Stereoselectivity in the intermolecular Pauson-Khand reaction of electron-deficient terminal alkynes

A family of terminal alkyne dicobalthexacarbonyl complexes bearing groups with a range of electron-withdrawing abilities has been synthesized. After submitting these complexes to the intermolecular Pauson-Khand reaction with norbornadiene, electron-deficient substrates afforded up to 26% of the unexpected endo-cyclopentenone.     

Electron-transfer-catalyzed ligand substitution of carboxylato niobocene complex induced by electrochemical oxidation

Electrochemical reduction of niobocene dichloride (η⁵-C₅H₄SiMe₃)₂NbCl₂1 formulated as in the presence of 3,4-diaminobenzoic acid yields to the complex [Nb(η⁵-C₅H₄SiMe₃)₂(κ²-O,O-OOC(C₆H₃)(NH₂)₂)] 3. When CN(2,6-Me₂C₆H₃) formulated as xylylisonitrile (CNXylyl) is added to a complex 3 solution, a substitution reaction takes place to lead to the complex [Nb(η⁵-C₅H₄SiMe₃)₂(κ¹-O-OOC(C₆H₃)(NH₂)₂)(CN(2,6-Me₂C₆H₃)) 4 after 3 h. An alternative way to yield quantitatively and nearly instantaneously 4 consists in a previous oxidation of 3 in the presence of CNXylyl. Hence, we present here a new example of electron-transfer-catalyzed (ETC) ligand substitution of carboxylato niobocene complex induced by electrochemical oxidation. The structure of the complexes, the formation mechanism are described using electrochemical and spectroscopic data. Electrochemical simulation have been done to verify experimental results and to complete them with a kinetic study.     

Platinum complex catalyzed reaction of tributyltin cyanide with alkynes

In the presence of a catalytic amount (5 mol%) of a platinum complex, tributyltin cyanide (1) reacts with dimethyl- (2a) or diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (2b) to afford cyanostannylation adducts (3a, b) in excellent yields. The reaction proceeds highly selectively affording only a (Z)-isomer. The compounds 3a, b are novel products which possess synthetically useful cyano, alkenylstannyl and alkoxycarbonyl functionalities in the same molecule. Two alkoxycarbonyl functionalities may be indispensable on each alkyne carbon to accomplish the cyanostannylation reaction. Reaction with terminal alkynes gave the stannylated product (6).     

Chalcogenide-Lewis acid mediated reactions of electron-deficient alkynes with aldehydes

Reactions of but-3-yn-2-one (2) with aldehydes 1 in the presence of a Lewis acid and dimethyl sulfide (3 a) predominantly gave (E)-alpha-(halomethylene)aldols 4-5 in high yields, while reactions of methyl propiolate (6 a) mainly afforded (Z)-3-halogeno-2-(hydroxymethyl)acrylates 7-8 in low to moderate yields. A reaction of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (10) with 1 a in the presence of TiCl(4) and 1,1,3,3-tetramethylthiourea (3 c) produced maleate (E)-11 (40 %) and butenolide 12 (40 %). When a reaction of 6 a with 1 a was carried out in the presence of TiBr(4) and 3 a (0.2 equiv) at -20 degrees C for 60 h, 3-(methylthio)-2-(hydroxyalkyl)acrylate 9 a was obtained in an 8 % yield. Experiments were conducted in order to elucidate the formation mechanism of 9 a, and it was made clear that 9 a was formed via the processes of the Michael addition of sulfide 3 a to alkynoate 6 a and an aldol reaction with 1 a and demethylation.     

Carbon-nitrogen bond formation via the reaction of terminal alkynes with a dinuclear side-on dinitrogen complex

The dinuclear dinitrogen complex ([P2N2]Zr)2(mu-eta2:eta2-N2) reacts with terminal aryl alkynes to generate a new species in which the dinitrogen unit has been functionalized. The products formed have the general formula ([P2N2]Zr)2(mu-eta2:eta2-N2CCAr)(mu-CCAr) and display a styryl-hydrazido unit bridging the two Zr centers along with a bridging arylalkynide. The crystal structures of three of these products are reported. A mechanism is proposed for this process that involves cycloaddition of the alkyne to the side-on dinitrogen unit followed by protonation of the Zr-C bond by a second equivalent of terminal alkyne. A fluxional process is operative in solution that equilibrates the phosphorus nuclei at high temperature; in the slow exchange limit, the two [P2N2]Zr ends of complex are inequivalent as evidenced by four resonances in the 31P NMR spectrum for the inequivalent phosphorus donors. This C-N bond-forming reaction is unique in that an activated dinitrogen fragment undergoes a reaction with an alkyne.     

Dimerization of terminal alkynes catalyzed by a nickel complex having a bulky phosphine ligand

Ni(cod)(2)/P(t)Bu(3) system catalyzed the dimerization of terminal alkynes to give (E)-head-to-head dimerization products, in which the stannylacetylene dimer could be applied to a one-pot synthesis of a conjugated enyne, when combined with Migita-Stille coupling.     

Green chemiluminescence from a bis-cyclometalated iridium(III) complex with an ancillary bathophenanthroline disulfonate ligand

The reaction of a fluorinated iridium complex with cerium(IV) and organic reducing agents generates an intense emission with a significant hypsochromic shift compared to contemporary chemically-initiated luminescence from metal complexes.     

Activation of a 1,10-phenanthroline ligand on a rhenium tricarbonyl complex

The reactions of complex [Re(PPh(2))(CO)(3)(phen)] with either methyl acrylate or methyl propiolate afford products in which the phen ligand has been activated.     

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of azides with electron-deficient alkynes under mild condition in water

We report a simple synthetic protocol for the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azides with electron-deficient alkynes. Alkyne with at least one neighboring electron-withdrawing group proceeds with the cycloaddition successfully without any catalysts at room temperature in water. Under this simple condition, we evaluated a series of small molecule model reactions and then coupled an azido-DNA molecule with electron-deficient alkynes for the formation of [1,2,3]-triazole heterocycle, providing a potential method for introducing functional groups to DNA under biological conditions.     

Side-effect of ancillary ligand on electron transfer and photodynamics of a dinuclear valence tautomeric complex

A cobalt complex [[Co(dpqa)]2(dhbq)](PF6)3 ((PF6)3, dhbq = deprotonated 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone, dpqa = di(2-pyridylmethyl)-N-(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)amine) was prepared and studied by X-ray diffraction, electrochemistry, ESR, thermally and photo-induced magnetic measurements; the results show that the ancillary ligand finely tuned structural factors as well as intermolecular interactions that affect the VT behavior.     

Regioselectivity of the reaction of a chromium-carbene complex with alkynes: Examination of steric and electronic factors

Examination of a steric and electronic factor of alkyne in regioselectivity in the reaction of a phenyl chromium carbene complex with unsymmetrical alkynes is described.     

Efficient epoxidation of electron-deficient olefins with a cationic manganese complex

The complex [MnII(R,R-mcp)(CF3SO3)2] is an efficient and practical catalyst for the epoxidation of electron-deficient olefins. This catalyst is capable of epoxidizing olefins with as little as 0.1 mol % catalyst in under 5 min using 1.2 equiv of peracetic acid as the terminal oxidant. A wide scope of substrates are epoxidized including terminal, tertiary, cis and trans internal, enones, and methacrylates with >85% isolated yields.     

Coordination chemistry and reactivity of zinc complexes supported by a phosphido pincer ligand

The preparation and characterization of new Zn(II) complexes of the type [(PPP)ZnR] in which R = Et (1) or N(SiMe(3))(2) (2) and PPP is a tridentate monoanionic phosphido ligand (PPP-H = bis(2-diphenylphosphinophenyl)phosphine) are reported. Reaction of ZnEt(2) and Zn[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2) with one equivalent of proligand PPP-H produced the corresponding tetrahedral zinc ethyl (1) and zinc amido (2) complexes in high yield. Homoleptic (PPP)(2) Zn complex 3 was obtained by reaction of the precursors with two equivalents of the proligand. Structural characterization of 1-3 was achieved by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy ((1)H, (13)C, and (31)P) and X-ray crystallography (3). Variable-temperature (1)H and (31)P?NMR studies highlighted marked flexibility of the phosphido pincer ligand in coordination at the metal center. A DFT calculation on the compounds provided theoretical support for this behavior. The activities of 1 and 2 toward the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and of L- and rac-lactide were investigated, also in combination with an alcohol as external chain-transfer agent. Polyesters with controlled molecular parameters (M(n), end groups) and low polydispersities were obtained. A DFT study on ring-opening polymerization promoted by these complexes highlighted the importance of the coordinative flexibility of the ancillary ligand to promote monomer coordination at the reactive zinc center. Preliminary investigations showed the ability of these complexes to promote copolymerization of L-lactide and ε-caprolactone to achieve random copolymers whose microstructure reproduces the composition of the monomer feed.     

Selective annulation of benzamides with internal alkynes catalyzed by an electron-deficient rhodium catalyst

An electron-deficient [Cp^ERhCl₂]₂ catalyzed annulation of N-pentafluorophenylbenzamides with internal alkynes was successfully established under mild reaction conditions, with the assistance of Lewis acid silver salt. Particularly, electron-deficient benzamide substrates were smoothly transformed into the desired products in this catalytic system. The catalytic system showed a broad tolerance for different substituents on the aromatic rings or aryl, alkyl-substituted alkynes.     

Reaction of an ammonium eneselenolate derived from a selenothioacetic acid S-ester with electron-deficient alkenes and alkynes

Ammonium eneselenolate 2 derived from selenothioic acid S-ester 1 was reacted with electron-deficient alkenes 4 and alkynes 9 . Ammonium eneselenolate 2 underwent Michael addition with 4 to give two types of Michael adducts, 5 and 6 . Products 6 incorporated two molecules of 4 . In contrast, the reaction of 2 with 9 took place at the selenium atom to give γ-oxo divinyl selenides 10 with high Z-stereoselectivity. During the further elaboration of the reactivity of the products derived from 2 and carbonyl compounds, unexpected reaction was found in the addition of vinylmagnesium bromide to Se-vinyl ester 3 . The spectroscopic data supported the formation of the enol form 12 of β-oxo selenothioic acid S-ester 13 . © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 15:187–192, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20003     

Ene reaction of arynes with alkynes

Arynes, generated in situ from ortho-silylaryl triflates, undergo ene reaction with alkynes possessing propargylic hydrogen in the presence of KF/18-crown-6 in THF at room temperature to give substituted phenylallenes. Various terminal and internal alkynes as well as different arynes can be used to give the corresponding phenylallenes in good to moderate yields. The reaction of alkyne without propargylic hydrogen gave an acetylenic C-H addition product (a phenylalkyne) and a dehydro Diels-Alder product (a phenanthrene).     

Formation of a 1-azaallenylidene ligand by reaction of an amido complex with tetracyanoethylene

Amido complexes of Mo(II) allyl carbonyl fragments containing monodentate amido ligands, prepared by reaction of suitable chloro precursors with potassium amides, react (for the N(H)(p-tolyl) derivative) with tetracyanoethylene to give a 1-azaallenylidene complex.     

First use of a palladium complex with a thiosemicarbazone ligand as catalyst precursor for the Heck reaction

A novel palladium complex with salicylaldehyde N(4)-ethylthiosemicarbazone has been synthesized and according to its crystal structure the ligand is bound to the metal in an O, N, S-terdentate coordination mode. This phosphorus-free system efficiently catalyzes the Heck reaction of aryl bromides (from electron-rich to electron-poor) with styrene under argon, with turnover numbers of up to 43,000, at 150 °C after 24 h, and with a selectivity toward trans-stilbenes ranging from 92 to 96%. In air, for activated aryl bromides and for a palladium concentration of 1 mM, the yields are essentially the same as those obtained when the reaction was performed under argon.     

The photomediated reaction of alkynes with cycloalkanes

In the presence of a photomediator such as benzophenone, alkynes with electron-withdrawing groups react with cycloalkanes to give vinyl cycloalkanes. The reaction involves the regiospecific addition of a photochemically generated cycloalkyl radical to the beta-carbon of the alkyne. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction depends on the nature of the photomediator and alkyne used.