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Mono- and tri-ester hydrogenolysis using tandem catalysis. Scope and mechanism.

Journal Article · · Energy & Environmental Science
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/c5ee03256c· OSTI ID:1253016

The scope and mechanism of thermodynamically leveraged ester RC(O)O-R' bond hydrogenolysis by tandem metal triflate + supported Pd catalysts are investigated both experimentally and theoretically by DFT and energy span analysis. This catalytic system has a broad scope, with relative cleavage rates scaling as, tertiary 4 secondary 4 primary ester at 1 bar H-2, yielding alkanes and carboxylic acids with high conversion and selectivity. Benzylic and allylic esters display the highest activity. The rate law is nu = k[M(OTf )(n)](1)[ester](0)[H-2](0) with an H/D kinetic isotope effect = 6.5 +/- 0.5, implying turnover-limiting C-H scission following C-O cleavage, in agreement with theory. Intermediate alkene products are then rapidly hydrogenated. Applying this approach with the very active Hf(OTf)(4) catalyst to bio-derived triglycerides affords near-quantitative yields of C-3 hydrocarbons rather than glycerol. From model substrates, it is found that RC(O)O-R' cleavage rates are very sensitive to steric congestion and metal triflate identity. For triglycerides, primary/external glyceryl CH2-O cleavage predominates over secondary/internal CH-O cleavage, with the latter favored by less acidic or smaller ionic radius metal triflates, raising the diester selectivity to as high as 48% with Ce(OTf)(3).

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science - Office of Basic Energy Sciences - Materials Sciences and Engineering Division; USDOE Energy Frontier Research Center - Institute for Atom-Efficient Chemical Transformation; National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science - National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1253016
Journal Information:
Energy & Environmental Science, Journal Name: Energy & Environmental Science Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 9; ISSN 1754-5692
Publisher:
Royal Society of Chemistry
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Catalytic amidation of natural and synthetic polyol esters with sulfonamides journal August 2019
Selective Transformations of Triglycerides into Fatty Amines, Amides, and Nitriles by using Heterogeneous Catalysis journal April 2019
W(OTf) 6 -Catalyzed Synthesis of γ-Lactones by Ring Contraction of Macrolides or Ring Closing of Terminal Hydroxyfatty Acids in Ionic Liquid journal June 2018
Transition metal triflate catalyzed conversion of alcohols, ethers and esters to olefins journal January 2018

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