Synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical diindolylmethanes via acid-catalysed electrophilic substitution reactions

A range of activated indole-2-carboxylate derivatives was prepared via the Hemetsberger indole synthesis. Vilsmeier formylation was explored to establish regioselectivity and to prepare a range of new indole carbaldehydes. The indole aldehydes were reduced to the corresponding hydroxymethylindoles in good yields by the use of sodium borohydride in THF. Symmetrical 4,4′-, 6,6′- and 7,7′-diindolylmethanes were prepared via the acid-catalysed reaction of the corresponding hydroxymethylindoles. Furthermore, the treatment of methyl 4-hydroxymethyl-5,6-dimethoxyindole-2-carboxylate and a range of methyl indole esters with acetic acid led to the formation of unsymmetrical 4,6′- and 4,7′-dindolylmethanes.     

Highly efficient Lewis acid-catalysed Pictet-Spengler reactions discovered by parallel screening

High yielding Lewis acid-catalysed one-pot Pictet-Spengler reactions of tryptophan methyl ester and tryptamine with aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes were achieved in short reaction times with the aid of microwave irradiation.     

Friedel-crafts cyclisation—VI: Polyphosphoric acid-catalysed reactions of crotonophenones and chalcones

Polyphosphoric acid-catalysed cyclisation of derivatives of crotonophenone and chalcone is shown to be a general reaction which occurs without migration of aryl substituents evident with other Friedel-Crafts catalysts. Two other reactions, however, may intervene: hydrogenation and α-carbonyl cleavage. Thus 4-bromochalcone gives 3 - (p - bromophenyl) -1 - phenylpropan -1 - one, 3 - (p - bromophenyl)indan -1 - one and some benzole acid. A mechanism for the cyclisation is discussed in comparison with those reported for cyclisations of α,β-unsaturated esters and divinyl ketones. The formation of intermediate Wheland complexes is predicted to be conrotatory.     

Enzymatic reactions in supercritical gases

The enzyme polyphenol oxidase has been found to be catalytically active in supercritical carbon dioxide and fluoroform: it readily oxidizesp-cresol andp-chlorophenol to their correspondingo-benzoquinones.     

para-Hydrogen-induced polarization in heterogeneous hydrogenation reactions

We demonstrate the creation and observation of para-hydrogen-induced polarization in heterogeneous hydrogenation reactions. Wilkinson's catalyst, RhCl(PPh3)3, supported on either modified silica gel or a polymer, is shown to hydrogenate styrene into ethylbenzene and to produce enhanced spin polarizations, observed through NMR, when the reaction was performed with H2 gas enriched in the para spin isomer. Furthermore, gaseous phase para-hydrogenation of propylene to propane with two catalysts, the Wilkinson's catalyst supported on modified silica gel and Rh(cod)(sulfos) (cod = cycloocta-1,5-diene; sulfos = -O3S(C6H4)CH2C(CH2PPh2)3) supported on silica gel, demonstrates heterogeneous catalytic conversion resulting in large spin polarizations. These experiments serve as a direct verification of the mechanism of heterogeneous hydrogenation reactions involving immobilized metal complexes and can be potentially developed into a practical tool for producing catalyst-free fluids with highly polarized nuclear spins for a broad range of hyperpolarized NMR and MRI applications.     

Experimental and theoretical results on palladium-catalyzed hydrogenation reactions

A correlation between the stereoselectivity of cis-and trans-1, 2-dimethylcyclohexane in o-xylene hydrogenation and theoretical charge density of Pd centers as a function of particle size has been established.

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— -1, 2- o- Pd .

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On sabbatical leave from Instituto de Fisica UNAM.     

A new class of "tethered" ruthenium(II) catalyst for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reactions

Ruthenium dimer 4 is converted directly to monomeric asymmetric transfer hydrogenation catalyst 2 under the conditions employed for ketone reduction. Using 0.25 mol % of either 4 or 0.5 mol % of 2 in formic acid/triethylamine, it is possible to achieve ketone reduction in quantitative conversion and with ee's as high as 98%. Complex 2 is a robust "single-reagent" catalyst which offers significant scope for modification toward specific substrates. The synthesis and applications of an analogous complex derived from (1R,2S)-norephedrine are also described.     

Pt- and Pd-containing nanodiamonds in hydrogenation and hydroamination reactions

The catalytic activity of platinum- and palladium-containing nanodiamonds has been investigated in liquid-phase nitrobenzene, allyl alcohol, and cyclohexene hydrogenation and propanal hydroamination with 4-aminobenzoic acid as model reactions. The catalysts suggested are significantly more active than commercial Pd/C. The catalysts with a low metal weight content are the most effective in liquid phase catalytic hydrogenation.     

Para-hydrogen-induced polarization in rhodium complex-catalyzed hydrogenation reactions

The homogeneous hydrogenation of PhCCH catalyzed by RhClL₃, Rh(COD)L₂⁺, and Rh(COD)dppe⁺ (L  PPh₃; COD1,5-cyclooctadiene; dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane) has been investigated using para-hydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) which allows that in accord with earlier studies, for RHClL₃ the addition of H₂ is reversible, whereas for Rh(CO)(dppe)⁺ and Rh(COD)L₂⁺, H₂ addition in hydrogenation catalysis is irreversible.     

Ruthenium-catalysed transfer hydrogenation reactions with dimethylamine borane

Dimethylamine-borane adduct has been used as the hydrogen source for the reduction of carbonyl compounds, imines, oximes, nitriles, nitroarenes and alkenes using [Ru(p-cymene)Cl₂]₂ as the catalyst.     

Macrokinetics of laser-induced chemical reactions in gases

This paper deals with the problem of laser radiation interaction with chemical gas. The review of numerical simulation results on the basis of three different models is presented. The main modes of the system behavior and the conditions, with various processes (diffusion, thermoconductivity, thermal diffusion, heat effect of the reaction and others) contributing to their realization, have been established. Theorems about the convergence of finite difference schemes have been proved.     

Catalytic transfer hydrogenation reactions of PEG-bound succinyl esters

Various substrates bound to polyethylene glycol (PEG) through succinyl ester linkages were cleaved under catalytic transfer hydrogenation conditions. The substrates with unsaturated functions also underwent hydrogenation. The protocol was found to be suitable for substrates having acid and base labile functional groups.     

Supported ionic liquid catalysis investigated for hydrogenation reactions

The concept of supported ionic liquid catalysis (silc) has successfully been applied to hydrogenation reactions, which significantly reduced the required amounts of ionic liquid phase and enabled the usage of fixed-bed technology; the resulting catalysts exhibited high activity and outstanding stability.     

General and selective iron-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of nitroarenes without base

The first well-defined iron-based catalyst system for the reduction of nitroarenes to anilines has been developed applying formic acid as reducing agent. A broad range of substrates including other reducible functional groups were converted to the corresponding anilines in good to excellent yields at mild conditions. Notably, the process constitutes a rare example of base-free transfer hydrogenations.     

Properties of highly dispersed supported catalysts in hydrogenation reactions

Pt/sol and Pt/support catalysts with 6–15 Å Pt particles have been established to be low active in the hydrogenation of propargyl alcohol, butyn-l-ol-3 and dimethylethynylcarbinol. The specific catalytic activity significantly rises with increasing d_Pt above 15 Å and after the thermal treatment of highly dispersed catalysts in a hydrogen flow.

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, -30 -- 6–15 Å , -1, -3 . d_Pt>15 Å .