Heterogeneous Mn@CeO2 Catalyst for α-Alkylation of Ketones with Alcohols via Hydrogen-Borrowing Strategy

Construction of a C-C bond via alkylation of ketones with alcohol as the alkylating source by employing hydrogen-borrowing strategy is attracting significant attention and is highly appealing due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, environmental benefits, and the fact that water is the only byproduct. The development of heterogeneous catalysts based on nonprecious base metals is progressing rapidly. Our newly disclosed manganese-doped cerium oxide nanocomposite (10 wt % Mn@CeO2) stands out as a cost-efficient and air-stable catalyst, synthesized through a straightforward coprecipitation method and employed for α-alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols via the hydrogen-borrowing strategy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the high crystallinity of CeO2, while field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images reveal MnO2 nanoparticles, measuring 19 nm in size, uniformly decorated on the rod-shaped CeO2 nanoparticles, which have a size of 33 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis uncovers the presence of Mn4+ species embedded on the CeO2 nanorods. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis further indicates that surface defects contribute to the impressive catalytic yield, which ranges from 70 to 98% for the α-alkylated ketones. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrates the remarkable thermal stability of the catalyst, maintaining its stability up to 800 °C. Additionally, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) confirms no leaching of Mn ions, emphasizing the high heterogeneity of the catalyst. Remarkably, 10 wt % Mn@CeO2 nanocomposite is recycled for six cycles with no loss of catalytic activity. This study underscores the synergistic effect between the base metal MnO2 and redox pair of CeO2, which is key to the exceptional catalytic activity in α-alkylation reactions, making 10 wt % Mn@CeO2 a highly promising catalyst for sustainable and efficient C-C bond formation.

Efficient in-situ synthesis of heterocyclic derivatives from benzyl alcohols using pyrazinium chlorochromate-functionalized carbonitride as a novel catalyst

The synthesis of efficient organic compounds from simple substrates is both noticeable and important. However, it can be challenging to achieve this target using suitable strategies. To address this issue, pyrazinium chlorochromate (PCC) was used to modify carbonitride nanosheets (CNs) and applied as a heterogeneous catalyst in the oxidation of benzyl alcohols. That can be regarded as innovation in ingenious synthesis of the PCC on the CNs. Then, it was identified by varied techniques such as EDS, FT-IR, XRD, STA and FE-SEM. This process resulted in in-situ synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridine and 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H) one derivatives with excellent yield.

Multicomponent synthesis via acceptorless alcohol dehydrogenation: an easy access to tri-substituted pyridines

Herein, we report palladium supported on a hydroxyapatite catalyst for synthesizing tri-substituted pyridines using ammonium acetate as the nitrogen source via acceptorless alcohol dehydrogenation strategy. The strategy offers a broad substrate scope using inexpensive and readily available alcohols as the starting material. The catalyst was prepared using a simple method and analyzed by several techniques, including FE-SEM, EDS, HR-TEM, BET, XRD, FT-IR, UV-visible spectroscopy, and XPS, demonstrating the anchoring of Pd nanoparticles on hydroxyapatite in the zero oxidation state. Moreover, several controlled experiments were carried out to understand the reaction pathway and a suitable mechanism has been proposed.

Room-Temperature Synthesis of Biogenic δ-MnO2 NPs for the Dehydrogenative Coupling of Diamines with Alcohols for Benzimidazole and Quinoxaline Synthesis: An Efficient Catalyst for Electrochemical Applications

An efficient, unique, and eco-friendly biogenic synthesis of single-crystalline δ-phase manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO2 NPs) using Gliricidia sepium leaves (GSL) extract at room temperature has been revealed for the first time. The active chemicals present in the GSL extract were found to serve as both reducing and stabilizing agents. The catalyst shows an excellent surface area of 301.13 m2 g-1, a mean pore diameter of 4.01 nm, and 39.97% w/w of active metal content. The reactivity of the synthesized catalyst was demonstrated by achieving a one-pot synthesis of benzimidazoles and quinoxalines via an acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling strategy utilizing biorenewable alcohols. The release of hydrogen gas was observed as the only side product and proven by its successful utilization for alkene reduction which supports the mechanistic elucidation. The release of hydrogen gas as a useful byproduct highlights the scientific importance of the present methodology. Additionally, gram-scale synthesis and catalyst recyclability studies are deliberated. Importantly, the δ-MnO2 NP catalyst exhibited superior catalytic activity and high durability toward hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media, highlighting the dual use of the catalyst. The δ-MnO2 NPs attain the current density of 10 mA/cm2 at an overpotential of 154 mV with a Tafel slope of 119 mV/dec.

Direct synthesis of triazines from alcohols and amidines using supported Pt nanoparticle catalysts via the acceptorless dehydrogenative methodology

We report a cost-effective, green, and acceptorless dehydrogenative one-pot synthesis of triazines from primary alcohols and amidines using an alumina-supported Pt nanoparticle catalyst (Pt/Al2O3).