Chromium, separation using supported

The use of chiral esters as 2tx-substrates permit the production of diastereomer-ically enriched cycloadducts. For example, the menthyl ester 48 was obtained as a 4 ldiastereomeric mixture. The most intriguing feature of polystyrene-bound catalyst 46 is the fact that it can be removed from the reaction mixture by simple filtration and repeatedly reused. This means that the two basic problems of homogeneous catalysis, separation and recycling of the catalyst, can be solved by using the solid-supported complex 46. Additionally, the environmental problems associated with chromium can also be effectively eliminated. 

The oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds is a fundamental reaction that has synthetic and chemical importance. Using chromium-based catalysts, researchers have developed several catalysts that have impacted alcohol oxidation reactions. Recently, homogeneous catalysts have had problems with catalyst/product separation and suffer from poor catalyst recyclability. Therefore, the quest for a resolution to this problem has led researchers to scaffold salen complexes onto a silica-based material such as MCM-41. Zhou et al. used an ion-exchangeable, layered polysiloxane support to immobili.se their sulfonato-(salen)Cr(m) complex. They reacted benzyl alcohol, cyclo-hexanol and -hexanol with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant in an ionic liquid at 40 °C. Several ionic liquids were investigated [BMImX (BMIm = 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium X =PF6, BF4, NOs")] and compared for each substrate. 

Several green and sustainable chemistry concepts are supported by the use of this reaction. The first is the use a chromium complex immobilised on a silica support to give a heterogeneous catalyst for easier recyclability and separation from the product mixture. Moreover, the use of ionic liquids is favourable for catalyst recyclability. The chemical nature of the catalyst possessing ionic or polar properties can fix the catalyst in the ionic liquids... 

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