Alkane metathesis

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Alkane metathesis is a class of chemical reaction in which an alkane is rearranged to give a longer or shorter alkane product. It is similar to olefin metathesis, except that olefin metathesis cleaves and recreates a carbon-carbon double bond, but alkane metathesis operates on a carbon-carbon single bond.

Contents

Examples and catalysts

Alkane metathesis is catalyzed by metal-containing compounds or complexes. One such class of catalyst systems, discovered and developed by the group of Jean-Marie Basset, comprises tantalum hydride supported on silica (SiO2)TaH at temperatures of 25°C to 200°C. These systems catalyze the conversion of ethane to give methane, propane and traces of butane. [1] Cross metathesis can also take place, for example methane and propane can react to give two molecules of ethane. Ethane reacts with toluene to give ethylbenzene and xylene. The reaction involves metallocyclobutane intermediates just as in olefin metathesis. [2]

Dual-catalyst systems have also been developed which are effective for the metathesis of higher alkanes. These systems are based on the tandem operation of two catalysts, one for transfer-dehydrogenation and one for olefin metathesis.

A heterogeneous system consisting of Pt on alumina mixed with W oxide on silica was reported by Burnett and Hughes. [3] Systems based on pincer-iridium dehydrogenation catalysts and either "Schrock-type" Mo-based olefin metathesis catalysts have been reported by Brookhart and Goldman. [4] Because the iridium-based catalysts show selectivity for the termini of n-alkanes, these systems have the unique ability to effect alkane metathesis with some selectivity for product molecular weight. Thus for example n-hexane can be converted to ethane and n-decane as the major products.

Numerous applications for alkane metathesis involving petrochemicals and fuels can be envisaged. For example, the conversion of n-hexane to n-decane and ethane has been proposed for the purpose of improving the overall yield of diesel grade n-alkane (C9H20 to C19H40) from Fischer–Tropsch reactors, which convert syngas to a broad range of n-alkanes.

Scott, Goldman and Brookhart have reported the metathesis of cycloalkanes with the pincer-Ir/Mo system. Cyclooctane (cyclo-C8H16), for example is converted to a mixture of cyclohexadecane (cyclo-C16H32) and higher rings as well as polymers. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

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In organic chemistry, an alkane, or paraffin, is an acyclic saturated hydrocarbon. In other words, an alkane consists of hydrogen and carbon atoms arranged in a tree structure in which all the carbon–carbon bonds are single. Alkanes have the general chemical formula CnH2n+2. The alkanes range in complexity from the simplest case of methane, where n = 1, to arbitrarily large and complex molecules, like pentacontane or 6-ethyl-2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl) octane, an isomer of tetradecane.

Alkene Hydrocarbon compound containing one or more carbon-carbon double bonds

In organic chemistry, an alkene is a hydrocarbon containing a carbon–carbon double bond.

Hydrocarbon Organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon

In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons are generally colourless and hydrophobic, and their odors are usually weak or exemplified by the odors of gasoline and lighter fluid. They occur in a diverse range of molecular structures and phases: they can be gases, liquids, low melting solids or polymers. In the fossil fuel industries, hydrocarbon refers to the naturally occurring petroleum, natural gas and coal, and to their hydrocarbon derivatives and purified forms. Combustion of hydrocarbons is the main source of the world's energy. Petroleum is the dominant raw-material source for organic commodity chemicals such as solvents and polymers. Most anthropogenic (human-generated) emissions of greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, and methane released from natural gas handling and from agriculture.

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Transition metal pincer complex

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Olefin metathesis

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Maurice Brookhart

Maurice S. Brookhart is an American chemist, and professor of chemistry at the University of Houston since 2015.

Jean-Marie Basset French chemist


Jean-Marie Basset is a French chemist, and is currently the director of KAUST catalysis research center.

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Neohexene Chemical compound

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Carbonyl olefin metathesis is a type of metathesis reaction that entails, formally, the redistribution of fragments of an alkene and a carbonyl by the scission and regeneration of carbon-carbon and carbon-oxygen double bonds respectively. It is a powerful method in organic synthesis using simple carbonyls and olefins and converting them into less accessible products with higher structural complexity.

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References

  1. Vidal, V.; Theolier, A.; Thivolle-Cazat, J.; Basset, J. M. (1997). "Metathesis of Alkanes Catalyzed by Silica-Supported Transition Metal Hydrides". Science. 276 (5309): 99–102. doi:10.1126/science.276.5309.99. PMID   9082995.
  2. Basset, Jean Marie; Copéret, Christophe; Lefort, Laurent; Maunders, Barry M.; Maury, Olivier; Le Roux, Erwan; Saggio, Guillaume; Soignier, Sophie; Soulivong, Daravong; Sunley, Glenn J.; Taoufik, Mostafa; Thivolle-Cazat, Jean (2005). "Primary Products and Mechanistic Considerations in Alkane Metathesis". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 127 (24): 8604–8605. doi:10.1021/ja051679f. PMID   15954760.
  3. Burnett, Robert L.; Hughes, Thomas R. (1973). "Mechanism and poisoning of the molecular redistribution reaction of alkanes with a dual-functional catalyst system". Journal of Catalysis. 31: 55–64. doi:10.1016/0021-9517(73)90270-4.
  4. Goldman, A. S.; Roy, A. H.; Huang, Z.; Ahuja, R.; Schinski, W.; Brookhart, M. (2006). "Catalytic Alkane Metathesis by Tandem Alkane Dehydrogenation-Olefin Metathesis". Science. 312 (5771): 257–261. Bibcode:2006Sci...312..257G. doi:10.1126/science.1123787. PMID   16614220.
  5. Ahuja, Ritu; Kundu, Sabuj; Goldman, Alan S.; Brookhart, Maurice; Vicente, Brian C.; Scott, Susannah L. (2008). "Catalytic ring expansion, contraction, and metathesis-polymerization of cycloalkanes". Chemical Communications (2): 253–255. doi:10.1039/B712197K. PMID   18092104.