Highly efficient recycling of a "sandwich" type polyoxometalate oxidation catalyst using solvent resistant nanofiltration

A "sandwich" type polyoxometalate catalyst ([MeN(n-C8H17)3]12[WZn3(ZnW9O34)2]) was very efficiently recycled by nanofiltration with almost quantitative retention, using an alpha-alumina supported mesoporous gamma-alumina membrane.     

Direct aerobic epoxidation of alkenes catalyzed by metal nanoparticles stabilized by the H5PV2Mo10O40 polyoxometalate

Ag and Ru nanoparticles stabilized by H5PV2Mo10O40, prepared by a sequence of redox reactions and supported on alpha-alumina, were effective catalysts for the direct aerobic epoxidation of alkenes in the liquid phase.     

Determination of the partition coefficients of the nonionic detergent C12E7 between lipid-detergent mixed membranes and water by means of Laurdan fluorescence spectroscopy

The membrane-water partition coefficient of the detergent C₁₂E₇ between water and C₁₂E₇/POPC mixed membranes has been determined by means of steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. The emission spectra of the fluorescent probe Laurdan were used as an indicator of membrane composition at different membrane concentrations in the sample. The partition coefficient expressed as the ratio of the mole fractions of the detergent in the membrane and water phases is about 6^*10⁵ at low molar ratios of C₁₂E₇/POPC (R _c ) and decreases rapidly with increasingR _c . The limiting detergent content of the lamellar phase (R _c ^* >0.8) is indicated by a minimum ofP(R _c ).     

Mild, aqueous, aerobic, catalytic oxidation of methane to methanol and acetaldehyde catalyzed by a supported bipyrimidinylplatinum-polyoxometalate hybrid compound

We have demonstrated that a bipyrimidinylplatinum-polyoxometalate, [Pt(Mebipym)Cl2]+[H4PV2Mo10O40]-, supported on silica is an active catalyst for the aerobic oxidation of methane to methanol in water under mild reaction conditions. Further oxidation of methanol yields acetaldehyde. The presence of the polyoxometalate is presumed to allow the facile oxidation of a Pt(II) intermediate to a Pt(IV) intermediate and to aid in the addition of methane to the Pt catalytic center.     

Phenanthroline-polyoxometalate hybrid compounds and the observation of intramolecular charge transfer

A phenanthroline ligand has been covalently modified at the 2 and 9 positions by an aminophenylhexamolybdate substituent. The 1H NMR spectrum indicated a strong electron-withdrawing effect of the hexamolybdate (Mo6O19(2-)) moiety on the phenanthroline ligand. UV-vis and cyclic voltammetry showed extended conjugation of the hybrid phenanthroline-polyoxometalate compound and the possibility of easy oxidation of the extended phenanathroline ligand. Further EPR experiments provided strong evidence for an intramolecular charge-transfer process with the formation of a phenanthroline cation radical and a reduced hexamolybdate.     

Carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen coupling reactions catalyzed by palladium nanoparticles derived from a palladium substituted Keggin-type polyoxometalate

Palladium 15-20 nm particles stabilized by a Keggin-type polyoxometalate were prepared by reduction of K(5)PPdW(11)O(39) with H(2). The nanoparticles were shown to be effective catalysts for Suzuki-, Heck-, and Stille-type carbon-carbon coupling and carbon-nitrogen coupling reactions of bromoarenes in aqueous media. Chloroarenes were also reactive in reaction media without solvent. [reaction: see text]     

The formyloxyl radical: electrophilicity,C–H bond activation and anti-Markovnikov selectivity in the oxidation of aliphatic alkenes

In the past the formyloxyl radical, HC(O)O˙, had only been rarely experimentally observed, and those studies were theoretical-spectroscopic in the context of electronic structure. The absence of a convenient method for the preparation of the formyloxyl radical has precluded investigations into its reactivity towards organic substrates. Very recently, we discovered that HC(O)O˙ is formed in the anodic electrochemical oxidation of formic acid/lithium formate. Using a [Co^IIIW₁₂O₄₀]⁵⁻ polyanion catalyst, this led to the formation of phenyl formate from benzene. Here, we present our studies into the reactivity of electrochemically in situ generated HC(O)O˙ with organic substrates. Reactions with benzene and a selection of substituted derivatives showed that HC(O)O˙ is mildly electrophilic according to both experimentally and computationally derived Hammett linear free energy relationships. The reactions of HC(O)O˙ with terminal alkenes significantly favor anti-Markovnikov oxidations yielding the corresponding aldehyde as the major product as well as further oxidation products. Analysis of plausible reaction pathways using 1-hexene as a representative substrate favored the likelihood of hydrogen abstraction from the allylic C–H bond forming a hexallyl radical followed by strongly preferred further attack of a second HC(O)O˙ radical at the C1 position. Further oxidation products are surmised to be mostly a result of two consecutive addition reactions of HC(O)O˙ to the C C double bond. An outer-sphere electron transfer between the formyloxyl radical donor and the [Co^IIIW₁₂O₄₀]⁵⁻ polyanion acceptor forming a donor–acceptor [D⁺–A⁻] complex is proposed to induce the observed anti-Markovnikov selectivity. Finally, the overall reactivity of HC(O)O˙ towards hydrogen abstraction was evaluated using additional substrates. Alkanes were only slightly reactive, while the reactions of alkylarenes showed that aromatic substitution on the ring competes with C–H bond activation at the benzylic position. C–H bonds with bond dissociation energies (BDE) ≤ 85 kcal mol⁻¹ are easily attacked by HC(O)O˙ and reactivity appears to be significant for C–H bonds with a BDE of up to 90 kcal mol⁻¹. In summary, this research identifies the reactivity of HC(O)O˙ towards radical electrophilic substitution of arenes, anti-Markovnikov type oxidation of terminal alkenes, and indirectly defines the activity of HC(O)O˙ towards C–H bond activation.

The formyloxyl radical, formed electrochemically, is electrophilic, yields anti-Markovnikov oxidation products from alkenes, and is effective for C–H bond activation.     

Raman and cathodoluminescence spectroscopic investigations on Permian fossil wood from Chemnitz--a contribution to the study of the permineralisation process

Samples of different three-dimensionally preserved fossil plants (Medullosa sp., Dadoxylon sp., Calamodendron striatum, Psaronius sp.) from the Lower Permian petrified forest of Chemnitz were examined with regard to their chemical composition and structural order. Raman spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence microscopy are shown to be powerful tools for such investigations. Silicified wood from Chemnitz-Hilbersdorf generally shows yellow cathodoluminescence (CL) of the cell walls and only weak yellow-brownish CL of the cell lumina. By time-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, a secondary mineralisation of hydrothermal origin was recognized. The latter is shown by short-lived blue CL at the cell walls extinguishing the yellow signal. Therefore, after the primary silicification step a secondary mineralisation step initiated by hydrothermal processes, seems to have taken place at probably slightly higher temperatures. The resulting silica matrix consists of phanerocrystalline and microcrystalline alpha-quartz as well as microcrystalline moganite, both partially associated with iron oxides. Dadoxylon sp. is a prominent example for parallel permineralisation by alpha-quartz and fluorspar, which is outstanding for the Chemnitz Petrified Forest. CL on this samples shows parallel silicification and fluoritisation, followed by infiltration of iron oxides. Permineralised samples show very low percentage of original organic remains. The seed fern Medullosa, for example, shows dispersed carbon, which is mainly restricted to the centres of the typical star-shaped vascular bundles. Raman spectroscopy revealed that these carbonaceous particles are of an anthracite structure. For experimental confirmation coal samples of different rank, especially anthracite from different geological times and localities, were studied by means of Raman spectroscopy. The remaining pith of the vascular bundles is white-coloured and consists of alpha-quartz and moganite, whereas surrounding tracheides exhibit white and reddish coloured parts. The reddish parts, mainly found in the rays, additionally contain alpha-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 among the SiO2 polymorphs of alpha-quartz and moganite. Sometimes iron oxides could have dominated permineralisation processes as the peak intensities of distinct parts of the samples suggest.     

Hyperfine structure in 5s 4d 3 D —5snf transitions of87Sr

The hyperfine spectra of the 5s4d ³ D ₁-5s20f, 5s4d ³ D ₂-5s23f, and 5s 4d ³ D ₃-5s32f transitions of⁸⁷Sr (I=9/2) have been measured by collinear fast beam laser spectroscopy. The structure in the upper configurations is highly perturbed by fine structure splitting that is of comparable size to the hyperfine interaction energy. These perturbations can be adequately treated with conventional matrix diagonalization methods, using the 5s-electron magnetic dipole interaction terma _5s and the unperturbed fine structure splittings as input parameters. Additionally, hyperfine constants for the lower 5s4d ³ D configurations, including theA- andB-factors and a separation of the individuals- andd-electron contributions to these factors, are derived.