María Elena González-Núñez

Silver-Catalyzed C-C Bond Formation Between Methane and Ethyl Diazoacetate in Supercritical CO2

Supercritical carbon dioxide solvent facilitates transformation of the generally inert carbon-hydrogen bonds in methane. Even in the context of hydrocarbons’ general resistance to selective functionalization, methane’s volatility and strong bonds pose a particular challenge. We report here that silver complexes bearing perfluorinated indazolylborate ligands catalyze the reaction of methane (CH4) with ethyl diazoacetate (N2CHCO2Et) to yield ethyl propionate (CH3CH2CO2Et). The use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as the solvent is key to the reaction’s success. Although the catalyst is only sparingly soluble in CH4/CO2 mixtures, optimized conditions presently result in a 19% yield of ethyl propionate (based on starting quantity of the diazoester) at 40°C over 14 hours.

Aryl radicals by copper(II) oxidation of hydrazines: A new method for the oxidative and reductive arylation of alkenes

Abstract A new source of aryl radicals interesting from the preparative point of view has been found in the reaction of arylhydrazines and copper(II) sulfate. The process allows selectively both the reductive and oxidative arylation of alkenes.

Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones with a silica-supported peracid in supercritical carbon dioxide under flow conditions

[2-Percarboxyethyl]-functionalized silica reacts with ketones in supercritical carbon dioxide at 250 bar and 40 °C under flow conditions to yield the corresponding esters and lactones. The solid reagent can be easily recycled through treatment with 70% hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an acid at 0 °C. This procedure not only simplifies the isolation of the reaction products, but has the advantage of using only water and carbon dioxide as solvents under mild conditions.

One electron transfer chain decomposition of trifluoroacetone diperoxide: The first 1,2,4,5-tetroxane with O-transfer capability

Abstract Reaction of 1,1,1-trifluoropropanone (trifluoroacetone) ( 1a ) with 30% hydrogen peroxide in the presence of conc. sulfuric acid afforded in good yield 3,6-bis(trifluoromethyl)-3,6-dimethyl-1,2,4,5-tetroxane or trifluoroacetone diperoxide ( 2a ). Peroxide 2a is quantitatively converted into trifluoroacetone ( 1a ) and dioxygen by a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium iodide through a reductive electron transfer chain reaction carried out by the superoxide ion. Trifluoroacetone diperoxide ( 2a ) is capable of O-atom transfer to alkenes and sulfides.

Analysis of hybrid silica materials with the aid of conventional NMR and GC/MS.

Two simple and straightforward procedures for determining the organic content of hybrid silica materials by means of conventional NMR and GC/MS techniques are described. The methods involve dissolving the hybrid material either in a concentrated solution of sodium hydroxide in deuterated water containing a suitable reference or in a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water and extracting with methylene chloride. These methods constitute useful routine techniques for obtaining immediate information concerning both the amount and chemical composition of the organic compounds on the silica surface.

Evidence for the involvement of a sulfurane intermediate in the oxidation of simple sulfides by methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane

Abstract Methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane reacts with sulfides to give preferentially sulfones, even in the presence of competing sulfoxides. The sulfoxide yield increases at the expense of the sulfone when 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol is used as co-solvent. The reaction of dioxirane 1b with phenylmethyl sulfide in the presence of 1,1,1-trifluoropropanone- 18 O -hydrate (48% atom labelled), leads to the obtention of 23% atom 18 O -labelled sulfoxide and 6.1% atom 18 O -labelled sulfone. The involvement of a cyclic hypervalent sulfurane intermediate is proposed as reactive intermediate.

Epoxidation of olefins with a silica-supported peracid in supercritical carbon dioxide under flow conditions.

Anhydrous 2-percarboxyethyl-functionalized silica (2b), a recyclable supported peracid, is a suitable reagent to perform the epoxidation of alkenes 1 in supercritical carbon dioxide at 250 bar and 40 °C under flow conditions. This procedure simplifies the isolation of the reaction products and uses only carbon dioxide as a solvent under mild conditions. The solid reagent 2b can be easily recycled by a reaction with 30% hydrogen peroxide in an acid medium.

Reactions at Interfaces: Oxygenation of n-Butyl Ligands Anchored on Silica Surfaces with Methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane

The oxygenation of n-butyl and n-butoxy chains bonded to silica with methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane (1) revealed the ability of the silica matrix to release electron density toward the reacting C(2)-H σ-bond through the Si-C(1) and Si-O(1) σ-bonds connecting the alkyl chain to the surface (silicon β-effect). The silica surface impedes neither the alkyl chain adopting the conformation required for the silicon β-effect nor dioxirane 1 approaching the reactive C(2) methylene group. Reaction regioselectivity is insensitive to changes in the solvation of the reacting system, the location of organic ligands on the silica surface, and the H-bonding character of the silica surface. Reaction rates are faster for those organic ligands either within the silica pores or bonded to hydrophilic silica surfaces, which evidence the enhanced molecular dynamics of confined dioxirane 1 and the impact of surface phenomena on the reaction kinetics. The oxygenation of n-butyl and n-butoxy chains carrying trimethylsilyl, trimethoxysilyl, and tert-butyl groups with dioxirane 1 under homogeneous conditions confirms the electronic effects of the silyl substituents and the consequences of steric hindrance on the reaction rate and regioselectivity. Orthosilicic acid esters react preferentially at the methylene group adjacent to the oxygen atom in clear contrast with the reactivity of the carboxylic or sulfonic acid alkyl esters, which efficiently protect this position toward oxidation with 1.

On the ionizing properties of supercritical carbon dioxide: uncatalyzed electrophilic bromination of aromatics

Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), a solvent with a zero dipole moment, low dielectric constant, and no hydrogen bonding behavior, is a suitable medium to perform the uncatalyzed electrophilic bromination of weakly activated aromatics with no interference of radical pathways. The ability of scCO2 to promote these reactions matches those of strongly ionizing solvents such as aqueous acetic and trifluoroacetic acids. Conversely, carbon tetrachloride, with similar polarity parameters to scCO2, leads exclusively to side chain functionalization. The strong quadrupole moment, and the acidic, but non basic, Lewis character of carbon dioxide, are proposed as key factors for the singular performance of scCO2 in reactions involving highly polar and ionic intermediates.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide: A Promoter of Carbon–Halogen Bond Heterolysis

as the leaving groupdeparts from the carbon atom prior to the entrance of thenucleophile. Polar protic solvents with high dielectric con-stants promote polar bond heterolysis by providing effectiveH-bonding and electron-pair donation interactions to theleaving group and the incipient carbocation, respectively.Then, the solvent captures the carbocation intermediate togive the corresponding S