Synthesis of bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) palladium complexes derived from (S,S)-1,2-bis(1-hydroxypropyl)benzene

New o-xylylene-linked bis(benzimidazolium) salts were synthesized in six-steps from C₂-symmetric chiral 1,4-diol, 1,2-bis(1-hydroxypropyl)benzene, as a starting material. The silver complex of bis(benzimidazol-2-ylidene) was obtained on treatment of bis(benzimidazolium) salt with silver oxide. The reaction of the silver bis-NHC with [PdCl₂(PhCN)₂] afforded the bis-NHC complex of palladium. The X-ray diffraction studies on Pd complexes revealed that these complexes have distorted square planar geometry around the Pd center coordinating the NHC ligand in mutually cis-position. The arene ring of o-xylylene unit hanged over the Pd center and thus these complexes showed C₁-symmetric structures. The variable temperature NMR spectroscopy revealed that these Pd complexes showed fluxional behavior between C₁- and C₂-symmetric structures in solution state.     

Asymmetric Kumada-Corriu cross-coupling reaction with Pd2(dba)3 and an N-Ar axially chiral mimetic-type ligand catalyst

A catalyst comprised of Pd₂(dba)₃·CHCl₃ and an N-Ar axially chiral mimetic-type ligand, (S)-N-[2-(diphenylphosphanyl)naphthalene-1-yl]-2-(piperidinylmethyl)piperidine, provides good enantioselectivities for the asymmetric Kumada-Corriu cross-coupling reaction of 1-phenylethylmagnesium chloride and E-β-bromostyrene derivatives with which it is more difficult to achieve high enantioselectivity. Furthermore, in the case of styrene derivatives bearing both vinyl and aryl bromide groups, the chemoselective asymmetric cross-coupling reaction of the vinyl bromide group is observed. This N-Ar axially chiral mimetic-type ligand allows easy synthesis of a wide variety of analogues, and starting from the initial ligand, the enantioselectivity of coupling products is improved by modifying the structure in the ligand.     

Palladium(II)-N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed direct C2- or C5-arylation of thiazoles with aryl bromides

Herein we report, a series of new benzimidazolium chlorides as N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand and their corresponding palladium(II)-NHC complexes with the general formula [PdCl₂(NHC)₂] were synthesized. All new compounds were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis techniques. The catalytic activity of palladium(II)-NHC complexes was investigated in the direct C2- or C5-arylation of thiazoles with aryl bromides in presence of palladium(II)-NHC at 150?°C for 1?h. These complexes exhibited the good catalytic performance for the direct arylation of thiazoles. The arylation of thiazoles regioselectively produced C2- or C5-arylated thiazoles in moderate to high yields.     

Palladium(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: synthesis,structures and cytotoxicity potential studies against breast cancer cell line

Abstract

Mononuclear trans-Pd(II)–NHC complexes (where NHC?=?N-heterocyclic carbene) bearing asymmetrically substituted NHC-ligand have been synthesized via transmetalation reaction between Ag(I)–NHC complexes and [Pd(NCCH₃)₂Cl₂]. The NHC precursors are accessible in two steps by N-n-alkyl reactions of benzimidazole. The resultant benzimidazolium salts were deprotonated with Ag₂O by in situ deprotonation to facilitate the formation of mononuclear Ag(I)–NHC complexes. Single-crystal structural study for Pd(II)–NHC shows that the palladium(II) ion exhibits a square-planar geometry of two NHC ligands and two chloride ions. The cytotoxicity study was investigated against breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). The Ag(I)–NHC complexes exhibit better activities than their corresponding Pd(II)–NHC complexes, whereas all benzimidazolium salts are inactive toward MCF-7 cancer cell line.     

Synthesis of a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene bearing a m-terphenyl-based phosphate moiety as an anionic N-substituent and its application to copper-catalyzed enantioselective boron conjugate additions

A chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand 1a bearing a m-terphenyl-based phosphate moiety as an anionic N-substituent has been developed. A rhodium complex [Rh(1a)(cod)]₂ was synthesized and its structure was characterized by NMR and ESI-MS spectroscopy. This ligand gave high enantioselectivities in copper-catalyzed enantioselective boron conjugate additions to an α,β-unsaturated ester to give a chiral β-boryl ester.     

Evaluation of Ruthenium(II) N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes as Antibacterial Agents and Inhibitors of Bacterial Thioredoxin Reductase

A series of ruthenium(II) complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands of the general type (arene)(NHC)Ru(II)X₂ (where X = halide) was prepared, characterized, and evaluated as antibacterial agents in comparison to the respective metal free benzimidazolium cations. The ruthenium(II) NHC complexes generally triggered stronger bacterial growth inhibition than the metal free benzimidazolium cations. The effects were much stronger against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) than against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and all complexes were inactive against the fungus Candida albicans. Moderate inhibition of bacterial thioredoxin reductase was confirmed for selected complexes, indicating that inhibition of this enzyme might be a contributing factor to the antibacterial effects.     

Butylene linked palladium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: Synthesis and catalytic properties

New bis(NHC)-Pd complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and IR spectroscopy. The reaction of Pd(OAc)₂ and bis(benzimidazolium) salts in DMSO gave the monomeric palladium complex in which the N-heterocyclic carbene was bound to the metal centre. The crystal and molecular structure of the cis-dibromo{1,1′-di[2,3,4,5,6-pentamethylbenzyl]-3,3′-butylenedibenzimidazol-2,2′-diylidene}-palladium(II) complex was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The activity of the Pd(II) complexes in the direct arylation of benzothiazole with arylbromides was investigated. A preliminary catalytic study showed that these bis(NHC)-Pd complexes were highly active in the direct arylation of benzothiazole with arylbromides.     

Binuclear meta‐xylyl‐linked Ag(I)‐N‐heterocyclic carbene complexes of N‐alkyl/aryl‐alkyl‐substituted bis‐benzimidazolium salts: synthesis,crystal structures and in vitro anticancer studies

Salts of meta‐xylyl‐linked N‐ethyl/n‐butyl/benzyl‐substituted bis‐benzimidazolium having hexafluorophosphate counterions have been synthesized. The corresponding binuclear Ag(I)‐N‐heterocyclic carbene complexes were prepared by the reaction of Ag₂O. The N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand precursor 7 and Ag(I)–NHC complexes 10 and 11 have been structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction technique. All of the reported compounds have been tested for their anticancer activity using human colorectal (HCT 116) cancer cell lines. Sterically varied benzimidazolium salts displayed significant activity against HCT 116 cell line, yielding IC₅₀ values in the range 0.1–19.4 µ m , while Ag(I)–carbene complexes showed exceptionally good activity (0.2–1.3 µ m ) against tested cancer cell lines. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Steric tuning of C2-symmetric chiral N-heterocyclic carbene in gold-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization of 1,6-enynes

Steric tuning of C₂-symmetric chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) was performed in Au(I)-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization of 1,6-enyne. Higher enantioselectivity was realized when chiral NHC–AuCl/AgSbF₆ catalysts whose N-substituent on the NHC overlays the Au–Cl bond was utilized.     

2-Morpholinoethyl-substituted <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors and their silver(I)NHC complexes: synthesis,crystal structure and in vitro anticancer properties

In this study, a series of unsymmetrically 2-morpholinoethyl-substituted benzimidazolium salts and their Ag(I)NHC complexes were synthesized. The 1,3-dialkylbenzimidazolium salts (1a–d) were synthesized in dimethylformamide at 80 °C temperature from the N-(2-morpholinoethyl)benzimidazole and alkyl halides. The Ag(I)NHC complexes (2a–d) were synthesized in dichloromethane at room temperature from the benzimidazolium salts and Ag₂O. All compounds were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (NMR and FT-IR) and elemental analyses. Also, the salt 1c and complex 2c were characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Anticancer activities of 2-morpholinoethyl-substituted benzimidazolium salts and Ag(I)NHC complexes were investigated against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, and the IC₃₀ and IC₅₀ values of these compounds were found to be in the range of 241–490 and 6–14 µM, respectively.     

Synthesis and characterization of asymmetric NHC complexes

New chiral and non-chiral rhodium(I)–NHC complexes were synthesized. The first attempt by deprotonation of an imidazolinium salt with KOtBu and reaction with [Rh(COD)Cl]₂ leads to the corresponding rhodium(I) complex. Due to the basic conditions during the reaction a loss of chirality occurs. An alternative transmetallation reaction with a silver(I)–NHC complex yields the desired rhodium(I)–NHC complex under retention of chirality. Both Rh complexes were fully characterized by analytical methods.     

A cationic dicarbene complex of iron. The crystal structure of [Fe(CO)2(S2CNMe2)(CNMe2)2S]PF6 · 12C2H4Cl2

The structure of the compound [Fe(CO)₂(S₂CNMe₂)(CNMe₂)₂S]PF₆ · $\text{1}\text{2}$C₂H₄Cl₂ has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The compound crystallizes in space group C2/c with eight formula units in a unit cell of dimensions a 23.939(18), b 15.771(7), c 12.314(4) Å, β 92.01(5)°. Full-matrix least-squares refinement of 2084 counter data yielded R = 0.051. The complex cation contains an unusual chelating dicarbene ligand, and the structure of this complex is compared with related species. The bonding properties of the dicarbene ligand are discussed.     

Synthesis of [Ni(η-CH2C6H4R-4){PPh(CH2CH2PPh2)2}] (R = H, Me or MeO) and protonation reactions with HCl

The complexes [Ni(η²-CH₂C₆H₄R-4)(triphos)]BPh₄ {R = H, Me or MeO; triphos = PhP(CH₂CH₂PPh₂)₂} have been prepared and characterised by spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. In all cases the coordination geometry of the nickel is best described as square-planar with an η²-benzyl ligand occupying one of the positions. The orientation of the η²-benzyl ligand is dictated by the steric restrictions imposed by the phenyl groups on the triphos ligand, so that the phenyl group on the unique secondary phosphorus and the aromatic group of the benzyl ligand (which are trans to one another) are oriented in the same direction. [Ni(η²-CH₂C₆H₄R-4)(triphos)]⁺ react with an excess of anhydrous HCl in MeCN to form [NiCl(triphos)]⁺ (characterised as the [BPh₄]⁻ salt by X-ray crystallography) and the corresponding substituted toluene. The kinetics of the reaction of all [Ni(η²-CH₂C₆H₄R-4)(triphos)]⁺ and HCl in the presence of Cl⁻ have been determined using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. All reactions exhibit a first-order dependence on the concentration of complex and a first-order dependence on the ratio [HCl]/[Cl⁻]. Varying the 4-R-substituent on the benzyl ligand shows that electron-withdrawing substituents facilitate the rate of the reaction. It is proposed that the mechanism involves initial rapid protonation at the nickel to form [NiH(η²-CH₂C₆H₄R-4)(triphos)]²⁺, followed by intramolecular proton migration from nickel to carbon to yield the products.     

Synthesis of the first C2-asymmetric phosphinine and its pyrylium precursor

The synthesis of the first C₂ chiral phosphinine (phosphabenzene) and its pyrylium salt precursor is reported. The chiral phosphinine is derived from (+)-camphor, is a crystalline air-stable solid and is shown to effectively form complexes with metals. A preliminary result using the phosphinine as a ligand for asymmetric catalysis is reported and rationalized structurally.     

Template synthesis of a macrocycle with a mixed NHC/phosphine donor set

Reaction of cis-[ReCl(NHC)(CO)₄] cis-[1] (NHC = NH,NH-substituted saturated cyclic diaminocarbene) with diphosphine (2-F-C₆H₄)₂P-CH₂CH₂-P(C₆H₄-2-F)₂2 yields complex fac-[Re(NHC)(2)(CO)₃]Cl fac-[3]Cl. Deprotonation of the NH,NH-NHC ligand in fac-[3]Cl with KOtBu leads to an intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution of one fluorine atom from each -P(C₆H₄-2-F) group by the NHC ring nitrogen atoms with formation of complex fac-[4]Cl bearing a facially coordinated [11]ane-P₂C^NHC ligand. Reaction of cis-[MnBr(NHC)(CO)₄] cis-[5] (NHC = NH,NH-substituted saturated cyclic diaminocarbene) with diphosphine 2 yields complex [MnBr(NHC)(2)(CO)₂] [6] without substitution of the bromo ligand and with the phosphine donors from the bidentate diphosphine occupying one cis and one trans position to the NHC donor.     

DFT study of the reactivity of methane and dioxygen with d-L2M complexes

A density functional theory analysis of the reactions of methane and O₂ with d¹⁰-L₂M complexes (M = Pd, Pt; L = N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), PMe₃) is presented. Computations suggest that reaction of L₂M⁰ with O₂/CH₄ to form cis- (L)₂M(OOH)(CH₃) is only slightly uphill (ΔG ∼ 10-11 kcal/mol). Based on calculated thermodynamics, reaction of (L)₂Pt⁰ with CH₄ and O₂ is predicted to be more favorable by first addition of CH₄ and then reaction of O₂ with the resulting methyl-hydrido complex. However, oxidative addition for either the C-H bond of methane or of O₂ to d¹⁰-L₂M complexes is kinetically prohibitive. If barriers to oxidative addition to d¹⁰-L₂M systems could be reduced, conversion of L₂M(H)(CH₃) to L₂M(OOH)(CH₃) via hydrogen atom abstract/radical rebound is calculated to be thermodynamically and kinetically feasible, particularly for NHC and Pd. As (NHC)₂Pd also has a lower free energy to methane C-H oxidative addition than does (NHC)₂Pt, the former combination would appear to be a promising starting point in the search for catalysts for partial hydrocarbon oxidation.     

Reversal of Enantioselectivity in the Conjugate Addition Reaction of Cyclic Enones with the CuOTf/Azolium Catalytic System

Hydroxyamide-functionalized azolium salt (NHC•HI 4) was evaluated for dual enantioselective control in a Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition (ACA) reaction. This investigation was based on our previously reported ACA reaction catalyzed using CuOTf combined with NHC•AgI complex 1. It was revealed that the stereocontrol of the catalytic ACA reaction depended on the order of the addition of the substrates. Additionally, the chiral NHC ligand precursors, substrates, the relationship between the catalyst ee (ee_cat) and product ee (ee_pro), and halogen counter anion were completely evaluated. These results suggested that the catalytic performance of the CuOTf/4 system was comparable with that of the CuOTf/1 system. Furthermore, to gain knowledge of the Cu species generated using CuOTf and NHC ligand precursor, the reaction of CuOTf with 1 was investigated. Although obtaining the corresponding NHC•CuX species failed, the corresponding NHC•AuCl complex 11 could be synthesized by allowing 1 to react with AuCl•SMe₂.     

Synthesis of new chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes from naturally occurring podophyllotoxin and their application to asymmetric allylic alkylation

Chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) were synthesized from naturally occurring podophyllotoxin. Their coordination with [(η³-allyl)Pd(Br)]₂ afforded (NHC)Pd(allyl)Br complexes, whose structures were unambiguously established by X-ray single crystal analysis. These chiral NHC and NHC-Pd-allyl complexes were found to catalyze the substitution reaction of allylic compounds with high conversions and enantioselectivities (up to 87% ee).     

[(NHC)(NHCewg)RuCl2(CHPh)] Complexes with Modified NHCewg Ligands for Efficient Ring‐Closing Metathesis Leading to Tetrasubstituted Olefins

Imidazolium salts (NHC_ewg ? HCl) with electronically variable substituents in the 4,5‐position (H,H or Cl,Cl or H,NO₂ or CN,CN) and sterically variable substituents in the 1,3‐position (Me,Me or Et,Et or iPr,iPr or Me,iPr) were synthesized and converted into the respective [AgI(NHC)_ewg] complexes. The reactions of [(NHC)RuCl₂(CHPh)(py)₂] with the [AgI(NHC_ewg)] complexes provide the respective [(NHC)(NHC_ewg)RuCl₂(CHPh)] complexes in excellent yields. The catalytic activity of such complexes in ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) reactions leading to tetrasubstituted olefins was studied. To obtain quantitative substrate conversion, catalyst loadings of 0.2–0.5 mol % at 80 °C in toluene are sufficient. The complex with the best catalytic activity in such RCM reactions and the fastest initiation rate has an NHC_ewg group with 1,3‐Me,iPr and 4,5‐Cl,Cl substituents and can be synthesized in 95 % isolated yield from the ruthenium precursor. To learn which one of the two NHC ligands acts as the leaving group in olefin metathesis reactions two complexes, [(FL‐NHC)(NHC_ewg)RuCl₂(CHPh)] and [(FL‐NHC_ewg)(NHC)RuCl₂(CHPh)], with a dansyl fluorophore (FL)‐tagged electron‐rich NHC ligand (FL‐NHC) and an electron‐deficient NHC ligand (FL‐NHC_ewg) were prepared. The fluorescence of the dansyl fluorophore is quenched as long as it is in close vicinity to ruthenium, but increases strongly upon dissociation of the respective fluorophore‐tagged ligand. In this manner, it was shown for ring‐opening metathesis ploymerization (ROMP) reactions at room temperature that the NHC_ewg ligand normally acts as the leaving group, whereas the other NHC ligand remains ligated to ruthenium.     

Catalytic asymmetric addition of arylboronic acids to N-Boc imines generated in situ using C2-symmetric cationic N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) Pd diaquo complexes

The catalytic asymmetric addition of arylboronic acids to N-Boc imines generated in situ from stable and easily prepared α-carbamoyl sulfones was realized by using chiral cationic C₂-symmetric N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) Pd²⁺ diaquo complexes 1a-c as the catalysts, producing the corresponding adducts in good to high yields (up to 89%) and good to high enantioselectivities (up to 90% ee).