Syntheses and characterization of molecular weight enlarged olefin metathesis pre-catalysts

This study was aimed at developing a synthetic strategy of gradual increase in the steric bulk of ruthenium-based olefin metathesis pre-catalysts for organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) processes. A series of five enlarged second-generation Hoveyda type pre-catalysts was prepared and characterized. The structural modifications were performed on the benzylidene ligand of an unmodified Hoveyda (II) pre-catalyst. The catalytic activity of the catalysts was evaluated in a model reaction of ring closing metathesis (RCM). All enlarged catalysts showed good stabilities and activities comparable to those of the unmodified Hoveyda II pre-catalyst. Cross-flow nanofiltration of these catalysts exhibited very high retentions (up to 98.5%) confirming the potential of structural modifications coupled with OSN for efficient catalysts separation.     

From solution-phase to solid-phase enyne metathesis: crossover in the relative performance of two commonly used ruthenium pre-catalysts

A crossover in the ability of two distinct ruthenium-based metathesis pre-catalysts to effect the synthesis of dialkenylboronic esters in solution and on the solid-phase was observed. Specifically, while the Grubbs 2nd generation pre-catalyst 3 affords a greater degree of conversion to product than the Hoveyda-Grubbs pre-catalyst 2 in a solution-phase enyne-metathesis reaction, this trend is reversed in the solid-phase variant. Systematic investigation showed this trend to be general, regardless of variations in the homoallylic alcohol and alkynylboronic ester components of the reaction, as well as in the type of solid support employed. Experiments to determine a mechanistic hypothesis for this trend highlighted the significance of the ruthenium remaining bound to the substrate after metathetic rearrangement and found the presence of phosphine ligand to be detrimental to the success of the solid-phase reaction. Therefore, these results suggest an expanded role for phosphine-free pre-catalysts, such as 2, in challenging solid-phase metathesis reactions.     

析氧反应铁镍基预催化剂的表界面调控与进展

析氧反应（OER）是水分解中重要的半反应, 为提高其催化性能,开发高效非贵金属催化剂已成为当前的研究重点。铁镍（FeNi）基材料被认为是最好的预催化剂, 在催化过程中,它们的表面将转变成高价态金属氧化物或氢氧化物作为真正的活性物质。FeNi基预催化剂的结构和形貌在很大程度上影响了其催化性能, 因此, 优化和调整FeNi基预催化剂的结构和化学环境可以提高电催化性能。基于我们的研究工作, 我们撰写了FeNi基预催化剂的表面结构调控促进电化学析氧反应的研究进展。我们首先介绍了碱性OER的反应机理, 然后从杂原子掺杂、表面成分改性、选择性结构转变、表面化学状态调节、异质结构构建和载体效应等方面讨论了FeNi基预催化剂表面调控对析氧反应性能的影响。尽管在OER反应中FeNi都被认为转变成高价态的金属活性物质, Fe/Ni体系的表面结构、形貌和化学状态仍然能够显著影响其最终的催化性能, 即FeNi基预催化剂的性质会影响析氧反应的催化性能。通过精细设计并尽量提高Fe和Ni的协同作用将有利用提升氧析出的催化性能。我们希望本综述能够对FeNi基预催化剂的制备和表界面性质调控与电催化析氧反应性能的理解有所帮助。     

Rapid carbonylative coupling reactions using palladium(I) dimers: applications to 11CO-radiolabelling for the synthesis of PET tracers

Palladium dimers with sterically hindered phosphines have been shown to be excellent pre-catalysts for the aminocarbonylation of aryl halides to yield amides and one of them has been successfully employed as a pre-catalyst for the synthesis of (11)C-radiolabelled amides for PET imaging.     

Monitoring in situ catalytically active states of Ru catalysts for different methanol oxidation pathways

One of the prerequisites for the detailed understanding of heterogeneous catalysis is the identification of the dynamic response of the catalyst surface under variable reaction conditions. The present study of methanol oxidation on different model Ru pre-catalysts, performed approaching the realistic catalytic reaction conditions, provides direct evidence of the significant effect of reactants' chemical potentials and temperature on the catalyst surface composition and the corresponding catalytic activity and selectivity. The experiments were carried out for three regimes of oxygen potentials in the 10(-1) mbar pressure range, combining in situ analysis of the catalyst surface by synchrotron-based photoelectron core level spectroscopy with simultaneous monitoring of the products released in the gas phase by mass spectroscopy. Metallic Ru with adsorbed oxygen and transient 'surface oxide', RuO(x), with varying x have been identified as the catalytically active states under specific reaction conditions, favouring partial or full oxidation pathways. It has been shown that the composition of catalytically active steady states, exhibiting different activity and selectivity, evolves under the reaction conditions, independent of the crystallographic orientation and the initial pre-catalyst chemical state, metallic Ru or RuO(2).     

Ruthenium-indenylidene complexes: powerful tools for metathesis transformations

Ruthenium-indenylidene complexes represent a class of robust and efficient pre-catalysts for olefin metathesis reactions. In this feature article, we provide an overview of the various complexes belonging to this family and summarise their use in various applications. The relation between the nature of ancillary ligands around the metal coordination sphere of these complexes and their catalytic activity is also discussed.     

Mechanistic comparison of ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts: DFT insight into relative reactivity and decomposition behavior

The reaction mechanism and substrate-induced decomposition behavior of three ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts, viz. first- and second-generation catalysts and the recently developed Phoban catalyst (“Phobcat”) are compared by constructing ΔG surfaces at 298.15 K and 1 atm for the complete ligand systems. From these calculations fundamental insight is gained into the reactivity and stability observed experimentally for the three catalysts. In particular, the higher conversions obtained for the first-generation derived Phobcat catalyst, compared to conventional first-generation catalysts, is attributed to its similarity to the second-generation catalysts instead of first-generation catalyst. Important differences between the calculated ΔG surfaces and previously reported total electronic energy (ΔE) surfaces for the metathesis mechanism with complete ligand complexes are discussed.     

The doping effect of fluorinated aromatic solvents on the rate of ruthenium-catalysed olefin metathesis

A study concerning the effect of using a fluorinated aromatic solvent as the medium for olefin metathesis reactions catalysed by ruthenium complexes bearing N-heterocyclic carbene ligands is presented. The use of fluorinated aromatic hydrocarbons (FAH) as solvents for olefin metathesis reactions catalysed by standard commercially available ruthenium pre-catalysts allows substantially higher yields of the desired products to be obtained, especially in the case of demanding polyfunctional molecules, including natural and biologically active compounds. Interactions between the FAH and the second-generation ruthenium catalysts, which apparently improve the efficiency of the olefin metathesis transformation, have been studied by X-ray structure analysis and computations, as well as by carrying out a number of metathesis experiments. The optimisation of reaction conditions by using an FAH can be regarded as a complementary approach for the design of new improved ruthenium catalysts. Fluorinated aromatic solvents are an attractive alternative medium for promoting challenging olefin metathesis reactions.     

Cu(I) catalysed cyclopropanation of olefins: Stereoselectivity studies with Arylid-Box and Isbut-Box ligands

In our quest to find new ligands for highly stereoselective reactions, we tested a variety of chiral non-racemic pseudo-C₂ symmetric bis-oxazolines derived from malonic acid containing an arylidene bridge unit (and appropriately termed Arylid-Box) in the catalytic asymmetric cyclopropanation (CAP) reaction of styrene and ethyl diazoacetate using between only 1-2 mol% of a Cu(I) pre-catalyst. Some very good e.e.s (up to 86%), were obtained. It was possible to isolate 10a′-[Cu(CH₃CN)₄]PF₆ which existed as a bench stable solid that proved to be more efficient than the catalyst prepared in situ. Cu(I) pre-catalysts were used for the first time in the CAP reaction with the Isbut-Box ligands 13a and 13b and, although, the e.e.s were better for ligand 13a using these pre-catalysts, in the case of ligand 11b this was not the case. Spectroscopic studies (UV-Vis and ¹H NMR) were carried out to gain an insight into the nature of the catalytic species at work so that the conditions could be optimised giving better results. Some theoretical studies were conducted to try to explain the better enantioselectivities obtained using Evans’ tert-Box-Cu(I) complex over our complex.     

Phosphites as ligands in ruthenium-benzylidene catalysts for olefin metathesis

The use of phosphites in second generation, ruthenium-based olefin metathesis pre-catalysts leads to an improvement in catalyst stability and activity at low catalyst loadings.     

Gold N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysts for the Hydrofluorination of Alkynes Using Hydrofluoric Acid: Reaction Scope,Mechanistic Studies and the Tracking of Elusive Intermediates

An efficient and chemoselective methodology deploying gold-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes as catalysts in the hydrofluorination of terminal alkynes using aqueous HF has been developed. Mechanistic studies shed light on an in situ generated catalyst, formed by the reaction of Brønsted basic gold pre-catalysts with HF in water, which exhibits the highest reactivity and chemoselectivity. The catalytic system has a wide alkyl substituted-substrate scope, and stoichiometric as well as catalytic reactions with tailor-designed gold pre-catalysts enable the identification of various gold species involved along the catalytic cycle. Computational studies aid in understanding the chemoselectivity observed through examination of key mechanistic steps for phosphine- and NHC-coordinated gold species bearing the triflate counterion and the elusive key complex bearing a bifluoride counterion.     

In a Quest for Selectivity Paired with Activity: A Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalyst Bearing an Unsymmetrical Phenanthrene-Based N-Heterocyclic Carbene

Robust, selective, and stable in the presence of ethylene, ruthenium olefin metathesis pre-catalyst, {[3-benzyl-1-(10-phenyl-9-phenanthryl)]-2-imidazolidinylidene}dichloro(o-isopropoxyphenylmethylene)ruthenium(II), Ru-3 , bearing an unsymetrical N-heterocyclic carbene (uNHC) ligand, has been synthesized. The initiation rate of Ru-3 was examined by ring-closing metathesis and cross-metathesis reactions with a broad spectrum of olefins, showing an unprecendented selectivity. It was also tested in industrially relevant ethenolysis reactions of olefinic substrates from renewable feedstock with very good yields and selectivities.     

Evaluation of ligand effects in the modified cobalt hydroformylation of 1-octene. Crystal structures of [Co(L)(CO)3]2 (L = PA-C5, PCy3 and PCyp3)

A series of phosphine ligands with different electronic and steric properties were evaluated at fully modified conditions in cobalt catalysed hydroformylation of 1-octene. The steric demand of the ligands was based on the Tolman cone angle model covering a range of 132-175°. The electron donating ability was evaluated through the first order Se-P coupling constants as determined from the corresponding phosphine selenides covering a range of 672-752 Hz. Crystal structures of three phosphine modified cobalt dimers, [Co(CO)(3)(L)](2) (L = PA-C(5), PCy(3) and PCyp(3) with PA-C(5) = 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-8-pentyl-2,4,6-trioxa-8-phosphatricyclo[3.3.1.1(3,7)]decane), are reported. The Phoban and Lim ligands (Phoban = mixture of 9-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1 and 4.2.1]nonane, Lim = 4,8-dimethyl-2-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane) resulted in systems about twice as active as most of the other ligands investigated, these ligands have a high Lewis basicity with (1)J(Se-P) values from 684-687 Hz. The linearity of the alcohol product in general decreased for the less electron donating ligands while no clear relationship was evident as a function of steric size. The parallel competing hydrogenation of 1-octene to octane varied from 9-15% for a cone angle range of 132-172°, but a sharp increase of up to 40% was observed for PA-C(5), PCy(3) and PCyp(3), all with cone angles > 169°. The catalytic behaviour provides evidence that is contrary to the dissociative substitution of CO by an alkene as the rate limiting step in all cases. For large symmetrical ligands, such as PA-C(5), PCy(3) and PCyp(3) the rate limiting step may move within the catalytic cycle and may now be situated at the carbonylation step where the chemoselectivity is also determined. The lack of clear correlation between the steric and electronic effect of the ligands and all catalytic parameters may serve as additional proof that the same system, especially in terms of the rate determining step, is not operative in all cases. The Phoban and Lim systems are superior with the highest reactivity and lowest alkene loss through hydrogenation. The unsymmetrical nature of the Phoban and Lim ligands may provide flexibility to adopt geometries inducing both high and low steric crowding, which may be a reason for its beneficial catalytic properties.     

What is the initiation step of the Grubbs-Hoveyda olefin metathesis catalyst?

Density function theory calculations reveal that the Grubbs-Hoveyda olefin metathesis pre-catalyst is activated by the formation of a complex in which the incoming alkene substrate and outgoing alkoxy ligand are both clearly associated with the ruthenium centre. The computed energies for reaction are in good agreement with the experimental values, reported here.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Catalytic Activity Palladium (Ⅱ) Complexes Containing Bulky Azole Ligands

Bulky azole ligands in combination with PdCl_2 provide three new palladium(II) complexes. All these complexes, as pre-catalysts, have high catalytic efficiency for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of sterically hindered aryl chlorides and good to high yields are obtained with low catalysts loadings(0.1 mol%) under mild conditions in air.     

The influence of N-heterocyclic carbene steric and electronic properties in Ru-catalysed cross metathesis reactions

The present study examines the influence of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand electronic and steric parameters on the activity of ruthenium indenylidene complexes in cross metathesis. The NHC ligands tested lead to varied E/Z selectivities with the pre-catalyst bearing an IMes ligand exhibiting high activity.     

Shedding Light Onto the Nature of Iron Decorated Graphene and Graphite Oxide Nanohybrids for CO2 Conversion at Atmospheric Pressure

We report on the design and testing of new graphite and graphene oxide-based extended π-conjugated synthetic scaffolds for applications in sustainable chemistry transformations. Nanoparticle-functionalised carbonaceous catalysts for new Fischer Tropsch and Reverse GasWater Shift (RGWS) transformations were prepared: functional graphene oxides emerged from graphite powders via an adapted Hummer's method and subsequently impregnated with uniform-sized nanoparticles. Then the resulting nanomaterials were imaged by TEM, SEM, EDX, AFM and characterised by IR, XPS and Raman spectroscopies prior to incorporation of Pd(II) promoters and further microscopic and spectroscopic analysis. Newly synthesised 2D and 3D layered nanostructures incorporating carbon-supported iron oxide nanoparticulate pre-catalysts were tested, upon hydrogen reduction in situ, for the conversion of CO₂ to CO as well as for the selective formation of CH₄ and longer chain hydrocarbons. The reduction reaction was also carried out and the catalytic species isolated and fully characterised. The catalytic activity of a graphene oxide-supported iron oxide pre-catalyst converted CO₂ into hydrocarbons at different temperatures (305, 335, 370 and 405 °C), and its activity compared well with that of the analogues supported on graphite oxide, the 3-dimensional material precursor to the graphene oxide. Investigation into the use of graphene oxide as a framework for catalysis showed that it has promising activity with respect to reverse gas water shift (RWGS) reaction of CO₂ to CO, even at the low levels of catalyst used and under the rather mild conditions employed at atmospheric pressure. Whilst the γ-Fe₂O₃ decorated graphene oxide-based pre-catalyst displays fairly constant activity up to 405 °C, it was found by GC-MS analysis to be unstable with respect to decomposition at higher temperatures. The addition of palladium as a promoter increased the activity of the iron functionalised graphite oxide in the RWGS. The activity of graphene oxide supported catalysts was found to be enhanced with respect to that of iron-functionalised graphite oxide with, or without palladium as a promoter, and comparable to that of Fe@carbon nanotube-based systems tested under analogous conditions. These results display a significant step forward for the catalytic activity estimations for the iron functionalised and rapidly processable and scalable graphene oxide. The hereby investigated phenomena are of particular relevance for the understanding of the intimate surface morphologies and the potential role of non-covalent interactions in the iron oxide-graphene oxide networks, which could inform the design of nano-materials with performance in future sustainable catalysis applications.     

Olefin Metathesis Catalysts Generated In Situ from Molybdenum(VI)-Oxo Complexes by Tuning Pendant Ligands

Tailored molybdenum(VI)-oxo complexes of the form MoOCl₂(OR)₂(OEt₂) catalyse olefin metathesis upon reaction with an organosilicon reducing agent at 70 °C, in the presence of olefins. While this reactivity parallels what has recently been observed for the corresponding classical heterogeneous catalysts based on supported metal oxide under similar conditions, the well-defined nature of our starting molecular systems allows us to understand the influence of structural, spectroscopic and electronic characteristics of the catalytic precursor on the initiation and catalytic proficiency of the final species. The catalytic performances of the pre-catalysts are determined by the highly electron withdrawing (σ-donation) character of alkoxide ligands, O^tBu_F9 being the best. This activity correlates with both the ⁹⁵Mo chemical shift and the reduction potential that follows the same trend: O^tBu_F9>O^tBu_F6>O^tBu_F3.     

Bicyclic phosphines as ligands for cobalt catalysed hydroformylation. Crystal structures of [Co(Phoban[3.3.1]-Q)(CO)(3)](2) (Q = C(2)H(5), C(5)H(11), C(3)H(6)NMe(2), C(6)H(11))

A range of tertiary bicyclic phosphine ligands derived from cis, cis-1,5-cyclooctadiene (Phoban family) was studied by batch autoclave reactions during the hydroformylation of a mixture of linear internal decenes using a cobalt catalyst system. Comparative runs were performed with PBu(3) as representative of standard trialkyl phosphine behaviour. The Phoban ligands comprise of a cyclooctyl bicycle with a mixture of the [3.3.1] and [4.2.1] isomers where the third substituent was systematically varied, Phoban-Q (Q = CH(2)CH(3), (CH(2))(4)CH(3), (CH(2))(9)CH(3), (CH(2))(19)CH(3), (CH(2))(3)N(CH(3))(2), C(6)H(11) and C(6)H(5)). An increase in ligand concentration resulted in a decrease in the reaction rate while the selectivity towards the n-alcohol product increased in accordance with a move from more unmodified catalysis to more modified catalysis. Alcohol yields of 77-85% were obtained at rates of 1.8-2.4 h(-1) for highly modified catalysis. Under highly modified conditions the linearity of the alcohol ranges in a narrow band from approximately 85-90% from Phoban-Ph to Phoban-Cy respectively. Hydrogenation of the alkene substrate varied from approximately 9-15% for Phoban-Ph and Phoban-Cy respectively the least and most electron donating derivatives. The two phosphine isomers were separated for Phoban-C(2) and the hydroformylation activity were re-evaluated for each isomer. The less electron donating [4.2.1] isomer required slightly higher ligand concentrations to achieve fully modified catalysis and gave rates and linearities comparable to the [3.3.1] isomer but giving slightly higher yields due to less hydrogenation of the olefin. In comparison, at fully modified conditions, PBu(3) gave a rate of 0.6 h(-1), alcohol yield of 77%, linearity of 81% and 17% hydrogenation. The crystal structures of the cobalt dimers [Co(CO)(3)(Phoban[3.3.1]-C(2))](2), [Co(CO)(3)(Phoban[3.3.1]-C(5))](2), [Co(CO)(3)(Phoban[3.3.1]-C(3)NMe(2))](2), and [Co(CO)(3)(Phoban[3.3.1]-Cy)](2) have been determined and indicated very similar geometries with Co-Co and Co-P bond distances ranging from 2.6526(10)-2.707(3) and 2.1963(8)-2.2074(9) A respectively. The cone angles of the Phoban ligands were calculated from the crystallographic data, according to the Tolman model, and ranges from 159-165 degrees.