Selective,Green Synthesis of Six‐Membered Cyclic Carbonates by Lipase‐Catalyzed Chemospecific Transesterification of Diols with Dimethyl Carbonate

A facile and green synthesis of six‐membered cyclic carbonates, the potential monomers for isocyanate‐free polyurethanes and polycarbonates, was achieved by transesterification of diols with dimethyl carbonate catalyzed by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B, Novozym®435, followed by thermal cyclization in a solvent‐free medium. The difference in the chemospecificity of the lipase for the primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols as acyl acceptors was utilized to obtain a highly chemoselective synthesis of the cyclic carbonate in high yield. In the lipase‐catalyzed reaction with diols, the product contained almost equal proportions of mono‐ and di‐carbonates with 1,3‐propanediol having two primary alcohols, a higher proportion of mono‐carbonate with 1,3‐butanediol having a primary and a secondary alcohol, and mainly mono‐carbonate with 3‐methyl‐1,3‐butanediol having a primary and a tertiary alcohol. The chemospecificity of cyclic carbonates formed by thermal treatment at 90 °C was closely related to the proportion of mono‐carbonate. The yield of cyclic carbonate was 99.3% with 3‐methyl‐1,3‐butanediol, 85.5% with 1,3‐butanediol, and 43.2% with 1,3‐propanediol.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Estolide Esters Containing Epoxy and Cyclic Carbonate Groups

The unsaturated sites in oleic 2‐ethylhexyl estolide esters (containing 35 % monoenic fatty acids) were converted into epoxide and five‐membered cyclic carbonate groups and the products characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), ¹H, and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. Epoxidation of the alkene bonds was accomplished using performic acid generated in situ from formic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Greater than 90 % alkenes were converted into their corresponding epoxide groups as determined by oxirane values and the epoxide ring structure was confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The estolide ester epoxide material was subsequently reacted with supercritical carbon dioxide in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide catalyst to produce the corresponding estolide ester containing the cyclic carbonate group. The signals at 1,807 cm^?1 and δ 82 ppm in the FTIR and ¹³C‐NMR spectra, respectively, confirmed the desired cyclic carbonate was produced. The carbonated estolide ester exhibited a dynamic viscosity, at 25 °C, of 172 mPa·s as compared to 155 mPa·s for the estolide ester starting material. The estolide ester structure of these new derivatives was shown to be consistent throughout their synthesis.     

Biolubricant Production of 2‐Ethylhexyl Palmitate by Transesterification Over Unsupported Potassium Carbonate

Owing to the decrease of global oil price, development of downstream value‐added products is important to biodiesel industry. In this study, we used palmitic acid methyl ester (PAME) as a starting material to produce 2‐ethylhexyl palmitate (2‐EHP), an environmentally friendly biolubricant product, which was derived from the transesterification of fatty acid methyl esters and long chain fatty alcohols. Conventional synthetic routes of 2‐EHP have disadvantages, including high catalyst price, low conversion efficiency, and pollution issues. To solve these problems, in situ transesterification of PAME with 2‐ethylhexanol (2‐EH) was conducted over unsupported potassium carbonate as heterogeneous catalyst. The optimal reaction temperature, 2‐EH to PAME molar ratio, and catalyst to PAME mass ratio were 180 °C, 3:1, and 3.0 wt%, respectively. The PAME conversion reached up to 100% within 1 hour under the optimal conditions. In addition, a kinetic model describing the experimental data over a temperature range of 160–180 °C was developed. The dependence of kinetic rate constant (k) on temperature was evaluated, and the activation energy (E_a) for the transesterification of PAME with 2‐EH was calculated to be 57.04 kJ mol^?1.     

Physical properties of oleochemical carbonates

Carbonates are a class of compounds that have recently found increasing interest in commercial applications owing to their physical properties and relatively straightforward synthesis. In this work, physical and fuel properties of five straight-chain C_17–39 and three branched C_17–33 oleochemical carbonates were investigated. These properties included cetane number (CN), low-temperature properties, (kinematic) viscosity, lubricity, and surface tension. The carbonates studied had CN ranging from 47 to 107 depending on carbon chain length and branching. For the same number of carbons, the CN of carbonates were lower than those of FA alkyl esters owing to interruption of the CH₂ chain by the carbonate moiety. Kinematic viscosities at 40°C ranged from 4.9 to 22.6 mm²/s whereas m.p. ranged from +3 to below −50°C depending on the carbonate structure. High-frequency reciprocating rig testing showed the neat carbonates to have acceptable lubricity that improved as chain length increased. Finally, the carbonate's ability to influence cold-flow properties in biodiesel (methyl soyate) and lubricity in low-lubricity ultra-low sulfur diesel were examined. The carbonates studied did not significantly affect cold flow or lubricity properties at concentrations up to 10,000 ppm (1 wt%). The properties of the carbonates resemble those of fatty alkyl esters with similar trends resulting from compound structure.     

Synthesis, Characterization and Properties of New Lauryl Amidopropyl Trimethyl Ammoniums

A new lauryl amidopropyl trimethyl ammonium methyl carbonate with the formula CH₃(CH₂)₁₀CONH(CH₂)₃N⁺(CH₃)₃CH₃CO₃ ^? was synthesized via a high pressure process with tertiary amines and dimethyl carbonate, and its chemical structure was confirmed using ¹H-NMR spectra, mass spectral fragmentation, and FTIR spectroscopic analysis. In addition, several quaternary ammonium salts with new counterions X^? (X^?=HCO₃ ^?, HCOO^?, CH₃COO^?, CH₃CH(OH)COO^?) were also synthesized by the ion exchange reaction of methyl carbonate quaternary ammoniums with corresponding acids. The surface activities of these compounds were measured, including surface tension (??), critical micelle concentration and minimum surface area (A _min) at 25?°C. Adsorption and micellization free energies of these quaternary ammonium salts in their solutions showed a good tendency towards adsorption at interfaces. The antimicrobial activities are reported for the first time against representative bacteria and fungi for lauryl amidopropyl trimethyl ammoniums. It was found that the antimicrobial potency was Gram-positive bacteria?>?fungi?>?Gram-negative bacteria.     

Synthesis of Quaternary Ammonium Salts with Novel Counterions

The preparations of quaternary ammonium compounds from various tertiary amines and the (environmentally friendly) alkylation agent dimethyl carbonate were carried out. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, material mol ratio and solvent dosage on quaternization were examined, and the optimum reaction conditions were determined. Under the optimum conditions, the conversions of mono-alkyl tertiary amines could attain over 99%, while the conversions of di-alkyl tertiary amines reached over 95%. Moreover, a series of quaternary ammonium salts with new counterions (HCO₃, CH₃COO, CH₃CH₂COO, CH₃CH(OH)COO) were synthesized by the hydrolysis of methyl carbonate quaternary ammonium salts or by ion exchange reaction of methyl carbonate quaternary ammonium salts with corresponding acids.     

Chlorine‐Free Synthesis of Organic Alkyl Carbonates and Five‐ and Six‐Membered Cyclic Carbonates

This report presents a new, one‐pot, facile, selective and green method for methoxycarbonylation of alcohols and synthesis of five‐ and six‐membered cyclic carbonates from corresponding alcohols with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) in the presence of molecular sieves without any additional solvent and catalyst. Syntheses of bifunctional structures comprising a six‐membered cyclic carbonate with allyl ether and methacrylate groups, respectively, for different polymerization modes, were also achieved and showed reproducibility on up‐scaling the processes.

     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbonylation of Diols to Cyclic Carbonates

The catalytic alkoxycarbonylation of 1,2‐diols by (neocuproine)palladium(II) acetate (neocuproine=2,9‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline) or palladium(II) acetate/(−)‐sparteine using N‐chlorosuccinimide as the oxidant affords cyclic carbonates. The oxidative carbonylation of diols proceeds under mild conditions, requiring only 1 atm of carbon monoxide, and produces cyclic carbonates in moderate to good yields. Both 1,2‐ and 1,3‐diols can be carbonylated using (neocuproine)Pd(OAc)₂ and sodium dichloroisocyanuric acid, which serves as a competent oxidant and base for this system, to yield 5‐ and 6‐membered cyclic carbonates.     

Formation of a thiamine disulfide complex with fatty acid: Mechanism of formation of the complex

The formation of complexes between thiamine disulfide (TDS) orO-acetyl thiamine disulfide (O-acetyl TDS) and fatty acid or fatty acid methyl ester in methanol has been studied by fluorescence quenching and¹³C NMR relaxation (T₁) measurements. The association constants (K-values) of TDS andO-acetyl TDS with fatty acids (from 11∶0 to 18∶0, and 18∶1, 18∶2, 18∶3 and 20∶4) and fatty acid methyl esters have been determined. These values do not depend on either the number of carbon atoms or the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acid. The K-values of TDS andO-acetyl TDS with fatty acid were 7.8 M⁻¹ and 5.1 M⁻¹, respectively. The K-values of TDS andO-acetyl TDS with fatty acid methyl ester were very small. These results show that the-OH moiety in TDS and the-COOH moiety in the fatty acid are necessary for formation of the complex     

Effect of electron density on the catalysts for copolymerization of propylene oxide and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Copolymerization of propylene oxide and carbon dioxide (CO₂) has been studied using different R-salophenCoOBzF₅ (OBzF₅ = pentaflorobenzoate, R = CH₃, H, Cl, Cl₂) based catalysts. The central moiety of the catalysts R-salophenCoOBzF₅ has been kept the same and effect of the catalyst electron density on the copolymerization reaction has been studied. It has been observed that introduction of an electron withdrawing group (like Cl, Cl₂) on the o-phenylenediamine backbone moiety of the catalyst makes it more selective for poly(propylene carbonate) synthesis. On the other hand, introduction of an electron donating group (like CH₃) makes the catalyst selective for cyclic carbonate conversion. The effect of different type of co-catalysts has also been investigated using tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, [PPN]⁺Cl^? ([PPN]⁺ = bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium), DMAP and tetrabutyl ammonium bromide.     

Kinetic Analysis of Terminal and Unactivated C?H Bond Oxyfunctionalization in Fatty Acid Methyl Esters by Monooxygenase‐Based Whole‐Cell Biocatalysis

The alkane monooxygenase AlkBGT from Pseudomonas putida GPo1 constitutes a versatile enzyme system for the ω‐oxyfunctionalization of medium chain‐length alkanes. In this study, recombinant Escherichia coli W3110 expressing alkBGT was investigated as whole‐cell catalyst for the regioselective biooxidation of fatty acid methyl esters to terminal alcohols. The ω‐functionalized products are of general economic interest, serving as building blocks for polymer synthesis. The whole‐cell catalysts proved to functionalize fatty acid methyl esters with a medium length alkyl chain specifically at the ω‐position. The highest specific hydroxylation activity of 104 U g_CDW⁻¹ was obtained with nonanoic acid methyl ester as substrate using resting cells of E. coli W3110 (pBT10). In an optimized set‐up, maximal 9‐hydroxynonanoic acid methyl ester yields of 95% were achieved. For this specific substrate, apparent whole‐cell kinetic parameters were determined with a V_max of 204±9 U g_CDW⁻¹, a substrate uptake constant (K_S) of 142±17 μM, and a specificity constant V_max/K_S of 1.4 U g_CDW⁻¹ μM ⁻¹ for the formation of the terminal alcohol. The same E. coli strain carrying additional alk genes showed a different substrate selectivity. A comparison of biocatalysis with whole cells and enriched enzyme preparations showed that both substrate availability and enzyme specificity control the efficiency of the whole‐cell bioconversion of the longer and more hydrophobic substrate dodecanoic acid methyl ester. The efficient coupling of redox cofactor oxidation and product formation, as determined in vitro, combined with the high in vivo activities make E. coli W3110 (pBT10) a promising biocatalyst for the preparative synthesis of terminally functionalized fatty acid methyl esters.     

Expanding the chemistry of single‐ion conducting poly(ionic liquid)s with polyhedral boron anions

The synthesis of a new family of single‐ion conducting random copolymers bearing polyhedral boron anions is reported. For this purpose two novel ionic monomers, namely [B₁₂H₁₁(OCH₂CH₂)₂OC(?O)C(CH₃)?CH₂]^2?[(C₄H₉)₄N⁺]₂ and [8‐(OCH₂CH₂)₂OC(?O)C(CH₃)?CH₂‐3,3′‐Co(1,2‐C₂B₉H₁₀)(1′,2′‐C₂B₉H₁₁)]^?K⁺, having methacrylate function, diethylene glycol bridge and closo‐dodecaborate or cobalt bis(1,2‐dicarbollide) anions were designed. Such monomers differ from previously reported ones by (i) chemically attached highly delocalized boron anions, by (ii) valency of the anion (divalent anion and monovalent one) and by (iii) the presence of oxyethylene flexible spacer between the methacrylate group and bonded anion. Their free radical copolymerization with poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate and subsequent ion exchange provided lithium‐ion conducting polyelectrolytes showing low glass transition temperature (?53 to ?49 °C), ionic conductivity up to 9.1 × 10^?7 S cm^?1, lithium transference number up to 0.61 (70 °C) and electrochemical stability up to 4.1 V versus Li⁺/Li (70 °C). The incorporation of propylene carbonate (20–40 wt%) into the copolymers resulted in the enhancement of their ionic conductivity by one order of magnitude and significantly increased their electrochemical stability up to 4.7 V versus Li⁺/Li (70 °C). © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Cyclic fatty esters: Synthesis and characterization of methyl ω-(6-alkyl-3-cyclohexenyl) alkenoates

Diunsaturated C₁₈ cyclic fatty acid methyl esters of known structure and configuration were synthesized as model derivatives of cyclic fatty acids formed in heat-abused vegetable oils for characterization and further biological evaluation. The Wittig reaction was used to prepare 5 pure methyl esters: (a) 12-(3-cyclohexenyl)-11-dodecenoate, (b) 11-(6-methyl-3-cyclohexenyl)-10-undecenoate, (c) 10-(6-ethyl-3-cyclohexenyl)-9-decenoate, (d) 9-(6-propyl-3-cyclohexenyl)-8-nonenoate and (e) 8-(6-butyl-3-cyclohexenyl)-7-octenoate. Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions between 1,3-butadiene and appropriate (E)-2-alkenals produced 3-cyclohexenal intermediates. The appropriate methyl ω-bromoesters and their triphenylphosphonium bromides were made and converted to their respective ylids with NaOCH₃ in DMF. The appropriate 3-cyclohexenals and phospho-ylids were reacted, and the desired cyclic ester products were isolated in crude yields of 30–83% as liquids and fractionally distilled. The crude cyclic esters were purified either by preparative TLC or by saponification-esterification. Double bonds in purified cyclic esters weretrans-isomerized and hydrogenated. Each derivative was characterized by IR,¹H-NMR,¹³C-NMR, capillary GLC and GC-MS. On the basis of these analyses, no positional isomers were detected, Z-unsaturated isomers were produced in better than 90% purity, and the alkyl and ester ring substituents were predominantlytrans to each other. Presented in part at the AOCS meeting, New Orleans, LA, May 1981.     

Recovery of Plutonium(IV) from Aqueous Solutions Using Emulsion Liquid Membrane Containing 2‐Ethylhexyl Phosphonic Acid Mono‐2‐Ethylhexyl Ester as Ion Transporter

Abstract

An emulsion liquid membranes (ELMs) containing 2‐ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono‐2‐ethylhexyl ester (H₂A₂) was tested for the extraction of plutonium(IV) from aqueous nitrate solutions of different compositions. Span 80 was used as the surface‐active agent and a mixture of 0.05 mol dm^?3 HNO₃+0.3 mol dm^?3 H₂C₂O₄ was used as the internal phase. Influence of some important experimental parameters such as exterior phase nitric acid concentration, ionic impurities in the exterior phase, concentration of H₂A₂ in ELM phase, and organic solvents on the ELM permeation process were systematically studied. The maximum efficiency of Pu extraction among group of experiments was 98% with permeability coefficient=0.508 min^?1, and the corresponding concentration factor of Pu in the receiving phase was ca. 10. The stability of the emulsions was tested in the presence of different organic solvents and at different concentrations of Span 80 in LM phase. The extractions of Pu by ELM from actual and simulated waste solutions as well as in presence of some added ionic impurities were investigated. Rate of Pu extraction by ELM was studied at different treatment ratios and under repeat extractions by the same emulsion. The repeat extraction experiments showed that a concentration factor of more than 80 for Pu could be achieved.     

Mono‐ and bifunctional six‐membered cyclic carbonates synthesized by diphenyl carbonate toward networked polycarbonate films

The synthesis of six‐membered cyclic carbonates from diols utilizing less toxic and easily‐handled diphenyl carbonate (DPC) is carried out based on the reactivity and selectivity at different conditions. Commercially‐available neopentylglycol (NPG) or di(trimethylolproapane) (DTMP) react effectively with DPC at 140°C and converted to their corresponding monofunctional NPG‐carbonate (NPGC) or bifunctional DTMPC‐carboante (DTMPC), respectively. The selectivity of these carbonates changes depending on a feed ratio of DPC and these diols. After a NPG/DPC mixture with the DPC/NPG feed ratio of 4 was heated at 140°C for 48 h, the NPGC is isolated with a yield of 74%. A 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU)‐catalyzed ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of NPGC with DTMPC can form effectively networked structures. By only drying of THF solutions containing NPGC, DTMPC, and a catalytic amount of DBU at 60°C for 12 h, the ROP efficiently proceeds and networked polycarbonate films with well transparency and flexibility are easily obtained. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41956.     

A new,nonphosgene route to poly(bisphenol a carbonate) by melt‐phase interchange reactions of alkylene diphenyl dicarbonates with bisphenol A

This article describes a new, nonphosgene method for the synthesis of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PC). The method involves three steps: the reaction of an aliphatic diol with phenyl chloroformate to form an alkylene diphenyl dicarbonate, the reaction of the alkylene diphenyl dicarbonate with bisphenol A to produce an aromatic–aliphatic polycarbonate, and the thermal treatment of the polycarbonate at 180–210°C under a stream of nitrogen with Ti(OBu)₄ to give PC and a cyclic alkylene carbonate. The method furnished low to moderate molecular masses of PC upon the complete elimination of the aliphatic moieties. The approach may be considered a new method, based on polycarbonate thermochemical degradation, for the synthesis of cyclic aliphatic carbonates. The obtained polymers were characterized by intrinsic viscosity and IR, ¹H‐NMR, and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy. The thermal treatment step was conducted in a glass reaction tube at 180–210°C under a stream of nitrogen, and the reaction was completed by heating to 250°C. In the thermal treatment step, semisolid effluents composed of cyclic alkylene carbonates were formed and subsequently eliminated from the reaction mixture. Heating to 250°C under nitrogen or under a dynamic vacuum furnished the pure aromatic PC residue. This intrachange reaction provides a flexible method for the synthesis of polycarbonates with alkylene diols containing two or three methylene groups, from which the pure PC homopolymer can be prepared. The potential of this approach was demonstrated by the successful synthesis of PC homopolymer from five different polycarbonates with a bisphenol A unit linked to 1,2‐propylene, 1,3‐propylene, 2‐methyl‐1,3‐propylene, 2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐propylene, and 1,3‐butylene as the alkane chains. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Effect of plasticizers in poly(vinyl alcohol)‐based hybrid solid polymer electrolytes

Hybrid solid polymer electrolyte films consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), LiBF₄, and ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate (EC/PC) were prepared with a solvent‐casting technique. The complexation was investigated with Fourier transform infrared and X‐ray diffraction. The ionic conductivities of the electrolyte films were determined with an alternating‐current impedance technique for various temperatures in the range of 302–373 K. The maximum conductivity value, 1.2886 × 10^?3 S/cm, was observed for a PVA–PMMA–LiBF₄–EC complex. Thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis was performed to ascertain the thermal stability of the electrolyte with the maximum conductivity value. For an examination of the cyclic and reversible performance of the film, a cyclic voltammetry study was carried out. The surface morphology of the EC‐and PC‐based electrolytes was examined with scanning electron microscopy. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2794–2800, 2003     

Direct ethoxylation of fatty methyl ester over Al-Mg composite oxide catalyst

For the purpose of estimating the reaction mechanism of the direct ethoxylation of a fatty ester in the presence of an Al-Mg composite oxide catalyst, a labeled fatty methyl ester C₁₁H₂₃CO¹⁸OCH₃ containing ¹⁸O isotope was synthesized and directly ethoxylated. The product was evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The GC-MS spectra showed that the ¹⁸O isotope label was present only in the methoxy group at the molecular end of the ethoxylated fatty methyl ester. This supports the reaction mechanism of coordination anionic polymerization where the bond between the acyl and methoxy groups of the fatty methyl ester molecule was broken, caused by the bifunctional effect of the acid-base active sites; an intermediate chemisorption species was formed; and then ethylene oxide was addition-polymerized sequentially, in parallel.     

Reduction of fatty ester Δ2-isoxazoline heterocycles. Preparation of fatty esters containing the β-hydroxy ketone moietyheterocycles. Preparation of fatty esters containing the β-hydroxy ketone moiety

Fatty ester compounds containing the β-hydroxy ketone moiety were prepared in good yields from their corresponding fatty Δ²-isoxazoline heterocyclic precursors by a reductive hydrogenolysis-hydrolysis procedure using Raney nickel as catalyst. By this methodology, C-17, C-18, and C-19 straight-chain fatty methyl esters containing the 10-hydroxy 12-keto moieties were prepared in 73, 83, and 92%, respectively, from their corresponding isoxazoline fatty ester compounds. Two other 10-hydroxy 12-keto C-12 and C-14 fatty ester compounds were prepared in 84 and 92% yield, respectively. The C-12 β-hydroxy ketone contains a phenyl ring at C-12, whereas the C-14 β-hydroxy ketone compound has two methyl substituents at C-13. GC-MS using electron impact ionization was used to determine the hydroxyl and ketone positions after conversion of the hydroxyl group into its corresponding trimethylsilyl ether. The precursor fatty ester Δ²-isoxazolines used in this study are readily available in one step from a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction between nitrile oxides and methyl 10-undecenoate. This overall two-step sequence, 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition followed by reductive ring opening, represent a convenient method to construct fatty ester compounds in good yields containing the β-hydroxy ketone functionality, an outcome not easily accessible by other methods.     

C18‐unsaturated branched‐chain fatty acid isomers: Characterization and physical properties

Iso‐oleic acid is a mixture of C₁₈‐unsaturated branched‐chain fatty acid isomers with a methyl group on various positions of the alkyl chain, which is the product of the skeletal isomerization reaction of oleic acid and is the intermediate used to make isostearic acid (C₁₈‐saturated branched‐chain fatty acid isomers). Methyl iso‐oleate, a mixture of C₁₈‐unsaturated branched‐chain fatty acid methyl ester isomers, is obtained via acid catalyzed esterification of iso‐oleic acid with methanol. The branched‐chain materials are liquid at room temperature and their “oiliness” property makes them an attractive candidate for the lubricant industry. In this paper, we report characterization of these branched‐chain materials using comprehensive two‐dimensional GC with time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC/TOF‐MS) and their physical and lubricity properties using tribology measurements.