The Promotion Effect of NaCl on the Conversion of Xylose to Furfural†

Summary of main observation and conclusion In this work,the promotion effect of NaCl on the conversion of xylose to furfural in H2O was studied.it was found that xylose conversion and furfural yield increased with NaCl concentration.NaCl decreased the pH of the solution providing H+ for the acid catalytic dehydration of xylose.The formation of oligomers was determined by GPC and ESI-MS in the initial stage of reaction,especially at low temperature.Excess NaCl promoted the formation of humins in the late stage of the reaction.NaCl could also change the decomposition route of formic acid.Meanwhile,NaCl had the ability of phase separation.Combining these effects with organic solvent during the reaction could inhibit the formation of humins and increase the yield of furfural.In NaCl-H2O-THF biphasic system without other catalyst,the optimal furfural yield of 76.7% and selectivity of 77.6% were achieved at 463 K in 2 h.     

Computational study on the kinetics and mechanisms for the unimolecular decomposition of formic and oxalic acids

The kinetics and mechanisms for the unimolecular decomposition reactions of formic acid and oxalic acid have been studied computationally by the high-level G2M(CC1) method and microcanonical RRKM theory. There are two reaction pathways in the decomposition of formic acid: The dehydration process starting from the Z conformer is found to be the dominant, whereas the decarboxylation reaction starting from the E conformer is less competitive. The predicted rate constants for the dehydration and decarboxylation reactions are in good agreement with the experimental data. The calculated CO/CO2 ratio, 13.6-13.9 between 1300 and 2000 K, is in close agreement with the ratio of 10 measured experimentally by Hsu et al. (In The 19th International Symposium on Combustion; The Combustion Institute: Pittsburgh, PA, 1983; p 89). For oxalic acid, its isomer with two intramolecular hydrogen bonds is the most stable structure, similar to earlier reports. Two primary decomposition channels of oxalic acid producing CO2+HOCOH with barriers of 33-36 kcal/mol and CO2+CO+H2O with a barrier of 39 kcal/mol were found. At high temperatures, the latter process becomes more competitive. The rate constant predicted for the formation of CO2 and HOCOH (the precursor of HCOOH) agrees well with available experimental data. The mechanism for the isomerization of HOCOH to HCOOH is also discussed.     

Mechanisms of glycerol dehydration

Dehydration of neutral and protonated glycerol was investigated using quantum mechanical calculations (CBS-QB3). Calculations on neutral glycerol show that there is a high barrier for simple 1,2-dehydration, E(a)=70.9 kcal mol(-1), which is lowered to 65.2 kcal mol(-1) for pericyclic 1,3-dehydration. In contrast, the barriers for dehydration of protonated glycerol are much lower. Dehydration mechanisms involving hydride transfer, pinacol rearrangement, or substitution reactions have barriers between 20 and 25 kcal mol(-1). Loss of water from glycerol via substitution results in either oxirane or oxetane intermediates, which can inter-convert over a low barrier. Subsequent decomposition of these intermediates proceeds via either a second dehydration step or loss of formaldehyde. The computed mechanisms for decomposition of protonated glycerol are supported by the gas-phase fragmentation of protonated glycerol observed using a triple--quadrupole mass spectrometer.     

Catalytic Conversion of Xylose to Furfural by p-Toluenesulfonic Acid (pTSA) and Chlorides: Process Optimization and Kinetic Modeling

Furfural is one of the most promising precursor chemicals with an extended range of downstream derivatives. In this work, conversion of xylose to produce furfural was performed by employing p-toluenesulfonic acid (pTSA) as a catalyst in DMSO medium at moderate temperature and atmospheric pressure. The production process was optimized based on kinetic modeling of xylose conversion to furfural alongwith simultaneous formation of humin from xylose and furfural. The synergetic effects of organic acids and Lewis acids were investigated. Results showed that the catalyst pTSA-CrCl₃·6H₂O was a promising combined catalyst due to the high furfural yield (53.10%) at a moderate temperature of 120 °C. Observed kinetic modeling illustrated that the condensation of furfural in the DMSO solvent medium actually could be neglected. The established model was found to be satisfactory and could be well applied for process simulation and optimization with adequate accuracy. The estimated values of activation energies for xylose dehydration, condensation of xylose, and furfural to humin were 81.80, 66.50, and 93.02 kJ/mol, respectively.     

Spontaneous dehydration mechanism of aromatic aldehyde reactions with hydroxyl and non‐hydroxyl amines

The plot of rate constants vs. pH for the dehydration step of the reaction between furfural and 5‐nitrofurfural with hydroxylamine, N‐methylhydroxylamine, and O‐methylhydroxylamine, shows two regions corresponding to the oxonium ion‐catalyzed and spontaneous dehydration. The oxonium ion‐catalyzed dehydration region of the reaction of furfural with the above mentioned hydroxylamines exhibits general acid catalysis with excellent Brønsted correlation (Brønsted coefficients: 0.76 (r = 0.986), 0.68 (r = 0.987), and 0.67 (r = 0.993) respectively). However, the rate constants of the spontaneous dehydration of these hydroxylamines, where water is considered the general acid catalyst, exhibit a large positive deviation from the Brønsted line. This fact was not observed in the reaction of non‐hydroxyl amines with different aromatic aldehydes by other authors, thus supporting that the spontaneous dehydration steps for these reactions proceed by intramolecular catalysis. The mechanism of intramolecular catalysis might be stepwise. First, a zwitterionic intermediate is formed. It can then evolve in the second step by loss of water, or follow a concerted pathway, with the transference of a proton through a five‐membered ring (general intramolecular acid catalysis). In the case of non‐hydroxyl amines, data suggested the possibility of a mechanism of intramolecular proton transfer through one or two water molecules, from the nitrogen of the amine to the leaving hydroxide ion. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 685–692, 2002     

The thermal decomposition of hydronium jarosite and ammoniojarosite

The thermal decomposition of hydronium jarosite and ammoniojarosite was studied using thermogravimetric analysis and mass spectrometry, in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and infrared emission spectroscopy. There was no evidence for the simultaneous loss of water and sulfur dioxide during the desulfonation stage as has previously been reported for hydronium jarosite. Conversely, all hydrogen atoms are lost during the dehydration and dehydroxylation stage from 270 to 400 °C and no water, hydroxyl groups or hydronium ions persist after 400 °C. The same can be said for ammoniojarosite. The first mass loss step during the decomposition of hydronium jarosite has been assigned to the loss of the hydronium ion via protonation of the surrounding hydroxyl groups to evolve two water molecules. For ammoniojarosite, this step corresponds to the protonation of a hydroxyl group by ammonium, so that ammonia and water are liberated simultaneously. Iron(II) sulfate was identified as a possible intermediate during the decomposition of ammoniojarosite (421–521 °C) due to a redox reaction between iron(III) and the liberated ammonia during decomposition. Iron(II) ions were also confirmed with the 1,10-phenanthroline test. Iron(III) sulfate and other commonly suggested intermediates for hydronium and ammoniojarosite decomposition are not major crystalline phases; if they are formed, then they most likely exist as an amorphous phase or a different low temperature phases than usual.     

Acid‐catalysed glucose dehydration in the gas phase: a mass spectrometric approach

Understanding on a molecular level the acid‐catalysed decomposition of the sugar monomers from hemicellulose and cellulose (e.g. glucose, xylose), the main constituent of lignocellulosic biomass is very important to increase selectivity and reaction yields in solution, key steps for the development of a sustainable renewable industry. In this work we reported a gas‐phase study performed by electrospray triple quadrupole mass spectrometry on the dehydration mechanism of d ‐glucose. In the gas phase, reactant ions corresponding to protonated d ‐glucose were obtained in the ESI source and were allowed to undergo collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) into the quadrupole collision cell. The CAD mass spectrum of protonated d ‐glucose is characterized by the presence of ionic dehydrated daughter ion (ionic intermediates and products), which were structurally characterized by their fragmentation patterns. In the gas phase d ‐glucose dehydration does not lead to the formation of protonated 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furaldehyde, but to a mixed population of m/z 127 isomeric ions. To elucidate the d ‐glucose dehydration mechanism, 3‐O‐methyl‐d ‐glucose was also submitted to the mass spectrometric study; the results suggest that the C3 hydroxyl group plays a key role in the reaction mechanism. Furthermore, protonated levulinic acid was found to be formed from the monodehydrated d ‐glucose ionic intermediate, an alternative pathway other than the known route consisting of 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furaldehyde double hydration. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

稻壳碳基固体酸催化剂的制备及在木糖脱水制备糠醛反应中的催化性能

以工业生产中碱法溶硅剩余的稻壳残渣为碳源,采用硫酸磺化法制备稻壳碳基固体酸催化剂,考察了其催化木糖脱水制备糠醛的性能.采用红外光谱、元素分析及表面酸浓度测定等手段对催化剂进行了表征.对固体酸催化剂的制备条件进行了优化,所得催化剂的表面酸浓度可达1.03 mmol/g.以木糖脱水制备糠醛为模型反应,考察了溶剂类别、反应温度和反应时间对固体酸催化剂催化性能的影响.实验结果表明,以二甲基亚砜(DMSO)为反应溶剂效果优于水,并且随着反应温度的升高和反应时间的延长,反应产率逐渐增加,最高可达75.8%.此外,还对催化剂的循环性能进行了研究,探讨了其失活原因和再生方法.     

介孔磷酸铌一锅法高效催化木糖制备糠醛

木糖转化到糠醛一般包括两步: 首先在酶、碱或路易斯(L)酸的催化作用下异构化木糖到木酮糖, 接下来木酮糖在酸的作用下脱水得到糠醛. 针对木糖水相脱水一步制备糠醛, 利用十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)为模板剂, 借助软模板合作策略制备了一种抗水的新型固体酸催化剂, 介孔磷酸铌, 并利用X射线衍射(XRD)、N₂吸脱附、透射电镜(TEM)、氨气程序升温脱附(NH₃-TPD)和吡啶吸附傅里叶变换红外(Py-FTIR)光谱对材料的结构和酸性质进行了表征. 研究发现介孔磷酸铌不仅具有很高的比表面积(>200 m²·g^-1), 比较窄的孔径分布(3.5nm), 同时还具有很强的L酸性和布朗斯特(B)酸性. 通过L酸催化的木糖异构化为木酮糖/来苏糖和B酸催化的木酮糖/来苏糖进一步脱水得到糠醛, 实现了一步由木糖到糠醛的高效转化. 为了优化反应条件, 考察了水溶液中反应温度、投料质量比及反应时间对木糖转化率和糠醛收率的影响, 在最佳的反应条件下, 木糖的转化率为96.5%, 糠醛的收率达49.8%. 进一步地, 为了提高收率且易于分离, 利用4-甲基-2-戊酮(MIBK)/NaCl水溶液(体积比为7:3)作为反应混合溶剂, 使糠醛收率提高到68.4%.     

Site selectivity in the protonation of a phosphinito bridged Pt(I)-Pt(I) complex: a combined NMR and density-functional theory mechanistic study

The protonation of the dinuclear phosphinito bridged complex [(PHCy2)Pt(mu-PCy2){kappa(2)P,O-mu-P(O)Cy2}Pt(PHCy2)] (Pt-Pt) (1) by Br?nsted acids affords hydrido bridged Pt-Pt species the structure of which depends on the nature and on the amount of the acid used. The addition of 1 equiv of HX (X = Cl, Br, I) gives products of formal protonation of the Pt-Pt bond of formula syn-[(PHCy2)(X)Pt(mu-PCy2)(mu-H)Pt(PHCy2){kappaP-P(O)Cy2}] (Pt-Pt) (5, X = Cl; 6, X = Br; 8, X = I), containing a Pt-X bond and a dangling kappa P-P(O)Cy2 ligand. Uptake of a second equivalent of HX results in the protonation of the P(O)Cy2 ligand with formation of the complexes [(PHCy2)(X)Pt(mu-PCy2)(mu-H)Pt(PHCy2){kappaP-P(OH)Cy2}]X (Pt-Pt) (3, X = Cl; 4, X = Br; 9, X = I). Each step of protonation is reversible, thus reactions of 3, 4, with NaOH give, first, the corresponding neutral complexes 5, 6, and then the parent compound 1. While the complexes 3 and 4 are indefinitely stable, the iodine analogue 9 transforms into anti-[(PHCy2)(I)Pt(mu-PCy2)(mu-H)Pt(PHCy2)(I)] (Pt-Pt) (7) deriving from substitution of an iodo group for the P(OH)Cy2 ligand. Complexes 3 and 4 are isomorphous crystallizing in the triclinic space group P1 and show an intramolecular hydrogen bond and an interaction between the halide counteranion and the POH hydrogen. The occurrence of such an interaction also in solution was ascertained for 3 by (35)Cl NMR. Multinuclear NMR spectroscopy (including (31)P-(1)H HOESY) and density-functional theory calculations indicate that the mechanism of the reaction starts with a prior protonation of the oxygen with formation of an intermediate (12) endowed with a six membered Pt(1)-X...H-O-P-Pt(2) ring that evolves into thermodynamically stable products featuring the hydride ligand bridging the Pt atoms. Energy profiles calculated for the various steps of the reaction between 1 and HCl showed very low barriers for the proton transfer and the subsequent rearrangement to 12, while a barrier of 29 kcal mol(-1) was found for the transformation of 12 into 5.     

The Mechanism of 2-Furaldehyde Formation from d-Xylose Dehydration in the Gas Phase. A Tandem Mass Spectrometric Study

The mechanism of reactions occurring in solution can be investigated also in the gas phase by suited mass spectrometric techniques, which allow to highlight fundamental mechanistic features independent of the influence of the medium and to clarifying controversial hypotheses proposed in solution studies. In this work, we report a gas-phase study performed by electrospray triple stage quadrupole mass spectrometry (ESI-TSQ/MS) on the dehydration of d-xylose, leading mainly to the formation of 2-furaldehyde (2-FA). It is generally known in carbohydrate chemistry that the thermal acid catalyzed dehydration of pentoses leads to the formation of 2-FA, but several aspects on the solution-phase mechanism are controversial. Here, gaseous reactant ions corresponding to protonated xylose molecules obtained from ESI of a solution containing d-xylose and ammonium acetate as protonating reagent were allowed to undergo collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) into the triple stage quadrupole analyzer. The product ion mass spectra of protonated xylose are characterized by the presence of ionic intermediates arising from xylose dehydration, which were structurally characterized by their fragmentation patterns. As expected, the xylose triple dehydration leads to the formation of the ion at m/z 97, corresponding to protonated 2-FA. On the basis of mass spectrometric evidences, we demonstrated that in the gas phase, the formation of 2-FA involves protonation at the OH group bound to the C1 atom of the sugar, the first ionic intermediate being characterized by a cyclic structure. Finally, energy resolved product ion mass spectra allowed to obtain information on the energetic features of the d-xylose→2-FA conversion.

Conversion factors for carbohydrate analysis by hydrolysis and <Superscript>1</Superscript>H-NMR spectroscopy

Conversion factor to calibrate the lower xylan content in carbohydrate compositional analysis in wood by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy was investigated. During acid hydrolysis, xylan monomer was dehydrated as furfural, and that furfural was further degraded or condensed in acidic reaction condition. Anomeric hydrogen peaks integration in ¹H-NMR spectroscopic method excluded xylose reacted products (such as furfural and their condensed or degraded products). Only 52% of xylose was counted in anomeric hydrogen integration and 62% of xylose was counted in integration of furfural peak and anomeric hydrogen. For accurate carbohydrate compositional analysis by NMR spectroscopic method, furfural and their reacted products should be counted as xylose. Conversion factor for xylose content analysis was introduced from the acid hydrolysis of several different combinations of standard cellulose and xylan. In this study xylan conversion factor 0.66 was obtained based on compared NMR data from the prepared cellulose and xylan mixtures acid hydrolyzed with the same condition for woodmeal and pulps. With corrected xylan content calculation, NMR spectroscopic method gave rather closer carbohydrate composition compared to the other analytical methods.     

Superoxide radical anion adduct of 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). 2. The thermodynamics of decay and EPR spectral properties

The formation of the superoxide radical anion (O2*-) adduct of the nitrone 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) as detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is one of the most common techniques for O2*- detection in chemical and biological systems. However, the nature of DMPO-O2H has confounded spin-trapping investigators over the years, since there has been no independently synthesized DMPO-O2H to date. A density functional theory (DFT) approach was used to predict the isotropic hyperfine coupling constants arising from the N, beta-H, and gamma-H nuclei of DMPO-O2H using explicit interactions with water molecules as well as via a bulk dielectric effect employing the polarizable continuum model (PCM). Theoretical calculation on the thermodynamics of DMPO-O2H decay shows favorable intramolecular rearrangement to form a nitrosoaldehyde and a hydroxyl radical as products, consistent with experimental observations. Some pathways for the bimolecular decomposition of DMPO-O2H and DMPO-OH have also been computed.     

Rearrangement studies with C—XIII The thermal decomposition of 1-C-2-butyl chlorosulphite

The thermal decomposition of 1-¹⁴C-2-butyl chlorosulphite in a number of solvents including pyridine, dioxane, acetonitrile, thionyl chloride, formic acid and toluene was studied. No rearrangement was found for the reaction in pyridine. Varying amounts of rearrangement of the ¹⁴C-label to give 4-¹⁴C-2-chlorobutane were observed in the other solvents, the least and the most rearrangements resulting from decomposition in dioxane and in formic acid, respectively. An ion-pair mechanism is likely responsible for the formation of the isotopically rearranged product. The fact that a relatively high degree of rearrangement was observed in the nonpolar solvent toluene suggests that the ion-pair may have considerable structure or be fairly rigidly oriented. Possible implications of the rearrangement data interpreted in conjunction with reported stereochemical behaviors are discussed.     

Enzyme catalysis of 1,2-amino shifts: the cooperative action of B6, B12, and aminomutases

Ab initio molecular orbital theory is used to investigate 1,2-amino shifts catalyzed by aminomutases, coenzyme B12, and vitamin B6 (in the form of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate or PLP). Our calculations suggest essential catalytic roles for each of B12, B6, and the enzyme in aminomutase-catalyzed reactions. In the first place, coenzyme B12 provides a source of abstracting radicals, allowing the rearrangement reaction to take place on the radical surface. The involvement of radicals is supported by comparison of experimental and theoretical electron paramagnetic resonance parameters. Next, B6 allows the enzyme to lower the barrier height by introducing a double bond (allowing a low-energy intramolecular rearrangement pathway) and by providing a suitable site for partial protonation (preventing overstabilization of the reaction intermediate which could lead to enzyme inactivation). The PLP hydroxyl group is also identified as an important participant in these reactions. Finally, the enzyme holds the various reaction components in place and is the source of acidic functional groups that can provide partial protonation.     

Is the bisphenol A biradical formed in the pyrolysis of polycarbonate?

An unknown species has been detected in the analysis of the products in a pyrolysis of polycarbonate using Li(+) ion-attachment mass spectrometry (IAMS). The mass spectra exhibited a Li(+) adduct peak at m/z 233 that was tentatively assigned to bisphenol A (BPA) biradical. Experimentally, this assignment was supported by the observation that the production rate increased under an inert nitrogen atmosphere. To further confirm the assignment, the stability of the BPA biradical to intramolecular rearrangement reactions as well as unimolecular decomposition has been analyzed via density functional theory calculations [B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)]. The results show that the bisphenol A biradical is an open-shell biradical singlet that is stable to unimolecular decomposition. Although some of the proposed intramolecular rearrangement products have lower energies than those of the BPA diradical, these pathways have large reaction barriers and the kinetic lifetime of the radical is expected to be of the order of hours under the conditions of the experiment. The calculations also reveal that the bisphenol A diradical has large Li(+) affinities supporting the fact that these Li(+) complexes could be detected in the Li(+) ion attachment mass spectrometry. On the basis of these results the Li(+) adduct peak at m/z 233 detected in the pyrolysis of polycarbonate is assigned to the bisphenol A biradical.     

Oxygen vacancy promoting catalytic dehydration of formic acid on TiO2(110) by in situ scanning tunneling microscopic observation

The catalytic dehydration reaction processes of formic acid on a TiO2(110) surface at 350 K have been studied to visualize reaction intermediates and their dynamic behaviors by scanning tunneling microscopy. Three types of configurations of adsorbed formates on the surface were identified by their shapes and positions in STM images. Successive STM observations revealed transformations among the three configurations, i.e., bridge formate on a 5-fold coordinated Ti4+ row, bridge formate on an oxygen vacancy site with an oxygen atom of formate and on a 5-fold coordinated Ti4+ ion and with the other formate oxygen atom, and a monodentate formate on an oxygen vacancy site with an oxygen atom of formate. The decomposition of the monodentate formate to carbon monoxide and hydroxyl was also imaged, which is a rate-determining step in the catalytic dehydration of formic acid. Combined with first-principle DFT calculations, the overall reaction processes of the catalytic dehydration of formic acid on the surface have been elucidated. Oxygen vacancies on the surface that can be produced by dehydration of two hydroxyls in situ under the catalytic reaction conditions are essential for the reaction.     

Impact of Xylose on Dynamics of Water Diffusion in Mesoporous Zeolites Measured by NMR

Zeolites are known to be effective catalysts in biomass converting processes. Understanding the mesoporous structure and dynamics within it during such reactions is important in effectively utilizing them. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) T₂ relaxation and diffusion measurements, using a high-power radio frequency probe, are shown to characterize the dynamics of water in mesoporous commercially made 5A zeolite beads before and after the introduction of xylose. Xylose is the starting point in the dehydration into furfural. The results indicate xylose slightly enhances rotational mobility while it decreases translational motion through altering the permeability, K, throughout the porous structure. The measurements show xylose inhibits pure water from relocating into larger pores within the zeolite beads where it eventually is expelled from the bead itself.     

不同酸解聚麦秸产物分析及其动力学

以麦秸为研究对象,解聚剂为HCl、HNO₃和H₃PO₄,对解聚产物进行定性和定量分析,并利用动力学模型描述木糖及糠醛的产生过程。 结果表明,解聚液中的产物有葡萄糖、木糖、阿拉伯糖、纤维二糖、乙酸、糠醛、5-羟甲基糠醛。 通过引入变量(α,木糖/木聚糖的比值)利用Saeman动力学模型获得了不同温度下,木聚糖的水解速率常数、木糖的转化速率常数以及糠醛的生成速率常数。 HCl、HNO₃和H₃PO₄解聚麦秸,木糖的生成活化能分别为55.5、46.3和59.8 kJ/mol。 结合反应温度、反应时间、反应速率以及木糖和糠醛的浓度,确定最佳解聚条件为:硝酸作解聚剂,在130 ℃下水解95 min。     

Alternative mechanisms of thermal decomposition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-nitrotoluene in the gas phase

The density functional theory methods were used to demonstrate that during the thermal decomposition of o-nitrotoluene, with the formation of 5-methylene-6-aci-nitrocyclohexa- 1,3-diene (aci-form) being the primary event, the rotation of the =N(O)OH group around the CN double bond in the aci-form is of key importance. The activation enthalpy is lower for this step than for the alternative process of H atom transfer between the O atoms in this group. This accounts for the competitive formation of the experimentally observed products of о-nitrotoluene thermal decomposition, namely, the hydroxyl radical and water. The activation barriers of the reactions were estimated over a broad temperature range, which indicated the possible contribution of о-nitrotoluene thermal decomposition and other alternative primary event mechanisms (nitro—nitrite rearrangement, bicyclization) to the efficient rate constant. The results account for the differences between the activation parameters experimentally determined at various temperatures by different authors.