Homogeneous biphasic systems

In the homogeneous Dimersol process, the olefin conversion is highly dependent on the initial concentration of monomers in the feedstock, which limits the applicability of the process. The biphasic system is able to overcome this limitation and promotes the dimerization of feedstock poorly concentrated in olefinic monomer. 

The application of this biphasic system to the asymmetric oxidation of arylmethylsulfides [9] did not lead to such successful results. Conversions (78-100%) and selectivities to sulfoxide (88-99%) were excellent, much better in general than in homogeneous phase, but enantioselectivities were always very low (up to 17% ee). 

Excellent enantioselectivities have been observed for hydrogenations both in homogeneous solutions (alcohols in water) and in biphasic systems. The effect of water on enantioselectivity varies from system to system in some cases the ee value increases with increasing water concentration—... 

The term Supported Ionic Liquid Phase (SILP) catalysis has recently been introduced into the literature to describe the heterogenisation of a homogeneous catalyst system by confining an ionic liquid solution of catalytically active complexes on a solid support [68], In comparison to the conventional liquid-liquid biphasic catalysis in organic-ionic liquid mixtures, the concept of SILP-catalysis offers very efficient use of the ionic liquid. Figure 7.10 exemplifies the concept for the Rh-catalysed hydroformylation. 

A wide variety of new approaches to the problem of product separation in homogeneous catalysis has been discussed in the preceding chapters. Few of the new approaches has so far been commercialised, with the exceptions of a the use of aqueous biphasic systems for propene hydroformylation (Chapter 5) and the use of a phosphonium based ionic liquid for the Lewis acid catalysed isomerisation of butadiene monoxide to dihydrofuran (see Equation 9.1). This process has been operated by Eastman for the last 8 years without any loss or replenishment of ionic liquid [1], It has the advantage that the product is sufficiently volatile to be distilled from the reactor at the reaction temperature so the process can be run continuously with built in product catalyst separation. Production of lower volatility products by such a process would be more problematic. A side reaction leads to the conversion of butadiene oxide to high molecular weight oligomers. The ionic liquid has been designed to facilitate their separation from the catalyst (see Section 9.7)... 

The hydrogenation of arenes is industrially important, but so far has been dominated by the use of heterogeneous catalysts. In principle, ionic liquids offer the chance to use a liquid-liquid biphasic system where the homogeneous catalyst is immobilized and the ionic catalyst solution is reusable. 

Table 41.17 Comparative hydrogenation studies using supported ionic liquid catalysts, biphasic catalyst systems and the classical homogeneous catalyst systems [116].a) ... 

This polymeric phase simultaneously heterogenizes the transition-metal complex and the ionic liquid, so that the catalyst is fully recyclable. The SILP-cata-lyst was less active than the homogeneous reference system, but clearly more active than the biphasic system (Table 41.18). 

Certain solvents are essentially immiscible at low temperature, but on heating, their relative solubility increases until they form a single phase. Such a biphasic system allows reactions to be conducted in single phase under homogeneous... 

Before discussing the kinetics of reactions in biphasic systems, the basics of kinetics in homogeneous reactions will be briefly revised. In all systems, the rate of a reaction corresponds to the amount of reactant that will be converted to product over a given time. The rate usually refers to the overall or net rate of the reaction, which is a result of the contributions of the forward and reverse reaction considered together. For example, consider the isomerization of -butane to Ao-butane shown in Scheme 2.1. 

As for the rate of diffusion, the equilibrium constant for a reaction in a biphasic system is not determined by the overall concentration of each reagent, but by their concentrations in the reaction phase. In some cases this can drive the forward reaction to completion, and in other cases it can be inhibitory, depending on the relative concentrations of the reactants and products. In model 1, where the reaction takes place at the phase boundary, the effective concentration of the reactants and products will be that in phase 1, and assuming each has an equivalent solubility, the equilibrium position will approach that of a homogeneous system. Where the reaction takes place in the bulk solvent, as in model 2, the equilibrium position is very much dependent on the solubility of the reagents in phase 2. For example, if the product is less soluble in phase 2 than the reactant, as the product is formed it will diffuse back into phase 1, reducing its concentration in phase 2 where the reaction is occurring and therefore the reaction will... 

In a homogeneous system, the rate of diffusion in the system can be directly related to the rate of the reaction as it governs the number of times the catalyst will interact with the reactants over a set time. In a biphasic system, diffusion still affects the rate of reaction, as this is dependent on the catalyst and reactants meeting. However, the rate of diffusion also affects the time it takes for the reactants to reach the place where the reaction takes place. How diffusion affects rate depends on the catalytic turnover. 

CO oxidation, 38 236 differential heat of adsorption, 38 217 Biphasic systems, catalysis see Multiphase homogeneous catalysis BiPMo catalysts, 34 39 in formamide to nitrile reaction, 34 39 Bi-postdosing thermal desorption spectroscopy cyclohexene, 42 240... 

As a polar solvent for the catalyst ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC) and acetonitrile were used. Tricyclohexylphosphine, triphenyl-phosphine and the monosulfonated triphenylphosphine (TPPMS) were investigated as ligands with Pd(acac)2 as the precursor. Cyclohexane, dodecane, p-xylene and alcohols (1-octanol, 2-octanol and 1-dodecanol) were tested as non-polar solvents for the product. To determine the distribution of the product and of the catalyst, the palladium precursor and the hgand were dissolved in the polar solvent and twice as much of the non-polar solvent was added. After the addition of 5-lactone, the amounts of the product in both phases was determined by gas chromatography. The product is not soluble in cyclohexane and dodecane, more than 99% of it can be found in the polar catalyst phase. With the alcohols 1-octanol, 2-octanol and dodecanol about 50 to 60% of the 5-lactone are located in the non-polar phase. With p-xylene biphasic systems can only be achieved when EC is used as the polar solvent and even in this solvent system one homogeneous phase is formed at a temperature higher than 70 °C. In a 1 1 mixture of EC and p-xylene about 50 to 60% of the product is contained in the polar phase. 

The results of this analysis of the product and catalyst distribution show that only a limited range of systems may be apphcable for the telomeriza-tion of butadiene and carbon dioxide. The reaction was performed in the biphasic systems EC/2-octanol, EC/cyclohexane and EC/p-xylene. The yield of 5-lactone reached only 3% after a reaction time of 4 hours at 80 °C. hi the solvent system EC/2-octanol triphenylphosphine was used as the hgand. With the ligand bisadamantyl-n-butyl-phosphine even lower yields were achieved in a single-phase reaction in EC or in the biphasic system EC/cyclohexane. The use of tricyclohexylphosphine led to a similar result, only 1% of the desired product was obtained in the solvent system EC/p-xylene, which forms one homogeneous phase at the reaction temperature of 80 °C. Even at a higher temperature of 100 °C and a longer reaction time of 20 hours no improvement could be observed. Therefore, we turned our interest to another telomerization-type process. 

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