Preparation and characterization of Cu supported on 2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)aniline-functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a novel magnetic catalyst for Ullmann and Suzuki cross-coupling reactions

Copper supported on 2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)aniline (BIA)-functionalized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Cu-BIA-Si-Fe₃O₄) as a novel magnetic catalyst was designed and used for the synthesis of new products via Ullmann and Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. The Ullmann reaction was performed by mixing arylboronic acid with aniline derivatives in dimethylsulfoxide solvent. Also, diaryls were synthesized via Suzuki C–C reactions between aryl halides and phenylboronic acid in the same solvent. The prepared materials and catalyst were characterized with various analytical techniques. The Cu-BIA-Si-Fe₃O₄ catalyst demonstrated catalytic efficiency with good to excellent yields for both types of reactions in comparison with commercial palladium catalysts. Also, the catalyst could be recovered by a simple filtration and retained its activity even after several cycles.     

Efficient Copper-Catalyzed Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of Unprotected C-Acyl Manno-, Rhamno- and Lyxopyranosides

Due to their high stability towards enzymatic hydrolysis C-acyl glycosidic compounds are useful synthetic intermediates for potential candidates in drug discovery. Syntheses for C-acyl mannosides have remained scarce and usually employ donors obtained from lengthy syntheses. Furthermore, syntheses of unprotected C-acyl mannosides have not been reported so far, due to the incapability of the C-acyl mannoside motif with deprotection conditions for protective groups commonly used in carbohydrate chemistry. Herein, we report an efficient and highly α-selective four-step one-pot method for the synthesis of C-acyl α-d -manno-, l -rhamno- and d -lyxopyranosides from easily accessible persilylated monosaccharides and dithianes requiring only trace amounts of a copper source as catalyst and explain the crucial role of the catalyst by mechanistic studies. Furthermore, the C-acyl α-glycosides were easily isomerized to give rapid access to their β-anomers.     

The Roles of Counterion and Water in a Stereoselective Cysteine‐Catalyzed Rauhut–Currier Reaction: A Challenge for Computational Chemistry

The stereoselective Rauhut–Currier (RC) reaction catalyzed by a cysteine derivative has been explored computationally with density functional theory (M06‐2X). Both methanethiol and a chiral cysteine derivative were studied as nucleophiles. The complete reaction pathway involves rate‐determining elimination of the thiol catalyst from the Michael addition product. The stereoselective Rauhut–Currier reaction, catalyzed by a cysteine derivative as a nucleophile, has also been studied in detail. This reaction was experimentally found to be extremely sensitive to the reaction conditions, such as the number of water equivalents and the effect of potassium counterion. The E1cB process for catalyst elimination has been explored computationally for the eight possible stereoisomers. The effect of explicit water solvation and the presence of counterion (either K⁺ or Na⁺) has been studied for the lowest energy enantiomer pair (1S, 2R, 3S)/(1R, 2S, 3R).     

Esterification of Tertiary Amides: Remarkable Additive Effects of Potassium Alkoxides for Generating Hetero Manganese–Potassium Dinuclear Active Species

A catalyst system of mononuclear manganese precursor 3 combined with potassium alkoxide served as a superior catalyst compared with our previously reported manganese homodinuclear catalyst 2 a for esterification of not only tertiary aryl amides, but also tertiary aliphatic amides. On the basis of stoichiometric reactions of 3 and potassium alkoxide salt, kinetic studies, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we clarified a plausible reaction mechanism in which in situ generated manganese–potassium heterodinuclear species cooperatively activates the carbonyl moiety of the amide and the OH moiety of the alcohols. We also revealed details of the reaction mechanism of our previous manganese homodinuclear system 2 a , and we found that the activation free energy (ΔG^≠) for the manganese–potassium heterodinuclear complex catalyzed esterification of amides is lower than that for the manganese homodinuclear system, which was consistent with the experimental results. We further applied our catalyst system to deprotect the acetyl moiety of primary and secondary amines.     

α‐ZrP/Uracil/Cu2+ nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst in the Morita‐Baylis‐Hillman reaction

A facile synthesis of uracil‐Cu²⁺ nanoparticles immobilized on alpha‐zirconium hydrogen phosphate (α‐ZrP), abbreviated as α‐ZrP/Uracil/Cu²⁺, was presented. This compound was synthesized by the thermal method and used as a reusable catalyst for the Morita‐Baylis‐Hillman reaction without any additives. First, (3‐ iodopropyl) trimethoxysilane as a linker is reacted with α‐ZrP support to give the α‐ZrP/IPTMOS. Addition of uracil and then the addition of copper (II) acetate to α‐ZrP/IPTMOS results in the production of selected catalyst. The Morita‐Baylis‐Hillman reaction catalyzed by α‐ZrP/Uracil/Cu^{2 +} demonstrated high product yield, short reaction time and a straightforward work‐up. The catalyst with enough outside surface was easily recovered using centrifugation and reused five times without a significant reduction in its activity.     

Polymer-supported palladium (II) containing N2O2: An efficient and robust heterogeneous catalyst for C–C coupling reactions

A new polymer was prepared from 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (noted as TDTB) and o-phenylenediamine through Schiff base condensation reaction, and palladium (II) was immobilized on the polymer (noted as TbPo-Pd(II)). This process was easy to work-up and cost-effective. The structure and composition of TbPo-Pd(II) were fully characterized by FTIR, TGA, XPS, AAS, SEM, and TEM analyses. Meanwhile, this catalyst showed desired thermal stability and excellent performance in water/methanol system for Suzuki and Sonogashira coupling reactions. In addition, this heterogeneous catalyst can be readily recovered by simple filtration with no appreciable Pd leaching in the reaction. This work provides a powerful protocol for rapid access to asymmetrical biphenyls and aryl alkynes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2344–2353     

Isomerization of Functionalized Olefins by Using the Dinuclear Catalyst [PdI(μ-Br)(PtBu3)]2: A Mechanistic Study

In a combined experimental and computational study, the isomerization activity of the dinuclear palladium(I) complex [Pd^I(μ-Br)(P^tBu₃)]₂ towards allyl arenes, esters, amides, ethers, and alcohols has been investigated. The calculated energy profiles for catalyst activation for two alternative dinuclear and mononuclear catalytic cycles, and for catalyst deactivation are in good agreement with the experimental results. Comparison of experimentally observed E/Z ratios at incomplete conversion with calculated kinetic selectivities revealed that a substantial amount of product must form via the dinuclear pathway, in which the isomerization is promoted cooperatively by two palladium centers. The dissociation barrier towards mononuclear Pd species is relatively high, and once the catalyst enters the energetically more favorable mononuclear pathway, only a low barrier has to be overcome towards irreversible deactivation.     

Pt-CeOx/CNxNT催化剂的高稳定性和高效氧还原性能

通过简便的方法合成出了Pt-CeO_x/CN_xNT催化剂。该催化剂以聚吡咯纳米管碳化后的含氮碳纳米管作为载体,以氧化铈作为助催化剂。实验表明,由于二氧化铈的储氧性能,也由于CN_xNT载体中氮元素的促进作用和其本身独特的一维中空结构,Pt-CeO_x/CN_xNT催化剂的氧还原性能明显高于商业Pt/C。而催化剂优秀的稳定性则源于二氧化铈对Pt纳米颗粒和载体的保护作用。     

Kinetic analysis of the melt acidolytic (Co) polycondensation of fully aromatic polyesters

Experiments to determine the initial reaction rate constants of acidolytic (co)polycondensations of fully aromatic polyesters were conducted in the melt. The initial reaction rate was determined by constant monitoring of the evolution of acetic acid. Both homo-polycondensation of p-acetoxybenzoic acid (pAcBA) and copolycondensation of 2 parts pAcBA, 1 part p,p'-bisacetoxybiphenyl (BAcBP), and 1 part terephthalic acid (TPA) were studied in a batch reactor under nonisothermal conditions. Next to this, the effect of the presence of the catalyst N-methylimidazole (NMI) on the (co)polycondensations was checked. From the series of experiments it was concluded that the reactivities of acetoxy groups of pAcBA and BAcBP were equal. Furthermore, it was found that the catalyst NMI showed an accelerating effect in the homo- and copolycondensations, thereby acting as a “conventional catalyst.” The postulated reaction mechanism for the (co)polycondensations is in accordance with the reaction mechanism for acidolysis of esters by carboxylic acids as suggested by Loncrini. The reactivity of TPA could not be determined by the method used because of the poor solubility of TPA in the reaction mixture. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Unexpected Direct Hydride Transfer Mechanism for the Hydrogenation of Ethyl Acetate to Ethanol Catalyzed by SNS Pincer Ruthenium Complexes

The hydrogenation of ethyl acetate to ethanol catalyzed by SNS pincer ruthenium complexes was computationally investigated by using DFT. Different from a previously proposed mechanism with fac‐[(SNS)Ru(PPh₃)(H)₂] ( 5′ ) as the catalyst, an unexpected direct hydride transfer mechanism with a mer‐SNS ruthenium complex as the catalyst, and two cascade catalytic cycles for hydrogenations of ethyl acetate to aldehyde and aldehyde to ethanol, is proposed base on our calculations. The new mechanism features ethanol‐assisted proton transfer for H₂ cleavage, direct hydride transfer from ruthenium to the carbonyl carbon, and C?OEt bond cleavage. Calculation results indicate that the rate‐determining step in the whole catalytic reaction is the transfer of a hydride from ruthenium to the carbonyl carbon of ethyl acetate, with a total free energy barrier of only 26.9 kcal mol^?1, which is consistent with experimental observations and significantly lower than the relative free energy of an intermediate in a previously postulated mechanism with 5′ as the catalyst.     

One-pot isocyanide-based five-component reaction: Synthesis of highly functionalized N-cyclohexyl-2-(2,4-dioxo-2,3,4,5 tetrahydro-1H-benzo[b][1,5]diazepin-3-yl)-2-phenylacetamides

A new protocol has been developed for the efficient synthesis of structurally diverse N-cyclohexyl-2-(2,4-dioxo-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-benzo[b][1,5]diazepin-3-yl)-2-phenylacetamides through a one-pot, five-component condensation reaction of an aromatic diamine, an aromatic aldehyde, an isocyanide, ethyl malonyl chloride, and water in dichloromethane with good yields, at ambient temperature, in the presence of MgCl₂ as a catalyst.     

Asymmetric Cyanation of Aldehydes,Ketones, Aldimines,and Ketimines Catalyzed by a Versatile Catalyst Generated from Cinchona Alkaloid,Achiral Substituted 2,2′‐Biphenol and Tetraisopropyl Titanate

Full investigation of cyanation of aldehydes, ketones, aldimines and ketimines with trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) or ethyl cyanoformate (CNCOOEt) as the cyanide source has been accomplished by employing an in situ generated catalyst from cinchona alkaloid, tetraisopropyl titanate [Ti(OiPr)₄] and an achiral modified biphenol. With TMSCN as the cyanide source, good to excellent results have been achieved for the Strecker reaction of N‐Ts (Ts=p‐toluenesulfonyl) aldimines and ketimines (up to >99 % yield and >99 % ee) as well as for the cyanation of ketones (up to 99 % yield and 98 % ee). By using CNCOOEt as the alternative cyanide source, cyanation of aldehyde was accomplished and various enantioenriched cyanohydrin carbonates were prepared in up to 99 % yield and 96 % ee. Noteworthy, CNCOOEt was successfully employed for the first time in the asymmetric Strecker reaction of aldimines and ketimines, affording various α‐amino nitriles with excellent yields and ee values (up to >99 % yield and >99 % ee). The merits of current protocol involved facile availability of ligand components, operational simplicity and mild reaction conditions, which made it convenient to prepare synthetically important chiral cyanohydrins and α‐amino nitriles. Furthermore, control experiments and NMR analyses were performed to shed light on the catalyst structure. It is indicated that all the hydroxyl groups in cinchona alkaloid and biphenol complex with Ti^IV, forming the catalyst with the structure of (biphenoxide)Ti(OR*)(OiPr). The absolute configuration adopted by biphenol 4 m in the catalyst was identified as S configuration according to the evidence from control experiments and NMR analyses. Moreover, the roles of the protonic additive (iPrOH) and the tertiary amine in the cinchona alkaloid were studied in detail, and the real cyanide reagent in the catalytic cycle was found to be hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Finally, two plausible catalytic cycles were proposed to elucidate the reaction mechanisms.     

A Bifunctional Perovskite Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution

La_0.3(Ba_0.5Sr_0.5)_0.7Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3?δ is a promising bifunctional perovskite catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction and the oxygen evolution reaction. This catalyst has circa 10 nm‐scale rhombohedral LaCoO₃ cobaltite particles distributed on the surface. The dynamic microstructure phenomena are attributed to the charge imbalance from the replacement of A‐site cations with La³⁺ and local stress on Co‐site sub‐lattice with the cubic perovskite structure.     

Base-Mediated Biginelli-Like Reaction Ignited by Aromatic Isocyanate: A Facile One-Pot Synthesis of N 4-Aryl-5-carboxyl-6-methyl Cytimidine Derivatives

The new three-component Biginelli reaction of aromatic isocyanate, ethyl acetoacetate, and substituted urea (or thiourea as well as guanidine) is described for the first time. In this reaction, N ⁴-aryl-5-carboxyl-6-methyl cytimidine derivatives were obtained in moderate to excellent yields by employing DBU as a highly effective catalyst. This methodology provides several advantages such as good functional group tolerance, excellent yields, atom efficiency, and experimental simplicity.     

Synthesis of Tris(N,N-dimethylthiocarbamoyl)-1,1,1-tris-(methylaminomethyl)ethane and Its Application as Ligand for Pauson–Khand Reaction

Tris(N,N-dimethylthiocarbamoyl)-1,1,1-tris(methylaminomethyl)ethane ligand was prepared from very cheap and commercially availably tris-1,1,1-(hydroxymethyl)ethane in five steps and applied as ligand in 1:1 coordination to cobalt in a catalytic Pauson–Khand reaction with Co₂(CO)₈ as catalyst.     

Asymmetric Direct Aldol Reaction of Cyclohexanone Catalyzed by( N'-Benzyl-N'-D-prolyl)-trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline Hydrazide

A new proline catalyst, namely (N′‐benzyl‐N′‐D‐prolyl)‐trans‐4‐hydroxy‐L‐proline hydrazide, has been prepared and proved to be a superior catalyst for the asymmetric aldol reaction of cyclohexanone and aromatic aldehydes, affording up to 98:2 dr and 98% ee.     

A Simple Method for Synthesizing Highly Active Amorphous Iridium Oxide for Oxygen Evolution under Acidic Conditions

Water splitting for hydrogen production has been recognized as a promising approach to store sustainable energy. The performance of this method is limited by the oxygen-evolution reaction. Herein, an approach for synthesizing a highly active oxygen-evolving catalyst by a one-step, low-cost, environmentally friendly, and easy-to-perform method is presented, which works by using iridium metal as the anode at a relatively high potential. The obtained IrO_x/Ir interface showed an overpotential of 250 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² in 0.1 m HClO₄ and remained stable under electrochemical conditions. The IrO_x that was mechanically separated from the surface of IrO_x/Ir metal after operation showed a threefold increase in activity compared to the current benchmark IrO₂ catalyst. Various characterization analyses were used to identify the structure and morphology of the catalyst, which suggested nanosized, porous, and amorphous IrO_x on the surface of metallic Ir. This synthetic approach can inspire a variety of opportunities to design and synthesize efficient metal oxide-based electrocatalysts for sustainable energy conversion and utilization.     

Proline‐Tetrazole‐Catalyzed Enantioselective N‐Nitroso Aldol Reaction of Aldehydes with In Situ Generated Nitrosocarbonyl Compounds

A highly enantioselective method (up to 98 % ee) for the preparation of β‐amino alcohols was achieved by using the readily available proline‐tetrazole as the catalyst for the N‐nitroso aldol reaction of aldehydes with in situ generated nitrosocarbonyl compounds. The key to success of this reaction is the use of MnO₂ as an oxidant and catechol as a Brønsted acid additive.     

CuII@PAA/PVC mesoporous fibers: A hybrid wedding as a high-performance versatile heterogeneous catalyst for A3, KA2, and decarboxylative A3 reactions

Efforts made on the development of a novel, simple, cost-effective, and efficient approach to fabricate a copper catalyst immobilized on mesoporous poly (acrylic acid)/poly (vinyl chloride) hybrid fibers (Cu^II@PAA/PVC) for versatile catalytic applications in A₃, KA₂, and decarboxylative A₃ couplings has been described in this present work. The characterization of the mesoporous hybrid fibers was well performed by BET, FTIR, SEM, EDX, XPS, and TGA techniques. The pore structure and surface area were calculated by using BET measurement analysis. The obtained mesoporous Cu^II@PAA/PVC fibers exert high catalytic performance in the synthesis of propargylamines via one-pot A₃, KA₂, and decarboxylative A₃ reactions over a series of substrates without employing expensive ligands or inert atmosphere. The active Cu²⁺ species chelating with carboxylate groups in PAA/PVC hybrid fibers plays a key role in the catalysis. Meanwhile, the unique mesoporous structure and fiber morphology facilitate a better mass transfer and enlarge its contact area with substrates in the course of a reaction. Moreover, the Cu²⁺–carboxylate chelation could suppress the leaching of active Cu²⁺ species from the catalyst and thus lead to the catalyst has excellent performance and good durability as well as reusability.     

Triggering Activity of Catalytic Rod‐Like Supramolecular Polymers

Supramolecular polymers based on benzene‐1,3,5‐tricarboxamides (BTAs) functionalized with an L ‐ or D ‐proline moiety display high catalytic activity towards aldol reactions in water. High turnover frequencies (TOF) of up to 27×10^?4 s^?1 and excellent stereoselectivities (up to 96 % de, up to 99 % ee) were observed. In addition, the catalyst could be reused and remained active at catalyst loadings and substrate concentrations as low as 0.1 mol % and 50 mM , respectively. A temperature‐induced conformational change in the supramolecular polymer triggers the high activity of the catalyst. The supramolecular polymer’s helical sense in combination with the configuration of the proline (L ‐ or D ‐) is responsible for the observed selectivity.