A Nonaqueous Redox-Matched Flow Battery with Charge Storage in Insoluble Polymer Beads

We describe the nonaqueous redox-matched flow battery (RMFB), where charge is stored on redox-active moieties covalently tethered to non-circulating, insoluble polymer beads and charge is transferred between the electrodes and the beads via soluble mediators with redox potentials matched to the active moieties on the beads. The RMFB reported herein uses ferrocene and viologen derivatives bound to crosslinked polystyrene beads. Charge storage in the beads leads to a high (approximately 1.0-1.7 M) effective concentration of active material in the reservoirs while preventing crossover of that material. The relatively low concentration of soluble mediators (15 mM) eliminates the need for high-solubility molecules to create high energy density batteries. Nernstian redox exchange between the beads and redox-matched mediators was fast relative to the cycle time of the RMFB. This approach is generalizable to many different redox-active moieties via attachment to the versatile Merrifield resin.

Second-Generation Manganese(III) Porphyrins Bearing 3,5-Dichloropyridyl Units: Innovative Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Epoxidation of Alkenes

The synthesis, characterisation and homogeneous catalytic oxidation results of two manganese(III) porphyrins of the so-called second-generation of metalloporphyrin catalysts, containing one or four 3,5-dichloropyridyl substituents at the meso positions are reported for the first time. The catalytic efficiency of these novel manganese(III) porphyrins was evaluated in the oxidation of cyclooctene and styrene using aqueous hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant, under homogeneous conditions. High conversions were obtained in the presence of both catalysts, obtaining the corresponding epoxide as the major product. The asymmetric metalloporphyrin, chloro[5,10,15-tris(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-20-(3,5-dichloropyridin-4-yl)porphyrinate]manganese(III), CAT-4, evidences a similar activity to that obtained with the well-known and highly efficient second-generation metalloporphyrin catalyst, chloro[5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrinate]manganese(III), CAT-2. CAT-4 was covalently attached onto Merrifield resin and 3-bromopropylsilica supports. The solid materials obtained were characterized by several techniques including diffuse reflectance, UV—VIS spectrophotometry, SEM and XPS. The catalytic results for the oxidation of cyclooctene and styrene using the immobilized catalysts are also presented. The Merrifield-supported catalyst showed to be very efficient, leading to five catalytic cycles in the oxidation of cyclooctene, using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant.

Synthesis of Solid-phase Supported Chiral Amines and Investigation of Stereoselectivity of Aldol Reactions of Amine-free Tropinone Enolate

Seven selected chiral mono-, di-, and tridentate amines supported on insoluble polymer were effectively prepared from corresponding primary amines or secondary amino alcohols and Merrifield resin. The reaction of the polymer-supported amines with excess n-butyllithium gave the corresponding lithium amide bases, which were tested in the aldol reactions of tropinone with benzaldehyde. The deprotonation reactions were carried out with or without separation of the lithium enolate from polymer-supported reagents. Using the procedure with separation of lithium enolate from supported chiral reagent different results were obtained with or without the addition of LiCl despite the fact that aggregate formation of Merrifield resin supported Li-amides is hindered. Without the additive, the aldol products were obtained in low diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity, whereas the addition of LiCl resulted in a significant increase of de and ee even when LiCl was added after the deprotonation step and separation of the chiral amine.

Organic Salts and Merrifield Resin Supported [PM12O40]3− (M = Mo or W) as Catalysts for Adipic Acid Synthesis

Adipic acid (AA) was obtained by catalyzed oxidation of cyclohexene, epoxycyclohexane, or cyclohexanediol under organic solvent-free conditions using aqueous hydrogen peroxide (30%) as an oxidizing agent and molybdenum- or tungsten-based Keggin polyoxometalates (POMs) surrounded by organic cations or ionically supported on functionalized Merrifield resins. Operating under these environmentally friendly, greener conditions and with low catalyst loading (0.025% for the molecular salts and 0.001–0.007% for the supported POMs), AA could be produced in interesting yields.