Dimeric ortho‐palladated homoveratrylamine as an efficient homogeneous catalyst for copper‐free Sonogashira cross‐coupling reaction

The catalytic activity of ortho‐palladated [Pd{C6H2(CH2CH2NH2)‐(OMe)2,3,4}(m‐Br)]2, a complex of homoveratrylamine in the copper‐free Sonogashira coupling reaction has been investigated. This complex is a catalyst that is efficient, stable and non‐sensitive to air and moisture in the Sonogashira reaction. In this homogeneous catalytic system, various aryl halides were efficiently coupled with phenylacetylene in mostly moderate to good yields in N‐methylpyrrolidone at 100 °C under copper‐free conditions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Selective oxidation of alcohols over nickel zirconium phosphate

Nickel zirconium phosphate nanoparticles were found to function as efficient catalysts for the selec-tive oxidation of a wide range of alcohols to their corresponding ketones and aldehydes using H2O2 as an oxidizing agent and without any organic solvents, phase transfer catalysts, or additives. The steric and electronic properties of various substrates had significant influence on the reaction con-ditions required to achieve acetylation. The results showed that this method can be applied for the chemoselective oxidation of benzyl alcohols in the presence of aliphatic alcohols. The catalyst used in the current study was characterized by ICP-OES, XRD, NH3-TPD, Py-FTIR, N2 adsorp-tion-desorption, SEM and TEM. These analyses revealed that the interlayer distance in the catalyst increased from 0.75 to 0.98 nm when Ni2+ was intercalated between the layers, whereas the crystal-linity of the material was reduced. The nanocatalyst could also be recovered and reused at least seven times without any discernible decrease in its catalytic activity. This new method for the oxi-dation of alcohols has several key advantages, including mild and environmentally friendly reaction conditions, short reaction time, excellent yields and a facile work-up.     

An efficient palladium catalytic system for microwave assisted cyanation of aryl halides

Application of a new catalytic system for cyanation reaction of various aryl halides using K₄[Fe(CN)₆] as cyanating source was examined. The reactions were performed under microwave irradiation and results showed that application of this catalytic system and DMF at 130 °C minimized the reaction times from hours to minutes in good to excellent yields.     

Synthesis of triphenylmethylphosphonium chlorochoromate as a mild and selective reagent for oxidation of alcohols

Triphenylmethylphosphonium chlorochoromate was synthesized from triphenylmethyl bromide and chromium(VI) oxide in HCl 6 N and used as an efficient and selective reagent for oxidation of alcohols to their corresponding aldehydes or ketones derivatives in refluxing acetonitrile in good to excellent yields.     

Synthesis of diaryl thioethers from aryl halides and potassium thiocyanate

An efficient palladium catalyst was synthesized using nicotine, benzyl chloride and palladium chloride. The structure of this catalyst was characterized and it was then used for the synthesis of diaryl sufides. A variety of diaryl thioethers were synthesized under relatively mild reaction conditions. This protocol avoids foul‐smelling thiols via cross‐coupling of aryl halides with potassium thiocyanate and all substrates give the corresponding products in good to excellent yields in the presence of low amounts of the catalyst. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatic compounds with carboxylic acids in the presence of P2O5/SiO2 under heterogeneous conditions

A convenient and efficient procedure for the Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatic compounds with carboxylic acids in the presence of P₂O₅/SiO₂ is described. Both aromatic and aliphatic carboxylic acids reacted easily to afford the corresponding aromatic ketones. The use of non-toxic and inexpensive materials, simple and clean work-up, short reaction times and good yields of the products are the advantages of this method.     

Microwave‐assisted synthesis and characterization of heterocyclic,and optically active poly(amide‐imide)s incorporating L‐amino acids

N,N′‐Pyromelliticdiimido‐di‐L ‐alanine ( 1 ), N,N′‐pyromelliticdiimido‐di‐L ‐phenylalanine ( 2 ), and N,N′‐pyromelliticdiimido‐di‐L ‐leucine ( 3 ) were prepared from the reaction of pyromellitic dianhydride with corresponding L ‐amino acids in a mixture of glacial acetic acid and pyridine solution (3/2 ratio) under refluxing conditions. The microwave‐assisted polycondensation of the corresponding diimide‐diacyl chloride monomers ( 5–7 ) with 4‐phenyl‐2,6‐bis(4‐aminophenyl) pyridine ( 10 ) or 4‐(p‐methylthiophenyl)‐2,6‐bis(4‐aminophenyl) pyridine ( 12 ) were carried out in a laboratory microwave oven. The resulting poly(amide‐imide)s were obtained in quantitative yields, and they showed admirable inherent viscosities (0.12–0.55 dlg^?1), were soluble in polar aprotic solvents, showed good thermal stability and high optical purity. The synthetic compounds were characterized by IR, MS, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and specific rotation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparative MP2 study between water- and acid-assisted proton transfer: allophanic acid as a case of study

Electronic structures of allophanic acid were studied using MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. Five most stable tautomers were selected and stability of them was studied in detail. Obtained data showed that tautomer 1 having hydrogen atom in the central nitrogen N3 and also in a trans conformation of carbonyl and amino functional groups becomes the most stable one. Then, interconversion of these tautomers to each other was investigated step by step through internal rotation and proton transfer routes. Results indicated that movement of protons determines rate-determining step of all paths A–E. Effects of different solvents were carefully surveyed for each tautomer, and among investigated solvents, water made slight stabilization. Activation barrier for proton exchange assisted by one water molecule and one formic acid molecule was also studied, separately. Both molecules had a great influence on lowering barrier especially for proton transfer routes. Comparative MP2 study showed that the barrier will be lowered much more when acid-assisted proton exchange takes place.     

Asymmetric polymerization via cycloaddition reactions

The reaction of N‐phthaloyl‐L ‐leucine acid chloride (1) with isoeugenol (2) was carried out in chloroform, and novel optically active isoeugenol ester derivative 3 as a chiral monomer was obtained in high yield. Compound 3 was characterized by ¹H‐NMR, IR, and mass and elemental analysis and then was used for the preparation of model compound 5 and polymerization reactions. 4‐Phenyl‐1,2,4‐triazoline‐3,5‐dione, PhTD (4), was allowed to react with compound 3. The reaction is very fast and gives only one diastereomer of 5 via Diels–Alder and ene pathways in quantitative yield. In order to explain this diastereoselectivity, a nonconcerted two‐step mechanism involving benzylic cation (BC) and aziridinium (AI) have been proposed for the Diels–Alder and ene reactions, respectively. The polymerization reactions of novel monomer 3 with bis(triazolinedione)s [bis(p‐3,5‐dioxo‐1,2,4‐triazolin‐4‐ylphenyl)methane (8) and 1,6‐bis(3,5‐dioxo‐1,2,4‐triazolin‐4‐yl)hexane] (9)] were performed in N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc) at room temperature. The reactions are exothermic, fast, and gave novel optically active polymers 10 and 11 via repetitive Diels–Alder–ene polyaddition reactions. These polymers have inherent viscosities in a range about 0.18–0.22 dL/g. Some physical properties and structural characterizations of these new polymers have been studied and are reported. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1211–1219, 1999     

Brönsted Acidic Ionic Liquid as an Efficient Catalyst for Acetylation of Alcohols and Phenols

A novel Brönsted acidic room temperature ionic liquid (1‐H‐3‐methyl‐imidazolium bisulfate) is found to catalyze efficiently the acetylation of a wide rang of alcohols as well as phenols with acetic anhydride in good to excellent yields at 50°C under solvent‐free conditions. Products are easily isolated by extraction with ether and the protocol is mild and green, compared to the existing method based on toxic solvents.