New efficient catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of ethers

Some nickel, copper, and silver salts or complexes are efficient catalysts for the oxidation of benzylic ethers with oxygen in 1,2-dimethoxyethane. Salts of the weakly coordinating anion trifluoroacetate are particularly efficient, approaching (and, in some cases, improving) the yields obtained with cobalt(II) chloride, the best catalyst so far reported.     

Fused silica capillary deactivation with D4 in the presence of oxygen

A new, simple procedure to deactivate fused silica capillaries without hydrothermal treatment is proposed. Based on high temperature reactions of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D₄) in the presence of oxygen, this procedure results, upon coating with dimethylsilicone (SE-30), in columns which give almost symmetric peaks for as little as 150 pg of critical compounds, such as decylamine, thereby demonstrating very high inertness. A mechanism of the deactivation procedure, which, in contrast to previously developed procedures, is based on thermal reactions under aerobic conditions, is proposed.     

Aerobic oxidation assisted by ligand-free palladium catalysts

Aerobic oxidation of electron-rich benzylic and phenyl allylic alcohols was achieved with high yields with only 0.1 mol.% of Pd(OAc)2 catalyst in the absence of any ligand. This procedure was expected to be valuable for realistic industrial-scale applications from both economic as well as environmental points of view.     

SYNTHESIS AND CATALYTIC PROPERTY OF POLYSTYRENE SUPPORTED GLUTAMIC ACID SCHIFF BASE COMPLEX OF Mn（ Ⅱ ） IN AEROBIC OXIDATION OF CYCLOHEXENE

The polystyrene supported glutamic acid Schiff base complex of Mn （ Ⅱ ） （PS-Sal-Glue-Mn） was prepared with chloromethylated styrene polymer beads, 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, L-glutamic acid and manganese （ Ⅱ ） acetate tetrahyrate. The polymeric ligand and the complex were characterized by FT-IR, small area X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） and 1CP-AES. In the presence of the manganese complex, cyclohexene （1） was effectively oxidized by molecular oxygen without reductant. The major products of the reaction were 2-cyclohexen-l-ol （2）, 2-cyclohexen-l-one （3） and 2-cyclohexen-1- hydroperoxide （4）, which was different with typical oxidation of cyclohexene. The influence of reaction temperature and additive for oxidation had been studied. The selectivity of 2-cyclohexen-1-hydroperoxide varied with reaction time and different additives. The mechanism of cyclohexene oxidation had also been discussed.     

SYNTHESIS AND CATALYTIC PROPERTY OF POLYSTYRENE SUPPORTED PHENYLALANINE SCHIFF BASE COMPLEX OF Mn（Ⅱ） IN AEROBIC OXIDATION OF CYCLOHEXENE

The polystyrene supported phenylalanine Schiff base complex of Mn(Ⅱ)(PS-Sal-Phe-Mn)was prepared with chloromethylated styrene polymer beads, 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde,L-phenylalanine and manganese(Ⅱ)acetate tetrahyrate., The polymeric ligand and the complex were characterized by FT-IR,, small area X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), and ICP-AES. In the presence of the manganese complex, cyclohexene(1)was effectively oxidized by molecular oxygen without reductant. The major products of the reaction were 2-cyclohexen-1-ol(2),2-cyclohexen-1-one(3)and 2-cyclohexen-1- hydroperoxide(4), which was different with typical oxidation of cyclohexene. The influence of reaction temperature and additive for oxidation had been studied. The selectivity of 2-cyclohexen-l-hydroperoxide varied with reaction time and different additives. The mechanism of cyclohexene oxidation had also been discussed.     

One-pot synthesis of phenol and cyclohexanone from cyclohexylbenzene catalyzed by N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI)

Synthesis of phenol and cyclohexanone in one pot was examined by means of the NHPI-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene. The aerobic oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene catalyzed by NHPI followed by treatment with sulfuric acid afforded phenol and cyclohexanone in good selectivities. Thus, the reaction of cyclohexylbenzene under atmospheric dioxygen (1 atm) by NHPI at 100 °C for 3 h followed by treatment with 0.3 M sulfuric acid at room temperature for 2 h resulted in phenol and cyclohexanone in 96 and 91% selectivity, respectively, at 25% conversion. This method was successfully extended to the one-pot synthesis of 4-hydroxyacetophenone and cyclohexanone.     

Aerobic alcohol oxidation catalyzed by a new, oxygen-bridged heterometallic compound [PPh4][Ru(N)Me2(μ2-O)2Pd((−)-sparteine)]

The reaction between the new hydroxy compound [PPh₄][Ru(N)(OH)₂Me₂] and Pd(OSiMe₃)₂((−)-sparteine) produces (Me₃Si)₂O, H₂O and a new heterobimetallic compound [PPh₄][Ru(N)Me₂(μ₂-O)₂Pd((−)-sparteine)] in good yield. The Ru/Pd bimetallic compound catalyzes the oxidation of aryl and allyl alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compound in air and the rearrangement of allylic alcohols unsaturated aldehydes. It also oxidizes PPh₃ to O-PPh₃ under O₂.     

Conversion of ammonia to dinitrogen in wastewater by Nitrosomonas europaea

Because Nitrosomonas europaea contains ammonia-oxidizing enzyme, nitrite reductase, and nitrous oxide reductase, the conversion of ammonia to dinitrogen was tried with different reaction conditions. In aerobic reaction conditions, ammonium was converted to nitrite (NO ₂ ⁻ ), while under oxygen-limiting or oxygen-free conditions, NO ₂ ⁻ -N formed from ammonia oxidation by N. europaea was reduced to N₂O and dinitrogen with 22% conversion. During denitrification, optimal pH for the production of N₂O and dinitrogen was found to be 7.0–8.0. Dinitrogen was not produced in acidic pH<7.0. A low partial oxygen pressure as well as oxygen-free conditions are favorable for high production of dinitrogen.     

Aerobic oxidation of 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene using N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) as key catalyst

The first systematic study on the aerobic oxidation of 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene was examined by the use of N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) as a key catalyst. It was found that 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene was efficiently oxidized with O₂ in the presence of a catalytic amount of NHPI and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) at 75 °C. Upon treatment of the resulting products with sulfuric acid followed by acetic anhydride led to 5-acetoxy-1,3-diisopropylbenzene and 3,5-diacetoxy-1-isopropylbenzene as major products and a small amount of 1,3,5-triacetoxybenzene. When t-butylperoxypivalate (BPP) was employed as a radical initiator, the oxidation could be achieved in good yield even at 50 °C. This oxidation provides a facile method for preparing phenol derivatives bearing an isopropyl moiety, which can be used as pharmaceutical starting materials.