Supported Transition Metal Complexes as Catalysts

Catalytic system having an organotellurium ligand on graphene oxide: immobilization of Pd(0) nanoparticles and application in heterogeneous catalysis of cross-coupling reactions

First heterogeneous catalytic system, having a covalently linked hybrid bidentate organotellurium ligand [i.e., PhTe-CH2-CH2-NH2] on the surface of graphene oxide, has been synthesized with immobilized and stabilized Pd(0) nanoparticles. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first such catalytic system in which a heterogenized organotellurium ligand has been used. It has been well-characterized using different physicochemical characterization techniques viz. P-XRD, XPS, HR-TEM, EELS, FE-SEM, EDX, TGA, BET surface area analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The Pd content of the final system has been quantified using ICP-OES. Its applications have been explored in Suzuki-Miyaura C-C cross coupling and C-O cross coupling reactions. Hot filtration experiments corroborate the heterogeneous nature of the catalysis. It is recyclable for up to five reaction cycles in Suzuki-Miyaura and C-O cross coupling with marginal loss in performance. It also catalyzes the reactions of chloroarenes such as chlorobenzene, 4-chloroaniline, 1-chloro-4-nitrobenzene, 4-chloroacetophenone, 4-chlorobenzophenone for Suzuki coupling, and 1-chloro-4-nitrobenzene, 4-chlorobenzonitrile, chlorobenzene, and 4-chlorotoluene for C-O coupling. P-XRD, FE-SEM, and EDX study reveals that the catalytic system retains its structural originality and functionality after recycling.

Rapid synthesis of ultrasmall platinum nanoparticles supported on macroporous cellulose fibers for catalysis

Herein, we report a facile method for the synthesis of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) about 2.25 nm in size by heating a solution of chloroplatinic acid and sodium rhodizonate. The PtNPs were synthesized in about 5 min. The PtNPs were supported on macroporous cellulose fibers that were obtained from Kimwipe paper (KWP). The cellulose fiber-supported PtNPs (PtNPs@KWP) exhibited excellent catalytic activity towards the reduction of organic pollutants [e.g. methyl orange (MO)] in the presence of hydrogen (H₂) gas and formic acid (FA). FA and H₂ gas were utilized as clean and alternative reducing agents. The reduction of MO was performed in two different types of water matrices viz. deionized water (DIW) and simulated fresh drinking water (FDW). In both water matrices, the FA mediated reduction of MO was found to be faster than the H₂ gas-bubbled one. The PtNPs@KWP demonstrated excellent cycling stability without leaching the PtNPs or platinum ions into the solution for at least five cycles.

New directions in supramolecular transition metal catalysis

Supramolecular chemistry has grown into a major scientific field over the last thirty years and has fueled numerous developments at the interfaces with biology and physics, clearly demonstrating its potential at a multidisciplinary level. Simultaneously, organometallic chemistry and transition metal catalysis have matured in an incredible manner, broadening the pallet of tools available for chemical conversions. The interface between supramolecular chemistry and transition metal catalysis has received surprisingly little attention. It provides, however, novel and elegant strategies that could lead to new tools in the search for effective catalysts, as well as the possibility of novel conversions induced by metal centres that are in unusual environments. This perspective describes new approaches to transition metal catalyst development that evolve from a combination of supramolecular strategies and rational ligand design, which may offer transition metal catalysts for future applications.

Noncovalently functionalized dendrimers as recyclable catalysts

The efficient reversible functionalization of the periphery of urea adamantyl poly(propylene imine) dendrimers with catalytic sites using noncovalent interactions is described. Phosphine ligands equipped with urea acetic groups, a binding motive complementary to that of the dendrimer host, have been prepared and assembled to the dendrimer support. The resulting supramolecular complex has been used as a multidentate ligand system in the palladium-catalyzed allylic amination reaction in a batch process and in a continuous-flow membrane reactor. We found that the activity and selectivity of the dendrimeric complex is similar to that of the monomer complex, which indicates that the catalytic centers act as independent sites. The size of the supramolecular system is sufficiently large and the binding of the guests is strong enabling a good separation of the catalyst components from the reaction mixture using nanofiltration techniques.

Ethyleneimine Anchored on Thiol-Modified Silica Gel Surface-Adsorption of Divalent Cations and Calorimetric Data

Activated silica gel was previously modified by the silylant agent 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane. The organofunctionalized silica gel containing pendant groups ended with the -SH functions reacted with the three-member cyclic ethyleneimine molecules to yield the new ligand attaching sulfur and nitrogen basic centers available to complex cations. This final anchored surface adsorbs MX(2) (M=Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), and X=Cl(-), NO(3)(-)) at 298+/-1 K. A considerable increase in adsorption capacity was observed for nitrate counteranions. This process of extraction was followed by the batch method and the order of the maximum capacities found was Ni(2+)>Cu(2+)>Co(2+) for both series of salts. The pendant immobilized groups-cation interaction processes showed exothermic enthalpies. Those values are more pronounced for chlorides, with the largest values obtained for cobalt. The calculated DeltaG values are in agreement with the spontaneity of the proposed reactions and the complexation is entropically favored. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Immobilization of rhodium complexes in chiral organic-inorganic hybrid materials

Two new alkoxysilylated derivatives of (-)-(1R,2R)-1, 2-diaminocyclohexane: M = N-[(triethoxysilyl)propyl]-(-)-(1R,2R)-1, 2-diaminocyclohexane and B = N, N'-bis[(triethoxysilyl)propyl]-(-)-(1R,2R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane have been synthesized. Their complexation with [Rh(cod)Cl]2 in the presence of TEOS = Si(OEt)4, followed by sol-gel hydrolysis-condensation, afforded new catalytic chiral hybrid materials. Evidence for the presence of the organic moieties complexed by rhodium in these solids was obtained by UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR studies, solid state 13C and 29Si CP-MAS NMR analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques, and elemental analysis. The nitrogen sorption studies and BET analyses ranged these solid gels from nonporous to highly porous materials. The catalytic activities and selectivities of the solid materials have been studied in the asymmetric hydrogen-transfer reduction of prochiral ketones and compared to that of the homogeneous rhodium complexes of the ligands M and B. The hybrid materials appeared interesting supports for enantioselective heterogeneous catalysis leading to chiral alcohols with ee up to 58% in the reduction of acetophenone and up to 98% in the case of the more hindered related ketones. The catalytic properties as a function of the nature of chiral hybrid solid are discussed.