Synthesis of lanthanide(II)–imine complexes and their use in carbon–carbon and carbon–nitrogen unsaturated bond transformation

Ytterbium and samarium metals reduced aromatic ketimines to give directly divalent azalanthanacyclopropane complexes 1 quantitatively, the structure of which was characterized by X-ray analysis. The imine complexes 1 catalyzed dehydrogenative silylation of terminal alkynes, hydrosilylation of imines and alkenes, and intermolecular hydrophosphination of alkynes. Moreover, dehydrogenative double silylation of conjugated dienes was achieved with 1.     

A highly regioselective palladium-catalyzed hydrophosphination of alkynes using a diphosphine-hydrosilane binary system

A novel transition-metal-catalyzed hydrophosphination of terminal alkynes using a diphosphine-hydrosilane binary system takes place regioselectively to provide vinylic phosphines, which undergo air oxidation during workup, affording the corresponding vinylphosphine oxides in good yields. In this hydrophosphination, hydrosilanes act as a useful hydrogen source, and furthermore, small amounts of oxygen is required to accomplish the reaction efficiently.     

Pallado-catalysed hydrophosphination of alkynes: access to enantio-enriched P-stereogenic vinyl phosphine-boranes

Preliminary results dealing with the synthesis of non-racemic P-stereogenic vinylphosphine-boranes by hydrophosphination of alkynes in the presence of a chiral catalyst are reported.     

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of alkenylphosphines: a rhodium-catalyzed hydrophosphination of alkynes using a silylphosphine

A novel rhodium-catalyzed hydrophosphination of alkynes using a silylphosphine as a phosphino group source is described. A variety of alkynes, both terminal and internal ones with aryl, alkyl, and carboxyl groups, gave the corresponding alkenylphosphines in a highly regioselective and syn-selective manner. Alkenes with an electron-withdrawing group also gave the corresponding adducts in good yields.     

A highly regioselective hydrophosphination of terminal alkynes with tetraphenyldiphosphine in the presence of palladium catalyst

A novel palladium-catalyzed hydrophosphination of alkynes with tetraphenyldiphosphine takes place regioselectively to provide vinylic phosphines, which undergo air-oxidation during workups, affording the corresponding vinylphosphine oxides in good yields.     

Lithium‐Aluminate‐Catalyzed Hydrophosphination Applications

Synthesized, isolated, and characterized by X‐ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopic studies, lithium phosphidoaluminate iBu₃AlPPh₂Li(THF)₃ has been tested as a catalyst for hydrophosphination of alkynes, alkenes, and carbodiimides. Based on the collective evidence of stoichiometric reactions, NMR monitoring studies, kinetic analysis, and DFT calculations, a mechanism involving deprotonation, alkyne insertion, and protonolysis is proposed for the [iBu₃AlHLi]₂ aluminate catalyzed hydrophosphination of alkynes with diphenylphosphine. This study enhances further the development of transition‐metal‐free, atom‐economical homogeneous catalysis using common sustainable main‐group metals.     

Intermolecular hydrophosphination of alkynes and related carbon[bond]carbon multiple bonds catalyzed by organoytterbiums

Intermolecular hydrophosphination of alkynes with diphenylphosphine is catalyzed by a Yb[bond]imine complex, [Yb(eta(2)-Ph(2)CNPh)(hmpa)(3)], to give alkenylphosphines and phosphine oxides after oxidative workup in good yields under mild conditions. This reaction is also applicable to various carbon[bond]carbon multiple bonds such as conjugated diynes and dienes, allenes, and styrene derivatives. Regio- and stereoselectivity and the scope and limitation of the present reaction clearly differ from those of the corresponding radical reaction. Instead, the reaction takes place through insertion of alkynes to a Yb[bond]PPh(2) species, followed by protonation. In fact, the Yb[bond]phosphido complex, [Yb(PPh(2))(2)(hmpa)(3)], is obtained from the imine complex and phosphine, which exhibits similar catalyst activity for the hydrophosphination. The empirical rate law is nu = k[catalyst](2) [alkyne](1)[phosphine](0) at least under the standard conditions.     

Regio- and stereoselective hydrophosphination reactions of alkynes with phosphine-boranes: access to stereodefined vinylphosphine derivatives

Vinylphosphine-borane complexes are easily synthesized by regio- and stereoselective hydrophosphination of terminal alkynes with use of secondary phosphine-boranes as hydrophosphinating agent. The regioselectivity of the reaction is efficiently controlled by the choice of the activation process: thermal or metal catalyst activation. The vinylphosphine derivatives are purified by chromatography on silica gel. Scalability of the process is demonstrated on a gram scale. This simple route should promote the use of vinylphosphines as building blocks for organic and organometallic chemistry.     

Synthesis of Vinylphosphines by Hydrophosphination of Alkynes in the Presence of Transition Metal Complexes

Intermolecular hydrophosphination of terminal and internal alkynes with diphenylphosphine, catalyzed by palladium and nickel complexes, was accomplished for the first time. The reaction follows the syn-addition pattern. Conditions were found which ensure regioselective addition with predominant or exclusive formation of the corresponding - or -adduct.     

Hydrophosphination of boron–boron multiple bonds

Five compounds containing boron–boron multiple bonds are shown to undergo hydrophosphination reactions with diphenylphosphine in the absence of a catalyst. With diborenes, the products obtained are highly dependent on the substitution pattern at the boron atoms, with both 1,1- and 1,2-hydrophosphinations observed. With a symmetrical diboryne, 1,2-hydrophosphination yields a hydro(phosphino)diborene. The different mechanistic pathways for the hydrophosphination of diborenes are rationalised with the aid of density functional theory calculations.

Compounds containing boron–boron double and triple bonds are shown to undergo uncatalysed hydrophosphination reactions with diphenylphosphine.     

Direct synthesis of chiral tertiary diphosphines via Pd(II)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphination of dienones

A highly diastereo- and enantioselective Pd(II)-catalyzed hydrophosphination of dienones with Ph(2)PH involving formation of double C*-P bonds has been developed, providing a series of chiral tertiary diphosphines (chiral PCP pincer ligands) in high yields. A catalytic cycle for the reaction was proposed.     

Rare-earth silylamide-catalyzed selective dimerization of terminal alkynes and subsequent hydrophosphination in one pot

[reaction: see text] Rare-earth silylamides, Ln[N(SiMe3)2]3 (Ln = Y, La, Sm), catalyzed regio- and stereoselective dimerization of terminal alkynes in the presence of amine additives to give conjugated enynes in high yields. The additives played a crucial role to depress the oligomerization and to control the regio- and stereochemistry of the dimerization. Thus, the selectivity for (Z)-head-to-head enynes was increased in the order of tertiary < secondary < primary amine additives. On the other hand, the reversed order was observed for the formation of head-to-tail dimers. When alpha,omega-diynes were subjected to the dimerization, very novel cyclic bisenyne compounds were given through double-dimerization in satisfactory yields. In addition, an application of the system allowed subsequent hydrophosphination of the enynes generated in situ with diphenylphosphine, giving rise to 1-phosphinyl-1,3-dienes as the sole products in excellent yields after oxidative workup.     

Challenges in Catalytic Hydrophosphination

Despite significant advances, metal‐catalyzed hydrophosphination has ample room for discovery, growth, and development. Many of the key successes in metal‐catalyzed hydrophosphination over the last decade have indicated what is needed and what is yet to come. Reactivity that is absent from the literature also speaks to the challenges in catalytic hydrophosphination. This Concept article discusses and highlights recent developments that address the ongoing challenges, and identifies areas in metal‐catalyzed hydrophosphination that are underdeveloped. Advances in product selectivity, catalyst design, and both unsaturated and phosphine substrates illustrate the ongoing development of the field. Like all catalytic transformations, the benefits are realized through catalyst, ligand, and conditions, and consideration of those features are the route to a yet more efficient and broadly applicable reaction.     

Herrmann-Beller phosphapalladacycle-catalyzed addition of alkynes to norbornadienes

Herrmann-Beller (H-B) phosphapalladacycle selectively catalyzed the addition of terminal alkynes across one double bond of norbornadiene to afford exo-5-alkynyl-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-enes. The reaction shows general applicability to various functionalized alkynes and bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-dienes. Insights into the mechanism of this reaction are discussed.     

Zirconocene-Mediated Radical Hydrophosphination

Hydrophosphination activity has been solicited from the parent and decamethyl zirconocene dichloride compounds, Cp₂ZrCl₂ and Cp*₂ZrCl₂. Given recent reports of photocatalytic hydrophosphination, these compounds were irradiated in the near ultraviolet (UV) as precatalysts resulting in the successful hydrophosphination of styrene substrates and activated alkenes. Irradiation appears to induce homolysis of the Cp or Cp* ligand, resulting in radical hydrophosphination. Successful detection of this radical reactivity was achieved by monitoring for EPR signals with in situ irradiation, a methodology proving to be general for the determination of radical versus closed-shell reactivity in transition-metal photocatalysis.     

Photoinduced addition of phthalimide to unactivated alkynes

Photoexcited phthalimide in equilibrium with its conjugated base produces the regioselective hydrophthalimidation of conjugated alkynes. The vinylphthalimide thus obtained is hydrolyzed to the corresponding carbonyl compound. With unconjugated alkynes, the outcome is a double addition of phthalimide to the triple bond. The reaction is assumed to take place via single electron transfer from either the alkyne or the phthalimide anion to the excited phthalimide as the primary photoprocess.     

Chiral palladium template promoted asymmetric hydrophosphination reaction between diphenylphosphine and vinylphosphines

An organopalladium complex containing ortho-metalated (S)-(1-(dimethylamino)ethyl)naphthalene as the chiral auxiliary has been used to promote the asymmetric hydrophosphination reactions between diphenylphosphine and (E)- or (Z)-diphenyl-1-propenylphosphine in high regio- and stereoselectivities under mild conditions. Hydrophosphination of (Z)-diphenyl-1-propenylphosphine with diphenylphosphine gave (S)-(-)-prophos as the major product. Using the same chiral metal template, the corresponding hydrophosphination reaction with (E)-diphenyl-1-propenylphosphine gave (R)-(+)-prophos predominantly. The hydrophosphination reactions generated the asymmetric diphosphines as bidentate chelates on the chiral naphthylamine palladium templates. The template products obtained undergo cis-trans isomerization in solution to form an equilibrium mixture of regioisomers. X-ray analysis of the major template products obtained from the hydrophosphination of (Z)-diphenyl-1-propenylphosphine reveals that the two regioisomers are cocrystallized in a 1:1 ratio. The naphthylamine auxiliary could be removed chemoselectively from the template products by treatment with concentrated hydrochloric acid to form the corresponding optically pure neutral complexes [(R)- or (S)-(prophos)PdCl(2)]. Subsequently, the (R)- and (S)-dichloro complexes undergo ligand displacement with aqueous cyanide to generate the corresponding optically pure diphosphine ligands in high yields. Mechanistic pathways explaining the stereoselectivity of the chiral organopalladium template promoted hydrophosphination reactions are also proposed.     

Iron(II)‐Catalyzed Hydrophosphination of Isocyanates

The first transition metal catalyzed hydrophosphination of isocyanates is presented. The use of low‐coordinate iron(II) precatalysts leads to an unprecedented catalytic double insertion of isocyanates into the P−H bond of diphenylphosphine to yield phosphinodicarboxamides [Ph₂PC(=O)N(R)C(=O)N(H)R], a new family of derivatized organophosphorus compounds. This remarkable result can be attributed to the low‐coordinate nature of the iron(II) centers whose inherent electron deficiency enables a Lewis‐acid mechanism in which a combination of the steric pocket of the metal center and substrate size determines the reaction products and regioselectivity.     

Copper-catalyzed hydrative amide synthesis with terminal alkyne, sulfonyl azide, and water

It is shown for the first time that N-sulfonyl amides can be efficiently prepared by an unconventional approach of the hydrative reaction between terminal alkynes, sulfonyl azides, and water in the presence of copper catalyst and amine base under very mild conditions. The present route is quite general, and a wide range of alkynes and sulfonyl azides are readily coupled catalytically with water to furnish amides in high yields. A variety of labile functional groups are tolerated under the conditions, and the reaction is regioselective in that only terminal alkynes react while double or internal triple bonds are intact. The reaction can be readily scaled up and is also adaptable to a solid-phase procedure with high efficiency.     

A Highly Efficient Dimeric Manganese‐Catalyzed Selective Hydroarylation of Internal Alkynes

We have developed a general and site‐predictable manganese‐catalyzed hydroarylation of internal alkynes in the presence of water, under an air atmosphere without the involvement of ligand. The unique catalytic feature of this reaction is highlighted by comparison with other widely used transition metal catalysts including palladium, rhodium, nickel, or copper. The simple operation, high efficiency and excellent functional group compatibility make this protocol practical for more than 90 structurally diverse internal alkynes, overcoming the influence of both electronic and steric effect of alkynes. Its exclusive regio‐ and chemoselectivity originates from the unique reactivity of the manganese‐based catalyst towards an inherent double controlled strategy of sterically hindered propargyl alcohols without the installing of external directing groups. Its synthetic robustness and practicality have been illustrated by the concise synthesis of bervastatin, a hypolipidemic drug, and late‐stage modification of complex alkynes with precise regioselectivity.