Exploiting catalytic dehydrogenative coupling in the synthesis and study of polysilanes

A reinvestigation of the catalytic activity of Wilkinson's catalyst, (Ph₃P)₃RhCl ( 1 ), for the dehydrogenative coupling reactions of secondary silanes has pointed the way toward the synthesis of key oligosilane reagents for structure property correlation studies of polysilanes. Implications are discussed for understanding the mechanisms of coupling and redistribution reactions of silanes mediated by such late metal centres. Also described are attempts to derivatize Si-H bonds in the resulting oligosilanes, which is highly relevant to the development of improved methods for the post-polymerization functionalization of polysilanes containing Si-H bonds.     

High-throughput heterogeneous catalytic science

High-throughput experimentation in heterogeneous catalysis has recently experienced nearly exponential growth. Initial qualitative screening has evolved into quantitative high-throughput experimentation, characterization, and analysis. This allows high-throughput catalysis now to rise above simple screening to the level of fundamental understanding of reaction mechanisms, which will lead on a faster path to the Holy Grail of catalysis: rational catalyst design.     

Steric, electronic, and secondary effects on the coordination chemistry of ionic phosphine ligands and the catalytic behavior of their metal complexes

The effects of introducing ionic functionalities in phosphine ligands on the coordination chemistry of these ligands and the catalytic behavior of the corresponding metal complexes are reviewed. The steric and electronic consequences of such functionalizations are discussed. Apart from these steric and electronic effects, the presence of charged groups often leads to additional, supramolecular interactions that occur in the second coordination sphere of the metal complex, such as intramolecular, interligand hydrogen bonding and Coulombic repulsion. These interactions can significantly alter the behavior of the phosphine ligand in question. Such effects have been observed in phosphine-metal association/dissociation equilibria, ligand substitution reactions, and stereoisomerism in phosphine-metal complexes. By drawing general conclusions, this review offers an insight into the coordination and catalytic behavior of phosphine ligands containing ionic functionalities and their corresponding metal complexes.     

One-armed artificial receptors for the binding of polar tetrapeptides in water: probing the substrate selectivity of a combinatorial receptor library

We have recently developed a new class of one-armed artificial receptors 1 for the binding of the polar tetrapeptide N-Ac-D-Glu-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala-OH (EKAA) 2 in water using a combined combinatorial and statistical approach. We have now further probed the substrate selectivity of this receptor library 1 by screening a second tetrapeptide substrate (3) with the inverse sequence N-Ac-D-Ala-D-Ala-L-Lys-D-Glu-OH (AAKE). This "inverse" substrate is also efficiently bound by our receptors, with K(ass) approximately 6000 M(-1) for the best receptors, as determined both by a quantitative on-bead binding assay and by UV and fluorescence titration studies in free solution. Hence, the inverse tetrapeptide 3 is in general bound two to three times less efficiently than the "normal" peptide 2 (K(ass) approximately 17,000 M(-1)), even though the complexation mainly involves long-range electrostatic interactions and both the receptor and substrate are rather flexible. Molecular modeling and ab initio calculations have been used to rationalize the observed substrate selectivity and to analyze the various binding interactions within the complex.     

Formation of efficient catalytic silver nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes by adenine functionalization

Stuck together: Adenine/carbon nanotube hybrids trigger the formation of controlled-size catalytic silver nanoparticles on the nanotube surface. The catalytic efficiency of the resulting species was assessed in the oxidation of 2-methylhydroquinone to its corresponding benzoquinone, with complete recovery and without loss of activity of the catalyst.     

Theoretical Approach Towards the Understanding of Asymmetric Additions of Dialkylzinc to Enals and Iminals Catalysed by [2.2]Paracyclophane‐Based N,O‐Ligands

The 1,2‐ and 1,4‐asymmetric additions of dialkylzinc reagents (ZnMe₂ and ZnEt₂) to cinnamaldehyde and N‐formylbenzylimine catalysed by [2.2]paracyclophane‐based N,O‐ligands were studied with quantum chemical methods. High level LPNO‐CEPA/1 (local pair natural orbital coupled electron pair approximation 1) calculations were performed to obtain reliable reaction barriers and binding energies. The calculations supported the experimentally observed selectivities. In the reaction, the alkyl transfer takes place on a binuclear zinc complex. Regioselectivity can be traced back to changes in π‐conjugation. Because the less conjugated N‐formylbenzylimine is more flexible, it is better suited for 1,4‐additions. Moreover, bulky ligands were shown to be important for stereoselectivity. The reason is that the tricyclic motif present in the transition states is sterically less hindered in the anti conformation. Based on the LPNO‐CEPA/1 data, a set of popular theoretical methods are validated. Although it was possible to set up a procedure to obtain the stereoselectivities with computationally less demanding methods, this was not possible for the regioselectivity of the reactions.     

Practical approaches to the ESI‐MS analysis of catalytic reactions

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) is a soft ionization technique commonly coupled with liquid or gas chromatography for the identification of compounds in a one‐time view of a mixture (for example, the resulting mixture generated by a synthesis). Over the past decade, Scott McIndoe and his research group at the University of Victoria have developed various methodologies to enhance the ability of ESI‐MS to continuously monitor catalytic reactions as they proceed. The power, sensitivity and large dynamic range of ESI‐MS have allowed for the refinement of several homogenous catalytic mechanisms and could potentially be applied to a wide range of reactions (catalytic or otherwise) for the determination of their mechanistic pathways. In this special feature article, some of the key challenges encountered and the adaptations employed to counter them are briefly reviewed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Supramolecular bidentate ligands by metal-directed in situ formation of antiparallel beta-sheet structures and application in asymmetric catalysis

The principles of protein structure design, molecular recognition, and supramolecular and combinatorial chemistry have been applied to develop a convergent metal-ion-assisted self-assembly approach that is a very simple and effective method for the de novo design and the construction of topologically predetermined antiparallel beta-sheet structures and self-assembled catalysts. A new concept of in situ generation of bidentate P-ligands for transition-metal catalysis, in which two complementary, monodentate, peptide-based ligands are brought together by employing peptide secondary structure motif as constructing tool to direct the self-assembly process, is achieved through formation of stable beta-sheet motifs and subsequent control of selectivity. The supramolecular structures were studied by (1)H, (31)P, and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry, X-ray structure analysis, and theoretical calculations. Our initial catalysis results confirm the close relationship between the self-assembled sheet conformations and the catalytic activity of these metallopeptides in the asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation. Good catalyst activity and moderate enantioselectivity were observed for the selected combination of catalyst and substrate, but most importantly the concept of this new methodology was successfully proven. This work presents a perspective interface between protein design and supramolecular catalysis for the design of beta-sheet mimetics and screening of libraries of self-organizing supramolecular catalysts.     

A Simple Model for Barrier Frequencies for Enzymatic Reactions

We present a simple model to rationalize the effects of environment on the reaction barrier frequencies derived from free energy profiles. These frequencies are relevant in deviations of a rate constant from its transition state theory value and in determining which environmental dynamics participate in the reaction. In particular, this simple model can be used to understand the changes in the reaction barrier frequencies of an enzymatic catalyzed reaction and the corresponding uncatalyzed process in aqueous solution, a change which has implications for dynamical environmental effects on the enzymatic reaction. Two possible cases are analyzed, in which the polarity (charge separation/localization) of the reacting system increases or decreases as the reaction advances. A simple modeling of the environment′s effects allows the explanation of an unusual “inverse” effect on the reaction frequencies, that is, a free energy barrier lowering accompanied by an increase of the reaction frequency, a behavior observed in some enzymes. The model predictions are successfully compared with results from full simulations for four different enzyme reactions.