Enantioselective hydrogenation with self-assembling rhodium phosphane catalysts: influence of ligand structure and solvent

Three sets of new and related chiral phospholane and phosphepine ligands have been prepared for Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation. The size and substitution pattern of the cyclic monophosphanes were varied. More importantly, the ligands differ in the nature of the heterocyclic group linked to the trivalent phosphorus atom: 2-pyridone or 2-alkoxypyridine. In the corresponding Rh complexes, the pyridone units of two monodentate P ligands can assemble by hydrogen bonding and form chelates. In contrast, synthetic precursors bearing alkoxypyridine appendages are not able to aggregate via intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The nature of self-assembly is dependent on the nature of the P ligand and the solvent used for the hydrogenation (CH2Cl2 vs. MeOH). These features affect the rate of the reaction as well as the enantioselectivity, which varied in the range of 0-99 % ee Complexation studies and DFT calculations were performed to explain these differences.     

Behaviour of [PdH(dppe)2]X (X=CF3SO3-, SbF6-, BF4-) as proton or hydride donor: relevance to catalysis

The synthesis, characterization and properties of [PdH(dppe)(2)](+)CF(3)SO(3) (-).0.125 THF (1; dppe=1,2-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)ethane) and its SbF(6) (-) (1') and BF(4) (-) (1") analogues, the missing members of the [MH(dppe)(2)](+)X(-) (M=Ni, Pd, Pt) family, are described. The Pd hydrides are not stable in solution and can react as proton or hydride donors with formation of dihydrogen, [Pd(dppe)(2)](2+) and [Pd(dppe)(2)]. Complexes 1-1" react with carbocations and carbanions by transferring a hydride and a proton, respectively. Such H(-) or H(+) transfer occurs also towards unsaturated compounds, for example, hydrogenation of a C=C double bond. Accordingly, 1 can hydrogenate methyl acrylate to methyl propionate. Complex 1" is an effective (hourly turnover frequency=16) and very selective (100 %) catalyst for the hydrogenation of cyclohexen-2-one to cyclohexanone with dihydrogen under mild conditions. Density functional calculations coupled with a dielectric continuum model were carried out to compute the energetics of the hydride/proton transfer reactions, which were used to rationalize some of the experimental findings. Theory provides strong support for the thermodynamic and kinetic viability of a tetracoordinate Pd complex as an intermediate in the reactions.     

Manganese-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrodebromination of Aryl Bromides with Ethanol

A convenient PNP pincer manganese catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of bromides to corresponding debrominated aryl compounds using ethanol as the hydrogen sources is reported. Importantly, the application of biomass-derived ethanol highlights the sustainability of the methodology. The use of 6-phenyl substituted triazine-based P^iprN⁵P^ipr manganese pincer catalyst allows for the debromination of various aryl bromides with good yields. Notably, the process also occurs with bromides derived from several classes of natural products and bioactive compounds, such as citronellol, diacetone fructose, cholesterol, and vitamin E.     

A highly tunable family of chiral bisphospholanes for rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation reactions

A set of 16 new and closely related bisphospholane ligands have been prepared by using a highly flexible and convergent approach. Each synthesis can be performed on an industrially relevant scale. The bisphosphines differ in the nature of the bridge connecting both phospholane units. Bridges are formed by three-, four-, five- and six-membered heterocyclic or alicyclic rings. Bisphospholanes and their Rh-precatalysts have been investigated by using results of theoretical calculations (DFT) and analytic measurements ((31)P and (103)Rh NMR spectroscopy, X-ray structure analysis). The studies showed that catalysts based on ligands with maleic anhydride or maleimide bridges give constantly superior enantioselectivities in methanol as the solvent. This may account for optimised steric and electronic effects. However, by changing the solvent catalysts with other backbones can give rise to excellent results. This gives proof that simple correlations between steric and electronic properties and results in the enantioselective hydrogenation frequently claimed in literature are not general.     

Hydrogenation and Transfer Hydrogenation Promoted by Tethered Ru−S Complexes: From Cooperative Dihydrogen Activation to Hydride Abstraction/Proton Release from Dihydrogen Surrogates

Hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation of imines with cyclohexa‐1,4‐dienes, as well as with a representative Hantzsch ester dihydrogen surrogate, are reported. Both processes are catalyzed by tethered Ru?S complexes but differ in the activation mode of the dihydrogen source: cooperative activation of the H?H bond at the Ru?S bond leads to the corresponding Ru?H complex and protonation of the sulfur atom, whereas the same cationic Ru?S catalyst abstracts a hydride from a donor‐substituted cyclohexa‐1,4‐diene to form the neutral Ru?H complex and a low‐energy Wheland intermediate. A sequence of proton and hydride transfers on the imine substrate then yields an amine. The reaction pathways are analyzed computationally, and the established mechanistic pictures are in agreement with the experimental observations.     

Diverting Hydrogenations with Wilkinson's Catalyst towards Highly Reactive Rhodium(I) Species

The addition of Barton's base has a dramatic effect on the classic rhodium(III)‐mediated hydrogenations promoted by Wilkinson′s catalyst. Following the initial oxidative addition, a barrierless reductive elimination of HCl from the traditional rhodium(III) intermediates instantly produces a rhodium(I) monohydride species, which is remarkably reactive in the hydrogenation of several internal alkynes and functionalized trisubstituted alkenes. The direct formation of this species is unprecedented upon addition of molecular hydrogen and its catalytic potential has been hitherto barely explored.     

Iridicycle‐Catalysed Imine Reduction: An Experimental and Computational Study of the Mechanism

The mechanism of imine reduction by formic acid with a single‐site iridicycle catalyst has been investigated by density functional theory (DFT), NMR spectroscopy, and kinetic measurements. The NMR and kinetic studies suggest that the transfer hydrogenation is turnover‐limited by the hydride formation step. The calculations reveal that, amongst a number of possibilities, hydride formation from the iridicycle and formate probably proceeds by an ion‐pair mechanism, whereas the hydride transfer to the imino bond occurs in an outer‐sphere manner. In the gas phase, in the most favourable pathway, the activation energies in the hydride formation and transfer steps are 26–28 and 7–8 kcal mol^?1, respectively. Introducing one explicit methanol molecule into the modelling alters the energy barrier significantly, reducing the energies to around 18 and 2 kcal mol^?1 for the two steps, respectively. The DFT investigation further shows that methanol participates in the transition state of the turnover‐limiting hydride formation step by hydrogen‐bonding to the formate anion and thereby stabilising the ion pair.     

Influence of coadsorbates on the NO dissociation on a rhodium(311) surface.

Density functional theory (DFT) studies were performed to investigate the influence of coadsorbates on the nitrogen oxide dissociation on the vicinal rhodium(311) surface. This study amplifies prior studies on the dissociation of oxygen and nitrogen oxide on the (111) facet of rhodium. The influence of coadsorbates on the kinetic parameters and thermochemistry of the NO dissociation on Rh311 was studied. In addition, the activation energy and thermochemistry of this reaction were determined as a function of oxygen preoccupation/initial coverage. Steric and electronic effects and their influence on the dissociation reaction were examined. The results are discussed in the face of an NOx dissociation catalyst system proposed by Nakatsuji.     

Polymeric cofactors which accelerate homogeneous rhodium(I) and ruthenium(II) catalyzed hydrogenations of alkenes

Polymeric reagents prepared by exchanging silver(I) for H⁺ on a macroreticular polystyrene sulfonate ion exchange resin are shown to be capable of selectively absorbing triphenylphosphine from solutions of triphenylphosphine complexes of rhodium(I) and ruthenium(II). Absorption of triphenylphosphine during alkene hydrogenations catalyzed by RhCl(PPh₃)₃, RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃ and RuHCl(PPh₃)₃ led to increased hydrogenation rates in hydrogenation of 1-hexene and other alkenes. Addition of this silver(I) polystyrene sulfonate to alkene hydrogenations catalyzed by HRh(CO) (PPh₃)₃, RuH₂(PPh₃)₃ and RuH(OCOCH₃) (PPh₃)₃ also led to modest rate accelerations. Catalyst activations seen in these alkene hydrogenations were shown to be due in some cases to triphenylphosphine absorption. In other cases, HCl or HCl plus triphenylphosphine absorption was responsible for the formation of a more active catalyst solution.     

Catalytic non-conventional trans-hydroboration: a theoretical and experimental perspective

We have studied the non-conventional trans-hydroboration reaction of alkynes both experimentally and theoretically. A catalytic system based on the in situ mixture of [{Rh(cod)Cl}(2)]/PCy(3) (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene, Cy=cyclohexyl) has been able to activate pinacolborane and catecholborane and transfer boryl and hydride groups onto the same unhindered carbon atom of the terminal alkynes. The presence of a base (Et(3)N) favored the non-conventional trans-hydroboration over the traditional cis-hydroboration. Varying the substrate had a significant influence on the reaction, with up to 99% conversion and 94% regioselectivity observed for para-methyl-phenylacetylene. Both DFT and quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical ONIOM calculations were carried out on the [RhCl(PR(3))(2)] system. To explain the selectivity towards the (Z)-alkenylboronate we explored several alternative mechanisms to the traditional cis-hydroboration, using propyne as a model alkyne. The proposed mechanism can be divided into four stages: 1) isomerization of the alkyne into the vinylidene, 2) oxidative addition of the borane reagent, 3) vinylidene insertion into the Rh-H bond, and finally 4) reductive elimination of the C-B bond to yield the 1-alkenylboronate. Calculations indicated that the vinylidene insertion is the selectivity-determining step. This result was consistent with the observed Z selectivity when the sterically demanding phosphine groups, such as PCy(3) and PiPr(3), were introduced. Finally, we theoretically analyzed the effect of the substrate on the selectivity; we identified several factors that contribute to the preference for aryl alkynes over aliphatic alkynes for the Z isomer. The intrinsic electronic properties of aryl substituents favored the Z-pathway over the E-pathway, and the aryl groups containing electron donating substituents favored the occurrence of the vinylidene reaction channel.     

Symmetric and dissymmetric N‐heterocyclic carbene rhodium(I) complexes: a comparative study of their catalytic activities in transfer hydrogenation reaction

Six new [RhBr(NHC)(cod)] (NHC = N‐heterocyclic carbene; cod = 1,5‐cyclooctadiene) type rhodium complexes ( 4–6 ) have been prepared by the reaction of [Rh(μ‐OMe)(cod)]₂ with a series of corresponding imidazoli(in)ium bromides ( 1–3 ) bearing mesityl (Mes) or 2,4,6‐trimethylbenzyl (CH₂Mes) substituents at N¹ and N³ positions. They have been fully characterized by ¹ H, ¹³ C and heteronuclear multiple quantum correlation NMR analyses, elemental analysis and mass spectroscopy. Complexes of type [(NHC)RhBr(CO)₂] (NHC = imidazol‐2‐ylidene) ( 7b–9b ) were also synthesized to compare σ‐donor/π‐acceptor strength of NHC ligands. Transfer hydrogenation (TH) reaction of acetophenone has been comparatively studied by using complexes 4–6 as catalysts. The symmetrically CH₂Mes‐substituted rhodium complex bearing a saturated NHC ligand ( 5a ) showed the highest catalytic activity for TH reaction. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ligand‐Controlled Regiodivergent Pathways of Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Dihydroisoquinolone Synthesis: Experimental and Computational Studies of Different Cyclopentadienyl Ligands

Rh^III‐catalyzed directed C?H functionalizations of arylhydroxamates have become a valuable synthetic tool. To date, the regioselectivity of the insertion of the unsaturated acceptor into the common cyclometalated intermediate was dependent solely on intrinsic substrate control. Herein, we report two different catalytic systems that allow the selective formation of regioisomeric 3‐aryl dihydroisoquinolones and previously inaccessible 4‐aryl dihydroisoquinolones under full catalyst control. The differences in the catalysts are computationally examined using density functional theory and transition state theory of different possible pathways to elucidate key contributing factors leading to the regioisomeric products. The stabilities of the initially formed rhodium complex styrene adducts, as well as activation barrier differences for the migratory insertion, were identified as key contributing factors for the regiodivergent pathways.     

Evidence of colloidal rhodium formation during the biphasic hydroformylation of 1‐octene with thermoregulated phase‐transfer phosphine rhodium(I) catalyst

A thermoregulated phase‐transfer (TRPT) Rh(I) complex catalyst A prepared from Rh(acac)(CO)₂ and a thermoregulated ligand CH₃(OCH₂CH₂)_mPPh₂ (M_w = 918) was applied to the biphasic hydroformylation of 1‐octene, and a high activity with an aldehyde yield of 97.5% was demonstrated. After three recycling steps, the aldehyde yield gradually decreased. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that after the first cycle Rh colloids were generated in situ in the aqueous phase, and in subsequent runs Ostwald ripening occurred. An independently prepared colloidal Rh(0) TRPT catalyst D also exhibited high hydroformylation activity under identical experimental conditions, and after two times of recycling an activity decrease was also observed. It is suggested that in situ from Rh(acac)(CO)₂ colloidal Rh particles are generated, which demonstrate thermomorphic behaviour and a high hydroformylation activity. Subsequently, agglomeration processes result in an activity decay, as observed in the TRPT Rh(I) complex catalyst system. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrogenation studies involving halobis(phosphine)-rhodium(I) dimers: use of parahydrogen induced polarisation to detect species present at low concentration

Reaction of [RhCl(PPh3)2]2 with parahydrogen revealed that the binuclear dihydride [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2mu-Cl)2Rh(PPh3)2] and the tetrahydride complex [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-Cl)]2 are readily formed. While magnetisation transfer from free H2 into both the hydride resonances of the tetrahydride and [Rh(H)2Cl(PPh3)3] is observable, neither transfer into [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-Cl)2Rh(PPh3)2] nor transfer between the two binuclear complexes is seen. Consequently [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-Cl)]2 and [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-Cl)2Rh(PPh3)2] are not connected on the NMR timescale by simple elimination or addition of H2. The rapid exchange of free H2 into the tetrahydride proceeds via reversible halide bridge rupture and the formation of [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-Cl)RhCl(H)2(PPh3)2]. When these reactions are examined in CD2Cl2, the formation of the solvent complex [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-Cl)2Rh(CD2Cl2)(PPh3)] and the deactivation products [Rh(Cl)(H)PPh3)2(mu-Cl)(mu-H)Rh(Cl)(H)PPh3)2] and [Rh(Cl)(H)(CD2Cl2)(PPh3)(mu-Cl)(mu-H)Rh(Cl)(H)PPh3)2] is indicated. In the presence of an alkene and parahydrogen, signals corresponding to binuclear complexes of the type [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-Cl)(2)(Rh)(PPh3)(alkene)] are detected. These complexes undergo intramolecular hydride interchange in a process that is independent of the concentration of styrene and catalyst and involves halide bridge rupture, followed by rotation about the remaining Rh-Cl bridge, and bridge re-establishment. This process is facilitated by electron rich alkenes. Magnetisation transfer from the hydride ligands of these complexes into the alkyl group of the hydrogenation product is also observed. Hydrogenation is proposed to proceed via binuclear complex fragmentation and trapping of the resultant intermediate [RhCl(H)2PPh3)2] by the alkene. Studies on a number of other binuclear dihydride complexes including [(H)(Cl)Rh(PMe3)2(mu-H)(mu-Cl)Rh(CO)(PMe3)], [(H)2Rh(PMe3)2(mu-Cl)2Rh(CO)(PMe3)] and [HRh(PMe3)2(mu-H)(mu-Cl)2Rh(CO)(PMe3)] reveal that such species are able to play a similar role in hydrogenation catalysis. When the analogous iodide complexes [RhIPPh3)2]2 and [RhI(PPh3)3] are examined, [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-I)2Rh(PPh3)2], [Rh(H)2(PPh3)2(mu-I)]2 and [Rh(H)2I(PPh3)3] are observed in addition to the corresponding binuclear alkene-dihydride products. The higher initial activity of these precursors is offset by the formation of the trirhodium phosphide bridged deactivation product, [[(H)(PPh3)Rh(mu-H)(mu-I)(mu-PPh2)Rh(H)(PPh3)](mu-I)2Rh(H)2PPh3)2]     

Why platinum catalysts involving ligands with large bite angle are so efficient in the allylation of amines: design of a highly active catalyst and comprehensive experimental and DFT study

The platinum-catalyzed allylation of amines with allyl alcohols was studied experimentally and theoretically. The complexes [Pt(eta(3)-allyl)(dppe)]OTf (2) and [Pt(eta(3)-allyl)(DPP-Xantphos)]PF(6) (5) were synthesized and structurally characterized, and their reactivity toward amines was explored. The bicyclic aminopropyl complex [Pt(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NHBn-kappa-C,N)(dppe)]OTf (3) was obtained from the reaction of complex 2 with an excess of benzylamine, and this complex was shown to be a deactivated form of catalyst 2. On the other hand, reaction of complex 5 with benzylamine and allyl alcohol led to formation of the 16-VE platinum(0) complex [Pt(eta(2)-C(3)H(5)OH)(DPP-Xantphos)] (7), which was structurally characterized and appears to be a catalytic intermediate. A DFT study showed that the mechanism of the platinum-catalyzed allylation of amines with allyl alcohols differs from the palladium-catalyzed process, since it involves an associative ligand-exchange step involving formation of a tetracoordinate 18-VE complex. This DFT study also revealed that ligands with large bite angles disfavor the formation of platinum hydride complexes and therefore the formation of a bicyclic aminopropyl complex, which is a thermodynamic sink. Finally, a combination of 5 and a proton source was shown to efficiently catalyze the allylation of a broad variety of amines with allyl alcohols under mild conditions.