Pyridinium saccharinate salts as efficient recyclable acylation catalyst: a new bridge between heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis

Abstract

It is important to find a way for separation of concerned chemicals from product mixture after reaction, in order to avoid spreading harmful chemicals to society. The homogeneous nature of DMAP-catalyzed acylation still suffers from the problems of catalyst separation and/or residual DMAP contamination. DMAP causes acute dermal toxicity, whereas the corresponding DMAP salt exhibits only slight irritation to the skin. Very recently, we found that the DMAP saccharinate salt is also great recyclable catalyst, whose acylation of alcohols has been successfully and effectively carried out 10 times without loss in activity. This report covers our comprehensive studies on using the pyridinium saccharinate salts as efficient recyclable acylation catalysts including 4-N,N-dimethylaminopyridinium saccharinate (A), 4-(1-pyrrolidinyl) pyridinium saccharinate (B), 2-N,N-dimethylaminopyridinium saccharinate (C), and pyridinium saccharinate (D). Their structure and reactivity have been studied. The salts A, C, and D contain very interesting seven-membered synthon showing multiple H-bonding interactions for pair of pyridinium cation and saccharinate anion in the solid state. The salt B exhibits H-bonding interaction of N(sac) … H–N(py) in the solid state, instead of seven-membered synthon. The catalytic reactivity studies show that salts A and B are both very effective, with salt B even better in reactivity, and are both recyclable in the esterification of a variety of alcohols, under solvent-free and base-free conditions at room temperature.