Heterogeneous Catalysis in Liquid Phase Organic Synthesis, Promoted by Layered Zirconium Phosphates and Phosphonates

Mixed Zirconium Phosphate Bis-Phosphonomethyl Glycine from Nanocrystalline α-Zirconium Phosphate: A Tailored Suite for Gold Nanoparticles

A novel synthetic approach was investigated for the preparation of nanoplatelets of mixed zirconium phosphate bis-phosphonomethyl glycine, ZPGly, by the reaction of a gel of nanocrystalline α-type zirconium phosphate with N,N-bis-phosphonomethyl glycine, H₃Gly. The syntheses were carried out in the absence of hydrofluoric acid by changing both the reagent relative amounts and temperature. An H₃Gly/Zr molar ratio >2 did not significantly improve the degree of crystallinity of the materials, while an increase of temperature from 80 °C to 120 °C improved the crystallinity; the best result was obtained with H₃Gly/Zr molar ratio = 2 and with a temperature reaction of 120 °C. The sample consisted of nanoplatelets with the size in the range 20-40 nm, and it was successfully exfoliated by treatment with a solution of methylamine. By treatment of the ZPGly colloidal dispersions with HAuCl₄, a color change from white to red-violet was observed, indicating the formation of gold nanoparticles. The size and morphology of the gold particles were affected by the degree of crystallinity and, in turn, by the composition of the ZPGly support. As a matter of fact, large micrometric Au particles with a cubo-octahedral morphology were obtained by using the less crystalline ZPGly_R2-80 sample, while interconnected Au particles, with a size of about 16 nm, were obtained by using ZPGly_R2-120. The samples exhibited an absorption maximum in the visible region due to the surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles.

Exfoliation of layered mixed zirconium 4-sulfophenylphosphonate phenylphosphonates

Mixed zirconium 4-sulfophenylphosphonate phenylphosphonates with formulae Zr(HO3SC6H4PO3)1.8(C6H5PO3)0.2·2.6H2O, Zr(HO3SC6H4PO3)1.3(C6H5PO3)0.7·2H2O, and Zr(HO3SC6H4PO3)0.7(C6H5PO3)1.3·3.6H2O (generally, ZrSPhP) were intercalated with a series of amino alcohols, H2N(CH2)nOH, where n = 2 to 6, and triethylamine. It was found that in the case of amino alcohols the basal spacing of the intercalates increases linearly with n. The intercalates prepared can be exfoliated either by sonication or by the action of high-shear forces. The use of a high-shear force disperser is a more efficient exfoliation method, as it provides lamellas with larger lateral dimensions in a much shorter time. It was found that amino alcohols provide roughly the same results regardless of the length of their carbon chain. As follows from atomic force microscopy measurements, triethylamine is the most appropriate exfoliation agent for ZrSPhP as it produces platelets with the largest lateral size and the lowest amount of defects.

New Directions in Metal Phosphonate and Phosphinate Chemistry

In September 2018, the First European Workshop on Metal Phosphonates Chemistry brought together some prominent researchers in the field of metal phosphonates and phosphinates with the aim of discussing past and current research efforts and identifying future directions. The scope of this perspective article is to provide a critical overview of the topics discussed during the workshop, which are divided into two main areas: synthesis and characterisation, and applications. In terms of synthetic methods, there has been a push towards cleaner and more efficient approaches. This has led to the introduction of high-throughput synthesis and mechanochemical synthesis. The recent success of metal–organic frameworks has also promoted renewed interest in the synthesis of porous metal phosphonates and phosphinates. Regarding characterisation, the main advances are the development of electron diffraction as a tool for crystal structure determination and the deployment of in situ characterisation techniques, which have allowed for a better understanding of reaction pathways. In terms of applications, metal phosphonates have been found to be suitable materials for several purposes: they have been employed as heterogeneous catalysts for the synthesis of fine chemicals, as solid sorbents for gas separation, notably CO2 capture, as materials for electrochemical devices, such as fuel cells and rechargeable batteries, and as matrices for drug delivery.

Alkaline-earth metal phenylphosphonates and their intercalation chemistry

The intercalation chemistry of layered alkaline-earth metal phenylphosphonates with the general formula MeC₆H₅PO₃·2H₂O (Ca, Sr, Ba) is reviewed. The preparation of the host materials is described and their behavior in dependence on the relative humidity and pH of the reaction medium is discussed. Mutual relationships between MeC₆H₅PO₃·2H₂O and Me(C₆H₅PO₃H)₂ were investigated using a method of computer-controlled addition of reagents. The MeC₆H₅PO₃·2H₂O compounds are able to intercalate species having a free electron pair through the so-called coordination intercalation. In this way, 1-alkylamines, 1-alkanols, 1,n-diols and 1,2-diols were intercalated. In the case of the ethanol and methanol intercalates of strontium phenylphosphonate we were able to determine the structure of the host part by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. By combination of the data obtained from the diffraction with molecular modeling we suggested the arrangement of the host molecules in the interlayer space of the host. The arrangement of the shorter diols in the interlayer space of strontium phenylphosphonate was also proposed on the basis of molecular modeling calculations. These models help us to understand the structure of the prepared intercalates.

Lamellar zirconium phosphates to host metals for catalytic purposes

In the present study a porous lamellar zirconium phosphate heterostructure (PPH) formed from zirconium(iv) phosphate expanded with silica galleries (P/Zr molar ratio equal to 2 and (Si + Zr)/P equal to 3) was prepared to host noble metals.

Mesoporous zirconium phosphonate materials as efficient water-tolerable solid acid catalysts

Mesoporous zirconium phosphonate materials were fabricated as efficient water-tolerable solid acid catalysts.

Studies on the Synthesis of a Chiral Salen Mn (III) Complex Immobilised onto Zirconium Aminophosphonates and Catalytic Asymmetric Epoxidation of α–methylstyrene

A chiral salen Mn (III) complex has been immobilised onto zirconium aminophosphonates by axial coordination with different linkage arm lengths (CH2) n ( n = 2–6), to give a series of heterogeneous catalysts. The catalysts exhibited good to excellent catalytic efficiency in the asymmetric epoxidation of α–methylstyrene. One heterogeneous catalyst, with n = 6, gave higher catalytic properties than the original chiral salen Mn (III) complex in the NaClO/PPNO system. It can be easily recovered and reused several times without significant loss of activity.

High-dielectric polymer composite materials from a series of mixed-metal phenylphosphonates, ATi(C6H5PO3)3 for dielectric energy storage

We report the preparation of new polymer composite dielectric materials for energy storage applications. New layered 1:1 mixed A+2/Ti4+ metal phenylphosphonates, ATi(O3PC6H5)3, A=Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Pb, have been prepared via a melt route, in which mixed metal oxides, ATiO3, were reacted with molten phenyl phosphonic acid. The mixed-metal phosphonates were combined with polystyrene (PS) via a solution route and cast as thin films for dielectric permittivity measurements. The ATi(O3PC6H5)3-PS composites exhibit a substantial enhancement in the dielectric permittivity as a function of weight loading relative to the parent ATiO3-PS composites. For both ATiO3-PS and ATi(O3PC6H5)3-PS, the composites' dielectric permittivity increases with A cation polarizability. Unusually large increases for 40 wt% ATi(O3PC6H5)3-PS composites (A=Sr, Ba, and Pb) indicate permittivity enhancement that goes beyond the effect of varying filler composition.

Mesoporous zirconium phosphate from yeast biotemplate

Mesoporous zirconium phosphate has attracted increasing interest due to its extraordinary functionalities. In particular, great progress has been made in the synthesis of mesoporous zirconium phosphate using traditional approaches. However, synthesis of mesoporous zirconium phosphate using yeast as biotemplate has not been well studied so far. Here, we show that zirconium phosphate with a mesoporous structure has been synthesized under ambient conditions using yeast as biotemplate. The derived samples were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and N(2) adsorption-desorption isotherms. A biotemplated mesoporous zirconium phosphate, possessing a specific surface area (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, BET) of 217.64 m(2) g(-1), a narrow pore distribution centered at 2.7 nm, and pore volume of 0.24 cm(3) g(-1), was obtained. We discover that amide carboxyl groups of yeast play an important role in the chemical interaction between protein molecules and zirconium phosphate nanoparticles. Interestingly, an air electrode fabricated using mesoporous zirconium phosphate exhibits remarkable electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), compared to that of the electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) air electrode employed commercially, which has important applications in fuel cell technologies.

Unconventional metal organic frameworks: porous cross-linked phosphonates

The past decade has witnessed an exponential growth of metal organic framework compounds (MOFs). The defining character of these compounds is their porosity. However, in many cases no effort was made to show evidence that a stable porous structure has been achieved and that the pores may be accessed. In the present paper we describe recent work on porous pillared zirconium diphosphonates, and the newer and in many respects different characteristics of tin(iv) phosphonates. The Sn(IV) monophosphonates form spherical globules that exhibit very high surface areas. The surface area arises from their nano-sized particles that pack in a "house of cards" arrangement. Also, it is shown that the 1,4-monophenyldiphosphonic acid forms highly porous (250-400 m2 g(-1)) materials with Sn(IV) when prepared in alcohol-water media. This is not the case with analogous Zr(IV) compounds. The many variations in the syntheses of both the zirconium and tin aryl- and alkyldiphosphonate pillars and their combinations with spacers such as methyl- and monophenylphosphonic acid have created a variety of highly porous materials that are stable to 400 degrees C in air, highly stable in acid media, do not collapse when de-solvated, and can be post and presynthesis altered to include functional groups. Several new directions taken by other researchers are also described. However, it is emphasized in this presentation that the cross-linked compounds form particles that precipitate rapidly into nanoparticles that exhibit only short range order. Therefore, they differ from the more conventional MOFs in that they are not amenable to structure solution by X-ray or neutron diffraction techniques. Rather, they must be understood on the basis of modeling and indirect data from EM, NMR, and additional spectroscopic and textural studies.

Synthesis, docking studies and anti-inflammatory activity of 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole derivatives

A regioselective synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted tetrahydro-2H-indazols, mediated by alpha-zirconium sulfophenylphosphonate-methanephosphonate, was reported. Docking studies into the catalytic site of COX-2 were used to identify potential anti-inflammatory lead compounds. Two lead derivatives were chosen endowed with good binding energies and good ADME profiling. The biological in vivo evaluation of these compounds in two different experimental models (Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis and carrageenan-induced oedema) proved the presence of anti-inflammatory activity. Noteworthy, both compounds evidenced the lack of any gastric injury even at high doses in gastric ulcerogenic assays.

Phase Transitions and Second-Harmonic Generation in Sodium Monothiophosphate

Oxythiophosphate compounds, which contain anions comprised of oxidized phosphorus bound to oxygen and sulfur, are scarce and, in general, poorly characterized. Although alpha-Na3PO3S has been known for over 60 years, little has been revealed about this compound. Here we present thermal analysis and second-harmonic-generation (SHG) efficiency of alpha-Na3PO3S. Details about its transformation to the high-temperature beta phase are discussed. Under vacuum, alpha-Na3PO3S undergoes one endothermic event at 553 degrees C upon heating and two exothermic events at 504 and 467 degrees C upon cooling. beta-Na3PO3S can be trapped upon quenching Na3PO3S from high temperature. We have observed that the beta phase converts back to the alpha phase at room temperature. Interestingly, relative humidity has been determined to catalyze this phase transformation. alpha-Na3PO3S oxidizes at 315 degrees C in air to produce Na4P2O7 and Na2SO4. Upon exposure to 1064-nm incident radiation, noncentrosymmetric alpha-Na3PO3S produces an SHG efficiency 200 times that of alpha-quartz and is nonphase-matchable (type 1).