Mechanism of Vanadium-Catalyzed Deoxydehydration of Vicinal Diols: Spin-Crossover-Involved Processes

Reactivity of metal dioxo complexes

Metal dioxo chemistry and its diverse reactivity are presented with an emphasis on the mechanisms of reactivity. Work from approximately the last decade is surveyed and organized by metal. In particular, the chemistry of cis-dioxo metal complexes is discussed at length. Reactions are grouped by generic type, including addition across a metal oxo bond, oxygen atom transfer, and radical atom transfer reactions. Attention is given to advances in deoxygenation chemistry, oxidation chemistry, and reductive transformations.

Computational Analysis of Chemical Reactions Using a Variational Quantum Eigensolver Algorithm without Specifying Spin Multiplicity

The analysis of a chemical reaction along the ground-state potential energy surface in conjunction with an unknown spin state is challenging because electronic states must be separately computed several times using different spin multiplicities to find the lowest energy state. However, in principle, the ground state could be obtained with just a single calculation using a quantum computer without specifying the spin multiplicity in advance. In the present work, ground-state potential energy curves for PtCO were calculated as a proof-of-concept using a variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) algorithm. This system exhibits a singlet-triplet crossover as a consequence of the interaction between Pt and CO. VQE calculations using a statevector simulator were found to converge to a singlet state in the bonding region, while a triplet state was obtained at the dissociation limit. Calculations performed using an actual quantum device provided potential energies within ±2 kcal/mol of the simulated energies after error mitigation techniques were adopted. The spin multiplicities in the bonding and dissociation regions could be clearly distinguished even in the case of a small number of shots. The results of this study suggest that quantum computing can be a powerful tool for the analysis of the chemical reactions of systems for which the spin multiplicity of the ground state and variations in this parameter are not known in advance.

Transition metal-catalyzed deoxydehydration: missing pieces of the puzzle

Deoxydehydration (DODH) is a transformation that converts a vicinal diol into an olefin with the help of a sacrificial reductant.

Direct Deoxydehydration of Cyclic trans-Diol Substrates: An Experimental and Computational Study of the Reaction Mechanism of Vanadium(V)-based Catalysis*

The deoxydehydration of carbohydrates represents a key target to leverage renewable biomass resources chemically. Using a vanadium(V)-based catalyst, it was possible to directly deoxydehydrate cyclic trans-diol substrates. Accompanying mechanistic characterisation of this process by density functional calculations pointed to an energetically tractable route for deoxydehydration of cyclic trans-diol substrates involving stepwise cleavage of the diol C-O bonds via the triplet state; experimentally, this was supported by light dependence of the reaction. Calculations also indicated that cyclic cis-diols and a linear diol substrate could additionally proceed by a concerted singlet DODH mechanism. This work potentially opens a new and cost-effective way to efficiently convert carbohydrates of trans-diol stereochemistry into alkenes.

N-Donor Ligand Supported “ReO2+”: A Pre-Catalyst for the Deoxydehydration of Diols and Polyols

A selected number of tetradentate N2Py2 ligand-supported ReO2+ complexes and a monodentate pyridine-supported ReO2+ complex have been investigated as catalysts for the deoxydehydration (DODH) of diols and polyols. In situ 1H NMR experiments showed that these N-donor ligand-supported ReO2+ complexes are only the pre-catalyst of the DODH reaction. Treatment of (N2Py2) ReO2+ with an excess amount of water generates an active species for DODH catalysis; use of the Re-product of this reaction shows a much shorter induction period compared to the pristine complex. No ligand is coordinated to the “water-treated” complex indicating that the real catalyst is formed after ligand dissociation. IR analysis suggested this catalyst to be a rhenium-oxide/hydroxide oligomer. The monodentate pyridine ligand is much easier to dissociate from the metal center than a tetradentate N2Py2 ligand, which makes the Py4ReO2+-initiated DODH reaction more efficient. For the Py4ReO2+-initiated DODH of diols and biomass-based polyols, both PPh3 and 3-pentanol could be used as a reductant. Excellent olefin yields are achieved.

Deoxydehydration of 1,4-anhydroerythritol over anatase TiO2(101)-supported ReOx and MoOx

Heterogeneously catalyzed deoxydehydration (DODH) ordinarily occurs over oxide supported ReO_x sites. A comparably high activity of MoO_x/TiO₂(101) suggests that it is a promising low-cost DODH catalyst that can replace Re-based catalysts.

Mechanistic Features of the Oxidation-Reductive Coupling of Alcohols Catalyzed by Oxo-Vanadium Complexes

The oxo-vanadium-catalyzed redox disproportionation of activated alcohols (oxidation-reductive coupling, Ox-RC) produces carbonyl compounds and hydrocarbon dimers. A mechanistic study of this novel reaction is reported herein. Following our initial disclosure, new findings include the following: (1) The [(salimin)VO₂]^--catalyzed Ox-RC of Ph₂CHOH in the presence of fluorene affords the products of H-atom abstraction and all possible hydrocarbon dimers. (2) Electronic substituent effects on the relative rates of Ox-RC with respect to 4-X-BnOH reactants and Bu₄N[(Y-salimin)VO₂] catalysts (1a-c) reveal (a) a correlation of the oxidation rate of X-BnOH reactants with the radical σ parameter and (b) correlation of the oxidation rate for (Y-salimin)VO₂^- with the standard Hammett σ parameter. (3) The ease of electrochemical reduction of 1a-c is Y = NO₂ > OMe > H. (4) Ambient ¹H NMR studies of the interaction of 1 with alcohols suggest only a weak equilibrium association. (5) Density functional theory computational modeling of the Ox-RC reaction supports a ping-pong-type catalytic pathway, beginning with alcohol oxidation by (salimin)VO₂^-, preferably by stepwise-H-atom transfer from the alcohol to 1, affording the carbonyl product and the reduced (salimin)V(III)(OH)₂^-. The reduction half-reaction likely begins with condensation of the latter species with R₂CHOH to give the alkoxide complex (salimin)V(OR)OH^-; homolysis of the R···OV(III)(salimin) bond affords (salimin)V(IV)OH(O)^- and the R-radical; the latter dimerizes and the former can disproportionate via H-transfer to reform catalyst (salimin)VO₂^- (1) and (salimin)V(OH)₂^-.

Catalytic Applications of Vanadium: A Mechanistic Perspective

The chemistry of vanadium has seen remarkable activity in the past 50 years. In the present review, reactions catalyzed by homogeneous and supported vanadium complexes from 2008 to 2018 are summarized and discussed. Particular attention is given to mechanistic and kinetics studies of vanadium-catalyzed reactions including oxidations of alkanes, alkenes, arenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and sulfur species, as well as oxidative C-C and C-O bond cleavage, carbon-carbon bond formation, deoxydehydration, haloperoxidase, cyanation, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, ring-opening metathesis polymerization, and oxo/imido heterometathesis. Additionally, insights into heterogeneous vanadium catalysis are provided when parallels can be drawn from the homogeneous literature.

Computational Design of Functionalized Metal-Organic Framework Nodes for Catalysis

Recent progress in the synthesis and characterization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has opened the door to an increasing number of possible catalytic applications. The great versatility of MOFs creates a large chemical space, whose thorough experimental examination becomes practically impossible. Therefore, computational modeling is a key tool to support, rationalize, and guide experimental efforts. In this outlook we survey the main methodologies employed to model MOFs for catalysis, and we review selected recent studies on the functionalization of their nodes. We pay special attention to catalytic applications involving natural gas conversion.

Manipulating and quantifying spin states in solution as a function of pressure and temperature

This new ‘single compartment tube’ ¹H NMR methodology for determining spin states under high pressures (up to 240 MPa) has implications for the study of magnetic, catalytic and biochemical processes.

Oxidation–reductive coupling of alcohols catalyzed by oxo-vanadium complexes

Oxo-vanadium complexes catalyze the novel oxidation–reductive coupling of benzylic and allylic alcohols.