Synthetic and Structural Studies of N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes of Nickel

Transition metal complexes of stable N-heterocyclic carbenes have recently gained increasing attention as pre-catalysts for a number of important reactions primarily based on the analogy between N-heterocyclic carbenes and strong ó-donating tertiary phosphines,[1] Although a large number of transition-metal carbene complexes have been reported, very few incorporate chelating carbenes were reported.[2,3] Therefore, we have set out to prepare and study transition-metal compounds with chelating di-N-heterocyclic carbenes, and we now report new dicationic tetra(carbine)nickel(Ⅱ) complexes in this class (Scheme 1). Their structures have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies (Figure 1).     

Palladium complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes as catalysts for cross-coupling reactions--a synthetic chemist's perspective

Palladium-catalyzed C-C and C-N bond-forming reactions are among the most versatile and powerful synthetic methods. For the last 15 years, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have enjoyed increasing popularity as ligands in Pd-mediated cross-coupling and related transformations because of their superior performance compared to the more traditional tertiary phosphanes. The strong sigma-electron-donating ability of NHCs renders oxidative insertion even in challenging substrates facile, while their steric bulk and particular topology is responsible for fast reductive elimination. The strong Pd-NHC bonds contribute to the high stability of the active species, even at low ligand/Pd ratios and high temperatures. With a number of commercially available, stable, user-friendly, and powerful NHC-Pd precatalysts, the goal of a universal cross-coupling catalyst is within reach. This Review discusses the basics of Pd-NHC chemistry to understand the peculiarities of these catalysts and then gives a critical discussion on their application in C-C and C-N cross-coupling as well as carbopalladation reactions.     

镍N-杂环卡宾配合物在均相催化偶联反应中的应用

 近十几年来, N-杂环卡宾的配位化学和金属有机化学发展迅速, 已成为均相催化反应中研究最为广泛的配体之一. 在许多过渡金属催化的有机合成反应中特别是偶联反应中, N-杂环卡宾与传统有机膦配体相比具有较高的反应性. 镍价格低廉, 在很多反应中有望替代贵金属钯催化剂. 本文总结了镍 N-杂环卡宾化合物在催化交叉偶联反应和还原偶联反应中的最新应用进展.     

Intramolecular cyclization and subsequent rearrangements of alkyne-tethered N-heterocyclic carbenes

Alkyne-tethered imidazole and 1,2,4-triazole-based N-heterocyclic carbene precursors have been prepared and studies of the intramolecular reactions of carbenes are performed. Products consistent with intramolecular cyclizations and subsequent rearrangements were observed. Mechanistic studies using crossover experiments showed that the products did arise from intramolecular carbene additions. The reactions are proposed to go through vinylogous diaminocarbene intermediates similar to vinylogous dialkoxycarbenes formed during Boger cycloaddition reactions. Imidazole substituted dienes were observed to be the major products of tandem cyclization and elimination reactions that were observed for imidazole-based N-heterocyclic carbenes.     

Heterocyclic carbenes: synthesis and coordination chemistry

The chemistry of heterocyclic carbenes has experienced a rapid development over the last years. In addition to the imidazolin-2-ylidenes, a large number of cyclic diaminocarbenes with different ring sizes have been described. Aside from diaminocarbenes, P-heterocyclic carbenes, and derivatives with only one, or even no heteroatom within the carbene ring are known. New methods for the synthesis of complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene ligands such as the oxidative addition or the metal atom template controlled cyclization of beta-functionalized isocyanides have been developed recently. This review summarizes the new developments regarding the synthesis of N-heterocyclic carbenes and their metal complexes.     

N-杂环卡宾及其金属络合物的性质和合成方法

由于N-杂环卡宾结构的多样性，以及它们的金属络合物良好的稳定性和催化活性，近年来受到了人们的广泛关注。本文对N-杂环卡宾及其金属络合物的性质和合成方法进行了综述。参考文献30篇。     

Asymmetric Reactions involving Lewis Base Catalyst Tethered Dearomatized Intermediates

Numerous protocols have been developed for the functionalization of aromatic substances. Among them, the strategy by which aromatic substrates are activated in situ to generate dearomatized intermediates is highly efficient but challenging, especially in the field of asymmetric catalysis. In this Concept article, the application of some well-established chiral Lewis base catalysis, including primary/secondary amines and N-heterocyclic carbenes, that can covalently form catalyst-tethered dearomatized ortho/para-quinodimethane species with diverse heteroaryl and aryl carbonyl substrates is summarized in a number of asymmetric cycloaddition and addition reactions with diverse reagents generally having electrophilic properties. As a result, a variety of enantioenriched aromatic products with higher molecular complexity are constructed effectively through a rearomatization process.     

N-杂环卡宾: 一种多用途有机小分子催化剂

近年来, N-杂环卡宾化学引起了化学家们广泛的研究兴趣, 这一切主要归功于Arduengo等的杰出工作, 在1991年他们首次成功分离得到了第一个稳定的N-杂环卡宾——咪唑-2-碳烯. 这推动了N-杂环卡宾化学的飞速发展. 尽管N-杂环卡宾作为配体在金属有机化学中已经被广泛研究, 然而, 对N-杂环卡宾作为反应底物和有机小分子催化剂的研究还有待进一步深入. N-杂环卡宾作为有机小分子催化剂在有机反应中的应用及其研究进展, 引起有机化学家对N-杂环卡宾化学这一热点领域的更多关注.     

官能团化N,C双齿N-杂环卡宾配合物研究进展

综述了官能团化N,C双齿N-杂环卡宾金属配合物研究的最新进展,着重讨论了这些配合物对各种化学反应的催化性能.     

N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed domino reactions

While organocatalyzed domino reactions or "organocascade catalysis" developed into an important tool in synthetic chemistry during the past decade, the utility of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) as catalysts in domino reactions has only received growing attention in the past three years. Taking into account the unique activation modes of the substrates by NHC catalysts, it is often difficult to distinguish between a single chemical transformation and a sequential one-pot transformation. Therefore, herein we present a critical consideration of domino, cascade, and tandem catalysis in the case of NHC catalysts and highlight recent publications in this area.     

Theoretical investigations of the reactivities of saturated five-membered ring N-heterocyclic carbenes with heavier group 14 elements

The potential energy surfaces for the chemical reactions of group 14 carbenes have been studied using density functional theory (B3LYP/LANL2DZ). Five saturated five-membered-ring N-heterocyclic carbene Dipp[upper bond 1 start]N(CH(2))(2)N(Dipp)E[upper bond 1 end]: (five-ring-E:) species, where E = C, Si, Ge, Sn and Pb, have been chosen as model reactants in this work. Also, four kinds of chemical reactions; addition of water, methane insertion, alkene cycloaddition and dimerization, have been used to study the chemical reactivities of these group 14 carbenes. The present theoretical investigations suggest that the relative carbenic reactivity decreases in the order: C > Si > Ge > Sn > Pb. That is, the heavier the group 14 atom (E), the more stable is the carbene towards chemical reactions. This may be the reason that there have been many instances reported of the synthesis and characterization of stable group 14 five-membered-ring N-heterocyclic carbene species with various alkyl protecting substituents at room temperature. Furthermore, the singlet-triplet energy splitting of the five-ring-E:, as described in the configuration mixing model attributed to the work of Pross and Shaik, can be used as a diagnostic tool to predict their reactivities. The results obtained allow a number of predictions to be made.     

Enantioselective acylation of secondary alcohols catalyzed by chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes

[reaction: see text] The synthetic utility of chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes, which have been used mainly in transition metal-catalyzed reactions as a ligand, was demonstrated by the enantioselective acylation of secondary alcohols.     

Palladium-catalyzed C-allylation of benzoins and an NHC-catalyzed three component coupling derived thereof: compatibility of NHC- and Pd-catalysts

A large range of benzoins was successfully applied as C-nucleophiles in the palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation with several allyl acetates, resulting in functionalized tertiary homoallylic alcohols. A number of unsymmetrical benzoins can be coupled with high levels of regio- and chemoselectivity. Finally, the challenging compatibility of free N-heterocyclic carbenes with a palladium catalyst has been utilized in a number of metal- and organocatalyzed three-component coupling reactions.     

Two unprecedented multicomponent reactions involving N-heterocyclic carbenes, activated acetylenes, and aldehydes

[reaction: see text] Two unprecedented multicomponent reactions of N-heterocyclic carbenes involving activated acetylenes and aldehydes are described.     

二茂铁咪唑盐的合成及其在Suzuki-Miyaura反应中的应用

合成了硫醚官能化、膦官能化及未官能化的二茂铁咪唑盐,并研究了以其作为N-杂环卡宾配体前体对Pd催化的Suzuki-Miyaura偶联反应的影响,发现在4-甲基溴苯与苯硼酸偶联反应中以膦官能化的配体对催化性能提高有利,而硫醚官能化不利于催化性能提高。     

N-heterocyclic carbenes: reagents, not just ligands!

The unique properties of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have attracted much attention, mainly from theorists and organometallic chemists, the latter using them impressively as ligands for metals. Less well known, however, has been their suitability as excellent catalysts and nucleophilic reagents. Transesterification, nucleophilic aromatic substitution, and cycloaddition reactions are examples in which NHCs can play an important role. Asymmetric reactions using catalytic amounts of chiral NHCs are an efficient approach to optically active compounds. This minireview focuses on this aspect of the chemistry of NHCs.     

Bottom-up Synthesis of Water-Soluble Gold Nanoparticles Stabilized by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: From Structural Characterization to Applications

N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have become attractive ligands for functionalizing gold nanoparticle surfaces with applications ranging from catalysis to biomedicine. Despite their great potential, NHC stabilized gold colloids (NHC@AuNPs) are still scarcely explored and further efforts should be conducted to improve their design and functionalization. Here, the ‘bottom-up’ synthesis of two water-soluble gold nanoparticles ( AuNP-1 and AuNP-2 ) stabilized by hydrophilic mono- and bidentate NHC ligands is reported together with their characterization by various spectroscopic and analytical methods. The NPs showed key differences likely to be due to the selected NHC ligand systems. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed small quasi-spherical and faceted NHC@AuNPs of similar particle size (ca. 2.3–2.6 nm) and narrow particle size distribution, but the colloids featured different ratios of Au(I)/Au(0) by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Furthermore, the NHC@AuNPs were supported on titania and fully characterized. The new NPs were studied for their catalytic activity towards the reduction of nitrophenol substrates, the reduction of resazurin and for their photothermal efficiency. Initial results on their application in photothermal therapy (PTT) were obtained in human cancer cells in vitro. The aforementioned reactions represent important model reactions towards wastewater remediation, bioorthogonal transformations and cancer treatment.     

Carbohydrate-containing N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

Novel carbohydrate bearing imidazolium salts have been synthesized and used for the in situ generation of the corresponding N-heterocyclic carbenes. These compounds were successfully used as catalysts of the conjugate umpolung of cinnamaldehyde to form γ-butyrolactones. In addition, silver and palladium complexes of these N-heterocyclic carbenes were synthesized and structurally characterized.     

Diaminocarbene- and Fischer-carbene complexes of palladium and nickel by oxidative insertion: preparation, structure, and catalytic activity

Oxidative insertion of [Pd(PPh3)4] or [Ni(cod)2]/PPh3 into the C-Cl bond of various 2-chloroimidazolinium- and other -amidinium salts affords metal-diaminocarbene complexes in good to excellent yields. This procedure is complementary to existing methodology in which the central metal does not change its oxidation state, and therefore allows to incorporate carbene fragments that are difficult to access otherwise. The preparation of a variety of achiral as well as enantiomerically pure, chiral metal-NHC complexes (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) and metal complexes with acyclic diaminocarbene ligands illustrates this aspect. Furthermore it is shown that oxidative insertion also paves a way to prototype Fischer carbenes of Pd(II). Since the required starting materials are readily available from urea- or thiourea derivatives, this novel approach allows for substantial structural variations of the ligand backbone. The catalytic performance of the resulting library of nickel- and palladium-carbene complexes has been evaluated by applications to prototype Suzuki-, Heck-, and Kumada-Corriu cross-coupling reactions as well as Buchwald-Hartwig aminations. It was found that even Fischer carbenes show appreciable catalytic activity. Moreover, representative examples of all types of neutral and cationic metal-carbene complexes formed in this study have been characterized by X-ray crystallography.     

Anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes by decarboxylation of sydnone-4-carboxylates

Unstable N-heterocyclic carbenes can be masked and stabilized as pseudo-cross-conjugated hetarenium-carboxylates which decarboxylate on warming. This study deals with the decarboxylation of carboxylates of mesoionic compounds to generate anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes. Lithium sydnone-4-carboxylates were therefore prepared via 4-bromosydnones by halogen-lithium exchange with nBuLi and subsequent treatment with carbon dioxide. Protonation gave the corresponding sydnone-4-carboxylic acids. Thermogravimetric measurements in addition to temperature dependent IR spectroscopy proved the decarboxylation of lithium sydnone-4-carboxylates and formation of the corresponding sydnone anions which can be represented as anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes. In DMSO-d6 solution, water favors the decarboxylation. Calculations have been performed to elucidate the mechanism of the decarboxylation in the absence and presence of water.