Alkali catalysis

In 1899 R. C. Guerbet discovered the self-condensation reaction of alcohols, which, via the aldehyde as an intermediate, lead to branched structures (2-alkyl alcohols) (Fig. 4.21) - the Guerbet alcohols. Starting with fatty alcohols from vegetable sources, such as octanol and decanol, the corresponding C1(, and C2o alcohols are produced (2-hexyldecanol and 2-octyldecanol, respectively). The reaction is carried out under alkali catalysis and high temperatures (>200 °C). Over the years, both products have proven to be efficient emollients, but are also used for other applications, such as plasticizers or components for lubricants (Fig. 4.21). 

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) show large potential applications as diesel substitutes, also known as biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel fuel as renewable energy is an alternative that can reduce energy dependence on petroleum as well as air pollution. Several processes for the production of biodiesel fuel have been developed. Transesterification processes under alkali catalysis with short-chain alcohols give high yields of methyl esters in short reaction times. We investigated transesterification of rapeseed oil to produce the FAMEs. Experimental reaction conditions were molar ratio of oil to alcohol, concentration of catalyst, type of catalyst, reaction time, and temperature. The conversion ratio of rapeseed oil was enhanced by the alcohohoil mixing ratio and the reaction temperature. 

The transesterification reaction is usually conducted with alkali catalysts (sodium or potassium hydroxide or methoxide). Alkali catalysis is much more rapid than acid catalysis in the transesterification reaction (Canakci Van Gerpen, 1999 Freedman... 

Increasing the yields of the desirable acids produced from the thermochemical, alkaline degradation of polysaccharides will require additional understanding of the reaction mechanisms and kinetics involved. Additional research should also proceed to determine the effect of other bases and supplementation of alkali catalysis by other catalytic materials. 

The problems caused by high free fatty acid content in low quality oils, which may cause interference in biodiesel production using alkali catalysts, could be overcome using an acid-catalyzed process. However, acid catalysis has shown some inconveniences, such aslower yields than thosereached by alkali catalysis, need of high temperatures and more corrosiveness than other processes (Meher et al., 2006 Akoh et al., 2007). 

Two Steps Acid Catalysis Followed by Alkali Catalysis ... 

Base catalysis is most effective with alkali metals dispersed on solid supports or, in the homogeneous form, as aldoxides, amides, and so on. Small amounts of promoters form organoalkali comnpounds that really contribute the catalytic power. Basic ion exchange resins also are usebil. Base-catalyzed processes include isomerization and oligomerization of olefins, reactions of olefins with aromatics, and hydrogenation of polynuclear aromatics. 

Lewis acids are defined as molecules that act as electron-pair acceptors. The proton is an important special case, but many other species can play an important role in the catalysis of organic reactions. The most important in organic reactions are metal cations and covalent compounds of metals. Metal cations that play prominent roles as catalysts include the alkali-metal monocations Li+, Na+, K+, Cs+, and Rb+, divalent ions such as Mg +, Ca +, and Zn, marry of the transition-metal cations, and certain lanthanides. The most commonly employed of the covalent compounds include boron trifluoride, aluminum chloride, titanium tetrachloride, and tin tetrachloride. Various other derivatives of boron, aluminum, and titanium also are employed as Lewis acid catalysts. 

The reaction can be performed with base catalysis as well as acid catalysis. The former is more common here the enolizable carbonyl compound 1 is depro-tonated at the a-carbon by base (e.g. alkali hydroxide) to give the enolate anion 5, which is stabilized by resonance ... 

The performance of VASP for alloys and compounds has been illustrated at three examples The calculation of the properties of cobalt dislicide demonstrates that even for a transition-metal compound perfect agreement with all-electron calculations may be achieved at much lower computational effort, and that elastic and dynamic properties may be predicted accurately even for metallic systems with rather long-range interactions. Applications to surface-problems have been described at the example of the. 3C-SiC(100) surface. Surface physics and catalysis will be a. particularly important field for the application of VASP, recent work extends to processes as complex as the adsorption of thiopene molecules on the surface of transition-metal sulfides[55]. Finally, the efficiciency of VASP for studying complex melts has been illustrate for crystalline and molten Zintl-phases of alkali-group V alloys. 

These oxidants have been used rarely. The kinetics of periodate oxidation of sulphoxides have been studied119,124. In an acid medium the reaction proceeds without catalysis but in alkali a catalyst such as an osmium(VIII) or ruthenium(III) salt is required124. Iodosylbenzene derivatives have also been used for the oxidation of sulphoxides to the sulphone level94,125 (equation 39). In order to use this reaction for the synthesis of sulphones, a ruthenium(III) complex should be used as a catalyst thus quantitative yields are obtained at room temperature in a few minutes. However, column chromatography is required to separate the sulphone from the other products of the reaction. 

Acid anhydride-diol reaction, 65 Acid anhydride-epoxy reaction, 85 Acid binders, 155, 157 Acid catalysis, of PET, 548-549 Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of nylon-6, 567-568 of nylon-6,6, 568 Acid chloride, poly(p-benzamide) synthesis from, 188-189 Acid chloride-alcohol reaction, 75-77 Acid chloride-alkali metal diphenol salt interfacial reactions, 77 Acid chloride polymerization, of polyamides, 155-157 Acid chloride-terminated polyesters, reaction with hydroxy-terminated polyethers, 89 Acid-etch tests, 245 Acid number, 94 Acidolysis, 74 of nylon-6,6, 568... 

R.M. Lambert, F. Williams, A. Palermo, and M.S. Tikhov, Modelling alkali promotion in heterogeneous catalysis in situ electrochemical control of catalytic reactions, Topics in Catalysis 13, 91-98 (2000). 

The reaction between acyl halides and alcohols or phenols is the best general method for the preparation of carboxylic esters. It is believed to proceed by a 8 2 mechanism. As with 10-8, the mechanism can be S l or tetrahedral. Pyridine catalyzes the reaction by the nucleophilic catalysis route (see 10-9). The reaction is of wide scope, and many functional groups do not interfere. A base is frequently added to combine with the HX formed. When aqueous alkali is used, this is called the Schotten-Baumann procedure, but pyridine is also frequently used. Both R and R may be primary, secondary, or tertiary alkyl or aryl. Enolic esters can also be prepared by this method, though C-acylation competes in these cases. In difficult cases, especially with hindered acids or tertiary R, the alkoxide can be used instead of the alcohol. Activated alumina has also been used as a catalyst, for tertiary R. Thallium salts of phenols give very high yields of phenolic esters. Phase-transfer catalysis has been used for hindered phenols. Zinc has been used to couple... 

Sulfonyl chlorides as well as esters and amides of sulfonic acids can be hydrolyzed to the corresponding acids. Sulfonyl chlorides can by hydrolyzed with water or with an alcohol in the absence of acid or base. Basic catalysis is also used, though of course the salt is the product obtained. Esters are readily hydrolyzed, many with water or dilute alkali. This is the same reaction as 10-4, and usually involves R —0 cleavage, except when R is aryl. However, in some cases retention of configuration... 

The alkali-catalysed methanolysis of poly(2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyljpropane carbonate) (PC) in a mixture of methanol (MeOH) and toluene or dioxane was studied. The treatment of PC in meOH, with a catalytic amount of sodium hydroxide, yielded only 7% bisphenol A. Using a mixed solvent of MeOH and toluene completely depolymerised PC to give 96% free bisphenol A in solid form and dimethyl carbonate in solution. The eharaeteristies of the catalysis are discussed together with the pseudo-first rate kinetics of the depolymerisation. The reaetion eonditions were investigated to facilitate the reeyeling of PC plasties. 17 refs. 

Generally, the above transesterification reactions are catalyzed by strong acids or alkalis [1, 2]. In the homogeneous catalytic process by acids or alkalis, neutralization is required of the product. This post-treatment produces waste water, and increases equipment investment and production cost. Recently, more attention has been paid to the heterogeneous catalysis process [3] for an easier production process and to reduce pollution of the environment. 

Filaments are usually refractory metals such as tungsten or iridium, which can sustain high temperatures for a long time (T > 3000 K). The lifetime of filaments for electron sources can be prolonged substantially if an adsorbate can be introduced that lowers the work function on the surface so that it may be operated at lower temperature. Thorium fulfills this function by being partly ionized, donating electrons to the filament, which results in a dipole layer that reduces the work function of the tungsten. In catalysis, alkali metals are used to modify the effect of the work function of metals, as we will see later. 

Figure 9.19. Secondary-ion mass spectrum of a promoted Fe-Sb oxide catalyst used for the selective oxidation of propylene and ammonia to acrylonitrile, showing the presence of Si, Cu, and Mo along with traces of alkali in the catalyst. [Reproduced from J.W. Niemantsverdriet, Spectres-200 gpy jfj Catalysis, 2" Edn.

Acidification with trichloracetic acid catalyses oxidation , the fractional increase in the rate coefficient per mole of acid added, viz. Ak/ko)/[sicid], being of the order of two. Strong catalysis by alkali metal acetates has been observed for several oxidations, e.g. of m-cyclohexane-l,2-diol °, formic acid , methyl mannoside and galactoside and several a-hydroxycarboxylic acids °. 

Treatment of pre-dried natural starting materials with compressed gases (propane and/or butane) and organic solvents to facilitate complete extraction Heating pre-treated lutein-containing material in mixture of aqueous solution, alkali hydroxide, and dimethyl sulfoxide/organic solvent under catalysis at 50 to 120 C... 

One ofthe main reasons for the catalysis of reactions represented by Equations (2)-(4) is based on the fact that there was no j ellification ofthe solutions with biopolymers in the neutral region after a month. When the processes could also proceed with the addition of an acid or alkali in the absence of biopolymers, one could observe a drastic acceleration. The gelation time could be decreased from hours to a few minutes once polysaccharides and proteins were added. 

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