Transfer hydrogenation aqueous catalysis

Whereas most hydrogenation catalysts function very well in water (see for example Chapter 38 for two-phase aqueous catalysis), scattered instances are known of inhibition by water. Laue et al. attached Noyori s transfer hydrogenation catalyst to a soluble polymer and used this in a continuous device in which the catalyst was separated from the product by a membrane. The catalyst was found to be inhibited by the presence of traces of water in the feed stream, though this could be reversed by continuously feeding a small amount of potassium isopropoxide [60]. A case of water inhibition in iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation is described in Section 44.6.2. 

Water-soluble as well as water-insoluble ketones were hydrogenated by H-transfer from aqueous HCOOH catalyzed by [Ir(Cp )(bipy)H] at 70°C. The highest TOF (525 h ) was observed with 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone, whereas aliphatic ketones were found less reactive (TOF 150 h for 2-butanone). The activity of the catalyst depended on the pH, with an optimum at around pH 2. This unusual behavior was rationalized by assuming proton catalysis of hydride transfer from [Ir(Cp )(bipy)H]+ to the substrates (119). 

Chloropropanoic as well as 2- and 3-bromopropanoic acids were dehalogenated by hydrogen transfer from aqueous formate in slow reactions at 25°C under catalysis by [Ir(Cp )(H20)3] +. The highest initial TOF (6.3 h ) was observed with 2-bromopropanoic acid at pH 5.0 (130). 

Hydride transfer from [(bipy)2(CO)RuH]+ occurs in the hydrogenation of acetone when the reaction is carried out in buffered aqueous solutions (Eq. (21)) [39]. The kinetics of the reaction showed that it was a first-order in [(bipy)2(CO)RuH]+ and also first-order in acetone. The reaction proceeds faster at lower pH. The proposed mechanism involved general acid catalysis, with a fast pre-equilibrium protonation of the ketone followed by hydride transfer from [(biPy)2(CO)RuH]+. 

Anilines are converted into nitrosoarenes ArNO by the action of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of [Mo(0)(02)2(H20) (HMPA)]224, whereas catalysis of the reaction by titanium silicate and zeolites results in the formation of azoxybenzenes ArN (0)=NAr225. Azo compounds ArN=NAr are formed in 42-99% yields by the phase-transfer assisted potassium permanganate oxidation of primary aromatic amines in aqueous benzene containing a little tetrabutylammonium bromide226. The reaction of arylamines with chromyl chloride gives solid adducts which, on hydrolysis, yield mixtures of azo compounds, p-benzoquinone and p-benzoquinone anils 234227. 

In contrast, liquidiliquid phase-transfer catalysis is virtually ineffective for the conversion of a-bromoacetamides into aziridones (a-lactams). Maximum yields of only 17-23% have been reported [31, 32], using tetra-n-butylammonium hydrogen sulphate or benzyltriethylammonium bromide over a reaction time of 4-6 days. It is significant that a solidiliquid two-phase system, using solid potassium hydroxide in the presence of 18-crown-6 produces the aziridones in 50-94% yield [33], but there are no reports of the corresponding quaternary ammonium ion catalysed reaction. Under the liquidiliquid two-phase conditions, the major product of the reaction is the piperazine-2,5-dione, resulting from dimerization of the bromoacetamide [34, 38]. However, only moderate yields are isolated and a polymer-supported catalyst appears to provide the best results [34, 38], Significant side reactions result from nucleophilic displacement by the aqueous base to produce hydroxyamides and ethers. 

HsO ) in one region of an aqueous solution to produce a hydronium ion at a distant site. Note that the proton released locally from the initial HsO remains in its vicinity, and is not the same as the proton forming the hydronium ion at the distant site. For this reason, the ionic mobility appears to be much greater than would be expected on the basis of diffusion alone. Facilitated proton transfer along rigidly and accurately positioned hydrogen bonds could be of fundamental importance in enzyme catalysis. See Water... 

A recent literature report described a green procedure for the condensation of arylacetonitriles with cyclic ketones using phase-transfer catalysis. This process was applied to the synthesis of venlafaxine, which was realized in overall 30% yield in two steps from commercially available 14. The condensation step was run in aqueous sodium hydroxide in the presence of tetrabutylammonium sulfate, to provide quantitative yield of intermediate 15. Hydrogenation in a formalin-methanol mixture provided the final product venlafaxine (1) in 30% overall yield. This protocol did not necessitate intermediate purification steps, making it attractive from the commercial standpoint. 

Several important energy-related applications, including hydrogen production, fuel cells, and CO2 reduction, have thrust electrocatalysis into the forefront of catalysis research recently. Electrocatalysis involves several physiochemical environmental dfects, which poses substantial challenges for the theoreticians. First, there is the electric potential which can aifect the thermodynamics of the system and the kinetics of the electron transfer reactions. The electrolyte, which is usually aqueous, contains water and ions that can interact directly with a surface and charged/polar adsorbates, and indirectly with the charge in the electrode to form the electrochemical double layer, which sets up an electric field at the interface that further affects interfacial reactivity. 

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