Selective modification of hydroxyl groups in lignin model compounds by ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation.

Selective ruthenium-catalyzed oxidation of lignin diol model compounds and lignin was accomplished by a transfer hydrogenation methodology. The developed procedure allows us to selectively oxidize benzylic secondary alcohols in model diols and spruce milled wood lignin in the presence of a commercially available Shvo catalyst under aerobic conditions. Six ketoalcohols were obtained in 70-92% yields from the model compounds, which also included lignin monomers containing 5-5' and β-O-4 linkages.

Vanadium aminophenolates in catechol oxidation: conformity with Finke's common catalyst hypothesis.

Six known aminophenolate vanadium complexes V1-V6 were examined in 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (1, 3,5-DTBC) oxidation. From the complexes V1-V5 have been previously shown to demonstrate catechol oxidase (catecholase) like behavior, catalytically oxidizing 1 to 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone (2, 3,5-DTBQ). A critical re-evaluation of V1-V5, including V6 not assessed earlier, in the aerobic oxidation of 1 has revealed that several catechol dioxygenase products are obtained in addition to 2, which is produced partly by autoxidation.

Isoindolinone Synthesis via One-Pot Type Transition Metal Catalyzed C-C Bond Forming Reactions.

Isoindolinone structure is an important privileged scaffold found in a large variety of naturally occurring as well as synthetic, biologically and pharmaceutically active compounds. Owing to its crucial role in a number of applications, the synthetic methodologies for accessing this heterocyclic skeleton have received significant attention during the past decade. In general, the synthetic strategies can be divided into two categories: First, direct utilization of phthalimides or phthalimidines as starting materials for the synthesis of isoindolinones; and second, construction of the lactam and/or aromatic rings by different catalytic methods, including C-H activation, cross-coupling, carbonylation, condensation, addition and formal cycloaddition reactions.

Pharmaceuticals and Surfactants from Alga-Derived Feedstock: Amidation of Fatty Acids and Their Derivatives with Amino Alcohols.

Amidation of renewable feedstocks, such as fatty acids, esters, and Chlorella alga based biodiesel, was demonstrated with zeolites and mesoporous materials as catalysts and ethanolamine, alaninol, and leucinol. The last two can be derived from amino acids present in alga. The main products were fatty alkanol amides and the corresponding ester amines, as confirmed by NMR and IR spectroscopy.