Copper (II)-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective addition of H/P(O)R2 to alkynes

Cu(acac)₂ is the new universal catalyst for β-E regio- and stereoselective syn-addition of the H–P(O)-bond of diphenylphosphine oxide, H-phosphinates, dialkylphosphites to various alkynes in the synthesis of P(O)-containing alkenes. Without additives and ligands Cu(II)-compounds showed better results than CuI or Ni(acac)₂. The catalytic system developed is tolerant to typical organic functional groups present in the alkynes and to the nature of different substituents in the H–P(O)-compounds.     

Formation and properties of hydrogenation catalysts based on palladium bisacetylacetonate and sodium tetrahydroborate

Properties of the Pd(acac)₂-nNaBH₄ system in catalysis of the reactions of hydrogenation of alkenes, alkynes, and carbonyl and nitro groups were studied. A number of spectral methods (NMR, UV spectroscopy) and X-ray phase analysis were used to examine the main stages of formation of palladium hydrogenation catalysts produced in the interaction of Pd(acac)₂ with sodium tetrahydroborate, and reasons for the bimodal nature of the dependence of the catalytic activity on the B/Pd ratio were considered.     

Synthesis of Si- and N-containing bicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4-dienes and bicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4,7-trienes

A [6π+2π] cycloaddition of Si- and N-containing alkynes and 1,2-dienes to cyclohepta-1,3,5-trienes in the presence of the two-component catalytic system (acac)₂TiCl₂-Et₂AlCl gives rise to the corresponding bicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4-diene and bicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4,7-triene derivatives.     

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.     

Ligand-free Ag(I)-catalyzed carboxylative coupling of terminal alkynes,chloride compounds,and CO2

Simple silver(I) slats were found to be highly efficient and selective catalyst for carboxylative coupling of aryl- or alkyl-substituted terminal alkynes, CO₂, and various allylic, propargylic or benzylic chlorides to exclusively yield functionalized 2-alkynoates. The activity is about 300 times that of the previously reported N-heterocyclic carbene copper(I) catalytic system. The ligand-free silver(I) catalytic system showed the wide generality of substrates involving both functionalized terminal alkynes and chloride compounds.     

Synthesis of New Functionally Substituted 9-Azabicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4,7-trienes by Cobalt(I)-Catalyzed [6π + 2π]-Cycloaddition of N-Carbocholesteroxyazepine to Alkynes

Catalytic [6π + 2π]-cycloaddition of N-carbocholesteroxyazepine with functionally substituted terminal alkynes and 1,4-butynediol was performed for the first time under the action of the Co(acac)₂(dppe)/Zn/ZnI₂ three-component catalytic system. The reaction gave previously undescribed but promising 9-azabicyclo[4.2.1]nona-2,4,7-trienes (in 79–95% yields), covalently bound to a natural metabolite, cholesterol. The structure of the synthesized azabicycles was confirmed by analysis of one- and two-dimensional (¹H, ¹³C, DEPT ¹³C, COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC) NMR spectra.     

Dinuclear gold(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: Synthesis,characterization, and catalytic application for hydrohydrazidation of terminal alkynes

Dinuclear gold(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes were developed for the hydrohydrazidation of terminal alkynes. The gold(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes 2a-2b were synthesized in good yields from silver complexes synthesized in situ, which in turn were obtained from the corresponding imidazolium salts with Ag₂O in dichloromethane as a solvent. The new air-stable gold(I)-NHC complexes, 2a - 2b, were characterized using NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, infrared, and mass spectroscopy studies. The gold(I) complex 2a was characterized using X-ray crystallography. Bis-N-heterocyclic carbene–based gold(I) complexes 2a - 2b exhibited excellent catalytic activities for hydrohydrazidation of terminal alkynes yielding acylhydrazone derivatives. The working catalytic system can be used in gram-scale synthesis. In addition, the catalytic reaction mechanism of the hydrohydrazidation of terminal alkynes by gold(I)-NHC complex was studied in detail using density functional theory.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Facile [2+2+2] Cyclotrimerization of Unactivated Internal Alkynes to Polysubstituted Benzenes

A catalytic [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization of unactivated internal alkynes providing cyclotrimerization products in excellent yields with high regioselectivity is described. The transformation is accomplished by using a simple catalytic mixture comprising Ni(acac)₂, an imidazolium salt and a Grignard reagent at room temperature or 60 °C for 20 min or 1 h.     

Zinc‐Catalysed Hydroboration of Terminal and Internal Alkynes

A regioselective hydroboration of alkynes has been developed by using commercially available zinc triflate as a catalyst, in the presence of catalytic amount of NaBHEt₃. The reaction tolerates a wide range of terminal alkynes having several synthetically useful functional groups and proceeds regioselectively to furnish hydroborated products in moderate to excellent yields. This system shows moderate chemoselectivity towards terminal C≡C bond over terminal and internal C=C bond and internal C≡C bond.     

An unprecedented highly efficient solvent-free oxidation of alkynes to α,β-acetylenic ketones with tert-butyl hydroperoxide catalyzed by water-soluble copper complex

The catalytic system composed of CuCl₂ and 2,2′-biquinoline-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid dipotassium salt (BQC) was found to be highly efficient for the selective α-oxidation of internal alkynes to the corresponding α,β-acetylenic ketones, with aqueous tert-butyl hydroperoxide under mild conditions. For the first time, full conversions of alkynes were reached with excellent selectivities, and propargylic tert-butylperoxy ethers were observed and suggested as the reaction intermediates. In the case of terminal alkynes, the oxidations are sluggish and low yields ranging from 32% to 40% were obtained.     

Copper-catalysed photoinduced decarboxylative alkynylation: a combined experimental and computational study

Redox-active esters (RAEs) as alkyl radical precursors have demonstrated great advantages for C–C bond formation. A decarboxylative cross-coupling method is described to afford substituted alkynes from various carboxylic acids using copper catalysts CuCl and Cu(acac)₂. The photoexcitation of copper acetylides with electron-rich NEt₃ as a ligand provides a general strategy to generate a range of alkyl radicals from RAEs of carboxylic acids, which can be readily coupled with a variety of aromatic alkynes. The scope of this cross-coupling reaction can be further expanded to aliphatic alkynes and alkynyl silanes using a catalytic amount of preformed copper-phenylacetylide. In addition, DFT calculations revealed the favorable reaction pathway and that the bidentate acetylacetonate ligand of the copper intermediate plays an important role in inhibiting the homo-coupling of the alkyne.

Redox-active esters (RAEs) as alkyl radical precursors have demonstrated great advantages for Cu-catalysed C–C bond formation.     

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylative annulation of terminal alkynes: synthesis of coumarins and 2-quinolones

o-Iodophenols and o-iodoaniline derivatives react with terminal alkynes under 1 atm of CO in the presence of pyridine and catalytic amounts of Pd(OAc)₂ to generate coumarins and 2-quinolones, respectively, as the only products. Terminal alkynes bearing alkyl, aryl, silyl, hydroxyl, ester and cyano substituents are effective in these processes affording the desired products in moderate yields. The formation of coumarins and 2-quinolones in this process is in stark contrast with all previously described palladium-catalyzed reactions of o-iodophenols or o-iodoanilines with terminal alkynes and CO, which have afforded chromones and 4-quinolones. Moreover, under our reaction conditions terminal alkynes insert into the carbonpalladium bond instead of undergoing a Sonogashira-type coupling as confirmed by an isotope labeling experiment.     

Polymerization of cyclohexene oxide with Al(acac)3-silanol catalyst supported by zeolite and porous silica

The polymerization of cyclohexene oxide with Al(acac)₃-silanol catalyst supported by zeolite and porous silica has been investigated. Cyclohexene oxide was also polymerized to a lesser extent by a zeolite-silanol catalyst and an Al(acac)₃-silica gel catalyst. The catalytic activity of the zeolite-silanol system varied with the zeolite pore size. The catalytic activity of the Al(acac)₃-silanol system was enhanced by supporting the catalyst with porous silica or zeolite. The Al(acac)₃-silanol catalyst supported by zeolite was especially effective in increasing polymer conversion and molecular weight. Catalytic activity increased with increasing chemical interaction between silanol and porous silica. The molecular weight of the polymers with these catalysts increased in the order zeolite-silanol> zeolite-Al(acac)₃-silanol >Al(acac)₃-silanol ≈ Al(acac)₃-silanol supported by porous silica>Al(acac)₃-silica gel.     

A simple route to morpholine derivatives via copper-acetylide addition to carbodiimide in the presence of oxiranes

A novel catalytic multicomponent reaction for the synthesis of morpholine derivatives has been reported. The reactions involve terminal alkynes, carbodiimides, and oxiranes using [Cu (CH₃CN)₄]PF₆, ^tBuOLi, and TBPAc in anhydrous NMP. Aryl and heteroaromatic terminal alkynes were tolerated. Carbodiimides could be symmetrical and unsymmetrical substrates with aryl or alkyl substituents. The reaction exhibited a good regioselectivity when unsymmetrical carbodiimides were employed.     

Cyclopalladated ferrocenylimines: efficient catalysts for homocoupling and Sonogashira reaction of terminal alkynes

A novel pathway for homocoupling of terminal alkynes has been described using cyclopalladated ferrocenylimine 1 or 2/CuI as catalyst in the air. This catalytic system could tolerate several functional groups. The palladacycle 2 in the presence of n-Bu₄NBr as an additive could be applied to Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of aryl iodides, aryl bromides, and some activated aryl chlorides with terminal alkynes under amine- and copper-free conditions, mostly to give moderate to excellent yields.     

Insertion of terminal alkynes into the phosphirene ring

In the presence of catalytic amounts of Pd(PPh₃)₄, terminal alkynes readily insert into the ring of phosphirene P-W(CO)₅complexes to give the corresponding phosphole complexes.     

Dioxomolybdenum(VI) and dioxotungsten(VI) complexes: efficient catalytic activity for crosslinking reaction in ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer/alkoxysilane composites

The catalytic performances of several bis(acetylacetonato)metal complexes [Cu(acac)₂, Zn(acac)₂, TiO(acac)₂, VO(acac)₂, MoO₂(acac)₂, and WO₂(acac)₂] were investigated for the crosslinking reaction via transesterifications in the ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer/tetraethoxysilane (EVA/TEOS) composite system by means of dynamic attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared, solvent swelling, and solid‐state ²⁹Si cross polarization/magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Results of the kinetic examination revealed that MoO₂(acac)₂ and WO₂(acac)₂ exhibited a higher catalytic activity than di‐n‐butyltin(IV) oxide, which is a catalyst most commonly used for the transesterification process in polymer system, but has a toxic effect on the environmental health. And furthermore, the crosslink density and final siloxane network structure of crosslinked EVA/TEOS composites are found to be greatly correlated with the catalyst used. On the basis of the S_N2‐Si pathway, a plausible catalytic mechanism of MoO₂(acac)₂ and WO₂(acac)₂ was proposed for the crosslinking reaction via transesterifications of the vinyl acetate moieties in EVA backbone with the ethoxysilane groups in one TEOS molecule. The findings in this study may fill the blank in the high performance and environmentally friendly catalyst in the field of the crosslinking reactions in polymer system and provide useful clue for other transesterifications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metal cluster catalysis: III. Selective homogeneous hydrogenations catalyzed by [n5-C5H5)Fe(u3-CO)l4

The iron cluster, [(n⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(μ₃-CO)]₄, 1, catalyzes the selective hydrogenation of alkynes to alkenes at 100–130° and 100–1000 psig and the selective reduction of terminal alkynes to olefins in the presence of alkenes or internal alkynes. Internal alkynes are slowly reduced to $\text{cis}$ olefins, aryl nitro groups to aniline derivatives, and terminal activated carbon-carbon double bonds (methyl acrylate, acrylonitrile) are hydrogenated. The cluster concentration, monitored by high pressure liquid chromatography, was unchanged after 1148 and 1410 turnovers. Cluster 1 was isolated in 95–97% yields after catalytic reduction (1000 turnovers) and no other iron-containing species were detected. After 280 turnovers, the catalyst solution was filtered through an ultrafiltration membrane into a second vessel where hydrogenation of 1-pentyne continued. Fragmentation of 1 tc     

Cesium Hydroxide: A Superior Base for the Catalytic Alkynylation of Aldehydes and Ketones and Catalytic Alkenylation of Nitriles

The efficient addition of terminal alkynes to aldehydes or ketones to give propargyl alcohols in yields of 66–96 % can be achieved by activation with catalytic amounts of CsOH⋅H₂O [Eq. (a)]. A CsOH-catalyzed addition of acetonitrile derivatives to terminal alkynes is also possible.     

Hydrogenation of Ketones on Dispersed Chiral-Modified Palladium Nanoparticles

Hydrogenation of acetophenone and esters of ketoacids with molecular hydrogen in the presence of the Pd(acac)₂–(–)-cinchonidine–H₂ catalytic system has been studied. The dependence of the molar ratio of (–)-cinchonidine/Pd on size and shape of palladium nanoparticles, formed in the system, also on reaction rate and enantioselectivity has been established. The nature of the regularities observed for the Pd(acac)₂–(–)-cinchonidine–H₂ catalytic system was discussed.