Versatile Ligands for Palladium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation

Palladium complexes of the chiral diphosphanes 1 and 2 which possess a rigid backbone and a large bite angle catalyze the alkylation of allyl compounds with both high enantioselectivities and reaction rates, particularly with less sterically demanding substrates. 1 : R=Me, X=S; 2 : R=H, X=C(CH₃)₂.     

Hydroformylation of Internal Olefins to Linear Aldehydes with Novel Rhodium Catalysts

Unprecedented high activities and selectivities were observed in the hydroformylation of internal octenes to linear products using rhodium catalysts with rigid diphosphane ligands. Dibenzophosphole 1 and a phenoxaphosphane analogue with bite angles of 120 and 119°, respectively, are suited for this.     

Selective Alkene Oxidation with H2O2 and a Heterogenized Mn Catalyst: Epoxidation and a New Entry to Vicinal cis-Diols

Covalent anchoring of 1,4-dimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane on silica gel is the first step in the preparation of a heterogenized Mn catalyst. When H₂O₂ is used as the oxidant, this material can catalyze the vicinal cis-dihydroxylation of disubstituted olefins, as shown schematically here. Both enantiomers of the product are obtained.     

Macromolecular metal complexes as catalysts with improved stability

Polymer-bound tertiary amine–copper complexes and polymer-bound phosphite–rhodium complexes were studied as catalysts for oxidative coupling of phenols and hydroformylation of alkenes, respectively. The activity and stability of these catalysts could be tuned or optimized by adapting the structure of the ligands and by changing the distance between adjacent ligands along the polymer chains. The latter effect has been described in terms of strain in the intermediate chain segments in the copper complexes or enhancement of the effective local ligand concentration around the rhodium complexes. So-called immobilized homogeneous catalysts were obtained by end-grafting of both types of macromolecular catalysts on to inert and insoluble silica particles. These immobilized polymeric catalysts could easily be separated and recovered. Under proper conditions a grafted polymerbound imidazole–copper complex and a new type of polymer-bound triphenyl–phosphite–rhodium complex showed excellent stability in continuous processes.     

Molecular‐Weight‐Distribution Modelling of Radical Polymerization in Batch and Continuous Reactors with Transfer to Polymer Leading to Gel Formation

Full chain‐length distribution (CLD) modelling applying the Galerkin finite‐element method^[1] (FEM) to polymerization reactors featuring a certain degree of gel formation is confronted with extremely long computation times. The paper describes a new method to predict CLDs for systems where gel formation may occur. The new concept is to model a part of the CLD up to a cut‐off length L, while satisfying the full set of population balances. With transfer to polymer as the mechanism responsible for gelation, this gives rise to a closure problem, which has been solved by assuming the dead CLD beyond L to be represented by a part of a Flory distribution. The method could be proved to work by performing simulations and comparing cut‐off CLDs to full CLDs for non‐gelling systems and comparing results for different L for systems with gelation. The model is demonstrated for polymerization reactors, the batch reactor and the continuous stirred‐tank reactor (CSTR), with either disproportionation or recombination termination. Reliable results are obtained for systems with moderate gel formation. Comparing these results to those from moment models including balance equations up to the fourth moment, a number of interesting differences have been found.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of α-Altropyranosyluridine Starting from Glucose

α-Nucleoside is a kind of potential antiviral and antitumor agent, and of great interest in antisense and template directed reaction. β-Altropyranosyl-nucleosides have been synthesized and the properties of their oligo-nucleotides have been studied by Eshenmoser^[1]. But it is very difficult to synthesize the α-anomer, because the direct coupling reaction leads to the β-anomer and the cyanamide route is not suitable due to the trans-configuration of 1,2-dihydroxyl groups in α-altrose. In order to resolve this problem, α-2, 1'-anhydroglucopyranosyluridine was synthesized by cyanamide route and it was hydrolyzed to title compound in good yield with 2',3'-configuration reversion.