A macromolecules containing a metal and a use thereof as a catalyst are disclosed. The macromolecules containing a metal may be obtained by causing a ligand to react with a zinc compound or a cobalt compound. The ligand has an imidazole group that is bonded to a macromolecule via a linker. The metal-containing macromolecules are highly active as a catalyst, stable, and easy to recover and reuse.

A hydrogenation catalyst includes copper oxide, an alkali metal, and an acid-stabilized silica, wherein hydrogenation catalyst has a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (“BET”) surface area of greater than or equal to about 15 m2/g. The hydrogenation catalysts are effective for converting aldehydes, ketones, and esters to alcohols and/or diesters to diols.

A hydrogenation catalyst includes copper oxide, an alkali metal, and an acid-stabilized silica, wherein hydrogenation catalyst has a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (“BET”) surface area of greater than or equal to about 15 m2/g. The hydrogenation catalysts are effective for converting aldehydes, ketones, and esters to alcohols and/or diesters to diols.

A method for preparing the borate ester using a lithium compound includes: under the inert gas, stirring and mixing carboxylic acid and borane, and a catalyst lithium compound is added, then the borate ester is obtained with hydroboration; wherein the hydroboration is at room temperature for 10 to 80 min. After the hydroboration and is stopped by contacting air, the solvent is removed under reduced pressure, to obtain the borate esters with different substituents. The lithium compounds are n-butyl lithium, lithium aniline, p-methyl lithium aniline, o-methyl lithium aniline, 2-methoxyaniline lithium, 4-methoxyaniline lithium, 2,6-dimethylaniline lithium, and 2,6-diisopropylaniline lithium. The lithium compounds disclosed in the present invention can catalyze the boron hydrogenation reaction of carboxylic acid and borane with high activity under room temperature conditions; the amount of lithium compound is 0.1-0.9% of the molar amount of carboxylic acid.

A method for preparing the borate ester using a lithium compound includes: under the inert gas, stirring and mixing carboxylic acid and borane, and a catalyst lithium compound is added, then the borate ester is obtained with hydroboration; wherein the hydroboration is at room temperature for 10 to 80 min. After the hydroboration and is stopped by contacting air, the solvent is removed under reduced pressure, to obtain the borate esters with different substituents. The lithium compounds are n-butyl lithium, lithium aniline, p-methyl lithium aniline, o-methyl lithium aniline, 2-methoxyaniline lithium, 4-methoxyaniline lithium, 2,6-dimethylaniline lithium, and 2,6-diisopropylaniline lithium. The lithium compounds disclosed in the present invention can catalyze the boron hydrogenation reaction of carboxylic acid and borane with high activity under room temperature conditions; the amount of lithium compound is 0.1-0.9% of the molar amount of carboxylic acid.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a boric acid ester using non-catalyzed hydroboration of a carboxylic acid. The method includes: in an inert gas atmosphere, mixing pinacolborane and a carboxylic acid and stirring until uniform in a reaction flask subjected to dehydration and deoxygenation treatments, reacting for 6-12 hours to obtain the boric acid ester, then adding silica gel and methanol, and conducting a hydrolysis reaction to prepare an alcohol compound. The carboxylic acid is acetic acid, caproic acid, pentanoic acid, heptanoic acid, trimethylacetic acid, adipic acid, benzoic acid, 4-bromobenzoic acid, 4-fluorobenzoic acid, 1-naphthoic acid, 2-methoxybenzoic acid, 4-tert-butylbenzoic acid, 4-ethoxybenzoic acid, 2-bromobenzoic acid, 4-iodobenzoic acid, 3-phenylpropionic acid, diphenyl acetic acid, 2-phenylbutyric acid, indole-3-acetic acid, o-carboxyl phenylacetic acid or 2-methyl-5-bromobenzoic acid. The present invention utilizes a carboxylic acid to efficiently undergo hydroboration with borane without a catalyst for the first time.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a boric acid ester using non-catalyzed hydroboration of a carboxylic acid. The method includes: in an inert gas atmosphere, mixing pinacolborane and a carboxylic acid and stirring until uniform in a reaction flask subjected to dehydration and deoxygenation treatments, reacting for 6-12 hours to obtain the boric acid ester, then adding silica gel and methanol, and conducting a hydrolysis reaction to prepare an alcohol compound. The carboxylic acid is acetic acid, caproic acid, pentanoic acid, heptanoic acid, trimethylacetic acid, adipic acid, benzoic acid, 4-bromobenzoic acid, 4-fluorobenzoic acid, 1-naphthoic acid, 2-methoxybenzoic acid, 4-tert-butylbenzoic acid, 4-ethoxybenzoic acid, 2-bromobenzoic acid, 4-iodobenzoic acid, 3-phenylpropionic acid, diphenyl acetic acid, 2-phenylbutyric acid, indole-3-acetic acid, o-carboxyl phenylacetic acid or 2-methyl-5-bromobenzoic acid. The present invention utilizes a carboxylic acid to efficiently undergo hydroboration with borane without a catalyst for the first time.

Disclosed is catalyst preparation method for liquid phase hydrogenation of acetophenone in preparation of α-phenylethanol. The method includes adding water, small alcohol, Gemini surfactant and organic pore-forming agent to reactor. Then adding silica sol and stirring to prepare aqueous dispersion of silica sol; preparing alkaline precipitant and mixed solution containing salts of copper containing compound, zinc containing compound, rare-earth metal containing compound and alkaline-earth metal containing compound, adding alkaline precipitant and mixed solution together to aqueous dispersion, followed by precipitation, ageing, filtration, washing, drying, calcination and molding to obtain catalyst. By using silica sol and silicate as composite silicon source, adding organic pore-forming agent before precipitation process, modifying catalyst by Zn, rare-earth metal and alkaline earth metal, when using liquid phase hydrogenation of acetophenone to prepare α-phenylethanol, catalyst has high activity and good selectivity, and effectively improves the catalyst's liquid resistance, has high strength and good stability.