A new tridentate pincer phosphine/n-heterocyclic carbene ligand: palladium complexes, their structures, and catalytic activities

A new imidazolium salt, 1,3-bis(2-diphenylphosphanylethyl)-3H-imidazol-1-ium chloride (2), for the phosphine/N-heterocyclic carbene-based pincer ligand, PC(NHC)P, and its palladium complexes were reported. The complex, [Pd(PC(NHC)P)Cl]Cl (4), was prepared by the common route of silver carbene transfer reaction and a novel direct reaction between the ligand precursor, PC(NHC)P.HCl and PdCl(2) without the need of a base. Metathesis reactions of 4 with AgBF(4) in acetonitrile produced [Pd(PC(NHC)P)(CH(3)CN)](BF(4))(2) (5). The same reaction in the presence of excess pyridine gave [Pd(PC(NHC)P)(py)](BF(4))(2) (6). The X-ray structure determination on 4-6 revealed the chiral twisting of the central imidazole rings from the metal coordination plane. In solution, fast interconversion between left- and right-twisted forms occurs. The twisting reflects the weak pi-accepting property of the central NHC in PC(NHC)P. The uneven extent of twisting among the three complexes further implies the low rotational barrier about the Pd-NHC bond. Related theoretical computations confirm the small rotational energy barrier about the Pd-NHC bond (ca. 4 kcal/mol). Catalytic applications of 4 and 5 have shown that the complexes are modest catalysts in Suzuki coupling. The complexes were active catalysts in Heck coupling reactions with the dicationic complex 5 being more effective than the monocationic complex 4.     

N-Heterocyclic carbenes as ligands in palladium-catalyzed Tsuji–Trost allylic substitution

A Pd(0)-catalyzed allylic substitution (i.e., Tsuji–Trost reaction) using N-heterocyclic carbene as a ligand was investigated. It has been proven that an imidazolium salt 2d having bulky aromatic rings attached to the nitrogens in its imidazol-2-ylidene skeleton is suitable as a ligand precursor and that a Pd₂dba₃–imidazolium salt 2d–Cs₂CO₃ system is highly efficient for producing a Pd–NHC catalyst in this reaction. Allylic substitution using a Pd–NHC complex differed from that using a Pd–phosphine complex as follows: (1) the reaction using a Pd–NHC complex required elevated temperature (50 °C or reflux in THF), (2) allylic carbonates were inert to a Pd–NHC complex, and (3) nitrogen nucleophiles such as sulfonamide and amine did not react with allylic acetate. It was also found that allylic substitution with a soft nucleophile using a Pd–NHC catalyst proceeds via overall retention of configuration to give the product in a stereospecific manner, the stereochemical reaction course obviously being the same as that of the reaction using a Pd–phosphine complex.     

Palladium catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation using chelating N-heterocyclic carbene–amino ligands

Several silver(I) complexes with chiral amino-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, which are not diastereomerically pure, were prepared and used to generate in situ chelating NHC–amino palladium(II) complexes. The potential of these palladium(II) complexes in asymmetric catalysis was evaluated in the allylic alkylation reaction. The influence of the structure and of the diastereomeric purity of the ligands on enantioselectivity, as well as the role of the silver salts, were studied. Enantiomeric excesses of up to 80% were obtained with the best ligand.     

Synthesis and characterization of asymmetric NHC complexes

New chiral and non-chiral rhodium(I)–NHC complexes were synthesized. The first attempt by deprotonation of an imidazolinium salt with KOtBu and reaction with [Rh(COD)Cl]₂ leads to the corresponding rhodium(I) complex. Due to the basic conditions during the reaction a loss of chirality occurs. An alternative transmetallation reaction with a silver(I)–NHC complex yields the desired rhodium(I)–NHC complex under retention of chirality. Both Rh complexes were fully characterized by analytical methods.     

Synthesis of a new bidentate NHC-Ag(I) complex and its unanticipated reaction with the Hoveyda-Grubbs first generation catalyst

A new sterically demanding bidentate imidazolium bromide has been prepared and used as ligand precursor for the synthesis of the corresponding NHC-silver(I) complex. The X-ray analysis of the silver(I) complex revealed a rare Ag₄O₄ core cubane cluster. The silver(I) complex reacts readily with the Grubbs first generation catalyst providing a labile alkylidene complex. When the transmetallation was attempted with Hoveyda-Grubbs first generation catalyst in the presence of THF as solvent, two very stable phosphine free bis-bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene complexes, one green and one orange, were formed. Notably, one of these complexes is the first observation of a metal alkylidene group substituted by a NHC ligand, a surprising result since the new complex is formally derived from a nucleophile substitution of a hydride by a NHC ligand on the alkylidene carbon. A proposal for the reaction mechanism is elaborated.     

Chiral N-heterocyclic carbene ligands based on a biisoquinoline template

New chiral imidazolinium salts with tunable steric features, based on a biisoquinoline template, have been developed and structurally characterised using single crystal X-ray crystallography. The trans PdI(2)(NHC)(2) complex was prepared by reaction of the parent H(4) imidazolinium salt with Pd(OAc)(2) in the presence of NaI, and the solid state structure determined by X-ray crystallography. The rigid, chiral, biisoquinoline geometry of the H(4) imidazolinium salt was found to be maintained upon ligand complexation. The sterically unencumbered parent biisoquinoline ligand has been found to give high conversion with modest enantioselectivity in the copper-catalysed asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to cyclohexenone.     

Silver(I)-carbene complexes/ionic liquids: novel N-heterocyclic carbene delivery agents for organocatalytic transformations

[reaction: see text] N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes with silver were investigated as sources of unsaturated NHC carbene catalysts via thermal decomposition. The NHC complex (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazol-2-ylidene)silver(I) chloride is an ionic liquid, and was found to catalyze the ring-opening polymerization of lactide at elevated temperatures to give narrowly dispersed polylactide of predictable molecular weight. Silver-carbene complexes can also be used for the catalysis of small molecule transesterification reactions. Thermolysis of the silver complexes in the presence of CS(2) yielded the zwitterionic CS(2) adducts of the carbene, implicating the intermediacy of the free carbene in these reactions.     

Structure and reactivity of "unusual" N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) palladium complexes synthesized from imidazolium salts

The reaction between palladium acetate and IMES.HCl leads to the formation of a novel palladium complex. The X-ray crystal structure analysis reveals that the palladium is C(2) bound to one NHC ligand (the normal binding mode), whereas the second ligand is attached through the C(5) carbon of the second imidazolium. The metalation site on the imidazolium salt is strongly influenced by the presence of base. Furthermore, the binding mode of the NHC to Pd is shown to substantially affect the catalytic behavior of the palladium complexes in cross-coupling reactions.     

(NHC)AuI]-catalyzed formation of conjugated enones and enals: an experimental and computational study

The [(NHC)AuI]-catalyzed (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene) formation of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (enones and enals) from propargylic acetates is described. The reactions occur at 60 degrees C in 8 h in the presence of an equimolar mixture of [(NHC)AuCl] and AgSbF6 and produce conjugated enones and enals in high yields. Optimization studies revealed that the reaction is sensitive to the solvent, the NHC, and, to a lesser extent, to the silver salt employed, leading to the use of [(ItBu)AuCl]/AgSbF6 in THF as an efficient catalytic system. This transformation proved to have a broad scope, enabling the stereoselective formation of (E)-enones and -enals with great structural diversity. The effect of substitution at the propargylic and acetylenic positions has been investigated, as well as the effect of aryl substitution on the formation of cinnamyl ketones. The presence or absence of water in the reaction mixture was found to be crucial. From the same phenylpropargyl acetates, anhydrous conditions led to the formation of indene compounds via a tandem [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement/intramolecular hydroarylation process, whereas simply adding water to the reaction mixture produced enone derivatives cleanly. Several mechanistic hypotheses, including the hydrolysis of an allenol ester intermediate and SN2' addition of water, were examined to gain an insight into this transformation. Mechanistic investigations and computational studies support [(NHC)AuOH], produced in situ from [(NHC)AuSbF6] and H2O, instead of cationic [(NHC)AuSbF6] as the catalytically active species. Based on DFT calculations performed at the B3LYP level of theory, a full catalytic cycle featuring an unprecedented transfer of the OH moiety bound to the gold center to the C[triple chemical bond]C bond leading to the formation of a gold-allenolate is proposed.     

Stepwise synthesis of a hydrido, N-heterocyclic dicarbene iridium(III) pincer complex featuring mixed NHC/abnormal NHC ligands

We describe a stepwise synthesis of the hydrido, N-heterocyclic dicarbene iridium(III) pincer complex [Ir(H)I(C(NHC)CC(aNHC))(NCMe)] (3) which features a combination of normal and abnormal NHC ligands. The reaction of the bis(imidazolium) diiodide [(CH(imid)CHCH(imid))]I(2) (1) with [Ir(μ-Cl)(cod)](2) afforded first the mono-NHC Ir(I) complex [IrI(cod)(CH(imid)CHC(NHC))]I (2), which was then reacted with 2 equiv. of Cs(2)CO(3) in acetonitrile at 60 °C for 40 h to yield 3. These observations support our previously proposed mechanism for the formation of hydrido, N-heterocyclic dicarbene iridium(III) pincer complexes from the reaction of bis(imidazolium) salts with weak bases involving a mono-NHC Ir(I) intermediate. We describe the reactivity of the mono-NHC Ir(I) complex 2 under various conditions. By changing the reaction solvent from MeCN to toluene, we observed the cleavage of the imidazol-2-ylidene ring and the formation of an iminoformamide-containing mono-NHC Ir(I) complex [IrI(cod){[NHCH=CHN(Ad)CHO]CHC(NHC)}] (4). Complex 4 was also prepared in high yield from the reaction of 2 with strong bases (potassium tert-butoxide or potassium hexamethyldisilazane), via the initial formation of the complex [IrI(cod)(CH(NHC)CHC(NHC))] (5), which contains a coordinated NHC moiety and a free carbene arm, followed by subsequent hydrolysis of the latter. The bis(imidazolium) salt 1 can be deprotonated by strong bases to form the bis(carbene) ligand C(NHC)CHC(NHC) (6), which readily reacts with [Ir(μ-Cl)(cod)](2) to give the dinuclear complex [{IrI(cod)}(2)(μ-C(NHC)CHC(NHC))] (7), in which the N-heterocyclic bis(carbene) ligand bridges the two metals through the carbene carbon atoms.     

Enantioselective copper catalysed 1,4-conjugate addition reactions using chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes

The preparation of a variety of chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors is described. The relative merits of imidazolinium salts and silver carbenes as NHC precursors are discussed with respect to their synthesis, stability and performance in the copper catalysed conjugate addition of dialkyl zinc reagents to a variety of Michael acceptors. Enantioselectivities of up to 93% were achieved using as little as 4% of chiral ligand.     

Chelating alkoxy-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of silver and copper

Incorporation of an alkoxide functional group into an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand allows the synthesis of the first anionic NHC chelating ligands, which react to give the first neutral, molecular silver(I) alkoxide carbene complex, and a copper(I) derivative containing the first nonmacrocyclic, square planar Cu(I) centres.     

N-Heterocyclic carbene–rhodium complexes as catalysts for hydroformylation and related reactions

Rhodium(I) complexes with N-heterocyclic carbenes (Rh–NHC) can be considered as important candidates for catalysts of hydroformylation of olefins. The high stability of Rh-C(NHC) bonding under reaction conditions allow to expect that NHC ligand will be present in coordination sphere of the catalytically active rhodium complex and therefore influences the reaction yield and regioselectivity. The potential applicability of Rh–NHC complexes containing chiral carbene ligand in asymmetric hydroformylation can be also considered. The excellent review articles relevant to application of Rh–NHC in hydroformylation have been published recently [1], [2], [3]. After that, important contributions to this subject, concerning theoretical and experimental studies, both structural and catalytic, have been reported. Therefore, the reactivity of Rh–NHC complexes can be discussed now in term of these new data. The up to now reported results indicate that the most promising and selective systems for hydroformylation can be composed from Rh–NHC complex and stoichiometric amount of electron-withdrawing phosphorus ligand.     

Imidazol(in)ium‐2‐Carboxylates as Efficient Precursors to N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes of Copper and Silver

Copper and silver N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes were prepared through a simple, base‐free protocol involving the decomposition of corresponding imidazol(in)ium‐2‐carboxylates under thermolytic conditions and a subsequent reaction of the in situ generated carbenes with copper(I) or silver(I) chloride, respectively. The desired NHC metal complexes were isolated with good yields after simple crystallization.     

Synthesis of bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) palladium complexes derived from (S,S)-1,2-bis(1-hydroxypropyl)benzene

New o-xylylene-linked bis(benzimidazolium) salts were synthesized in six-steps from C₂-symmetric chiral 1,4-diol, 1,2-bis(1-hydroxypropyl)benzene, as a starting material. The silver complex of bis(benzimidazol-2-ylidene) was obtained on treatment of bis(benzimidazolium) salt with silver oxide. The reaction of the silver bis-NHC with [PdCl₂(PhCN)₂] afforded the bis-NHC complex of palladium. The X-ray diffraction studies on Pd complexes revealed that these complexes have distorted square planar geometry around the Pd center coordinating the NHC ligand in mutually cis-position. The arene ring of o-xylylene unit hanged over the Pd center and thus these complexes showed C₁-symmetric structures. The variable temperature NMR spectroscopy revealed that these Pd complexes showed fluxional behavior between C₁- and C₂-symmetric structures in solution state.     

Triptycene‐Based Chiral and meso‐N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands and Metal Complexes

Based on 1‐amino‐4‐hydroxy‐triptycene, new saturated and unsaturated triptycene‐NHC (N‐heterocyclic carbene) ligands were synthesized from glyoxal‐derived diimines. The respective carbenes were converted into metal complexes [(NHC)MX] (M=Cu, Ag, Au; X=Cl, Br) and [(NHC)MCl(cod)] (M=Rh, Ir; cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene) in good yields. The new azolium salts and metal complexes suffer from limited solubility in common organic solvents. Consequently, the introduction of solubilizing groups (such as 2‐ethylhexyl or 1‐hexyl by O‐alkylation) is essential to render the complexes soluble. The triptycene unit infers special steric properties onto the metal complexes that enable the steric shielding of selected areas close to the metal center. Next, chiral and meso‐triptycene based N‐heterocyclic carbene ligands were prepared. The key step in the synthesis of the chiral ligand is the Buchwald–Hartwig amination of 1‐bromo‐4‐butoxy‐triptycene with (1S,2S)‐1,2‐diphenyl‐1,2‐diaminoethane, followed by cyclization to the azolinium salt with HC(OEt)₃. The analogous reaction with meso‐1,2‐diphenyl‐1,2‐diaminoethane provides the respective meso‐azolinium salt. Both the chiral and meso‐azolinium salts were converted into metal complexes including [(NHC)AuCl], [(NHC)RhCl(cod)], [(NHC)IrCl(cod)], and [(NHC)PdCl(allyl)]. An in situ prepared chiral copper complex was tested in the enantioselective borylation of α,β‐unsaturated esters and found to give an excellent enantiomeric ratio (er close to 90:10).     

Homochiral and heterochiral coordination polymers and networks of silver(I)

The self-assembly of racemic and enantiopure binaphthylbis(amidopyridyl) ligands 1,1'-C(20)H(12){NHC(O)-4-C(5)H(4)N}(2), 1, and 1,1'-C(20)H(12){NHC(O)-3-C(5)H(4)N}(2), 2, with silver(I) salts (AgX; X = CF(3)CO(2), CF(3)SO(3), NO(3)) to form extended metal-containing arrays is described. It is shown that the self-assembly with racemic ligands can lead to homochiral or heterochiral polymers, through self-recognition or self-discrimination of the ligand units. The primary polymeric materials adopt helical conformations (secondary structure), and they undergo further self-assembly to form sheets or networks (tertiary structure). These secondary and tertiary structures are controlled through secondary bonding interactions between pairs of silver(I) centers, between silver cations and counteranions, or through hydrogen bonding involving amide NH groups. The self-assembly of the enantiopure ligand R-1 with silver trifluoroacetate gave a remarkable three-dimensional chiral, knitted network composed of polymer chains in four different supramolecular isomeric forms.     

Synthesis and biological activity of ester- and amide-functionalized imidazolium salts and related water-soluble coinage metal N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand precursors, namely, HIm(A)Cl [1,3-bis(2-ethoxy-2-oxoethyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium chloride] and HIm(B)Cl {1,3-bis[2-(diethylamino)-2-oxoethyl]-1H-imidazol-3-ium chloride}, functionalized with hydrophilic groups on the imidazole rings have been synthesized and were used in the synthesis of corresponding carbene complexes of silver(I) and copper(I), {[Im(A)]AgCl}, {[Im(A)]CuCl}, and {[Im(B)](2)Ag}Cl. Related Au(I)NHC complexes {[Im(A)]AuCl} and {[Im(B)]AuCl} have been obtained by transmetalation using the silver carbene precursor. These compounds were characterized by several spectroscopic techniques including NMR and mass spectroscopy. HIm(B)Cl and the gold(I) complexes {[Im(A)]AuCl} and {[Im(B)]AuCl} were also characterized by X-ray crystallography. The cytotoxic properties of the NHC complexes have been assessed in various human cancer cell lines, including cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant cells. The silver(I) complex {[Im(B)](2)Ag}Cl was found to be the most active, with IC(50) values about 2-fold lower than those achieved with cisplatin in C13*-resistant cells. Growth-inhibitory effects evaluated in human nontransformed cells revealed a preferential cytotoxicity of {[Im(B)](2)Ag}Cl versus neoplastic cells. Gold(I) and silver(I) carbene complexes were also evaluated for their ability to in vitro inhibit the enzyme thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). The results of this investigation showing that TrxR appeared markedly inhibited by both gold(I) and silver(I) derivatives at nanomolar concentrations clearly point out this selenoenzyme as a protein target for silver(I) in addition to gold(I) complexes.     

Nickel-catalyzed enantio- and diastereoselective three-component coupling of 1,3-dienes, aldehydes, and silanes using chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes as ligands

Nickel(0)-catalyzed asymmetric three-component coupling of 1,3-dienes, aldehydes, and silanes has been realized utilizing a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene as a ligand. On the basis of the screening of various NHC precursors, an imidazolium salt having 1-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)propyl groups on the nitrogen was designed and synthesized. In this reaction, various coupling products were produced in good yields with high regio-, diastereo- (anti selective in the case of the internal 1,3-diene), and enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee).     

Synthesis,cytotoxicity and antibacterial studies of symmetrically and non‐symmetrically benzyl‐ or p‐cyanobenzyl‐substituted N‐Heterocyclic carbene–silver complexes

From the reaction of 1H‐imidazole ( 1a ), 4,5‐dichloro‐1H‐imidazole ( 1b ) and 1H‐benzimidazole ( 1c ) with p‐cyanobenzyl bromide ( 2 ), symmetrically substituted N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) [( 3a–c )] precursors, 1‐methylimidazole ( 5a ), 4,5‐dichloro‐1‐methylimidazole ( 5b ) and 1‐methylbenzimidazole ( 5c ) with benzyl bromide ( 6 ), non‐symmetrically substituted N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) [( 7a–c )] precursors were synthesized. These NHC? precursors were then reacted with silver(I) acetate to yield the NHC‐silver complexes [1,3‐bis(4‐cyanobenzyl)imidazole‐2‐ylidene] silver(I) acetate ( 4a ), [4,5‐dichloro‐1,3‐bis(4‐cyanobenzyl)imidazole‐2‐ylidene] silver(I) acetate ( 4b ), [1,3‐bis(4‐cyanobenzyl)benzimidazole‐2‐ylidene] silver(I) acetate ( 4c ), (1‐methyl‐3‐benzylimidazole‐2‐ylidene) silver(I) acetate ( 8a ), (4,5‐dichloro‐1‐methyl‐3‐benzylimidazole‐2‐ylidene) silver(I) acetate ( 8b ) and (1‐methyl‐3‐benzylbenzimidazole‐2‐ylidene) silver(I) acetate ( 8c ) respectively. The four NHC‐precursors 3a–c, 7c and four NHC–silver complexes 4a–c and 8c were characterized by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. The preliminary antibacterial activity of all the compounds was studied against Gram‐negative bacteria Escherichia coli, and Gram‐positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus using the qualitative Kirby‐Bauer disc‐diffusion method. All NHC–silver complexes exhibited medium to high antibacterial activity with areas of clearance ranging from 4 to 12 mm at the highest amount used, while the NHC‐precursors showed significantly lower activity. In addition, all NHC–silver complexes underwent preliminary cytotoxicity tests on the human renal‐cancer cell line Caki‐1 and showed medium to high cytotoxicity with IC₅₀ values ranging from 53 ( ± 8) to 3.2 ( ± 0.6) µM. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.