An efficient route to stabilize alumina mesophases derived from evaporation-induced self-assembly is reported after investigating various aspects in-depth: influence of the solvent (EtOH, s-BuOH, and t-BuOH) on the textural and structural properties of the mesophases based on aluminum tri-sec-butoxide (ATSB), synthesis reproducibility, role of nonvolatile acids, and the crystallization and thermal stability of the crystalline counterparts. Mesophase specific surface area and pore uniformity depend notably on the solvent; s-BuOH yields the highest surface area and pore uniformity. The optimal mesophase synthesis is reproducible with standard deviations in the textural parameters below 5%. The most pore-uniform mesophases from the three solvents were thermally activated at 1023 K to crystallize them into γ-alumina. The s-BuOH mesophase is remarkably thermally stable, retaining the mesoscopic wormhole order with 300 m 2 /g (0.45 cm 3 /g) and an increased acidic site density. These features are not obtained with EtOH or t-BuOH, where agglomerated γ-Al 2 O 3 crystallites are formed with lower surface areas and broader pore size distributions. This was rationalized by the increase of the hydrolysis rate using EtOH and t-BuOH. t-BuOH dehydrates under the synthesis conditions or reacts with HCl, situations that increase the water concentration and rate of hydrolysis. It was found that EtOH exchanges rapidly, producing a highly reactive Al-ethoxide, thus enhancing the hydrolysis rate as well. Particle heterogeneity with random packing of fibrous and wormhole morphologies, attributed to the high hydrolysis rate, was observed for mesophases derived from both solvents. Such a low particle coordination favors coarsening with enlargement of the pore size distribution upon thermal treatment, explaining the lower thermal stability. Controlled hydrolysis and formation of low-polymerized Al species in s-BuOH are possibly responsible for the adequate assembly onto the surfactant. This was verified by the formation of a regular distribution of relatively size-uniform nanoparticles in the mesophase; high particle coordination prevents coarsening, favors densification, and maintains a relatively uniform pore size distribution upon thermal treatment. The acid removal in the evaporation is another key factor to promote network condensation in this route.

An unprecedented catalytic pathway for oxa-Michael addition reactions of alcohols to unsaturated nitriles has been revealed using a PNN pincer ruthenium catalyst with a dearomatized pyridine backbone. The isolation of a catalytically competent Ru-dieneamido complex from the reaction between the Ru catalyst and pentenenitrile in combination with DFT calculations supports a mechanism in which activation of the nitrile through metal-ligand cooperativity is a key step. The nitrile-derived Ru-N moiety is sufficiently Brønsted basic to activate the alcohol and initiate conjugate addition of the alkoxide to the α,β-unsaturated fragment. This reaction proceeds in a concerted manner and involves a six-membered transition state. These features allow the reaction to proceed at ambient temperature in the absence of external base.

Cardanol, a constituent of cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL), was subjected to transfer hydrogenation catalyzed by RuCl(3) using isopropanol as a reductant. The side chain of cardanol, which is a mixture of a triene, a diene, and a monoene, was selectively reduced to the monoene. Surprisingly, it is the C8-C9 double bond that is retained with high selectivity. A similar transfer hydrogenation of linoleic acid derivatives succeeded only if the substrate contained an aromatic ring, such as a benzyl ester. TEM and a negative mercury test showed that the catalyst was homogeneous. By using ESI-MS, ruthenium complexes were identified that contained one, two, or even three molecules of substrate, most likely as allyl complexes. The interaction between ruthenium and the aromatic ring determines selectivity in the hydrogenation reaction.

The [Ru(CO)H(PNN)] pincer complex based on a dearomatised PNN ligand (PNN: 2-di-tert-butylphosphinomethyl-6-diethylaminomethylpyridine) was examined for its ability to isomerise alkenes. The isomerisation reaction proceeded under mild conditions after activation of the complex with alcohols. Variable-temperature (VT) NMR experiments to investigate the role of the alcohol in the mechanism lend credence to the hypothesis that the first step involves the formation of a rearomatised alkoxide complex. In this complex, the hemilabile diethylamino side-arm can dissociate, allowing alkene binding cis to the hydride, enabling insertion of the alkene into the metal-hydride bond, whereas in the parent complex only trans binding is possible. During this study, a new uncommon Ru(0) coordination complex was also characterised. The scope of the alkene isomerisation reaction was examined.

The pincer complex (PNN)RuH(CO), with a de-aromatized pyridine in the ligand backbone, is shown to react with nitriles in a metal-ligand cooperative manner. This leads to the formation of a series of complexes with new Ru-N(nitrile) and C(ligand)-C(nitrile) bonds. The initial nitrile cycloaddition products, the ketimido complexes 3, have a Brønsted basic (nitrile-derived) Ru-N fragment. This is able to deprotonate a CH side-arm of the pincer ligand to give ketimine complexes (4) with a de-aromatized pyridine backbone. Alternatively, the presence of a CH group adjacent to the nitrile functionality can lead to tautomerization to an enamido complex (5). Variable-temperature NMR studies and DFT calculations provide insight in the relative stability of these compounds and highlight the importance of their facile interconversion in the context of subsequent nitrile transformations.

An unprecedented catalytic pathway for oxa-Michael addition reactions of alcohols to unsaturated nitriles has been revealed using aPNN pincer ruthenium catalyst with adearomatized pyridine backbone.The isolation of acatalytically competent Ru-dieneamido complex from the reaction between the Ru catalyst and pentenenitrile in combination with DFT calculations supports amechanism in which activation of the nitrile through metal-ligand cooperativity is akey step.The nitrile-derived Ru-N moiety is sufficiently Brønsted basic to activate the alcohol and initiate conjugate addition of the alkoxide to the a,b-unsaturated fragment. This reaction proceeds in aconcerted manner and involves asix-membered transition state.These features allow the reaction to proceed at ambient temperature in the absence of external base. Scheme 1. Catalytic addition of isopropanol to 2-pentenenitrile (2-PN) and 3-pentenenitrile (3-PN).

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