Catalyst systems reactivity patterns

Reagents with carbonyl type groupings exhibit a or (if n. S-unsaturated) a properties. In the presence of acidic or basic catalysts they may react as enol type electron donors (d or d reagents). This reactivity pattern is considered as normal . It allows, for example, syntheses of 1,3- and 1,5-difunctionaI systems via aldol type (a -H d or Michael type (a + d additions. 

TABLE 1.11 Reactivity patterns of various catalyst systems... 

Due in large part to the development of ruthenium catalysts, olefin metathesis reactions can now be carried out on a diverse array of functionalized electron-rich and electron-poor olefins. As we have described, mechanistic analysis was instrumental in the design of more highly active second generation catalysts with expanded substrate scope, which was achieved by proper differentiation of the two L-type ligands within the (L)2(X)2Ru=CHR framework. Further investigations have revealed that these new catalysts display several unexpected features, and mechanistic analysis continues to be an invaluable tool for understanding reactivity patterns and for the development of new catalyst systems. 

Biomimetic studies usually have one of three objectives (a) to reproduce in a synthetic system the reactivity pattern theretofore observed only in an enzyme, (b) to design useful synthetic catalysts based on the principles learned from studying the corresponding enzyme(s), and (c) to better understand the mechanism and structure/activity relationship of an enzymatic catalytic site by studying aproperly designed biomimetic analog. 

The lure of new physical phenomena and new patterns of chemical reactivity has driven a tremendous surge in the study of nanoscale materials. This activity spans many areas of chemistry. In the specific field of electrochemistry, much of the activity has focused on several areas (a) electrocatalysis with nanoparticles (NPs) of metals supported on various substrates, for example, fuel-cell catalysts comprising Pt or Ag NPs supported on carbon [1,2], (b) the fundamental electrochemical behavior of NPs of noble metals, for example, quantized double-layer charging of thiol-capped Au NPs [3-5], (c) the electrochemical and photoelectrochemical behavior of semiconductor NPs [4, 6-8], and (d) biosensor applications of nanoparticles [9, 10]. These topics have received much attention, and relatively recent reviews of these areas are cited. Considerably less has been reported on the fundamental electrochemical behavior of electroactive NPs that do not fall within these categories. In particular, work is only beginning in the area of the electrochemistry of discrete, electroactive NPs. That is the topic of this review, which discusses the synthesis, interfacial immobilization and electrochemical behavior of electroactive NPs. The review is not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of the area, but rather to give a flavor of the types of systems that have been examined and the types of phenomena that can influence the electrochemical behavior of electroactive NPs. 

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