Catalysts reductive carbonylation

Reductive carbonylation of nitro compounds is catalyzed by various Pd catalysts. Phenyl isocyanate (93) is produced by the PdCl2-catalyzed reductive carbonylation (deoxygenation) of nitrobenzene with CO, probably via nitrene formation. Extensive studies have been carried out to develop the phosgene-free commercial process for phenyl isocyanate production from nitroben-zene[76]. Effects of various additives such as phenanthroline have been stu-died[77-79]. The co-catalysts of montmorillonite-bipyridylpalladium acetate and Ru3(CO) 2 are used for the reductive carbonylation oLnitroarenes[80,81]. Extensive studies on the reaction in alcohol to form the A -phenylurethane 94 have also been carried out[82-87]. Reaction of nitrobenzene with CO in the presence of aniline affords diphenylurea (95)[88]. 

Attempts have been made to develop methods for the production of aromatic isocyanates without the use of phosgene. None of these processes is currently in commercial use. Processes based on the reaction of carbon monoxide with aromatic nitro compounds have been examined extensively (23,27,76). The reductive carbonylation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene [121 -14-2] to toluene 2,4-diaLkylcarbamates is reported to occur in high yield at reaction temperatures of 140—180°C under 6900 kPa (1000 psi) of carbon monoxide. The resultant carbamate product distribution is noted to be a strong function of the alcohol used. Mitsui-Toatsu and Arco have disclosed a two-step reductive carbonylation process based on a cost effective selenium catalyst (22,23). 

Reduction of sulfur dioxide by methane is the basis of an Allied process for converting by-product sulfur dioxide to sulfur (232). The reaction is carried out in the gas phase over a catalyst. Reduction of sulfur dioxide to sulfur by carbon in the form of coal has been developed as the Resox process (233). The reduction, which is conducted at 550—800°C, appears to be promoted by the simultaneous reaction of the coal with steam. The reduction of sulfur dioxide by carbon monoxide tends to give carbonyl sulfide [463-58-1] rather than sulfur over cobalt molybdate, but special catalysts, eg, lanthanum titanate, have the abiUty to direct the reaction toward producing sulfur (234). 

High yields of optically active cyanohydrins have been prepared from hydrogen cyanide and carbonyl compounds using an enzyme as catalyst. Reduction of these optically active cyanohydrins with lithium aluminum hydride in ether affords the corresponding substituted, optically active ethanolamine (5) (see Alkanolamines). 

Pd/Al203-FeCl3, and Ce-Pd/Al203-FeCl3 catalysts exhibit activity for the synthesis of ethylphenylcarbamate from the reductive carbonylation of nitrobenzene with ethanol at 453 K and 2.07 - 2.93 MPa. The advantage of the use of Al203-supported Pd catalyst is the easy of catalyst recovery form the reactants/product mixture. 

The reductive carbonylation has an advantage of low feedstock cost. A wide range of homogenous metal complexes have been tested for both reactions (1-16). The major drawback of the use of metal complex catalysts is the difficulty of catalyst recovery and purification of the reaction products (12). In addition, the gaseous reactants have to be dissolved in the alcohol/amine mixture in order to have an access to the catalyst. The reaction is limited by the solubility of the gaseous CO and 02 reactants in the liquid alcohol reactant (17). 

We have demonstrated that supported Pd and Cu catalysts are effective in catalyzing the oxidative carbonylation at low pressure reaction condition and the supported metal catalysts can be easily separated from the product mixture in both fixed bed and slurry phase reactors (12,17). The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using Al203-supported Pd catalysts for catalyzing the reductive carbonylation of nitrobenzene with ethanol. 

Rh(CO)2(acac)(dppp)] as a catalyst (where acac = acetylacetonate) gives high rates (100-200 turnovers h 1) and selectivities in the reductive carbonylation of methanol to acetaldehyde comparable to the best Co catalysts, but at a much lower temperature (140 °Q and pressure... 

Rhodium compounds have also been used as catalysts since the late 1960s and mechanistic studies date from the 1970s.534,578-582 The binuclear rhodium complex [(Ph3P)4Rh2(//-OH)2] was found to be an effective catalyst for the reductive carbonylation of nitrobenzenes to carbamate esters. Electron-withdrawing groups at the para-position enhance the reactivity of the substrate.583... 

Ironcarbonyl induces a similar reductive carbonylation of 150 with sodium methoxide [85], A catalytic cycle is formed by using CoCl2 and Ni(CN)2 as catalysts under phase-transfer conditions [86]. 

Reductive carbonylation of isopropylallylamine catalyzed by RhCb.aq or [RhCl(CO)(PPh3)2] in aqueous tetrahydrofuran afforded the corresponding y-lactam (Scheme 5.9) [31]. With the former catalyst at 91 % conversion 75 % lactam yield was observed. PPh3 and 1,2-, 1,3- and 1,4-diphosphines all led to somewhat higher conversions (95-100 %) but to diminished yield of the y-lactam product (45-61 %). 

Acetaldehyde is obtained from the reaction of synthesis gas with methanol, methyl ketals or methyl esters. The reactions are carried out with an iodide-promoted Co catalyst at 180-200 °C and 2000-5000 psig. In comparing the various feedstocks, the best overall process to make acetaldehyde involves the reductive carbonylation of methyl esters. In this case, acetaldehyde selec-tivities are > 95% ut acceptable rates and conversion. 

The overall response to the reaction variables is very similar in the carbonylation and reductive carbonylation reactions. This may indicate similar catalysts and reaction mechanisms. In the carbonylation reaction Co(CO) " was identified by its characteristic CO stretching frequency ( v(CO) r 1890 cm" as the dominant species present in high pressure infrared experiments carried out at 170 °C and 5000 psig. Similar results were obtained in the reductive carbonylation of methanol. It is known that Co(CO) " rapidly reacts with CH I to yield CH C(0)Co(C0) (J9) however, in the carbonylation and reductive carbonylation reactions acyl-cobalt complexes are not observed by infrared under catalytic conditions. This indicates that once formed, the acyl complex rapidly reacts as outlined by Equations 7 and 8. 

Relative to the reductive carbonylation of methanol, the added recycle step is a disadvantage with dimethyl ketals. This disadvantage is offset by the lower pressure of operation and the noncorrosive halide-free catalyst, which permits cheaper materials of construction. 

Concurrent with acetic anhydride formation is the reduction of the metal-acyl species selectively to acetaldehyde. Unlike many other soluble metal catalysts (e.g. Co, Ru), no further reduction of the aldehyde to ethanol occurs. The mechanism of acetaldehyde formation in this process is likely identical to the conversion of alkyl halides to aldehydes with one additional carbon catalyzed by palladium (equation 14) (18). This reaction occurs with CO/H2 utilizing Pd(PPh )2Cl2 as a catalyst precursor. The suggested catalytic species is (PPh3)2 Pd(CO) (18). This reaction is likely occurring in the reductive carbonylation of methyl acetate, with methyl iodide (i.e. RX) being continuously generated. 

In addition to the successful reductive carbonylation systems utilizing the rhodium or palladium catalysts described above, a nonnoble metal system has been developed (27). When methyl acetate or dimethyl ether was treated with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of an iodide compound, a trivalent phosphorous or nitrogen promoter, and a nickel-molybdenum or nickel-tungsten catalyst, EDA was formed. The catalytst is generated in the reaction mixture by addition of appropriate metallic complexes, such as 5 1 combination of bis(triphenylphosphine)-nickel dicarbonyl to molybdenum carbonyl. These same catalyst systems have proven effective as a rhodium replacement in methyl acetate carbonylations (28). Though the rates of EDA formation are slower than with the noble metals, the major advantage is the relative inexpense of catalytic materials. Chemistry virtually identical to noble-metal catalysis probably occurs since reaction profiles are very similar by products include acetic anhydride, acetaldehyde, and methane, with ethanol in trace quantities. 

Reductive Carbonylation of Methanol. As discussed earlier, rhodium based catalysts are capable of catalyzing the reductive carbonylation of methyl acetate to ethylidene diacetate ( 1), as well as the carbonylation of methyl acetate to acetic anhydride (16). These reaction proceed only, wjjen, tjie reaction environment... 

Halcon has developed a new non-noble metal catalyst for methanol reductive carbonylation (32). It is formed under more moderate conditions (1200 psi, 120 C) and permits a selective reaction at only 1200-1800 psi of reaction pressure. Under these conditions, the catalyst s activity is comparable with noble metal catalyzed carbonylations. The conversion rate is 1.5-3.0 mol/l.hr. and acetaldehyde selectivity is 85%. In concentrated solutions, a considerable portion of product acetaldehyde (20-40%) is converted to its acetal. The acetal can be readily hydrolyzed back to acetaldehyde at 100-150 without catalyst (33). Acetal formation is actually beneficial through prevention of undesirable acetaldehyde condensation reactions. 

In this reaction, the initially introduced Se02, insoluble in organic solvent, is converted to soluble SeCO by CO (30 atm) under reflux in toluene, which is the active catalyst for the reductive carbonylation of nitrobenzene or nitropyridine. The metallic selenium (insoluble) is also converted to SeO under CO pressure. After completion of the reaction, soluble selenium catalyst solution was readily recovered by simple filtration and reused. The recovered catalyst solution was used for five cycles without loss of activity. 

Attempted reductive carbonylation of bromobenzene with CO/H2 or with CO/HCOONa in the presence of a Pd/tppts catalyst failed to afford any benzaldehyde 464... 

Rhodium(II) acetate catalyzes C—H insertion, olefin addition, heteroatom-H insertion, and ylide formation of a-diazocarbonyls via a rhodium carbenoid species (144—147). Intramolecular cyclopentane formation via C—H insertion occurs with retention of stereochemistry (143). Chiral rhodium (TT) carboxamides catalyze enantioselective cyclopropanation and intramolecular C—N insertions of CC-diazoketones (148). Other reactions catalyzed by rhodium complexes include double-bond migration (140), hydrogenation of aromatic aldehydes and ketones to hydrocarbons (150), homologation of esters (151), carbonylation of formaldehyde (152) and amines (140), reductive carbonylation of dimethyl ether or methyl acetate to 1,1-diacetoxy ethane (153), decarbonylation of aldehydes (140), water gas shift reaction (69,154), C—C skeletal rearrangements (132,140), oxidation of olefins to ketones (155) and aldehydes (156), and oxidation of substituted anthracenes to anthraquinones (157). Rhodium-catalyzed hydrosilation of olefins, alkynes, carbonyls, alcohols, and imines is facile and may also be accomplished enantioselectively (140). Rhodium complexes are moderately active alkene and alkyne polymerization catalysts (140). In some cases polymer-supported versions of homogeneous rhodium catalysts have improved activity, compared to their homogenous counterparts. This is the case for the conversion of alkenes direcdy to alcohols under oxo conditions by rhodium—amine polymer catalysts... 

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