Heterogeneous Enantioselective Catalysis with Chiral Encoded Mesoporous Pt−Ir Films Supported on Ni Foam

The development of heterogeneous catalysts for asymmetric synthesis is one of the most challenging topics in chemistry, as it allows obtaining enantiomerically pure compounds. Recently, metal layers incorporating molecular chiral cavities, obtained by electroreduction of a metal source in the simultaneous presence of a non-ionic surfactant and asymmetric molecules, have been proposed for a wide range of applications, including enantioselective electroanalysis and electrosynthesis, as well as chiral separation. In contrast to this previous work, solely based on electrochemical phenomena, herein we designed and employed nanostructured chiral encoded Pt−Ir alloys, supported on high surface area nickel foams, as heterogeneous catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic ketones. Fine-tuning the experimental conditions allows achieving very high enantioselectivity (>80%), combined with improved catalyst stability.     

Understanding the structural dynamics of electrocatalysts via liquid cell transmission electron microscopy

High-performance catalysts are essential for many electrochemical technologies, such as water splitting, fuel cells and electrosynthesis. Understanding the structure–performance correlation of the catalysts demands a real-time characterization of their structural evolutions under work conditions. Herein, we review recent advances in structural dynamics of electrocatalysts during reactions by highlighting the utilization of advanced liquid cell transmission electron microscopy techniques. The processes of corrosion, Ostwald ripening, and particle agglomeration are discussed. By incorporating the synchronous electrochemical measurements in the liquid cell, unique information may be retrieved toward improving the electrocatalytic performance.     

Indirect electrosynthesis of peracetic acid using hydrogen peroxide generated in situ in a gas diffusion electrode

Indirect electrochemical oxidation of acetic to peracetic acid in aqueous solutions using hydrogen peroxide generated in situ from O₂ in a gas diffusion electrode was studied. The use of sulfuric acid and ammonium molybdate as catalysts accelerated the formation of peracetic acid during the electrolysis, and the use of both catalysts allowed us to prepare 0.02 M solutions. The limiting stage of the electrosynthesis of peracetic acid was the chemical interaction of the substrate with the generated H₂O₂. The desired product mainly formed during the storage of the reaction mixture after the electrosynthesis. In electrolytes with more than 3.5 M acetic acid, the electrochemical activity of the gas-diffusion cathode decreased.     

Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Value‐Added Products: The Electrocatalyst and Microbial Electrosynthesis

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to value‐added products obtains great attention and investigation worldwide in recent years. The commercialization of this green process relies on the progress of relating high‐performance electrocatalysts and their feasibility with proper reactor design. The microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is an alternative route to reduce CO₂ with electroactive bio‐film electrode as catalyst. This review presents the research status and development of cathode catalysts, particularly focusing on the active sites and development tendency, for highly efficient electrochemical reduction CO₂ from personal viewpoint. Some of our results are also presented to exhibit contributions. MES shows a similar process to the typical electrochemical reduction of CO₂. Their combination is an important trend, and the future research in this field is full of challenges and opportunities.     

离子液体在电化学中的应用

离子液体作为绿色替代溶剂在电化学中的应用涉及电解、电镀、电催化、电池和电容技术等 ,在全球环境问题日益严峻的今天 ,电化学及其技术将显示重要作用。本文就离子液体这一新型的反应介质及其在电化学中的应用和研究进展加以阐述     

Electrochemical Synthesis of (Aza)indolines via Dehydrogenative [3+2] Annulation: Application to Total Synthesis of (±)‐Hinckdentine A

An electrochemical synthesis of functionalized (aza)indolines through dehydrogenative [3+2] annulation of arylamines with tethered alkenes has been developed. Previous reported syntheses through similar inter‐ and intramolecular annulation reactions required noble‐metal catalysts and are mostly limited to terminal alkenes or 1,3‐dienes. The electrosynthesis employs the easily available and inexpensive ferrocene as the molecular catalyst and is compatible with di‐, tri‐ and even tetrasubstituted alkenes to construct indolines as well as the more challenging azaindolines. Employing the newly developed electrosynthesis as a key step, the total synthesis of marine alkaloid (±)‐hinckdentine A has been achieved in 12 steps (longest linear sequence) from commercially available materials.     

Advances in the electrochemical catalytic reduction of CO2 with metal complexes

Electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction has emerged as a promising strategy to effectively produce fuels and chemicals sustainably. In this regard, the study of electrochemical catalytic reduction of CO₂ with metal complexes is a powerful tool for both the development of catalysts that operated under desired conditions (low overpotentials, high catalytic rates and selectivity, and extended durability) and the understanding of basic principles in catalysis. To illustrate the state-of-the-art, this revision presents a selection of the most recent and remarkable findings reported in terms of key strategies to improve reaction rates, selectivity and mechanism understanding for the leading families of homogeneous catalysts.     

Asymmetric Electrochemical Transformations

The field of electrochemical synthesis has developed rapidly over the last decade and has provided alternative synthetic methods with the absence of stoichiometric amounts of chemical oxidants or reductants. Although sustainable electrosynthetic procedures have been developed, relatively few examples of highly enantioselective catalytic electrosynthesis have been reported to date. The development of general strategies for electrochemical enantiocontrol has thus proven to be a considerable challenge. This Minireview highlights the current knowledge and recent advances in the synthetic utility of electrochemical transformations for asymmetric synthesis. Specifically, three major types of catalytic enantioselective strategy in electrosynthesis are outlined, including electrochemical activation of chiral catalyst‐bound substrates, asymmetric cascade electrochemical processes, and chemically modified chiral electrodes.     

Hybrid material from Zn[aminoacid]2 applied in the thio-Michael synthesis

Recently, methodologies that are in accordance with green chemistry principles have been garnering increasing attention. One of the most applied methods in this field is heterogeneous catalysis. In this context, many catalysts have been developed, and there is one remarkable class that has emerged: hybrid materials. Such heterogeneous catalysts are developed from organic and inorganic portions, especially from amino acids and metal salts, which are commonly found in the literature. Herein, we introduce Zn[Pro]₂ and Zn[Gly]₂ as heterogeneous catalysts in thio-Michael reactions via the implementation of two methods: via (1) a magnetic stirrer and (2) via an ultrasound device; the latter method resulted in minimally increased reaction yields in all cases.     

Electrochemical Synthesis of Imidazo‐Fused N‐Heteroaromatic Compounds through a C−N Bond‐Forming Radical Cascade

We have developed a unified strategy for preparing a variety of imidazo‐fused N‐heteroaromatic compounds through regiospecific electrochemical (3+2) annulation reaction of heteroarylamines with tethered internal alkynes. The electrosynthesis employs a novel tetraarylhydrazine as the catalyst, has a broad substrate scope, and obviates the need for transition‐metal catalysts and oxidizing reagents.     

Quantum chemical study of catalysts based on oxides of transition metals

Catalysts based on oxides of transition metals were studied by X α–DV calculations. The chemical composition and electronic structure of surface layers for platinum(IV) oxide catalysts modified under percompound electrosynthesis were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic, quantum chemical, and electrochemical data. The main regularities in electronic structure change under the transition from solid pure oxide PtO₂ to its, in part, N-substituted PtO_2–xN_x were analyzed. Then, we looked for perspective catalysts, calculating the electronic structure for analogous compounds of Ir(III), Ir(IV), Rh(III), and Pd(II). We found that the changes in electronic structure of rhodium oxide under O—N-substitution allowed us to predict the excellent properties of its compound as a catalyst for percompound electrosynthesis reactions. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Nanostructured Metal Catalysts for Selective Hydrogenation and Oxidation of Cellulosic Biomass to Chemicals

Conversion of biomass to chemicals provides essential products to human society from renewable resources. In this context, achieving atom‐economical and energy‐efficient conversion with high selectivity towards target products remains a key challenge. Recent developments in nanostructured catalysts address this challenge reporting remarkable performances in shape and morphology dependent catalysis by metals on nano scale in energy and environmental applications. In this review, most recent advances in synthesis of heterogeneous nanomaterials, surface characterization and catalytic performances for hydrogenation and oxidation for biorenewables with plausible mechanism have been discussed. The perspectives obtained from this review paper will provide insights into rational design of active, selective and stable catalytic materials for sustainable production of value‐added chemicals from biomass resources.     

MIP sensors – the electrochemical approach

This review highlights the importance of coupling molecular imprinting technology with methodology based on electrochemical techniques for the development of advanced sensing devices. In recent years, growing interest in molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in the preparation of recognition elements has led researchers to design novel formats for improvement of MIP sensors. Among possible approaches proposed in the literature on this topic, we will focus on the electrosynthesis of MIPs and on less common hybrid technology (e.g. based on electrochemistry and classical MIPs, or nanotechnology). Starting from the early work reported in this field, an overview of the most innovative and successful examples will be reviewed.     

Comprehensive Comparisons between Directing and Alternating Current Electrolysis in Organic Synthesis

Organic electrosynthesis has consistently aroused significant interest within both academic and industrial spheres. Despite the considerable progress achieved in this field, the majority of electrochemical transformations have been conducted through the utilization of direct-current (DC) electricity. In contrast, the application of alternating current (AC), characterized by its polarity-alternating nature, remains in its infancy within the sphere of organic synthesis, primarily due to the absence of a comprehensive theoretical framework. This minireview offers an overview of recent advancements in AC-driven organic transformations and seeks to elucidate the differences between DC and AC electrolytic methodologies by probing into their underlying physical principles. These differences encompass the ability of AC to preclude the deposition of metal catalysts, the precision in modulating oxidation and reduction intensities, and the mitigation of mass transfer processes.     

Polyoxometalates-based heterogeneous catalysts in acid catalysis

Acid catalysis, one of the most important industrial processes, suffers from the toxicity, corrosion and recyclability problems of conventional homogeneous acid catalysts. Thus, the development of green heterogeneous acid catalysts becomes the focus of fundamental research and industrial catalysis. As a class of discrete anionic metal-oxygen clusters with tunable structure at the molecular and atomic scales, polyoxometalates(POMs) benefit from their super strong Br?nsted acidity, high proton mobility,and thermal stability. POMs-based heterogeneous catalysts have been used as the potential green alternatives to conventional homogeneous acid catalysts. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the design strategies of the POMs-based heterogeneous catalysts and their catalytic properties in acid-catalyzed reactions, where they are combined with functionalized cations, modified through covalent interactions, supported onto the non-precious metal support, and introduced into the framework of porous polymers. The design, functional strategies and catalytic performance of these POMs-based heterogeneous catalysts in specific acid-catalyzed reactions are emphasized.     

Electrochemically Assisted Cycloaddition of Carbon Dioxide to Styrene Oxide on Copper/Carbon Hybrid Electrodes: Active Species and Reaction Mechanism

A novel electrochemically assisted cycloaddition process is proposed, in which highly efficient coupling of CO₂ with styrene oxide (SO) can be achieved to form styrene carbonate (SC) as a high-value-added product. A series of Cu catalysts with different morphologies and chemical states were fabricated on carbon paper (CP) by using in-situ electrodeposition, and the sample with nano-dendrimer structure was found to exhibit a relatively high activity of 74.8 % SC yield with 92.7 % SO conversion under gentle reaction conditions, thus showing its potential for practical applications. The relatively high electrochemically active surface area and charge transfer ability of dendrimer-like Cu benefited the electrochemical reaction. In particular, the Cu²⁺ species that were formed in situ during the reaction played a vital role in enhancing the activity and selectivity of the proposed Cu/CP hybrid catalyst. Cu²⁺ atoms served as active sites that can not only electrochemically activate CO₂ but also facilitate the ring opening of SO. Mechanistic analysis suggested that the reaction followed electrochemical and liquid-phase heterogeneous paths, which provide a new green and sustainable route for efficient utilization of CO₂ resources for fine chemical electrosynthesis.     

Efficient Noble‐Metal‐Free Catalysts Supported by Three‐Dimensional Ordered Hierarchical Porous Carbon

Development of heterogeneous catalysts has attracted increasing attention, owing to their remarkable catalytic performance and recyclability. Herein, we report well‐developed heterogeneous catalysts with a three‐dimensional ordered hierarchical structure, constructed from nickel or cobalt nanoparticles embedded in porous carbon. The obtained catalysts were fully characterized by several techniques. On account of the uniform distribution of metal nanoparticles in the porous carbon matrix and large diffusion channels that allow for effective mass transport, the catalysts exhibited superior catalytic performance for styrene epoxidation reaction. In particular, the catalysts showed good catalytic activity, high selectivity and excellent recyclability toward the styrene epoxidation. Thus, this facile approach developed allows for fabricating advanced heterogeneous catalysts with high catalytic activities for useful practical applications.     

Recent advances towards electrochemical transformations of α-keto acids

As a kind of environmentally benign reagents, α-keto acids have been extensively employed as key starting materials in organic synthesis. Organic electrosynthesis has the advantages of reducing byproduct generation, improving the cost-efficiency of synthetic processes, and accessing reactive intermediates under mild conditions. Inspired by the merits of organic electrosynthesis, α-keto acids have shown many synthetic applications in electrochemical acylation, cyclization, and reductive amination reactions with improved efficiencies and selectivities. This review covers the recent breakthroughs achieved in the electrochemical transformations of α-keto acids, aimed at highlighting these electrochemical reactions’ features and mechanistic rationalisations. Meanwhile, the practicalities and limitations of these transformations are also presented where possible.     

Surface structure and composition effects on electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide electrochemical reduction has attracted significant attention due to its great potential in environmental protection and energy storage. In this mini-review, some recent progress in heterogeneous electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide is summarized, with a particular emphasis on the effects of catalyst surface modification. Several structural (metal overlayers, particle size adjustment, roughness creation, special 2D or 3D structure patterning) and compositional (alloy, doping, oxide, and composite) modification techniques are reviewed and discussed. Research directions towards more advanced catalysts design are proposed.