Gas-phase models for catalysis: alkane activation and olefin epoxidation by the triatomic cation Ag2O+

Electrospray ionization of aqueous silver nitrate is used for the preparation of the disilver-oxide cation Ag2O+ in the gas phase. The mass-selected cation is capable of activating C-H bonds of simple alkanes other than methane via H-atom abstraction, i.e., Ag2O+ + R-H --> Ag2OH+ + R* (R = C2H5, C3H7, C4H9). Clean O-atom transfer from Ag2O+ is observed with ethene as a neutral reagent, whereas oxygenation and allylic C-H abstraction compete in the case of propene. The gaseous Ag2O+ cation can thus be regarded as a minimalist model for the problems associated with the silver-mediated epoxidation of olefins more complex than ethene itself. The experimental findings are fully supported by the results of quantum chemical studies, thereby providing deep mechanistic insight into the reactions in the idealized gas phase, which also might have implications for further improvements in applied catalysis.     

Iron-catalyzed olefin cis-dihydroxylation by H2O2: electrophilic versus nucleophilic mechanisms

Previous studies have classified a series of nonheme iron catalysts for olefin cis-dihydroxylation by H2O2 into two groups. Complex 1, [(TPA)Fe(OTf)2], representative of Class A catalysts, forms a low-spin FeIII-OOH intermediate that gives rise to a high-valent FeV(=O)OH oxidant. The preference of this catalyst for electron-rich olefins demonstrates its electrophilic character. On the other hand, complex 2, [(6-Me3-TPA)Fe(OTf)2], representative of Class B catalysts, prefers instead to oxidize electron-deficient olefins, suggesting an oxidant with nucleophilic character. It is suggested that such a nucleophilic oxidant may be the high-spin FeIII-OOH intermediate derived from 2 or the FeIV(=O)(*OH) species derived therefrom.     

Highly selective olefin epoxidation with aqueous H2O2 over surface-modified TaSBA15 prepared via the TMP method

Trialkylsiloxy-modified Ta(v) centers on mesoporous silica exhibit excellent selectivity for epoxide formation (>98% after 2 h) in the oxidation of cyclohexene using aqueous H2O2 as the oxidant; the modified catalysts exhibit an increased lifetime, retaining high selectivity after 6 h of reaction (>95% epoxide).     

Spin surface crossing in chromium-mediated olefin epoxidation with O(2)

[CpCr(mu-Cl)Cl](2) reacted with dioxygen (O(2)) to produce CpCr(O)Cl(2) (1), which has been structurally characterized. Although 1 oxidized PPh(3) and 1,4-cyclohexadiene catalytically, it did not epoxidize olefins. DFT calculations have been performed on the system to characterize the potential energy surface for the epoxidation of ethylene and, in particular, the consequences of the crossing from the doublet surface of the starting materials to the quartet surface of the product (i.e. a chromium(III) epoxide adduct). These calculations suggested that "spin-blocking" was not a significant problem and that the reaction of CpCr(O)Cl(2) (3) with ethylene should have a lower activation barrier. On the basis of this computational prediction, 3 was prepared; it was found to epoxidize olefins stoichiometrically.     

Dramatic acceleration of olefin epoxidation in fluorinated alcohols: activation of hydrogen peroxide by multiple h-bond networks

In 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) as solvent, the epoxidation of olefins by hydrogen peroxide is accelerated up to ca. 100 000-fold (relative to that in 1,4-dioxane as solvent). The mechanistic basis of this effect was investigated kinetically and theoretically. The kinetics of the epoxidation of Z-cyclooctene provided evidence that higher-order solvent aggregates (rate order in HFIP ca. 3) are responsible for the rate acceleration. Activation parameters (DeltaS++ = -39 cal/mol.K) indicated a highly ordered transition state in the rate-determining step. In line with these findings, DFT simulations revealed a pronounced decrease of the activation barrier for oxygen transfer from H(2)O(2) to ethene with increasing number of (specifically) coordinated HFIP molecules. The oxygen transfer was unambiguously identified as a polar concerted process. Simulations (combined DFT and MP2) of the epoxidation of Z-butene were in excellent agreement with the experimental data obtained in the epoxidation of Z-cyclooctene (activation enthalpy, entropy, and kinetic rate order in HFIP of 3), supporting the validity of our mechanistic model.     

Thermal risk assessment for the epoxidation of linseed oil by classical Prisleschajew epoxidation and by direct epoxidation by H2O2 on alumina

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Substitution of fossil feedstock by vegetable oils is growing due to environmental constraints and oil depletion. Among the different valorization...     

Kinetics and mechanism of olefin epoxidation with aqueous H2O2 and a highly selective surface-modified TaSBA15 heterogeneous catalyst

The reaction kinetics of cyclohexene epoxidation using aqueous H2O2 oxidant and the highly selective epoxidation catalyst Bu(cap)TaSBA15 were studied. The reaction was determined to be first-order in Ta(V) surface coverage. The reaction rate exhibited saturation with respect to increasing concentrations of cyclohexene and H2O2. An Eley-Rideal mechanism and rate equation may be used to describe the epoxidation kinetics, which are similar to those for Ti(IV)SiO2-catalyzed epoxidations. The observed kinetics may also be modeled by a double-displacement mechanism typically associated with saturation enzyme catalysts. In addition, (1)H NMR spectroscopy was employed to investigate H2O2 decomposition by Bu(cap)TaSBA15 and the unmodified TaSBA15 catalysts. Little decomposition occurred over the surface-modified material, but the unmodified material catalyzed a 30% conversion of H2O2 after 6 h. UV-visible absorbance and diffuse reflectance UV-visible (DRUV-vis) spectroscopy were used to investigate the structure of the Ta centers on the TaSBA15 catalysts. DRUV-vis spectroscopy was also used to identify a Ta(V)-based epoxidation intermediate, proposed to be a Ta(V)(eta(2)-O2) species, which forms upon reaction of the TaSBA15 and Bu(cap)TaSBA15 materials with H2O2.     

Electrochemical catalysis of styrene epoxidation with films of MnO(2) nanoparticles and H(2)O(2)

Films of polyions and octahedral layered manganese oxide (OL-1) nanoparticles on carbon electrodes made by layer-by-layer alternate electrostatic adsorption were active for electrochemical catalysis of styrene epoxidation in solution in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and oxygen. The highest catalytic turnover was obtained by using applied voltage -0.6 V vs SCE, O(2), and 100 mM H(2)O(2). (18)O isotope labeling experiments suggested oxygen incorporation from three different sources: molecular oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and/or lattice oxygen from OL-1 depending on the potential applied and the oxygen and hydrogen peroxide concentrations. Oxygen and hydrogen peroxide activate the OL-1 catalyst for the epoxidation. The pathway for styrene epoxidation in the highest yields required oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and a reducing voltage and may involve an activated oxygen species in the OL-1 matrix.     

Mechanism of olefin epoxidation by a mono-oxygenase model

Kinetic data suggest that the rate determining step in the epoxidation of cyclohexene by Mn-TPP and sodium hypochlorite is the conversion of a Mn(III)-species into an oxo-manganese(V)-species.     

Asymmetric epoxidation via phase-transfer catalysis: direct conversion of allylic alcohols into alpha,beta-epoxyketones

Studies into the use of a chiral phase-transfer catalyst in conjunction with sodium hypochlorite to effect the enantio-selective formation of alpha,beta-epoxyketones from allylic alcohols are described.     

Polyoxometalate catalysts: toward the development of green H2O2-based epoxidation systems

This paper describes the development of green, efficient H(2)O(2)-based epoxidation systems with three kinds of polyoxometalates: (i) a dinuclear peroxotungstate [W(2)O(3)(O(2))(4)(H(2)O)(2)](2-) (I), (ii) a divacant lacunary polyoxotungstate [gamma-SiW(10)O(34)(H(2)O)(2)]4 (II), (iii) and a divanadium-substituted polyoxotungstate [gamma-1,2-H(2)SiV(2)W(10)O(40)](4-) (III). The highly chemo-, regio-, and diastereoselective epoxidation of various allylic alcohols with only 1 equiv H(2)O(2) in water can be efficiently catalyzed by potassium salt of I (K-I). The catalyst K-I can be recycled with the retention of the catalytic performance. Protonation of a divacant lacunary polyoxotungstate [gamma-SiW(10)O(36)](8-) gives [gamma-SiW(10)O(34)(H(2)O)(2)](4-) (II) with two aquo ligands. The tetra-n-butylammonium salt of II (TBA-II) catalyzes epoxidation of common olefins including propylene with >or=99% selectivity to epoxide and >or=99% efficiency of H(2)O(2) utilization. The bis(mu-hydroxo)bridged dioxovanadium site in [gamma-1,2-H(2)SiV(2)W(10)O(40)](4-) (III) can also efficiently catalyze epoxidation of a variety of olefins with 1 equiv H(2)O(2). Notably, the system with III shows unique stereospecificity, diastereoselectivity, and regioselectivity for the epoxidation of cis/trans olefins, 3-substituted cyclohexenes, and nonconjugated dienes, respectively, which are quite different from those reported for epoxidation systems up to now. Furthermore, the heterogenization of the mentioned polyoxometalates can be achieved by using ionic liquid-modified SiO(2) as a support without loss of catalytic performance.     

Electrophilic aromatic chlorination and haloperoxidation of chloride catalyzed by polyfluorinated alcohols: a new manifestation of template catalysis

We have demonstrated that a polyfluorinated alcohol, 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, solvent enables haloperoxidase type activity and the oxychlorination of arenes (benzene and its alkylated derivatives) without a metal catalyst. The polyfluorinated alcohol has a dual function; it catalyzes electrophilic chlorination of less reactive arenes by several orders of magnitude and oxidation of chloride at lower H+ concentrations. DFT calculations show that a complementary charge template in the transition state explains the catalysis of the electrophilic chlorination.     

Kinetics of MTO-catalyzed olefin epoxidation in ambient temperature ionic liquids: UV/Vis and 2H NMR study

The kinetics of oxygen-atom transfer from the peroxo complexes of methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) to alkenes in ionic liquids have been investigated. Noncatalytic conversions of alkenes to epoxide were monitored by UV/Vis at 360 nm, where the monoperoxorhenium (mpRe) and diperoxorhenium (dpRe) complexes absorb. Water- and peroxide-free dpRe was prepared in situ by the reaction of MTO and urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP) in dry THF. The observed biexponential time profiles in conjunction with kinetic modeling allow the assignment of the fast step to the reaction of olefin with dpRe (k4) and the slow step to the analogous reaction with mpRe (k3). In most of the tudied ionic liquids, k4 approximately 5 x k3. 2H NMR experiments conducted with [D3]dpRe under non-steady-state conditions confirm the speciation of the catalytic system in ionic liquids and assert the validity of the UV/Vis kinetics. Deuteriated alkenes were used to study the catalytic epoxidation and dihydroxylation of alkenes by 2H NMR spectroscopy. The values of k4 for alpha-methylstyrene in several ionic liquids exceed what is observed in acetonitrile by an order of magnitude. While the rate of olefin epoxidation is unaffected by the nature of the ionic liquid cation, a discernible kinetic effect is observed with coordinating anions such as nitrate.     

Oxaziridinium salts as hydrophobic epoxidation reagents: remarkable hydrophobically-directed selectivity in olefin epoxidation

Selective epoxidation of cinnamates versus crotonate was used to detect hydrophobic binding of the cinnamates in the transition states with hydrophobic oxidizing agents in water solution. With peracids as oxidants, no such effect was seen, in accord with the calculated geometries of epoxidation in which the hydrophobic groups of substrate and oxidant could not stack. However, with oxaziridinium salts carrying fused benzene rings there was significantly high selectivity for the cinnamates in water solution, which could be suppressed with added 2-propanol. The hydrophobically induced selectivity changes were even larger, in free energy terms, than those reported previously for the atom-transfer reactions in hydride reductions. Furthermore, the oxaziridinium ions could be generated with oxone from catalytic amounts of the corresponding iminium salts. These substrate selectivities should also carry over to positional selectivities in polyenes.     

Olefin epoxidation with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by lacunary polyoxometalate [gamma-SiW10O34H2O2]4-

The tetra-n-butylammonium (TBA) salt of the divacant Keggin-type polyoxometalate [TBA](4)[gamma-SiW(10)O(34)(H(2)O)(2)] (I) catalyzes the oxygen-transfer reactions of olefins, allylic alcohols, and sulfides with 30 % aqueous hydrogen peroxide. The negative Hammett rho(+) (-0.99) for the competitive oxidation of p-substituted styrenes and the low value of (nucleophilic oxidation)/(total oxidation), X(SO)=0.04, for I-catalyzed oxidation of thianthrene 5-oxide (SSO) reveals that a strongly electrophilic oxidant species is formed on I. The preferential formation of trans-epoxide during epoxidation of 3-methyl-1-cyclohexene demonstrates the steric constraints of the active site of I. The I-catalyzed epoxidation proceeds with an induction period that disappears upon treatment of I with hydrogen peroxide. (29)Si and (183)W NMR spectroscopy and CSI mass spectrometry show that reaction of I with excess hydrogen peroxide leads to fast formation of a diperoxo species, [TBA](4)[gamma-SiW(10)O(32)(O(2))(2)] (II), with retention of a gamma-Keggin type structure. Whereas the isolated compound II is inactive for stoichiometric epoxidation of cyclooctene, epoxidation with II does proceed in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The reaction of II with hydrogen peroxide would form a reactive species (III), and this step corresponds to the induction period observed in the catalytic epoxidation. The steric and electronic characters of III are the same as those for the catalytic epoxidation by I. Kinetic, spectroscopic, and mechanistic investigations show that the present epoxidation proceeds via III.     

Iron-catalyzed stereospecific olefin synthesis by direct coupling of alcohols and alkenes with alcohols

An efficient Fe(III)-catalyzed direct coupling of alkenes with alcohols and cross-coupling of alcohols with alcohols to give the corresponding substituted (E)-alkenes stereospecifically is demonstrated. Additionally, this reaction could be scaled up. The kinetic isotope effect (KIE) experiments indicated a typical secondary isotope effect in this process. Although benzylic alcohols were effective substrates, mild conditions, atom efficiency, environmental soundness, and stereospecificity are features that make this procedure very attractive.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of olefins using H2O2, part II: catalytic activities and mechanism

Asymmetric epoxidation of olefins with 30 % H2O2 in the presence of [Ru(pybox)(pydic)] 1 and [Ru(pyboxazine)(pydic)] 2 has been studied in detail (pybox = pyridine-2,6-bisoxazoline, pyboxazine = pyridine-2,6-bisoxazine, pydic = 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate). 35 Ruthenium complexes with sterically and electronically different substituents have been tested in environmentally benign epoxidation reactions. Mono-, 1,1-di-, cis- and trans-1,2-di-, tri-, and tetra-substituted aromatic olefins with versatile functional groups can be epoxidized with this type of catalyst in good to excellent yields (up to 100 %) with moderate to good enantioselectivies (up to 84 % ee). Additive and solvent effects as well as the relative rate of reaction with different catalysts have been established. It is shown that the presence of weak organic acids or an electron-withdrawing group on the catalyst increases the reactivity. New insights on the reaction intermediates and reaction pathway of the ruthenium-catalyzed epoxidation are proposed on the basis of density functional theory calculation and experiments.     

Factors affecting the catalytic epoxidation of olefins by iron porphyrin complexes and H2O2 in protic solvents

The catalytic epoxidation of cyclohexene by iron(III) porphyrin complexes and H2O2 has been investigated in alcohol solvents to understand factors affecting the catalyst activity in protic solvents. The yields of cyclohexene oxide and the Fe(III/II) reduction potentials of iron porphyrin complexes were significantly affected by the protic solvents, and there was a close correlation between the product yields and the reduction potentials of the iron porphyrin catalysts. The role of alcohol solvents was proposed to control the electronic nature of iron porphyrin complexes that determines the catalyst activity in the epoxidation of olefins by H2O2. We have also demonstrated that an electron-deficient iron porphyrin complex can catalyze the epoxidation of olefins by H2O2 under conditions of limiting substrate with high conversion efficiency in a solvent mixture of CH3OH and CH2Cl2.     

Steady-state photocatalytic epoxidation of propene by O2 over V2O5SiO2 photocatalysts

A silica-supported, lowly loaded vanadium oxide (V2O5/SiO2) photocatalyst promotes the photocatalytic epoxidation of propene with O2 at steady state in a flow reactor system. Very little deep oxidation of propene into CO2 takes place over V2O5/SiO2, in contrast to the results obtained over a TiO2 photocatalyst in which total oxidation is the main path. With each loading, the sums of the selectivities into propene oxide (PO) and propanal (PA) at steady state were almost the same. The monomeric VO4 tetrahedral species dispersed on SiO2 yield PO under UV irradiation. The less dispersed vanadium oxide species on SiO2 promote the isomerization of PO into PA. We utilized a flow reactor system in which the short contact time reduced the isomerization and resultant decomposition of PO over the catalyst surface.