Polystyrene-Cross-Linking Triphenylphosphine on a Porous Monolith: Enhanced Catalytic Activity for Aryl Chloride Cross-Coupling in Biphasic Flow

Fabrication of thiosemicarbazone-based Pd(II) complexes: structural elucidations, catalytic activity towards Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction and antitumor activity against TNBC cells

Currently, there are many uses of metal complexes, especially in the fields of medicinal chemistry and catalysis. Thus, fabrication of new complexes which perform as a catalyst and chemotherapeutic drug is always a beneficial addition to the literature. Herein, we report three heterocyclic thiosemicarbazone-based Pd(II) complexes [Pd(HL1)Cl] (C1), [Pd(L2)(PPh3)] (C2) and [Pd(L3)(PPh3)]Cl (C3) having coligands Cl and PPh3. Thiosemicarbazone ligands (H2L1, H2L2 and HL3) and the complexes (C1-C3) were characterized methodically using several spectroscopic techniques. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods reveal that the structural environment around the metal center of C2 is square planar, while for C1 and C3 it is a slighty distorted square plane. The supramolecular network of compounds was built via hydrogen bonds, C-H⋯π and π⋯π interactions. Density functional theory (DFT) study of the structure of the complexes supports experimental findings. The application of these complexes as catalysts toward Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions has been examined with various aryl halides and phenyl boronic acid in PEG 400 solvent. The complexes displayed good biomolecular interactions with DNA/protein, with a binding constant value of the order of 105 M-1. C3 showed greater binding efficacy toward these biomolecules than the other complexes, which might be due to the cationic nature of C3. Furthermore, antitumor activity of the complexes was studied against the human triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line MDA-MB-231. It was found that C3 was more toxic (IC50 = 10 ± 2.90 μM) toward MDA-MB-231 cells than the other complexes. A known chemotherapeutic drug, 5-fluorouracil, was included as positive control. The programmed cell death mechanism of C3 was confirmed. Additionally, complex-induced apoptosis was confirmed and occurred via a mitochondria-dependent (intrinsic) pathway.

Recent Advancements in Continuous-Flow Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling Utilizing Immobilized Molecular Palladium Complexes

Immobilized Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling under continuous-flow conditions using a packed-bed reactor, representing an efficient, automated, practical, and safe technology compared to conventional batch-type reactions. The core objective of this study is the development of an active and durable catalyst. In contrast to supported Pd nanoparticles, the attachment of Pd complexes onto solid supports through well-defined coordination sites is considered a favorable approach for preparing highly dispersed and stabilized Pd species. These species can be directly employed in various flow reactions without the need for pre-treatment. This concept paper explores recent achievements involving the application of immobilized Pd complexes as precatalysts for continuous-flow Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. Our focus is to elucidate the significance of the designed catalyst structures in relation to their catalytic performance under flow conditions. Additionally, we highlight various reaction systems and catalyst packing methods, emphasizing their crucial roles in establishing a practical synthesis process.

Continuous-Flow Catalysis Using Phosphine-Metal Complexes on Porous Polymers: Designing Ligands, Pores, and Reactors

Continuous-flow syntheses using immobilized catalysts can offer efficient chemical processes with easy separation and purification. Porous polymers have gained significant interests for their applications to catalytic systems in the field of organic chemistry. The porous polymers are recognized for their large surface area, high chemical stability, facile modulation of surface chemistry, and cost-effectiveness. It is crucial to immobilize transition-metal catalysts due to their difficult separation and high toxicity. Supported phosphine ligands represent a noteworthy system for the effective immobilization of metal catalysts and modulation of catalytic properties. Researchers have been actively pursuing strategies involving phosphine-metal complexes supported on porous polymers, aiming for high activities, durabilities, selectivities, and applicability to continuous-flow systems. This review provides a concise overview of phosphine-metal complexes supported on porous polymers for continuous-flow catalytic reactions. Polymer catalysts are categorized based on pore sizes, including micro-, meso-, and macroporous polymers. The characteristics of these porous polymers are explored concerning their efficiency in immobilized catalysis and continuous-flow systems.

Sheltering Mono-P-Ligated Metal Complexes in Porous Polystyrene Monolith: Effect of Aryl Pendant Stabilizers on Catalytic Durability

Metal centers that can generate coordinatively unsaturated metals in accessible and stable states have been developed using synthetic polymers with sophisticated ligand and scaffold designs, which required synthetic efforts. Herein, we report a simple and direct strategy for producing polymer-supported phosphine-metal complexes, which stabilizes mono-P-ligated metals by modulating the electronic properties of the aryl pendant groups in the polymer platform. A three-fold vinylated PPh3 was copolymerized with a styrene derivative and a cross-linker to produce a porous polystyrene-phosphine hybrid monolith. Based on the Hammett substituent constants, the electronic properties of styrene derivatives were modulated and incorporated into the polystyrene backbone to stabilize the mono-P-ligated Pd complex via Pd-arene interactions. Through NMR, TEM, and comparative catalytic studies, the polystyrene-phosphine hybrid, which induces selective mono-P-ligation and moderate Pd-arene interactions, demonstrated high catalytic durability for the cross-coupling of chloroarenes under continuous-flow conditions.

Surface and Interface Coordination Chemistry Learned from Model Heterogeneous Metal Nanocatalysts: From Atomically Dispersed Catalysts to Atomically Precise Clusters

The surface and interface coordination structures of heterogeneous metal catalysts are crucial to their catalytic performance. However, the complicated surface and interface structures of heterogeneous catalysts make it challenging to identify the molecular-level structure of their active sites and thus precisely control their performance. To address this challenge, atomically dispersed metal catalysts (ADMCs) and ligand-protected atomically precise metal clusters (APMCs) have been emerging as two important classes of model heterogeneous catalysts in recent years, helping to build bridge between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. This review illustrates how the surface and interface coordination chemistry of these two types of model catalysts determines the catalytic performance from multiple dimensions. The section of ADMCs starts with the local coordination structure of metal sites at the metal-support interface, and then focuses on the effects of coordinating atoms, including their basicity and hardness/softness. Studies are also summarized to discuss the cooperativity achieved by dual metal sites and remote effects. In the section of APMCs, the roles of surface ligands and supports in determining the catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability of APMCs are illustrated. Finally, some personal perspectives on the further development of surface coordination and interface chemistry for model heterogeneous metal catalysts are presented.

4-Amino-TEMPO-Immobilized Polymer Monolith: Preparations, and Recycling Performance of Catalyst for Alcohol Oxidation

Continuous flow reactors with immobilized catalysts are in great demand in various industries, to achieve easy separation, regeneration, and recycling of catalysts from products. Oxidation of alcohols with 4-amino-TEMPO-immobilized monolith catalyst was investigated in batch and continuous flow systems. The polymer monoliths were prepared by polymerization-induced phase separation using styrene derivatives, and 4-amino-TEMPO was immobilized on the polymer monolith with a flow reaction. The prepared 4-amino-TEMPO-immobilized monoliths showed high permeability, due to their high porosity. In batch oxidation, the reaction rate of 4-amino-TEMPO-immobilized monolith varied with stirring. In flow oxidation, the eluent permeated without clogging, and efficient flow oxidation was possible with residence times of 2-8 min. In the recycling test of the flow oxidation reaction, the catalyst could be used at least six times without catalyst deactivation.

Novel porous organic polymers functionalized by metalloporphyrin and phosphonium salts for the efficient synergistic catalysis of CO2 conversion under mild conditions

Metalloporphyrin- and phosphonium-functionalized porous organic polymers (POPs) were fabricated successfully via a post-synthesis modification strategy, which were demonstrated to be efficient heterogeneous catalysts for CO2 conversion.