Molecules (Jul 2024)

A Recyclable Inorganic Lanthanide Cluster Catalyst for Chemoselective Aerobic Oxidation of Thiols

  • Lijun Wang,
  • Zixuan Qin,
  • Lingxia Chen,
  • Xinshu Qin,
  • Jiaman Hou,
  • Chao Wang,
  • Xuan Li,
  • Hongxia Duan,
  • Bing Fang,
  • Minlong Wang,
  • Jie An

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29143361
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 14
p. 3361

Abstract

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Optimizing lanthanide catalyst performance with organic ligands often encounters significant challenges, including susceptibility to water or oxygen and complex synthesis pathways. To address these issues, our research focuses on developing inorganic lanthanide clusters with enhanced stability and functionality. In this study, we introduce the [Sm6O(OH)8(H2O)24]I8(H2O)8 cluster (Sm-OC) as a sustainable and efficient catalyst for the aerobic oxidation of thiols under heating conditions. The Sm-OC catalyst demonstrated remarkable stability, outstanding recyclability, and excellent chemoselectivity across a diverse range of functional groups in 38 different tests. Notably, it enables efficient unsymmetrical disulfide synthesis and prevents the formation of over-oxidized by-products, highlighting its superior performance. This Sm-OC catalyst provides a practical and robust tool for the precise construction of versatile disulfides, thus establishing a template for the broader use of lanthanide clusters in organic synthesis.

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