Epoxidation of trans-cyclooctene by Methyltrioxorhenium/H(2)O(2): reaction of trans-epoxide with the monoperoxo complex

The epoxidation of trans-cyclooctene (trans-1) with the MTO/H(2)O(2), MTO/UHP, and NaY/MTO/H(2)O(2) oxidants leads to a mixture of trans/cis-olefins 1, trans/cis-epoxides 2, and the cis-diol 3. While the oxygen transfer proceeds stereoselectively, the monoperoxo rhenium complex A, which is generated in situ during the catalytic cycle, is responsible for the facile deoxygenation, isomerization, and hydrolysis of the trans-epoxide. In the case of the homogeneous MTO/H(2)O(2) system, rapid decomposition of the catalytically active rhenium species into HReO(4) circumvents the formation of such side products. In contrast, for the heterogeneous oxidants MTO/UHP and NaY/MTO/H(2)O(2), the catalytically active rhenium species are sufficiently stabilized and survive long enough to promote the observed side reactions.

UV-vis and IR spectral characterization of persistent carbenium ions, generated upon incorporation of cinnamyl alcohols in the acid zeolites HZSM-5 and HMor

Cinnamyl alcohol (1) and two derivatives 2 and 3 have been incorporated in dehydrated HMor and HZSM-5 zeolites with the aim to characterize spectroscopically the corresponding carbocations generated within the solids. Product studies of the supernatant liquid phase combined with diffuse reflectance UV-vis and IR spectroscopy provide unequivocal evidence for the carbocations. Thus, cinnamyl alcohol (1) affords the 1,5-diphenylpentadienyl cation in HMor and HZSM-5 as a persistent species. In the case of HMor with larger pore dimensions the bulkier 1-(2'-cinnamyl)-3-phenylpropenyl cation was also spectroscopically detected. No persistent carbocation was observed when the alpha-methylcinnamyl alcohol (2) was incorporated in the acid zeolites, wherein a complete cyclization to 2-methylindene takes place. Finally, incorporation of 2-methyl-4-tolyl-3-buten-2-ol (3) in HZSM-5 allowed detection of the gem-dimethyl-subsituted p-methylcinnamyl cation, with a lifetime of hours. This cation is not persistent enough in HMor to be characterized. The present study illustrates how structurally related allylic substrates may give distinct carbenium ions whose persistence depends on the host-guest fit in the interior of the acid zeolites.

NaY zeolite as host for the selective heterogeneous oxidation of silanes and olefins with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by methyltrioxorhenium

The methyltrioxorhenium(MTO)-catalyzed oxidation of silanes to silanols and the epoxidation of various olefins by aqueous 85% H(2)O(2) proceed in high yields and excellent product selectivities (no disiloxanes, diols) in the presence of the zeolite NaY. The oxidative species is located inside the 12-A supercages. This prevents the bimolecular condensation of the silanol to disiloxane by steric means and the Lewis-acid assisted hydrolysis of the epoxide to the diol.

Biotransformations with peroxidases.

Enzymes are chiral catalysts and are able to produce optically active molecules from prochiral or racemic substrates by catalytic asymmetric induction. One of the major challenges in organic synthesis is the development of environmentally acceptable chemical processes for the preparation of enantiomerically pure compounds, which are of increasing importance as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Enzymes meet this challenge! For example, a variety of peroxidases effectively catalyze numerous selective oxidations of electron-rich substrates, which include the hydroxylation of arenes, the oxyfunctionalizations of phenols and aromatic amines, the epoxidation and halogenation of olefins, the oxygenation of heteroatoms and the enantioselective reduction of racemic hydroperoxides. In this review, we summarize the important advances achieved in the last few years on peroxidase-catalyzed transformations, with major emphasis on preparative applications.