Precipitation, dendritic catalyst recycling

Dendritic catalysts can be recycled by using techniques similar to those applied with their monomeric analogues, such as precipitation, two-phase catalysis, and immobilization on insoluble supports. Furthermore, the large size and the globular structure of the dendrimer can be utilized to facilitate catalyst-product separation by means of nanofiltration. Nanofiltration can be performed batch wise or in a continuous-flow membrane reactor (CFMR). The latter offers significant advantages the conditions such as reactant concentrations and reactant residence time can be controlled accurately. These advantages are especially important in reactions in which the product can react further with the catalytically active center to form side products. 

Reetz et al. 16) were the first to recover and recycle a dendritic catalyst through a precipitation procedure. The dimethylpalladium complex of the phosphine-functionalized DAB-dendr-[N(CH2PPh2)2]i6 dendrimer (la) is an active catalyst for the Heck reaction of bromobenzene and styrene to give trara-stilbene (89% trans-stilbene and 11% 1,1-diphenylethylene, at a conversion of 85—90%, Scheme 8). 

The phosphine-containing ruthenium dihydride dendrimer 33 was found to be an active catalyst for the diastereoselective Michael addition of ethyl cyanoacetate to diethyl ethylidenemalonate in THF (Scheme 12). The dendritic catalyst showed an activity and selectivity similar to those of the reference compound RuH2(PPh3)4 (100% conversion after 24 h and a diastereoselectivity of 7/3) (40). The dendritic catalyst was recycled twice by precipitation with diethyl ether without loss of activity or selectivity. Complex 34 showed similar activity and recoverability over three runs like that of complex 33. 

Besides the hitherto described dendritic effects, the main aspect of interest regarding the use of dendritic supports in catalysis is represented by the possibility of recovering the catalyst. It is clear from the contributions of many research groups that dendrimers are suitable supports for recyclable transition metal catalysts. Separation and/or recycle of the catalysts are possible with these functionalized dendrimers for example, separation results from precipitation of the dendrimer from the product liquid two-phase catalysis allows separation and recycling of the catalyst when the products and catalyst are concentrated in two immiscible liquid phases and immobilization of the dendrimer in an insoluble support (such as cross-linked polystyrene or silica) allows use of a fixed-bed reactor holding the catalyst and excluding it from the product stream. For dendritic catalysts separation with these traditional techniques, the function of the dendrimer is not always clear. In contrast, the large... 

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