Water-soluble cobalt catalyst

Alkyne-nitrile cyclotrimerization is a powerful synthetic methodology for the synthesis of complex heterocyclic aromatic molecules.118 Recently, Fatland et al. developed an aqueous alkyne-nitrile cyclotrimerization of one nitrile with two alkynes for the synthesis of highly functionalized pyridines by a water-soluble cobalt catalyst (Eq. 4.62). The reaction was chemospecific and several different functional groups such as unprotected alcohols, ketones, and amines were compatible with the reaction.119 In addition, photocatalyzed [2+2+2] alkyne or alkyne-nitrile cyclotrimerization in water120 and cyclotrimerization in supercritical H2O110121 have been reported in recent years. 

About 86% of Hoechst s butanal is produced with the Rhc )ne-Poulenc water-soluble rhodium catalyst the remainder is stiU based on cobalt. 

For a decade or so [CoH(CN)5] was another acclaimed catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of dienes to monoenes [2] and due to the exclusive solubility of this cobalt complex in water the studies were made either in biphasic systems or in homogeneous aqueous solutions using water soluble substrates, such as salts of sorbic add (2,4-hexadienoic acid). In the late nineteen-sixties olefin-metal and alkyl-metal complexes were observed in hydrogenation and hydration reactions of olefins and acetylenes with simple Rii(III)- and Ru(II)-chloride salts in aqueous hydrochloric acid [3,4]. No significance, however, was attributed to the water-solubility of these catalysts, and a new impetus had to come to trigger research specifically into water soluble organometallic catalysts. 

Fig. 18. Effect of water on polymerization of butadiene by soluble cobalt catalysts...

Hydroformylation or oxosynthesis is a well-known homogeneous, transition metal catalyzed reaction which has known considerable and continuous development since its discovery by Otto Roelen in the laboratories of Ruhrchemie AG in 1938 [1], This reaction, which can be considered as the addition of a formyl group and hydrogen to a double bond, has been successfully applied in the industrial context by using two basic processes the homogeneous process where the rhodium or cobalt catalyst and the substrate are in the same phase (Shell, UCC, BASF, RCH processes) [2] and the aqueous/organic biphasic process where the water-soluble rhodium catalyst and the organic compounds are in two different phases (Ruhr-chemie/Rhone-Poulenc process) [3]. 

Chen, S.-M. (1997). Reversible electrocatalytic reaction of sulfur oxoanions and sulfides by one catalyst of water-soluble cobalt porph5rin. J. Electroanal. Chem. 432(1-2), 101-109. 

Pang, D., Z. Wang, and C.C. Zongli (1992). Electrocatalysis of metaUoporphyrins— Part 11 Catalytic electroreduction of dithiodipropionic acid with water-soluble cobalt tetrakis(4-trimethylammoniophenyl)porphyrin catalyst. Electrochim. Acta 37(14), 2591-2594. 

A polypyrrole film electrochemically deposited on gold electrodes from an MeCN-liCl04/Co(OAc)2 solution shows electrocatalytic activity in dioxygen reduction [404]. The catalytic electroreduction of dithio dipropionic acid (PSSP) with the water-soluble cobalt(II I)tetrakis(4-trimethyl-ammonium phenyl) porphyrin (CoTMAP) has been studied. The Co catalyst adsorbed on the glassy carbon electrode plays a major role in the electroreductive cleavage of the S—S bond [405]. 

A water-soluble hydroformylation catalyst was developed by Xi and co-workers [65]. Third generation PAMAM dendritic ligands, with hydrophilic amine or sulfonic acid end groups, were phosphonated and the rhodium complexes thus formed were found to catalyse efficiently the hydroformylation of 1-octene and styrene, under very mild conditions. Water-soluble dendritic cobalt phthalocyanines that exhibited catalytic activities and oxidised thiols in the presence of oxygen, have been synthesised by Kimura and co-workers [66]. The catalytic activity of the phthalocyanines was influenced by a egation of the catalytic sites that results fi om strong intermolecular cohesive forces. It was proposed that steric isolation, enforced by the addition of a bulky dendritic coaf around the active phthalocyanine unit, could improve the catalytic activity. Acid terminated polyamide dendrimers were coupled to a phthalocyanine core to produce the desired water-soluble cobalt phthalocyanines, which were tested subsequently for catalytic activity and stability. The results obtained showed that the aggregation of phthalocyanines was reduced the catalytic activity was improved and the stability of the catalyst was improved by addition of the dendritic substituents. 

Water soluble cobalt(ll) 2,9,16,23-tetrasulfophthaloeyanine, zinc(II)-2,9,16,23-tetrasulfo-phthalocyanine, zinc(ll)tetracarboxyphthalocyanine, and non-metallic sulfophthalocyanine complexes are catalysts and photocatalysts for the oxidation of sulfide, sulfite and thiosulfate ions by dioxygen. Typical conditions are 293 K, 1 atm Oi and pH 9.24 in aqueous solutioaThe cobalt phthalocyanine complexes show high catalytic activity only in the... 

Other cationic pentacoordinate organocobalt complexes have been investigated, such as those obtained with water-soluble phosphines P[(CH2) C6H4- -S03Na]3 ( = 1, 2, 3, and 6). This type of phosphines reacted rapidly with Co2(CO)g in two-phase reaction conditions to yield the disproportionation products [Co(CO)3(P[(CH2) C6H4-/>-S03Na]3)2][Co(CO)4]. This series of complexes has been used as precursors to water-soluble cobalt hydroformylation catalyst. ... 

The cobalt catalyst can be introduced into the reactor in any convenient form, such as the hydrocarbon-soluble cobalt naphthenate [61789-51 -3] as it is converted in the reaction to dicobalt octacarbonyl [15226-74-17, Co2(CO)g, the precursor to cobalt hydrocarbonyl [16842-03-8] HCo(CO)4, the active catalyst species. Some of the methods used to recover cobalt values for reuse are (11) conversion to an inorganic salt soluble ia water conversion to an organic salt soluble ia water or an organic solvent treatment with aqueous acid or alkah to recover part or all of the HCo(CO)4 ia the aqueous phase and conversion to metallic cobalt by thermal or chemical means. 

Because of its volatility, the cobalt catalyst codistills with the product aldehyde necessitating a separate catalyst separation step known as decobalting. This is typically done by contacting the product stream with an aqueous carboxyhc acid, eg, acetic acid, subsequently separating the aqueous cobalt carboxylate, and returning the cobalt to the process as active catalyst precursor (2). Alternatively, the aldehyde product stream may be decobalted by contacting it with aqueous caustic soda which converts the catalyst into the water-soluble Co(CO). This stream is decanted from the product, acidified, and recycled as active HCo(CO)4. 

Prepa.ra.tlon, There are several methods described in the Hterature using various cobalt catalysts to prepare syndiotactic polybutadiene (29—41). Many of these methods have been experimentally verified others, for example, soluble organoaluminum compounds with cobalt compounds, are difficult to reproduce (30). A cobalt compound coupled with triphenylphosphine aluminum alkyls water complex was reported byJapan Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd. (fSR) to give a low melting point (T = 75-90° C), low crystallinity (20—30%) syndiotactic polybutadiene (32). This polymer is commercially available. 

Cobalt(II) complexes of three water-soluble porphyrins are catalysts for the controlled potential electrolytic reduction of H O to Hi in aqueous acid solution. The porphyrin complexes were either directly adsorbed on glassy carbon, or were deposited as films using a variety of methods. Reduction to [Co(Por) was followed by a nucleophilic reaction with water to give the hydride intermediate. Hydrogen production then occurs either by attack of H on Co(Por)H, or by a disproportionation reaction requiring two Co(Por)H units. Although the overall I easibility of this process was demonstrated, practical problems including the rate of electron transfer still need to be overcome. " " ... 

Cobalt catalysts such as HCo(CO)4 are widely used for hydroformyla-tion of higher alkenes, despite the higher temperatures and pressures required. The main reason for this is that these catalysts are also efficient alkene isomerization catalysts, allowing a mix of internal and terminal alkenes to be used in the process. Catalyst recovery is more of a problem here, involving production of some waste and adding significantly to the complexity of the process. A common recovery method involves treating the catalyst with aqueous base to make it water soluble, followed by separation and subsequent treatment with acid to recover active catalyst (4.3). 

Recently, great advancement has been made in the use of air and oxygen as the oxidant for the oxidation of alcohols in aqueous media. Both transition-metal catalysts and organocatalysts have been developed. Complexes of various transition-metals such as cobalt,31 copper [Cu(I) and Cu(II)],32 Fe(III),33 Co/Mn/Br-system,34 Ru(III and IV),35 and V0P04 2H20,36 have been used to catalyze aerobic oxidations of alcohols. Cu(I) complex-based catalytic aerobic oxidations provide a model of copper(I)-containing oxidase in nature.37 Palladium complexes such as water-soluble Pd-bathophenanthroline are selective catalysts for aerobic oxidation of a wide range of alcohols to aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids in a biphasic... 

A number of metal porphyrins have been examined as electrocatalysts for H20 reduction to H2. Cobalt complexes of water soluble masri-tetrakis(7V-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin chloride, meso-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)porphyrin, and mam-tetrakis(A,A,A-trimethylamlinium-4-yl)porphyrin chloride have been shown to catalyze H2 production via controlled potential electrolysis at relatively low overpotential (—0.95 V vs. SCE at Hg pool in 0.1 M in fluoroacetic acid), with nearly 100% current efficiency.12 Since the electrode kinetics appeared to be dominated by porphyrin adsorption at the electrode surface, H2-evolution catalysts have been examined at Co-porphyrin films on electrode surfaces.13,14 These catalytic systems appeared to be limited by slow electron transfer or poor stability.13 However, CoTPP incorporated into a Nafion membrane coated on a Pt electrode shows high activity for H2 production, and the catalysis takes place at the theoretical potential of H+/H2.14... 

Mono- and double carbonylation of phenetyl bromide with cobalt-phosphine catalysts afforded benzylacetic (Baa) and benzylpymvic (Bpa) acids respectively [23] (Scheme 5.5). The highest yield of benzylpymvic acid (75 %) was obtained with [Co2(CO)8], while addition of the water soluble phosphines TPPMS or TPPTS decreased both the yield of carbonylated products and the selectivity to Bpa. 

It has long been known (93) that cobalt(II) complexes of phthalocyanines interact with molecular oxygen. The water-soluble tetrasulfonato derivative of the parent phthalocyanine selectively and catalytically oxidizes 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol to the benzoquinone and the dipheno-quinone in both homogeneous solution (94) and when polymer-supported (95). The active intermediate in the catalytic cycle is proposed to be the (as expected) mononuclear dioxygen complex of the cobalt-tetrasulfonatophthalocyanine system (92). It has been proposed that the formation of a peroxo-bridged dinuclear complex is responsible for the deactivation of the cobalt(II)-tetrasulfonatophthalocyanine system, since such a dinuclear system would be unable to further bind and activate dioxygen (96). Such deactivation results, ultimately, in loss of the catalyst and low turnover ratios. 

The use of water-soluble catalysts in this reaction has hardly been investigated. Ruthenium/edta (78) and cobalt/tppts (79) catalysts have been described. The use of palladium/tppms catalyst was also reported (80). When edta and tppms are used as ligands, leaching of the metal by the product stream takes place. In the case of the cobalt/tppts catalyst, a high CO partial pressure and a catalyst concentration of >8 mol% are necessary. The reason for this effect is not clear. 

The reaction conditions ensure that all cobalt catalyst remains in the aqueous phase and that only Co2+-compounds that are soluble in water are formed. The aqueous phase, after dilution with the water from the extraction section (Figure 1), is recycled partially to the decobaiting tube and partially to the catalyst formation section where the active catalyst is regenerated. 

The high selectivity and mild conditions make the rhodium process more attractive than the cobalt one for the manufacture of n-butyraldehyde. The high cost of rhodium makes near-complete catalyst recovery a must for the commercial viability of the process. As we shall see, this has been achieved by developing an elegant separation method based on water-soluble phosphines. 

A breakthrough occurred in the mid-seventies when Union Carbide and Celanese introduced Rh/phosphine catalysts in commercial processes. This catalyst is based on the work by Wilkinson s group he received the Nobel prize for his work in 1973. Rhodium-based catalysts are much more active than cobalt catalysts and, under certain conditions, at least for 1-alkenes, they are also more selective. The processes for the hydroformylation of higher alkenes (detergent alcohols) still rely on cobalt catalysis. A new development is the use of water-soluble complexes obtained through sulphonation of the Ligands (Ruhrchemie). 

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