Pd(II) salen complex covalently anchored to multi‐walled carbon nanotubes as a heterogeneous and reusable precatalyst for Mizoroki–Heck and Hiyama cross‐coupling reactions

A Pd(II) salen complex anchored to multi‐walled carbon nanotubes showed excellent catalytic activity and stability for the Mizoroki–Heck and Hiyama cross‐couplings of aryl halides with olefins and phenylsiloxanes. Furthermore, the heterogeneous catalyst could be reused up to four times with the catalytic activity being recovered easily after simple manipulations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Asymmetric catalysis of Nozaki-Hiyama allylation and methallylation with a new tridentate bis(oxazolinyl)carbazole ligand

This work describes the development of a new tridentate ligand effective for the asymmetric catalysis of Nozaki-Hiyama allylation and methallylation. Various aldehydes were allylated or methallylated with good enantioselectivity (86-96%), and a key intermediate of calcitriol lactone synthesis was also obtained with excellent diastereoselectivity (97% de, 91%). The enantioselective reaction catalyzed by this Cr-ligand complex is applicable to a broad range of aldehydes and has great potential for natural product synthesis. Another remarkable feature of this ligand is the stability of the Cr-ligand complex which was recovered after the enantioselective reaction and recycled twice without diminishing the enantioselectivity and yield.     

Bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl transition metal complexes: synthesis, asymmetric catalysis, and coordination chemistry

Molecular catalysts for organic synthesis should be constructed to be tailored to target reactions and their desirable conditions. In our search for them, we have studied new types of transition metal molecular catalysts dressed with a tridentate N,C,N modular ligand, which consists of a C2-symmetric side-by-side phenyl group with chiral bis(oxazolinyl) substituents. The ligand, 2,6-bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl abbreviated as Phebox, can connect covalently to transition metals by the central carbon atom. Here, we review our recent work on the chemistry of Phebox and its metal complexes, including preparation, structural analysis, asymmetric Lewis acid catalysis, asymmetric hydrosilylation, asymmetric conjugate reduction, asymmetric reductive aldol reaction, and organometallic reactions.     

Screening of a modular sugar-based phosphite-oxazoline ligand library in asymmetric Pd-catalyzed heck reactions

We have synthesised a library of phosphite-oxazoline ligands derived from readily available D-glucosamine. These ligands have been successfully screened in the palladium-catalysed Heck reaction of several substrates with high regio- (up to 99 %) and enantioselectivities (ee's up to 99 %) as well as with improved activities under standard thermal conditions. The results indicate that the catalytic performance is highly affected by the oxazoline and biarylphosphite substituents and the axial chirality of the biaryl moiety of the ligand. The Heck reactions were also performed under microwave irradiation conditions, allowing a considerably shorter reaction time (full conversion in minutes) maintaining the excellent regio- and enantioselectivities.     

Catalytic and highly enantioselective reactions of alpha-sulfonyl carbanions with chiral bis(oxazoline)s

The enantioselective reactions of lithiated benzyl trifluoromethyl sulfones with a substoichiometric amount of a bis(oxazoline) and various aldehydes is disclosed. The products were formed with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities. Fluorination of the sulfone with N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide and a stoichiometric amount of a bis(oxazoline) gave products with extremely high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee; ee=enantiomeric excess). The enantioselective reaction was confirmed to proceed through a dynamic thermodynamic resolution pathway.     

Indium trichloride: a useful catalyst for ionic Diels–Alder reactions

Indium trichloride (20 mol%) in nitromethane permits ionic Diels–Alder reaction of a variety of 2,3-olefinic acetals to form the corresponding cycloadducts in good yields with good endo selectivities.     

Homogeneous catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation of olefins induced by an efficient and recoverable polymer‐bound ligand QN–AQN–OPEG‐OMe

A novel polymer‐bound alkaloid ligand QN–AQN–OPEG‐OMe, which was characterized by an anthraquinone core at the 9‐O position of quinine, was synthesized conveniently. It delivered up to 99% ees in the homogeneous catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation of seven olefins, comparable to that reported for the homogeneous catalyst with free ligand (DHQ)₂AQN. This ligand was recovered almost quantitatively by a simple filtration and reused for five cycles without obvious decreased enantioselectivities and catalytic activities. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Asymmetric Friedel–Crafts Alkylation of Electron‐Rich N‐Heterocycles with Nitroalkenes Catalyzed by Diphenylamine‐Tethered Bis(oxazoline) and Bis(thiazoline) ZnII Complexes

The asymmetric Friedel–Crafts alkylation of electron‐rich N‐containing heterocycles with nitroalkenes under catalysis of diphenylamine‐tethered bis(oxazoline) and bis(thiazoline)‐Zn^II complexes was investigated. In the reaction of indole derivatives, the complex of ligand 4 f with trans‐diphenyl substitutions afforded better results than previously published ligand 4 e with cis‐diphenyl substitutions. Excellent yields (up to greater than 99 %) and enantioselectivities (up to 97 %) were achieved in most cases. The complex of ligand 4 d bearing tert‐butyl groups gave the best results in the reactions of pyrrole. Moderate to good yields (up to 91 %) and enantioselectivities (up to 91 %) were achieved in most cases. The origin of the enantioselectivity was attributed to the NH–π interaction between the catalyst and the incoming aromatic system in the transition state. Such an interaction was confirmed through comparison of the enantioselectivity and the absolute configuration of the products in the reactions catalyzed by designed ligands.     

Application of a dimeric ortho‐palladated complex of tribenzylamine as an efficient catalyst in microwave‐assisted Hiyama coupling reactions

The activity of [Pd{C₆H₄(CH₂N(CH₂Ph)₂)}(μ‐Br)]₂ complex was investigated in cross‐coupling reactions of triethoxy(phenyl)silane with various aryl halides under microwave irradiation. This complex is an efficient and stable catalyst for the synthesis of substituted biphenyls that is non‐sensitive to air and moisture. The combination of dimeric complex as homogenous catalyst, microwave irradiation, DMF as microwave‐active polar solvent and TBAF as microwave‐active additive led to excellent yields in short reaction times. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.