Mesoporous aluminosilicate-catalyzed Sakurai allylation and Mukaiyama aldol reaction of acetals

The remarkable journey of catalysts from stoichiometric to catalytic quantity for allyltrimethylsilane inspired allylation of acetals, ketals, aldehydes and ketones

Allyltrimethylsilane inspired allylation of acetals, ketals, aldehydes, and ketones comprises one of the most viable, significant and graceful methods for the formation of carbon–carbon bonds leading to stereochemical transformation.

Pd-functionalized MCM-41 nanoporous silica as an efficient and reusable catalyst for promoting organic reactions

Pd-functionalized MCM-41 nanoporous silica has been explored as an efficient and recyclable catalyst to effect Suzuki and Mizoroki–Heck cross-coupling reactions, under solvent-free conditions.

Efficient Mukaiyama aldol reaction in water with TiO4 tetrahedra on a hydrophobic mesoporous silica surface

A new heterogeneous catalyst, hydrophobic TiO₄-deposited mesoporous silica, exhibited high catalytic performance as a reusable catalyst for the Mukaiyama-aldol condensation in water without a surfactant.

From biomass to chemicals: synthesis of precursors of biodegradable surfactants from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

The selective acetalization of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) with long-chain alkyl alcohols has been performed to obtain precursors of molecules with surfactant properties. If direct acetalization of HMF with n-octanol is performed in the presence of strong acids (homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts), an increase in etherification versus acetalization occurs. Beta zeolite catalyzes both reactions. However, if the acidity of a zeolite (Beta) was controlled by partial exchange of H(+) with Na(+), the dioctyl acetal of HMF can be achieved in 95% yield by transacetalization. It is possible to achieve a high yield in a very short reaction time through a two-step one-pot process, which includes the synthesis of the dimethyl acetal of HMF followed by transacetalization with n-octanol. The one-pot process could be extended to other alcohols that contain 6-12 carbon atoms to afford 87-98% yield of the corresponding dialkyl acetal with a selectivity higher than 96%. The optimized catalyst with an adequate Na content (1.5NaBeta) could be recycled without loss of activity or selectivity.