Brønsted Acidity and the Medium: Fundamentals with a Focus on Ionic Liquids

Fundamental aspects of Brønsted acidity in ionic liquid systems, in relation to those of simple protic molecules in the gas phase, pure protic molecules in the condensed phase and solutions of protic molecules in molecular systems, are presented. The variety of acidities possible, beyond those observed in aqueous systems, is emphasised and discussed in terms of differences of solvent levelling, ionisation, dissociation, homo‐/hetero‐conjugate ion speciation and the stabilisation of proton‐transfer products from solvent to solvent. It is argued that data regarding aqueous systems do not necessarily explain acid/base behaviour in other liquids satisfactorily. Methods of measuring acidity are reviewed, particularly by spectrophotometry and electrochemistry and recommendations proffered for estimating speciation and acidity of ionic liquids of various complexities.     

The Effect of Ge Incorporation on the Brønsted Acidity of ZSM‐5

The effect of the isomorphous substitution of some of the Si atoms in ZSM‐5 by Ge atoms on the Brønsted acid strength has been investigated by i) DFT calculations on cluster models of the formula ((HO)₃SiO)₃‐Al‐O(H)‐T‐(OSi(OH)₃)₃, with T=Si or Ge, and ((HO)₃SiO)₃‐Al‐O(H)‐Si‐(OGe(OH)₃)(OSi(OH)₃)₂, ii) a ³¹P NMR study of zeolite samples contacted with trimethyl phosphine oxide probe molecules and iii) a X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study of ZSM‐5 and Ge‐ZSM‐5 samples. The calculations reveal that the effect of Ge incorporation on the framework acidity strongly depends on the degree of substitution and on the exact T‐atom positions that are occupied by Ge. High Ge concentrations allow for enhanced stabilisation of the deprotonated Ge‐ZSM‐5 through structural relaxation, resulting in a slightly higher acidity as compared to ZSM‐5. This structural relaxation is not achievable in Ge‐ZSM‐5 with a low Ge content, which therefore has a slightly lower acidity than ZSM‐5. The NMR study indicates no difference between the Brønsted acidity of ZSM‐5(47) and Ge(0.09)ZSM‐5(36). Instead, evidence for the presence of a substantial amount of Ge? OH groups in the Ge‐containing samples was obtained from the NMR results, which is consistent with earlier FTIR studies. The XPS results do not point to an effect of Ge on the framework acidity of ZSM‐5(47), instead, the results can be best interpreted by assuming the presence of additional Ge? OH and Si? OH groups near the surface of the Ge(0.08)ZSM‐5(47) sample.     

Iron/Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation: Mechanism and Selectivity‐Determining Interactions

Hydrogenation catalysts involving abundant base metals such as cobalt or iron are promising alternatives to precious metal systems. Despite rapid progress in this field, base metal catalysts do not yet achieve the activity and selectivity levels of their precious metal counterparts. Rational improvement of base metal complexes is facilitated by detailed knowledge about their mechanisms and selectivity‐determining factors. The mechanism for asymmetric imine hydrogenation with Knölker’s iron complex in the presence of chiral phosphoric acids is here investigated computationally at the DFT‐D level of theory, with models of up to 160 atoms. The resting state of the system is found to be an adduct between the iron complex and the deprotonated acid. Rate‐limiting H₂ splitting is followed by a stepwise hydrogenation mechanism, in which the phosphoric acid acts as the proton donor. C?H ??? O interactions between the phosphoric acid and the substrate are involved in the stereocontrol at the final hydride transfer step. Computed enantiomeric ratios show excellent agreement with experimental values, indicating that DFT‐D is able to correctly capture the selectivity‐determining interactions of this system.     

A Gold‐ and Brønsted Acid Catalytic Interplay Towards the Synthesis of Highly Substituted Tetrahydrocarbazoles

The reaction of indoles and stabilized cyclopropyl alkynes under gold‐ and/or gold & Brønsted acid‐catalysis provided access to highly substituted tetrahydrocarbazoles. A mechanistic study revealed the complex mechanism underlying these processes and the opportunistic cooperation of Lewis and Brønsted acid‐catalysts towards the formation of complex molecular scaffolds.     

Brønsted Acidity and Aluminum Substitution Characteristics of Si(nAi) Sites in Zeolites: A Theoretical MNDO Calculation

The Brønsted acidity of the various Si(nAl) sites present in zeolites is evaluated from proton binding energy and LUMO energy calculated by the semiempirical MNDO quantum chemical method. The two calculated energy values both exhibit a linear correlation with the existing ²⁹Si NMR chemical shift and the IR hydroxyl stretching frequency data. The inter-convertibility between different Si(nAl) sites during an alumination or dealumination process is also evaluated based on the calculated substitution energy. The results indicate that alumination processes are less favorable to occur in zeolites than dealumination processes and the latter is more likely to occur for Si(nAl) clusters that contain the maximum number of aluminum nearest neighbors.     

Recent Developments in the Chiral Brønsted Acid‐catalyzed Allylboration Reaction with Polyfunctionalized Substrates

Asymmetric allylboration has played a central role in organic synthesis ever since the pioneering work by Hoffman and Brown, having found applications in the total synthesis of many natural products. A new dawn for this 40 year‐old reaction occurred with the beginning of the new century when the first catalytic asymmetric methods came into play. In less than one decade, several methodologies, able to achieve the desired homoallylic alcohols with ee ranges in the high 90s, were developed. Among them, in the present account, we will disclose our contribution to the development of the chiral binolphosphoric‐derived Brønsted acid‐catalyzed allylboration of aldehydes originally reported by Antilla in 2010. Our contribution to this field lies in its application to polyfunctionalized systems, both on the aldehyde and the allylboronate in question, which enables the rapid construction of molecular diversity and complexity. Parts of the work described herein have been carried out in collaboration with the groups of Profs. Akiyama and Houk.

     

Structural,Electronic, and Bonding Properties of Zeolite Sn‐Beta: A Periodic Density Functional Theory Study

The structural, electronic, and the bonding properties of the zeolite Sn‐beta (Sn‐BEA) have been investigated by using the periodic density functional theory. Each of the nine different T‐sites in BEA were substituted by Sn atoms and all the nine geometries were completely optimized by using the plane‐wave basis set in conjunction with the ultra‐soft pseudopotential. On the basis of the structural and the electronic properties, it has been demonstrated that the substitution of Sn atoms in the BEA framework is an endothermic process and hence the incorporation of Sn in the BEA is limited. The lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) energies have been used to characterize the Lewis acidity of each T‐site. On the basis of the relative cohesive energy and the LUMO energy, the T2 site is shown to be the most favorable site for the substitution Sn atoms in the BEA framework.     

Straightforward Synthesis of the Brønsted Acid hfipOSO3H and its Application for the Synthesis of Protic Ionic Liquids

The easily accessible hexafluoroisopropoxysulfuric acid ( 1 , hfipOSO₃H ; hfip=C(H)(CF₃)₂) was synthesized by the reaction of hexafluoroisopropanol and chlorosulfonic acid on the kilogram scale and isolated in 98 % yield. The calculated gas‐phase acidity (GA) value of 1 is 58 kJ mol^?1 lower in ΔG° than that of sulfuric acid (GA value determined by a CCSD(T)‐MP2 compound method). Considering the gas‐phase dissociation constant as a measure for the intrinsic molecular acid strength, a hfipOSO₃H molecule is more than ten orders of magnitude more acidic than a H₂SO₄ molecule. The acid is a liquid at room temperature, distillable at reduced pressure, stable for more than one year in a closed vessel, reactive towards common solvents, and decomposes above 180 °C. It is a versatile compound for further applications, such as the synthesis of ammonium‐ and imidazolium‐based air‐ and moisture‐stable protic ionic liquids (pILs). Among the six synthesized ionic compounds, five are pILs with melting points below 100 °C and three of them are liquids at nearly room temperature. The conductivities and viscosities of two representative ILs were investigated in terms of Walden plots, and the pILs were found to be little associated ILs, comparable to conventional aprotic ILs.     

Brønsted Acid Enabled Nickel‐Catalyzed Hydroalkenylation of Aldehydes with Styrene and its Derivatives

A Brønsted acid enabled nickel‐catalyzed hydroalkenylation of aldehydes and styrene derivatives has been developed. The Brønsted acid acts as a proton shuttle to transfer a proton from the alkene to the aldehyde, thereby leading to an economical and byproduct‐free coupling. A series of synthetically useful allylic alcohols were obtained through one‐step reactions from readily available styrene derivatives and aliphatic aldehydes in up to 88 % yield and with high linear selectivity.