Highly Chemo‐, Regio‐, and Stereoselective Cobalt‐Catalyzed Markovnikov Hydrosilylation of Alkynes

A highly chemo‐, regio‐ and stereoselective cobalt‐catalyzed Markovnikov hydrosilylation of alkynes was developed. Various functionalized groups, such as halides, free alcohols, free aniline, ketones, esters, amides, and nitriles are tolerated, which may lead to further applications and late‐stage derivatizations. To date, this is the most efficient cobalt catalytic system (TOF=65 520 h^?1; TOF=turnover frequency) for hydrosilylation of alkynes. The Hiyama–Denmark cross‐coupling reactions of vinylsilanes with aryl iodides underwent smoothly to afford 1,1‐diarylethenes. A unique regioselectivity‐controllable hydrosilylation/hydroboration reaction of alkynes was also described.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Silicon‐Stereogenic Vinylhydrosilanes by Cobalt‐Catalyzed Regio‐ and Enantioselective Alkyne Hydrosilylation with Dihydrosilanes

The strategic carbon‐to‐silicon substitution at a stereogenic center can produce chiral silanes with significantly improved properties relative to their carbon congeners. We herein report an unprecedented cobalt‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation of unsymmetric alkynes with dihydrosilanes that furnishes silicon‐stereogenic vinylhydrosilanes with high regio‐ and enantioselectivity. The absolute configurations of the products were determined by chiroptical methods in combination with DFT calculations. The synthetic versatility of the vinylhydrosilanes as chiral building blocks was further demonstrated by asymmetric Si?H insertion and catalytic hydroboration reactions.     

A Cobalt‐Catalyzed Alkene Hydroboration with Pinacolborane

An extremely efficient cobalt catalyst for the hydroboration of both vinylarenes and aliphatic α‐olefins with pinacolborane is described, providing the anti‐Markovnikov products with excellent regio‐ and chemoselectivity, broad functional‐group tolerance, and high turnover numbers (up to 19 800). The alkene hydroboration route is further extended to a two‐step, one‐pot hydroboration and cross‐coupling of alkylboronates with aryl chlorides.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed Regio‐ and Stereoselective Hydroboration of Allenes

An efficient pincer‐ligand‐based cobalt‐complex‐catalyzed allene hydroboration affording Z‐allylic boronates is described. The reaction demonstrates an excellent regio‐ as well as Z‐stereoselectivity and a wide substrate scope that tolerates many functional groups. Based on solvent‐assisted electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (SAESI‐MS) studies, a rationale for the cobalt‐catalyzed hydroboration involving the highly selective insertion of an allene into the Co?H bond to form Z‐allylic cobalt intermediates is proposed.     

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.     

(N‐Phosphinoamidinate)cobalt‐Catalyzed Hydroboration: Alkene Isomerization Affords Terminal Selectivity

Herein we establish the utility of a three‐coordinate (N‐phosphinoamidinate)cobalt(amido) pre‐catalyst that is capable of effecting challenging alkene isomerization/hydroboration processes at room temperature, leading to the selective terminal addition of the boron group.     

Iron‐ and Cobalt‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrosilylation of Ketones and Enones with Bis(oxazolinylphenyl)amine Ligands

Chiral bis(oxazolinylphenyl)amines proved to be efficient auxiliary ligands for iron and cobalt catalysts with high activity for asymmetric hydrosilylation of ketones and asymmetric conjugate hydrosilylation of enones.     

Xantphos Doped POPs‐PPh3 as Heterogeneous Ligand for Cobalt‐Catalyzed Highly Regio‐ and Stereoselective Hydrosilylation of Alkynes

A Co(acac)₂/POL‐Xantphos@10PPh₃‐catalyzed hydrosilylation of unsymmetrical internal alkynes with Ph₂SiH₂ has been developed for the synthesis of highly selective syn‐α‐vinylsilane products. Furthermore, terminal alkynes were also used and gave the products with excellent regioselectivity and a wide functional group tolerance. Because this porous organic polymer combines the selectivity and activity merits of Xantphos with the stability advantage derived from the high concentration of PPh₃, the Co(acac)₂/POL‐Xantphos@10PPh₃ can be recycled multiple times without loss of activity and selectivity. This heterogeneous catalyst is expected to find promising applications in industrial synthesis.     

Iron‐Catalyzed Hydroboration: Unlocking Reactivity through Ligand Modulation

Iron‐catalyzed hydroboration (HB) of alkenes and alkynes is reported. A simple change in ligand structure leads to an extensive change in catalyst activity. Reactions proceed efficiently over a wide range of challenging substrates including activated, unactivated and sterically encumbered motifs. Conditions are mild and do not require the use of reducing agents or other additives. Large excesses of borating reagent are not required, allowing control of chemo‐ and regioselectivity in the presence of multiple double bonds. Mechanistic insight reveals that the reaction is likely to proceed via a highly reactive iron hydride intermediate.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed Alkenylzincation of Unfunctionalized Alkynes

While transition metal catalyzed addition reactions of arylmetal reagents to unfunctionalized alkynes have been extensively developed in the last decade, analogous reactions using alkenylmetal reagents remain rare regardless of their potential utility for the synthesis of unsymmetrical 1,3‐dienes. Reported herein is the development of a cobalt/diphosphine catalyst which promotes efficient and stereoselective addition of alkenylzinc reagents to unfunctionalized internal alkynes. The resulting dienylzinc species serve as versatile intermediates for further synthetic transformations.     

Silica-Supported MnII Sites as Efficient Catalysts for Carbonyl Hydroboration,Hydrosilylation, and Transesterification

Manganese, the third most abundant transition-metal element after iron and titanium, has recently been demonstrated to be an effective homogeneous catalyst in numerous reactions. Herein, the preparation of silica-supported Mn^II sites is reported using Surface Organometallic Chemistry (SOMC), combined with tailored thermolytic molecular precursors approach based on Mn₂[OSi(OtBu)₃]₄ and Mn{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂⋅THF. These supported Mn^II sites, free of organic ligands, efficiently catalyze numerous reactions: hydroboration and hydrosilylation of ketones and aldehydes as well as the transesterification of industrially relevant substrates.     

Rh(I)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrosilylation and Hydroboration/Oxidation Reactions Using Berens Ligand

The Berens ligand 2 was used in a number of Rh(I)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylations of acetophenones under standard conditions, affording the corresponding 1-arylalcohols in ees up to 65%. Some novel Rh catalysts were generated in situ from the neutral precatalyst [Rh(µ-Cl)(COD)]₂ and screened in the catalytic asymmetric hydroboration/oxidation of styrenes, gave enantioselectivities of up to 62%.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed Annulation of Salicylaldehydes and Alkynes to Form Chromones and 4‐Chromanones

A unique cobalt(I)–diphosphine catalytic system has been identified for the coupling of salicylaldehyde (SA) and an internal alkyne affording a dehydrogenative annulation product (chromone) or a reductive annulation product (4‐chromanone) depending on the alkyne substituents. Distinct from related rhodium(I)‐ and rhodium(III)‐catalyzed reactions of SA and alkynes, these annulation reactions feature aldehyde C?H oxidative addition of SA and subsequent hydrometalation of the C=O bond of another SA molecule as common key steps. The reductive annulation to 4‐chromanones also involves the action of Zn as a stoichiometric reductant. In addition to these mechanistic features, the Co^I catalysis described herein is complementary to the Rh^I‐ and Rh^III‐catalyzed reactions of SA and internal alkynes, particularly in the context of chromone synthesis.     

Radical trans‐Hydroboration of Alkynes with N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Boranes

Hydroboration of internal alkynes with N‐heterocyclic carbene boranes (NHC‐boranes) occurs to provide stable NHC (E)‐alkenylboranes upon thermolysis in the presence of di‐tert‐butyl peroxide. The E isomer results from an unusual trans‐hydroboration, and the E/Z selectivity is typically high (90:10 or greater). Evidence suggests that this hydroboration occurs by a radical‐chain reaction involving addition of an NHC‐boryl radical to an alkyne to give a β‐NHC‐borylalkenyl radical. Ensuing hydrogen abstraction from the starting NHC‐borane provides the product and returns the starting NHC‐boryl radical. Experiments suggest that the observed trans‐selectivity results from kinetic control in the hydrogen‐transfer reaction.     

Synthesis of Cyclic Amine Boranes through Triazole‐Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Alkyne Hydroboration

The first catalytic alkyne hydroboration of propargyl amine boranecarbonitriles is accomplished with triazole‐Au^I complexes. While the typical [L‐Au]⁺ species decomposes within minutes upon addition of amine boranecarbonitriles, the triazole‐modified gold catalysts (TA‐Au) remained active, and allowed the synthesis of 1,2‐BN‐cyclopentenes in one step with good to excellent yields. With good substrate tolerability and mild reaction conditions (open‐flask), this new method provides an alternative route to reach the interesting cyclic amine borane with high efficiency.     

Regio‐ and Enantioselective Cobalt‐Catalyzed Sequential Hydrosilylation/Hydrogenation of Terminal Alkynes

A highly regio‐ and enantioselective cobalt‐catalyzed sequential hydrosilylation/hydrogenation of alkynes was developed to afford chiral silanes. This one‐pot method is operationally simple and atom economic. It makes use of relatively simple and readily available starting materials, namely alkynes, silanes, and hydrogen gas, to construct more valuable chiral silanes. Primary mechanistic studies demonstrated that highly regioselective hydrosilylation of alkynes with silanes occurred as a first step, and the subsequent cobalt‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of the resulting vinylsilanes showed good enantioselectivity.     

Structural Elucidation of Silver(I) Amides and Their Application as Catalysts in the Hydrosilylation and Hydroboration of Carbonyls

This study details the isolation and characterisation of three novel silver(I) amides in solution and solid-state, [Ag(Cy₃P)(HMDS)] 2 , [Ag(Cy₃P){N(TMS)(Dipp)}] 3 and [Ag(Cy₃P)₂(NPh₂)] 4 . Their catalytic abilities have proved successful in hydroboration and hydrosilylation reactions with a full investigation performed with complex 2 . Both protocols proceed under mild conditions, displaying exceptional functional-group tolerance and chemoselectivity, in excellent conversions at competitive reaction times. This work reveals the first catalytic hydroboration of aldehydes and ketones performed by a silver(I) catalyst.