Terminal Epoxides Research Articles

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Selective Hydrogenation of Epoxides to Secondary Alcohols.

A ruthenium(II)-catalyzed highly selective Markovnikov hydrogenation of terminal epoxides to secondary alcohols is reported. Diverse substitutions on the aryl ring of styrene oxides are tolerated. Benzylic, glycidyl, and aliphatic epoxides as well as diepoxides also underwent facile hydrogenation to provide secondary alcohols with exclusive selectivity. Metal-ligand cooperation-mediated ruthenium trans-dihydride formation and its reaction involving oxygen and the less substituted terminal carbon of the epoxide is envisaged for the origin of the observed selectivity.

Reversible Transformation between Amorphous and Crystalline States of Unsaturated Polyesters by Cis-Trans Isomerization.

An aliphatic polyester has been prepared from ethylene oxide and maleic anhydride that undergoes reversible transformation between amorphous (Tg =18 °C) and crystalline (Tm =124 °C) states through cis-trans isomerization of the C=C bonds in the polymer backbone without any change in either the molecular weight or dispersity of the polymer. A similar transformation was also observed in chiral unsaturated polyesters formed from enantiopure terminal epoxides, such as epichlorohydrin, phenyl glycidyl ether, and (2,3-epoxypropyl)benzene. These unsaturated polyesters with 100 % E-configuration in the crystalline state were prepared by quantitative isomerization of their Z-configuration analogues in the presence of a catalytic amount of diethylamine, while in the presence of benzophenone, irradiation with 365 nm UV light resulted in the transformation of about 30 % trans-alkene to cis-maleate form, thereby affording amorphous polyesters.

A facile and efficient method for synthesis of β-iodocarboxylates from terminal epoxides

A facile and efficient method has been developed for synthesis of β-iodocarboxylates in the presences of Ph3P/I2. Starting from epoxides, a series of β-iodocarboxylate compounds can be directly obtained in toluene media with excellent yields. Moreover, the method was successfully applied for the late-stage modification of natural products, such as isosteviol and vincamine derivatives, achieving the corresponding β-iodocarboxylates in good yields.

Zinc single atoms on N-doped carbon: An efficient and stable catalyst for CO2 fixation and conversion

The cycloaddition of epoxides and carbon dioxide represents a straightforward and atom-efficient method for synthesis of cyclic carbonates and utilization of CO 2 . So far, homogeneous metal complexes have been mainly applied for such transformations. Here, we describe the synthesis of novel heterogeneous Zn-based catalysts, which were conveniently prepared by pyrolysis of an active-carbon-supported phenanthroline-ligated Zn(OAc) 2 complex. Detail structural characterizations proved the existence of single zinc sites in the active material. Compared to a Zn-based nanoparticle (Zn-NP) catalyst, the resulting single metal atom catalyst (SAC) displayed improved activity and stability for the cycloaddition of epoxides. By applying the optimal catalyst, a variety of carbonates were successfully obtained in high yields with good functional group tolerance. A novel Zn single atom catalyst (Zn-SAC) supported on N-doped carbon material was prepared. The resulting catalyst allows for efficient and general activation of functionalized terminal epoxides to give the corresponding carbonates in high yields.

Reversible Transformation between Amorphous and Crystalline States of Unsaturated Polyesters by Cis–Trans Isomerization

AbstractAn aliphatic polyester has been prepared from ethylene oxide and maleic anhydride that undergoes reversible transformation between amorphous (Tg=18 °C) and crystalline (Tm=124 °C) states through cis–trans isomerization of the C=C bonds in the polymer backbone without any change in either the molecular weight or dispersity of the polymer. A similar transformation was also observed in chiral unsaturated polyesters formed from enantiopure terminal epoxides, such as epichlorohydrin, phenyl glycidyl ether, and (2,3‐epoxypropyl)benzene. These unsaturated polyesters with 100 % E‐configuration in the crystalline state were prepared by quantitative isomerization of their Z‐configuration analogues in the presence of a catalytic amount of diethylamine, while in the presence of benzophenone, irradiation with 365 nm UV light resulted in the transformation of about 30 % trans‐alkene to cis‐maleate form, thereby affording amorphous polyesters.

Facile synthesis of zinc halide-based ionic liquid for efficient conversion of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates

Multifunctional monocomponent zinc halide-based ionic liquids, amidinothiourea-ZnI2 (ATUI) and N-phenylthiourea-ZnI2 (NTUI), were facilely developed as homogeneous catalysts for efficient conversion of CO2 with epoxides to cyclic carbonates. On account of synergistic effects of multifunctional components in ATUI, the propylene carbonate yield could reach 95% under 110 °C, 1.0 MPa, 4.0 h or even mild conditions. There was a slight decrease of propylene carbonate yield because of the loss of ATUI during the reuse process. Additionally, the universality of ATUI was also studied to other terminal epoxides. Meanwhile, a plausible reaction mechanism was proposed where the synergistic effects involving cation structure and halogen anion of ATUI guarantee the cycloaddition reaction to proceed effectively under solvent and co-catalyst free condition. Finally, reaction kinetics were undertaken to compare the catalytic efficiency of ATUI and NTUI so as to compare the catalytic activity of different numbers of hydrogen bond donor in amidinothiourea and N-phenylthiourea.

Comprehensive Understanding of Polyester Stereocomplexation.

We report a comprehensive understanding of the stereoselective interaction between two opposite enantiomeric polyesters prepared from the regioselective copolymerization of chiral terminal epoxides and cyclic anhydrides. For many of the resultant polyesters, the interactions between polymer chains of opposite chirality are stronger than those of polymer chains with the same chirality, resulting in the formation of a stereocomplex with an enhanced melting point (Tm) and crystallinity. The backbone, tacticity, steric hindrance of the pendant group, and molecular weight of the polyesters have significant effects on stereocomplex formation. Bulky substituent groups favor stereocomplexation, resulting in a greater rise in Tm in comparison to the component enantiomeric polymers. The stereocomplex assembly of discrete (R)- and (S)-poly(phenyl glycidyl ether-alt-phthalic anhydride)s oligomers revealed that the minimum degree of polymerization required for stereocomplex formation is five. Raman spectroscopy and solid-state NMR studies indicate that stereocomplex formation significantly restricts the local mobilities of C═O and C-H groups along the backbone of chains. The reduced mobility results in the enhanced spin-lattice relaxation time and both 1H and 13C downfield shifts due to the strong intermolecular interactions between R- and S-chains.

Preparation of transparent nanocomposites from UV‐ and thermo‐curable epoxyacrylate and graphene oxide for the application of corrosion protection coatings

AbstractIn this study, we report UV‐ and thermo‐curable epoxyacrylate/graphene oxide (EA/GO) nanocomposites that present good transparency, excellent pencil hardness and promising improvement in corrosion protection. A dual‐curable EA oligomer with one terminal epoxide and one double bond at the other end was synthesized by reaction of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A and acrylic acid. After mixing EA and GO with the curing agents and reactive diluent followed by UV cure and thermo‐cure, the resulting EA/GO films on a glass slide with GO loading up to 3 phr exhibited over 86% light transmittance. Furthermore, the pencil hardness was enhanced from 3H for EA to 6H for the EA/GO composite at 2 phr GO loading. The corrosion protection of the EA/GO coatings was evaluated by a potentiodynamic polarization technique and electrochemical impedance spectra. The corrosion potential (Ecorr) of the EA/GO‐coated steel increased with increasing GO loading. Meanwhile, Nyquist and Bode plots indicated that the higher the GO content in the EA/GO coating was, the higher was the coating resistance and also the charge transfer resistance after immersion in salt solution. All these results proved that the GO had positive effects on enhancement of the corrosion resistance. The improved corrosion protection by the EA/GO coatings was mainly due to the enhanced hydrophobicity, the deviation of electron transfer and the increased tortuosity of the diffusion path. The improved corrosion protection and hardness together with the useful dual‐curability make the EA/GO nanocomposite a competitive candidate for corrosion protection coatings. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

Efficient Aluminum Catalysts for the Chemical Conversion of CO2 into Cyclic Carbonates at Room Temperature and Atmospheric CO2 Pressure.

A series of dimeric aluminum compounds [Al(OCMe2 CH2 N(R)CH2 X)]2 [X=pyridin-2-yl, R=H (PyrH ); X= pyridin-2-yl, R=Me (PyrMe ); X=furan-2-yl, R=H (FurH ); X= furan-2-yl, R=Me (FurMe ); X=thiophen-2-yl, R=H (ThioH ); X= thiophen-2-yl, R=Me (ThioMe )] containing heterocyclic pendant group attached to the nitrogen catalyze the coupling of CO2 with epoxides under ambient conditions. In a comparison of their catalytic activities with those of aluminum complexes without pendant groups at N [X=H, R=H (HH ); X=H, R=Me (HMe )] or with non-heterocyclic pendant groups [X=CH2 CH2 OMe, R=H (OMeH ); X=CH2 CH2 NMe2 , R=H (NMe2H ); X=CH2 CH2 NMe2 , R=Me (NMe2Me )], complexes containing heterocycles, in conjunction with (nBu)4 NBr as a cocatalyst, show higher catalytic activities for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates under the same ambient conditions. The best catalyst system for this reaction is PyrH /(nBu)4 NBr system, which gives a turnover number of 99 and a turnover frequency of 4.1 h-1 , making it 14- and 20-times more effective than HH /(nBu)4 NBr and HMe /(nBu)4 NBr, respectively. Although there are no direct interactions between the aluminum and the heteroatoms in the heterocyclic pendants, electronic effects combined with the increased local concentration of CO2 around the active centers influences the catalytic activity in the coupling of CO2 with epoxides. In addition, PyrH /(nBu)4 NBr shows broad epoxide substrate scope and seven terminal epoxides and two internal epoxides undergo the designed reaction.

Stereoconvergent, Redox‐Neutral Access to Tetrahydroquinoxalines through Relay Epoxide Opening/Amination of Alcohols

AbstractWe present an economical catalytic procedure to convert readily available 1,2‐diaminobenzenes and terminal epoxides into valuable 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoxalines in a highly enantioselective fashion. This procedure operates through relay zinc and iridium catalysis, and achieves redox‐neutral and stereoconvergent production of valuable chiral heterocycles from racemic starting materials with water as the only side product. The use of commercially available reagents and catalysts and a convenient procedure also make this catalytic method attractive for practical application.

Stereoconvergent, Redox-Neutral Access to Tetrahydroquinoxalines through Relay Epoxide Opening/Amination of Alcohols.

We present an economical catalytic procedure to convert readily available 1,2-diaminobenzenes and terminal epoxides into valuable 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxalines in a highly enantioselective fashion. This procedure operates through relay zinc and iridium catalysis, and achieves redox-neutral and stereoconvergent production of valuable chiral heterocycles from racemic starting materials with water as the only side product. The use of commercially available reagents and catalysts and a convenient procedure also make this catalytic method attractive for practical application.

Highly Selective Single-Component Formazanate Ferrate(II) Catalysts for the Conversion of CO2 into Cyclic Carbonates.

The development of new families of active and selective single-component catalysts based on earth-abundant metal is of interest from a sustainable chemistry perspective. In this context, anionic mono(formazanate) iron(II) complexes bearing labile halide ligands, which possess both Lewis acidic and nucleophilic functionalities, have been developed as novel single-component homogeneous catalysts for the reaction of CO2 with epoxides to produce cyclic carbonates. The influence of the halide ligand and the electronic properties of the formazanate ligand backbone on the catalytic activity are investigated by employing the iron(II) complexes with and without an additional nucleophile. Very high selectivity is achieved towards the formation of the cyclic carbonate products from various terminal and internal epoxides without the need of a cocatalyst.

Synthesis of γ-Lactones Utilizing Ketoacids and Trimethylsulfoxonium Iodide

The Johnson-Corey-Chaykovsky epoxidation is one of the oldest methods for the synthesis of terminal epoxides from carbonyl compounds. Herein we present a simplified extension of the Johnson-Corey-Chaykovsky epoxidation, where ketoacids are employed as the substrates and commercially available trimethylsulfoxonium iodide is employed as the carbon-atom homologating reagent. A variety of lactones are produced in a single step in synthetically useful yields.

Iron-catalysed regioselective hydrogenation of terminal epoxides to alcohols under mild conditions

The reduction of epoxides has been recognized as an important method for the synthesis of alcohols using stoichiometric amounts of metal hydride reducing agents. However, homogeneous catalysis-enabled hydrogenation processes with molecular hydrogen remain scarce. Here, we present a general methodology for the synthesis of primary alcohols in high yields, selectively and under mild conditions, from aliphatic and aromatic epoxides. Crucial for the hydrogenation of terminal epoxides is the presence of an Fe(BF4)2.6H2O/tetraphos catalyst system. Compared to existing methods, which make use of noble metals, the presented protocol shows broad substrate scope and good functional group tolerance. The generality of this is showcased by transformation of various natural products, including steroids, terpenoids, sesquiterpenoids and drug derivatives, which give the desired alcohols in moderate to excellent yields. Mechanistic studies confirm the distinct feature of the catalyst system, which is active for Meinwald rearrangement of epoxides as well as for carbonyl hydrogenations. Primary alcohols are known for their broad application in life sciences and the chemical industry. Now, Beller and colleagues present a regioselective, iron-catalysed hydrogenation of aliphatic and aromatic epoxides as a general route to primary alcohols under mild conditions

Enantioselective Organocatalysis-Based Synthesis of 3-Hydroxy Fatty Acids and Fatty γ-Lactones

3-Hydroxy fatty acids have attracted the interest of researchers, since some of them may interact with free fatty acid receptors more effectively than their non-hydroxylated counterparts and their determination in plasma provides diagnostic information regarding mitochondrial deficiency. We present here the development of a convenient and general methodology for the asymmetric synthesis of 3-hydroxy fatty acids. The enantioselective organocatalytic synthesis of terminal epoxides, starting from long chain aldehydes, is the key-step of our methodology, followed by ring opening with vinylmagnesium bromide. Ozonolysis and subsequent oxidation leads to the target products. MacMillan’s third generation imidazolidinone organocatalyst has been employed for the epoxide formation, ensuring products in high enantiomeric purity. Furthermore, a route for the incorporation of deuterium on the carbon atom carrying the hydroxy group was developed allowing the synthesis of deuterated derivatives, which may be useful in biological studies and in mass spectrometry studies. In addition, the synthesis of fatty γ-lactones, corresponding to 4-hydroxy fatty acids, was also explored.

Enantioselective Resolution Copolymerization of Racemic Epoxides and Anhydrides: Efficient Approach for Stereoregular Polyesters and Chiral Epoxides.

Herein we report an efficient strategy for preparing isotactic polyesters and chiral epoxides via enantioselective resolution copolymerization of racemic terminal epoxides with anhydrides, mediated by enantiopure bimetallic complexes in conjunction with a nucleophilic cocatalyst. The chirality of both the axial linker and the diamine backbones of the ligand are responsible for the chiral induction of this kinetic resolution copolymerization process. The catalyst systems exhibit exceptional levels of enantioselectivity with a kinetic resolution coefficient exceeding 300 for various racemic epoxides, affording highly isotactic copolymers (selectivity factors of more than 300) with a completely alternating structure and low polydispersity index. Most of the produced isotactic polyesters are typical semicrystalline materials with melting temperatures in the range from 77 to 160 °C.

Halide-Free and Bifunctional One-Component Catalysts for the Coupling of Carbon Dioxide and Epoxides.

In this paper, we first report a new class of halide-free and bifunctional one-component catalysts for the coupling of CO2 with epoxides. The catalysts do not need halide-based additives or tethered salts attached to the ligand when used for this coupling reaction. As the halide-free and bifunctional one-component catalysts, we chose nonionic and monomeric tetracarbonylchromium(0), tetracarbonylmolybdenum(0), and tetracarbonyltungsten(0) complexes chelated by modified ethylenediamines, namely N, N-dimethylethylenediamine, N, N'-dimethylethylenediamine, N, N, N'-trimethylethylenediamine, and N, N, N', N'-tetramethylethylenediamine. A simple mixture of M(CO)6 (M = Cr, Mo, and W) with the modified ethylenediamines shows only one-third of the activity achieved with the tetracarbonyl metal complexes precoordinated to the corresponding modified ethylenediamines. Increasing the number of methyl substituents on the nitrogen atoms of the ethylenediamine derivatives as well as the chromium metal center in the metal carbonyl complex significantly enhanced the catalytic activity. Thus, among the 12 catalysts tested, tetracarbonyl(tetramethylethylenediamine)chromium(0) exhibited the best catalytic activity under the same reaction conditions. Various terminal and internal epoxides were easily converted into the corresponding cyclic carbonates using this chromium system. Calculations based on density functional theory were also carried out to elucidate the mechanism of the coupling reaction.

Tin(IV)-Porphyrin Tetracarbonyl Cobaltate: An Efficient Catalyst for the Carbonylation of Epoxides

Cationic tin(IV) porphyrins with tetracarbonyl cobaltates were synthesized, exhibiting bifunctional catalytic reactivity. The Lewis acidic tin-porphyrin center activated epoxides; concurrently, cobalt carbonyl anions efficiently opened epoxides and delivered carbonyl moieties. Thus, a series of β-lactones with a high synthetic value were obtained. This catalytic system showed excellent efficiency exceeding a turnover number of one thousand with a broad substrate scope. In addition, the presented tin porphyrin-based catalyst exhibited exclusive chemoselectivity to terminal epoxides over internal ones. The selective carbonylation of di-epoxides demonstrated the usefulness of these catalysts in the synthesis of complex molecular structures.

Nucleophilic Organic Base DABCO-Mediated Chemospecific Meinwald Rearrangement of Terminal Epoxides into Methyl Ketones.

Nucleophilic organic base DABCO (1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane)-mediated Meinwald rearrangement of various epoxides was investigated. 2-Aryl-, alkenyl-, and alkynylepoxides generate the corresponding methyl ketones chemospecifically in good to excellent yields. The current DABCO-mediated Meinwald rearrangement of epoxides features readily accessible starting materials, a wide substrate scope, a transition-metal- and acid-free environment, and chemospecificity in the isomerization of epoxides.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Saturated Hydroxy Fatty Acids and Fatty Acid Esters of Hydroxy Fatty Acids

The recent discovery of a novel class of endogenous lipids, named Fatty Acid esters of Hydroxy Fatty Acids (FAHFAs), that present antidiabetic and anti‐inflammatory activities, has attracted the interest on hydroxy fatty acids (HFAs) and their derivatives. We present herein the development of a convenient and general methodology for the asymmetric synthesis of HFAs and FAHFAs. The enantioselective organocatalytic synthesis of asymmetric terminal epoxides starting from monoprotected α,ω‐diols and their subsequent ring opening by a Grignard reagent are the key‐steps for our methodology, allowing the introduction of the hydroxy group at different positions of the long chain by proper selection of the starting diol and the Grignard reagent. MacMillan's third generation imidazolidinone organocatalyst has been employed for the epoxide formation, ensuring products in high enantiomeric purity. Furthermore, an approach for the synthesis of deuterated HFAs and FAHFAs was developed, leading to deuterated derivatives, which can be useful in biological studies and in mass spectrometry studies as internal standards.