Synthesis and dehydrocoupling reactivity of iron and ruthenium phosphine-borane complexes

The Fe and Ru phosphine-borane complexes CpM(CO)2PPh2 x BH3 (1, M = Fe, 4, M = Ru) were synthesized utilizing the reaction of the phosphine-borane anion Li[PPh2 x BH3] with the iodo complexes CpM(CO)2I. The Fe complex 1 reacted with PMe3 to yield CpFe(CO)(PMe3)(PPh2 x BH3) (2) and CpFe(PMe3)2(PPh2 x BH3) (3) whereas the Ru species 4 gave only CpRu(CO)(PMe3)(PPh2 x BH3) (5). The complexes 1-5 were characterized by 1H, 11B, 13C and 31P NMR spectroscopy, MS, IR and X-ray crystallography for 1 to 4, and EA for 1, 2 and 4. The reactivity of 1 and 4 towards PPh2H x BH3 was explored. Although no stoichiometric reactions were detected under mild conditions, both 1 and 4 were found to function as dehydrocoupling catalysts to afford Ph2PH x BH2 x PPh2 x BH3 in the melt at elevated temperature (120 degrees C). The carbonyl Fe2(CO)9 also functioned as a dehydrocoupling catalyst under similar conditions. Complex 1 and Fe2(CO)9 represent the first reported active Fe complexes for the catalytic dehydrocoupling of phosphine-borane adducts.     

Catalytic dehydrocoupling of amine-borane and phosphine-borane adducts: the mechanism is heterogeneous in one case and homogeneous in the other

The catalytic dehydrocoupling reactions of Me2NH.BH3 and Ph2PH.BH3 using the rhodium precatalyst [Rh(1,5-cod)(mu-Cl)]2 were found to proceed by different mechanisms: heterogeneous involving Rh(0) metal for the former case and homogeneous for the latter.     

Chemistry of phosphine-borane adducts at platinum centers: dehydrocoupling reactivity of Pt(II) dihydrides with P-H bonds

The reaction of the Pt(II) dihydride complex cis-[PtH2(dcype)](dcype = 1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane) with the primary or secondary phosphine-borane adducts PhRPH x BH3(R = H, Ph) was found to exclusively afford the mono-substituted complexes cis-[PtH(PPhR x BH3)(dcype)](1: R = H; 2: R = Ph)via a dehydrocoupling reaction between Pt-H and P-H bonds. Similar reactivity was observed between the uncoordinated phosphines PhRPH (R = H, Ph) and cis-[PtH2(dcype)], which gave cis-[PtH(PPhR)(dcype)](4: R = H; 5: R = Ph). The complexes were characterized by 1H, 11B, 13C and 31P NMR spectroscopy, IR, MS and, in the case of 2, X-ray crystallography that confirmed the cis geometries. The di-substituted complex cis-[Pt(PhPH x BH3)2(dcype)](3) was prepared from the reaction of cis-[PtCl2(dcype)] with two equivalents of Li[PPhH x BH3]. This suggested that steric reasons alone cannot be used to explain the lack of reactivity with respect to a second dehydrocoupling reaction involving the remaining Pt-H bond in complexes 1, 2, 4 and 5.     

Rhodium-catalyzed dehydrocoupling of fluorinated phosphine-borane adducts: synthesis, characterization, and properties of cyclic and polymeric phosphinoboranes with electron-withdrawing substituents at phosphorus

The dehydrocoupling of the fluorinated secondary phosphine-borane adduct R2PH.BH3 (R = p-CF3C6H4) at 60 degrees C is catalyzed by the rhodium complex [{Rh(mu-Cl)(1,5-cod)}2] to give the four-membered chain R2PH-BH2-R2P-BH3. A mixture of the cyclic trimer [R2P-BH2]3 and tetramer [R2P-BH2]4 was obtained from the same reaction at a more elevated temperature of 100 degrees C. The analogous rhodium-catalyzed dehydrocoupling of the primary phosphine-borane adduct RPH2.BH3 at 60 degrees C gave the high molecular weight polyphosphinoborane polymer [RPH-BH2]n (Mw = 56,170, PDI = 1.67). The molecular weight was investigated by gel permeation chromatography and the compound characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Interestingly, the electron-withdrawing fluorinated aryl substituents have an important influence on the reactivity as the dehydrocoupling process occurred efficiently at the mildest temperatures observed for phosphine-borane adducts to date. Thin films of polymeric [RPH-BH2]n (R = p-CF3C6H4) have also been shown to function as effective negative-tone resists towards electron beam (e-beam) lithography (EBL). The resultant patterned bars were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS).     

Dendritic phosphoramidite ligands in Rh-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenations

The axially chiral BICOL backbone was functionalised with two third generation carbosilane dendritic wedges and further elaborated to a phosphoramidite ligand. High enantioselectivities were obtained when these monodentate ligands were applied in the rhodium-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl 2-acetamidocinnamate.     

Synthesis and reactions of optically pure cyclohexyl(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine-borane and t-butyl-(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine-borane

Cyclohexyl(o-methoxyphenyl)menthyloxyphosphineborane and t-butyl(o-methoxyphenyl)menthyloxyphosphine-borane were prepared from dichlorocyclohexylphosphine and t-butyldichlorophosphine by successive treatments with (−)-menthol, o-methoxyphenylmagnesium bromide, and borane-THF complex. The separated pure diastereomers of each of the compounds underwent reaction with lithium naphthalenide to afford optically pure cyclohexyl(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine-borane and t-butyl(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphine-borane, respectively. These secondary phosphine-boranes reacted readily with various electrophiles in the presence of bases with virtually net retention of configuration. A new chiral phosphine ligand, (S,S)-1,2-bis[cyclohexyl(o-methoxyphenyl)phosphino]ethane was synthesized via the optically pure phosphine-boranes.     

甲醛光化学脱氢偶联成乙二醛的研究

目前工业上均自乙二醇氧化生产乙二醛.热力学计算表明,甲醛双分子脱氢偶联可能生成乙二醛:2HOHO(?)(OHO)_2 (1)平衡常数 K_(?)=0.454,即在气态时有可观的平衡转化率.气态甲醛光解可生成甲酰基自由基·CHO,但最终产物为 CO 和 H_2.Seifert 认为甲醛水溶液室温光解也可产生甲酰基自由     

Homogeneous, titanocene-catalyzed dehydrocoupling of amine-borane adducts

Transition metal catalysis represents a relatively unexplored but potentially useful route to form bonds between main group elements. Previous work in the area of amine-borane adduct dehydrocoupling has exclusively employed late transition metal (e.g., Rh) catalysts which were found to predominantly operate via a heterogeneous mechanism. Herein, we present a new, early transition-metal-catalyzed, homogeneous system which exhibits higher activity.     

Highlights of the Rh-catalysed asymmetric hydroformylation of alkenes using phosphorus donor ligands

Rhodium is currently the metal of choice to achieve high enantioselectivities in the hydroformylation of a relatively high variety of alkene substrates. The elucidation of the different steps of the catalytic cycle and the characterisation of the resting state, together with the discovery of several types of ligands that are able to provide high enantioselectivities, have made the rhodium-catalysed hydroformylation a synthetically useful tool. For years, ligands containing phosphite moieties such as diphosphites and phosphine–phosphites were considered the most successful ligands to achieve high enantioselectivies in this process. In fact, the phosphite–phosphine BINAPHOS 43 and its derivatives are even today the most successful ligands in terms of selectivity and scope. Recently however, diphosphine derivatives were shown to provide high levels of selectivity. It can consequently be concluded that the key to achieve high enantioselectivities is not the type the phosphorus function involved in the coordination to the metal, but the particular spatial arrangement of the coordinated ligand.     

A highly efficient general synthesis of phosphine-borane complexes

A general synthesis of phosphine-borane complexes proceeding in high yield in a safe, green process from borane generated in situ from sodium borohydride is described. The procedure also allows simultaneous carbonyl reduction and phosphine-borane formation on air-sensitive bulky phosphine derivatives.     

Association of frustrated phosphine-borane pairs in toluene: molecular dynamics simulations

Explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations of the ((t)Bu)(3)P/B(C(6)F(5))(3) pair in toluene allowed the estimation of the degree of intermolecular association and the population of encounter complex states in solution phase.     

Establishing the mechanism of Rh-catalysed activation of O2 by H2

Reductive activation of O(2) by H(2) with rhodium terpyridine complexes in H(2)O and CH(3)CN is described and the mechanism is fully elucidated. The rhodium complex extracts electrons from H(2) and reductively activates O(2) to form a peroxo active intermediate. This intermediate is able to oxidise triphenyl phosphine to triphenyl phosphine oxide. A model system constructed in CH(3)CN provides isolable analogues of catalytic intermediates in H(2)O, allowing a detailed look at each step in the catalytic cycle.     

"Spontaneous" ambient temperature dehydrocoupling of aromatic amine-boranes

The dehydrocoupling/dehydrogenation behavior of primary arylamine-borane adducts ArNH(2)?BH(3) (3?a-c; Ar = a: Ph, b: p-MeOC(6)H(4), c: p-CF(3)C(6)H(4)) has been studied in detail both in solution at ambient temperature as well as in the solid state at ambient or elevated temperatures. The presence of a metal catalyst was found to be unnecessary for the release of H(2). From reactions of 3?a,b in concentrated solutions in THF at 22?°C over 24?h cyclotriborazanes (ArNH-BH(2))(3) (7?a,b) were isolated as THF adducts, 7?a,b?THF, or solvent-free 7?a, which could not be obtained via heating of 3?a-c in the melt. The μ-(anilino)diborane [H(2)B(μ-PhNH)(μ-H)BH(2)] (4?a) was observed in the reaction of 3?a with BH(3)?THF and was characterized in situ. The reaction of 3?a with PhNH(2) (2?a) was found to provide a new, convenient method for the preparation of dianilinoborane (PhNH)(2)BH (5?a), which has potential generality. This observation, together with further studies of reactions of 4?a, 5?a, and 7?a,b, provided insight into the mechanism of the catalyst-free ambient temperature dehydrocoupling of 3?a-c in solution. For example, the reaction of 4?a with 5?a yields 6?a and 7?a. It was found that borazines (ArN-BH)(3) (6?a-c) are not simply formed via dehydrogenation of cyclotriborazanes 7?a-c in solution. The transformation of 7?a to 6?a is slowly induced by 5?a and proceeds via regeneration of 3?a. The adducts 3?a-c also underwent rapid dehydrocoupling in the solid state at elevated temperatures and even very slowly at ambient temperature. From aniline-borane derivative 3?c, the linear iminoborane oligomer (p-CF(3)C(6)H(4))N[BH-NH(p-CF(3)C(6)H(4))](2) (11) was obtained. The single-crystal X-ray structures of 3?a-c, 5?a, 7?a, 7?b?THF, and 11 are discussed.     

Rh-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenations with a dynamic library of chiral tropos phosphorus-ligands

A library of 16 chiral tropos phosphorus-ligands, based on a chiral P-bound alcohol or secondary amine and a flexible (tropos) P-bound biphenol unit, was synthesised. This ligand library allowed the screening of 16 homocombinations and 115 heterocombinations for the rhodium catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl N-acetamido acrylate. The screening resulted in the identification of a phosphite/phosphoramidite heterocombination, which proved to be extremely effective and enantioselective (100% yield, 94% ee).     

Heterogeneous dehydrocoupling of amine-borane adducts by skeletal nickel catalysts

Skeletal Ni, produced by the selective leaching of Al from a Ni/Al alloy, has been successfully employed in the catalytic dehydrogenation of various amine-borane adducts. The combination of low cost and facile single-step synthesis make this system a potentially attractive alternative to the previously described precious metal and other first-row metal catalysts. The heterogeneous nature of the catalyst facilitates convenient product purification, and this is the first such system to be based on a first-row transition metal. Catalytic dehydrocoupling of Me(2)NH·BH(3) (1) and Et(2)NH·BH(3) (5) was demonstrated using 5 mol % skeletal Ni catalyst at 20 °C and produced [Me(2)N-BH(2)](2) (2) and [Et(2)N-BH(2)](2)/Et(2)N═BH(2) (6), respectively. The related adduct iPr(2)NH·BH(3) (7) was also dehydrogenated to afford iPr(2)N═BH(2) (8) but with significant catalyst deactivation. Catalytic dehydrocoupling of MeNH(2)·BH(3) (9) was found to yield the cyclic triborazane [MeNH-BH(2)](3) (10) as the major product, whereas high molecular weight poly(methylaminoborane) [MeNH-BH(2)](n) (11) (M(w) = 78?000 Da, PDI = 1.52) was formed when stoichiometric quantities of Ni were used. Similar reactivity was also observed with NH(3)·BH(3) (12), which produced cyclic oligomers and insoluble polymers, [NH(2)-BH(2)](x) (14), under catalytic and stoichiometric Ni loadings, respectively. Catalyst recycling was hindered by gradual poisoning. A study of possible catalyst poisons suggested that BH(3) was the most likely surface poison, in line with previous work on colloidal Rh catalysts. Catalytic dehydrogenation of amine-borane adducts using skeletal Cu and Fe was also explored. Skeletal Cu was found to be a less active dehydrogenation catalyst for amine-borane adducts but also yielded poly(methylaminoborane) under stoichiometric conditions on reaction with MeNH(2)·BH(3) (9). Skeletal Fe was found to be completely inactive toward amine-borane dehydrogenation.     

Intermediates in the Autoxidation of Nitrogen Monoxide

ONOO^. is an important intermediate in the autoxidation of nitrogen monoxide by dioxygen. A formerly unknown red isomer of N₂O₄, ONOONO (see figure), formed in 2‐methylbutane at 113 K from nitrogen monoxide and dioxygen, is converted to O₂NNO₂ upon warming.

     

Transition-metal-catalyzed dehydrocoupling: a convenient route to bonds between main-group elements

The development of transition-metal-catalyzed dehydrocoupling reactions as a synthetic method for the formation of main-group element-element bonds provides an increasingly attractive and convenient alternative to traditional routes such as salt metathesis/elimination-type reactions. Since the first reported examples in the early 1980s, there has been a rapid expansion of this field, with extensions to a wide variety of metal-mediated homonuclear and heteronuclear bond-forming processes. Applications of this new chemistry in molecular and polymer synthesis, materials science, hydrogen storage and the transfer hydrogenation of organic substrates are attracting growing attention. An overview of this emerging area is presented in this Concepts article with a focus on recent results.