Organic functionalization of the surface of silica with arylsilanes. A new method for synthesizing organic–inorganic hybrid materials

A nickel-catalyzed silylation reaction of alkyl aryl sulfoxides with silylzinc reagents

Ni(PEt3)Cl2-catalyzed silylation of alkyl aryl sulfoxides with silylzinc reagents was carried out. This protocol allows alkyl aryl sulfoxides to convert to arylsilicon compounds under mild reaction conditions, tolerates a range of functional groups and is suitable for a wide scope of substrates.

Nanostructured Silica with Anchoring Units: The 2D Solid Solvent for Molecules and Metal Ions

The ability to organize, separate and manipulate individual molecules and ions on a surface opens up almost unlimited opportunities. However, it often requires complex techniques and a proper support material. With this in mind, we show a new concept of 2D solid solvents and review a simple and efficient procedure which is based on nanostructured forms of silica with anchoring units. We describe silica supports, such as spherical nanoparticles and mesoporous silica structures, as well as review the methods for chemical modification of the surface of silica with the functional groups. Finally, we present a few particular examples of the immobilization of molecules and ions on the surface of 2D solid solvents along with the experimental investigation of the obtained materials.

Synthesis, characterisation and electronic properties of naphthalene bridged disilanes

Synthesis of naphthalene bridged disilanes 2_R (R = Me, Ph) was performed via catalytic dehydrocoupling. Using RhCl(PPh₃)₃ as a catalyst, an intramolecular Si-Si bond was readily formed from the corresponding disilyl precursors 1_R (R = Me, Ph). For catalytic reactions using (C₆F₅)₃B(OH₂), bridged siloxanes (3_Ph and 3_Me) were observed. Attempts to install the 1,8-naphthalene bridge directly onto a disilane resulted in an unusual product (4), containing two silicon centres bridged through one naphthyl group, and another naphthyl group attached to a single Si centre. In order for this product to form, both a Si to Si hydrogen shift rearrangement as well as Si-Si bond cleavage occurred. The effects of phenyl and methyl substitutions on the structure and electronic properties of the synthesised compounds was investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction, as well as IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopic analysis. In addition, theoretical UV-Vis absorption maxima were evaluated using density functional theory (TD-SCF) on a B3LYP/6-31(++)G** level of theory and compared with experimental UV-Vis spectroscopic data.

Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Materials Containing a Nanocellulose Derivative as Chiral Selector

Hybrid organic-inorganic materials (HOIM), with high mechanical stability, large surface area, tailored pore size, controlled morphology, and organic loading have shown superior chiral separation performance. In this chapter, the preparation of hybrid organic-inorganic materials of core-shell silica microspheres by a layer-by-layer self-assembly method is described. The enantioseparation performance by high-performance liquid chromatography is illustrated by various types of chiral compounds under normal- and reversed-phase elution conditions. The chiral selector of nanocrystalline cellulose derivative hybrid organic-inorganic materials showed good performance in the separation of enantiomers.

Suzuki-type cross coupling between aryl halides and silylboranes for the syntheses of aryl silanes

A simple but efficient system with broad substrate scope was developed for the syntheses of aryl silanes.

Transparent organosilica photocatalysts activated by visible light: photophysical and oxidative properties at the gas-solid interface

The photophysical properties of several photosensitizers (PSs) included or grafted in silica monoliths were compared to their properties in solution. The effects of the solid support on their steady-state and transient absorption spectra, on their quantum yields of singlet oxygen ((1)O2) production, and on their ability to photoinduce the oxidation of dimethylsulfide (DMS) were investigated. Two cyanoanthracene derivatives (9,14-dicyanobenzo[b]triphenylene, DBTP, and 9,10-dicyanoanthracene, DCA), as well as three phenothiazine dyes (methylene blue, MB(+), new methylene blue, NMB(+), methylene violet, MV), were encapsulated in silica, analyzed and compared to two reference PSs (perinaphthenone, PN and rose bengal, RB). A DBTP derivative (3-[N-(N″-triethoxysilylpropyl-N'-hexylurea)]carboxamido-9,14-dicyanobenzo[b]triphenylene, 3) was also prepared and grafted onto silica. Thanks to the transparency and the free-standing shape of the monoliths, the complete spectroscopic characterization of the supported PSs was carried out directly at the gas-solid interface. The influence of the silica network, the PS, and the adsorption/grafting link between the PS and silica was investigated. The effects of PS concentration, gaseous atmosphere, humidity, and hydrophobicity on the production of (1)O2 were analyzed. With all PSs, (1)O2 production was very efficient (quantum yields of (1)O2 production, relative to PN, between 0.6 and 1), and this species was the only one involved in the pollutant photooxidation. The influence of the matrix on the PSs' photophysics could be considered as negligible. In contrast, the matrix effect on DMS photooxidation was extremely important: the gas diffusion inside the porous structure, and thus, the photoactivity of the materials, strictly depended on silica's surface area and porosity. Our results highlight the suitability of these silica structures as inert supports for the study of the photosensitizing properties at the gas-solid interface. Moreover, thanks to the adsorption properties of the matrix, the synthesized materials can be used as microphotoreactor for the (1)O2-mediated oxidation of volatile pollutants.

Recyclable functionalization of silica with alcohols via dehydrogenative addition on hydrogen silsesquioxane

Synthesis of class II hybrid silica materials requires the formation of covalent linkage between organic moieties and inorganic frameworks. The requirement that organosilylating agents be present to provide the organic part limits the synthesis of functional inorganic oxides, however, due to the water sensitivity and challenges concerning purification of the silylating agents. Synthesis of hybrid materials with stable molecules such as simple alcohols, rather than with these difficult silylating agents, may therefore provide a path to unprecedented functionality. Herein, we report the novel functionalization of silica with organic alcohols for the first time. Instead of using hydrolyzable organosilylating agents, we used stable organic alcohols with a Zn(II) catalyst to modify the surface of a recently discovered highly reactive macro-mesoporous hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ, HSiO1.5) monolith, which was then treated with water with the catalyst to form surface-functionalized silica. These materials were comprehensively characterized with FT-IR, Raman, solid-state NMR, fluorescence spectroscopy, thermal analysis, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. The results obtained from these measurements reveal facile immobilization of organic moieties by dehydrogenative addition onto surface silane (Si-H) at room temperature with high loading and good tolerance of functional groups. The organic moieties can also be retrieved from the monoliths for recycling and reuse, which enables cost-effective and ecological use of the introduced catalytic/reactive surface functionality. Preservation of the reactivity of as-immobilized organic alcohols has been confirmed, moreover, by successfully performing copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) "click" reactions on the immobilized silica surfaces.