Metal complexes with glycols

A rhodium metal complex with polyethylene glycol modified with Pyrphos ((3/ , 4i )-3,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)-pyrrolidine) 43 was active in hydrogenation of prochiral enamides to amino acids [76]. In all the reactions, the catalysts were used in several cycles without loss of enantioselectivity or activity. 

Metal complexes prepared by reacting less than one mole of an alkan olamine with an excess of a polyhydric alcohol, such as polyethylene glycol 200—400 or glycerol, reportedly impart a greater degree of thixotropy to systems containing protective organic coUoids (501). 

Example. The Pechini method for fuel cell electrode preparation. La, Ba, Mn niU ates - - CgHgO — citrate complex - - C2FI6O2 — gel. Metal nitrates are complexed with citric acid, and then heated with ethylene glycol to form a transparent gel. This is then heated to 600 K to decompose the organic content and then to temperatures between 1000 and 1300K to produce tire oxide powder. The oxide materials prepared from the liquid metal-organic procedures usually have a more uniform particle size, and under the best circumstances, this can be less than one micron. Hence these particles are much more easily sintered at lower temperatures than for the powders produced by tire other methods. 

Polymeric pseudocrown ether networks have been generated in situ by the photopolymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate transition metal complexes <00CM633>, and the effect of metal ion templation was evaluated. The 1,6,13,18-tetraoxa[6.6]paracyclophane-3,15-diyne (termed pyxophanes) was prepared from hydroquinone and l,4-dichlorobut-2-yne it forms size-selective 7i-complexes with alkali metal cations <00CC2377>. Dibenzo[ ]crown-m have been used in numerous elegant studies in which they were the needles that were threaded by diverse reagents the resultant... 

In SL-PC, a catalyst is supported on a solid matrix in the form of the film of a nonvolatile liquid phase adsorbed on the solid. The catalytic film can be, for example, a molten salt or a molten oxide (e.g., Deacon s catalyst (CUCI2/KCI) used to oxidize HCl with oxygen for the chlorination of ethylene in the synthesis of vinyl chloride. Figure 6.1 V2O5 for the oxidation of sulphurous to sulphuric anhydride). Alternately, it can be a liquid phase (e.g., ethylene glycol, PPh3, butyl benzyl phthalate, etc.) that contains a soluble catalytic species such as a metal complex. 

The hexitols form the typical derivatives of alcohols and glycols— esters, ethers, acetals and ketals, and metallic complexes. Because of the multiplicity of reactive groups and because of stereoisomerism, the number of theoretically possible derivatives of a given type is enormous. For example, D-mannitol on reacting with a mono reagent such as an etherifying agent or an acid, can form 35 different compounds ... 

Reactions. Because it contains both a carboxyl and a primary hydroxyl group, glycolic- acid can react as an acid or an alcohol or both. Thus some of the important reactions it can undergo are esterification, umidation. salt formation, and complexation with metal ions, which lead to many of its uses. As a fairly strong acid it can liberate gases (often toxici when il reacts wilh Ihe corresponding salts. 

Glycolic acid is the simplest of these hydroxy acids. Metal complexes of this ligand with a wide variety of metal ions have been studied14-16,90-96 and their stereochemistry reviewed.86,871... 

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