Xerogel-sequestered silanated organochalcogenide catalysts for bromination with hydrogen peroxide and sodium bromide

Article abstract of DOI:10.3390/molecules20069616

While H2O22 is a powerful oxidant, decomposing into environmentally benign H2O and O2, a catalyst is often required for reactions with H2O2 to proceed at synthetically useful rates. Organotellurium and organoselenium compounds catalyze the oxidation of ha

Full text of DOI:10.3390/molecules20069616

Molecules 2015, 20, 9616-9639; doi:10.3390/molecules20069616
OPEN ACCESS
molecules
ISSN 1420-3049
www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules
Article
Xerogel-Sequestered Silanated Organochalcogenide Catalysts
for Bromination with Hydrogen Peroxide and Sodium Bromide
Caitlyn M. Gatley †, Lisa M. Muller †, Meredith A. Lang, Eduardo E. Alberto and
Michael R. Detty *
Department of Chemistry, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA;
E-Mails: cgatley@buffalo.edu (C.M.G.); lmmuller@buffalo.edu (L.M.M.); malang@buffalo.edu (M.A.L.);
albertoee@gmail.com (E.E.A.)
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: mdetty@buffalo.edu;
Tel.: +1-716-645-4228.
Academic Editor: Thomas G. Back
Received: 30 April 2015 / Accepted: 21 May 2015 / Published: 26 May 2015
Abstract: While H2O2 is a powerful oxidant, decomposing into environmentally benign
H2O and O2, a catalyst is often required for reactions with H2O2 to proceed at synthetically
useful rates. Organotellurium and organoselenium compounds catalyze the oxidation of
halide salts to hypohalous acids using H2O2. When sequestered into xerogel monoliths, the
xerogel-chalcogenide combinations have demonstrated increased catalytic activity relative
to the organochalcogen compound alone in solution for the oxidation of halide salts to
hypohalous acids with H2O2. Diorganotellurides, diorganoselenides, and diorganodiselenides
bearing triethoxysilane functionalities were sequestered into xerogel monoliths and their
catalytic activity and longevity were investigated. The longevity of the catalyst-xerogel
combinations was examined by isolating and recycling the catalyst-xerogel combination.
It was found tellurium-containing catalyst 3 and selenium-containing catalyst 8 maintained
their catalytic activity through three recycling trials and adding electron-donating
substituents to catalyst 3 also increased the catalytic rate. The presence of organotellurium
and organoselenium groups in the +4 oxidation state was determined by X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy.

Molecules 2015, 20
Keywords: organoselenides; organotellurides; diorgano diselenides; xerogel; catalytic
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bromination
1. Introduction
The use of H2O2 as an oxidant relative to other oxidizing agents has attracted a great deal of
attention due to the advantages of using the environmentally benign H2O2, which decomposes into water
and oxygen [1]. While H2O2 is a powerful oxidant thermodynamically, kinetically, H2O2 oxidations
can be slow and often require a catalyst to accelerate the reactions to synthetically useful rates.
Selenium-containing organic compounds have been used as catalysts for the activation of H2O2 for
Baeyer-Villiger oxidations [2], epoxidation reactions [3], conversion of sulfides to sulfoxides [4] and
sulfones [5], aldehydes to carboxylic acids [6], and secondary amines to nitrones [7]. The selenium in
glutathione peroxidase is responsible for protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage by reducing
a variety of hydroperoxides and in turn oxidizing thiols to disulfides. A variety of organoselenium
mimics of glutathione peroxidase have been shown to produce the same activity [8–10].
Selenoxides [11–13] arylseleninic acids [14,15], and diorganotellurides [16–18] are also effective
catalysts with H2O2 for the oxidation of halide salts. These reactions proceed at ambient conditions
to form hypohalous acid, which can be used as a halogenating agent. This procedure offers a less
hazardous, more environmentally friendly alternative to the use of other halogenating agents such as
elemental bromine. One selenoxide was shown to have a greater catalytic effect when sequestered in a
xerogel—an interconnected matrix created from the formation of siloxane bonds [19]. The selenoxide
was incorporated into the gel matrix utilizing an alcohol functionality, providing one potential covalent
bond to hold the catalyst to the structure. The xerogel provides a porous material that can create local
environments of higher reaction concentrations than bulk solutions, which may increase the rate of
oxidation of halide salts with H2O2.
Xerogel coatings are effective fouling-release materials for use in marine environments [20–27]. The
incorporation of a telluride or selenoxide catalyst into the xerogel has been shown to provide statistically
significant anti-fouling character to the material as the telluride or selenoxide can react with ambient
H2O2 and halides, naturally occurring in sea water, to produce hypohalous acids [28]. The resulting
oxidizing surface may provide negative settlement cues to marine organisms. For chalcogen-containing
compounds to be effective catalysts in the marine environment, they need not only to produce functional
concentrations of hypohalous acids but also remain strongly bound to the xerogel for coating longevity
and to avoid contamination of the local marine environment with chalcogen-containing compounds.
In this study, we compare the catalytic activity of tellurides, selenoxides, and seleninic acids for the
oxidation of NaBr with H2O2 when covalently incorporated into a xerogel matrix via a trialkoxysilane
group. The longevity of the catalyst-xerogel combinations was examined by isolating and recycling the
catalyst-xerogel combination. The presence of organotellurium and organoselenium groups in the +4
oxidation state was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

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2. Results and Discussion
2.1. Synthesis of Chalcogenide Catalysts and Catalyst Precursors
The active catalysts in the xerogel monoliths are the telluroxide (prepared from the corresponding
telluride) [12,16,17] the selenoxide (prepared via oxidation of the corresponding selenide) [11–13,18]
and the seleninic acid (prepared from oxidation of the corresponding diselenide) functional groups [14,15].
We envisioned that the active catalysts or catalyst precursors would arise from phenyl benzyl telluride 1,
phenyl benzyl selenide 2, aryltellurides 3–6, phenylselenide 7, and diselenide 8 (Figure 1). All of
these compounds bear an alkyl(triethoxy)silyl or alkyl(trimethoxy)silyl group, which can form sols
by oligomerization. Our attempts to isolate these compounds following synthesis were unsuccessful.
While the desired compound could be detected by mass spectrometry in several cases, siloxane
hydrolysis was rapid, as was sol formation. As a consequence, the materials were generated in situ and
incorporated directly into the xerogels.
Figure 1. Organochalcogenides used as catalysts or catalyst precursors in xerogel matrices.
The phenyl benzyl chalcogenides 1 and 2 were prepared as shown in Scheme 1a. Reduction of
diphenyl ditelluride (9) or diphenyl diselenide (10) with sodium borohydride gave the corresponding
sodium phenylchalcogenide, which was added to (p-chloromethyl)phenyltrimethoxysilane to give
telluride 1 or selenide 2. Similarly, reduction of ditelluride 9 or diaryl ditellurides 11–13 with sodium
borohydride and addition of the resulting sodium aryl chalcogenide to 3-chloropropyl(triethoxy)silane
gave telluride catalysts 3–6 (Scheme 1b). Reduction of diselenide 10 with sodium borohydride and
addition of the resulting sodium phenylselenide to 3-chloropropyl(triethoxy)silane gave selenide 7
(Scheme 1c).
The synthesis of diselenide 8 followed a different route as shown in Scheme 2. Diazotization of
ethyl 2-aminobenzoate (14) followed by treatment with KSeCN gave selenocyanate 15 in 71% isolated
yield. Hydrolysis of 15 with 0.3 M LiOH, followed by treatment with 1 M HCl gave di-2-carboxyphenyl
diselenide (16) in 40% isolated yield. The carboxylic acid functionality was converted to the diacid
chloride 17 with thionyl chloride in 97% isolated yield. The addition of 17 to 3-aminopropyl
(triethoxy)silane in dichloromethane gave 8.

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Scheme 1. Synthesis of (a) benzyl phenyl catalysts or catalyst precursors 1 and 2; (b)
telluride catalysts 3–6; and (c) selenide catalyst precursor 7.
Scheme 2. Synthesis of diselenide 8.
2.2. Preparation of Xerogel Monoliths with Chalcogenide Catalysts/Catalyst Precursors
The catalysts/catalyst precursors were incorporated directly into a tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)
xerogel. For 1 and 3–6, 0.5 mmol of aryltelluride in its original reaction mixture and 20 mmol of
TEOS were treated with ammonium hydroxide for 24 h and the resulting sol was placed in an 8 dram
(1 fl. oz or 3.7 mL) vial. Solvents were allowed to evaporate for 10 days and further removal of
solvents was performed under vacuum at ambient temperature for 48 h. The resulting monoliths were
crushed with a mortar and pestle to give a fine white powder. For 2 and 7, 0.2 mmol of selenide in its
original reaction mixture and 40 mmol of TEOS were treated with ammonium hydroxide for 24 h to
prepare the sol, which was placed in an 8 dram vial. Solvents were allowed to evaporate for 10 days
and further removal of solvents was performed under vacuum at ambient temperature for 48 h and,
again, monoliths were crushed with mortar and pestle to give a fine white powder. For diselenide 8,
0.2 mmol of 8 in its original reaction mixture and 40 mmol of TEOS were treated with aqueous HCl
for 24 h to prepare the sol, which was then treated as described above. The final concentration of

Molecules 2015, 20
9620
catalyst/catalyst precursor was 2.5 mol % relative to TEOS for tellurides 1 and 3–6 and 0.5 mol %
relative to TEOS for selenides 2 and 7 and diselenide 8.
2.3. Catalytic Oxidation of Bromide with Hydrogen Peroxide
The ability of xerogel-sequestered catalysts 1–8 to catalyze the oxidation of bromide to positive
bromine species with H2O2 was evaluated indirectly via the bromination of 4-pentenoic acid (19) to give
a mixture of 20 and 21 (Scheme 3). This indirect method has been used by us in prior work [11–18] and
allows results to be compared directly for the many different catalyst systems. The bromination of 19
1
at 25 ± 1 °C as shown in Scheme 3 was followed using H-NMR spectroscopy. The initial mixture of
4,5-dibromopentanoic acid (20) and bromolactone 21 was converted to 21 as the sole product under
the reaction conditions described here. Propionic acid (0.01 M), which was unreactive under these
1
conditions, was added as an internal standard for the integration of H-NMR signals. Results are
compiled in Table 1 for TEOS xerogels incorporating catalysts/catalyst precursors 1–8.
Scheme 3. Bromination of 4-pentenoic acid (19) as an indirect measure of bromine/
hypobromous acid production from the oxidation of bromide with hydrogen peroxide.
Table 1. Pseudo first-order rate constants (kobs) and relative rates (krel) for bromination of
4-pentenoic acid (19) with TEOS xerogel-sequestered catalysts/catalyst precursors 1–8
compared to a catalyst-free TEOS xerogel control in pH 6.2 phosphate buffer a.
Catalyst
blank
1 a
kobs (s−1) c
krel
1.0
68
(8.35 ± 0.17) × 10−7
(5.71 ± 0.02) × 10−5
(1.27 ± 0.20) × 10−5
(1.91 ± 0.06) × 10−5
(3.64 ± 0.54) × 10−5
(3.61 ± 0.01) × 10−6
(6.93 ± 0.20) × 10−6
(8.03 ± 1.11) × 10−6
(1.37 ± 0.02) × 10−5
2 b
15
3 a
23
4 a
44
5 a
4.3
8.3
9.6
16
6 a
7 b
8 b
a
Catalyst (0.02 eq relative to substrate), 4-pentenoic acid (19, 0.14 M), NaBr (1.4 M), H2O2 (0.35 M);
b
Catalyst (0.025 eq relative to substrate), 4-pentenoic acid (19, 0.14 M), NaBr (1.4 M), H2O2 (0.35 M);
c kobs is the average of duplicate runs, T = 25 ± 1 °C.
The results in Table 1 show that the TEOS-1–8 combinations are all catalytically active and
accelerate the rate of bromination of 19 relative to the catalyst-free, TEOS blank. In comparing the
phenyl benzyl telluride and selenide derivatives 1 and 2, respectively, the TEOS-1 xerogel catalyst
accelerates bromination more than any of the other xerogel catalysts and gives a 4.5-fold greater rate
enhancement than the xerogel containing selenide 2. Both catalysts are presumably oxidized to the

Molecules 2015, 20
9621
telluroixde/selenoxide derivatives to give the active catalyst. In comparing the phenyl propyl telluride
and selenide derivatives 3 and 7, respectively, the telluride TEOS-3 combination gives a 2.4-fold
rate enhancement relative to the selenide TEOS-7 combination. Again, the telluride and selenide
functionality in 3 and 7 are presumably oxidized to the telluroxide and selenoxide, respectively.
A comparison of the TEOS-1 and TEOS-3 combinations shows a 3-fold faster rate for the benzyl
derivative 1. Similarly, a comparison of the TEOS-2 and TEOS-7 combinations shows a 1.4-fold
faster rate for 2. Based on these comparisons, the telluride-containing xerogels appears to be better
catalysts than the corresponding selenide-containing xerogels and the benzyl group appears to be better
for catalytic activity than a propyl group.
Within the telluride TEOS-3–6 series, substituents on the aryl group impact the rates of
bromination shown in Table 1. The electron-donating 4-N,N-dimethylamino substituent in 4 gives a
two-fold rate acceleration relative to the unsubstituted 3 and a ten-fold acceleration relative to the
electron-withdrawing chloro substituent in 5.
The diselenide 8 would give two equivalents of seleninic acid upon oxidation with peroxide and the
seleninic acid would be the functional catalyst in the system. Consequently, the xerogel monoliths
were added to give 2.5 mol % of 2 or 7 relative to 19 and 1.25 mol% of 8 (2.5 mol % of the seleninic
acid formed in situ). The TEOS-2 and TEOS-8 xerogels had very similar catalytic activity as indicated
by the rates of bromination in Table 1, while the xerogel containing 7 was only about 65% as active as
the xerogels containing 2 or 8.
2.4. Catalytic Lifetimes and Recyclability
Another comparison to make among the xerogel-sequestered telluroxide, selenoxide, and seleninic
acid catalysts is the ability to recover and recycle the catalyst. The ideal catalyst would remain sequestered
in the xerogel and would not undergo chemical reactions to give new functionalities. Recovered and
recycled catalyst should give essentially identical rates of bromination as if the xerogel-sequestered
catalyst were “original.” The originally made xerogel-sequestered catalysts 1–3, 7, and 8 were
recovered and recycled an additional three times using the same concentration of reagents. Values of
kobs for each recycle and krel relative to the initial reaction are compiled in Table 2. The recyclability of
catalysts 4–6 were not evaluated as the stability of the propyl linker connecting the tellurium to the
silane functionality was already evaluated using the “parent” telluride catalyst 3.
The xerogel-sequestered phenyl benzyl chalcogenides 1 and 2 did not recycle well. The first
recycling showed 20% of the initial reactivity for the TEOS-1 combination and 27% of the initial
reactivity for the TEOS-2 combination. The second and third recycling of these materials gave further
decreases in reactivity. The phenyl propyl selenide in the TEOS-7 combination behaved similarly. The
first recycle showed 55% of the initial rate and, in two subsequent recycles, the rate decreased to 45%
of the initial rate. In contrast, the phenyl propyl telluride in the TEOS-3 combination and the seleninic
acid from the TEOS-8 combination gave similar rates for the initial reaction and for each of the three
recycles (Table 2).

Molecules 2015, 20
Table 2. Observed pseudo first-order rate constants (krel) and relative rates (krel) for
9622
bromination of 4-pentenoic acid (19) with TEOS xerogel-sequestered 1–3, 7, and 8 for initial
reaction and three recycles of the xerogel-catalyst combination in pH 6.2 phosphate buffer a.
Cycle
Catalyst
kobs (s−1) d
krel
Initial Reaction a
First Recycle a
Second Recycle a
Third Recycle a
Initial Reaction b
First Recycle b
Second Recycle b
Third Recycle b
Initial Reaction a
First Recycle a
Second Recycle a
Third Recycle a
Initial Reaction b
First Recycle b
Second Recycle b
Third Recycle b
Initial Reaction c
First Recycle c
Second Recycle c
Third Recycle c
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
7
7
7
7
8
8
8
8
(5.71 ± 0.02) × 10−5
(1.16 ± 0.01) × 10−5
(1.08 ± 0.20) × 10−5
(5.69 ± 0.50) × 10−6
(1.27 ± 0.20) × 10−5
(3.44 ± 0.05) × 10−6
(2.53 ± 0.01) × 10−6
(1.96 ± 0.05) × 10−6
(1.91 ± 0.06) × 10−5
(2.48 ± 0.06) × 10−5
(1.68 ± 0.09) × 10−5
(2.00 ± 0.03) × 10−5
(8.03 ± 0.55) × 10−6
(4.45 ± 0.05) × 10−6
(3.65 ± 0.44) × 10−6
(3.65 ± 0.41) × 10−6
(1.24 ± 0.01) × 10−5
(1.34 ± 0.00) × 10−5
(1.14 ± 0.00) × 10−5
(1.46 ± 0.02) × 10−5
1.00
0.20
0.19
0.10
1.00
0.27
0.20
0.15
1.00
1.30
0.88
1.05
1.00
0.55
0.45
0.45
1.00
1.08
0.92
1.18
a
b
c
catalyst (0.02 eq relative to substrate), 4-pentenoic acid (19, 0.14 M), NaBr (1.4 M), H2O2 (0.35 M);
catalyst (0.025 eq relative to substrate), 4-pentenoic acid (19, 0.14 M), NaBr (1.4 M), H2O2 (0.35 M);
catalyst (0.025 eq relative to substrate), 4-pentenoic acid (19, 0.14 M), NaBr (2.1 M), H2O2 (0.21 M);
d kobs is the average of duplicate runs, T = 25 ± 1 °C.
The phenyl benzyl chalcogenides 1 and 2 did not recycle well when sequestered in a TEOS xerogel.
Oxidation to the telluroxide TEOS-22 of TEOS-1 or the selenoxide TEOS-23 of TEOS-2 would
create a situation where nucleophilic substitution (perhaps with bromide) at the benzylic position
would release phenyltellurenic acid (PhTeOH) from TEOS-22 or phenylselenenic acid (PhSeOH)
from TEOS-23 and leave a non-catalytic site in the TEOS xerogel as illustrated in Scheme 4.
Both PhTeOH and PhSeOH could function as catalysts (or be oxidized to tellurinic acid or seleninic
acid oxidation state), which would contribute to the initial rates of reaction. Recovery and recycling
would eliminate the non-sequestered catalyst and the subsequent reaction would have less chalcogenide
to catalyze the bromination. The most accessible nucleophilic sites would be lost first and it is not
surprising that rate of loss of catalytic activity slows with subsequent recyclings.
While we were unable to detect PhTeOH, PhTeO2H, PhSeOH, or PhSeO2H following exposure of
TEOS-1 or TEOS-2 to H2O2, we were able to demonstrate the facile cleavage of the Te(IV)-benzyl
carbon bond. Phenylbenzyltelluride and phenylbenzylselenide are oxidized to PhTeCl2CH2Ph and
PhSeCl2CH2Ph, respectively, with chlorine. Heating these chalcogen(IV) compounds leads to formation
of PhTeCl or PhSeCl and ClCH2Ph, which is analogous to the chemistry proposed for the degradation
of TEOS-22 and TEOS-23.

Molecules 2015, 20
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Scheme 4. Potential routes to loss of catalytic activity (a) with phenyl benzyl telluride
catalyst TEOS-1 or (b) phenyl benzyl selenide catalyst TEOS-2.
The phenyl propyl chalcogenide catalysts based on 3 and 7 behave quite differently from one another.
Oxidation of the selenide in TEOS-7 to the selenoxide in TEOS-24 gives the active catalyst. The first
recycling trial for TEOS-7 demonstrated a 45% reduction in reaction rate. The loss in catalytic activity
is most likely due to the loss of the selenide functionality in the TEOS-7 xerogel matrix through
syn-elimination of PhSeOH [29–32] to produce an alkene as shown in Scheme 5. Oxidation of
PhSeOH to the seleninic acid PhSeO2H would give a catalyst that would be present in solution during
the initial reaction, but would be removed during the recovery and recycling of the xerogel-catalyst
combination. In the initial reaction, all the selenoxide functionality properly aligned for syn-elimination
would be first to react. Subsequent syn-elimination from selenoxides in further recyclings would be
from those less favorably aligned. Telluroxides do not undergo syn-elimination reactions as easily as
selenoxides do. The TEOS-3 as a consequence keeps the telluride sequestered and the catalytic
activity of the TEOS-3 combination remains constant through three recyclings of the catalyst with
complete consumption of 19.
Scheme 5. Potential routes to loss of catalytic activity with phenyl propyl selenide in TEOS-7.
Oxidation of diselenide xerogel TEOS-8 by hydrogen peroxide would generate two equivalents of
xerogel-sequestered seleninic acid as shown in Scheme 6 for the generation of TEOS-25. The
seleninic acids do not undergo syn-elimination and the seleninic acid remains sequestered in the TEOS.
Consequently, the rates of bromination are essentially unchanged from the initial reaction through
three recyclings.

Molecules 2015, 20
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Scheme 6. Oxidation of TEOS-8 with H2O2 to seleninic-acid containing TEOS-25.
2.5. Oxidation-State Changes as Measured by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy in the TEOS
Xerogel/Chalcogenide Catalysts upon Exposure to Hydrogen Peroxide
Since the oxidation of the telluride to telluroxide [12,15–17] selenide to selenoxide [11–13] and
diselenide to seleninic acid [14,15] are essential steps in catalytic cycle for the formation of the
hypohalous acid, it was of interest to monitor the formation of the Se(IV) and Te(IV) oxidation states
utilizing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS spectra of 20 mol % 7 in TEOS and 5 mol % 3
in TEOS and coated on glass slides were recorded. Spectra were also taken of the same coatings after
soaking in 1.0 × 10−4 M H2O2 for 24 h. The ratios of the Te(II) to Te(IV) and Se(II) to Se(IV) before
and after soaking are listed in Tables 3 and 4, respectively. The alkoxysilanes polymerize and incorporate
the catalyst randomly into the coating. Therefore, the catalyst is randomly distributed in three dimensions.
Since XPS has the capacity to detect atoms to a depth of ~10 nm, [33] spectra show atoms both at the
surface and those below the surface that are less prone to interacting with the surrounding chemical
environment—i.e., are less prone to oxidation.
Table 3. The position and ratios of Te(II) and Te(IV) calculated for samples “as prepared”
and after submersion in 1.0 × 10−4 M H2O2 for 24 h. The position and ratio values are the
mean of five spectra recorded for each sample ± 1 SD. The peak positions were referenced
by setting a C 1s peak to 284.5 eV.
“as Prepared”
24 h Soaked in 1.0 × 10−4 M H2O2
Te(0) Binding Te(II) Binding Te(IV) Binding Te(IV)/Te(II)
Te(0) Binding
Energy (eV)
571.3 ± 0.1
Te(II) Binding Te(IV) Binding Te(IV)/Te(II)
Energy (eV)
571.7 ± 0.8
Energy (eV)
573.8 ± 0.5
Energy (eV)
575.9 ± 0.5
Ratio
Energy (eV)
573.9 ± 0.1
Energy (eV)
576.3 ± 0.1
Ratio
0.5 ± 0.1
0.9 ± 0.2
Table 4. The position and ratios of Se (II) and Se (IV) peaks calculated for TEOS-7 and
TEOS-8 xerogels “as prepared” and after submersion in 1.0 × 10−4 M (for TEOS-7) and
5.0 × 10−5 M (for TEOS-8) H2O2 in ASW for 24 h. The position and ratio values are the
mean of five spectra recorded for each sample ± 1 SD. The peaks positions were referenced
by setting a C 1s peak to 284.5 eV.
“as Prepared”
Se(II) Binding Se(IV) Binding Se(II)/Se(IV) Se(II) Binding Se(IV) Binding Se(IV)/Se(II)
24 h Soaked in 1.0 × 10−4 or 5.0 × 10−5 M H2O2
Xerogel
Energy (eV)
55.1 ± 0.2
56.1 ± 0.1
Energy (eV)
Ratio
--
Energy (eV)
55.4 ± 0.5
56.4 ± 0.2
Energy (eV)
58.1 ± 0.5
58.8 ± 0.2
Ratio
TEOS-7
TEOS-8
--
--
0.2 ± 0.1
0.4 ± 0.2
--

Molecules 2015, 20
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The binding energies of the Te 3d 5/2 peaks for Te(II) (573.9 ± 0.1 eV) and Te(IV) (576.1 ± 0.1 eV)
for the “as prepared” sample of TEOS-3 correspond to previously reported values for the Te 3d 5/2
peaks in the Te(II) and Te(IV) oxidation state [34,35]. The position and ratios of the Te peaks were
determined through deconvolution of a high resolution scan of Te 3d 5/2 peak region as seen in
Figure 2a. The third peak corresponds to elemental Te, which is most likely generated and incorporated
during the synthesis of the catalyst. The Te(IV) peak in Figure 2a is likely due to the oxidation of
Te(II) by atmospheric oxygen, which would be expected to occur during the one-week drying time.
Similar high resolution spectra were obtained for the TEOS-7 catalyst by scanning the Se 3d region.
Prior to exposure to H2O2, these catalysts showed only the Se(II) peak at 55.1 ± 0.1 eV during analysis
of the “as prepared” sample (Figure 2c).
Figure 2. High resolution scans of (a) the Te 3d 5/2 peak region for the dry sample of
TEOS-3; (b) the Te 3d 5/2 peak region for the TEOS-3 sample soaked in 1.0 × 10−4
M
H2O2 for 24 h; (c) the Se 3d peak region for the dry sample of TEOS-7; and (d) the Se 3d
peak region for the TEOS-7 sample soaked in 1.0 × 10−4 M H2O2 for 24 h; (e) the Se 3d
peak region for the dry sample of TEOS-8; and (f) the Se 3d peak region for the TEOS-8
sample soaked in 5.0 × 10−5 M H2O2 for 24 h.
Upon exposure to 100 µM H2O2 the TEOS-3 and TEOS-7 catalysts are oxidized to the corresponding
telluroxides and selenoxides as seen in Figure 2b,d, respectively. The peak positions and ratios of the

Molecules 2015, 20
9626
chalogen(I1) and chalogen(IV) peaks are shown in Tables 3 and 4. A significant growth in the Te(IV)
peak (576.3 ± 0.1 eV) was observed after 24 h exposure to 1.0 × 10−4 M H2O2 in ASW (Student t-test,
p < 0.05). After 24 h of soaking in 1.0 × 10−4 M H2O2 solution, the TEOS-7 xerogel produced a
second peak at 58.1 ± 0.1 eV corresponding to the Se(IV) oxidation state [36]. These data are
consistent with oxidation of the telluride to the corresponding telluroxide in TEOS-3 and oxidation of
the selenide to selenoxide in TEOS-7.
The active catalyst in the TEOS-8 xerogel is believed to be the seleninic acid, which reacts with
H2O2 to form the perseleninic acid as the active oxidant [14,15]. Both seleninic and perseleninic acids
have selenium in the +4 oxidation state and are formed by oxidation of diselenides in the +2 oxidation
state [14,15]. To verify the production of Se(IV), 10 mol % of diselenide 8 was incorporated into a thin
film composed of TEOS and analyzed using XPS. The TEOS-8 film was analyzed prior to oxidation
to verify only that Se(II) was in the film, then the film was soaked in 5.0 × 10−5 M H2O2 for 24 h,
rinsed with deionized water and allowed to dry overnight exposed to air before a second analysis was
performed. The high resolution scans of the Se 3d region are shown in Figure 2e,f before and after
exposure to H2O2, respectively, and peak positions are recorded in Table 4. The data clearly indicate
that only Se(II) is present in the film prior to oxidation (Se 3d at 56.1 eV) and is oxidized to Se(IV)
upon exposure to H2O2 where a second peak at 58.8 ± 0.2 eV developed corresponding to the seleninic
acid [37].
2.6. The Effect of Xerogel Composition on Rates of Reaction
The rate of the reaction was probed using a series of xerogels monoliths with differing organic
modifications. The organic groups on the monolith can alter the rate of the reaction through their
interaction with the catalyst, through the formation of large pores, or by increasing the local
concentration of reagents. The organosiloxanes utilized in this study in combination with TEOS are
depicted in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Structures of TEOS and the organically-modified siloxanes 3-aminopropyl-
(triethoxy)silane (AP), 3-methylaminopropyl(triethoxy)silane (MAP), 3-dimethylamino-
propyl(triethoxy)silane (DMAP), 3-triethoxysilylpropyltrimethylammonium iodide (TMAP),
and carboxyethylsilanetriol, disodium salt (COE).
Monoliths containing diselenide 8 were prepared from 10 mol % of an organosilane from Figure 3
(AP, MAP, DMAP, TMAP, or COE), 90 mol % TEOS, and 0.5 mol % 8 using aqueous HCl for
hydrolysis. The sols were allowed to gel over 10 days at ambient conditions and the removal of solvents
was accomplished after 48 h under vacuum. The monoliths were crushed to a fine white powder with
mortar and pestle.

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The ability of 8 sequestered in the various xerogel monoliths to catalyze the oxidation of bromide
with H2O2 was again evaluated via the bromination of 4-pentenoic acid (19). The catalyst incorporated
into a TEOS-only monolith and a catalyst-free TEOS monolith were used as controls. Results are
compiled in Table 5. The reaction rate of the 8-TEOS monolith was ~14× faster than the TEOS
monolith without catalyst. The AP, MAP, and DMAP-containing xerogels gave modest rate accelerations
(22%–65%) relative to the 8-TEOS monolith as did the carboxylate-containing COE derivative
(23%). In contrast, the incorporation of TMAP into the xerogel gave a >300% increase in the rate of
catalysis relative to the 8-TEOS monolith. Quaternary ammonium salts have been shown to generate
large pores in silica [38], which might allow easier access for the reactants to enter the gel.
Alternatively and perhaps more likely, the positive charge on the ammonium group could help
concentrate/direct the negatively charged bromide ions giving a significant increase in rate due to
an increase in the local concentration of bromide.
Table 5. Observed pseudo first-order rate constants (kobs) for bromination of 4-pentenoic
acid (19) and relative rates (krel) of bromination of 4-pentenoic acid (19) with catalyst 8
incorporated into varying xerogel formulations in pH 6.2 phosphate buffer a.
Xerogel
kobs (s−1) b
krel
Catalyst-free TEOS
TEOS
(9.22 ± 0.04) × 10−7
(1.24 ± 0.01) × 10−5
(1.61 ± 0.02) × 10−5
(1.51 ± 0.03) × 10−5
(2.05 ± 0.06) × 10−5
(3.87 ± 0.01) × 10−5
(1.53 ± 0.04) × 10−5
0.07
1.00
1.30
1.22
1.65
3.12
1.23
10:90 DMAP/TEOS
10:90 MAP/TEOS
10:90 AP/TEOS
10:90 TMAP/TEOS
10:90 COE/TEOS
a Catalyst (0.025 equiv relative to substrate), 4-pentenoic acid (19, 0.138 M), NaBr (2.14 M), H2O2 (0.214 M);
b kobs is average of duplicate runs, T = 25 ± 1 °C.
3. Experimental Section
3.1. General Information
Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (AP), N-methylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane
(MAP), 3-(N,N-dimethylaminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (DMAP), and carboxyethylsilanetriol, disodium
salt (COE) were purchased from Gelest Inc. (Morrisville, PA, USA), The ditelluride compounds 9, and
11–13 were prepared by literature procedures [18,39] Diphenyl diselenide (10) was purchased from
Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). NMR spectra were recorded on an Inova 500 instrument (500 MHz
for 1H, 125 MHz for 13C, Varian, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA) with residual solvent signal as internal
standard. Infrared spectra were recorded on a Perkin-Elmer FTIR instrument (Perkin Elmer, Waltham,
MA, USA). Mass spectra were acquired on a ThermoFinnigan MAT95XL high resolution magnetic
sector mass spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA).

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3.2. General Procedure for Kinetic Experiments
A stock solution of 0.23 M phosphate buffer (1:3.6 K2HPO4/KH2PO4 in 200 mL of D2O) containing
4-pentenoic acid (0.15 M) and propionic acid (0.01 M) was prepared with a final pH of 6.2. The
catalyst (0.002 equiv based on total telluride relative to substrate for telluride series or 0.0025 equiv
based on total selenide relative to substrate for selenide and diselenide series) and NaBr (7.5 mmol,
1.38 M for telluride, selenide, and diselenide series for kinetic studies and 11.25 mmol, 2.14 M for
diselenide series recycling studies) were added to a centrifuge tube. The prepared stock solution was
added (5 mL) followed by H2O2 (1.875 mmol, 0.346 M for telluride, selenide, and diselenide series for
kinetic studies and 1.125 mmol, 0.214 M for diselenide series recycling studies). The reaction was
timed beginning with the addition of H2O2. The mixture was allowed to stir at 25 ± 1 °C capped for the
duration of the experiment. The experiment was run in duplicate and the calculated values of kobs were
reported as an average of the two trials. Throughout the experiment, the mixture was centrifuged and a
small aliquot temporarily removed. The sample was analyzed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy: an internal alkene
proton from 4-pentenoic acid was tracked alongside the methylene protons of the internal standard
propionic acid. The experiment continued until the depletion of 4-pentenoic acid reached 75% consumption.
3.3. General Procedure for Recycling Catalysts
The initial reaction was run as described above until the consumption of 4-pentenoic acid was
complete. The aqueous medium was removed via a Pasteur pipette following centrifugation of the
reaction mixture. The remaining catalyst was washed with deionized water (3 × 10 mL). The catalyst
was then washed with Et2O (3 × 10 mL) and the liquid removed. The washed catalyst was allowed to
stand open to air for at least 18 h to allow excess solvent to evaporate. Once dry, the catalyst was
recharged with same amount of NaBr, stock solution of buffer, pentenoic acid and propionic acid and
H2O2 as previously described to begin the recycled kinetic experiment.
3.4. Preparation of Catalysts
The trialkoxysilane-containing compounds 1–8 all experienced hydrolysis of the alkoxysilyl
functionality and oligomerization during attempts to isolate and characterize the materials. The
oligomerization resulted in insoluble white solids. Compounds 3, 7 and 8 were isolated by passing the
reaction mixture through a short silica plug, concentrating and characterized by mass spectrometry and
1H-NMR spectroscopy, however the products continued to undergo hydrolysis and oligomerization. In
practice, compounds 1–8 were immediately incorporated into the sol without isolation and characterization.
3.4.1. Preparation of Trimethoxy(4-(phenyltelluranyl)phenyl)silane (1)
p-(Chloromethyl)phenyl(trimethoxy)silane (0.247 g, 1.00 mmol), diphenyl ditelluride (9, 0.102 g,
0.250 mmol) and NaBH4 (0.057 g, 1.50 mmol) were stirred under argon in anhydrous THF (2 mL).
Methanol was added dropwise until the ditelluride was fully reduced (reaction turned colorless after
<0.5 mL of MeOH) and the resulting mixture was then stirred overnight at ambient temperature.
Anhydrous methanol (2 mL) was added to react with excess NaBH4 at the conclusion of reaction.
The telluride 1, as generated in situ, was used directly in the formation of the xerogel monoliths.

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All attempts to isolate 1 gave polymerized 1 as a white solid, which was insoluble in water, DMSO,
and standard organic solvents.
3.4.2. Preparation of Trimethoxy(4-(phenylselanyl)phenyl)silane (2)
p-(Chloromethyl)phenyl(trimethoxy)silane (70.0 mg, 0.300 mmol), diphenyl diselenide (10, 30.0 mg,
0.100 mmol) and NaBH4 (20.0 mg, 0.600 mmol) were treated as described for the preparation of 1
except that EtOH was substituted for MeOH. The product, as generated in situ, was used directly in the
formation of the xerogel monoliths. For characterization, following an aqueous workup and extraction
with CH2Cl2, crude selenide 2 was isolated as a yellow oil in 65% yield: 1H-NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz):
δ 7.53 (m, 2 H), 7.44 (m, 2 H), 7.22 (m, 5 H), 3.61 (s, <9 H), 3.57 (s, 2 H); HRMS (ESI), m/z 368.0357
(calcd for [C16H20O3Si80Se]+ 368.0341).
3.4.3. Preparation of (3-(Phenyltelluranyl)propyl)silane (3)
3-Chloropropyltriethoxysilane (0.241 g, 1.00 mmol), diphenyl ditelluride (9, 0.102 g, 0.250 mmol)
and NaBH4 (0.057 g, 1.50 mmol) were treated as described for the preparation of 1. The product, as
generated in situ, was used directly in the formation of the xerogel monoliths. Initial attempts to isolate 3
following an aqueous workup gave a “reactive” oil, which degraded even under an inert atmosphere
presumably due to hydrolysis of the ethoxysilane functionality. For characterization, following direct
isolation from a silica plug eluted with hexanes/CH2Cl2, crude telluride 3 was isolated as an orange oil
in 39% isolated yield: 1H-NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz): δ 7.70 (m, 2 H), 7.25 (m, 1 H), 7.18 (m, 2 H), 3.78
(q, J = 6.9 Hz, 6 H), 2.94 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 2 H), 1.90 (quint, J = 8.1 Hz, 2 H), 1.20 (t, J = 6.9 Hz, 9 H),
0.74 (t, J = 8.1 Hz, 2 H); HRMS (ESI), m/z 435.0606 (calcd for [C15H26O3Si130Te+Na]+ 435.0609).
3.4.4. Preparation of 4-((3-(Triethoxysilyl)propyl)telluranyl)aniline (4)
3-Chloropropyltriethoxysilane (0.241 g, 1.00 mmol), bis(4-(N,N-dimethylaniline))ditelluride (11,
0.124 g, 0.250 mmol) and NaBH4 (0.057 g, 1.50 mmol) were treated as described for the preparation of 1.
The product, as generated in situ, was used directly in the formation of the xerogel monoliths. All
attempts to isolate 4 gave polymerized 4 as a white solid, which was insoluble in water, DMSO, and
standard organic solvents.
3.4.5. Preparation of (3-((4-Chlorophenyl)telluranyl)propyl)triethoxysilane (5)
3-Chloropropyltriethoxysilane (0.241 g, 1.00 mmol), bis(4-chlorophenyl)ditelluride (12, 0.120 g,
0.250 mmol) and NaBH4 (0.057 g, 1.50 mmol) were treated as described for the preparation of 1.
The product, as generated in situ, was used directly in the formation of the xerogel monoliths. All
attempts to isolate 5 gave polymerized 5 as a white solid, which was insoluble in water, DMSO, and
standard organic solvents.
3.4.6. Preparation of Triethoxy(3-((4-methoxyphenyl)telluranyl)propyl)silane (6)
3-Chloropropyltriethoxysilane (0.241 g, 1.00 mmol), bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ditelluride (13, 0.117 g,
0.250 mmol) and NaBH4 (0.057 g, 1.50 mmol) were treated as described for the preparation of 1.

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The product, as generated in situ, was used directly in the formation of the xerogel monoliths.
All attempts to isolate 6 gave polymerized 6 as a white solid, which was insoluble in water, DMSO,
and standard organic solvents.
3.4.7. Preparation of Triethoxy(3-(phenylselanyl)propyl)silane (7)
3-Chloropropyltriethoxysilane (0.380 g, 1.50 mmol), diphenyl diselenide (10, 0.160 g, 0.500 mmol)
and NaBH4 (60.0 mg, 1.50 mmol) were treated as described for the preparation of 1 except that EtOH
was substituted for MeOH. The product, as generated in situ, was used directly in the formation of the
xerogel monoliths due to rapid hydrolysis of the triethoxysilyl ethoxy groups. Initial characterization
of 7, isolated as a yellow oil following direct isolation from a silica plug eluted with hexanes/EtOAc,
gave crude 7 in 91% yield: 1H-NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz): δ 7.48 (d, J = 7 Hz, 2 H), 7.23 (m, 3 H), 3.78
(q, J = 7.5 Hz, <6 H), 2.95 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 2 H), 1.81 (quint, J = 8.5 Hz, 2 H), 1.20 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, <9 H),
0.77 (t, J = 8 Hz, 2 H). HRMS (ESI), m/z 385.0709 (calcd for [C15H26O3Si80Se+Na]+ 385.0714).
3.4.8. Synthesis of 2,2′-Diselanediyldibenzoic Acid (16)
Ethyl-2-selenocyanatobenzoate (15) was prepared following literature procedures [14]. A LiOH
solution (0.300 M, 140 mL) was added into a stirring solution of 15 (2.12 g, 8.35 mmol) dissolved in
THF (100 mL) and allowed to stir at room temperature for 6 h open to air. 1 M HCl (90.0 mL,
90.0 mmol) was added until the solution reaches pH ≈ 2. The solution was extracted with EtOAc
(3 × 50 mL), the combined organic layers dried over MgSO4 and concentrated. The product was
purified through recrystallization using EtOAc/hexanes to give a white solid. Spectral data agreed
1
with published spectra: [40] m.p. 180–183 °C, yield 40%, H-NMR (CD3OD, 500 MHz): δ 8.07 (d,
J = 7.5 Hz, 2 H), 7.92 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 2 H), 7.58 (t, J = 7.8 Hz, 2 H), 7.41 (t, J = 7.2 Hz, 2 H). HRMS
(ESI), m/z 424.9 (calcd for [C14H10NaO4Se2]+ 424.9).
3.4.9. Synthesis of 2,2′-Diselanedibenzoyl Chloride [41] (17)
Thionyl chloride (0.100 mL, 1.35 mmol) was added to a flame dried flask fitted with a reflux
condenser containing a refluxing solution of o-carboxylic acid diselenide (0.130 g, 0.340 mmol) in
benzene (5 mL). The solution was refluxed for 3 h then allowed to cool to ambient temperature.
The solution was concentrated to give a yellow solid in 97% yield and the crude product used in the
1
next step without further purification: m.p. 118–120 °C, H-NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz): δ 8.45 (d,
J = 8.1 Hz, 2 H), 8.14 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 2 H), 7.75 (t, J = 8.4 Hz, 2 H), 7.58 (t, J = 8.4 Hz, 2 H).
3.4.10. Synthesis of 2,2′-Diselanediylbis(N-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl)benzamide 8
3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (0.153 mL, 0.650 mmol) was added into a stirring solution of acid
chloride (0.140 g, 0.330 mmol) dissolved in dry CH2Cl2 (6 mL). The solution was allowed to stir for
12 h under argon. The resulting solution was concentrated to give a yellow oil and used immediately in
the next step without further purification due to hydrolysis of the ethoxysilane functionality. For the
crude product: 1H-NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz): δ 8.12 (d, J = 8 Hz, 2 H), 7.68 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 2 H), 7.54
(t, J = 7.5 Hz, 2 H), 7.41 (t, J = 7 Hz, 2 H), 3.49 (q, J = 6.5, <12 H), 3.01 (t, J = 1.89 (quint, J = 7.5 Hz,

Molecules 2015, 20
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4 H), 1.23 (t, J = 7 Hz, <18 H), 0.72 (t, J = 7 Hz, 4 H). HRMS (ESI), m/z 809.1666 (calcd for
80
[C32H53N2O8Si2 Se2]+ 809.1667).
3.5. Preparation of Monoliths
3.5.1. Preparation of 2.5 mol % 1 in TEOS
TEOS (4.46 mL, 20.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 1 (0.500 mmol) in EtOH (4.66 mL,
80.0 mmol). A solution of 14.5 M NH4OH (0.138 mL, 2.00 mmol) and deionized water (3.24 mL,
180 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly. The resulting solution was allowed to stir uncapped
overnight, then remained open to air for 10 days until a dense gel formed. The gel was placed in a
vacuum oven at ambient temperature for 48 h, then crushed into a fine powder using a mortar and
pestle. The resulting monolith was washed with ethyl ether (3 × 10 mL) to check for leaching (by 1H-NMR
spectroscopy and MS). The monolith was dried for an additional 2 h in a vacuum oven at ambient
temperature before use.
3.5.2. Preparation of 0.5 mol % 2 in TEOS
TEOS (8.93 mL, 40.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 2 (0.200 mmol) in EtOH (9.33 mL,
160 mmol). A solution of 14.5 M NH4OH (0.280 mL, 4.06 mmol) and deionized water (5.76 mL,
320 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution allowed to gel. The resulting
monolith was treated as previously described.
3.5.3. Preparation of 2.5 mol % 3 in TEOS
TEOS (4.46 mL, 20.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 3 (0.500 mmol) in EtOH (4.66 mL,
80.0 mmol). A solution of 14.5 M NH4OH (0.138 mL, 2.00 mmol) and deionized water (3.24 mL,
180 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution allowed to gel. The resulting
monolith was treated as previously described.
3.5.4. Preparation of 2.5 mol % 4 in TEOS
TEOS (4.63 mL, 20.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 4 (0.500 mmol) in EtOH (4.66 mL,
80.0 mmol). A solution of 14.5 M NH4OH (0.138 mL, 2.00 mmol) and deionized water (3.24 mL,
180 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution allowed to gel. The resulting
monolith was treated as previously described.
3.5.5. Preparation of 2.5 mol % 5 in TEOS
TEOS (4.46 mL, 20.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 5 (0.500 mmol) in EtOH (4.66 mL,
80.0 mmol). A solution of 14.5 M NH4OH (0.138 mL, 2.00 mmol) and deionized water (3.24 mL,
180 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution allowed to gel. The resulting
monolith was treated as previously described.

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3.5.6. Preparation of 2.5 mol % 6 in TEOS
TEOS (4.46 mL, 20.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 5 (0.500 mmol) in EtOH (4.66 mL,
80.0 mmol). A solution of 14.5 M NH4OH (0.138 mL, 2.00 mmol) and deionized water (3.24 mL,
180 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution allowed to gel. The resulting
monolith was treated as previously described.
3.5.7. Preparation of 0.5 mol % 7 in TEOS
TEOS (8.93 mL, 40.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 7 (0.200 mmol) in EtOH (9.33 mL,
160 mmol). A solution of 14.5 M NH4OH (0.280 mL, 4.06 mmol) and deionized water (5.76 mL,
320 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution allowed to gel. The resulting
monolith was treated as previously described.
3.5.8. Preparation of 0.5 mol % 8 in TEOS
TEOS (10.6 mL, 47.4 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 8 (0.240 mmol) in EtOH (11.1 mL,
190 mmol). A solution of 12 M HCl (0.790 mL, 9.48 mmol) and deionized water (6.83 mL, 379 mmol)
was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution allowed to gel. The resulting monolith was
treated as previously described.
3.5.9. Preparation of 0.5 mol % 8 in 10:90 DMAP/TEOS
TEOS (7.27 mL, 32.6 mmol) and DMAP (0.792 mL, 3.62 mmol) was added to a stirring solution
of 8 (0.181 mmol) in EtOH (7.60 mL, 130 mmol). A solution of 12 M HCl (0.543 mL, 6.52 mmol) and
deionized water (4.69 mL, 261 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution
allowed to gel. The resulting monolith was treated as previously described.
3.5.10. Preparation of 0.5 mol % 8 in 10:90 MAP/TEOS
TEOS (7.27 mL, 32.6 mmol) and MAP (0.716 mL, 3.62 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 8
(0.181 mmol) in EtOH (7.60 mL, 130 mmol). A solution of 12 M HCl (0.543 mL, 6.52 mmol) and
deionized water (4.69 mL, 261 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution
allowed to gel. The resulting monolith was treated as previously described.
3.5.11. Preparation of 0.5 mol % 8 in 10:90 AP/TEOS
TEOS (7.27 mL, 32.6 mmol) and AP (0.851 mL, 3.62 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 8
(0.181 mmol) in EtOH (7.60 mL, 130 mmol). A solution of 12 M HCl (0.543 mL, 6.52 mmol) and
deionized water (4.69 mL, 261 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution
allowed to gel. The resulting monolith was treated as previously described.

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3.5.12. Preparation of 0.5 mol % 8 in 10:90 COE/TEOS
First, a sol COE was prepared by adding COE (1.73 g, 2.20 mmol) and EtOH (5.38 mL) into a vial.
A solution of 12 M HCl (0.376 mL, 4.51 mmol) and deionized water (0.198 mL, 11.0 mmol) was
added to the vial and the resulting mixture allowed to stir for 1 h. A sol TEOS solution was prepared
by dissolving 8 (0.11 mmol) in EtOH (4.62 mL, 79.2 mmol) and adding TEOS (4.42 mL, 19.8 mmol)
and a solution of 12 M HCl (0.112 mL, 1.33 mmol) and deionized water (2.85 mL, 158 mmol). The
solution was stirred uncapped for 1 h at ambient temperature. The sol COE was then added to the sol
TEOS by passing it through a cotton plug to remove the salts. The solution was allowed to gel. The
resulting monolith was treated as previously described.
3.5.13. Synthesis of 3-Trimethoxysilyl-Propyltrimethylammonium Iodide [19] (TMAP)
Iodomethane (4.21 mL, 67.8 mmol) was added to a refluxing mixture of KHCO3 (7.49 g, 54.2 mmol),
AP (3.18 mL, 13.6 mmol) and acetone (15 mL). The resulting mixture was allowed to reflux overnight,
then cooled to ambient temperature and the salts filtered. The filtrate was concentrated, dissolved in
CH2Cl2 and the KI removed by filtration. The pure product was isolated after recrystallization in
1
CH2Cl2/diethyl ether as a while solid (yield 70%). H-NMR (D2O, 500 MHz) δ 3.82 (q, J = 6.5 Hz,
6 H), 3.24 (t, J = 8.5 Hz, 2 H), 3.02 (s, 9 H), 1.73 (quint, J = 3.5 Hz, 2 H), 1.11 (t, J = 7 Hz, 9 H), 0.64
(t, J = 9 Hz, 2 H); LRMS (ESI), m/z 264.2 (calcd for [C12H30NO3Si]+ 264.1)
3.5.14. Preparation of 0.5 mol % 8 in 10:90 TMAP/TEOS
TEOS (4.58 mL, 20.5 mmol) and TMAP (0.892 g, 2.28 mmol) were added to a stirring solution of 8
(0.114 mmol) in EtOH (4.81 mL, 82.5 mmol). A solution of 12 M HCl (0.344 mL, 4.12 mmol) and
deionized water (2.97 mL, 165 mmol) was added to the reaction slowly and the resulting solution
allowed to gel. The resulting monolith was treated as previously described.
The iodide counter ion was exchanged for a bromide counter ion by adding NaBr (0.830 M),
4-pentenoic acid (0.280 M) to a vial containing the monolith followed by the pH 6.1 buffer solution
(15 mL) and H2O2 (0.420 mL). After 30 min the monolith turned from dark orange to white.
The reaction was allowed to stir for 5 h, then exacted with Et2O (3 × 15 mL). The monolith was then
rinsed with deionized water (3 × 15 mL) and after centrifugation the aqueous medium was removed
from the monolith. The monolith was allowed to dry open to air, then dried in the vacuum oven for
24 h at ambient temperature to ensure the water had been removed.
3.6. Formation of Thin Films
3.6.1. Cleaning Microscope Slides
Glass microscope slides (25 mm × 75 mm), purchased from Fisher Scientific (Waltham, MA, USA),
were submerged in freshly prepared aqueous Piranha solution composed of 1:4 30% H2O2/sulfuric acid.
After 24 h the slides were rinsed with copious amounts of deionized water and placed in isopropanol
for at least 15 min before coating.

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3.6.2. Spin Coating
A Spincoater® Model P6700 Series (Specialty Coating Systems, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA) was
used to form the xerogel coating on the slide. Using a micropipette, 400 μL of sol was applied to the
slide as it spun for 10 s at 100 revolutions per minute (RPM). The sol was then cast onto the slide by
spinning at 3000 RPM for 60 s. The resulting coating was stored at ambient temperature for one week
before analysis.
3.6.3. Preparation of 5 mol % 3 in TEOS
TEOS (4.46 mL, 20.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 3 (1.00 mmol) in EtOH (4.67 mL).
A solution of HCl (12 M, 0.10 mL) and deionized water (2.88 mL) were added slowly and the
resulting solution was stirred over night at ambient temperature before coating.
3.6.4. Preparation of 20 mol % 7 in TEOS
TEOS (4.46 mL, 20.0 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 7 (4.00 mmol) in EtOH (4.67 mL,
80.0 mmol). A solution of 12 M HCl (0.100 mL, 1.20 mmol) and deionized water (2.88 mL,
160 mmol) were added slowly and the resulting solution was stirred over night at ambient temperature
before coating.
3.6.5. Preparation of 10 mol % (8) in TEOS
TEOS (0.513 mL, 2.30 mmol) was added to a stirring solution of 8 (0.230 mmol) in EtOH (0.531 mL,
9.11 mmol). A solution of 12 M HCl (11.0 µL, 0.127 mmol) and deionized water (0.328 mL, 18.2 mmol)
were added slowly and the resulting solution was stirred over night at ambient temperature
before coating.
3.7. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
The elemental composition and chemical state for each of the coating surfaces were examined by
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for both before and after immersion in ASW. The slides were
cut into duplicate samples using a glass cutter. The samples were analyzed using a Model 500
VersaProbe equipped with an Al source, a hemispherical analyzer and a sixteen channel detector
(Physical Electronics Laboratories (PHI), Chanhassen, MN, USA). A takeoff angle of 45° was used to
obtain spectra. A monochromatic Al kα source (1486.6 eV) was operated at 100 µm 25 W 15 kV. The
operating pressure in the main chamber did not exceed 5 × 10−6 Pa. A pass energy of 117.4 eV was used to
obtain a survey scan and a pass energy of 23.5 eV was used for high resolution scans. Curve fitting
was performed using PHI MultiPak™ Software version 8 (PHI).
Samples were initially analyzed after storage at ambient temperatures for at least 1 week. The same
sample was then oxidized with H2O2 by soaking the samples in ASW containing either 50 or 100 µM
H2O2 for 24 h. Samples were then allowed to air-dry overnight to allow the bulk of the water to
evaporate from the surface before analyzing the sample again.

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The background levels of carbon (C1s) and nitrogen (N1s) were measured using clean glass slides [20].
The detected level of C(1s)/Si(2p3) was 0.2 and the levels of N(1s)/Si(2p3). All of the recorded ratios
for the xerogel coatings were significantly larger (p ˃ 0.05) than the background levels as determined
by pairwise comparison.
4. Conclusions
Tellurides, selenoxides, and seleninic acids all function as catalysts for the activation of hydrogen
peroxide. For each of these catalyst classes, the chalcogen atom is the center of interaction with hydrogen
peroxide. Here, we have examined these catalyst centers sequestered in xerogel formulations to probe
the sensitivity of the catalyst centers to the local environment, the “robustness” of the catalyst-xerogel
combinations to recovery and reuse—a necessity for any long-term synthetic viability—as well as potential
lifetime as an antifouling surface in a marine environment.
The benzyl-substituted systems TEOS-1 and TEOS-2, while highly active as catalysts, have limited
viability since most catalytic activity is lost when the xerogel is recovered and reused. This suggests
that the chalcogen atoms do not remain sequestered in the xerogel, but likely produce degradation products
that are active catalysts in solution. Recovery removes the soluble component from further reaction.
The TEOS-3 through TEOS-6 combinations all show catalytic activity and the rate of bromination
with TEOS-3 remains unchanged after four cycles of reaction (2000 turnovers). The selenoxide analogue
of TEOS-3—the TEOS-7 combination oxidized to the selenoxide TEOS-24—is not as robust and
likely undergoes a syn-elimination of PhSeOH, which again becomes a soluble catalyst (perhaps oxidized
to PhSeO2H) that is lost upon xerogel recovery.
The TEOS-8 combination is presumably oxidized to the seleninic acid-containing TEOS-25,
which is a robust catalyst with catalytic rates unchanged after four cycles. The incorporation of 8 into
organically-modified xerogels can give enhanced rates with 10 mol % TMAP/TEOS combination
giving a >300% increase in rate. The positive charge on TMAP may help concentrate bromide ions to
facilitate reaction.
Surface analysis of each of the telluride, selenide, and diselenide catalysts/catalyst precursors by XPS
shows an increase in the chalcogen(IV) oxidation state upon exposure to H2O2. These results are consistent
with the speculated mechanisms involving telluroxide/(dihydroxy)tellurane intermediates (Te(IV)),
selenoxides and hydroxyl(perhydroxy)selenane intermediates (Se(IV)), and seleninic acid/perseleninic
acid intermediates (Se(IV)].
The data presented here can be incorporated into next-generation xerogel-sequestered systems with
improved catalytic activity and lifetime. These catalysts will likely be based on telluride or seleninic
acid functionality sequestered in xerogels tailored to direct the negatively charged halide ions to the
active site.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the U.S. Office of Naval Research for partial support of this work through awards
N0014-09-1-0217 and N0014-13-1-0430. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations
expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of these
funding agency.

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9636
Author Contributions
The manuscript was written through contributions from all authors. C.M.G. and L.M.M. conducted
experiments and engaged in the writing of the manuscript. M.A.L. optimized the synthesis of
diselenide 8. E.E.A. helped in the design of experiments and interpretation of results. M.R.D. helped in
the design of experiments, interpretation of results, and the writing and editing of the manuscript.
All authors have given approval to the final version of the manuscript.
Conflicts of Interest
M.R.D. holds two patents [U.S. Patent 7,244,295 (July 2007) and U.S. Patent 7,794,795 B2
(September 2010)] that are related to the xerogel catalysts of this work. There are no financial conflicts
from these patents.
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