Mechanisms alkane carboxylation

Scheme 2.9 Alkane carboxylation with CO and K2S20g, in TFA (a) General reaction [12, 15, 52-60] and (b) proposed mechanism for...

If the reaction just described is conducted in the presence of a suitable hydrogen atom donor such as tri-n-butyltin hydride or tert-butyl hydrosulfide, reductive decarboxylation occurs via a radical chain mechanism to give an alkane (see 125—>128, Scheme 24). Carboxylic acids can thus be decarboxylated through the intermediacy of their corresponding thiohydroxamate esters in two easily executed steps. In this reducjtive process, one carbon atom, the carbonyl carbon, is smoothly excised... 

The reagent titanocene dichloride reduces carboxylic esters in a different manner from that of 10-86, 19-36, or 19-38. The products are the alkane RCH3 and the alcohol R OH. The mechanism probably involves an alkene intermediate. Aromatic acids can be reduced to methylbenzenes by a procedure involving refluxing first with trichlorosilane in MeCN, then with tripropylamine added, and finally with KOH and MeOH (after removal of the MeCN). The following sequence has been suggested ... 

Carboxylic acids are oxidized by lead tetraacetate. Decarboxylation occurs and the product may be an alkene, alkane or acetate ester, or under modified conditions a halide. A free radical mechanism operates and the product composition depends on the fate of the radical intermediate.267 The reaction is catalyzed by cupric salts, which function by oxidizing the intermediate radical to a carbocation (Step 3b in the mechanism). Cu(II) is more reactive than Pb(OAc)4 in this step. 

CIS-[Ru(H20)2(dinso) ] is made from as-RuClj(dmso) and Ag(BF ) in aq. EtOH. The system c/s-[Ru(H20)j(dmso) ] Vaq. Na(ClO) or TBHP/CH Cl oxidised alkanes such as adamantane, cyclo-octane, -heptane and -hexane to the corresponding alcohols and ketones as did [Ru(Hj0) PWjj(0)3g ] . A free-radical mechanism may be involved for the TBHP oxidations, but those with (C10) probably involve oxoruthenate(VI) or oxoruthenate(IV) intermediates [823], The oxidative destruction of a-chlorinated alkenes by CM-[Ru(HjO)2(dmso) ] Vaq. Oxone /Me(CH3) jN(HSO ) MCj to carboxylic acids and ultimately to CO and HCl was reported [946],... 

The catalysis of the selective oxidation of alkanes is a commercially important process that utilizes cobalt carboxylate catalysts at elevated (165°C, 10 atm air) temperatures and pressures (98). Recently, it has been demonstrated that [Co(NCCH3)4][(PF6)2], prepared in situ from CoCl2 and AgPF6 in acetonitrile, was active in the selective oxidation of alkanes (adamantane and cyclohexane) under somewhat milder conditions (75°C, 3 atm air) (99). Further, under these milder conditions, the commercial catalyst system exhibited no measurable activity. Experiments were reported that indicated that the mechanism of the reaction involves a free radical chain mechanism in which the cobalt complex acts both as a chain initiator and as a hydroperoxide decomposition catalyst. 

The first term, representing acid-"catalyzed" hydrolysis, is important in reactions of carboxylic acid esters but is relatively unimportant in loss of phosphate triesters and is totally absent for the halogenated alkanes and alkenes. Alkaline hydrolysis, the mechanism indicated by the third term in Equation (2), dominates degradation of pentachloroethane and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, even at pH 7. Carbon tetrachloride, TCA, 2,2-dichloropropane, and other "gem" haloalkanes hydrolyze only by the neutral mechanism (Fells and Molewyn-Hughes, 1958 Molewyn-Hughes, 1953). Monohaloalkanes show alkaline hydrolysis only in basic solutions as concentrated as 0.01-1.0 molar OH- (Mabey and Mill, 1978). In fact, the terms in Equation(2) can be even more complex both elimination and substitution pathways can operate, leading to different products, and a true unimolecular process can result from initial bond breaking in the reactant molecule. 

Co(acac)3 in combination with N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) as cocatalyst mediates the aerobic oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols, to the corresponding carboxylic acids and ketones, respectively, e.g. Fig. 4.71 [205]. By analogy with other oxidations mediated by the Co/NHPI catalyst studied by Ishii and coworkers [206, 207], Fig. 4.71 probably involves a free radical mechanism. We attribute the promoting effect of NHPI to its ability to efficiently scavenge alkylperoxy radicals, suppressing the rate of termination by combination of al-kylperoxy radicals (see above for alkane oxidation). 

Brown and Walker first proposed the generally accepted mechanism of the Kolbe reaction, which involves the initial discharge of carboxylates at the anode followed by decarboxylation and subsequent combination of the resulting radicals, leading to the Kolbe dimer [3]. The radical formed may also undergo disproportionation to afford olefins and alkanes as the result of hydrogen abstraction [Eq. (6)]. Actually, olefins and alkanes are found as by-products. 

Racemization. Optically active 1-bromo-l-methyl-2,2-diphenylcy-clopropane, l-iodo-l-methyl-2,2-diphenylcyclopropane, and l-bromo-2,2-diphenylcyclopropane carboxylic acid were prepared to study the mechanism of alkane formation by hydrido complex. While the first two substrates could not be reduced, the a-bromo acid absorbed 87 mole % of hydrogen, being converted into optically inactive acid (Reaction 18). A sample of the optically active acid retained its configuration under reaction conditions, indicating that a symmetrical intermediate was formed at some stage of the reduction. 

Several interesting variations on the above radical chemistry have been described recently. One such system is copper salt catalyzed alkane oxidation by dioxygen in the presence of an aldehyde [17]. The proposed mechanism involves the initial autoxidation of the aldehyde to the corresponding peracid, which is the real oxidant for the Cu"-mediated oxidation of the alkane (eqs. (3)-(5)). The ratio of alkane oxidized to aldehyde converted is relatively low because much of the peracid formed reacts with the aldehyde to form two molecules of carboxylic acid. 

Determination of the residual antioxidant content in polymers by HPLC and MAE is one way to determine the amoimt needed for reasonable stabilization of a material, and also to compare different antioxidants and their individual efficiencies. During ageing and oxidation of PE, carboxyhc acids, dicarboxylic acids, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, n-alkanes and 1-alkenes are formed [86-89]. The carboxyhc acids are formed as a result of various reactions of alkoxy or peroxy radicals [90]. The oxidation of polyolefins is generally monitored by various analytical techniques. GC-MS analysis in combination with a selective extraction method is used to determine degradation products in plastics. ETIR enables the increase in carbonyls on a polymer chain, from carboxylic acids, dicarboxyhc acids, aldehydes, and ketones, to be monitored. It is regarded as one of the most definite spectroscopic methods for the quantification and identification of oxidation in materials, and it is used to quantify the oxidation of polymers [91-95]. Mechanical testing is a way to determine properties such as strength, stiffness and strain at break of polymeric materials. 

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