The kinetics and mechanism of the reduction of short-bond compounds in aqueous solutions of salts containing bivalent chromium

The kinetics of the reduction of acetylene and fumaric acid in aqueous and aqueous alcoholic solutions by chromous chloride have been investigated.Reversible formation of a complex of Cr²⁺ with acetylene has been observed, and this is apparently an intermediate product in the production of acetylene. The rate of the reduction reaction in both cases is proportional to the square of the chromous ion concentration, and to the concentration of the unsaturated compound. In the reduction of acetylene, the rate of the reaction is proportional to the concentration of the hydrogen ion; in the reduction of fumaric acid the action is somewhat retarded when hydrogen ion concentration is increased.A mechanism for the reaction is proposed, in which in the rate-determining stage hydrogen is transferred to the short bond in the complex made up of two ions of chromium and the unsaturated compounds.     

Unexpected effect of alkoxides on the reactivity of sodium borohydrid in the reduction of perfluoropolyether carboxylic esters

The reduction of perfluoropolyether carboxylic esters to the corresponding alcohols with sodium borohydride in ethanol has been investigated. This reaction does not follow the expected stoichiometry but a large excess (>60% molar) of reducing agent is required for a complete conversion of the ester; this excess parallels the massive built up of hydrogen observed during the reaction.Interestingly, the addition of catalytic amount of sodium ethoxide strongly influences the course of the reaction, so that both the excess of reducing agent and the evolution of hydrogen during the reaction are strongly reduced. These experimental evidences suggest that different mechanisms are active depending on the selected experimental conditions, so indicating that the considered reduction can follow different pathways.     

以四羧酸酞菁锌为敏化剂的光分解水释氢反应的研究

本文研究了以四羧酸酞菁锌为光敏剂的新型光催化释氢体系。工作中发现,在水溶液中存在有阳离子表面活性剂时,不仅可以减少在光化学反应中非活性的二聚体含量,而且可以促进电荷分离并提高四组分体系的光催化反应效率。简单地讨论了四组分体系释氢反应的机理。     

On the mechanism of hydrogen evolution at GaAs electrodes

The hydrogen evolution reaction at n- and p-GaAs electrodes has been reinvestigated. As in the case of metal electrodes, hydrogen evolution can occur in two ways: at ?0.5 V (SCE) hydronium ions are reduced, at ?1.25 V (SCE) reduction of water molecules takes place. It is confirmed that in both cases conduction band electrons are responsible for the two reduction steps, forming adsorbed hydrogen atoms in the first and hydrogen molecules in the second step. Hole injection can occur only to a negligible extent, although it appears energetically feasible.     

The inhibition of hydrogen peroxide reduction at low potentials on Pt(111): Hydrogen adsorption or interfacial charge?

The hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction (HPRR) on Pt(111) has been studied for the first time in acid to neutral pH values in the absence of anion specific adsorption using the HMRDE configuration. The onset for the reduction is ca. 0.95 V (RHE) for the Pt(111), irrespective of the pH value. At more negative potential values, the reduction is inhibited. It has been found that the diminution of the activity on Pt(111) occurs at the same potential value in the SHE scale for the different pH values. This indicates that this deactivation is not dependent on the hydrogen adsorption process, as has been previously suggested. However, it appears to be related to the interface water reorganization and the potential of zero free charge of the metal surface. In addition, studies in alkaline conditions suggest that the presence of adsorbed OH species promotes the total conversion of hydrogen peroxide to water.     

Scope, limitations and mechanistic aspects in the selective homogeneous palladium-catalyzed reduction of alkenes under transfer hydrogen conditions

A new and efficient mild Pd/P(t-Bu)₃ catalyst for selective reduction of various alkenes under transfer hydrogen conditions has been developed leading to the corresponding saturated derivatives in chemical yields varying from 65 to 98%. Mechanistic rationale of this reaction has been also demonstrated.     

Synthesis and properties of Cu–Pd hydrosol: Hydrogen reduction of Cu<Superscript>2+</Superscript> ions catalyzed by palladium nanoparticles

A method has been developed for obtaining Cu–Pd hydrosols via catalytic reduction of copper ions by hydrogen on seed palladium nanoparticles 2.5 ± 0.3 nm in size. It has been found that reduction of Cu²⁺ to metal proceeds stage-by-stage through the formation of an intermediate Cu⁺ ion. Cu–Pd hydrosol remains stable with respect to sedimentation and aggregation for several weeks. The hydrodynamic size of Cu–Pd nanoparticles increases proportionally to the copper content in particles. It has been shown that this is due to an acidification of the solution as a result of H⁺ ions formation via the reaction of reduction of Cu²⁺ ions by hydrogen.     

Hydrogen-free homogeneous catalytic reduction of olefins in aqueous solutions

Herein we report a study involving the homogeneous catalytic reduction of unsaturated substrates in aqueous solutions or water-organic solvent mixtures. The reduction of olefins has been carried out in the presence of catalytic amounts of [Fe(CN)5NH3](3-) and excess of NH2OH, which under mild reaction conditions can be used to reduce carbon-carbon unsaturations without affecting carbonyl functionalities and aromatic rings. To explore the scope of the catalytic reduction, a wide variety of representative unsaturated substrates have been examined. The steric effects of the substituents on the carbon-carbon multiple bond as well as the regioselectivity and stereoselectivity of the catalyst have been studied. The deuterium kinetic isotope effect on the catalytic reduction of double bonds in olefins has been analyzed, and no significant kinetic isotope effect was found. Among the great advantages of this novel procedure for catalytic reduction are that hydrogen and high pressures are not needed, the catalyst is inexpensive and easily prepared, and water as well as water-organic solvent mixtures can be used as reaction media.     

二级胺与羰基化合物的一步还原烷基化

碲试剂作为还原剂已得到较广泛的应用,Yamashita、周洵钧将NaHTe用于羰基化合物还原胺化为二级胺,Kambe等近期用H_2Te还原烯胺、亚胺到相应的胺,我们曾用NaHTe将二级胺与羰基化合物还原烷基化。本文采用不同二级胺进一步研究发现,脂肪环胺与醛的反应效果较好,同一条件下烯胺也可被还原,反应条件温和,脯氨酸酯还原烷基化的产物不发生明显消旋化(表1,3),可应用于氨基酸类反应。     

Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Arenes and Heteroarenes

Transfer hydrogenation reactions are of great interest to reduce diverse molecules under mild reaction conditions. To date, this type of reaction has only been successfully applied to alkenes, alkynes and polarized unsaturated compounds such as ketones, imines, pyridines, etc. The reduction of benzene derivatives by transfer hydrogenation has never been described, which is likely due to the high energy barrier required to dearomatize these compounds. In this context, we have developed a catalytic transfer hydrogenation reaction for the reduction of benzene derivatives and heteroarenes to form complex 3-dimensional scaffolds bearing various functional groups at room temperature without needing compressed hydrogen gas.     

Enzymatic polymerization of phenols

The horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed oxidative polymerization of substituted phenols with the use of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer in an aqueous-organic medium has been studied. The presence of an aqueous buffer controlling activity of the catalyst is the necessary condition for this reaction. The rate of the process decreases with a reduction in the fraction of water in the reaction mixture. It has been shown that the oxidizer should be gradually added in portions to the reaction mixture. The resulting oligomers convert into high-molecular-mass crosslinked products under heating.     

Reduction of silver(II) oxide by the solvent in acid media

The reaction of silver(II) oxide with water to yield silver(I) ions and oxygen is an important side-reaction in procedures which use silver(II) oxide as the oxidant. This reaction has been examined in solutions which were 0.01-1M in respect to sulphuric or perchloric acid. The rate of reduction varied directly with the amount of solid added and was a complex function of the concentrations of hydrogen ions, silver(I) ions and anions present. The kinetic results have been used to postulate a mechanism for the reaction.     

On the reduction of oxygen in aqueous solution by electrolytically precipitated cadmium

The reduction of oxygen in aqueous solution by electrolytically precipitated cadmium, used in a reductor column, has been studied in two ways. First, by analysis of the effluent for the hydrogen peroxide formed as a reaction intermediate, the conditions for quantitative reduction have been found. Attention is called to the fact that an effluent free from hydrogen peroxide also implies quantitative reduction of all dissolved oxygen. The practical consequences are pointed out. A comparison is also made with some other reductors. Secondly, the oxidation of electrolytically precipitated cadmium by hydrogen ion is strongly inhibited, so at pH 7 it is possible to determine oxygen as the equivalent amount of cadmium ion produced in the reductor column. The conditions of quantitative reduction of oxygen are determined and found to be in agreement with those obtained by the first method. From the results the solubility of oxygen in water in equilibrium with air is estimated and found to agree with a published result considered as reliable. An outline is given of a method for determination of oxygen in aqueous solution by measurement of the amount of cadmium ions produced.     

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of prochiral ketones in aqueous media with new water-soluble chiral vicinal diamine as ligand

[reaction: see text] An easily accessible water-soluble chiral o-sulfonated 1,2-diphenylethlenediamine 2 and its mono-N-tosylated derivative 3 were synthesized for the first time. The ruthenium-complex-catalyzed reduction of prochiral ketones in aqueous media has been examined by using 3 as ligand and sodium formate as the source of hydrogen. The asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of omega-bromo acetophenones was achieved, in which only formate displacement occurred when formic acid/triethylamine azeotrope was used as the hydrogen donor.     

Nitrate removal of drinking water by means of catalytically active membranes

The reduction of nitrate to nitrogen in aqueous solutions by means of catalytically active membranes has been investigated. A heterogeneous catalyst (Pd/Cu) has been incorporated in a microporous polyetherimide membrane. After saturation with hydrogen nitrate containing water was filtered through these membranes. The nitrate reduction was studied as a function of pH, volume flow and temperature. It could be demonstrated that the catalyst remained active in the polymer matrix. The calculated activation energy for nitrate reduction is indicating that the reaction is dominated by mass transfer and diffusion.     

Hydrogenation of ketones and olefins via hydrogen transfer catalyzed by rhodium and iridium phosphine complexes

The reduction of ketones and olefins by hydrogen transfer from isopropanol is catalyzed by tertiary phosphine complexes of rhodium and iridium. The influence of the nature of the ligands and of the reaction conditions on the catalytic activity has been investigated. The reduction of the carbonyl group in the presence of olefins is also reported.     

苯甲酮不对称还原反应的理论研究

本文用AM1分子轨道方法研究了1,3,2-噁唑硼烷对苯甲酮的不对称催化还原.反应经历了噁唑硼烷-硼烷配合物的形成及其与苯甲酮的结合、氢转移及脱去噁唑硼烷形成手性产物二级醇-硼烷配合物四步过程.获得了各步的反应热、速度控制步骤的过渡态结构和位能曲线及其相应的反应活化能,计算发现反应机理中的第3步氢转移产物有四员环结构特征.     

Experimental and kinetic study of shock initiated ignition in homogeneous methane–hydrogen–air mixtures at engine‐relevant conditions

The ignition delay time of two stoichiometric methane/hydrogen/air mixtures has been measured in a shock tube facility at pressures from 16 to 40 atm and temperatures from 1000 to 1300 K. Overall, the observed reduction in ignition delay with some methane replaced by hydrogen is relatively small given the large concentration of hydrogen involved in the current study. With a high hydrogen mole fraction (35% of the total fuel), a reduction of the ignition‐promoting effect was observed with reduced temperature. A detailed chemical kinetic mechanism was used to simulate ignitions of test mixtures behind reflected shocks. An analysis of the mechanism indicates that at higher temperatures, the rapid decomposition of hydrogen molecules leads to a quick formation of H radical pools, which promote the chain branching through H + O₂ ? O + OH. At lower temperatures, the branching efficiency of hydrogen is low; a weak effect of hydrogen on methane ignition could be result from the reaction between H₂ and methylperoxy CH₃O₂, which contributes extra H radicals to the reaction system. The effects of hydrogen also decrease with increasing pressure; this is related to the negative pressure dependence of hydrogen at the second ignition limit. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 221–233, 2006     

Mechanism of homogeneously and heterogeneously catalysed Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley-Oppenauer reactions for the racemisation of secondary alcohols

The mechanism of hydrogen transfer from alcohols to ketones, catalysed by lanthanide(III) isopropoxides or zeolite Beta has been studied. For the lanthanide catalysed reactions, (S)-1-phenyl-(1-(2)H(1))ethanol and acetophenone were used as case studies to determine the reaction pathway for the hydrogen transfer. Upon complete racemisation all deuterium was present at the 1-position, indicating that the reaction exclusively takes place via a carbon-to-carbon hydrogen transfer. Zeolite Beta with different Si/Al ratios was applied in the racemisation of (S)-1-phenylethanol. In this case the racemisation does not proceed via an oxidation/reduction pathway but via elimination of the hydroxy group and its re-addition. This mechanism, however, is not characteristic for all racemisation reactions with zeolite Beta. When 4-tert-butyl cyclohexanone is reduced with this catalyst, a classical MPV reaction takes place exclusively. This demonstrates that zeolite Beta has a substrate dependent reaction pathway.     

Electrochemical reduction of diazepam

The reduction of 7-chloro-1,3-dihydro-1-methyl-5-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2-one at the dropping mercury electrode has been investigated. The process is diffusion controlled; furthermore, the reduction wave enables the quantitative determination of the drug both in acid and basic media. The reagent captures two electrons and two hydrogen ions. A disproportionation reaction of the hydrazo-compound takes place, and amines are the final reduction products.