Catalytic hydrogenation electronic effects

The low yields of 6,6 -disubstituted-2,2 -bipyridincs recorded in Table I are probably the result of steric retardation of the adsorption of 2-substituted pyridines. This view is supported by the observation that 2-methylpyridine is a much weaker poison for catalytic hydrogenations than pyridine. On the other hand, the quinolines so far examined (Table II) are more reactive but with these compounds the steric effect of the fused benzene ring could be partly compensated by the additional stabilization of the adsorbed species, since the loss of resonance energy accompanying the localization of one 71-electron would be smaller in a quinoline than in a pyridine derivative. 

The hydrogenations become analogous to those involving HMn(CO)5 (see Section II,D), and to some catalyzed by HCo(CN)53 (see below). Use of bis(dimethylglyoximato)cobalt(II)-base complexes or cobaloximes(II) as catalysts (7, p. 193) has been more thoroughly studied (189, 190). Alkyl intermediates have been isolated with some activated olefinic substrates using the pyridine system, and electronic and steric effects on the catalytic hydrogenation rates have been reported (189). Mechanistic studies have appeared on the use of (pyridine)cobaloxime(II) with H2, and of (pyridine)chlorocobaloxime(III) and vitamin B12 with borohydride, for reduction of a,/3-unsaturated esters (190). Protonation of a carbanion... 

The possibility of using of aliphatic alcohols as hydrogen donors for the catalytic transfer reduction of nitro group over MgO was examined. Catalytic hydrogen transfer was found to be effective and selective method for reduction of nitrobenzene, A-nitrotoluene, A-chloronitrobenzene, 4-nitro-m-xylene, 3-nitro-styrene, 3-nitrobenzaldehyde, 1-nitropropane, and 1-nitrobutane. Conversion of starting nitro compound into desired product depended on the alcohol used as a donor. Adsorption of reactant and catalyst deactivation were studied by esr. New aspects of a role of one-electron donor sites in hydrogen transfer over MgD were demonstrated. 

The electrochemical generation of hydrogen in aqueous acid or alkaline solutions reduces unactivated alkynes 46 a b). This process is similar to catalytic hydrogenation, however, and does not involve electron transfer to the substrate. The electrochemical generation of solvated electrons in amine solvents or HMPA has also been effective in reducing these compounds 29). The focus of this section, however, is the electrolysis of these difficult to reduce alkynes and alkenes at mercury cathodes with tetraalkyl-ammonium salts as electrolytes. Specific attention is also given to competitive reductions of benzenoid aromatics and alkynes or alkenes. 

The cyclopropane chemical reactivity, which closely resembles that of an olefinic double bond, stems from the electronic properties of this three-membered carbocycle Effectively, cyclopropyl and olefinic groups interact with neighbouring 7c-electron systems and p-electron centres they both add acids, halogens and ozone, undergo catalytic hydrogenation and cycloaddition, form metal complexes, etc. 

This promotion of C=0 activation in these systems cannot be accounted neither for a geometric effect nor for an electronic effect in an SMSI-like state. Actually, this is better explained by the creation of new catalytic sites, mixed sites, very active for C=0 hydrogenation (Figure 14). However, electronic effects were also considered as operating at a second level, in Pt/ZnO catalysts, for instance [122]. Upon high-temperature reduction, Pt -Zn entities form an electron enrichment of Pt would occur, which repels the C C bond farther from the Pt surface. 

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