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Now showing 1 - 10 of 21
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    Photocatalytic nitrogen reduction to ammonia: Insights into the role of defect engineering in photocatalysts
    (New York, NY [u.a.] : Springer, 2021) Shen, Huidong; Yang, Mengmeng; Hao, Leiduan; Wang, Jinrui; Strunk, Jennifer; Sun, Zhenyu
    Engineering of defects in semiconductors provides an effective protocol for improving photocatalytic N2 conversion efficiency. This review focuses on the state-of-the-art progress in defect engineering of photocatalysts for the N2 reduction toward ammonia. The basic principles and mechanisms of thermal catalyzed and photon-induced N2 reduction are first concisely recapped, including relevant properties of the N2 molecule, reaction pathways, and NH3 quantification methods. Subsequently, defect classification, synthesis strategies, and identification techniques are compendiously summarized. Advances of in situ characterization techniques for monitoring defect state during the N2 reduction process are also described. Especially, various surface defect strategies and their critical roles in improving the N2 photoreduction performance are highlighted, including surface vacancies (i.e., anionic vacancies and cationic vacancies), heteroatom doping (i.e., metal element doping and nonmetal element doping), and atomically defined surface sites. Finally, future opportunities and challenges as well as perspectives on further development of defect-engineered photocatalysts for the nitrogen reduction to ammonia are presented. It is expected that this review can provide a profound guidance for more specialized design of defect-engineered catalysts with high activity and stability for nitrogen photochemical fixation.
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    Selective Construction of C−C and C=C Bonds by Manganese Catalyzed Coupling of Alcohols with Phosphorus Ylides
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH Verlag, 2020) Liu X.; Werner T.
    Herein, we report the manganese catalyzed coupling of alcohols with phosphorus ylides. The selectivity in the coupling of primary alcohols with phosphorus ylides to form carbon-carbon single (C−C) and carbon-carbon double (C=C) bonds can be controlled by the ligands. In the conversion of more challenging secondary alcohols with phosphorus ylides the selectivity towards the formation of C−C vs. C=C bonds can be controlled by the reaction conditions, namely the amount of base. The scope and limitations of the coupling reactions were thoroughly evaluated by the conversion of 21 alcohols and 15 ylides. Notably, compared to existing methods, which are based on precious metal complexes as catalysts, the present catalytic system is based on earth abundant manganese catalysts. The reaction can also be performed in a sequential one-pot reaction generating the phosphorus ylide in situ followed manganese catalyzed C−C and C=C bond formation. Mechanistic studies suggest that the C−C bond was generated via a borrowing hydrogen pathway and the C=C bond formation followed an acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling pathway. (Figure presented.). © 2020 The Authors. Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Rhodium-catalyzed borylative carbon monoxide reduction to gem-diborylmethane
    (Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2021) Xua, Jian-Xing; Wu, Fu-Peng; Wu, Xiao-Feng
    Herein, we developed a rhodium-catalyzed reduction of CO with bis(pinacolato)diboron (B2pin2) under atmospheric pressure of CO with silane as the hydride source, gem-diborylmethane [H2C(Bpin)2] as a versatile and fundamental C1 compound can be formed. Notably, this is the first example on transition metal-catalyzed borylation of CO. © 2020 The Author(s)
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    In situ grown palladium nanoparticles on polyester fabric as easy-separable and recyclable catalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura reaction
    (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2021) Xu, Tiefeng; Lu, Panting; Wohlrab, Sebastian; Chen, Wenxing; Springer, Armin; Wu, Xiao-Feng; Lu, Wangyang
    Palladium nanoparticles supported on low-melting polyester (Pd/LMPET) fabric were prepared through a microwave irradiation assisted method. In this way, in situ growth of Pd nanoparticles onto an easy to handle material was initiated and proceeded. The results of the characterization revealed that the palladium nanoparticles were well-dispersed on the surfaces of the polyester fibers. The Pd/LMPET fabrics were then employed in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. They exhibited excellent catalytic activity in ethanol/water under air atmosphere at 50 °C. Importantly, the Pd/LMPET fabrics could be separated from reaction mixture conveniently and they can still maintain good activity after 8 cycles without Pd leaching. © 2021 The Authors
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    Aerobic iron-catalyzed site-selective C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond cleavage in N-heterocycles
    (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2021) Leonard, David K.; Li, Wu; Rockstroh, Nils; Junge, Kathrin; Beller, Matthias
    The kinetic and thermodynamic stability of C(sp3)–C(sp3) bonds makes the site-selective activation of these motifs a real synthetic challenge. In view of this, herein a site-selective method of C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond scission of amines, specifically morpholine and piperazine derivatives, using a cheap iron catalyst and air as a sustainable oxidant is reported. Furthermore, a statistical design of experiments (DoE) is used to evaluate multiple reaction parameters thereby allowing for the rapid development of a catalytic process. © 2021
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    Nickel-catalyzed carbonylative synthesis of dihydrobenzofurans
    (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2021) Geng, H.-Q.; Wang, W.; Wu, X.-F.
    A nickel-catalyzed carbonylative synthesis of dihydrobenzofurans has been developed. With Mo(CO)6 as the CO source and manganese metal as the reductant, alkyl halides were reacted with aryl iodides to give the desired products in moderate to good yields. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
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    Verification of impurity-related photocatalytic activity of insulating oxide supports
    (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2021) Kortewille, Bianca; Springer, Armin; Strunk, Jennifer
    Photocatalysts composed of vanadium oxide species supported on commercial MgO and ZrO2 are investigated in selective methanol oxidation. Both support oxides are insulators, so the vanadium oxide species are expected as sole active component in photocatalysis. However, the pure supports showed considerable activity: Bare MgO was more active than MgO-supported vanadia catalysts, and ZrO2 showed intermediate activity. By various characterization methods, the presence of TiO2 (anatase) in the MgO support, and the presence of Zn, possibly as ZnO, in ZrO2 is demonstrated. The present study highlights that photocatalysts containing commercial supports must be carefully checked for impurity-related photocatalytic performance. © 2021 The Authors
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    Enhancement and limits of the selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde over V-SBA-15: Influence of water cofeed and product decomposition
    (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2021) Kunkel, Benny; Wohlrab, Sebastian
    The possibility of a selective catalytic oxidation of methane to formaldehyde has been known for decades, and positive influences of water added to the reaction mixture and ultra-short contact times have been reported. In the present work, the complexity of interdependencies has been revealed. Specific parameter variations can increase conversion and selectivity of the target product. Surprisingly, formaldehyde formation over VOx species and its decomposition in gas phase were equally dependent on the partial pressure of the added water, so that the sweet spot can only be found by varying the residence time. © 2021 The Author(s)
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    Carbon Monoxide Coupling Reactions: A New Concept for the Formation of Hexahydroxybenzene
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Rosenthal, Uwe
    For linear and cyclic coupling reactions of CO, among other products, the formation of the hexapotassium salt of hexahydroxybenzene is of particular interesting. The interaction of metallic potassium and CO offers, via the assumed K[OC≡CO]K as the result of several carbon monoxide coupling reactions, the formation of C6(OK)6 among other products. To date, only speculations exist about the reaction pathway for these products, which were first described by Liebig in 1834. A novel concept is suggested here, which consists of the single steps (i) reductive coupling of CO, (ii) formation of dihetero-metallacyclopentynes (cis-2,5-diheterobutatriene as formal ethylenedione O=C=C=O complexes), (iii) formation of its dinuclear 1-metalla-2,5-dioxo-cyclopentyne complexes by external coordination of the triple bond, (iv) insertion of CO into the M−C bond of the formed metallacyclopropene, and (v) the reductive elimination of C6(OK)6. The novel aspect of this concept is the formation of dihetero-metallacyclopentynes (in analogy to the well characterized all-C-metallacyclopentynes), which have not been considered in the mechanism of reductive CO coupling reactions. It is expected that the presence of transition-metal impurities would promote the reaction. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Cyclometalated Ruthenium Pincer Complexes as Catalysts for the α-Alkylation of Ketones with Alcohols
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Piehl, Patrick; Amuso, Roberta; Alberico, Elisabetta; Junge, Henrik; Gabriele, Bartolo; Neumann, Helfried; Beller, Matthias
    Ruthenium PNP pincer complexes bearing supplementary cyclometalated C,N-bound ligands have been prepared and fully characterized for the first time. By replacing CO and H− as ancillary ligands in such complexes, additional electronic and steric modifications of this topical class of catalysts are possible. The advantages of the new catalysts are demonstrated in the general α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols following a hydrogen autotransfer protocol. Herein, various aliphatic and benzylic alcohols were applied as green alkylating agents for ketones bearing aromatic, heteroaromatic or aliphatic substituents as well as cyclic ones. Mechanistic investigations revealed that during catalysis, Ru carboxylate complexes are predominantly formed whereas neither the PNP nor the CN ligand are released from the catalyst in significant amounts. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.