Alkanes formation

Alkanes are formed when the radical intermediate abstracts hydrogen from solvent faster than it is oxidized to the carbocation. This reductive step is promoted by good hydrogen donor solvents. It is also more prevalent for primary alkyl radicals because of the higher activation energy associated with formation of primary carbocations. The most favorable conditions for alkane formation involve photochemical decomposition of the carboxylic acid in chloroform, which is a relatively good hydrogen donor. 

The substitution of trialkylphosphine for carbon monoxide also makes the metal-hydrogen bond more hydridic in character and results in increased reduction of the initially formed aldehyde to alcohol. Slaugh and Mullineaux (52) compared Co2(CO)g and [Co2(CO)8 + 2PBu3], each at reaction conditions of 150°C, 500 psi, H2/CO I.0, for the hydroformylation of 1-pentene. The products consisted of hexyl aldehydes and hexyl alcohols in the ratios of 95 5 and 30 70, respectively. In a negative aspect of the reaction, they observed 23% hydrogenation of alkene to alkane at a reaction temperature of 195°C with the phosphine-modified catalyst. Tucci (54) reported less alkane formation (4-5%) under more favorable reaction conditions (I60°C, H2/CO 1.2, 1 hour reaction time). 

The alkene inserts either in the metal hydride bond or in the metal silyl bond. The latter reaction leads to alkenylsilyl side products and also alkane formation may occur. Similar reactions have been observed for hydroboration, the addition of R2BH to alkenes. (R2 may be the catechol dianion). 

Some ketones 70, 72, 73 and 75 gave low yields most likely due to low solubility in aqueous solution and small binding constants of the inclusion complexes. It is important to note that double bonds were not reduced in compounds 68-70 and styrene could be stirred at 50°C for three days in the presence of the catalyst without alkane formation, i.e., the reaction proceeds completely chemoselective. This is also valid for the a- and P-ketoesters 76-79, though for these substrates the enantioselectivities are low (Fig. 23). 

Photochemistry and Radiation Chemistry of Liquid Alkanes Formation and Decay of Low-Energy Excited States... 

One of the primary reactions of ionizing radiation with saturated fatty acids is decarboxylation and alkane formation (2). Dimers tend to be produced by reaction of ionizing radiation with unsaturated fatty acids (2). When meats are irradiated C -C 7 n-alkanes, C2-C17 n-alkenes, and C4-Cg iso-alkanes are the predominant products from the lipid fraction (10), Irradiation of the lipoprotein fraction of meat results in the formation of the following volatile compounds Ci-C 7 n-alkanes, C2-C1J n-alkenes, dimethyl sulfide, benzene, and toluene (10). 

SCHEME 4. The mechanism for alkane formation in a Grignard reaction... 

Solutions of ruthenium carbonyl complexes in acetic acid solvent under 340 atm of 1 1 H2/CO are stable at temperatures up to about 265°C (166). Reactions at higher temperatures can lead to the precipitation of ruthenium metal and the formation of hydrocarbon products. Bradley has found that soluble ruthenium carbonyl complexes are unstable toward metallization at 271°C under 272 atm of 3 2 H2/CO [109 atm CO partial pressure (165)]. Solutions under these conditions form both methanol and alkanes, products of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, respectively. Reactions followed with time exhibited an increasing rate of alkane formation corresponding to the decreasing concentration of soluble ruthenium and methanol formation rate. Nevertheless, solutions at temperatures as high as 290°C appear to be stable under 1300 atm of 3 2 H2/CO. 

Alkene and alkane formation was suggested to take place through p cleavage and subsequent hydrogenation [Eq. (3.17)] chain branching involves the reaction of 1 with a half-hydrogenated intermediate [Eq. (3.18)] ... 

A further possibility to interpret cis addition is the so-called cA-concerted mechanism74,145. It assumes that the addition of the two hydrogen atoms takes place in a single step in a concerted fashion on a single 3M site possessing three coordinative unsaturations. The transfer of the two hydrogens to the double bond through a concerted process, where the interaction with the catalyst removes the symmetry restrictions imposed by the Woodward-Hoffman rales, leads directly to alkane formation. 

Moreover, the difference also indicates that the rate of the termination reaction by aldehyde formation on the CO surface is low compared with those of alkene or alkane formation. Maitlis and Zanotti (63) arrived at a similar conclusion after reviewing experimental and computational results. 

Mechanistically, alkane formation could be occurring via several pathways. 

Massie, of UOP, found an influence of C02 on hydroformylation. In the presence of carbon dioxide and a common Co complex catalyst, a decreased alkane formation and an increased alcohol formation were observed [306]. 

Another widely used decarboxylation procedure involves the use of lead tetraacetate. Depending on the nature of the substrate and the reaction conditions, this reagent may transform a carboxylic acid into an alkane or alkene, or into the respective acetoxy derivative (Scheme 2.144). The most favorable conditions for alkane formation utilize a good hydrogen donor as the solvent. Usually this transformation is carried out as a photochemically induced oxidative decarboxylation in chloroform solution, as is exemplified in the conversion of cyclobutanecarboxylic acid in cyclobutane.In contrast, the predominant formation of alkenes occurs in the presence of co-oxidants such as copper acetate. ... 

Racemization. Optically active 1-bromo-l-methyl-2,2-diphenylcy-clopropane, l-iodo-l-methyl-2,2-diphenylcyclopropane, and l-bromo-2,2-diphenylcyclopropane carboxylic acid were prepared to study the mechanism of alkane formation by hydrido complex. While the first two substrates could not be reduced, the a-bromo acid absorbed 87 mole % of hydrogen, being converted into optically inactive acid (Reaction 18). A sample of the optically active acid retained its configuration under reaction conditions, indicating that a symmetrical intermediate was formed at some stage of the reduction. 

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