction of acetophenone was studied by cyclic voltammetry and the mechanism has been proposed on the basis of the results.     

Syntheses of α‐Amino Acids by Using CO2 as a C1 Source

The incorporation of CO₂ into organic compounds is currently one of the most active research topics in organic chemistry, because CO₂ is an abundant, inexpensive, nontoxic, and renewable C1 source. However, CO₂ is also a thermodynamically stable and kinetically inert gaseous compound, and as such, special strategies are required to activate CO₂ and incorporate it into organic compounds. In particular, because the carbon atom adjacent to the nitrogen atom of amine derivatives is positively charged, umpolung carboxylation, which is a difficult chemical process, should be considered for the production of α‐amino acids by using CO₂. In this Minireview, we summarize recent synthetic methods for α‐amino acids that use CO₂ as a carboxylic acid unit.