Regioselective aromatic borylation in an inert solvent

[reaction: see text]. A protocol for performing Rh catalyzed aromatic borylations in cyclohexane has been devised. Borylation at the 5-position of several 1,3-substituted aromatic species ranging from electron-rich (1,3-(NMe(2))(2)C(6)H(4)) to electron-deficient (1,3-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(4)) yields the corresponding aryl boronate esters. Veratrole was selectively borylated at the 4-position, thus extending regioselectivity to 1,2-substituted benzenes. Selective borylation at the 3-position of an N-protected pyrrole has also been demonstrated, providing a valuable reagent for cross-coupling reactions in a single step.     

Unsaturated iridium pyridinedicarboxylate pincer complexes with catalytic activity in borylation of arenes

Unsaturated σ,π-cyclooctenyl and hydrido Ir(III) complexes bearing an unusual tridentate dianionic ONO pincer-type ligand have been straightforwardly obtained from 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid and standard Ir(I) starting materials. These complexes efficiently catalyzed the arene C-H borylation under thermal conditions.     

Ligand-free nickel catalyzed perfluoroalkylation of arenes and heteroarenes

We describe a “ligand-free” Ni-catalyzed perfluoroalkylation of heteroarenes to produce a diverse array of trfiluoromethyl, pentafluoroethyl and heptafluoropropyl adducts. Catalysis proceeds at room temperature via a radical pathway. The catalytic protocol is distinguished by its simplicity, and its wide scope demonstrates the potential in the late-stage functionalization of drug analogues and peptides.

A ligand-free, room temperature, Ni-catalyzed perfluoroalkylation of heteroarenes produced a diverse array of polyfluorinated adducts; potential in the late-stage functionalization of drugs and peptides is also demonstrated.     

Undirected ortho-selectivity in C–H borylation of arenes catalyzed by NHC platinum(0) complexes

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Regioselective aromatic C-H silylation of five-membered heteroarenes with fluorodisilanes catalyzed by iridium(I) complexes

The aromatic C-H silylation of five-membered heteroarenes with 1,2-di-tert-butyl-1,1,2,2-tetrafluorodisilane regioselectively proceeded at 120 degrees C in octane in the presence of a catalytic amount of iridium(I) complexes generated from 1/2[Ir(OMe)(COD)]2 and 2-tert-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline.     

Mechanism of the mild functionalization of arenes by diboron reagents catalyzed by iridium complexes. Intermediacy and chemistry of bipyridine-ligated iridium trisboryl complexes

This paper describes mechanistic studies on the functionalization of arenes with the diboron reagent B(2)pin(2) (bis-pinacolato diborane(4)) catalyzed by the combination of 4,4'-di-tert-butylbipyridine (dtbpy) and olefin-ligated iridium halide or olefin-ligated iridium alkoxide complexes. This work identifies the catalyst resting state as [Ir(dtbpy)(COE)(Bpin)(3)] (COE = cyclooctene, Bpin = 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolanyl). [Ir(dtbpy)(COE)(Bpin)(3)] was prepared by independent synthesis in high yield from [Ir(COD)(OMe)](2), dtbpy, COE, and HBpin. This complex is formed in low yield from [Ir(COD)(OMe)](2), dtbpy, COE, and B(2)pin(2). Kinetic studies show that this complex reacts with arenes after reversible dissociation of COE. An alternative mechanism in which the arene reacts with the Ir(I) complex [Ir(dtbpy)Bpin] after dissociation of COE and reductive elimination of B(2)pin(2) does not occur to a measurable extent. The reaction of [Ir(dtbpy)(COE)(Bpin)(3)] with arenes and the catalytic reaction of B(2)pin(2) with arenes catalyzed by [Ir(COD)(OMe)](2) and dtbpy occur faster with electron-poor arenes than with electron-rich arenes. However, both the stoichiometric and catalytic reactions also occur faster with the electron-rich heteroarenes thiophene and furan than with arenes, perhaps because eta(2)-heteroarene complexes are more stable than the eta(2)-arene complexes and the eta(2)-heteroarene or arene complexes are intermediates that precede oxidative addition. Kinetic studies on the catalytic reaction show that [Ir(dtbpy)(COE)(Bpin)(3)] enters the catalytic cycle by dissociation of COE, and a comparison of the kinetic isotope effects of the catalytic and stoichiometric reactions shows that the reactive intermediate [Ir(dtbpy)(Bpin)(3)] cleaves the arene C-H bond. The barriers for ligand exchange and C-H activation allow an experimental assessment of several conclusions drawn from computational work. Most generally, our results corroborate the conclusion that C-H bond cleavage is turnover-limiting, but the experimental barrier for this bond cleavage is much lower than the calculated barrier.     

Benzylation of arenes and heteroarenes catalyzed by HfCl_4/HfO_2

A highly efficient benzylation of arenes and heteroarenes catalyzed by HfCl_4/HfO_2 has been developed.Broad scope of benzylation reagents have been used in this process with high yields under mild condition.Additionally,the HfO_2 can be re-used after the reaction.     

Head-to-tail dimerization of acrylates catalyzed by iridium complexes

Head-to-tail dimerizations of acrylates and vinyl ketone were successfully performed by the use of iridium complexes in good yields. An iridium hydride complex generated in situ from [IrCl(cod)]2 and alcohols in the presence of Na2CO3 and (MeO)3P was found to be an active species promoting the head-to-tail dimerization of acrylates. Thus, butyl acrylate afforded the corresponding head-to-tail dimer in 86% yield.     

稀土Schiff碱配合物催化烷基异氰酸酯室温聚合

利用Schiff碱稀土配合物Ln（H2Salen）2Cl3·2C2H5OH与AI（i—Bu）3组成的催化体系催化烷基异氰酸酯室温聚合,详细考察了催化剂组成以及聚合条件等对烷基异氰酸酯聚合的影响,并研究了己基异氰酸酯的聚合动力学．以La、Nd、Sm和Gd四种稀土元素为代表,合成了相应的Schiff碱配合物,结果表明轻稀土体系比重稀土体系好,La的聚合活性最高．在-40℃-40℃很宽的聚合温度范围内,可以得到分子量分布窄（MWD=1．50～2．40）的高分子量聚异氰酸酯,20℃为最佳的聚合温度．己基异氰酸酯的最佳聚合条件为：[AI]／[La]=30（摩尔比）,[n-HexNCO]／[La]=100,[n—HexNCO]=3．43mol／L,甲苯溶液中20℃聚合12h,聚合物收率74．0％,聚合物黏均分子量高达73．5×10^4,数均分子量40．2×10^4,MWD=1．79．聚合动力学研究表明己基异氰酸酯聚合反应对单体浓度和催化剂浓度都是一级关系,聚合反应活化能为43．64kJ／mol．     

Dehydrogenation of aliphatic polyolefins catalyzed by pincer-ligated iridium complexes

We report the first example of the catalytic dehydrogenation of aliphatic polyolefins to give partially unsaturated hydrocarbon polymers.     

Monoalkylation of acetonitrile by primary alcohols catalyzed by iridium complexes

The monoalkylation of acetonitrile by primary alcohols was achieved in a one-pot sequence in the presence of iridium catalysts. A diversity of nitriles has been obtained from aryl- and alkyl-methanols in excellent yield.     

Room temperature polymerization of alkyl isocyanates catalyzed by rare earth Schiff base complexes

The polymerization of alkyl isocyanates catalyzed by rare earth chloride salen complexes/triisobutyl aluminum (Ln(H₂salen)₂Cl₃·2C₂H₇OH/Al(i-Bu)₃) at room temperature was investigated. The influences of ligand structure, catalyst composition, polymerization temperature, polymerization time, the concentration of catalyst and monomer, and the polymerization solvent on the polymerization of isocyanates were studied. It was found that under the polymerization conditions, examined La(H₂salen_A)₂Cl₃·2C₂-H₇OH/Al(i-Bu)₃ (H₂salen_A= N,N′-disalicylideneethylene diamine) is a fairly high efficient catalyst for the polymerization of n-hexyl isocyanate (n-HexNCO) to prepare high molecular weight poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) (PHNCO) with narrower molecular weight distribution at room temperature. PHNCO could be prepared with yield of 74.0%, number-average molecular weight (M _n) of 40.20×10⁴ and MWD of 1.79 under the following optimum conditions: [Al]/[La] = 30 (molar ratio), [n-HexNCO]/[La] = 100 (molar ratio), [n-HexNCO] = 3.43 mol/L polymerization at 20°C for 12 h in toluene. In the same polymerization conditions, poly (n-octyl isocyanate) (PONCO) with yield of 67.3%, and poly(n-butyl isocyanate) (PBNCO) with yield of 45.5%, could be prepared respectively. The kinetics of the polymerization of n-HexNCO was also investigated and found to be first-order with respect to both monomer and catalyst concentrations.     

Non-covalent interactions in stoichiometric and catalytic reactions of iridium pincer complexes

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Mechanistic investigations of imine hydrogenation catalyzed by cationic iridium complexes

Complexes [IrH2(eta6-C6H6)(PiPr3)]BF4 (1) and [IrH2(NCMe)3(PiPr3)]BF4 (2) are catalyst precursors for homogeneous hydrogenation of N-benzylideneaniline under mild conditions. Precursor 1 generates the resting state [IrH2{eta5-(C6H5)NHCH2Ph}(PiPr3)]BF4 (3), while 2 gives rise to a mixture of [IrH{PhN=CH(C6H4)-kappaN,C}(NCMe)2(PiPr3)]BF4 (4) and [IrH{PhN=CH(C6H4)-kappaN,C}(NCMe)(NH2Ph)(PiPr3)]BF4 (5), in which the aniline ligand is derived from hydrolysis of the imine. The less hindered benzophenone imine forms the catalytically inactive, doubly cyclometalated compound [Ir{HN=CPh(C6H4)-kappaN,C}2(NH2CHPh2)(PiPr3)]BF4 (6). Hydrogenations with precursor 1 are fast and their reaction profiles are strongly dependent on solvent, concentrations, and temperature. Significant induction periods, minimized by addition of the amine hydrogenation product, are commonly observed. The catalytic rate law (THF) is rate = k[1][PhN=CHPh]p(H2). The results of selected stoichiometric reactions of potential catalytic intermediates exclude participation of the cyclometalated compounds [IrH{PhN=CH(C6H4)-kappaN,C}(S)2(PiPr3)]BF4 [S = acetonitrile (4), [D6]acetone (7), [D4]methanol (8)] in catalysis. Reactions between resting state 3 and D2 reveal a selective sequence of deuterium incorporation into the complex which is accelerated by the amine product. Hydrogen bonding among the components of the catalytic reaction was examined by MP2 calculations on model compounds. The calculations allow formulation of an ionic, outer-sphere, bifunctional hydrogenation mechanism comprising 1) amine-assisted oxidative addition of H2 to 3, the result of which is equivalent to heterolytic splitting of dihydrogen, 2) replacement of a hydrogen-bonded amine by imine, and 3) simultaneous H delta+/H delta- transfer to the imine substrate from the NH moiety of an arene-coordinated amine ligand and the metal, respectively.     

Mechanistic investigations of imine hydrogenation catalyzed by dinuclear iridium complexes

Treatment of [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H3(NCMe)(PiPr3)2] (1) with one equivalent of HBF4 or [PhNH=CHPh]BF4 affords efficient catalysts for the homogeneous hydrogenation of N-benzylideneaniline. The reaction of 1 with HBF4 leads to the trihydride-dihydrogen complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(eta2-H2)(NCMe)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (2), which has been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations on a model complex. Complex 2 reacts with imines such as tBuN=CHPh or PhN=CHPh to afford amine complexes [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe){L}(PiPr3)2]BF4 (L = NH(tBu)CH2Ph, 3; NH(Ph)CH2Ph, 4) through a sequence of proton- and hydride-transfer steps. Dihydrogen partially displaces the amine ligand of 4 to form 2; this complements a possible catalytic cycle for the N-benzylideneaniline hydrogenation in which the amine-by-dihydrogen substitution is the turnover-determining step. The rates of ligand substitution in 4 and its analogues with labile ligands other than amine are dependent upon the nature of the leaving ligand and independent on the incoming ligand concentration, in agreement with dissociative substitutions. Water complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe)(OH2)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (7) hydrolyzes N-benzylideneaniline, which eventually affords the poor hydrogenation catalyst [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe)(NH2Ph)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (11). The rate law for the catalytic hydrogenation in 1,2-dichloroethane with complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(OSO2CF3)(NCMe)(PiPr3)2] (8) as catalyst precursor is rate = k[8]{p(H2)}; this is in agreement with the catalytic cycle deduced from the stochiometric experiments. The hydrogenation reaction takes place at a single iridium center of the dinuclear catalyst, although ligand modifications at the neighboring iridium center provoke changes in the hydrogenation rate. Even though this catalyst system is also capable of effectively hydrogenating alkenes, N-benzylideneaniline can be selectively hydrogenated in the presence of simple alkenes.     

Difunctionalisation of arenes and heteroarenes by directed metallation and sulfoxide-magnesium exchange

The aryl sulfoxide moiety allows an expedient two‐step difunctionalisation of readily available diaryl sulfoxides. Highly functionalised 1,2,4‐trisubstituted arenes and difunctionalised heteroarenes (furans, thiophenes, benzofurans and pyridines) were prepared in a two‐step sequence, triggered by an aryl sulfoxide group. In the first step, the sulfoxide moiety acts as a metallation‐directing group, allowing smooth ortho‐magnesiation with TMPMgCl ? LiCl (TMP=tetramethylpiperidine). After a quenching reaction with an electrophile, the resulting sulfoxide is converted into a second magnesium reagent with iPrMgCl ? LiCl (sulfoxide–magnesium exchange), which can be trapped with various electrophiles. Highly chemoselective TMPMgCl ? LiCl and iPrMgCl ? LiCl are compatible with a broad range of functional groups (e.g., F, Cl, CF₃, CN, CO₂tBu, alkynyl, ethers, thioethers). Large‐scale reactions (25–40 mmol) and the preparation of fully functionalised furans and thiophenes are also reported.