No abstract

Heterogeneous silica supported rhodium-phosphine complex catalysts are employed for the first time in the catalytic decarbonylation of aldehydes in continuous gas-phase. The reaction protocol is exemplified for the decarbonylation of p-tolualdehyde to toluene and further extended to other aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes achieving excellent results in terms of both conversion and selectivity.

Reaction of the organometallic aqua ion [Cp*Ir(H(2)O)(3)](2+) with tert-butyl(trimethylsilyl)amine in acetone yielded a novel trinuclear (μ(3)-oxido)(μ(3)-imido)pentamethylcyclopentadienyliridium(III) complex, [(Cp*Ir)(3)(O)(N(t)Bu)](2+). Single crystal structure analyses show the complex can be isolated both in the double salt ((t)BuNH(3))[(Cp*Ir)(3)(O)(N(t)Bu)](CF(3)SO(3))(3) (1) and in the simple triflate [(Cp*Ir)(3)(O)(N(t)Bu)](CF(3)SO(3))(2) (2). The double salt is stabilized by hydrogen bonding between the tert-butylammonium ion and the three triflate anions. It is the first time that a trinuclear (μ(3)-oxido)(μ(3)-imido) transition metal complex has been structurally characterized.

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been applied as recyclable reaction media in the decarbonylation of aldehydes in the presence of a rhodium–phosphine complex catalyst.

Ionic Liquids as Recyclable and Separable Reaction Media in Rh-Catalyzed Decarbonylation of Aromatic and Aliphatic Aldehydes. -It is found that the catalytic performance strongly depends on the employed ionic liquid and its thermal stability. -(MALCHO, P.; GARCIA-SUAREZ, E. J.; RIISAGER*, A.; RSC Adv. 4 (2014) 102, 58151-58155, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C4RA07103D ; Dep. Chem., Tech. Univ. Den., DK-2800 Lyngby, Den.; Eng.) -H. Toeppel 16-070