Titanium hydroperoxide

Based on detailed kinetic investigations, a tentative mechanism for this asymmetric oxidation was proposed (Scheme 2) according to which optically active sulphoxides may be formed by two pathways external attack on the sulphur atom by the chiral titanium hydroperoxide (path A) or coordination of sulphur to titanium prior to the oxidation step (path B). Although paths A and B could not be distinguished experimentally, the temperature effect was tentatively ascribed to a change of the mechanism, path A being predominant above — 20 °C and path B becoming competitive at lower temperatures (or vice versa). 

In Figure 2 it is shown that the reaction continues unabated in the absence of the solid catalyst, whereas the recovered catalyst has lost the major part of its activity. The leaching of the titanium was further investigated by ICP-OES analysis. The silicium/titanium ratio of the Ti-MCM-41 as-synthesised is 230, while after the reaction this ratio was increased till 4720. We found that the native catalyst was hydrolytically stable under aqueous conditions, whereas in the presence of hydrogen peroxide rapid leaching was observed. Apparently the titanium hydroperoxide is more sensitive to hydrolysis than the native catalyst. The homogeneous titanium species is apparently an oxidation catalyst. A recent paper on Ti-MCM-41 also reports Ti-leaching in the liquid phase . 

Experiments tvith slow continuous hydrogen peroxide addition were also performed. After dissolving the substrate the hydrogen peroxide was added at a rate of 1.2 ml/h. The spectrum of products was not different from that obtained upon addition of the oxidant in one portion. Hence, the oxidation of 1-0-methyl glucuronic acid is also catalysed by homogeneous titanium hydroperoxide. 

FIGURE 1.1 Change in absorption spectra for titanium-hydroperoxide formation in rapeseed oil samples over I6 days at 65°C. (From Eskin, N.A.M. and Frenkel, C. 1976. /. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 53 746-747. With permission.)... 

Titanium-catalysed reaction of cyclohexyl hydroperoxide with alkenes involves two pathways, epoxidation of alkene and thermal decomposition of the hydroperoxide. The formation of radicals seems to play a role in both reactions. Epoxidation was found to take place solely at the catalyst. Absorption spectroscopy provided proof for the formation of titanium-hydroperoxide species as the active catalytic site for the direct epoxidation reaction. ... 

The first practical method for asymmetric epoxidation of primary and secondary allylic alcohols was developed by K.B. Sharpless in 1980 (T. Katsuki, 1980 K.B. Sharpless, 1983 A, B, 1986 see also D. Hoppe, 1982). Tartaric esters, e.g., DET and DIPT" ( = diethyl and diisopropyl ( + )- or (— )-tartrates), are applied as chiral auxiliaries, titanium tetrakis(2-pro-panolate) as a catalyst and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (= TBHP, Bu OOH) as the oxidant. If the reaction mixture is kept absolutely dry, catalytic amounts of the dialkyl tartrate-titanium(IV) complex are suflicient, which largely facilitates work-up procedures (Y. Gao, 1987). Depending on the tartrate enantiomer used, either one of the 2,3-epoxy alcohols may be obtained with high enantioselectivity. The titanium probably binds to the diol grouping of one tartrate molecule and to the hydroxy groups of the bulky hydroperoxide and of the allylic alcohol... 

The coproduct 1-phenylethanol from the epoxidation reactor, along with acetophenone from the hydroperoxide reactor, is dehydrated to styrene in a vapor-phase reaction over a catalyst of siUca gel (184) or titanium dioxide (170,185) at 250—280°C and atmospheric pressure. This product is then distilled to recover purified styrene and to separate water and high boiling organics for disposal. Unreacted 1-phenylethanol is recycled to the dehydrator. 

Transition metal-catalyzed epoxidations, by peracids or peroxides, are complex and diverse in their reaction mechanisms (Section 5.05.4.2.2) (77MI50300). However, most advantageous conversions are possible using metal complexes. The use of t-butyl hydroperoxide with titanium tetraisopropoxide in the presence of tartrates gave asymmetric epoxides of 90-95% optical purity (80JA5974). 

The Sharpless-Katsuki asymmetric epoxidation reaction (most commonly referred by the discovering scientists as the AE reaction) is an efficient and highly selective method for the preparation of a wide variety of chiral epoxy alcohols. The AE reaction is comprised of four key components the substrate allylic alcohol, the titanium isopropoxide precatalyst, the chiral ligand diethyl tartrate, and the terminal oxidant tert-butyl hydroperoxide. The reaction protocol is straightforward and does not require any special handling techniques. The only requirement is that the reacting olefin contains an allylic alcohol. 

A number of reaction variables or parameters have been examined. Catalyst solutions should not be prepared and stored since the resting catalyst is not stable to long term storage. However, the catalyst solution must be aged prior to the addition of allylic alcohol or TBHP. Diethyl tartrate and diisopropyl tartrate are the ligands of choice for most allylic alcohols. TBHP and cumene hydroperoxide are the most commonly used terminal oxidant and are both extremely effective. Methylene chloride is the solvent of choice and Ti(i-OPr)4 is the titanium precatalyst of choice. Titanium (IV) t-butoxide is recommended for those reactions in which the product epoxide is particularly sensitive to ring opening from alkoxide nucleophiles. ... 

In light of the previous discussions, it would be instructive to compare the behavior of enantiomerically pure allylic alcohol 12 in epoxidation reactions without and with the asymmetric titanium-tartrate catalyst (see Scheme 2). When 12 is exposed to the combined action of titanium tetraisopropoxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the absence of the enantiomerically pure tartrate ligand, a 2.3 1 mixture of a- and /(-epoxy alcohol diastereoisomers is produced in favor of a-13. This ratio reflects the inherent diasteieo-facial preference of 12 (substrate-control) for a-attack. In a different experiment, it was found that SAE of achiral allylic alcohol 15 with the (+)-diethyl tartrate [(+)-DET] ligand produces a 99 1 mixture of /(- and a-epoxy alcohol enantiomers in favor of / -16 (98% ee). 

The AE reaction catalyzed by titanium tartrate 1 and with alkyl hydroperoxide as terminal oxidant has been applied to a large variety of primary allylic alcohols containing all eight basic substitution patterns. A few examples are presented in Table 6.2. 

The mechanism for such a process was explained in terms of a structure as depicted in Figure 6.5. The allylic alcohol and the alkyl hydroperoxide are incorporated into the vanadium coordination sphere and the oxygen transfer from the peroxide to the olefin takes place in an intramolecular fashion (as described above for titanium tartrate catalyst) [30, 32]. 

Colona and coworkers oxidized a variety of alkyl aryl and heterocyclic sulfides to the sulfoxides using t-butyl hydroperoxide and a catalytic amount of a complex (97) derived from a transition metal and the imines of L-amino acids. Of the metals (M = TiO, Mo02, VO, Cu, Co, Fe), titanium gave the highest e.e. (21%), but molybdenum was the most efficient catalyst. The sulfoxides were accompanied by considerable sulfone125. 

Organic hydroperoxides have also been used for the oxidation of sulphoxides to sulphones. The reaction in neutral solution occurs at a reasonable rate in the presence of transition metal ion catalysts such as vanadium, molybdenum and titanium - , but does not occur in aqueous media . The usual reaction conditions involve dissolution of the sulphoxide in alcohols, ethers or benzene followed by dropwise addition of the hydroperoxide at temperatures of 50-80 °C. By this method dimethyl sulphoxide and methyl phenyl sulphoxide have been oxidized to the corresponding sulphone in greater than 90% yields . A similar method for the oxidation of sulphoxides has been patented . Unsaturated sulphoxides are oxidized to the sulphone without affecting the carbon-carbon double bonds. A further patent has also been obtained for the reaction of dimethyl sulphoxide with an organic hydroperoxide as shown in equation (19). 

The enantioselective epoxidation method developed by Sharpless and co-workers is an important asymmetric transformation known today. This method involves the epoxidation of allylic alcohols with fcrt-butyl hydroperoxide and titanium (sopropoxide in the presence of optically active pure tartarate esters, see Eqn. (25). 

The epoxidation of allylic alcohols can also be effected by /-butyl hydroperoxide and titanium tetraisopropoxide. When enantiomerically pure tartrate ligands are included, the reaction is highly enantioselective. This reaction is called the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation.55 Either the (+) or (—) tartrate ester can be used, so either enantiomer of the desired product can be obtained. 

See related a-PHENYLAZO HYDROPEROXIDES, ORGANIC PEROXIDES 3842. Tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)titanium... 

Sharpless epoxidation involves treating an allylic alcohol with titanium(IV) tetraisopropoxide [Ti(0-/Pr)4], tert-butyl hydroperoxide [t-BuOOH], and a specific enantiomer of a tartrate ester. 

The scope of metal-mediated asymmetric epoxidation of allylic alcohols was remarkably enhanced by a new titanium system introduced by Katsuki and Sharpless epoxidation of allylic alcohols using a titanium(IV) isopropoxide, dialkyl tartrate (DAT), and TBHP (TBHP = tert-butyl-hydroperoxide) proceeds with high enantioselectivity and good chemical yield, regardless of... 

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