Access to well-defined isolated Fe(II) centers on silica and their use in oxidation

Well-defined Fe(II) isolated sites are obtained by reaction of diaryl-N,N'-diazadiene bis(neosilyl) iron (1) with an aerosil silica, SiO(2-(700)). This system can be used as a precursor for the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexene into cyclohexene oxide, cyclohexenol and cyclohexenone in the presence of H(2)O(2).     

Crystalline polyimide particles generated via thermal imidization in a heterogeneous medium

Highly crystalline polyimide powders were prepared from diluted solutions of polyamic acid in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) which were cured at 200°C for 4 hr with a high heating rate. The chemical structures of the repetitive units were chosen to obtain rigid polymeric backbones precluding any solubility in polar aprotic solvents. Therefore the starting polyamic acids were produced by polycondensation from an equimolar ratio of the following pairs of monomers: pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA); 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyl tetracarboxylic dianhydride and ODA; PMDA and p-phenylenediamine. After optimizing the reaction conditions, the resulting powders were first characterized by scanning electronic microscopy and granulometric analysis. Well-divided particles with a spherulitic shape and average particle size of 5 μm were observed. The X-ray diffraction patterns and the solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra together revealed a highly organized structure. The degree of imidization of the powder is nearly complete as demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared analysis and the inherent viscosity after dissolution in concentrated sulfuric acid is about 0.8 dl/g. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis,Physical Properties and Application of a Series of New Polyoxometalate-Based Ionic Liquids

This paper deals with the preparation and the characterization of four new ionic liquids resulting from the pairing of various polyoxotungstates or polyoxomolybdates with the cation trihexyltetradecylphosphonium. The physical properties measured by different techniques evidence that the viscosity and the rheological behaviors of such POM-based ionic liquids, POM-ILs, strongly depend on the nature of the POM, especially its charge. Playing on the nature of the POM, we can indeed obtain Newtonian liquids or some much more viscous materials exhibiting characteristics of resins or pseudo-plastics. In a second part of this study, the potentialities of using such materials both as solvent and catalyst for the oxidation of a series of alcohols are presented as proof of concept. This part highlights great differences in strength and selectivity as a function of the POM-IL used. Furthermore, a very simple way to recycle the catalyst is also presented.     

On silsesquioxanes’ accuracy as molecular models for silica-grafted complexes in heterogeneous catalysis

The achievement of a structure–activity relationship for heterogeneous catalysts is a desirable step for improving existing catalysts or for predicting new catalytic reactions. This article reviews the use of silsesquioxanes (POSS) organometallic complexes as molecular models for silica-grafted catalytic centers. It will show that POSS complexes, within some limits, have substantially contributed to gaining better molecular-level understanding of surface reactions and catalysts activity.     

Studies on the resorcylates: biomimetic total syntheses of (+)-montagnetol and (+)-erythrin

6-(2,4-Dioxopentyl)-2,2-trimethyl-4H-1,3-dioxin-4-one on reflux in toluene gave MeCOCH₂COCH₂COCHCO, which cyclized to 6-(2-oxopropyl)-4-hydroxy-2H-pyran-2-one or was trapped with alcohols to produce resorcylate esters. The method was used for the synthesis of both enantiomers of montagnetol and erythrin.