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.     

Temperature-sensitive luminescence of tris (β-diketone) europium chelates for monitoring high-speed cationic photopolymerizations

The temperature-dependent luminescence of tris (β-diketone) chelates of europium was used for in situ temperature measurements during cationic photopolymerizations of vinyl ethers. These molecular-level luminescent probes provided a real-time, noninvasive method for monitoring temperature during these high-speed polymerizations. Two specific probes, tris (benzoyl-1, 1, 1-trifluoroacetone) europium and tris (1,1,1,5,5,5,-hexafluoroacetylacetone) europium, met several stringent spectral and performance requirements for application in our system. The luminescence from these probes exhibits a reproducible temperature dependence over a wide temperature range and is not sensitive to changes in viscosity. In situ temperature profiles obtained using this novel technique verified the importance of thermal effects during these highly exothermic photopolymerizations. These studies have demonstrated the utility of the tris(β-diketone) europium chelates for characterizing the temperature during high-speed photopolymerizations that cannot be monitored using conventional techniques. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Autoxidation of cyclohexane: conventional views challenged by theory and experiment.

In spite of its industrial importance, the detailed reaction mechanism of cyclohexane autoxidation by O2 is still insufficiently known. Based on quantum chemical potential energy surfaces, rate coefficients of the primary and secondary chain propagation steps involving the cyclohexylperoxyl (CyOO) radical were evaluated using multiconformer transition-state theory. Including tunneling and hindered-internal-rotation effects, the rate coefficient for hydrogen-atom abstraction from cyclohexane (CyH) by CyOO was calculated to be k(T)= 1.46 x 10(-11) x exp(-17.8 kcal mol(-1)/ RT) cm3s(-1) (300-600K), close to the experimental data. A "Franck-Rabinowitch cage" reaction between the nascent cyclohexylhydroperoxide (CyOOH) and cyclohexyl radical, products from CyOO + CyH, is put forward as an initially important cyclohexanol (CyOH) formation channel. alphaH abstraction by CyOO. from cyclohexanone was calculated to be only about five times faster than that from CyH, too slow to explain all the observed side products. The a-hydrogen (alphaH) abstractions from CyOH and CyOOH by CyOO. are predicted to be about 10 and 40 times faster, respectively, than the CyOO. +CyH reaction. The very fast CyOO.+CyOOH reaction proceeds through the unstable Cy-alphaH .OOH radical that decomposes spontaneously into the ketone (Q=O) plus the OH radical; the "hot" .OH is found to produce the bulk of the alcohol via a second, "activated cage" reaction analogous to that above. It is thus shown how the very reactive CyOOH intermediate is the predominant source of ketone and alcohol, while it also leads to some side products. The alpha-hydroxycyclohexylperoxyl radical formed during the moderately fast oxidation of CyOH is shown to decompose fast into HO2 + cyclohexanone in a rapidly equilibrated reaction, which constitutes a smaller, second ketone source. These two fast cyclohexanone forming routes avoid the need for unfavorable molecular routes hitherto invoked as ketone sources. The theoretical predictions are supported and complemented by experimental findings. The newly proposed scheme is also largely applicable to the oxidation of other hydrocarbons, such as toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene.     

The solid state and solution chemistry of dichlorobis(α-picoline)-cobalt(II)

Summary The thermal decomposition of [CoCl₂(-pic)₂] was investigated over the 108°C to 222°C range and the Intennediates CoCl₂(-pic) (s) and CoCl₂ (s) were observed, with the evolution of (-pic) (g). Quantitative thermodynamic and kinetic data were obtained by performing dynamic and isothermal studies on the complex Additional thermodynamic data were obtained by studying the CoCl₂/-pic system in acetone. The effect of the methylsubstituent on the metal-donor-N bond as well as on the thermodynamic quantities were discussed.     

A semi-micro synthesis of selenophene

A semi-micro preparation of selenophene is described which offers a convenient technique for the production of milligram quantities of the heterocycle. Selenophene is synthesized from bis-(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadiyne and sodium hydrogen selenide generated in situ from selenium and sodium borohydride in DMF-water. J. Chem. Soc., 14, 1115 (1977)     

Incoherent tunnelling of positive muons and trapping by vacancies in electron-irradiated aluminium

We have measured the transverse spin relaxation of positive muons ⁺ in Al single crystals after irradiation at 150 K with 3 MeV electrons. The relaxation functions agree with those expected for diffusion-limited trapping of the ⁺ in monovacancies. Between 215 K and 60 K the ⁺ diffusivity is well described by the Flynn-Stoneham law (multi-phonon incoherent tunnelling between ground states) with an activation enthalpyH _a = (30±2) meV. At lower temperatures, few-phonon (in particular one-phonon) processes become important. The decrease of the vacancy concentration by a factor of 100 during annealing between 227 K and 267 K has been studied.     

Molecular properties of hemicelluloses located in the surface and inner layers of hardwood and softwood pulps

The molecular properties of hemicelluloses located in the surface and inner layers of fibers present in hardwood and softwood pulps, together with the effects of different bleaching processes on these properties, have been investigated in this study. In order to separate the hemicelluloses located in these two layers, fibers were subjected to mechanical peeling and then separated by filtration into surface (filtrate) and inner layer materials. The materials thus obtained were characterized with respect to their polysaccharide compositions and uronic acid contents. The molar mass parameters of the hemicelluloses (extracted by alkali) were determined by employing size-exclusion chromatography in combination with off-line MALDI mass spectrometry. For all of the pulps examined, the relative content of xylan was found to be greater in the surface layer of the fiber than in the corresponding inner layer. The xylan polymers of the surface layer exhibited higher molar masses and lower frequencies of uronic acid side groups than did the xylans in the inner fiber layer. In connection with ozone treatment, hexenuronic acid residues in the surface layer xylan were removed to a greater extent than in the case of the inner layers, indicating a gradient for the reaction with ozone across the fiber wall. The xylan polymer remaining on the surface of the softwood pulps after completion of the chlorine dioxide bleaching process was predominantly uncharged.