Iridium bis(phosphinite) p-XPCP pincer complexes: highly active catalysts for the transfer dehydrogenation of alkanes

A series of new bis(phosphinite) p-XPCPIrHCl pincer complexes ([PCP = eta(3)-5-X-C(6)H(2)[OP(tBu)(2)](2)-1,3], X = MeO (4a), Me (4b), H (4c), F (4d), C(6)F(5) (4e), and Ar(F) [=3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] (4f)) have been synthesized. Treatment of compounds 4a-f with NatOBu in cyclooctane (COA)/tert-butylethylene (TBE) mixtures generates species with unprecedented catalytic activity for the catalyzed transfer dehydrogenation of COA with TBE as acceptor to form cyclooctene (COE) and tert-butylethane (TBA). With substrate:precatalyst ratios of 3030COA:3030TBE:1p-XPCPIrHCl (4):1.1NaOtBu, turnover numbers (TONs) between 1400 and 2200 (up to 72% conversion in TBE) and initial turnover frequencies (TOFs) between 1.6 and 2.4 s(-1) have been observed at 200 degrees C.     

Reactions of iridium bis(phosphinite) pincer complexes with protic acids

Iridium pincer complexes [C₆H₃-2,6-(OPBu^t ₂)₂]Ir(H)Cl (10) and [4-EtOOCC₆H₂-2,6-(OPBu^t ₂)₂]Ir(H)Cl (11) react with protic acids undergoing metallation of one of the tert-butyl groups to form double cyclometallated products [4-R-C₆H₂-2-(OPBu^t ₂)-6-(OP(Bu^t)CMe₂CH₂)]IrCl (12, R = H; 13, R = COOEt), which are stable in air. Complex 12 reacts with CO and Bu^tNC giving the corresponding 18-electron complexes [C₆H₃-2-(OP-Bu^t ₂)-6-(OP(Bu^t)CMe₂CH₂)]Ir(L)Cl (14, L = CO; 15, L = CNBu^t). The structure of compound 14 was established by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Ruthenium bis(phosphinite) pincer complexes

Resorcinol-based ruthenium bis(phosphinite) complexes were synthesized. Complexes RuCl(CO)[2,6-(Bu^t ₂PO)₂C₆H₃] (9) and RuH(CO)[2,6-(Bu^t ₂PO)₂C₆H₃] (10) were obtained by cyclometallation of 1,3-(Bu^t ₂PO)₂C₆H₃ with RuCl₂(DMSO)₄ in 2-methoxyethanol in the presence of Hünig’s base. The interconversion of complexes 9 and 10 was studied. The addition of carbon monoxide to complexes 9 and 10 yielded 18e adducts, RuCl(CO)₂[2,6-(Bu^t ₂PO)₂C₆H₃] (11) and RuH(CO)₂[2,6-(Bu^t ₂PO)₂C₆H₃] (12), respectively. In the case of complex 9, this reaction is reversible. Reaction of complex 10 with trifluoroacetic acid resulted in complex Ru(CF₃COO)(CO)[2,6-(Bu^t ₂PO)₂C₆H₃] (13), which reacted with carbon monoxide to give complex Ru(CF₃COO)(CO)₂[2,6-(Bu^t ₂PO)₂C₆H₃] (14). Based on the IR spectral data, the TFA ligand in complexes 13 and 14 is bound in a bi- and monodentate fashion, respectively. The structure of compound 9 was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Catalytic dehydrogenation of cyclooctane with neutral iridium(I) complexes

A series of new 1,5-cyclooctadiene iridium(I) complexes with chelating ligands has been synthesized. The ligands are naphthoxyimines, carboxylates and alcoholates. The complexes catalyze the homogeneous dehydrogenation of cyclooctane to give cyclooctene and hydrogen without an external hydrogen acceptor up to rates of 75 turnovers. The catalysts are active for at least 48 h at a temperature of 300 °C. The ligand structure has an influence on the activity and selectivity of the corresponding catalysts.     

Enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of pro-chiral ketones catalyzed by novel ruthenium and iridium complexes of well-designed phosphinite ligand

Abstract

The interaction of [Ru(η⁶-arene)(μ-Cl)Cl]₂ and Ir(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(μ-Cl)Cl]₂ with a new Ionic Liquid-based phosphinite ligand, [(Ph₂PO)-C₆H₉N₂Ph]Cl, (2) gave [Ru((Ph₂PO)-C₆H₉N₂Ph)(η⁶-p-cymene)Cl₂]Cl (3), [Ru((Ph₂PO)-C₆H₉N₂Ph)(benzene)Cl₂]Cl (4) and [Ir((Ph₂PO)-C₆H₉N₂Ph)(C₅Me₅)Cl₂]Cl (5), complexes. All the compounds were characterized by a combination of multinuclear NMR and IR spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis. Furthermore, the Ru(II) and Ir(III) catalysts were applied to asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone derivatives using 2-propanol as a hydrogen source. The results showed that the corresponding alcohols could be obtained with good activity (up to 55% ee and 99% conversion) under mild conditions. Notably, [Ir((Ph₂PO)-C₆H₉N₂Ph)(C₅Me₅)Cl₂]Cl (5) is more active than the other analogous complexes in the transfer hydrogenation (up to 81% ee).     

Activation of small molecules by a rhodium bis(phosphinite) pincer complex

Rhodium hydrido chloride pincer complex RhH(Cl)[2,6-(Bu^{pt b2}PO)^b2C^b6H^b3] was synthesized and used for the preparation of new complexes with labile two-electron ligands Rh(L)[2,6-(Bu^{pt b2}PO)^b2C^b6H^b3] (L = MeCN or S(CH^b2)^b4) and complexes with small molecules, such as CO, O^b2, H^b2, and N^b2.     

Mechanistic investigations of imine hydrogenation catalyzed by cationic iridium complexes

Complexes [IrH2(eta6-C6H6)(PiPr3)]BF4 (1) and [IrH2(NCMe)3(PiPr3)]BF4 (2) are catalyst precursors for homogeneous hydrogenation of N-benzylideneaniline under mild conditions. Precursor 1 generates the resting state [IrH2{eta5-(C6H5)NHCH2Ph}(PiPr3)]BF4 (3), while 2 gives rise to a mixture of [IrH{PhN=CH(C6H4)-kappaN,C}(NCMe)2(PiPr3)]BF4 (4) and [IrH{PhN=CH(C6H4)-kappaN,C}(NCMe)(NH2Ph)(PiPr3)]BF4 (5), in which the aniline ligand is derived from hydrolysis of the imine. The less hindered benzophenone imine forms the catalytically inactive, doubly cyclometalated compound [Ir{HN=CPh(C6H4)-kappaN,C}2(NH2CHPh2)(PiPr3)]BF4 (6). Hydrogenations with precursor 1 are fast and their reaction profiles are strongly dependent on solvent, concentrations, and temperature. Significant induction periods, minimized by addition of the amine hydrogenation product, are commonly observed. The catalytic rate law (THF) is rate = k[1][PhN=CHPh]p(H2). The results of selected stoichiometric reactions of potential catalytic intermediates exclude participation of the cyclometalated compounds [IrH{PhN=CH(C6H4)-kappaN,C}(S)2(PiPr3)]BF4 [S = acetonitrile (4), [D6]acetone (7), [D4]methanol (8)] in catalysis. Reactions between resting state 3 and D2 reveal a selective sequence of deuterium incorporation into the complex which is accelerated by the amine product. Hydrogen bonding among the components of the catalytic reaction was examined by MP2 calculations on model compounds. The calculations allow formulation of an ionic, outer-sphere, bifunctional hydrogenation mechanism comprising 1) amine-assisted oxidative addition of H2 to 3, the result of which is equivalent to heterolytic splitting of dihydrogen, 2) replacement of a hydrogen-bonded amine by imine, and 3) simultaneous H delta+/H delta- transfer to the imine substrate from the NH moiety of an arene-coordinated amine ligand and the metal, respectively.     

Mechanistic investigations of imine hydrogenation catalyzed by dinuclear iridium complexes

Treatment of [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H3(NCMe)(PiPr3)2] (1) with one equivalent of HBF4 or [PhNH=CHPh]BF4 affords efficient catalysts for the homogeneous hydrogenation of N-benzylideneaniline. The reaction of 1 with HBF4 leads to the trihydride-dihydrogen complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(eta2-H2)(NCMe)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (2), which has been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations on a model complex. Complex 2 reacts with imines such as tBuN=CHPh or PhN=CHPh to afford amine complexes [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe){L}(PiPr3)2]BF4 (L = NH(tBu)CH2Ph, 3; NH(Ph)CH2Ph, 4) through a sequence of proton- and hydride-transfer steps. Dihydrogen partially displaces the amine ligand of 4 to form 2; this complements a possible catalytic cycle for the N-benzylideneaniline hydrogenation in which the amine-by-dihydrogen substitution is the turnover-determining step. The rates of ligand substitution in 4 and its analogues with labile ligands other than amine are dependent upon the nature of the leaving ligand and independent on the incoming ligand concentration, in agreement with dissociative substitutions. Water complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe)(OH2)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (7) hydrolyzes N-benzylideneaniline, which eventually affords the poor hydrogenation catalyst [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe)(NH2Ph)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (11). The rate law for the catalytic hydrogenation in 1,2-dichloroethane with complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(OSO2CF3)(NCMe)(PiPr3)2] (8) as catalyst precursor is rate = k[8]{p(H2)}; this is in agreement with the catalytic cycle deduced from the stochiometric experiments. The hydrogenation reaction takes place at a single iridium center of the dinuclear catalyst, although ligand modifications at the neighboring iridium center provoke changes in the hydrogenation rate. Even though this catalyst system is also capable of effectively hydrogenating alkenes, N-benzylideneaniline can be selectively hydrogenated in the presence of simple alkenes.     

Rhodium(III) NCN pincer complexes catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of ketones

Air-stable monomeric rhodium(III) NCN pincer complexes were synthesized via direct C-H bond activation of 1,3-bis(2-pyridyloxy)benzene, 3,5-bis(2-pyridyloxy)toluene and 3,5-bis(2-pyridyloxy)anisole with RhCl₃·3H₂O in ethanol under reflux. The synthesized complexes were characterized by elemental analysis and ¹H NMR. One of the complexes was structurally characterized by X-ray analysis. An investigation into the catalytic activity of the complex 1a as catalyst for transfer hydrogenation of ketones to alcohols at 82 °C in the presence of iPrOH/KOH was undertaken with the conversions up to 99%.     

铱(I)联萘胺Schiff碱(BPMBNDI)配合物催化苯乙酮的不对称氢转移反应

用旋光活性2, 2'-(1, 1'-联萘)二胺和2-吡啶基甲醛缩合得到的Schiff碱BPMBNDI[N, N'-二(2-吡啶基亚甲基)-(1, 1'-联萘)-2, 2'-二亚胺]为配体与[Ir(COD)Cl]2(COD=1, 5-环辛二烯)反应, 生成了10个光学活性铱配合物。研究它们在异丙醇对苯乙酮不对称氢转移反应中的光学诱导活性时, 发现10个催化剂均具有较高的立体选择性,其中[Ir(COD)(BPMBNDI)I]催化的光学产率高达84%。     

Square-planar iridium(II) and iridium(III) amido complexes stabilized by a PNP pincer ligand

Squaring the circle: the novel dienamido pincer ligand N(CHCHPtBu(2))(2)(-) affords the isolation of the unusual square-planar iridium(II) and iridium(III) amido complexes [IrCl{N(CHCHPtBu(2))(2)}](n) (n=0 (1), +1 (2)). In contrast, the corresponding iridium(I) complex of the redox series (n=-1) is surprisingly unstable. The diamagnetism of 2 is attributed to strong N→Ir π donation.     

Mechanistic studies of ethylene hydrophenylation catalyzed by bipyridyl Pt(II) complexes

Cationic platinum(II) complexes [((t)bpy)Pt(Ph)(L)](+) [(t)bpy =4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridyl; L = THF, NC(5)F(5), or NCMe] catalyze the hydrophenylation of ethylene to generate ethylbenzene and isomers of diethylbenzene. Using ethylene as the limiting reagent, an 89% yield of alkyl arene products is achieved after 4 h at 120 °C. Catalyst efficiency for ethylene hydrophenylation is diminished only slightly under aerobic conditions. Mechanistic studies support a reaction pathway that involves ethylene coordination to Pt(II), insertion of ethylene into the Pt-phenyl bond, and subsequent metal-mediated benzene C-H activation. Studies of stoichiometric benzene (C(6)H(6) or C(6)D(6)) C-H/C-D activation by [((t)bpy)Pt(Ph-d(n))(THF)](+) (n = 0 or 5) indicate a k(H)/k(D) = 1.4(1), while comparative rates of ethylene hydrophenylation using C(6)H(6) and C(6)D(6) reveal k(H)/k(D) = 1.8(4) for the overall catalytic reaction. DFT calculations suggest that the transition state for benzene C-H activation is the highest energy species along the catalytic cycle. In CD(2)Cl(2), [((t)bpy)Pt(Ph)(THF)][BAr'(4)] [Ar' = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] reacts with ethylene to generate [((t)bpy)Pt(CH(2)CH(2)Ph)(η(2)-C(2)H(4))][BAr'(4)] with k(obs) = 1.05(4) × 10(-3) s(-1) (23 °C, [C(2)H(4)] = 0.10(1) M). In the catalytic hydrophenylation of ethylene, substantial amounts of diethylbenzenes are produced, and experimental studies suggest that the selectivity for the monoalkylated arene is diminished due to a second aromatic C-H activation competing with ethylbenzene dissociation.     

Enantioselective transfer hydrogenation catalyzed by iridium(I) complexes with nitrogen donor ligands

The reduction of prochiral ketones by hydrogen transfer from isopropanol is catalyzed by cationic iridium(I) complexes containing optically active Schiff bases. Optical yields of up to 33% have been obtained.     

Substituent effects on Ni-S bond dissociation energies and kinetic stability of nickel arylthiolate complexes supported by a bis(phosphinite)-based pincer ligand

Pincer complexes of the type [2,6-(R(2)PO)(2)C(6)H(3)]NiSC(6)H(4)Z (R = Ph and i-Pr; Z = p-OCH(3), p-CH(3), H, p-Cl, and p-CF(3)) have been synthesized from [2,6-(R(2)PO)(2)C(6)H(3)]NiCl and sodium arylthiolate. X-ray structure determinations of these thiolate complexes have shown a somewhat constant Ni-S bond length (approx. 2.20 ?) but an almost unpredictable orientation of the thiolate ligand. Equilibrium constants for various thiolate exchange (between a nickel thiolate complex and a free thiol, or between two different nickel thiolate complexes) reactions have been measured. Evidently, the thiolate ligand with an electron-withdrawing substituent prefers to bond with "[2,6-(Ph(2)PO)(2)C(6)H(3)]Ni" rather than "[2,6-(i-Pr(2)PO)(2)C(6)H(3)]Ni", and bonds least favourably with hydrogen. The reactions of the thiolate complexes with halogenated compounds such as PhCH(2)Br, CH(3)I, CCl(4), and Ph(3)CCl have been examined and several mechanistic pathways have been explored.     

Synthesis and characterization of new (pyrazolyl)aryl phosphinite PCN pincer palladium(II) complexes

Two unsymmetrical PCN pincer Pd(II) complexes 3a–3b which are based on (pyrazolyl)aryl phosphinite ligands and contain two fused six-membered palladacycles have been synthesized from 3-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-ylmethyl)benzyl alcohol (2) by one-pot phosphorylation/palladation reaction via C–H bond activation of the related ligands. The pyrazole-coordinated phosphine-free Pd(II) complex (4) was also isolated in the preparation of pincer complex 3a. The new complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, ³¹P {¹H} NMR (for pincer complexes) and IR spectra. And the molecular structures of 3b and 4 have been further determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The pincer Pd complexes 3a and 3b exhibited rather low activity in the allylation of benzaldehyde.     

PCP-Bis(phosphinite) pincer complexes: new homogeneous catalysts for α-arylation of ketones

Two new p-alkoxycarbonylated palladium bis(phosphinite) PCP pincer complexes are easily prepared and for the first time evaluated as homogeneous catalysts in α-arylation of ketone enolates. Apart from the total absence of phenyl-aryl exchange by-products and significantly low catalyst loadings, the general α-arylation protocols described in this letter feature not only a broad applicability to a range of ketones and aryl bromides with marked electronic and steric differences but also the possibility to generate mono-diarylated products.     

Chiral iridium(I) bis(NHC) complexes as catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

The common use of NHC complexes in transition‐metal mediated C–C coupling and metathesis reactions in recent decades has established N‐heterocyclic carbenes as a new class of ligand for catalysis. The field of asymmetric catalysis with complexes bearing NHC‐containing chiral ligands is dominated by mixed carbene/oxazoline or carbene/phosphane chelating ligands. In contrast, applications of complexes with chiral, chelating bis(NHC) ligands are rare. In the present work new chiral iridium(I) bis(NHC) complexes and their application in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones are described. A series of chiral bis(azolium) salts have been prepared following a synthetic pathway, starting from L ‐valinol and the modular buildup allows the structural variation of the ligand precursors. The iridium complexes were formed via a one‐pot transmetallation procedure. The prepared complexes were applied as catalysts in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various prochiral ketones, affording the corresponding chiral alcohols in high yields and moderate to good enantioselectivities of up to 68%. The enantioselectivities of the catalysts were strongly affected by the various, terminal N‐substituents of the chelating bis(NHC) ligands. The results presented in this work indicate the potential of bis‐carbenes as stereodirecting ligands for asymmetric catalysis and are offering a base for further developments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theoretical investigation on the mechanisms of transfer hydrogenation of ketones catalyzed by iridium complexes

The detailed catalytic mechanisms on transfer hydrogenation of ketones are explored by employing the representative reaction of 3-pentanone and 2-propanol catalyzed by the model complex IrH₃[(Me₂PC₂H₄)₂NH], derived from the catalyst IrH₃[(ⁱPr₂PC₂H₄)₂NH], with the aid of the density functional theory calculations. The geometrical transformation from an octahedron to a Y-type involved in the catalytic cycle is also elucidated in terms of molecular theory of transition metal complexes. The trend for the variation of Ir-N bond distance is also analyzed.