Highly Stable Carbon-Shell Encapsulated Ni−Cu Bimetallic Catalysts for Efficient Conversion of Levulinic Acid to γ-Valerolactone

Non-noble Ni−Cu alloys serve as an alternative catalytic material for noble metal-based catalysts that could be applied in the efficient conversion of levulinic acid (LA) into the high value γ-valerolactone (GVL). However, maintaining the catalytic stability for Ni−Cu nanoparticles in the LA hydrogenation process remains a substantial challenge, Herein, this problem is solved by constructing carbon-protected catalytic sites within carbon layer-coated Ni−Cu nanoalloy composite via pyrolysis of NiCu_x(OH)/glucose precursor. The optimized NiCu_0.68@C catalyst exhibits excellent stability and selectivity to GVL (>99 %) in the hydrogenation of LA reaction. Various characterization indicates that the enhancement in stability originates from the protective effect of the carbon layer, which prevents the metal leaching, oxidation and aggregation of Ni−Cu nanoparticles during the reaction process. This work greatly advances non-noble metal-catalyzed conversion of LA to GVL and helps the rational design of bimetallic catalysts.     

乙酰丙酸选择性加氢合成γ-戊内酯中高效和可循环使用的Ni3Fe NPs@C 双金属催化剂

生物质经催化转化合成燃料及化学品是当前研究的热点.目前,生物质的催化转化主要聚焦于纤维素、半纤维素和木质素的解聚及其下游产物合成.其中,乙酰丙酸(LA)作为纤维素解聚的主要产物之一,是一种极具竞争力的平台化合物和重要的生物质转化中间体.LA通过催化转化可以合成各类高附加值的化学品,例如,通过催化加氢LA可选择性合成γ-戊内酯(GVL).所合成的GVL用途广泛,可作为绿色溶剂、食品、燃料添加剂、(塑料、高分子、烃类或者其它高附加值化学品)前驱体等.目前,LA-to-GVL的研究主要着眼于非均相催化体系,包括负载型贵金属和非贵金属催化剂体.其中,贵金属催化剂主要有Ru,Au,Pd,Rh,Ir和Pt,虽然催化效率高,条件温和,但是成本高,难以实现工业化.此外对于广泛使用的Ru/C催化剂,存在金属-载体间相互作用不强.活性组分易流失、导致催化剂稳定性差等问题;而非贵金属则普遍存在催化活性不佳及反应条件苛刻等缺点.因此,开发高效、稳定、反应条件温和且具有工业化应用前景的非贵金属催化剂具有显著的研究意义,这也是当前的研究趋势.在特定温度下,金属离子与碳基底存在较强的相互作用.鉴于此,本文通过一步碳热还原法合成了活性炭负载的Ni3Fe双金属催化剂(Ni3Fe NPs@C).该催化剂在LA-to-GVL转化体系中展现了直接加氢(DH)和转移加氢(TH)双功能催化特性.首先,考察了其在DH体系中的反应特性:在130oC和2 MPa氢压反应条件下经2 h反应,LA转化率达到93.8％,GVL选择性为95.5％,GVL产率是相应的单金属Ni/C和Fe/C催化剂的6倍和40倍.此外,在TH催化反应体系中,在180oC,0.5 h和无外加氢源的反应条件下,以异丙醇为反应溶剂和供氢体,LA几乎完全转化为GVL,其反应效率同样相较于单金属Ni/C和Fe/C催化剂大幅度提高.所合成的Ni3Fe NPs@C双金属催化剂DH和TH催化性能优于绝大多数报道的LA加氢贵金属和非贵金属催化剂.而且,该催化剂具有良好的循环利用性能,经过四次循环,其结构和化学状态没有发生明显的改变,稳定性明显优于商业化的Ru/C催化剂.此外,通过系统分析其催化性能以及材料结构,明确了该催化剂在LA的DH和TH反应体系中的活性位点,并提出了可能的反应路径.该研究为其它类型的DH和TH反应体系以及生物质高效转化过程提供了新的催化剂设计思路.并且这种催化剂及其制备方法简单、绿色,易于工业化推广和应用.     

水滑石基磁性Co/Al2O3催化剂在乙酰丙酸加氢制备γ-戊内酯反应中的应用

γ-戊内酯广泛应用于食品添加剂、燃料添加剂、溶剂、汽油、柴油以及多种化工中间体的合成,由于其上游原料乙酰丙酸是重要的生物质基平台化合物已实现了工业化生产,因此发展其高效、可循环使用的催化合成新体系是近年来生物质催化转化的研究热点之一.目前使用的多相催化剂体系主要是浸渍法制备的负载型金属纳米颗粒催化剂,活性金属主要有Ru, Pd, Pt, Au, Cu, Ni等.由于乙酰丙酸制备γ-戊内酯反应是一个酸性的含水体系,在高温、高压条件下,使用浸渍法得到的催化剂特别是非贵金属催化剂容易发生活性金属的聚集、流失,从而使得催化剂重复使用的效果不佳.从非贵金属替代贵金属和提高催化剂稳定性这两点入手,本论文以水滑石为合成催化剂的单一前驱体,将非贵金属(Cu, Ni, Fe, Co)掺入到水滑石的结构骨架中,通过直接氢气焙烧还原制得了高负载量的负载型金属纳米颗粒多相催化剂.将制得的催化剂应用于乙酰丙酸加氢反应,其催化活性顺序为： Co>Ni>Cu>Fe.制备出了5种不同Co/Al比的Co基催化剂,其中4Co/Al2O3催化剂在H2(5 MPa)、180 oC条件下,显示出了类似贵金属钌催化剂的活性和选择性,乙酰丙酸在3 h内完全转化,γ-戊内酯的选择性高达99%.为了进一步了解催化剂的结构与其活性和稳定性之间的关系,我们采用X射线粉末衍射仪(XRD),氢气程序升温还原(H2-TPR), X射线光电子能谱(XPS),透射电子显微镜(TEM)等表征手段研究了催化剂的形貌和结构. TEM结果表明,以水滑石为前驱体制备的Co催化剂中负载的Co纳米颗粒的平均粒径在25–30 nm,而用浸渍法制备的相同负载量的Co催化剂的Co纳米颗粒粒径大于150 nm.相应的催化反应结果表明,前者的催化活性要远好于后者.水滑石前驱体的H2-TPR实验结果表明,随着Co/Al比增加,其还原峰向低温方向位移.这是由于Al含量的减少,导致金属Co离子周围键合的Al离子数量减少,从而使得Co与Al之间的作用力减弱, Co更加容易被还原.表现在还原温度上,即为还原温度降低,说明了Co纳米颗粒与载体之间具有一种强相互作用.结合TEM测试结果,正是这种强相互作用限制了Co纳米颗粒的长大,使其要远小于用浸渍法制得的Co纳米颗粒. HRTEM测试结果显示在4Co/Al2O3催化剂结构中, Co金属纳米颗粒与载体Al2O3之间存在一种核壳结构的关系, Co纳米颗粒被包埋于载体Al2O3中形成核壳结构.这种结构同样也保证了活性金属与载体之间较强的相互作用,有效地避免Co纳米颗粒在强水热、酸性条件下的聚集和流失,从而使该催化剂在循环使用四次时仍能保持优异的活性和选择性.我们进一步研究了该核壳结构形成的原因.发现催化剂在制备过程中如果先用空气高温焙烧,再用氢气还原,得到的催化剂中则没有明显的核壳结构,且Co纳米颗粒粒径在55 nm左右.相应的催化反应结果也要差于直接氢气焙烧还原得到的4Co/Al2O3催化剂.这也从侧面说明了以水滑石为前驱体制备负载型金属纳米颗粒催化剂时,其原位的限制效应在控制金属纳米颗粒的大小、稳定性方面的优越性.此外,由于该Co催化剂具有磁性特征,很容易通过磁性回收实现催化剂与反应液的分离,大大简化了催化剂的回收及产物分离过程.     

Effects of Solid Acid Supports on the Bifunctional Catalysis of Levulinic Acid to γ‐Valerolactone: Catalytic Activity and Stability

Heterogeneous transformation of levulinic acid (LA) to γ‐valerolactone (GVL) is regarded as a critical process of the lignocellulose‐based biorefinery system. Substantial progress on the catalytic conversion of LA to GVL has been continuously achieved recently. However, the traditional research paradigm typically emphasizes the metal‐catalyzed hydrogenation step, but lacks profound insights into the potential impacts of catalyst supports. Herein, an overview of the bifunctional catalytic system classified by representative solid acid supports for LA conversion to GVL is presented, and effects of critical factors on metal‐ and acid‐ catalyzed processes are discussed. Particularly, impacts of key issues on catalytic stability are thoroughly summarized and analyzed. Challenges and suggestions are also proposed from the perspective of increases in both catalytic activity and stability. This review potentially contributes to the rational design of high‐efficiency catalysts used in the biomass valorization for renewable energy production.     

乙酰丙酸还原合成γ-戊内酯的研究进展

生物质是一类可再生的能源物质,具有替代化石能源的潜力。乙酰丙酸(LA)和γ-戊内酯(GVL)被认为是重要的生物质平台化合物,LA可由生物质简单处理获得,目前GVL多由LA选择性还原而获得。本文综述了LA还原合成GVL的研究进展,重点从不同氢源(H_2、HCOOH、醇类化合物)出发,通过催化体系的差异,探讨了由LA选择性加氢还原生成GVL的反应机理、反应途径和进展。参考文献47篇。     

炭载钌催化剂的微波制备及其水相乙酰丙酸加氢性能

生物质衍生物乙酰丙酸是生物质转化过程中重要的平台分子,对其进行催化加氢可以得到高附加值的产物,是连接生物质转化和石油化工的重要途径。本实验研究了无溶剂微波辅助热解法绿色制备负载型钌基催化剂,以Ru₃（CO）₁₂为金属前体,碳纳米管、椰壳活性炭和活性氧化铝为催化剂载体,该制备方法简单易操作,环保高效低能耗,不使用溶剂,避免了杂质的引入和对催化剂的污染,是一种新型负载型贵金属催化剂的制备方法。同样采取传统浸渍法制备Ru/γ-Al₂O₃-IM。在乙酰丙酸水相催化加氢反应中的催化活性顺序为Ru/AC > Ru/CNT ≈ Ru/FCNT > Ru/γ-Al₂O₃-MW ≈ Ru/γ-Al₂O₃-IM。比较不同反应溶液水、甲醇、乙醇、苯甲醚、环己烷和丙酮等对于乙酰丙酸催化加氢反应的影响,并通过考察反应温度、反应压力和反应物初始浓度等因素对加氢反应的影响,确定最佳实验条件为：反应温度为90℃,反应压力2.0 MPa,适宜反应物浓度为0.10 g/mL,产品GVL收率大于99%。     

Ultra-small PtNi bimetallic encapsulated in silicalite-1 zeolite with fine-tuned surface acidity for selective conversion of levulinic acid

Exploration of levulinic acid (LA) hydrogenation to γ-valerolactone (GVL) contributes to the conversion from carbohydrates to valuable fuels and chemicals. Here, we obtained a series of ultra-small PtNix bimetallic composite catalysts encapsulated in silicalite-1 zeolite (S-1) via a one-pot synthesis strategy protected by tetra(p-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) ligands. The catalytic results showed that PtNi₃@S-1 (TCPP) exhibited the most active catalytic performance (95.7% LA conversion and 93.8% GVL selectivity) under optimized conditions. The characterization results indicate that ligand modification and bimetallic synergy play an important role in enhancing the catalytic activity. The introduction of TCPP provides a guarantee for the homogeneous encapsulation of PtNi₃ in S-1 zeolite at sub-nanometer size. The electronic interaction of PtNi bimetallic, high dispersibility of active components, improved surface acidity and excellent stability co-contribute to the satisfactory hydrogenation activity.     

碳纳米管担载纳米Ir催化生物质基乙酰丙酸合成γ-戊内酯

以碳纳米管(CNTs)担载Ir纳米粒子为催化剂进行生物质基平台化合物乙酰丙酸(LA)选择加氢制备γ-戊内酯(GVL)的研究,并利用X射线衍射、X射线光电子能谱和透射电镜表征了使用前后的Ir/CNT催化剂,探讨了影响LA催化加氢制GVL反应性能的因素和该反应的可能路径.结果表明,与Ru,Rh和Pd等传统铂族金属相比,Ir/CNT催化剂不但可在温和条件下(50℃,2.0 MPa,H₂)实现LA至GVL的完全转化,且可对多类直接源于生物质水解的含等量LA/甲酸的“真实”体系实现GVL的高效选择合成.     

Reaction of singlet oxygen with thioanisole in ionic liquid-acetonitrile binary mixtures

A study of the reaction of thioanisole with singlet oxygen in different ionic liquid-acetonitrile binary mixtures has shown that ILs are able to accelerate the thioanisole sulfoxidation when used as additives. With imidazolium ILs, the maximum efficiency is reached at x(IL) ～ 0.1-0.2, whereas for the pyrrolidinium IL a plateau is reached. These results are discussed in terms of the ILs' tendency to form ionic aggregates and of differences in sulfoxidation reaction mechanism.     

Surface Modification of a Supported Pt Catalyst Using Ionic Liquids for Selective Hydrodeoxygenation of Phenols into Arenes under Mild Conditions

The selective and efficient removal of oxygenated groups from lignin-derived phenols is a critical challenge to utilize lignin as a source for renewable aromatic chemicals. This report describes how surface modification of a zeolite-supported Pt catalyst using ionic liquids (ILs) remarkably increases selectivity for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of phenols into arenes under mild reaction conditions using atmospheric pressure H₂. Unmodified Pt/H-ZSM-5 converts phenols into aliphatic species as the major products along with a slight amount of arenes (10 % selectivity). In contrast, the catalyst modified with an IL, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium triflate, keeps up to 76 % selectivity for arenes even at a nearly complete conversion of phenols. The IL on the surface of Pt catalyst may offer the adsorption of phenols in an edge-to-face manner onto the surface, thus accelerating the HDO without the ring hydrogenation.     

Selective production of γ-Valerolactone from ethyl levulinate by catalytic transfer hydrogenation over Zr-based catalyst

Research on Chemical Intermediates - The catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) reaction of ethyl levulinate (EL) with alcohol to γ-valerolactone (GVL) has been investigated over a series of...     

Systematic Investigation of the Photopolymerization of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid Styrene and Vinyl Monomers

The use of ionic liquids (ILs) as media in radical polymerizations has demonstrated the ability of these unique solvents to improve both reaction kinetics and polymer product properties. However, the bulk of these studies have examined the polymerization behavior of common organic monomers (e.g., methyl methacrylate, styrene) dissolved in conventional ILs. There is increasing interest in polymerized ILs (poly(ILs)), which are ionomers produced from the direct polymerization of styrene-, vinyl-, and acrylate-functionalized ILs. Here, the photopolymerization kinetics of IL monomers are investigated for systems in which styrene or vinyl functionalities are pendant from the imidazolium cation. Styrene-functionalized IL monomers typically polymerized rapidly (full conversion ≤1 min) in both neat compositions or when diluted with a nonpolymerizable IL, [C₂mim][Tf₂N]. However, monomer conversion in vinyl-functionalized IL monomers is much more dependent on the nature of the nonpolymerizable group. ATR-FTIR analysis and molecular simulations of these monomers and monomer mixtures identified the presence of multiple intermolecular interactions (e.g., π–π stacking, IL aggregation) that contribute to the polymerization behaviors of these systems. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2364–2375     

Ionic liquids: solvents and sorbents in sample preparation

The applications of ionic liquids (ILs) and IL‐derived sorbents are rapidly expanding. By careful selection of the cation and anion components, the physicochemical properties of ILs can be altered to meet the requirements of specific applications. Reports of IL solvents possessing high selectivity for specific analytes are numerous and continue to motivate the development of new IL‐based sample preparation methods that are faster, more selective, and environmentally benign compared to conventional organic solvents. The advantages of ILs have also been exploited in solid/polymer formats in which ordinarily nonspecific sorbents are functionalized with IL moieties in order to impart selectivity for an analyte or analyte class. Furthermore, new ILs that incorporate a paramagnetic component into the IL structure, known as magnetic ionic liquids (MILs), have emerged as useful solvents for bioanalytical applications. In this rapidly changing field, this Review focuses on the applications of ILs and IL‐based sorbents in sample preparation with a special emphasis on liquid phase extraction techniques using ILs and MILs, IL‐based solid‐phase extraction, ILs in mass spectrometry, and biological applications.     

Hydrodeoxygenation of Levulinic Acid to γ-Valerolactone over Mesoporous Silica-Supported Cu-Ni Composite Catalysts

Monometallic (Cu, Ni) and bimetallic (Cu-Ni) catalysts supported on KIT-6 based mesoporous silica/zeolite composites were prepared using the wet impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, N₂ physisorption, SEM, solid state NMR and H₂-TPR methods. Finely dispersed NiO and CuO were detected after the decomposition of impregnating salt on the silica carrier. The formation of small fractions of ionic Ni²⁺ and/or Cu²⁺ species, interacting strongly with the silica supports, was found. The catalysts were studied in the gas-phase upgrading of lignocellulosic biomass-derived levulinic acid (LA) to γ-valerolactone (GVL). The bimetallic, CuNi-KIT-6 catalyst showed 100% LA conversion at 250 °C and atmospheric pressure. The high LA conversion and GVL yield can be attributed to the high specific surface area and finely dispersed Cu-Ni species in the catalyst. Furthermore, the catalyst also exhibited high stability after 24 h of reaction time with a GVL yield above 80% without any significant change in metal dispersion.     

Ionic Liquids as Organocatalysts for Nucleophilic Fluorination: Concepts and Perspectives

Besides their extremely useful properties as solvent, ionic liquids (ILs) are now considered to be highly instructive tools for enhancing the rates of chemical reactions. The ionic nature of the IL anion and cation seems to be the origin of this fascinating function of ILs as organocatalyst/promoter through their strong Coulombic forces on other ionic species in the reaction and also through the formation of hydrogen bonds with various functional groups in substrates. It is now possible to tailor-make ILs for specific purposes as solvent/promoters in a variety of situations by carefully monitoring these interactions. Despite the enormous potentiality, it seems that the application of ILs as organocatalysts/promoters for chemical reactions have not been fully achieved so far. Herein, we review recent developments of ILs for promoting the nucleophilic reactions, focusing on fluorination. Various aspects of the processes, such as organocatalytic capability, reaction mechanisms and salt effects, are discussed.     

Friedel–Crafts alkylation reactions in pyridinium-based ionic liquids

The Friedel–Crafts alkylations of benzene in pyridinium-based ionic liquids (ILs) were investigated. The effects of catalyst–IL composition, reactant composition, quantity of catalyst and reaction temperature on this reaction were studied. The reactions were found to proceed under mild conditions with conversion; a simple product isolation procedure was achieved. The ILs rendered this reaction green characteristics. The ILs could also be recycled and reused as opposed to traditional solvent–catalyst systems.     

Pd(II) immobilized on mesoporous silica by N-heterocyclic carbene ionic liquids and catalysis for hydrogenation

In this work we synthesized Pd(II) immobilized on mesoporous silica by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ionic liquids (ILs) with different alkyl chain lengths. The catalysts were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), low-angle X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nitrogen sorption. The catalysts were used for the hydrogenation of alkenes and allyl alcohol. The results indicated that the catalysts were very active, selective, and stable. The selectivity for the hydrogenation of allyl alcohol to 1-propanol increased with the increase of the alkyl chain length of the ILs. The effect of supercritical CO(2) (scCO(2)) on the hydrogenation of allyl alcohol was also studied, and it was demonstrated that scCO(2) could enhance the selectivity of the reaction considerably. The XPS study showed that the valence of Pd(II) remained unchanged under hydrogenation conditions.     

A Multidimensional Approach to Modulating Ionizable Lipids for High-Performing and Organ-Selective mRNA Delivery

The development of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) has enabled a successful clinical application of mRNA vaccines. However, disclosure of design principles for the core component-ionizable lipids (ILs), improving the delivery efficacy and organ targeting of LNPs, remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we report a powerful strategy to modulate ILs in one-step chemistry using the Ugi four-component reaction (Ugi-4CR) under mild conditions. A large IL library of new structures was established simply and efficiently through a multidimensional approach, allowing us to identify the top-performing ILs in delivering mRNA via the formulated LNPs. Adjusting the skeleton of ILs has transformed the organ-specific and robust transfection in mRNA delivery from the liver to the spleen following different administration routes. Of note, a series of isomeric ILs were prepared and we found that the isomers mattered greatly in the performance of LNPs for mRNA delivery. Furthermore, owing to the bis-amide bonds formed in the Ugi-4CR reaction, the ILs within LNPs may form hydrogen bonding intermolecularly, facilitating the colloidal stabilization of LNPs. This work provides clues to the rapid discovery and rational design of IL candidates, assisting the application of mRNA therapeutics.     

CO2/离子液体体系热力学性质的分子动力学模拟

超临界CO2和离子液体(ILs)是两种绿色溶剂. 离子液体可以溶解超临界CO2, 而超临界CO2不能溶解离子液体. 由此设计构成的CO2/IL二元系统, 同时具备了超临界CO2和离子液体的许多优点: 既可以降低离子液体的粘度, 还便于相分离, 是新型的耦合绿色溶剂. 其物理化学性质对于设计反应、分离等过程非常重要. 因此, 本文以CO2/IL二元系统为研究对象, 通过选择合适的分子力场和系综, 运用分子动力学(MD)模拟方法研究了CO2/[bmim][PF6]、CO2/[bmim][NO3]等体系的热力学性质. 结果表明, CO2对ILs膨胀度的影响非常小, 当CO2摩尔分数为0.5时, ILs膨胀仅为15%. CO2/ILs的扩散系数远小于CO2膨胀甲醇、乙醇溶液的扩散系数. 随着CO2含量的增加, ILs的扩散系数提高, 粘度显著下降, 表明CO2能有效地改善ILs扩散性, 减小其粘度. 因此CO2可用以改善离子液体溶剂体系的传递特性, 增强反应分离过程在其中的进行.     

The role of additional solvents in transition metal complex catalyzed asymmetric reductions in ionic liquid containing systems

When ionic liquids (ILs) are employed as solvents for transition metal complex (TMC) catalyzed reductions, a second solvent can be added to increase the efficiency of the catalytic cycle and the solubility of the reactant in the IL phase. Two industrially relevant asymmetric hydrogenations, the enantioselective reductions of methyl 2-acetamidoacrylate with Rh-EtDuPHOS and methyl acetoacetate with Ru-BINAP, were performed in different catalytic systems including 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate/ tetrafluoroborate as ILs. Product separation and TMC recycling was performed by extracting the product from the reaction mixture. This can be accomplished by cooling the system, by adding an excess of the second solvent or by adding a third solvent. A high solubility of the second solvent in the IL catalytic phase favors the reaction activity, but can induce leaching of the IL and TMC.