Yuriy N. Kozlov

Extremely Efficient Alkane Oxidation by a New Catalytic Reagent H2O2/Os3(CO)12/Pyridine

Triosmium dodecacarbonyl catalyzes a very efficient oxidation of alkanes by H(2)O(2) in MeCN to afford alkyl hydroperoxides (primary products) as well as alcohols and ketones (aldehydes) at 60 degrees C if pyridine is added in a low concentration. Turnover numbers attain 60,000, and turnover frequencies are up to 24,000 h(-1).

Heterometallic CoIII4FeIII2 Schiff Base Complex: Structure, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, and Alkane Oxidation Catalytic Activity

The heterometallic complex [Co(4)Fe(2)OSae(8)]·4DMF·H(2)O (1) was synthesized by one-pot reaction of cobalt powder with iron chloride in a dimethylformamide solution of salicylidene-2-ethanolamine (H(2)Sae) and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, magnetic measurements, high frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (HF-EPR), and Mössbauer spectroscopies. The exchange coupling in the Fe(III)-Fe(III) pair is of antiferromagnetic behavior with J/hc = -190 cm(-1). The HF-EPR spectra reveal an unusual pattern with a hardly detectable triplet signal of the Fe(III) dimer. The magnitude of D (ca. 13.9 cm(-1)) was found to be much larger than in related dimers. The catalytic investigations disclosed an outstanding activity of 1 toward oxidation of cycloalkanes with hydrogen peroxide, under mild conditions. The most efficient system showed a turnover number (TON) of 3.57 × 10(3) with the concomitant overall yield of 26% for cyclohexane, and 2.28 × 10(3)/46%, respectively, for cyclooctane. A remarkable turnover frequency (TOF) of 1.12 × 10(4) h(-1) (the highest initial rate W(0) = 3.5 × 10(-4) M s(-1)) was achieved in oxidation of cyclohexane. Kinetic experiments and selectivity parameters led to the conclusion that hydroxyl radicals are active (attacking C-H bonds) species. Kinetic and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) data allowed us to assume that the trinuclear heterometallic particle [Co(2)Fe(Sae)(4)](+), originated from 1 in solution, could be responsible for efficient generation of hydroxyl radicals from hydrogen peroxide.

Oxidations by the “hydrogen peroxide–manganese(IV) complex–carboxylic acid” system.

Whereas the dinuclear manganese(IV) complex [LMn(O)3MnL](PF6)2 (1a, L = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) does not react with H2O2 in acetonitrile solution containing cyclohexane, acetic acid added to this mixture in small amounts induces the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to O2 and H2O (catalase activity) and the transformation of cyclohexane to cyclohexyl hydroperoxide (oxygenase activity). Addition to the acetic acid containing solution only 2 equivalents (relative to the Mn catalyst) of a base enhances the catalase activity and suppresses the oxygenase activity. The proposed mechanism includes the formation of dinuclear dihydroperoxy derivatives of manganese, which can be transformed under the action of acetic acid to OMn(V)–Mn(IV)–OOH species. The latter can abstract a hydrogen atom from an alkane. The interaction of the so-formed R˙ radical with Mn(IV)–OOH can give the alkyl hydroperoxide, ROOH, which is the main primary product of the oxidation process.

Mechanism of Al3+-Catalyzed Oxidations of Hydrocarbons: Dramatic Activation of H2O2 toward O-O Homolysis in Complex [Al(H2O)(4)(OOH)(H2O2)](2+) Explains the Formation of HO center dot Radicals

A radical mechanism of hydrocarbon oxidations with the environmentally friendly and cheap homogeneous nontransition metal system [Al(H(2)O)(6)](3+)/H(2)O(2)/MeCN-H(2)O was proposed for the first time on the basis of DFT calculations. A dramatic activation of H(2)O(2) toward homolysis in the key intermediate [Al(H(2)O)(4)(OOH)(H(2)O(2))](2+) due to the presence of the easily oxidizable OOH coligand provides, without a change of metal oxidation state, the generation of HO(•) radicals, which then oxidize hydrocarbons. Nonradical mechanisms of the olefin epoxidation with the same catalytic system were also investigated.

A new binuclear oxovanadium(V) complex as a catalyst in combination with pyrazinecarboxylic acid (PCA) for efficient alkane oxygenation by H2O2

A new binuclear oxovanadium(V) complex [{VO(OEt)(EtOH)}2L] (1) where H4L is bis(2-hydroxybenzylidene)terephthalohydrazide has been synthesized and fully characterized. The combination of 1 with pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid (PCA; a cocatalyst) affords a catalytic system for the efficient oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons, RH, with hydrogen peroxide and air in acetonitrile solution at 50 °C to produce alkyl hydroperoxides, ROOH, as the main primary products. Very high turnover numbers (TONs) have been attained in this reaction: for example, after 2220 min, TON = 44,000 and initial TOF (turnover frequency) = 3300 h(-1) per molecule of complex 1. The estimated activation energy of the cyclohexane oxygenation in the presence of 1/PCA is E(a) = 16 ± 2 kcal mol(-1). This value is identical to that obtained for the cyclohexane oxidation with H2O2 catalyzed by the (n-Bu4N)[VO3]/PCA combination (17 ± 2 kcal mol(-1)). The dependences of initial oxidation rates W0 on the initial concentrations of all components of the reaction mixture have been determined. Based on these kinetic data and on the regio- and bond-selectivity parameters measured in the oxidation of linear and branched alkanes a mechanism of the oxidation has been proposed which includes the generation of hydroxyl radicals in the crucial stage.

Alkane oxidation with peroxides catalyzed by cage-like copper( ii ) silsesquioxanes

Isomeric cage-like tetracopper(II) silsesquioxane complexes [(PhSiO1.5)12(CuO)4(NaO0.5)4] (1a), [(PhSiO1.5)6(CuO)4(NaO0.5)4(PhSiO1.5)6] (1b) and binuclear complex [(PhSiO1.5)10(CuO)2(NaO0.5)2] (2) have been studied by various methods. These compounds can be considered as models of some multinuclear copper-containing enzymes. Compounds 1a and 2 are good pre-catalysts for the alkane oxygenation with hydrogen peroxide in air in an acetonitrile solution. Thus, the 1a-catalyzed reaction with cyclohexane at 60 °C gave mainly cyclohexyl hydroperoxide in 17% yield (turnover number, TON, was 190 after 230 min and initial turnover frequency, TOF, was 100 h−1). The alkyl hydroperoxide partly decomposes in the course of the reaction to afford the corresponding ketone and alcohol. The effective activation energy for the cyclohexane oxygenation catalyzed by compounds 1a and 2 is 16 ± 2 and 17 ± 2 kcal mol−1, respectively. Selectivity parameters measured in the oxidation of linear and branched alkanes and the kinetic analysis revealed that the oxidizing species in the reaction is the hydroxyl radical. The analysis of the dependence of the initial reaction rate on the initial concentration of cyclohexane led to a conclusion that hydroxyl radicals attack the cyclohexane molecules in proximity to the copper reaction centers. The oxidations of saturated hydrocarbons with tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) catalyzed by complexes 1a and 2 exhibit unusual selectivity parameters which are due to the steric hindrance created by bulky silsesquioxane ligands surrounding copper reactive centers. Thus, the methylene groups in n-octane have different reactivities: the regioselectivity parameter for the oxidation with TBHP catalyzed by 1a is 1 : 10.5 : 8 : 7. Furthermore, in the oxidation of methylcyclohexane the position 2 relative to the methyl group of this substrate is noticeably less reactive than the corresponding positions 3 and 4. Finally, the oxidation of trans-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane with TBHP catalyzed by complexes 1a and 2 proceeds stereoselectively with the inversion of configuration. The 1a-catalyzed reaction of cyclohexane with H216O2 in an atmosphere of 18O2 gives cyclohexyl hydroperoxide containing up to 50% of 18O. The small amount of cyclohexanone, produced along with cyclohexyl hydroperoxide, is 18O-free and is generated apparently via a mechanism which does not include hydroxyl radicals and incorporation of molecular oxygen from the atmosphere.

Oxidations by the reagent “O2–H2O2–vanadium derivative–pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid”. Part 13.For parts 1–12 see refs. 4(a)–(l), respectively. Kinetics and mechanism of the benzene hydroxylation

It has been concluded on the basis of the kinetic study of benzene hydroxylation by the “O2–H2O2–nBu4NVO3–PCA” reagent in acetonitrile at various temperatures that the oxidation is induced by the attack of hydroxyl radical on the benzene molecule. The rate-limiting step of the reaction is the monomolecular decomposition of the complex containing one coordinated PCA molecule as well as one hydrogen peroxide molecule: VV(PCA)(H2O2) → VIV(PCA) + HOO˙ + H+. The V(IV) species thus formed reacts further in a non-limiting stage with the second H2O2 molecule to generate the hydroxyl radical: VIV(PCA) + H2O2 → VV(PCA) + HO˙ + HO−. The effective activation energy is 19 ± 3 kcal mol−1.

A Heterometallic (Fe6Na8) Cage-like Silsesquioxane: Synthesis, Structure, Spin Glass Behavior and High Catalytic Activity

The exotic “Asian Lantern” heterometallic cage silsesquioxane [(PhSiO1.5)20(FeO1.5)6(NaO0.5)8(n-BuOH)9.6(C7H8)] (I) was obtained and characterized by X-ray diffraction, EXAFS, topological analyses and DFT calculation. The magnetic property investigations revealed that it shows an unusual spin glass-like behavior induced by a particular triangular arrangement of Fe(III) ions. Cyclohexane and other alkanes as well as benzene can be oxidized to the corresponding alkyl hydroperoxides and phenol, respectively, by hydrogen peroxide in air in the presence of catalytic amounts of complex I and nitric acid. The I-catalyzed reaction of cyclohexane, c-C6H12, with H216O2 in an atmosphere of 18O2 gave a mixture of labeled and non-labeled cyclohexyl hydroperoxides, c-C6H11–16O–16OH and c-C6H11–18O–18OH, respectively, with an 18O incorporation level of ca. 12%. Compound I also revealed high efficiency in the oxidative amidation of alcohols into amides: in the presence of complex I, only 500 ppm of iron was allowed to reach TON and TOF values of 1660 and 92 h−1.

Oxidation of hydrocarbons with H2O2/O2 catalyzed by osmium complexes containing p-cymene ligands in acetonitrile

The soluble osmium complexes containing p-cymene (π-p-cym) ligands, [(η6-p-cym)OsCl2]2 (1), [(η6-p-cym)Os(bipy)Cl]PF6 (2), and [(η6-p-cym)2Os2(μ-H)3]PF6 (3), are efficient catalysts for the oxidation of alkanes (cyclohexane, n-heptane, methylcyclohexane, isooctane, and cis- and trans-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane) with hydrogen peroxide in air to the corresponding alkyl hydroperoxides in acetonitrile solution if a small amount of pyridine is present in the solution. The binuclear complex 1 is the most active precatalyst in the oxidation whereas compound 2 containing the bipyridine ligand is much less efficient. The oxidation of cyclohexane at 60 °C and low concentration [1]0 = 10−7 M gave a turnover number (TON) of 200 200 after 24 h. A study of the selectivity parameters in the oxidation of linear and branched alkanes and the kinetic peculiarities of the cyclohexane oxidation led to the conclusion that the main reaction mechanism includes the formation of hydroxyl radicals. The effective activation energy Ea for the cyclohexane oxidation catalyzed by complex 1 was 10 ± 2 kcal mol−1. A kinetic analysis verified also that monomerization of complex 1 occurs before the oxidizing species is involved in the catalytic cycle. The 1-catalyzed reaction of cyclohexane, c-C6H12, with H216O2 in an atmosphere of 18O2 gave labeled cyclohexyl hydroperoxide, c-C6H11–18O–18OH. In addition, a small amount of “light” cyclohexanone, c-C6H1016O, is produced apparently via a mechanism which includes neither hydroxyl radicals nor incorporation of molecular oxygen from the atmosphere. The oxidation of benzene with H216O2 under 18O2 gave phenol which did not contain the 18O isotope. The reactions with cyclohexane and benzene were shown to proceed also via an alternative minor mechanism with oxo derivatives of high-valent osmium “OsO” as key oxidizing species.

Kinetics and mechanism of alkane hydroperoxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide catalysed by a vanadate anion

tert-Butyl hydroperoxide oxidizes alkanes in acetonitrile at 60 degrees C if the soluble vanadium(v) salt, n-Bu4NVO3, is used as a catalyst. Alkyl hydroperoxides are formed as main products which decompose during the course of the reaction to produce the more stable corresponding alcohols and ketones. Turnover numbers (ie. numbers of moles of products per one mole of a catalyst) attained 250. The kinetics and selectivity of the reaction have been studied. The mechanism proposed involves the formation of a complex between the V(V) species and t-BuOOH (K5 was estimated to be 5 dm3 mol(-1)) followed by decomposition of this complex (k6 = 0.2 s(-1)). The generated V(IV) species reacts with another t-BuOOH molecule to produce an active t-BuO* radical which attacks the hydrocarbon.