Yehong Wang

Lignin depolymerization (LDP) in alcohol over nickel-based catalysts via a fragmentation–hydrogenolysis process

Valorization of native birch wood lignin into monomeric phenols over nickel-based catalysts has been studied. High chemoselectivity to aromatic products was achieved by using Ni-based catalysts and common alcohols as solvents. The results show that lignin can be selectively cleaved into propylguaiacol and propylsyringol with total selectivity >90% at a lignin conversion of about 50%. Alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol, are suitable solvents for lignin conversion. Analyses with MALDI-TOF and NMR show that birch lignin is first fragmented into smaller lignin species consisting of several benzene rings with a molecular weight of m/z ca. 1100 to ca. 1600 via alcoholysis reaction. The second step involves the hydrogenolysis of the fragments into phenols. The presence of gaseous H2 has no effect on lignin conversion, indicating that alcohols provide active hydrogen species, which is further confirmed by isotopic tracing experiments. Catalysts are recycled by magnetic separation and can be reused four times without losing activity. The mechanistic insights from this work could be helpful in understanding native lignin conversion and the formation of monomeric phenolics via reductive depolymerization.

Heterogeneous Ceria Catalyst with Water-Tolerant Lewis Acidic Sites for One-Pot Synthesis of 1,3-Diols via Prins Condensation and Hydrolysis Reactions

The use of a heterogeneous Lewis acid catalyst, which is insoluble and easily separable during the reaction, is a promising option for hydrolysis reactions from both environmental and practical viewpoints. In this study, ceria showed excellent catalytic activity in the hydrolysis of 4-methyl-1,3-dioxane to 1,3-butanediol in 95% yield and in the one-pot synthesis of 1,3-butanediol from propylene and formaldehyde via Prins condensation and hydrolysis reactions in an overall yield of 60%. In-depth investigations revealed that ceria is a water-tolerant Lewis acid catalyst, which has seldom been reported previously. The ceria catalysts showed rather unusual high activity in hydrolysis, with a turnover number (TON) of 260, which is rather high for bulk oxide catalysts, whose TONs are usually less than 100. Our conclusion that ceria functions as a Lewis acid catalyst in hydrolysis reactions is firmly supported by thorough characterizations with IR and Raman spectroscopy, acidity measurements with IR and (31)P magic-angle-spinning NMR spectroscopy, Na(+)/H(+) exchange tests, analyses using the in situ active-site capping method, and isotope-labeling studies. A relationship between surface vacancy sites and catalytic activity has been established. CeO(2)(111) has been confirmed to be the catalytically active crystalline facet for hydrolysis. Water has been found to be associatively adsorbed on oxygen vacancy sites with medium strength, which does not lead to water dissociation to form stable hydroxides. This explains why the ceria catalyst is water-tolerant.

Investigations on the crystal plane effect of ceria on gold catalysis in the oxidative dehydrogenation of alcohols and amines in the liquid phase

Gold nanoparticles supported on ceria{110} crystal planes were more reactive than on ceria{111} and {100} in the oxidative dehydrogenation of alcohols. Kinetic analysis and a Hammett plot suggest that hydride transfer is involved, and the cationic gold is catalytically active.

Transfer hydrogenation of nitroarenes with hydrazine at near-room temperature catalysed by a MoO2 catalyst

We present an experimental and computational study of the elementary steps of hydrazine hydrogen transfer on crystalline MoO2, and demonstrate its unique bifunctional metallic-basic properties in a catalytic hydrogenation reaction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the stepwise hydrogen transfer via the prior cleavage of the N–H bond rather than the N–N bond, is the key step to create the dissociated hydride and proton species on the dual Mo and O sites, marking its difference with common oxides. Crystalline MoO2 shows exceptionally high chemoselectivity toward the nitro reduction over CC, CC, and CN groups at room temperature and lower, down to 0 °C, rendering it as a promising catalytic material for hydrogenation reactions.

Nanocoating of magnetic cores with sulfonic acid functionalized shells for the catalytic dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Abstract A magnetically recyclable acid catalyst composed of an Fe3O4 core and sulfonic acid functionalized silica shell has been prepared using the reverse microemulsion method. The Fe3O4 core was coated with a phenyl modified silica shell nanolayer, and the phenyl groups were subsequently sulfonated to generate a solid sulfonic acid catalyst. The resulting acid catalyst showed higher activity than the conventional A-15 catalyst and comparable activity to several homogeneous sulfonic acid catalysts for the dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). This process gave a fructose conversion of 99% with an HMF yield of 82% following 3 h in dimethylsulfoxide at 110 °C. Furthermore, the catalyst could be magnetically separated and recycled several times without losing its activity.

An investigation of the effects of CeO2 crystal planes on the aerobic oxidative synthesis of imines from alcohols and amines

We herein report the effects of CeO2 crystal planes on the oxidative coupling of alcohols and amines to form imines. CeO2 exhibits significant catalytic activity under mild reaction conditions (60 °C) during the synthesis of 13 different imines, giving >89% conversions and >90% selectivities. The crystal planes of CeO2 greatly affect the catalytic performance. Among the crystal planes investigated (the (110), (100) and (111) planes), the (110) plane shows the strongest redox ability and thus the best catalytic activity, generating a 97% yield of the imine at 60 °C in 2 h, because it contains the highest concentration of oxygen vacancies.

CN and NH Bond Metathesis Reactions Mediated by Carbon Dioxide

Herein, we report CO2 -mediated metathesis reactions between amines and DMF to synthesize formamides. More than 20 amines, including primary, secondary, aromatic, and heterocyclic amines, diamines, and amino acids, are converted to the corresponding formamides with good-to-excellent conversions and selectivities under mild conditions. This strategy employs CO2 as a mediator to activate the amine under metal-free conditions. The experimental data and in situ NMR and attenuated total reflectance IR spectroscopy measurements support the formation of the N-carbamic acid as an intermediate through the weak acid-base interaction between CO2 and the amine. The metathesis reaction is driven by the formation of a stable carbamate, and a reaction mechanism is proposed.

Imine-linked conjugated organic polymer bearing bis(imino)pyridine ligands and its catalytic application in C–C coupling reactions

Abstract Covalent organic polymers are an emerging class of materials with potential applications in areas including molecular separation, gas sorption, and catalysis. A novel fully conjugated organic polymer bearing bis(imino)pyridine (COP-BIP) and its catalytic function are reported here. Unlike previous COP materials, the imine bonds of COP-BIP act as both linkages and complexation sites for the binding of metal ions. A clear structure is presented based on ultraviolet-visible, Fourier transform infrared, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry characterization. The COP-BIP materials are thermally stable up to 440 °C and are insoluble in conventional solvents. In addition, COP-BIP complexes Pd ions on bis(imino)pyridine sites and forms a heterogeneous catalyst, which exhibits excellent catalytic activity in the Suzuki-Miyaura C–C coupling reaction.

The cascade synthesis of α,β-unsaturated ketones via oxidative C–C coupling of ketones and primary alcohols over a ceria catalyst

We herein report the oxidative C–C coupling of ketones and primary alcohols to produce α,β-unsaturated ketones in the absence of base additives. This cascade synthetic reaction was conducted at 150 °C in 12 h using a heterogeneous CeO2 catalyst. The conversion of acetophenone reached 74% with 89% selectivity to chalcone. A correlation between the CeO2 crystal plane and catalytic performance is established as the catalytic activities decrease in the sequence of (110) > (111) > (100). Characterization using Raman spectroscopy, CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (CO2-TPD), and in situ active site-capping tests has shown that the unusual catalysis of the CeO2 catalyst is attributed to the coexistence of basic and redox active sites. These sites synergistically catalyze the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and the aldol condensation to ketones. Moreover, the CeO2 catalyst can be reused several times after calcination to remove the surface-adsorbed substances.

Acid-Promoter-Free Ethylene Methoxycarbonylation over Ru-Clusters/Ceria: The Catalysis of Interfacial Lewis Acid–Base Pair

The interface of metal-oxide plays pivotal roles in catalytic reactions, but its catalytic function is still not clear. In this study, we report the high activity of nanostructured Ru/ceria (Ru-clusters/ceria) in the ethylene methoxycarbonylation (EMC) reaction in the absence of acid promoter. The catalyst offers 92% yield of MP with TOF of 8666 h-1, which is about 2.5 times of homogeneous Pd catalyst (∼3500 h-1). The interfacial Lewis acid-base pair [Ru-O-Ce-Vö], which consists of acidic Ce-Vö (oxygen vacancy) site and basic interfacial oxygen of Ru-O-Ce linkage, acts as active site for the dissociation of methanol and the subsequent transfer of hydrogen to the activated ethylene, which is the key step in acid-promoter-free EMC reaction. The combination of 1H MAS NMR, pyridine-IR and DFT calculations reveals the hydrogen species derived from methanol contains Brönsted acidity. The EMC reaction mechanism under acid-promoter-free condition over Ru-clusters/ceria catalyst is discussed.