A unique rate-accelerating effect of certain amino acids in the H2O2 oxidation of alkanes catalyzed by a dinuclear manganese complex containing 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane

Certain amino acids used in small amounts (10 catalyst equiv) strongly accelerate the H₂O₂ oxidation of cyclohexane catalyzed by a dinuclear manganese(IV) complex with 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane. The efficiency of the co-catalyst dramatically depends on the nature and structure of the acid. Pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (2,3-PDCA) has been found to be the most efficient co-catalyst whereas picolinic acid is almost inactive in this oxidation. The highest rate has been attained when 2,3-PDCA was used in combination with trifluoroacetic acid.     

Oxidations by the system “hydrogen peroxide-[Mn2L2O3][PF6]2 (L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)-oxalic acid”. Part 6. Oxidation of methane and other alkanes and olefins in water

Oxidation of alkanes with hydrogen peroxide in water solution at 10-50 °C is efficiently catalyzed by the cationic dinuclear manganese (IV) derivative [Mn₂L₂O₃]²⁺ (1, with L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, TMTACN) in the form of the hexafluorophosphate salt ([1][PF₆]₂) if oxalic acid is present as a co-catalyst. Methane gives methanol and formaldehyde (turnover numbers, TONs, were 7 and 2, respectively, after reduction of the reaction mixture with ascorbic acid) whereas cyclohexane was oxidized with TONs up to 160 affording cyclohexyl hydroperoxide, cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol (the ketone was the main product, although at room temperature almost pure alkyl hydroperoxide was formed). In contrast to the oxidation in acetonitrile, the reaction with linear n-alkanes in water exhibits an unusual distribution of oxygenates. For example, in the oxidation of n-heptane the normalized reactivity of the methylene group in position 4 of the chain is 3-7 times higher than that of the CH₂ group in position 2. Dec-1-ene is epoxidized by hydrogen peroxide in water (a biphasic system) catalyzed by [1][PF₆]₂ and oxalic acid in the presence of a small amount of acetonitrile with TONs up to 1000 (no epoxidation has been detected in the absence of MeCN).     

Hydrocarbon oxygenation with Oxone catalyzed by complex [Mn2L2O3]2+ (L=1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) and oxalic acid

Oxone (peroxysulphate) very efficiently oxidizes benzene to p-quinone (TON 1140) and alkanes to the corresponding alcohols and ketones (aldehydes) in aqueous acetonitrile 50 °C if catalytic amounts of complex [Mn₂L₂O₃]²⁺ (L=1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) and oxalic acid are present in the solution. In contrast to the similar reaction with H₂O₂, the alkane oxidation with Oxone does not afford the corresponding alkyl hydroperoxides. Phenol was quantitatively oxidized to a mixture of p-quinone and pyrocatechol (9:1 ratio). Cyclohexanol gave cyclohexanone (TON 400). The proposed mechanism includes the formation of an oxidizing species containing the Mn(V)O fragment. A kinetic study demonstrated that an adduct of [Mn₂L₂O₃]²⁺ and oxalic acid is formed in the initial stage. This adduct reacts with Oxone to generate the oxidizing species.     

Highly efficient oxidation of alcohols by the system "hydrogen peroxide-[lmn(o)3mnl](pf6)2 (l = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)-oxalic acid"

Summary The dinuclear manganese(IV) complex [LMn(O)₃MnL](PF₆)₂ (1, L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) catalyzes the extremely efficient oxidation of alcohols with hydrogen peroxide at room temperature. Oxalic acid is an obligatory co-catalyst. The oxidation of isopropanol, for example, yields acetone with turnover numbers up to 40000 after 5-10 h in the absence of a solvent. 2-Cyanoethanol was oxidized by this system with somewhat lower efficiency (conversion 70%). The catalytically active cation from salt 1 was obtained in an insoluble form containing a heteropoly anion [Mn₂O₃(TMTACN)₂]₂[SiW₁₂O₄₀]. Oxidation of 2-cyanoethanol using this heterogenized catalyst and oxalic acid gave the oxo-products with the 54% total yield.     

Alkane oxidation by the H2O2-NaVO3-H2SO4 system in acetonitrile and water

A simple system is described, which oxidizes saturated hydrocarbons either in acetonitrile or (less efficiently) in water. The system consists of 50% aqueous hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant, sodium metavanadate, NaVO₃, as a catalyst and sulfuric (or oxalic) acid as a co-catalyst. The reactions were carried out at 20-50 °C. In the oxidation of cyclohexane in acetonitrile, the highest yield (37% based on cyclohexane) and turnover number (TON=1700) were attained after 3 h at 50 °C. The corresponding parameters were 16% and 1090 for n-heptane oxidation under the same conditions. The oxidation of higher alkanes, RH, in acetonitrile gives almost exclusively the corresponding alkyl hydroperoxides, ROOH. Light alkanes (n-butane, propane, ethane, and methane) have been also oxygenated by the system under consideration. The highest TON (200) was attained for ethane and the highest yield (19%) was obtained in the case of n-butane. The selectivity parameters measured for the oxidation of linear and branched alkanes are low, the reaction with cis- and trans-1,2-dimethylcyclohexanes is not stereoselective. These facts lead us to conclude that the oxidation occurs with the formation of hydroxyl radicals in the crucial step.     

Carvone epoxidation by system “hydrogen peroxide-[Mn2L2O3][PF6]2 (L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)-carboxylic acid”: a combinatorial approach to the process optimization?

Summary Epoxidation of natural terpene (+)-carvone by the system consisting of a catalyst, oxalic acid (co-catalyst) and H₂O₂ (70% aqueous solution; oxidant) was studied and factorial design methods were applied for the optimization of this reaction. A dinuclear manganese(IV) complex [LMn(O)₃MnL](PF₆)₂ (L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) was used as a catalyst, and acetonitrile was employed as a solvent. An analysis by methods of the complete 2⁴ factorial design showed that an increase in the catalyst concentration gives a strong positive effect on the carvone conversion and selectivity. Hydrogen peroxide has a smaller positive effect on the conversion, but at high concentration, H₂O₂ leads to some decrease in the selectivity. An increase in the oxalic acid concentration has a beneficial effect on the conversion, but does not affect the selectivity.     

Effect of Quinones on the Cobalt(II) Acetate–Catalyzed Mild Oxidation of Cyclohexane with Hydrogen Peroxide in Acetic Acid

The effects of free-radical reaction inhibitors (InH), hydroquinone (HQ) and quinone (Q), on the oxidation of cyclohexane catalyzed by cobalt(II) acetate Co(OAc)₂ · 4H₂O and on the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in acetic acid (HOAc) at 303 K were studied. It was found that an increase in the concentration of HQ in the starting reaction mixture containing cyclohexane, the catalyst, and H₂O₂ dissolved in HOAc resulted in an exponential decrease in the yields of the target products of oxidation: cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexyl hydroperoxide. In the presence of Q, the dependence of the yield of the target products on the initial inhibitor concentration exhibited a maximum at (1.8–2.5) × 10^–2 M Q. At (2.2–2.4) × 10^–2 M Q concentrations, the yield of the target products was 55–60% of that in an uninhibited process. Based on kinetic, spectrometric, and quantum-chemical data, the effect found was explained by the fact that under the experimental conditions highly active hydroxyl derivatives of radicals rather than a hydroxy quinolide hydroperoxide (the homolysis of which can produce species with a free valence, which are capable of initiating free-radical reactions) were largely formed from Q.     

Change in mechanistic pathway of hydroboration: A detailed kinetic study of H2BBr·SMe2 and HBBr2·SMe2

Hydroboration reactions of 1-octene and 1-hexyne with H₂BBr·SMe₂ in CH₂Cl₂ were studied as a function of concentration and temperature, using ¹¹B NMR spectroscopy. The reactions exhibited saturation kinetics. The rate of dissociation of dimethyl sulfide from boron at 25 °C was found to be (7.36 ± 0.59 and 7.32 ± 0.90) × 10⁻³ s⁻¹ for 1-octene and 1-hexyne, respectively. The second order rate constants, k₂, for hydroboration worked out to be 7.00 ± 0.81 M s⁻¹ and 7.03 ± 0.70 M s⁻¹, while the overall composite second order rate constants, k K, were (3.30 ± 0.43 and 3.10 ± 0.37) × 10⁻² M s⁻¹, respectively at 25 °C. The entropy and enthalpy values were found to be large and positive for k₁, whilst for k₂ these were large and negative, with small values for enthalpies. This is indicative of a limiting dissociative (D) for the dissociation of Me₂S and associative mechanism (A) for the hydroboration process. The overall activation parameters, ΔH^≠ and ΔS^≠, were found to be 98 ± 2 kJ mol⁻¹ and +56 ± 7 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ for 1-octene whilst, in the case of 1-hexyne these were found out to be 117 ± 7 kJ mol⁻¹ and +119 ± 24 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, respectively. When comparing the kinetic data between H₂BBr·SMe₂ and HBBr₂·SMe₂, the results showed that the rate of dissociation of Me₂S from H₂BBr·SMe₂ is on average 34 times faster than it is in the case of HBBr₂·SMe₂. Similarly, the rate of hydroboration with H₂BBr·SMe₂ was found to be on average 11 times faster than it is with HBBr₂·SMe₂. It is also clear that by replacing a hydrogen substituent with a bromine atom in the case of H₂BBr·SMe₂ the mechanism for the overall process changes from limiting dissociative (D) to interchange associative (I_a).     

Mild Oxidation of Cyclohexane Catalyzed by Cobalt(II) Acetate and Initiated by H2O2 in the Acetic Acid Medium

The homogeneous catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane by molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide in a solution of acetic acid (HOAc) in the presence of cobalt(II) acetate Co(OAc)₂ is studied. The high yields of cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone, and cyclohexyl hydroperoxide (0.10–0.15 mol/l) and the high rate of the process (w = 10^–5–10^–4 mol l^–1 s^–1) are explained by (1) mild conditions of oxidation in the medium of the HOAc solvent and (2) efficient initiation of the process due to the fast kinetics-controlled dissociation of H₂O₂ into radicals in the studied reaction medium under the action of cobalt cations. Quantitative relationships are found for the cyclohexane oxidation rate, the yield of target products, and the ratio of reactants participating in the process. The effect of hydrogen hydroperoxide additives on the concentrations of reduced and oxidized forms of the catalyst is studied by spectrophotometry in model mixtures. Quantum chemistry is employed to calculate the probabilities of some key elementary reactions. Calculated data agree well with the experiment.     

High effective electrocatalytic oxidation of cyclohexanol on stable Fe-Mn/Mn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> membrane electrode

A new composite electrode material with iron-manganic oxide coating (Fe-Mn/Mn₂O₃) was prepared, and its catalytic performance for oxidizing cyclohexanol was investigated in this work. The new electrode material, based on iron substrate covered with electrolytic manganese, was obtained by further coating the manganese surface with 50 % manganese nitrate solution and then conducting program thermal decomposition treatment. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to determine the surface crystal phase compositions, which were Mn and Mn₂O₃. The catalytic results showed an excellent electrocatalytic performance on the oxidation of cyclohexanol, and the main products were cyclohexanone and hexanedioic acid. According to our experiment results and the literature reports, the existence of mixed valent Mn^III and Mn^IV played a key role in the electrocatalytic oxidation process. A probable process was proposed: the Mn^IV seized the hydrogen from cyclohexanol, the resulting cyclohexaneoxy radical was oxidized into cyclohexanone, and then the absorbed cyclohexanone was further oxidized into hexanedioic acid.     

Kinetics and mechanism of hydroboration reactions of HBBr2 · SMe2 and HBCl2 · SMe2 - Application of B NMR spectroscopy

The kinetics and mechanism of the hydroboration reactions of 1-octene with HBBr₂ · SMe₂ and HBCl₂ · SMe₂, in CH₂Cl₂ as a solvent, were studied. Rates of hydroboration were monitored using ¹¹B NMR spectroscopy. The reactions exhibited simple second-order kinetics of the form . The HBCl₂ · SMe₂ was found to be 20 times more reactive than the HBBr₂ · SMe₂. The overall activation parameters (ΔH^≠, ΔS^≠) for the reaction of HBBr₂ · SMe₂ with 1-octene were found to be 82 ± 1 kJ mol⁻¹, −18 ± 4 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ and with 1-hexyne were 78 ± 4 kJ mol⁻¹ −34 ± 12 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹. For the reaction of HBCl₂ · SMe₂ with 1-octene, ΔH^≠ and ΔS^≠ were 104 ± 5 kJ mol⁻¹ and 43 ± 16 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, respectively. The activation parameters (ΔH^≠, ΔS^≠) for the dissociation of Me₂S from HBBr₂ · SMe₂ were found to be 104 ± 2 kJ mol⁻¹, +33 ± 8 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, respectively. Based on the activation parameters, it was concluded that the detaching of Me₂S from the boron centre follows a dissociative mechanism, while the hydroboration process follows an associative pathway. It was also concluded that the dissociation of Me₂S from the boron centre is the rate determining step.     

Synthesis and thermochemistry of SrB2O4·4H2O and SrB2O4

Two pure strontium borates SrB₂O₄·4H₂O and SrB₂O₄ have been synthesized and characterized by means of chemical analysis and XRD, FT-IR, DTA-TG techniques. The molar enthalpies of solution of SrB₂O₄·4H₂O and SrB₂O₄ in 1 mol dm⁻³ HCl(aq) were measured to be −(9.92 ± 0.20) kJ mol⁻¹ and −(81.27 ± 0.30) kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The molar enthalpy of solution of Sr(OH)₂·8H₂O in (HCl + H₃BO₃)(aq) were determined to be −(51.69 ± 0.15) kJ mol⁻¹. With the use of the enthalpy of solution of H₃BO₃ in 1 mol dm⁻³ HCl(aq), and the standard molar enthalpies of formation for Sr(OH)₂·8H₂O(s), H₃BO₃(s), and H₂O(l), the standard molar enthalpies of formation of −(3253.1 ± 1.7) kJ mol⁻¹ for SrB₂O₄·4H₂O, and of −(2038.4 ± 1.7) kJ mol⁻¹ for SrB₂O₄ were obtained.     

Synthesis of polyoxyethylene grafting nylon 6 and the selective separation of cyclohexane/cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol mixture through its membranes

A polymer membrane having polyoxyethylene grafting nylon 6 was prepared by reacting of nylon 6 and ethylene oxide. The chemical compositions of the polyoxyethylene grafting nylon 6 were determined by ¹H NMR. Degree of substitution for amide group, x, and degree of polymerization for polyoxyethylene, n, in bulk polymerization at 80°C for 4–9.5 h were evaluated: x = 0.32 ± 0.01–0.56 ± 0.02 and n = 2.8 ± 0.1–6.0 ± 0.3. The polyoxyethylene grafting nylon 6 membrane showed a selective separation of cyclohexanol from a cyclohexane/cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol mixture by a pervaporation technique. The FTIR and flux analyses verified that the selectivity for cyclohexanol was attributed to the hydrogen-bonding interaction between hydroxyl group in cyclohexanol and the hydroxyl group in polyoxyethylene grafting chain. The pervaporation and an adsorption experiment of cyclohexanol through the present membrane showed that hydroxyl group in graft chain acted as a carrier for cyclohexanol.     

Development and validation of passive samplers for atmospheric monitoring of SO2, NO2, O3 and H2S in tropical areas

Traditionally the monitoring of atmospheric pollutants is aimed at managing accidents and short-term actions for the protection of human health on local and regional scales. These monitoring networks required continuous measurements with high time resolution, involving costly equipment, operation and maintenance. More recent simulations with mathematical models and scenario-building on regional, continental and global scales, as well as studies of environmental personal exposure are demanding three main types of monitoring design, where need for special resolution surpasses the one of temporal resolution: remote places, where no electric power nor trained human resources are available; validation of dispersion simulation by mathematical modeling on regional to larger scales; indoor measurements where people are acting under noise restriction such as residences, school and hospitals. To meet these demands environmental passive samplers for atmospheric gaseous pollutants have been developed and applied for different situations and environments of Brazil. Passive samplers were developed based on molecular diffusion of gas through a static layer of air with fixed filters impregnated with a specific solution for SO₂, NO₂, O₃ and H₂S and used in the following situations: in remote forest area, urban areas with different characteristics - near the sea, with clean ocean air masses coming in and in areas under direct industrial influence. The passive samplers showed good performance when exposed to different types of areas and during different periods: accuracy of measurements, based on standard deviation, were within the recommended limit by the European Union of ± 25% for this type of device and precision below the maximum of 20% cited in the literature, with variation of 2.0 to 16% in the case of these work. The passive devices were able of measuring concentrations very low as those found in the Amazon region (0.58 ± 0.05 µg m^− 3 SO₂ and 1.10 ± 0.07 µg m^− 3 NO₂) and higher concentrations in industrial areas (20.0 ± 1.3 µg m^− 3 SO₂ e 21.0 ± 1.3 µg m^− 3 NO₂).     

Vaporization of DyI3(s) and thermochemistry of the homocomplexes (DyI3)2(g) and (DyI3)3(g)

The vaporization of DyI₃(s) was investigated in the temperature range between 833 and 1053 K by the use of Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry. The ions DyI₂⁺, DyI₃⁺, Dy₂I₄⁺, Dy₂I₅⁺, Dy₃I₇⁺, and Dy₃I₈⁺ were detected in the mass spectrum of the equilibrium vapor. The gaseous species DyI₃, (DyI₃)₂, and (DyI₃)₃ were identified and their partial pressures determined. Enthalpies and entropies of sublimation resulted according to the second- and third-law methods. The following sublimation enthalpies at 298 K were determined for the gaseous species given in brackets: 274.8±8.2 kJ mol⁻¹ [DyI₃], 356.0±11.3 kJ mol⁻¹ [(DyI₃)₂], and 436.6±14.6 kJ mol⁻¹ [(DyI₃)₃]. The enthalpy changes of the dissociation reactions (DyI₃)₂=2 DyI₃ and (DyI₃)₃=3 DyI₃ were obtained as Δ_dH°(298)=193.3±5.6 and 390.3±13.0 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively.     

Efficient Oxidation of Cyclohexane over Bulk Nickel Oxide under Mild Conditions

Nickel oxide powder was prepared by simple calcination of nickel nitrate hexahydrate at 500 °C for 5 h and used as a catalyst for the oxidation of cyclohexane to produce the cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol—KA oil. Molecular oxygen (O₂), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), t-butyl hydrogen peroxide (TBHP) and meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) were evaluated as oxidizing agents under different conditions. m-CPBA exhibited higher catalytic activity compared to other oxidants. Using 1.5 equivalent of m-CPBA as an oxygen donor agent for 24 h at 70 °C, in acetonitrile as a solvent, NiO powder showed exceptional catalytic activity for the oxidation of cyclohexane to produce KA oil. Compared to different catalytic systems reported in the literature, for the first time, about 85% of cyclohexane was converted to products, with 99% KA oil selectivity, including around 87% and 13% selectivity toward cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol, respectively. The reusability of NiO catalyst was also investigated. During four successive cycles, the conversion of cyclohexane and the selectivity toward cyclohexanone were decreased progressively to 63% and 60%, respectively, while the selectivity toward cyclohexanol was increased gradually to 40%.     

Synthesis, characterization and thermochemistry of K2B5O8(OH)·2H2O

A pure hydrated potassium borate K₂B₅O₈(OH)·2H₂O has been synthesized under mild hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, XRD, FT-IR, Raman spectra and DTA-TG. The crystal structure consists of two K-O polyhedra and [B₅O₈(OH)]²⁻ polyborate anion. The enthalpy of formation was determined to be −4772.6 ± 4.0 kJ mol⁻¹ by solution calorimetry.     

Thermochemistry of NaRb[B4O5(OH)4]·4H2O

The enthalpies of solution of NaRb[B₄O₅(OH)₄]·4H₂O in approximately 1 mol dm⁻³ aqueous hydrochloric acid and of RbCl in aqueous (hydrochloric acid + boric acid + sodium chloride) were determined. From these results and the enthalpy of solution of H₃BO₃ in approximately 1 mol dm⁻³ HCl(aq) and of sodium chloride in aqueous (hydrochloric acid + boric acid), the standard molar enthalpy of formation of −(5128.02 ± 1.94) kJ mol⁻¹ for NaRb[B₄O₅(OH)₄]·4H₂O was obtained from the standard molar enthalpies of formation of NaCl(s), RbCl(s), H₃BO₃(s) and H₂O(l). The standard molar entropy of formation of NaRb[B₄O₅(OH)₄]·4H₂O was calculated from the Gibbs free energy of formation of NaRb[B₄O₅(OH)₄]·4H₂O computed from a group contribution method.     

Growth and some properties of Sc2AlB6 crystal obtained from the solution in aluminum melt

Crystals of Sc₂AlB₆ were grown using scandium oxide and elemental boron as starting materials in a self-component aluminum solution under an argon atmosphere. The growth conditions for obtaining single crystals of relatively large size were investigated. Sc₂AlB₆ single crystals were obtained in the form of prisms extending in the b-axis direction. The largest Sc₂AlB₆ crystals prepared had maximum dimensions of about 0.4×0.4×4.2 mm³. The values of the Vickers microhardness and the electrical resistivity of Sc₂AlB₆ crystals are 12.7±0.8 GPa and 43±8 μΩ cm, respectively. The oxidation of Sc₂AlB₆ crystals starts at about 773°C, and the weight gain after TG determination is 12.9 mass% at 1200°C. The oxidation products of Sc₂AlB₆ crystals could not determined.     

Thermal energy rate constants for the reactions NO2 + Cl2 → Cl2 + NO2, Cl2 + NO2 → Cl + NO2Cl,SH + NO2 → NO2 + SH,SH + Cl2 → Cl2 + SH,and S + NO2 → NO2 + S

It is found that charge-transfer on NO⁻₂ with Cl₂ is fast at thermal energy. The Cl⁻₂ ion reacts with NO₂ to produce Cl⁻ and NO₂Cl, and SH⁻ charge-transfers rapidly with both Cl₂ and NO₂. From the exothermicities implied it is deduced that EA (SH)<EA (NO₂)< EA (Cl₂) or EA (NO₂) = 2.38 ± 0.06 eV and EA (Cl₂ = 2.46 ± 0.14 eV.