A comparison of low and high activity precatalysts: Do the calculated energy barriers during the self‐metathesis reaction of 1‐Octene correlate with the precatalyst metathesis activity?

The self‐metathesis reaction of 1‐octene with several well‐known Grubbs‐type precatalysts and the new Z‐selective Grubbs precatalyst were studied with molecular modeling. The obtained Gibbs‐free energy values for all the steps during the productive metathesis of 1‐octene were compared to the values obtained for some low catalytic activity precatalysts. Determining how the Gibbs‐free energy values of highly active precatalysts compare to that of low catalytic activity precatalysts gave a deeper insight into the mechanism. The questionable correlation of the theoretically observed trends with those obtained experimentally does point to the need to be very cautious when making assumptions from theoretical results without a sufficiently large dataset. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Development of Bulky Palladium NHC Complexes for the Most-Challenging Cross-Coupling Reactions

Palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions enable organic chemists to form C? C bonds in targeted positions and under mild conditions. Although phosphine ligands have been intensively researched, in the search for even better cross‐coupling catalysts attention has recently turned to the use of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, which form a strong bond to the palladium center. PEPPSI (pyridine‐enhanced precatalyst preparation, stabilization, and initiation) palladium precatalysts with bulky NHC ligands have established themselves as successful alternatives to palladium phosphine complexes. This Review shows the success of these species in Suzuki–Miyaura, Negishi, and Stille–Migita cross‐couplings as well as in amination and sulfination reactions.     

Metal‐Catalyzed α‐Arylation of Carbonyl and Related Molecules: Novel Trends in C?C Bond Formation by C?H Bond Functionalization

α‐Arylated carbonyl compounds are commonly occurring motifs in biologically interesting molecules and are therefore of high interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Conventional procedures for their synthesis often result in complications in scale‐up, such as the use of stoichiometric amounts of toxic reagents and harsh reaction conditions. Over the last decade, significant efforts have been directed towards the development of metal‐catalyzed α‐arylations of carbonyl compounds as an alternative synthetic approach that operates under milder conditions. This Review summarizes the developments in this area to date, with a focus on how the substrate scope has been expanded through selection of the most appropriate synthetic method, such as the careful choice of ligands, precatalysts, bases, and reaction conditions.     

Tailoring polymers through interplay of ligands within precatalysts: 8‐(Nitro/benzhydryl‐arylimino)‐7,7‐dimethyl‐5,6‐dihydroquinolylnickel halides in ethylene polymerization

A series of 8‐(nitro/benzhydryl‐substituted arylimino)‐7,7‐dimethyl‐5,6‐dihydroquinolines and the corresponding nickel halide complexes were synthesized and characterized. Molecular structures of representative nickel complexes were determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction, showing the dinuclear dimers with distorted square‐pyramidal geometry around the nickel center. The binding energies determined by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate the effective coordination between the sp²‐nitrogen and nickel atoms as well as the influence of both the halogen ligands and the substituents within dihydroquinolines on the strength of the Ni? N bond. Ethylene polymerization with the nickel precatalysts in presence of either methylaluminoxane or diethylaluminum chloride was explored in detail. For the complexes containing the nitro substituent within the organic ligand, the catalytic activity is inversely proportional to the electron density around the nickel core determined by XPS; such phenomenon is consistent with the conclusion of the computational study stating that the activity of precatalysts is correlated with the net charge on the metal center. In the polymerization process, unimodal and branched polyethylenes containing vinyl or vinylene groups were obtained. The nickel precatalysts bearing bulky benzhydryl within the organic ligand as well as bromide rather than chloride attached to the nickel atom produce polymers with relatively large amount of vinylene groups. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55 , 2071–2083     

On the mechanism of the palladium-catalyzed β-arylation of ester enolates

The palladium‐catalyzed β‐arylation of ester enolates with aryl bromides was studied both experimentally and computationally. First, the effect of the ligand on the selectivity of the α/β‐arylation reactions of ortho‐ and meta‐fluorobromobenzene was described. Selective β‐arylation was observed for the reaction of o‐fluorobromobenzene with a range of biarylphosphine ligands, whereas α‐arylation was predominantly observed with m‐fluorobromobenzene for all ligands except DavePhos, which gave an approximate 1:1 mixture of α‐/β‐arylated products. Next, the effect of the substitution pattern of the aryl bromide reactant was studied with DavePhos as the ligand. We showed that electronic factors played a major role in the α/β‐arylation selectivity, with electron‐withdrawing substituents favoring β‐arylation. Kinetic and deuterium‐labeling experiments suggested that the rate‐limiting step of β‐arylation with DavePhos as the ligand was the palladium–enolate‐to‐homoenolate isomerization, which occurs by a β? H‐elimination, olefin‐rotation, and olefin‐insertion sequence. A dimeric oxidative‐addition complex, which was shown to be catalytically competent, was isolated and structurally characterized. A common mechanism for α‐ and β‐arylation was described by DFT calculations. With DavePhos as the ligand, the pathway leading to β‐arylation was kinetically favored over the pathway leading to α‐arylation, with the palladium–enolate‐to‐homoenolate isomerization being the rate‐limiting step of the β‐arylation pathway and the transition state for olefin insertion its highest point. The nature of the rate‐limiting step changed with PCy₃ and PtBu₃ ligands, and with the latter, α‐arylation became kinetically favored. The trend in selectivity observed experimentally with differently substituted aryl bromides agreed well with that observed from the calculations. The presence of electron‐withdrawing groups on these bromides mainly affected the α‐arylation pathway by disfavoring C? C reductive elimination. The higher activity of the ligands of the biaryldialkylphosphine ligands compared to their corresponding trialkylphosphines could be attributed to stabilizing interactions between the biaryl backbone of the ligands and the metal center, thereby preventing deactivation of the β‐arylation pathway.     

Highly Regio‐ and Stereoselective Hydrosilylation of Alkynes Catalyzed by Tridentate Cobalt Complexes

Several cobalt complexes bearing tridentate (NNN) ligands were synthesized and served as precatalysts for alkyne hydrosilylation with Ph₂SiH₂. For terminal alkynes, the catalyst L2 b‐CoCl₂ was selected, and resulted in the corresponding α‐vinylsilanes with high (Markovnikov) regioselectivity and extensive functional‐group tolerance. For internal diaryl alkynes, the catalyst L2 c‐CoCl₂ exhibited the best activity, and afforded E‐selective vinylsilanes through syn‐addition in excellent yield under mild conditions.     

A New Class of Tunable Dendritic Diphosphine Ligands: Synthesis and Applications in the Ru‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Functionalized Ketones

A series of tunable G₀–G₃ dendritic 2,2′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (BINAP) ligands was prepared by attaching polyaryl ether dendrons onto the four phenyl rings on the P atoms. Their ruthenium complexes were employed in the asymmetric hydrogenation of β‐ketoesters, α‐ketoesters, and α‐ketoamides to reveal the effects of dendron size on the catalytic properties. The second‐ and third‐generation catalysts exhibited excellent enantioselectivities, which are remarkably higher than those obtained from the small molecular catalysts and the first‐generation catalyst. Molecular modeling indicates that the incorporation of bulky dendritic wedges can influence the steric environments around the metal center. In addition, the ruthenium catalyst bearing a second‐generation dendritic ligand could be recycled and reused seven times without any obvious decrease in enantioselectivity.     

A structure-activity study of Ni-catalyzed alkyl-alkyl Kumada coupling. Improved catalysts for coupling of secondary alkyl halides

A structure-activity study was carried out for Ni catalyzed alkyl-alkyl Kumada-type cross coupling reactions. A series of new nickel(II) complexes including those with tridentate pincer bis(amino)amide ligands ((R)N(2)N) and those with bidentate mixed amino-amide ligands ((R)NN) were synthesized and structurally characterized. The coordination geometries of these complexes range from square planar, tetrahedral, to square pyramidal. The complexes had been examined as precatalysts for cross coupling of nonactivated alkyl halides, particularly secondary alkyl iodides, with alkyl Grignard reagents. Comparison was made to the results obtained with the previously reported Ni pincer complex [((Me)N(2)N)NiCl]. A transmetalation site in the precatalysts is necessary for the catalysis. The coordination geometries and spin-states of the precatalysts have a small or no influence. The work led to the discovery of several well-defined Ni catalysts that are significantly more active and efficient than the pincer complex [((Me)N(2)N)NiCl] for the coupling of secondary alkyl halides. The best two catalysts are [((H)NN)Ni(PPh(3))Cl] and [((H)NN)Ni(2,4-lutidine)Cl]. The improved activity and efficiency was attributed to the fact that phosphine and lutidine ligands in these complexes can dissociate from the Ni center during catalysis. The activation of alkyl halides was shown to proceed via a radical mechanism.     

Inducing Axial Chirality in a Supramolecular Catalyst

A new type of ligand, which is able to form axially chiral, supramolecular complexes was designed using DFT calculations. Two chiral monomers, each featuring a covalently bound chiral auxiliary, form a bidentate phosphine ligand with a twisted, hydrogen‐bonded backbone upon coordination to a transition metal center which results in two diastereomeric, tropos complexes. The ratio of the diastereomers in solution is very temperature‐ and solvent‐dependent. Rhodium and platinum complexes were analyzed through a combination of NMR studies, ESI‐MS measurements, as well as UV‐VIS and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The chiral self‐organized ligands were evaluated in the rhodium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐dehydrogenated amino acids and resulted in good conversion and high enantioselectivity. This research opens the way for new ligand designs based on stereocontrol of supramolecular assemblies through stereodirecting chiral centers.     

Ethylene polymerization by sterically and electronically modulated Ni(II) α‐diimine complexes

A series of highly active ethylene polymerization catalysts based on bidendate α‐diimine ligands coordinated to nickel are reported. The ligands are prepared via the condensation of bulky ortho‐substituted anilines bearing remote push–pull substituents with acenaphthenequinone, and the precatalysts are prepared via coordination of these ligands to (DME)NiBr₂ (DME = 1,2‐dimethoxyethane) to form complexes having general formula [ZN = C(An)‐C(An) = NZ]NiBr₂ [Z = (4‐NH₂‐3,5‐C₆H₂R₂)₂CH(4‐C₆H₄Y); An, acenaphthene quinone; R, Me, Et, iPr; Y = H, NO₂, OCH₃]. When activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO) or common alkyl aluminiums such as ethyl aluminium sesquichloride (EAS) all catalysts polymerize ethylene with activities exceeding 10⁷ g‐PE/ mol‐Ni h atm at 30 °C and atmospheric pressure. Among the cocatalysts used EAS records the best activity. Effects of remote substituents on ethylene polymerization activity are also investigated. The change in potential of metal center induced by remote substituents, as evidenced by cyclic voltammetric measurements, influences the polymerization activity. UV–visible spectroscopic data have specified the important role of cocatalyst in the stabilization of nickel‐based active species. A tentative interpretation based on the formation of active and dormant species has been discussed. The resulting polyethylene was characterized by high molecular weight and relatively broad molecular weight distribution, and their microstructure varied with the structure of catalyst and cocatalyst. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1066–1082, 2008     

Intermolecular hydroamination of oxygen-substituted allenes. New routes for the synthesis of N,O-chelated zirconium and titanium amido complexes

Intermolecular hydroamination of heteroatom-substituted allenes with a bulky arylamine was carried out using a bis(amidate) bis(amido) titanium(IV) complex (1) as a precatalyst. The reaction of 2,6-dimethylaniline with oxygen-substituted allene 2c or 2d in the presence of complex 1 gives the ketimine regioisomer as the exclusive product. Reduction of such ketimine products resulted in the formation of amino ethers that were further employed as proligands for the formation of N,O-chelating five-membered titana- and zirconacycles. Such sterically demanding N,O-chelating ligands result in the high-yielding preparation of mono-ligated products. Solid-state molecular structures of all the complexes revealed distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry about the metal centers, with a dative bond between the metal and the oxygen donor atom. These new complexes obtained using hydroamination as the key-step in ligand preparation were also shown to be useful cyclohydroamination precatalysts in their own right.     

Structural analysis of sterically hindered 1,4‐diols from the naturally occurring lignan hydroxymatairesinol a quantum chemical study

The structures of TADDOL‐like α‐conidendrin‐based chiral 1,4‐diols (LIGNOLs) have been studied at molecular mechanics, Hartree‐Fock (HF)/6‐31G* and DFT/B3LYP/TZVP level of theory. The molecules included were 1,1‐diphenyl, two diastereomers of 1,1,4‐triphenyl, 1,1,4,4‐tetraphenyl, and 1,1,4,4‐tetramethyl 1,4‐diol. Several conformers of each molecule were studied thorougly also including the entropy contributions. For the triphenyl 1,4‐diols, which can form π ? π interactions between phenyl rings, the DFT optimized structures differed significantly from the HF optimized ones. A property for the most stable structures, in addition to the ability to form π ? π interactions, seemed to be the possibility to have the aliphatic six‐membered ring in a boat conformation. For all of the studied LIGNOLs some conformers were found, where the two OH groups pointed almost to the same direction. By this an intramolecular hydrogen bond can be formed between them. The bridging hydrogen atom falls at the same place as a chelate‐bonded metal ion would be situated, as in the case of the analogous molecules, TADDOLs, but only a few of these molecules would be able to work well as ligands for asymmetric catalysis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Nanosheet‐Enhanced Asymmetric Induction of Chiral α‐Amino Acids in Catalytic Aldol Reaction

An efficient ligand design strategy towards boosting asymmetric induction was proposed, which simply employed inorganic nanosheets to modify α‐amino acids and has been demonstrated to be effective in vanadium‐catalyzed epoxidation of allylic alcohols. Here, the strategy was first extended to zinc‐catalyzed asymmetric aldol reaction, a versatile bottom‐up route to make complex functional compounds. Zinc, the second‐most abundant transition metal in humans, is an environment‐friendly catalytic center. The strategy was then further proved valid for organocatalyzed metal‐free asymmetric catalysis, that is, α‐amino acid catalyzed asymmetric aldol reaction. Visible improvement of enantioselectivity was experimentally achieved irrespective of whether the nanosheet‐attached α‐amino acids were applied as chiral ligands together with catalytic Zn^II centers or as chiral catalysts alone. The layered double hydroxide nanosheet was clearly found by theoretical calculations to boost ee through both steric and H‐bonding effects; this resembles the role of a huge and rigid substituent.     

Homo‐ and copolymerization of norbornene with styrene catalyzed by a series of copper(II) complexes in the presence of methylaluminoxane

Vinyl‐type polymerization of norbornene as well as random copolymerization of norbornene with styrene was studied using a series of copper complexes‐MAO. The precatalysts used here are copper complexes with β‐ketoamine ligands based on pyrazolone derivatives and the molecular structure of complex 4 was determined using X‐ray analysis. All of these catalyst systems are moderately active for the vinyl‐type polymerization of norbornene and random copolymerization of norbornene with styrene. The random copolymers obtained suggest that only one type of active species is present. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and NMR indicate that the copolymers are ‘true’ copolymers. The copolymerization reactivity ratios (r_NBE = 20.11 and r_Sty = 0.035) indicate a much higher reactivity of norbornene, which suggests a coordination polymerization mechanism. The solubility and processability of the copolymers are improved relative to polynorbornene and the thermostability of the copolymers is improved relative to polystyrene. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluorescent Isoindole Crosslink (FlICk) Chemistry: A Rapid,User‐friendly Stapling Reaction

The stabilization of peptide secondary structure via stapling is a ubiquitous goal for creating new probes, imaging agents, and drugs. Inspired by indole‐derived crosslinks found in natural peptide toxins, we employed ortho‐phthalaldehydes to create isoindole staples, thus transforming inactive linear and monocyclic precursors into bioactive monocyclic and bicyclic products. Mild, metal‐free conditions give an array of macrocyclic α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone (α‐MSH) derivatives, of which several isoindole‐stapled α‐MSH analogues (K_i≈1 nm ) are found to be as potent as α‐MSH. Analogously, late‐stage intra‐annular isoindole stapling furnished a bicyclic peptide mimic of α‐amanitin that is cytotoxic to CHO cells (IC₅₀=70 μm ). Given its user‐friendliness, we have termed this approach FlICk (fluorescent isoindole crosslink) chemistry.     

Fluorescent Isoindole Crosslink (FlICk) Chemistry: A Rapid,User‐friendly Stapling Reaction

The stabilization of peptide secondary structure via stapling is a ubiquitous goal for creating new probes, imaging agents, and drugs. Inspired by indole‐derived crosslinks found in natural peptide toxins, we employed ortho‐phthalaldehydes to create isoindole staples, thus transforming inactive linear and monocyclic precursors into bioactive monocyclic and bicyclic products. Mild, metal‐free conditions give an array of macrocyclic α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone (α‐MSH) derivatives, of which several isoindole‐stapled α‐MSH analogues (K_i≈1 nm ) are found to be as potent as α‐MSH. Analogously, late‐stage intra‐annular isoindole stapling furnished a bicyclic peptide mimic of α‐amanitin that is cytotoxic to CHO cells (IC₅₀=70 μm ). Given its user‐friendliness, we have termed this approach FlICk (fluorescent isoindole crosslink) chemistry.     

A Bulky m‐Terphenyl Cyclopentadienyl Ligand and Its Alkali‐Metal Complexes

The synthesis of the new m ‐terphenyl‐substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand precursor 1‐cyclopentadiene‐2,6‐bis(2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)benzene (Ter^MesCpH) is described. The synthesis proceeds through the reaction of Ter^MesLi with cobaltocenium iodide, followed by oxidation of the intermediate cobalt(I) species to give the corresponding cyclopentadiene as a mixture of isomers. The preparation and spectroscopic properties of the alkali‐metal salts (Li–Cs) is described, as well as structural information obtained by X‐ray diffraction studies for the lithium, potassium, and cesium analogues. Crystallographic data demonstrate the ability of these new ligands to act as monoanionic chelates by forming metal complexes with Cp–M–Ar bonding environments.     

DFT Mechanistic Study on Diene Metathesis Catalyzed by Ru‐Based Grubbs–Hoveyda‐Type Carbenes: The Key Role of π‐Electron Density Delocalization in the Hoveyda Ligand

The catalytic activity and catalyst recovery of two heterogenized ruthenium‐based precatalysts ( H and NO₂(4) ) in diene ring‐closing metathesis have been studied by means of density functional calculations at the B3LYP level of theory. For comparison and rationalization of the key factors that lead to higher activities and higher catalyst recoveries, four other Grubbs–Hoveyda complexes have also been investigated. The full catalytic cycle (catalyst formation, propagation, and precatalyst regeneration) has been considered. DFT calculations suggest that either for the homogeneous and heterogenized systems the activity of the catalysts mainly depends on the ability of the precursor to generate the propagating carbene. This ability does not correlate with the traditionally identified key factor, the Ru???O interaction strength. In contrast, precatalysts with lower alkoxy‐dissociation energy barriers and lower stabilities compared with the propagating carbene also present larger C1? C2 bond length (i.e., lower π character of the C? C bond that exists between the metal–carbene (Ru?C) and the phenyl ring of the Hoveyda ligand). Catalyst recovery, regardless of whether a release–return mechanism occurs or not, is also mainly determined by the π delocalization. Therefore, future Grubbs–Hoveyda‐type catalyst development should be based on fine‐tuning the π‐electron density of the phenyl moiety, with the subsequent effect on the metalloaromaticity of the ruthenafurane ring, rather than considering the modification of the Ru???O interaction.     

A Second‐Coordination‐Sphere Strategy to Modulate Nickel‐ and Palladium‐Catalyzed Olefin Polymerization and Copolymerization

Transition‐metal‐catalyzed copolymerization reactions of olefins with polar‐functionalized comonomers are highly important and also highly challenging. A second‐coordination‐sphere strategy was developed to address some of the difficulties encountered in these copolymerization reactions. A series of α‐diimine ligands bearing nitrogen‐containing second coordination spheres were prepared and characterized. The properties of the corresponding nickel and palladium catalysts in ethylene polymerizations and copolymerizations were investigated. In the nickel system, significant reduction in polymer branching density was observed, while lower polymer branching densities, as well as a wider range of polar monomer substrates, were achieved in the palladium system. Control experiments and computational results reveal the critical role of the metal−nitrogen interaction in these polymerization and copolymerization reactions.     

Supported copper precatalysts for ligand-free, palladium-free Sonogashira coupling reactions

Copper(II) oxide and Cu metal, highly dispersed on inert oxides (silica, alumina), have been employed as precatalysts in ligand-free, palladium-free Sonogashira coupling reactions. Best results were obtained with highly dispersed Cu metal on alumina, which exhibited high reactivity with aryl iodides. Electron-rich alkynes, in particular arylacetylenes, act as the most effective alkyne substrates. The present catalytic system appears attractive in view of its ease of application and low cost, due to the use of a readily available non-noble metal catalyst combined with the absence of ligands.