Flash vacuum pyrolysis over solid catalysts. 1. Pyrazoles over zeolites.

Flash vacuum pyrolysis (fvp) reactions of 1H-pyrazole (1), 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (2), and 3,5-diphenylpyrazole (3) were carried out over zeolites. Reactions were performed using ZCOY-7, NH(4)-Y, and Na-Y zeolites. Reaction temperatures of heterogeneous reactions were lower than the corresponding temperatures in the homogeneous system, showing a catalytic effect of the zeolites. Compounds 1-3 afforded nitrogen extrusion in homogeneous fvp reactions while in the heterogeneous ones different reactions were present. Compounds 1 and 2 also afforded nitrogen extrusion; products arising from ring fragmentation were found in reactions of 2 and 3 while an isomeric imidazole was isolated in reactions of 3. Isomerization of 3 is attributed to a transition-state selectivity by the catalyst due to the relation between the size of the molecule and the cavity of the zeolite. This isomerization reaction was present only when zeolites with active Brönsted sites were used.