Oxidative dimerization of azoles via copper(II)/silver(I)-catalyzed CH homocoupling

When several azole derivatives such as imidazole, thiazole, and oxazole are treated with a catalyst system of copper(II)/silver(I) under oxygen atmosphere, oxidative dimerization at the CH bond of the 2-position takes place to afford the corresponding bisazoles up to 86% yield.     

Efficient N-arylation catalyzed by a copper(I) pyrazolyl-nicotinic acid system

Catalyst 6-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)nicotinic acid L-CuCl behaves as a very active promoter of the N-arylation reactions, as it has been demonstrated with varieties of substrates under mild reaction conditions. A Cu(I) complex based on L of precatalyst has been isolated by a hydrothermal method and structurally characterized.     

Ullmann diaryl ether synthesis catalyzed by copper (I)/pyridine-functionalized silane

Ullmann-type diaryl ether synthesis was performed under mild conditions in DMF/K₂CO₃ using a pyridine-functionalized silane as a ligand. The products were obtained in good yields. This method tolerates a variety of functional groups and is effective in the synthesis of hindered diaryl ethers and heteroaryl ethers.     

Ir(I)/HCl catalyzed head-to-tail homocoupling reactions of vinylsilanes

Novel homocoupling reactions of vinylsilanes, catalyzed by a mixture of Ir(I) and HCl, were developed. This process leads to exclusive formation of head-to-tail vinylsilane dimers in high yields at room temperature. Synthetic attributes of transformations of the resulting head-to-tail vinylsilane dimers and polymerization of bis(vinylsilane) were investigated.     

Efficient aerobic oxidative synthesis of 2-aryl quinazolines via benzyl C-H bond amination catalyzed by 4-hydroxy-TEMPO

A novel and efficient aerobic protocol for the oxidative synthesis of 2-aryl quinazolines via benzyl C-H bond amination by a one-pot reaction of arylmethanamines with 2-aminobenzoketones and 2-aminobenzaldehydes has been carried out using the 4-hydroxy-TEMPO radical as the catalyst, without any metals or additives.     

Efficient homocoupling reactions of halide compounds catalyzed by manganese (II) chloride

A new efficient homocoupling reaction was reported in one pot by a combination of metallic magnesium and a catalytic amount of manganese (II) chloride. Various aromatic and alkyl halides underwent homocoupling smoothly, affording the corresponding symmetrical homocoupling compounds in moderate to good yields. The readily available MnCl₂, the mild reaction conditions and the operational simplicity and practicability allow for an easy and practical procedure for the purpose of carbon carbon bond formation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Highly practical copper(I)/TEMPO catalyst system for chemoselective aerobic oxidation of primary alcohols

Aerobic oxidation reactions have been the focus of considerable attention, but their use in mainstream organic chemistry has been constrained by limitations in their synthetic scope and by practical factors, such as the use of pure O(2) as the oxidant or complex catalyst synthesis. Here, we report a new (bpy)Cu(I)/TEMPO catalyst system that enables efficient and selective aerobic oxidation of a broad range of primary alcohols, including allylic, benzylic, and aliphatic derivatives, to the corresponding aldehydes using readily available reagents, at room temperature with ambient air as the oxidant. The catalyst system is compatible with a wide range of functional groups and the high selectivity for 1° alcohols enables selective oxidation of diols that lack protecting groups.     

Efficient ruthenium-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of amines by using a biomimetic coupled catalytic system

Efficient aerobic oxidation of amines was developed by the use of a biomimetic coupled catalytic system involving a ruthenium-induced dehydrogenation. The principle for this aerobic oxidation is that the electron transfer from the amine to molecular oxygen occurs stepwise via coupled redox systems and this leads to a low-energy electron transfer. A substrate-selective ruthenium catalyst dehydrogenates the amine and the hydrogen atoms abstracted are transported to an electron-rich quinone (2a). The hydroquinone thus formed is subsequently reoxidized by air with the aid of an oxygen-activating [Co(salen)]-type complex (27). The reaction can be used for the preparation of ketimines and aldimines in good to high yields from the appropriate corresponding amines. The reaction proceeds with high selectivity, and the catalytic system tolerates air without being deactivated. The rate of the dehydrogenation was studied by using quinone 2a as the terminal oxidant. A catalytic cycle in which the amine promotes the dissociation of the dimeric catalyst 1 is presented.     

Efficient Stille cross-coupling reaction catalyzed by the Pd(OAc)2/Dabco catalytic system

[reaction: see text] An efficient Pd(OAc)2/Dabco-catalyzed Stille cross-coupling reaction procedure has been developed. In the presence of Pd(OAc)2 and Dabco (triethylenediamine), various aryl halides including aryl iodides, aryl bromides, and activated aryl chlorides were coupled efficiently with organotin compounds to afford the corresponding biaryls, alkene, and alkynes in good to excellent yields. Furthermore, high TONs [turnover numbers, up to 980,000 TONs for the coupling reaction of 1-bromo-4-nitrobenzene and furan-2-yltributyltin] for the Stille cross-coupling reaction were observed.     

A copper (I or II)/diethylphosphite catalytic system for base-free additive dimerization of alkynes

Copper (I) or copper (II) salts and oxides promote regioselective head-to-head additive dimerization of aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkynes in the presence a catalytic amount of diethylphosphite. The reaction proceeds under ambient conditions without any added base with the formation of 1,4-disubstituted 1,3-enynes with the E isomer as major product in good to excellent yields. A plausible mechanism for additive dimerization of terminal alkynes is proposed.     

A ligand-free copper(I) oxide catalyzed strategy for the N-arylation of azoles in water

A simple and practical protocol has been developed for the cross-coupling of azoles and aryl iodides under ligand-free copper(I) oxide catalyzed conditions in water. The protocol uses tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as the phase-transfer catalyst, and water as the solvent, and shows good tolerance towards various functional groups.     

Highly enantioselective asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylide catalyzed by a copper(I)/ClickFerrophos complex

A copper(I)/ClickFerrophos complex catalyzed the asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of methyl N-benzylideneglycinate (the source of azomethine ylides) with vinyl sulfone to give the exo-2,4,5-trisubstituted pyrrolidine in good yield with high enantioselectivity (99% ee). The complex also effectively catalyzed reactions of other dipolarophiles such as acrylates, maleate, and maleimides to give the exo-2,4,5-, and 2,3,4,5-substituted pyrrolidine derivatives with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities.     

Electrochemical homocoupling of 2-bromomethylpyridines catalyzed by nickel complexes

2,2'-Bipyridine (bpy) and a series of dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridines were synthesized from 2-bromopyridine and 2-bromomethylpyridines, respectively, using an electrochemical process catalyzed by nickel complexes. The method is simple and efficient, with isolated yields between 58 and 98% according to the structure. We first studied the influence of the presence and the position of the methyl group on the yield, using N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or acetonitrile (AN) as the solvent, NiBr(2)bpy as the catalyst, and Zn as the sacrificial anode, in an undivided cell and at ambient temperature. On the basis of a better understanding of the reaction mechanism based on electroanalytical studies, we could improve the dimerization both by substituting the catalyst ligand (bpy) by the reagent itself, i.e., 2-bromomethylpyridine or 2-bromopyridine, and by using Fe instead of Zn as the sacrificial anode.     

Au6Pd/resin催化伯醇和仲醇氧化偶联-转移加氢反应制备酮类化合物

由简单小分子通过 C–C键偶联来构筑复杂多样的大分子是有机合成的重要方向.传统的 C–C键偶联反应一般使用卤代烃和金属有机化合物为底物,具有原子效率低、有害废弃物排放等缺点.因此,迫切需要发展一种绿色高效的 C–C键偶联方法.其中,以醇类化合物作为底物通过“氢转移”(脱氢/aldol缩合/加氢)实现 C–C键偶联的途径受到广泛关注.该方法具有诸多优点：(1)醇类化合物来源广泛、价格低廉、相对安全;(2)只产生 H2和 H2O,没有其它副产物.但由于醇类化合物(特别是仲醇)脱氢困难,该偶联反应条件一般比较苛刻.我们使用 O2来辅助仲醇脱氢,采用离子交换树脂负载的 Au6Pd纳米颗粒为催化剂,实现了温和条件下伯醇和仲醇的偶联反应.而且发现在氧化气氛下,反应过程中发生了“氢转移”现象,产物为饱和酮类化合物.通过设计对照实验并结合 XAFS(X–射线吸收光谱)表征结果,我们揭示了在 Au6Pd/resin催化剂上发生“氢转移”反应的机理. AuPd/resin催化剂采用离子交换–NaBH4还原法制备. TEM照片显示 Au, Pd以及双金属 AuPd纳米颗粒均匀分散在载体上,平均粒径为2–4 nm,而且随着 Au/Pd比例减小, AuPd纳米颗粒的粒径逐渐减小. XRD谱图显示,随着 Au/Pd比例减小, Au(111)衍射峰逐渐向高角度发生偏移,说明 AuPd形成了合金.我们以苯甲醇和(±)-1-苯乙醇氧化偶联为探针反应考察了催化剂的催化性能.结果显示,以 Au/resin和 Pd/resin为催化剂时,产物为不饱和酮.而以 AuPd/resin为催化剂时,转化率显著提高,说明 AuPd之间存在明显的协同作用.而且随着 Au/Pd比例增加,产物逐渐由不饱和酮转变为饱和酮,当 Au/Pd≥6时,产物完全为饱和酮,说明反应过程中发生了“氢转移”.为验证这一推测,我们以苯甲醇和查尔酮为底物在相同条件下反应.结果显示,以 Au/resin和 Pd/resin为催化剂时,查尔酮没有转化.而以 AuPd/resin为催化剂时,查尔酮大部分转化为饱和酮(转化率为91%),验证了反应中发生了“氢转移”的推测.为研究“氢转移”发生的机理,我们采用 XAFS对催化剂价态进行了表征. Pd元素 K边 X射线吸收谱图显示,随着催化剂中 Au/Pd比例的增加,E0值逐渐减小,说明 Pd价态逐渐降低. EXAFS拟合数据表明,随催化剂中 Au/Pd比例增加, Pd–O配位数逐渐减小.基于以上结果推断,在 AuPd/resin催化剂中,随着 Au/Pd比例的增加, Pd的抗氧化能力显著增强,更多的 Pd以 Pd(0)形式存在.结合文献报道结果,我们认为正是催化剂中的 Pd(0)夺取了醇的βC–H后生成了 Pd–H,而 Pd–H是“氢转移”反应的催化剂.另一方面,有文献报道,在氧化气氛下, O2也可以辅助脱除醇的βC–H.为区分 Pd(0)和 O2在脱除醇βC–H中的作用,我们对 Au6Pd/resin在惰性气氛下对伯醇(苯甲醇)或仲醇((±)-1–苯乙醇)转化的催化性能进行了考察.结果显示,苯甲醇可以转化为苯甲酸(收率为23%),而(±)-1–苯乙醇则完全没有转化.这说明伯醇可以直接被催化剂(Pd(0))活化,而仲醇的活化则必须有 O2参与.综上,我们提出伯醇和仲醇氧化偶联反应的机理： Au6Pd/resin催化伯醇转化为醛(同时产生 Pd–H物种),而 O2辅助活化仲醇转化为酮.醛和酮发生 aldol缩合生成α,β不饱和酮,该中间物种被 Pd–H加氢生成饱和产物.     

Efficient ruthenium-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of alcohols using a biomimetic coupled catalytic system

Efficient aerobic oxidation of alcohols was developed via a biomimetic catalytic system. The principle for this aerobic oxidation is reminiscent of biological oxidation of alcohols via the respiratory chain and involves selective electron/proton transfer. A substrate-selective catalyst (ruthenium complex 1) dehydrogenates the alcohol, and the hydrogens abstracted are transferred to an electron-rich quinone (4b). The hydroquinone thus formed is continuously reoxidized by air with the aid of an oxygen-activating Co[bond]salen type complex (6). Most alcohols are oxidized to ketones in high yield and selectivity within 1-2 h, and the catalytic system tolerates a wide range of O(2) concentrations without being deactivated. Compared to other ruthenium-catalyzed aerobic oxidations this new catalytic system has high turnover frequency (TOF).     

Very mild, enantioselective synthesis of propargylamines catalyzed by copper(I)-bisimine complexes

The stereoselective addition of aryl- and alkylacetylene derivatives to imines was studied. The reaction is catalyzed by copper complexes of enantiomerically pure bisimines, readily prepared in very high yields from the commercially available binaphthyl diamine. A very simple experimental procedure allowed to obtain at room temperature optically active propargylamines in high yields and enantioselectivity. Interestingly, bisimine/copper(I) complexes were able to promote the direct, enantioselective, catalytic addition to imines of alkylacetylenes. The effects of catalyst loading and other reaction parameters on the stereochemical outcome of the transformation were investigated. The extremely convenient methodology, the mild reaction conditions, and the possibility of a modular approach for developing new and more efficient bisimine-based chiral ligands make the present methodology very attractive.     

Bimetallic Au/Pd catalyzed aerobic oxidation of alcohols in the poly(ethylene glycol)/CO2 system

Bimetallic Au/Pd nanoparticles were prepared and used to catalyze oxidation of alcohols in the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)/CO₂ biphasic system using O₂ as the oxidant without adding any base. The catalytic activity of Au/Pd bimetal with different mole ratios was studied using benzyl alcohol as the substrate. It was found that bimetallic Au/Pd nanoparticles with Au:Pd=1:3.5 had higher catalytic activity than monometallic Au, Pd and the bimetallic Au/Pd nanoparticles with other molar ratios. The effect of CO₂ pressure on the oxidation of benzyl alcohol and 1-phenylethanol in PEG/CO₂ was investigated. It was demonstrated that CO₂ pressure could be used to tune the conversion and selectivity of the reactions effectively. α,β,-Unsaturated alcohols were also studied and found to be more reactive than benzyl alcohol and 1-phenylethanol. Recycling experiments showed that the Au/Pd/PEG/CO₂ catalytic system could be recycled at least four times without reducing the activity. In addition, the catalytic system is clean and the products can be separated easily.     

Efficient reduction of graphene oxide catalyzed by copper

We report that copper thin films deposited on top of graphene oxide (GO) serve as an effective catalyst to reduce GO sheets in a diluted hydrogen environment at high temperature. The reduced GO (rGO) sheets exhibit higher effective field-effect hole mobility, up to 80 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), and lower sheet resistance (13 kΩ □(-1)) compared with those reduced by reported methods such as hydrazine and thermal annealing. Raman and XPS characterizations are addressed to study the reduction mechanism on graphene oxide underneath copper thin films. The level of reduction in rGO sheets is examined by Raman spectroscopy and it is well correlated with hole mobility values. The conductivity enhancement is attributed to the growth of the graphitic domain size. This method is not only suitable for reduction of single GO sheets but also applicable to lower the sheet resistance of Langmuir-Blodgett assembled GO films.