Synergistic Effects of ppm Levels of Palladium on Natural Clinochlore for Reduction of Nitroarenes

Modifying the Substrate-Dependent Pd/Fe2O3 Catalyst-Support Synergism with ZnO Atomic Layer Deposition

Low-loading Pd supported on Fe2O3 nanoparticles was synthesized. A common nanocatalyst system with previously reported synergistic enhancement of reactivity that is attributed to the electronic interactions between Pd and the Fe2O3 support. Fe2O3-selective precoalescence overcoating with ZnO atomic layer deposition (ALD), using Zn(CH2CH3)2 and H2O as precursors, dampens competitive hydrogenation reactivity at Fe2O3-based sites. The result is enhanced efficiency at the low-loading but high reactivity Pd sites. While this increases catalyst efficiency toward most aqueous redox reactions tested, it suppresses reactivity toward polyaromatic core substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) show minimal electronic impacts for the ZnO overcoat on the Pd particles, implying a predominantly physical site blocking effect as the reason for the modified reactivity. This serves as a proof-of-concept of not only stabilizing supported nanocatalysts but also altering reactivity with ultrathin ALD overcoats. The results point to a facile ALD route for selective enhancement of reactivity for low-loading Pd-based supported nanocatalysts.

Cascade Processes with Micellar Reaction Media: Recent Advances and Future Directions

Reducing the use of solvents is an important aim of green chemistry. Using micelles self-assembled from amphiphilic molecules dispersed in water (considered a green solvent) has facilitated reactions of organic compounds. When performing reactions in micelles, the hydrophobic effect can considerably accelerate apparent reaction rates, as well as enhance selectivity. Here, we review micellar reaction media and their potential role in sustainable chemical production. The focus of this review is applications of engineered amphiphilic systems for reactions (surface-active ionic liquids, designer surfactants, and block copolymers) as reaction media. Micelles are a versatile platform for performing a large array of organic chemistries using water as the bulk solvent. Building on this foundation, synthetic sequences combining several reaction steps in one pot have been developed. Telescoping multiple reactions can reduce solvent waste by limiting the volume of solvents, as well as eliminating purification processes. Thus, in particular, we review recent advances in “one-pot” multistep reactions achieved using micellar reaction media with potential applications in medicinal chemistry and agrochemistry. Photocatalyzed reactions in micellar reaction media are also discussed. In addition to the use of micelles, we emphasize the process (steps to isolate the product and reuse the catalyst).

Single-ion chelation strategy for synthesis of monodisperse Pd nanoparticles anchored in MOF-808 for highly efficient hydrogenation and cascade reactions

Ultrafine Pd nanoparticles are prepared using a single-ion precursor on a MOF-808 carrier. The ligand 2,3-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid (Pza) is dispersed in porous MOF-808 via grafting on formic acid sites, and thus Pd²⁺ ions are chelated by Pza to form a new single-ion precursor Pd@MOF-808-Pza. Then a Pd-nano@MOF-808-Pza catalyst is prepared by direct reduction of this precursor using NaBH₄. Material characterization reveals the homogeneous dispersion of 3-6 nm Pd nanoparticles within the MOF-808 matrix. Pd-nano@MOF-808-Pza exhibits excellent catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of unsaturated nitrogen-containing compounds, and other typical reactions, such as the Knoevenagel condensation, Suzuki/Heck cross-coupling, and hydrogen tandem reactions. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are carried out to elucidate the chelation of Pd²⁺ ions by Pza on MOF-808 and propose mechanisms of hydrogenation reactions. This work provides an effective reduction catalyst, and more importantly, a single-ion chelation strategy for design and synthesis of metal supported catalysts.

Pd-Catalyzed Cross-Couplings: On the Importance of the Catalyst Quantity Descriptors, mol % and ppm

This Review examines parts per million (ppm) palladium concentrations in catalytic cross-coupling reactions and their relationship with mole percentage (mol %). Most studies in catalytic cross-coupling chemistry have historically focused on the concentration ratio between (pre)catalyst and the limiting reagent (substrate), expressed as mol %. Several recent papers have outlined the use of “ppm level” palladium as an alternative means of describing catalytic cross-coupling reaction systems. This led us to delve deeper into the literature to assess whether “ppm level” palladium is a practically useful descriptor of catalyst quantities in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Indeed, we conjectured that many reactions could, unknowingly, have employed low “ppm levels” of palladium (pre)catalyst, and generally, what would the spread of ppm palladium look like across a selection of studies reported across the vast array of the cross-coupling chemistry literature. In a few selected examples, we have examined other metal catalyst systems for comparison with palladium.

Diverse and efficient catalytic applications of new cockscomb flower-like Fe3O4@SiO2@KCC-1@MPTMS@CuII mesoporous nanocomposite in the environmentally benign reduction and reductive acetylation of nitroarenes and one-pot synthesis of some coumarin compounds

In this research, Fe3O4@SiO2@KCC-1@MPTMS@CuII as a new cockscomb flower-like mesoporous nanocomposite was prepared and characterized by various techniques including Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), SEM-based energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) analyses. The as-prepared Fe3O4@SiO2@KCC-1@MPTMS@CuII mesoporous nanocomposite exhibited satisfactory catalytic activity in the reduction and reductive acetylation of nitroarenes in a water medium and solvent-free one-pot synthesis of some coumarin compounds including 3,3'-(arylmethylene)bis(4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-ones) (namely, bis-coumarins) (3a-n) and 2-amino-4-aryl-7,7-dimethyl-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles (6a-n) along with acceptable turnover numbers (TONs) and turnover frequencies (TOFs). Furthermore, the mentioned CuII-containing mesoporous nanocatalyst was conveniently recovered by a magnet from reaction environments and reused for at least seven cycles without any significant loss in activity, which confirms its good stability.

Nitro to amine reductions using aqueous flow catalysis under ambient conditions

A catalyst based on Pd on glass wool (Pd@GW) shows exceptional performance and durability for the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline at room temperature and ambient pressure in aqueous solutions. The reaction is performed in a flow system and completed with 100% conversion under a variety of flow rates, 2 to 100 mLmin⁻¹ (normal laboratory fast flow conditions). Sodium borohydride or dihydrogen perform well as reducing agents. Scale-up of the reaction to flows of 100 mLmin⁻¹ also shows high conversions and robust catalytic performance. Catalyst deactivation can be readily corrected by flowing a NaBH₄ solution. The catalytic system proves to be generally efficient, performing well with a range of nitroaromatic compounds. The shelf life of the catalyst is excellent and its reusability after 6-8 months of storage showed the same performance as for the fresh catalyst.

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Palladium on glass wool catalyzes reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline

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Catalytic flow process at atmospheric temperature and pressure in aqueous media

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Facile catalyst synthesis using inexpensive glass wool and low palladium loading

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Sustainable chemical process using sodium borohydride or hydrogen gas

Rhodium-terpyridine Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation of Aromatic Nitro Compounds in Water

A rhodium terpyridine complex catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of nitroarenes to anilines with i-PrOH as hydrogen source and water as solvent has been developed. The catalytic system can work at a substrate/catalyst (S/C) ratio of 2000, with a turnover frequency (TOF) up to 3360 h^-1 , which represents one of the most active catalytic transfer hydrogenation systems for nitroarene reduction. The catalytic system is operationally simple and the protocol could be scaled up to 20 gram scale. The water-soluble catalyst bearing a carboxyl group could be recycled 15 times without significant loss of activity.

Human hair catalyzed selective reduction of nitroarenes to amines

Nowadays, there is great demand to use natural, cheap, and biodegradable materials as catalysts in different organic reactions. In this work, we use human hair as a completely biodegradable, renewable, and available material for the reduction of nitroarenes in aqueous media at 50 °C. Using this new catalyst, structurally different aromatic nitro compounds, as well as heterocyclic compounds, are reduced to corresponding amines in high to excellent yields. The presented catalytic system is applicable for large-scale reduction of nitroarenes.

Synthesis of NH-Sulfoximines by Using Recyclable Hypervalent Iodine(III) Reagents under Aqueous Micellar Conditions

The synthesis of NH-sulfoximines from sulfides has been first developed under mild conditions in an aqueous solution with surfactant TPGS-750-M as the catalyst at room temperature. In this newly developed process, a simple and convenient recycling strategy to regenerate the indispensable hypervalent iodine(III) is used. The resulting 1,2,3-trifluoro-5-iodobezene can be recovered almost quantitively from the mixture by liquid-liquid extraction and then oxidized to give the corresponding iodine(III) species. This optimized procedure is compatible with a broad range of functional groups and can be easily performed on a gram scale, providing a green protocol for the synthesis of sulfoximines.