Patent ID: 6451937
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: B01J,C07F

Abstract:
A process for selectively functionalizing a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon, an alkyl branched alicyclic hydrocarbon, and a combination thereof, at a primary saturated Câ€”H hydrocarbon bond, said method comprising thermally reacting a functionalizing reagent and the hydrocarbon in the presence of a catalyst, said catalyst comprising:a) a transition metal; b) a 3 to 8, cyclic or non-cyclic, aromatic or non-aromatic, neutral, cationic or anionic substituted or unsubstituted electron donor moiety which does not dissociate under thermal reaction conditions, wherein said moiety (i) lacks aromatic Câ€”H bonds on the moiety directly bonded to the transition metal, or (ii) contains sterically hindered aromatic Câ€”H bonds on the moiety directly bonded to the transition metal; and c) a source of ligands adapted to formally donate an electron pair to the transition metal a) and which dissociate thermally; and wherein said functionalizing reagent comprises boron.