Optimisation of the chemical generation of singlet oxygen (1O2, 1Deltag) from the hydrogen peroxide-lanthanum(III) catalytic system using an improved NIR spectrometer.

A near-IR chemiluminescence spectrometer designed to study chemical sources of singlet oxygen ((1)O(2), (1)Delta(g)), was built by coupling a reactor compartment to a nitrogen-cooled Ge diode through a bundle of optical fibres. This device was used to optimise the generation of (1)O(2) from the hydrogen peroxide-lanthanum(iii) catalytic system. The reaction kinetics were studied with a 2(3)3(3)//12 screening experimental design comprising twelve experiments. The influence of six factors was examined: the nature of the lanthanum salt (hydroxide, oxide or nitrate) and its concentration (0.05 or 0.1 mol L(-1)), the pH value (5, 7 or 9), the concentration of H(2)O(2) (0.5, 1 or 2 mol L(-1)), the temperature (20 or 30 degrees C) and the concentration of EDTA (0 or 5 mmol L(-1)). Two responses were measured: the rate of H(2)O(2) disproportionation and the intensity of the luminescence of (1)O(2) at 1270 nm. The essential factor is the nature of the lanthanum salt since La(NO(3))(3) induces the disproportionation of H(2)O(2) about 60 x faster than La(2)O(3) or La(OH)(3). Other influencing factors are the pH value, the concentration of H(2)O(2), the temperature and the concentration of the lanthanum salt whereas the concentration of EDTA has no effect on the reaction. The catalytic activity of La(NO(3))(3) was then investigated in further detail by studying the influence of two factors (pH and [H(2)O(2)]) thanks to a Doehlert design.

Solid state and solution 43Ca NMR of calcium peroxides involved in the disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide by calcium hydroxide.

In order to get some insight into the mechanism of the disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by calcium hydroxide, 43Ca NMR spectra of enriched samples of calcium peroxides and of their precursors have been studied in both solution and solid state. This study demonstrates that no well-defined peroxidized calcium species are formed in solution, showing that the catalytic role of calcium is likely restricted to the solid state. Most of the calcium compounds that could be involved in the catalytic process have been investigated with solid state NMR. The shift and quadrupolar parameters of Ca(OH)2, CaO2.8H2O and CaO2.2H2O2 are reported for the first time. These parameters are different enough to allow the quantitative analysis of a complex mixture of these compounds by NMR.

Lanthanum(III)-catalyzed disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide: a heterogeneous generator of singlet molecular oxygen-1O2 (1Deltag)-in near-neutral aqueous and organic media for peroxidation of electron-rich substrates.

The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into singlet molecular oxygen-(1)O(2) ((1)Delta(g))-in the presence of lanthanum(iii) salts was studied by monitoring its characteristic IR luminescence at 1270 nm. The process was found to be heterogeneously catalyzed by La(III), provided that the heterogeneous catalyst is generated in situ. The yield of (1)O(2) generation was assessed as 45+/-5 % both in water and in methanol. The pH-dependence on the rate of (1)O(2) generation corresponds to a bell-shaped curve from pH 4.5 to 13 with a maximum around pH 8. The study of the influence of H(2)O(2) showed that the formation of (1)O(2) begins as soon as one equivalent of H(2)O(2) is introduced. It then increases drastically up to two equivalents and more smoothly above. Unlike all other metal salt catalyst systems known to date for H(2)O(2) disproportionation, this chemical source of (1)O(2) is able to generate (1)O(2) not only in basic media, but also under neutral and slightly acidic conditions. In addition, this La-based catalyst system has a very low tendency to induce unwanted oxygenating side reactions, such as epoxidation of alkenes. These two characteristics of the heterogeneous lanthanum catalyst system allow non-photochemical (i.e., "dark") singlet oxygenation of substrate classes that cannot be peroxidized successfully with conventional molybdate catalysts, such as allylic alcohols and alkenyl amines.