The essential questions of the dissertation research described here address concepts in homogeneous catalysis and organometallic chemistry, with a focus on method development for catalytic reaction applications in organic synthesis. The unifying theme throughout the research is the development of rational design principles for cooperative catalysis through both mechanistic and empirical study. Cooperative catalysis – in which multiple catalysts enable increased activity or selectivity versus a single catalyst system – can involve some combination of a transition metal, Lewis acid, and Brønsted acid. Chapter 1 reviews the literature regarding the cooperativity of transition metal and Lewis acid catalysis, and discusses four main areas in organic synthesis and the facilitation of these trnasformations by Lewis acids: (a) C-C bond and C-H activation, (b) hydrogenolysis of carboxylic acid derivates and ethers, (c) Au catalyzed alkyne activation and cyclization reactions, and related reactions, and (d) Pd catalyzed C-C and C-N bond forming reactions. These different topics are selected based on the mechanistic insight provided into the nature of transition metal-Lewis acid cooperativity. Chapter 2 describes the observation of Lewis acid acceleration of a Pd catalyzed C-N bond coupling. The synthetic methodology is elaborated using metal triflates as cocatalysts, and Lewis acid acceleration is observed for a variety of different N-nucleophiles. Qualitative mechanistic study implicates the role of halide anions in inhibiting this catalytic reaction, and it is proposed that metal triflates are competent to accelerate catalysis by binding halide anions, and therefore attenuating halide inhibition. This hypothesis is supported by initial rate measurements and 31P NMR experiments. Rationalizing trends observed in the reactivity of Lewis acids in the cooperative reactions described in Chapters 1 and 2 is challenging. Therefore, our goal was to provide further insight into the behavior or Lewis acids in complex reaction settings. Inspired by 31P NMR experiments from Chapter 2, a next generation NMR probe to observe anion exchange reactions of metal triflate Lewis acids is developed. Metal-ligand titrations are performed for a variety of metal triflates with complexes of the type (POCOP)Pd(X) (X = Cl, Br, I, OAc) to observe a variety of different X anion affinities for metal triflates. The determined parameters are discussed within the context of Lewis acid catalyzed reactions, along with other Lewis acidity parameters, such as hydrolysis constants and effective charge density. The data suggest that the chloride and iodide anion affinities of a Lewis acid represent a continuum of π-acidity (high anion affinity) and propensity to dissociate into cationic Mz+ species (low anion affinity). The anion affinities do not correlate with the tendency of a metal salt to release Brønsted acids or their respective effective charge densities. Based on the insight into Lewis acidity from Chapters 1 and 3, the parallel between Brønsted and Lewis acids is realized, and the role of both Brønsted and Lewis acids in mediating organic reactions is often related. In Chapter 4, further questions into the cooperativity of π-acids and Brønsted acids is explored. It is demonstrated that selectivity of alkene isomerization can be controlled through a cooperative system. A series of Mo(0) complexes are prepared and explored in their ability to mediate the conversion of terminal alkenes to internal alkenes, and the reaction is found to be promoted by Brønsted acid (TsOH) cocatalyst. Rational design principles are developed to maximize selectivity for (Z)-2-alkenes in this catalyst system. It is proposed that TsOH acts to generate a catalytic MoH species which mediates catalysis, and the role of phosphine ligands is critical in inhibiting the formation of less selective isomerization catalysts. Chapter 5 and 6 entail further method development for catalytic reactions based on the mechanistic wisdom described in previous chapters. High throughput experimentation is employed to rapidly assess conceptual aspects of Pd catalysis, such as ligand and additive effects, and facilitate catalyst discovery and optimization. Based on the substrate scope performed in Chapter 2, it was realized there is a knowledge gap in the ability to synthesize tertiary sulfonamides, both in terms of conventional methods, or modern Pd-catalyzed methods. A significant advance in organic reaction methodology is described: a new Pd catalyst featuring the AdBippyPhos ligand is discovered to be apt for the coupling of secondary sulfonamides with heteroaryl halides to yield tertiary N-heteroarylhalides. Using high throughput experimentation, 24 diverse heterocycles are screened with 12 sulfonamide variants to prepare >100 new products on microscale. Computational modelling reveals the unique steric parameters of the AdBippyPhos ligand, and a mechanistic rationale for its success in catalysis is provided. Lastly, Chapter 6 describes the use of a LiOTf additive to control the selectivity of Pd-catalyzed C-C bond forming reactions. In the presence of LiOTf, a Mizoroki-Heck type reaction, the alkenylation of an aryl halide with a vinyl ether, proceeds with regioselectivity. In the absence of LiOTf, a solvent (CH3CN) activation pathway proceeds to give benzyl nitrile products. High throughput microscale reactions discovered that the Pd/xantphos catalyst is uniquely selective to provide branched styrenes when using the Cs2CO3/CH3CN base/solvent combination. However, reaction performance differed on large scale reactions, where LiOTf was necessary to observe the Mizoroki-Heck reaction pathway. Mechanistic study, in the form of kinetic experiments and 31P NMR experiments, focused on the role of LiOTf in affecting chemoselectivity. It is proposed that xantphos oxidation is responsible for mediating the Mizoroki-Heck reaction pathway, whereas in the absence of xantphos oxidation, CH3CN α-arylation ensues. Due to the insoluble nature of the catalyst materials, xantphos oxidation is ordinarily slow under anaerobic conditions due to mass transfer limitation. LiOTf generates a soluble [(xantphos)Pd(NCCH3)2][OTf]2 and potentially mediates the formation of xantphos-monoxide catalyst which is competent for alkenylation. / Chemistry

The two projects described in this dissertation demonstrate the wide utility of noble metal N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes. The first project details the design of iridium NHC amino acid complexes for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of prochiral ketones. Iridium(I) bis-NHC complexes were found to undergo oxidative addition with a variety of alpha-amino acids, generating chiral iridium(III) complexes of the form Ir(NHC)2(aa)(H)(X) (aa = amino acid, X = halide). The complexes were screened for ATH of aryl and alkyl ketones, and optimization studies found enantioselectivity in this system was highly sensitive to the reaction temperature, NHC ligand, and amino acid. Incorporation of secondary amino acids was essential to enantioselectivity. Aryl ketones were reduced in high conversion and enantioselectivity when employing the Ir(IMe)2(L-Pro)(H)(I) catalyst in isopropyl alcohol, in some cases giving over 90% ee of the alcohol products. Density functional theory calculations were conducted in order to gain insight into the active catalytic species, and the results suggest that the high enantioselectivity of this system primarily arises from steric effects. The second project details the design of rhodium and iridium NHC piano-stool complexes featuring derivatized tetramethylcyclopentadienyl ligands (Cp*R, R = alkyl or aryl substituent) for antimicrobial applications. Complexes of the form (Cp*R)M(NHC)Cl2 (M = Rh or Ir) were synthesized by transmetallation of the NHC ligand using silver(I) oxide in the presence of the desired noble metal Cp*R dimer. The complexes were screened for biological activity against various bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Many of these compounds were highly active against Mycobacterium smegmatis, displaying minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) as low at 0.25 microgram per mL. Analysis of structure-activity relationships found that incorporation of the NHC ligand greatly enhances the antimicrobial properties of rhodium and iridium piano-stool complexes, more so than previously investigated diamine, amino acid, or beta-diketonato ligands. Cytotoxicity studies on one of the rhodium NHC complexes showed this compound was nontoxic towards mammalian cells at low concentrations, which strengthens the potential of these types of compounds as viable drug candidates. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation describes two practical applications of a series of complexes featuring the noble metals rhodium and iridium. In all of these complexes, the metal center is bonded to one or two groups known as N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). The most common structural variant of NHCs are five-membered rings. The metal is usually bonded to a carbon atom on these rings, which is flanked by two nitrogen atoms. Noble metal complexes containing NHCs are widely investigated in contemporary chemical literature for a variety of reactions, primarily because noble metals form exceptionally strong bonds with NHCs, making these complexes very stable. N-Heterocyclic carbene compounds are also fairly easy to synthesize and structurally modify, which allows fine-tuning for specific applications. The first project in this dissertation employed iridium NHC amino acid complexes for the selective production of alcohols, meaning only one structure of the alcohol product is favorably generated. This is an important transformation in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, which often require the synthesis of highly pure products. These complexes were found to be quite successful for this application on a range of model substrates, in some cases generating as high as 95% of one alcohol product over the other. Product selectivity was found to depend on the specific structure of the NHC compound. The second project investigated the antimicrobial properties of rhodium and iridium NHC complexes. In recent years, the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance against traditional pharmaceuticals has led to an interest in the development of metal-based drugs, which may allow for metal-specific mechanisms of drug action that are not possible for commonly employed antimicrobial agents. These NHC complexes were screened for biological activity against various bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Many of the complexes displayed high activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis, comparable to those displayed by other clinical drugs such as ampicillin or streptomycin. These results were highly encouraging, as Mycobacterium smegmatis often serves as a model to study other mycobacteria.

Neste trabalho, várias reações de Heck foram investigadas utilizando principalmente métodos baseados na Teoria do Funcional de Densidade (DFT). Na primeira parte foi proposto um novo ciclo catalítico de Heck, com etapas aniônicas e neutras combinadas desencadeado por um complexo de paládio (Pd) suportado por um ligante carbeno N-heterocíclico (NHC) inédito. Posteriormente, a influência estérica do ligante NHC foi investigada na seletividade da reação de Heck inicialmente estudada. Para o NHC pouco volumoso, a componente eletrônica era majoritária comparada às contribuições de caráter não-covalente. Entretanto, quando o NHC com maior impedimento estérico foi analisado, somente alguns funcionais de densidade (TPSS-D3, ωB97x-D, BP86-D3, e M06-L), juntamente com o método de função de onda DLPNO-MP2, foram capazes de predizer a tendência de seletividade experimental. Por fim, a natureza do metal foi analisada por meio de uma comparação entre catalisadores NHC de níquel (Ni) e Pd nas reações de Heck. Os resultados teóricos forneceram indícios mecanísticos para o entendimento da menor atividade catalítica usualmente encontrada nos processos envolvendo complexos NHC de Ni e da necessidade experimental da formação de complexos de Ni catiônicos para atingir uma maior eficiência catalítica nessas reações. Na segunda parte deste estudo, dois exemplos marcantes da literatura sobre as reações de Heck-Matsuda enantiosseletivas foram teoricamente investigadas. Os cálculos DFT mostraram a influência crucial do substrato (olefina) na seletividade destas reações. Em um dos casos a seletividade da reação foi aprimorada através dos dados mecanísticos fornecidos pelos cálculos DFT. / In this work, several examples of Heck reactions were investigated using mostly Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods. At the first part, a new Heck catalytic cycle was proposed with combined anionic and neutral steps initiated by a newly N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) based palladium (Pd) complex. Posteriorly, the influence of steric demanding of NHC ligand was investigated on selectivity of Heck reaction initially studied. In the case of small NHC ligand, the electronic component is more important than the noncovalent contributions. However, when the crowded NHC ligands were studied only selected density functionals (TPSS-D3, ωB97x-D, BP86-D3, e M06-L), and the wavefunction based method DLPNO-MP2, were capable to predict the experimental selectivity trends reported. Finally, the metal nature was analyzed by a comparison of the nickel (Ni) and Pd catalyzed Heck reactions. The theoretical results provided mechanistic insights that help to understand the low catalytic activity usually reported when Ni catalysts were used and the experimental requirement of cationic intermediates to achieve some efficiency for NHC-Ni-catalyzed Heck coupling. At second part, two representative examples from literature about the enantioselective Heck-Matsuda reactions were theoretically investigated. DFT calculations shown the crucial influence of substrate (olefin) on the selectivity of these reactions. One of cases studied, the selectivity of reaction was improved by the DFT results

La lignine est l'un des biopolymères les plus importants sur Terre. Elle est extraite des plantes et représente la plus grande source de noyaux aromatiques dans la biomasse. De nombreux projets ayant pour but la dépolymérisation de la lignine en molécules de faibles poids moléculaires, valorisables par les industries chimiques, sont de plus en plus développés au vu du fort potentiel de cette bio-ressource. Le but de notre projet était de développer un nouveau système catalytique pour la dépolymérisation de la lignine. Nous nous sommes intéressés à la conception de nouveaux catalyseurs homogènes et hétérogènes, basés sur la structure connue du complexe Fe(TAML). Nous avons étudié leurs réactivité et stabilité en conditions de catalyse oxydante, et les avons comparés aux caractéristiques du Fe(TAML) existant. Pour ce faire, l'étude catalytique a été réalisée sur des molécules modèles de la lignine, dans le but d'éviter les problèmes analytiques liés à la structure du polymère. Dans un premier temps, nous présenterons la stratégie de fonctionnalisation du ligand TAML connu afin d'obtenir de nouveaux complexes qui puissent être greffés sur un support de silice. Dans un deuxième temps, nous parlerons des résultats de la catalyse oxydante en conditions homogènes et hétérogènes, et de l'influence du changement de la structure des ligands sur l'activité des catalyseurs / Lignin is one of the most abundant biopolymers on earth. It is issued from plants and represents the largest source of aromatics in biomass. Projects aiming at depolymerizing lignin to obtain value-added small molecules for the chemical industry are more and more developed due to the high potential of this bio-resource. The goal of our project was to develop a new catalytic system for the depolymerization of lignin. We have been interested in designing new homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts based on the known structure of the Fe(TAML) complex. We have studied their reactivity and stability under oxidative catalysis conditions, and have compared them to the characteristics of the existing Fe(TAML). To do so, the catalysis study has been realized on lignin small model molecules to avoid the analytical problems related to a polymer backbone. In a first hand, we will present the strategy of functionalization of the known TAML ligand to design new complexes to be grafted on a silica support. In a second hand, we will talk about the results of oxidative catalysis in homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions, and the influence of the ligand structure change on the activity of the catalysts

The theme of this thesis is the development of mononuclear Ru-based complexes that are capable of catalyzing the water oxidation (or O2-evolving) reaction, e.g. 2 H2O → O2 + 4 H+ + 4 e−. Several families of mononuclear Ru water oxidation catalysts were designed and prepared. They feature with anionic ancillary ligands that contain carboxylate or phenolate donors. The properties of the catalysts were investigated in various aspects including coordination geometry, electrochemical behavior, and ligand exchange. All catalysts showed outstanding catalytic activity towards water oxidation in the presence of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate as a sacrificial oxidant. High-valent Ru intermediates involved in the reactions were characterized both experimentally and theoretically. The kinetics of catalytic water oxidation was examined based on one catalyst and a prevailing catalytic pathway was proposed. The catalytic cycle involved a sequence of oxidation steps from RuII−OH2 to RuV=O species and O−O bond formation via water-nucleophilic-attack to the RuV=O intermediate. By comparing properties and catalytic performance of Ru catalysts herein with that of previously reported examples, the effect of anionic ancillary ligands was clearly elucidated in the context of catalytic water oxidation. Aiming to further application in an envisaged artificial photosynthesis device, visible light-driven water oxidation was conducted and achieved primarily in a homogeneous three-component system containing catalyst, photosensitizer, and sacrificial electron acceptor. Moreover, one model Ru catalyst was successfully immobilized on ordinary glass carbon surface through a facile and widely applicable method. / <p>QC 20121112</p>

No description available.

O biodiesel é definido como um mono alquil éster de ácidos graxos de cadeia longa derivado de fontes renováveis tais como óleos vegetais e gorduras animais. Sua importância está associada ao uso como um combustível alternativo para motores do ciclo Diesel. É obtido através da reação de transesterificação nas quais os triacilglicerídeos (óleo ou gordura) reagem com o álcool, em presença de um catalisador ácido ou básico, produzindo ésteres de ácidos graxos e glicerol. Esta transesterificação pode ser por catálise homogênea ou heterogênea, dependendo do tipo de catalisador. O grande desafio da indústria é encontrar os parâmetros ideais desse processo a fim de alcançar um produto e uma rota de produção tecnologicamente eficiente e que seja ambientalmente correta. Nesta dissertação, estudou-se a síntese do biodiesel a partir da transesterificação do óleo de soja por catálises homogênea e heterogênea. Foram realizadas reações de transesterificação por rotas metílica e etílica, empregando os catalisadores homogêneos (hidróxido de potássio e ácido sulfúrico) e heterogêneos [resinas comerciais de troca iônica (Amberlyst 15, Amberlyst 26 e Lewatit VPOC 1800)]. Estudou-se o efeito da variação do tipo e da percentagem de catalisador, razão molar álcool/óleo, temperatura e tempo de reação. As reações foram conduzidas em um reator de vidro, a pressão atmosférica e a conversão foi avaliada pela massa do produto, análises de espectrometria na região do infra-vermelho (FTIR) e de espectrometria de ressonância magnética nuclear de 1H (RMN1H). Na catálise homogênea, observaram-se rendimentos acima de 95 % com 1 % de KOH em todas as proporções metanol/óleo à temperatura ambiente. Com etanol, o máximo atingindo foi de 82 % de ésteres na razão molar 6:1. Na catálise ácida homogênea, os rendimentos foram menores, atingindo o máximo de 81 % de conversão, com 3 % de ácido sulfúrico, razão metanol/óleo 12/1, 50 C, por 3h. Nas reações aplicando as resinas de troca iônica, a melhor condição de reação encontrada foi com a utilização da Amberlyst 26, percentagem molar de 12,5 % (de grupos funcionais da resina em relação ao óleo), obtendo-se 100 % de conversão em ésteres com metanol, por 8 h de reação, a 65 C e agitação 300 rpm. Com a Amberlyst 15, o máximo atingido foi de 13 % de rendimento, utilizando metanol, 50 % de resina, a 65 C e por 8 h. Com a VPOC, não foram obtidos resultados significativos. Estes testes provam a viabilidade do uso da resina de troca iônica básica como um potencial catalisador para a produção de biodiesel. / Biodiesel is defined as a mono alkyl ester of fatty acids of long chain derived from renewable sources such as vegetable oils and animal fats. Its importance is related to the use as an alternative fuel for diesel cycle engines. The biodiesel could be obtained by the transesterification reaction in which triacylglycerides (oil or grease) react with alcohol in the presence of an acid or base catalyst to produce esters of fatty acids and glycerol. Such transesterification can be carried out by homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis, depending on the type of catalyst. The major challenge is to find the ideal parameters of this process in order to achieve a technologically efficient product and route of production environmentally friendly. In this work, we studied the synthesis of biodiesel from transesterification of soybean oil employing homogeneous or heterogeneous catalyses. Transesterification reactions by methanol and ethanol routes were carried out using the homogeneous catalysts (potassium hydroxide and sulfuric acid) and heterogeneous [ion-exchange commercial resins (Amberlyst 15, Amberlyst 26 and Lewatit VPOC 1800)]. We studied the effect of varying the type and percentage of catalyst, molar ratio alcohol/oil, temperature and reaction time. The reactions were conducted in a glass reactor, atmospheric pressure and the conversion was evaluated by the product mass, analysis of spectrometry in the infrared region (FTIR), and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). In homogeneous catalysis, yields above 95% with 1% KOH at any ratio methanol/oil at room temperature were achieved. With ethanol, the maximum conversion achieved was 82% ester at a molar ratio of 6:1. In homogeneous acid catalysis, the yields were lower, reaching a maximum of 81% conversion, with 3% sulfuric acid, methanol/oil ratio of 12/1, at 50 C for 3 h. In the reactions where ion exchange resins were applied, the best reaction condition was found with the use of Amberlyst 26, molar percentage of 12.5% (functional groups of the resin in relation to oil), obtaining 100% conversion esters with methanol for 8h-reaction at 65C and agitation at 300 rpm. With Amberlyst 15, the maximum reached was 13% yield, using methanol, 50% resin at 65 C for 8 h. No significant results were obtained with VPOC resin. These results prove the feasibility of using basic ion-exchange resin as a potential catalyst for the production of biodiesel.

Cette thèse présente des travaux de méthodologie de synthèse et des études mécanistiques. Une approche complémentaire est utilisée, avec des résultats expérimentaux et des résultats théoriques issus de calculs DFT. Trois réactions ont été étudiées. La première réaction est l’alpha-arylation de cétones énolisables en l’absence de métal de transition. Elle se déroule en présence de DMF et de tBuOK. L’étude mécanistique met en évidence la formation d’une espèce riche en électrons par déprotonation du solvant. La deuxième réaction étudiée est la N-arylation de pyrazoles via la formation d’aryldiazoniums in situ. Cette réaction est catalysée au cuivre. Une évaluation de la méthode DFT la plus adaptée est présentée. Un double cycle catalytique est proposé, faisant intervenir le complexe de cuivre et l’acide acétique. La dernière réaction étudiée est la formation stéréoselective d’alkényl thioethers fluorés trisubstitués par catalyse au cuivre. La méthodologie de synthèse est présentée, suivie d’une étude mécanistique. Celle-ci révèle un mécanisme radicalaire qui peut être généralisé à d’autres substrats. / In this thesis, synthetic methodology development and mechanistic studies are presented. A complementary approach, using both experiments and theoretical outcomes from DFT, is used. Three reactions were studied. The first reaction is the transition-metal free alpha-arylation of enolizable ketones. It proceeds using DMF and tBuOK. The mechanistic study reveals the formation of an electron-rich species by deprotonation of the solvent. The second reaction studied is the copper-catalyzed N-arylation of pyrazoles with arenediazonium salts generated in situ. A benchmark is performed to evaluate the best DFT methodology. A double catalytic cycle is proposed, involving copper and acetic acid. The last reaction studied is the copper-catalyzed stereoselective access to trisubstituted fluorinated alkenyl thioethers. The development of the methodology is presented. Then a mechanistic study reveals a radical mechanism that can be generalized to other substrates.

O biodiesel é definido como um mono alquil éster de ácidos graxos de cadeia longa derivado de fontes renováveis tais como óleos vegetais e gorduras animais. Sua importância está associada ao uso como um combustível alternativo para motores do ciclo Diesel. É obtido através da reação de transesterificação nas quais os triacilglicerídeos (óleo ou gordura) reagem com o álcool, em presença de um catalisador ácido ou básico, produzindo ésteres de ácidos graxos e glicerol. Esta transesterificação pode ser por catálise homogênea ou heterogênea, dependendo do tipo de catalisador. O grande desafio da indústria é encontrar os parâmetros ideais desse processo a fim de alcançar um produto e uma rota de produção tecnologicamente eficiente e que seja ambientalmente correta. Nesta dissertação, estudou-se a síntese do biodiesel a partir da transesterificação do óleo de soja por catálises homogênea e heterogênea. Foram realizadas reações de transesterificação por rotas metílica e etílica, empregando os catalisadores homogêneos (hidróxido de potássio e ácido sulfúrico) e heterogêneos [resinas comerciais de troca iônica (Amberlyst 15, Amberlyst 26 e Lewatit VPOC 1800)]. Estudou-se o efeito da variação do tipo e da percentagem de catalisador, razão molar álcool/óleo, temperatura e tempo de reação. As reações foram conduzidas em um reator de vidro, a pressão atmosférica e a conversão foi avaliada pela massa do produto, análises de espectrometria na região do infra-vermelho (FTIR) e de espectrometria de ressonância magnética nuclear de 1H (RMN1H). Na catálise homogênea, observaram-se rendimentos acima de 95 % com 1 % de KOH em todas as proporções metanol/óleo à temperatura ambiente. Com etanol, o máximo atingindo foi de 82 % de ésteres na razão molar 6:1. Na catálise ácida homogênea, os rendimentos foram menores, atingindo o máximo de 81 % de conversão, com 3 % de ácido sulfúrico, razão metanol/óleo 12/1, 50 C, por 3h. Nas reações aplicando as resinas de troca iônica, a melhor condição de reação encontrada foi com a utilização da Amberlyst 26, percentagem molar de 12,5 % (de grupos funcionais da resina em relação ao óleo), obtendo-se 100 % de conversão em ésteres com metanol, por 8 h de reação, a 65 C e agitação 300 rpm. Com a Amberlyst 15, o máximo atingido foi de 13 % de rendimento, utilizando metanol, 50 % de resina, a 65 C e por 8 h. Com a VPOC, não foram obtidos resultados significativos. Estes testes provam a viabilidade do uso da resina de troca iônica básica como um potencial catalisador para a produção de biodiesel. / Biodiesel is defined as a mono alkyl ester of fatty acids of long chain derived from renewable sources such as vegetable oils and animal fats. Its importance is related to the use as an alternative fuel for diesel cycle engines. The biodiesel could be obtained by the transesterification reaction in which triacylglycerides (oil or grease) react with alcohol in the presence of an acid or base catalyst to produce esters of fatty acids and glycerol. Such transesterification can be carried out by homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis, depending on the type of catalyst. The major challenge is to find the ideal parameters of this process in order to achieve a technologically efficient product and route of production environmentally friendly. In this work, we studied the synthesis of biodiesel from transesterification of soybean oil employing homogeneous or heterogeneous catalyses. Transesterification reactions by methanol and ethanol routes were carried out using the homogeneous catalysts (potassium hydroxide and sulfuric acid) and heterogeneous [ion-exchange commercial resins (Amberlyst 15, Amberlyst 26 and Lewatit VPOC 1800)]. We studied the effect of varying the type and percentage of catalyst, molar ratio alcohol/oil, temperature and reaction time. The reactions were conducted in a glass reactor, atmospheric pressure and the conversion was evaluated by the product mass, analysis of spectrometry in the infrared region (FTIR), and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). In homogeneous catalysis, yields above 95% with 1% KOH at any ratio methanol/oil at room temperature were achieved. With ethanol, the maximum conversion achieved was 82% ester at a molar ratio of 6:1. In homogeneous acid catalysis, the yields were lower, reaching a maximum of 81% conversion, with 3% sulfuric acid, methanol/oil ratio of 12/1, at 50 C for 3 h. In the reactions where ion exchange resins were applied, the best reaction condition was found with the use of Amberlyst 26, molar percentage of 12.5% (functional groups of the resin in relation to oil), obtaining 100% conversion esters with methanol for 8h-reaction at 65C and agitation at 300 rpm. With Amberlyst 15, the maximum reached was 13% yield, using methanol, 50% resin at 65 C for 8 h. No significant results were obtained with VPOC resin. These results prove the feasibility of using basic ion-exchange resin as a potential catalyst for the production of biodiesel.

FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Finep - Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / RQMG - Rede Mineira de Química / Complexos rutênio-arenos são amplamente estudados como catalisadores homogêneos ao longo dos últimos anos, principalmente com aplicações em reações de hidrogenação de ligações polares. Estes complexos são promissores na redução de ligações polares do tipo C=O de arilcetonas. Como consequência destes estudos o objetivo do trabalho foi aplicar uma série de complexos rutênio-areno coordenados a ligantes iminopiridínicos na redução de cetonas. Inicialmente foram sintetizados e caracterizados seis ligantes iminopiridínicos N-N doadores {N-(priridina-2-metileno)anilina (Amp); 4-cloro-N-(priridina-2-metileno)anilina (Clmp); 4-metil-N-(priridina-2-metileno)anilina (Memp); 4-terc-butil-N-(priridina-2- metileno)anilina (Tbmp); 2,6-dietil-N-(priridina-2 metileno)anilina (Diemp); 2,6-diisopropil- N-(priridina-2-metileno)anilina (Diipmp)} a partir de uma reação de condensação entre a anilinas orto- ou para- substituída e a 2-piridinocarboxialdeído, na presença de ácido p- toluenosulfônico como catalisador. O complexo binuclear de Ru(II) [RuCl(g-Cl)(p-cym)]2 {onde p-cym = para-cimeno} foi utilizado como precursor de síntese para preparar seis complexos com fórmula geral [RuCl(^-cym)(N-N)]PF6. As caracterizações dos ligantes e complexos foram realizadas através das técnicas de análise elementar, condutividade molar iônica, espectroscopia eletrônica na região do ultravioleta, espectroscopia vibracional na região infravermelho, voltametria cíclica e RMN XH. As estruturas dos complexos [RuCl(p-cym)(Diipmp)]PF6 e [RuCl(p-cym)(Memp)]PF6 foram determinadas por difração de raios X de monocristal. A análise elementar dos ligantes e dos complexos estão de acordo com a estrutura química sugerida. A condutividade molar iônica para os complexos em solução de acetonitrila e diclorometano confirmam que estes são eletrólito 1:1. Os complexos apresentaram processo anódico próximo a 1,80 V, processo irreversível, que proporciona a descoordenação do ligante p-cym e consequente formação in situ de solvatos complexos de formula geral [RuCl(N-N)(CH3CN)3]+ os quais apresentam valores de E1/2 próximos a 1,1 V. Os espectros de RMN 1H para os ligantes livres apresentaram sinais próximos de 8,15-8,30 ppm e 8,50-8,73 ppm para a série de ligantes N-N, que são referentes aos núcleos de hidrogênios ligados a carbonos adjacentes aos nitrogênios imínicos e piridínicos. Para os complexos foram observados a presença de deslocamentos químicos mais desblindados, confirmando a coordenação dos ligantes N-N ao centro metálico. A presença do ligante p-cym foi confirmada a partir dos deslocamentos químicos do núcleo de hidrogeno isopropílico, o qual gera um dubleto próximo a 0,98-1,30 ppm e septeto próximo a 2,30-3,15 ppm, que é referente ao acoplamento das metilas com o hidrogênio isopropílico. Os complexos apresentaram uma boa atividade catalítica em reações de transferência de hidrogênio para redução dos substratos analisados utilizando isopropanol como doador de hidrogênio e solvente, destacando aos complexos [RuCl(p-cym)(Clmp)]PF6 e [RuCl(p-cym)(Memp)]PF6 que apresentaram conversões acima de 80% e o menor valor de desvio padrão relativo para os dois substratos. Utilizando estes complexos, foi realizado o estudo cinético das reações de transferências de hidrogênio onde foi possível verificar a dependência da conversão do substrato em relação à mudança de temperatura. Também foram determinados os parâmetros termodinâmicos como a energia livre de Gibbs de ativação (AG*), entalpia de ativação (AH*) e entropia de ativação (AS*), correlacionando-os com o comportamento reacional de cada complexo. / Ruthenium-arene complexes are widely studied as homogeneous catalysts over the last years, especially in applications with polar bonds hydrogenation reactions. These ruthenium-arene complexes are promising in the reduction of polar C=O type bonds of arylketones. As a consequence of these studies the objective of this work was to apply a series of coordinated ruthenium-arene complexes to iminopyridine ligands in the reduction of ketones. Initially were synthesized and characterized six iminopyridines ligands N-N donor {N-(pyridine-2- methylene)aniline (Amp); 4-chloro-N-(pyridine-2-methylene)aniline (Clmp); 4-methyl-N- (pyridine-2-methylene)aniline (Memp); 4-tert-butyl-N-(pyridine-2-methylene)aniline (Tbmp); 2,6-diethyl-N-(pyridine-2-methylene)aniline (Diemp); 2,6-diisopropyl-N-(pyridine-2- methylene)aniline (Diipmp)} by the condensation reaction between an aniline ortho- orpara- substituted and 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid as catalyst. The binuclear ruthenium(II) complexes [RuCl(^-Cl){p-cym)]2 { p-cym = para- cymene} was using as the synthesis precursor to prepare six complexes of general formula [RuCl(p-cym)(N-N)]PF6. The ligands and complexes characterizations were performed using XH NMR, cyclic voltammetry, infrared vibrational spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible electron spectroscopy, elemental analysis and molar conductivity. The structure of the complexes [RuCl(p-cym)(Dipimp)]PF6 and [RuCl(p-cym)(Memp)]PF6 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The elemental analysis of the ligands and the complexes are according to the suggested chemical structure. The ionic molar conductivity for the solution complexes of acetonitrile and dichloromethane confirm that these are 1:1 electrolyte. The complexes presented an anode process close to 1.80 V, an irreversible process, which leads to the incoordination of the p-cym ligand and consequent in situ formation of complex solvates of the general formula [RuCl(N-N)(CH3CN)3]+ which have values of E1/2 near 1.1 V. 1H NMR spectra for the free ligands showed singlets and doublets close to 8.15-8.30 ppm and 8.50-8.73 ppm for the ligands series N-N, these chemical shifts are due to the carbon-bonded hydrogen core adjacent to the imine e pyridine nitrogens. The complexes also showed the presence of theses chemical shifts a little more deshielding, confirming the ligands N-N coordination. The presence of the p-cym ligand was confirmed by the chemical shifts of the hydrogen core of the isopropyl radical, which yields doublets close to 0.98-1.30 ppm and septets close to 2.30-3.15 ppm, which is related to the coupling of methyl with isopropyl hydrogen. The complexes presented good catalytic activity in hydrogen transfer reactions to reduce the substrates analyzed using isopropanol as a source of hydrogen and solvent, emphasizing the complexes [RuCl(p-cym)(Clmp)]PF6 and [RuQ(p-cym)(Memp)]PF6 which showed conversions above 80% and the lowest relative standard deviation value for the two substrates. Using these complexes, a kinetic study of the hydrogen transfer reactions was carried out, where it was possible to verify the dependence of the substrate conversion on the temperature change. It was also determined the thermodynamic parameters such as the free energy of Gibbs of activation (AG*), enthalpy of activation (A#*) and entropy of activation (AS*), correlating them with the reaction behavior of each complex. / Dissertação (Mestrado)