Hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of furfural and furfuryl alcohol catalyzed by ruthenium(II) bis(diimine) complexes

The catalytic activity of ruthenium(II) bis(diimine) complexes cis‐[Ru(6,6′‐Cl₂bpy)₂(OH₂)₂](Z)₂ ( 1 , Z = CF₃SO₃; 2 , Z = (3,5‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃)₄B, i.e. BArF) and cis‐[Ru(4,4′‐Cl₂bpy)₂(OH₂)₂](Z)₂ ( 3 , Z = CF₃SO₃; 4 , Z = BArF) for the hydrogenation and/or the hydrogenolysis of furfural (FFR) and furfuryl alcohol (FFA) was investigated. The molecular structures of cis‐[Ru(4,4′‐Cl₂bpy)₂(CH₃CN)₂](CF₃SO₃)₂ ( 3 ′) and dimeric cis‐[(Ru(4,4′‐Cl₂bpy)₂Cl)₂](BArF)₂ ( 5 ) were characterized by X‐ray crystallography. The structures are consistent with the anticipated reduction in steric hindrance about the ruthenium centers in comparison with corresponding complexes containing 6,6′‐Cl₂bpy ligands. While compounds 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 are all active and highly selective catalysts for the hydrogenation of FFR to FFA under modest reaction conditions, 3 and 4 showed decreased activity. This is best explained in terms of reduced Lewis acidity of the Ru²⁺ centers and reduced steric hindrance about the metal centers of catalysts 3 and 4 . cis‐[Ru(6,6′‐Cl₂bpy)₂(OH₂)₂](BArF)₂ ( 2 ) also displayed high catalytic efficiency for the hydrogenation of FFA to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. Presumably, this is because coordination of C═C bonds of FFA to the ruthenium center is poorly inhibited by non‐coordinating BArF counterions. Interestingly, cis‐[Ru(6,6′‐Cl₂bpy)₂(OH₂)₂](CF₃SO₃)₂ ( 1 ) showed some catalytic activity in ethanol for the hydrogenolysis of FFA to 2‐methylfuran, albeit with fairly modest selectivity. Nonetheless, these results indicate that ruthenium(II) bis(diimine) complexes need to be further explored as catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of C―O bonds of FFR, FFA, and related compounds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mechanical properties of sisal fibre-reinforced polymer composites: a review

There has been a growing interest in the utilization of sisal fibres as reinforcement in the production of polymeric composite materials. Natural fibres have gained recognition as reinforcements in fibre polymer–matrix composites because of their mechanical properties and environmental friendliness. The mechanical properties of sisal fibre-reinforced polymer composites have been studied by many researchers and a few of them are discussed in this article. Various fibre treatments, which are carried out in order to improve adhesion, leading to improved mechanical properties, are also discussed in this review paper. This review also focuses on the influence of fibre content and fabrication methods, which can significantly affect the mechanical properties of sisal fibre-reinforced polymer composites.     

Tautomeric modification of GlcNAc-thiazoline

The potent O-GlcNAcase (OGA) inhibitor GlcNAc-thiazoline has been modified by buffer- or acylation-induced imine-to-enamine conversion and then electrophile or radical addition (Xn = D3, F, N3, OH, SMe, COCF3, CF3). Several functionalized GlcNAc-thiazolines show highly selective inhibition of OGA vs human hexosaminidase and thus have promise as tools for targeted investigations of OGA, an enzyme linked to diabetes and neurodegeneration. A new radical addition/fragmentation reaction of the N-(trifluoroacetyl)enamine has been discovered.     

High-temperature single-site ethylene polymerization behavior of titanate complexes supported by 1,3-bis(3,5-dialkylpyrazol-1-yl)propan-2-olate ligation

Titanate(1-) complexes Na[(THF)(kappa1-O-bdbpzp)TiCl4] (1) and Na[(THF)(kappa1-O-bdmpzp)TiCl4] (2) and titanate(2-) complexes [Na(THF)]2[(kappa1-O-bdbpzp)2TiCl4] (4) and [Na(THF)]2[(kappa1-O-bdmpzp)2TiCl4] (5) were obtained in good yield from reaction of Na[bdbpzp] or Na[bdmpzp] (sodium salt of 1,3-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazol-1yl)propan-2-ol or 1,3-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1yl)propan-2-ol) with TiCl4 (in the appropriate molar ratio) at 0-25 degrees C. Protonolysis of TiCl4 with 1 equiv of bdmpzpH furnished related zwitterionic titanate(1-) complex 3 that possessed a kappa2-N,O-coordinated pyrazolyl-alkoxide with pendant pyrazolium group. Methylalumoxane (MAO) activation of 1-5 under high-temperature solution polymerization conditions produced active single-site ethylene polymerization catalysts that exhibit considerably higher thermal stability (especially 2/MAO, 3/MAO, and 5/MAO) than previously reported for Cp2TiCl2/MAO or Ti catalysts supported by related heteroscorpionate or scorpionate ligation.     

The anomeric Pudovik rearrangement

The O,O-dibenzyl-S-glycosyl phosphothioite derived from 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-thio-α-d-glucopyranose rearranges under the influence of triethylborane and air to provide the corresponding 1-C-pyranosyl-O,O-dibenzylphosphonothioate, a new type of carbohydrate derivative. The isomeric beta phosphothioite is compared, and evidence of a radical chain mechanism for the Pudovik rearrangement is presented.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis and antibacterial activity of some pyrazol-1-ylquinoxalin- 2(1H)-one derivatives

3-Hydrazinoquinoxalin-2(1H)-one was prepared from quinoxaline-2,3-dione and subsequently used for the synthesis of some potentially biologically active 3-(pyrazol-1-yl)quinoxalin-2(1H)-one derivatives. While 3-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)quinoxalin-2(1H)-one showed a comparative effect with streptomycin, 3-(5-oxo-3-phenyl-4,5-di- hydropyrazol-1-yl)quinoxalin-2(1H)-one was found to be the most active with an MIC value of 7.8 μg/ml.     

Trace elements in Nigerian oil sands and extracted bitumens

The Nigerian oil sands are very extensive with an estimated in place reserves of bitumen/heavy oil of over 30 billion barrels. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) has been used to determine the trace and minor elements in the raw oil sands and bitumens. About 43 trace elements in the raw oil sands and 30 in bitumen extracts were determined. The results are compared with values of Canadian bitumens and some Nigerian conventional light crude oils. In general, the Nigerian bitumens has higher hydrocarbon concentration than the Athabasca bitumen but slightly lower than in the Nigerian crude oils. The sulphur, vanadium and nickel contents of the Nigerian bitumens and crude oils are appreciably lower than those of Athabasca bitumen, thus indicating that the extraction and refining of Nigerian tar sand oil would pose less technological and environmental problems than the Athabasca syncrude.     

Synthesis, characterization, and alkyne cyclotrimerization chemistry of titanium complexes supported by calixarene-derived bis(aryloxide) ligation

Proximally bridged calix[4]arene compounds (DESC)H₂ (3), (DMSHC)H₂ (4), (DMSMC)H₂ (5), and (DPSC)H₂ (6), in which one R₂Si group (R=alkyl or aryl) bridges adjacent oxygens, were synthesized via reaction between dialkyl- or diaryldichlorosilane and the corresponding calix[4]arene. Treatment of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene with Ph₂SiCl₂ at room temperature or (o-MeC₆H₄)₂SiCl₂ at 80 °C gave (ClPh₂SiCl)₂Calix-H₂ (7) and (o-Tol₂SiCl)₂Calix-H₂ (8), respectively. Titanium dichloride complexes 9-12 (L₂TiCl₂, where L₂=DESC, DMSHC, DMSMC, or DPSC) were prepared in high yield from reaction of 3-6 with TiCl₄. The molecular structures of 7 and 12 were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Reduction of 9, 11, and 12 with activated magnesium (Mg*) in the presence of an excess of Me₃SiCCH produced titananorbornadiene complexes L₂Ti{η⁶-1,2,4-C₆H₃(SiMe₃)₃} (13-15, L₂=DESC, DMSMC, or DPSC), which were characterized in solution. Catalytic cyclotrimerization of both terminal and internal alkynes was achieved using catalyst systems derived from L₂TiCl₂ complexes 9-12 and Mg*. For unsymmetrically substituted internal alkynes, preference for 1,2,4-substitution decreased as the size difference of the substituent groups decreased. The cyclotrimerization of PhCCMe was more facile when the calixarene-derived bis(aryloxide) ligand was DPSC versus DMSMC, suggesting that the DPSC ligand may provide a less crowded titanium center and exert greater kinetic control over the course of the cyclotrimerization.