The copper-mediated aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions developed by Fritz Ullmann and Irma Goldberg required stoichiometric amounts of copper and very high reaction temperatures. Recently, it was found that addition of relatively cheap ligands (diamines, aminoalcohols, diketones, diols) made these reactions truly catalytic, with catalyst amounts as low as 1 mol% or even lower. Since t...

Using the binding energy of OH* and CO* on close-packed surfaces as reactivity descriptors, we screen bulk and surface alloy catalysts for methanol electro-oxidation activity. Using these two descriptors, we illustrate that a good methanol electro-oxidation catalyst must have three key properties: (1) the ability to activate methanol, (2) the ability to activate water, and (3) the ability to re...

Developing the high-efficient and green synthetic method for chiral amino alcohols is an intriguing target. We have developed the Mg(2+)-doped Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst for hydrogenation of L-phenylalanine methyl ester to chiral L-phenylalaninol without racemization. The effect of different L-phenylalanine esters on this title reaction was studied, verifying that Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 is an excellent cataly...

Microstructural characteristics of various real Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts for methanol steam reforming (MSR) were investigated by in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and electron microscopy (TEM). Structure–activity correlations of binary Cu/ZnO model catalysts were compared to microstructural properties of the ternar...

Alumina supported CuCl2, the basic catalyst for ethylene oxychlorination, has been investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy, EPR, EXAFS and XANES in a wide range (0.25-9.0 wt%) of Cu concentration. We have evidenced that, at low Cu content, the formation of a surface aluminate species takes place. The formation of this surface copper aluminate stops at 0.95 wt% Cu / 100 m; at higher Cu concentration...

Based upon a consecutive one-pot Sonogashira-Glaser coupling-cyclization sequence a variety of 2,5-di(hetero)arylthiophenes were synthesized in moderate to good yields. A single Pd/Cu-catalyst system, without further catalyst addition, and easily available, stable starting materials were used, resulting in a concise and highly efficient route for the synthesis of the title compounds. This novel...

Hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) and its esters to produce γ-valerolactone (GVL) and 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF) is a key step for the utilization of cellulose derived LA. Aiming to develop a commercially feasible base metal catalyst for the production of GVL from LA, with satisfactory activity, selectivity, and stability, Al2O3 doped Cu/SiO2 and Cu/SiO2 catalysts were fabricated by c...

A highly stereoselective rapid C-glycosylation reaction has been developed between glycal and unactivated alkynes in the presence of coppertriflate and ascorbic acid at low catalyst loading and at room temperature. A wide variety of glycals and aryl acetylenes participate in the reaction smoothly. TfOH generated during the reduction of Cu(OTf)2 by ascorbic acid may be the active catalyst for th...

Electrochemical oxidation of some dyes making wastewater assisted by transition metal (Co, Cu) modified kaolin in an electrolytic cell with graphite plates as electrodes was investigated. H2O2, produced on the surface of porous graphite cathode reacts with the (Co, Cu) modified kaolin catalyst to form strong oxidant (hydroxyl radicals HO*) that can in turn degrade the pollutants adsorbed on the...

Copper (Cu) containing metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are found to be highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts for oxidation of various alcohols. A wide range of alcohols, including alcohols containing inactive hetero-aryl and long-chain alkyl units, are selectively converted into their corresponding products. The catalytic efficiency of the Cu containing MOFs, along with the co-catalyst 2,2,6...