Conversion of Carbon Dioxide into Methanol with Silanes over N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysts

Activate and reduce : Carbon dioxide was reduced with silane using a stable N‐heterocyclic carbene organocatalyst to provide methanol under very mild conditions. Dry air can serve as the feedstock, and the organocatalyst is much more efficient than transition‐metal catalysts for this reaction. This approach offers a very promising protocol for chemical CO₂ activation and fixation.

     

An Abnormal N‐Heterocyclic Carbene–Carbon Dioxide Adduct from Imidazolium Acetate Ionic Liquids: The Importance of Basicity

In the reaction of 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium acetate [C₂C₁Im][OAc] ionic liquid with carbon dioxide at 125 °C and 10 MPa, not only the known N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)–CO₂ adduct I , but also isomeric aNHC‐CO₂ adducts II and III were obtained. The abnormal NHC‐CO₂ adducts are stabilized by the presence of the polarizing basic acetate anion, according to static DFT calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics studies. A further possible reaction pathway is facilitated by the high basicity of the system, deprotonating the initially formed NHC‐CO₂ adduct I , which can then be converted in the presence of the excess of CO₂ to the more stable 2‐deprotonated anionic abnormal NHC–CO₂ adduct via the anionic imidazolium‐2,4‐dicarboxylate according to DFT calculations on model compounds. This suggests a generalizable pathway to abnormal NHC complex formation.     

Computer‐Assisted Design of Imidazolate‐Based Ionic Liquids for Improving Sulfur Dioxide Capture,Carbon Dioxide Capture,and Sulfur Dioxide/Carbon Dioxide Selectivity

A new strategy involving the computer‐assisted design of substituted imidazolate‐based ionic liquids (ILs) through tuning the absorption enthalpy as well as the basicity of the ILs to improve SO₂ capture, CO₂ capture, and SO₂/CO₂ selectivity was explored. The best substituted imidazolate‐based ILs as absorbents for different applications were first predicted. During absorption, high SO₂ capacities up to ≈5.3 and 2.4 mol mol_IL⁻¹ could be achieved by ILs with the methylimidazolate anions under 1.0 and 0.1 bar (1 bar=0.1 MPa), respectively, through tuning multiple N ⋅⋅⋅ S interactions between SO₂ and the N atoms in the imidazolate anion with different substituents. In addition, CO₂ capture by the imidazolate‐based ILs could also be easily tuned through changing the substituents of the ILs, and 4‐bromoimidazolate IL showed a high CO₂ capacity but a low absorption enthalpy. Furthermore, a high selectivity for SO₂/CO₂ could be reached by IL with 4,5‐dicyanoimidazolate anion owing to its high SO₂ capacity but low CO₂ capacity. The results put forward in this work are in good agreement with the predictions. Quantum‐chemical calculations and FTIR and NMR spectroscopy analysis methods were used to discuss the SO₂ and CO₂ absorption mechanisms.     

Carboxylation Reactions with Carbon Dioxide Using N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Copper Catalysts

The development of versatile catalyst systems and new transformations for the utilization of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is of great interest and significance. This Personal Account reviews our studies on the exploration of the reactions of CO₂ with various substrates by the use of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐copper catalysts. The carboxylation of organoboron compounds gave access to a wide range of carboxylic acids with excellent functional group tolerance. The C?H bond carboxylation with CO₂ emerged as a straightforward protocol for the preparation of a series of aromatic carboxylic esters and butenoates from simple substrates. The hydrosilylation of CO₂ with hydrosilanes provided an efficient method for the synthesis of silyl formate on gram scale. The hydrogenative or alkylative carboxylation of alkynes, ynamides and allenamides yielded useful α,β‐unsaturated carboxylic acids and α,β‐dehydro amino acid esters. The boracarboxylation of alkynes or aldehydes afforded the novel lithium cyclic boralactone or boracarbonate products, respectively. The NHC‐copper catalysts generally featured excellent functional group compatibility, broad substrate scope, high efficiency, and high regio‐ and stereoselectivity. The unique electronic and steric properties of the NHC‐copper units also enabled the isolation and structural characterization of some key intermediates for better understanding of the catalytic reaction mechanisms.     

Regioselective Alkylative Carboxylation of Allenamides with Carbon Dioxide and Dialkylzinc Reagents Catalyzed by an N‐Heterocyclic Carbene–Copper Complex

The alkylative carboxylation of allenamide catalyzed by an N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)–copper(I) complex [(IPr)CuCl] with CO₂ and dialkylzinc reagents was investigated. The reaction of allenamides with dialkylzinc reagents (1.5 equiv) and CO₂ (1 atm.) proceeded smoothly in the presence of a catalytic quantity of [(IPr)CuCl] to afford (Z)‐α,β‐dehydro‐β‐amino acid esters in good yields. The reaction is regioselective, with the alkyl group introduced onto the less hindered γ‐carbon, and the carboxyl group introduced onto the β‐carbon atom of the allenamides. The first step of the reaction was alkylative zincation of the allenamides to give an alkenylzinc intermediate followed by nucleophilic addition to CO₂. A variety of cyclic and acyclic allenamides were found to be applicable to this transformation. Dialkylzinc reagents bearing β‐hydrogen atoms, such as Et₂Zn or Bu₂Zn, also gave the corresponding alkylative carboxylation products without β‐hydride elimination. The present methodology provides an easy route to alkyl‐substituted α,β‐dehydro‐β‐amino acid ester derivatives under mild reaction conditions with high regio‐ and stereoselectivtiy.     

A Cationic Zinc Hydride Cluster Stabilized by an N‐Heterocyclic Carbene: Synthesis,Reactivity, and Hydrosilylation Catalysis

The trinuclear cationic zinc hydride cluster [(IMes)₃Zn₃H₄(THF)](BPh₄)₂ ( 1 ) was obtained either by protonation of the neutral zinc dihydride [(IMes)ZnH₂]₂ with a Brønsted acid or by addition of the putative zinc dication [(IMes)Zn(THF)]²⁺. A triply bridged thiophenolato complex 2 was formed upon oxidation of 1 with PhS? SPh. Protonolysis of 1 by methanol or water gave the corresponding trinuclear dicationic derivatives. At ambient temperature, 1 catalyzed the hydrosilylation of aldehydes, ketones, and nitriles. Carbon dioxide was also hydrosilylated under forcing conditions when using (EtO)₃SiH, giving silylformate as the main product.     

Umpolung Reactivity of Aldehydes toward Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is an intrinsically stable molecule. Therefore, its activation requires extra energy input in the form of reactive reagents and/or activated catalysts and, often, harsh reaction conditions. Reported here is a direct carboxylation reaction of aromatic aldehydes with carbon dioxide to afford α‐keto acids as added‐value products. In situ generation of a reactive cyanohydrin was the key to the successful carboxylation reaction under operationally mild reaction conditions (25–40 °C, 1 atm CO₂). The resulting α‐keto acids served as a platform for α‐amino acid synthesis by reductive amination reactions, illustrating the chemical synthesis of essential bioactive molecules from carbon dioxide.     

N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes as Efficient Organocatalysts for CO2 Fixation Reactions

Getting a fix : N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and NHC–CO₂ adducts serve as potent organocatalysts for carbonate synthesis by the addition of a CO₂ unit to propargylic alcohols or epoxides under mild and solvent‐free reaction conditions (see scheme). The enhanced Lewis basicity of imidazol‐2‐ylidenes bearing electron‐donating alkyl groups on the nitrogen atoms leads to utilizing CO₂ as a nucleophilic fragment in the chemical fixation processes.

     

Access to α‐Arylglycines by Umpolung Carboxylation of Aromatic Imines with Carbon Dioxide

A straightforward and transition‐metal‐free approach for the efficient synthesis of α‐arylglycine derivatives from aromatic imines and carbon dioxide was enabled by an umpolung carboxylation reaction. Various substituted diphenylmethimines underwent the carboxylation smoothly with carbon dioxide in the presence of potassium tert‐butoxide and 18‐crown‐6 to give the corresponding carboxylated products in good to high yields. Besides the enhancement of the solubility of potassium tert‐butoxide in THF, 18‐crown‐6 also plays key roles in suppressing the reverse protonation or 1, 3‐proton shift isomerization as well as by stabilizing the carboxylated intermediate.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Hydroalkenylation of Vinylarenes: Electronic Effects of Substrates and Chiral N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands

An asymmetric tail‐to‐tail cross‐hydroalkenylation of vinylarenes with terminal olefins was achieved by catalysis with NiH complexes bearing chiral N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). The reaction provides branched gem‐disubstituted olefins with high enantioselectivity (up to 94 % ee) and chemoselectivity (cross/homo product ratio: up to 99:1). Electronic effects of the substituents on the vinylarenes and on the N‐aryl groups of the NHC ligands, but not a π,π‐stacking mechanism, assist the steric effect and influence the outcome of the cross‐hydroalkenylation.     

First N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes Relying on the Triazolone Structural Motif: Syntheses,Modifications and Reactivity

4‐Phenylsemicarbazide and 1,5‐diphenylcarbazide are suitable starting materials for the syntheses of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) compounds with new backbone structures. In the first case, cyclisation and subsequent methylation leads to a cationic precursor whose deprotonation affords the triazolon‐ylidene 2 , which was converted to the corresponding sulfur and selenium adducts and a range of metal complexes. In contrast, cyclisation of diphenylcarbazide affords a neutral betain‐type NHC‐precursor 7 , which is not in equilibrium with its carbene tautomer 7a . Precursor 7 can either be deprotonated to give the anionic NHC 8 or methylated at the N or O atom of the backbone resulting in two isomeric cationic species 16 and 20 . Deprotonation of the latter two provides neutral NHC compounds with a carboxamide or carboximidate backbone, respectively. The ligand properties of the new NHC compounds were evaluated by IR and ⁷⁷Se NMR spectroscopy. Tolman electronic parameter (TEP) values range from 2050 to 2063 cm^?1 with the anionic NHC 8 being the best overall donor.     

Dinuclear Zinc Hydride Supported by an Anionic Bis(N‐Heterocyclic Carbene) Ligand

Methylene‐linked bis(N,N′‐di‐tert‐butylimidazol‐2‐ylidene) 1 reacted with diethylzinc to give dinuclear zinc ethyl compound 2 , which contains a formally anionic bis(carbene) ligand as a result of deprotonation of the methylene bridge. The reaction of 2 with PhSiH₃ gave the phenylsilyl compound 3 . The zinc hydride 4 was obtained by the reaction of 2 with LiAlH₄ or Ph₃SiOH followed by treatment with PhSiH₃. X‐ray diffraction studies show that compounds 2 , 3 , and 4 all have a similar dimeric structure with D_2h symmetry. The reaction of hydride 4 with carbon dioxide and N,N′‐diisopropylcarbodiimide gave formato ( 5 ) and formamidinato ( 7 ) derivatives as a result of the insertion of the heterocumulene into both Zn? H bonds. Reaction with Ph₂CO gave the diphenylmethoxy compound 6 . Hydride 4 shows catalytic activity in the hydrosilylation of 1,1‐diphenylethylene and methanolysis of silanes.     

CO2 and SnII Adducts of N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes as Delayed‐Action Catalysts for Polyurethane Synthesis

Catalytic rivals : Both CO₂‐protected tetrahydropyrimidin‐2‐ylidene‐based N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and Sn^II‐1,3‐dimesitylimidazol‐2‐ylidene, as well as Sn^II‐1,3‐dimesitylimidazolin‐2‐ylidene complexes (example displayed), have been identified as truly latent catalysts for polyurethane (PUR) synthesis rivaling all existing systems both in activity and latency.

     

N‐Heterocyclic Carbene–Phosphinidyne Transition Metal Complexes

The N‐heterocyclic carbene–phosphinidene adduct IPr?PSiMe₃ is introduced as a synthon for the preparation of terminal carbene–phosphinidyne transition metal complexes of the type [(IPr?P)ML_n] (ML_n=(η⁶‐p‐cymene)RuCl) and (η⁵‐C₅Me₅)RhCl). Their spectroscopic and structural characteristics, namely low‐field ³¹P NMR chemical shifts and short metal–phosphorus bonds, show their similarity with arylphosphinidene complexes. The formally mononegative IPr?P ligand is also capable of bridging two or three metal atoms as demonstrated by the preparation of bi‐ and trimetallic RuAu, RhAu, Rh₂, and Rh₂Au complexes.     

Metal‐Free Catalyst for the Chemoselective Methylation of Amines Using Carbon Dioxide as a Carbon Source

N‐methylation of amines is an important step in the synthesis of many pharmaceuticals and has been widely applied in the preparation of other key intermediates and chemicals. Therefore, the development of efficient methylation methods has attracted considerable attention. In this respect, carbon dioxide is an attractive C₁ building block because it is an abundant, renewable, and nontoxic carbon source. Consequently, we developed a highly chemoselective, metal‐free catalytic system that operates under ambient conditions for the N‐methylation of amines.