Gas‐Phase Energetics of Reductive Elimination from a Palladium(II) N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complex

Energy‐resolved collision‐induced dissociation experiments using tandem mass spectrometry are reported for an phenylpalladium N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex. Reductive elimination of an NHC ligand as a phenylimidazolium ion involves a barrier of 30.9(14) kcal mol^?1, whereas competitive ligand dissociation requires 47.1(17) kcal mol^?1. The resulting three‐coordinate palladium complex readily undergoes reductive C? C coupling to give the phenylimidazolium π complex, for which the binding energy was determined to be 38.9(10) kcal mol^?1. Density functional calculations at the M06‐L//BP86/TZP level of theory are in very good agreement with experiment. In combination with RRKM modeling, these results suggest that the rate‐determining step for the direct reductive elimination process switches from the C? C coupling step to the fragmentation of the resulting σ complex at low activation energy.     

Three‐Coordinate Nickel(I) Complexes Stabilised by Six‐, Seven‐ and Eight‐Membered Ring N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes: Synthesis,EPR/DFT Studies and Catalytic Activity

Comproportionation of [Ni(cod)₂] (cod=cyclooctadiene) and [Ni(PPh₃)₂X₂] (X=Br, Cl) in the presence of six‐, seven‐ and eight‐membered ring N‐aryl‐substituted heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) provides a route to a series of isostructural three‐coordinate Ni^I complexes [Ni(NHC)(PPh₃)X] (X=Br, Cl; NHC=6‐Mes 1 , 6‐Anis 2 , 6‐AnisMes 3 , 7‐o‐Tol 4 , 8‐Mes 5 , 8‐o‐Tol 6 , O‐8‐o‐Tol 7 ). Continuous wave (CW) and pulsed EPR measurements on 1 , 4 , 5 , 6 and 7 reveal that the spin Hamiltonian parameters are particularly sensitive to changes in NHC ring size, N substituents and halide. In combination with DFT calculations, a mixed SOMO of ∣3d〉 and ∣3d〉 character, which was found to be dependent on the complex geometry, was observed and this was compared to the experimental g values obtained from the EPR spectra. A pronounced ³¹P superhyperfine coupling to the PPh₃ group was also identified, consistent with the large spin density on the phosphorus, along with partially resolved bromine couplings. The use of 1 , 4 , 5 and 6 as pre‐catalysts for the Kumada coupling of aryl chlorides and fluorides with ArMgY (Ar=Ph, Mes) showed the highest activity for the smaller ring systems and/or smaller substituents (i.e., 1 > 4 ≈ 6 ? 5 ).     

Pyracene‐Linked Bis‐Imidazolylidene Complexes of Palladium and Some Catalytic Benefits Produced by Bimetallic Catalysts

Two new palladium complexes with a pyracene‐linked bis‐imidazolylidene (pyrabim) group have been obtained and fully characterized. The related monometallic analogues were obtained from the coordination of an acetanaphthene‐supported N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC). The catalytic properties of all complexes were studied in the acylation of aryl halides with hydrocinnamaldehyde, and in the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling of aryl halides and aryl boronic acids. The results show that the presence of a second metal in the dimetallic complexes induces some benefits in the catalytic behavior of the complexes. This effect is more pronounced in the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling, for which the dimetallic complexes exhibit significantly higher activity than their monometallic counterparts.     

Dichloro‐Bis(aminophosphine) Complexes of Palladium: Highly Convenient,Reliable and Extremely Active Suzuki–Miyaura Catalysts with Excellent Functional Group Tolerance

Dichloro‐bis(aminophosphine) complexes are stable depot forms of palladium nanoparticles and have proved to be excellent Suzuki–Miyaura catalysts. Simple modifications of the ligand (and/or the addition of water to the reaction mixture) have allowed their formation to be controlled. Dichlorobis[1‐(dicyclohexylphosphanyl)piperidine]palladium ( 3 ), the most active catalyst of the investigated systems, is a highly convenient, reliable, and extremely active Suzuki catalyst with excellent functional group tolerance that enables the quantitative coupling of a wide variety of activated, nonactivated, and deactivated and/or sterically hindered functionalized and heterocyclic aryl and benzyl bromides with only a slight excess (1.1–1.2 equiv) of arylboronic acid at 80 °C in the presence of 0.2 mol % of the catalyst in technical grade toluene in flasks open to the air. Conversions of >95 % were generally achieved within only a few minutes. The reaction protocol presented herein is universally applicable. Side‐products have only rarely been detected. The catalytic activities of the aminophosphine‐based systems were found to be dramatically improved compared with their phosphine analogue as a result of significantly faster palladium nanoparticle formation. The decomposition products of the catalysts are dicyclohexylphosphinate, cyclohexylphosphonate, and phosphate, which can easily be separated from the coupling products, a great advantage when compared with non‐water‐soluble phosphine‐based systems.     

Palladium(II) complexes of Y,C,Y‐chelated phosphines: synthesis,structure, and catalytic activity in Suzuki–Miyaura reaction

The phosphines L¹PPh₂ (1) and L²PPh₂ (2) containing different Y,C,Y‐chelating ligands, L¹ = 2,6‐(^tBuOCH₂)₂C₆H₃^? and L² = 2,6‐(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₆H₃^?, were treated with PdCl₂ and di‐µ‐chloro‐bis[2‐[(N,N‐dimethylamino)methyl]phenyl‐C,N]‐dipalladium(II) and yielded complexes trans‐{[2,6‐(^tBuOCH₂)₂C₆H₃]PPh₂}₂PdCl₂ (3), {[2,6‐(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₆H₃]PPh₂} PdCl₂ (4), {[2,6‐(^tBuOCH₂)₂C₆H₃]PPh₂}Pd(Cl)[2‐(Me₂NCH₂)C₆H₄] (5) and {[2,6‐(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₆H₃]PPh₂}Pd(Cl)[2‐(Me₂NCH₂)C₆H₄] (6) as the result of different ability of starting phosphines 1 and 2 to complex PdCl₂. Compounds 3–6 were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P NMR spectroscopy and ESI‐MS. The molecular structures of 3,4 and 6 were also determined by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The catalytic activity of complexes 3–6 was evaluated in the Suzuki‐Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1,3-dialkyl- and 1,3-diaryl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene rhodium(i) and palladium(II) complexes: synthesis, structure, and reactivity

The synthesis of novel 1,3-diaryl- and 1,3-dialkylpyrimidin-2-ylidene-based N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and their rhodium(i) and palladium(II) complexes is described. The rhodium compounds bromo(cod)[1,3-bis(2-propyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene]rhodium (7), bromo(cod)(1,3-dimesityl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene)rhodium (8) (cod=eta(4)-1,5-cyclooctadiene, mesityl=2,4,6-trimethylphenyl), chloro(cod)(1,3-dimesityl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene)rhodium (9), and chloro(cod)[1,3-bis(2-propyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene]rhodium (10) were prepared by reaction of [[Rh(cod)Cl](2)] with lithium tert-butoxide followed by addition of 1,3-dimesityl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidinium bromide (3), 1,3-dimesityl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidinium tetrafluoroborate (4), 1,3-di-2-propyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidinium bromide (6), and 1,3-di-2-propyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidinium tetrafluoroborate, respectively. Complex 7 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n, and 8 in the monoclinic space group P2(1). Complexes 9 and 10 were used for the synthesis of the corresponding dicarbonyl complexes dicarbonylchloro(1,3-dimesityl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene)rhodium (11), and dicarbonylchloro[1,3-bis(2-propyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene]rhodium (12). The wavenumbers nu(CO I)/nu(CO II) for 11 and 12 were used as a quantitative measure for the basicity of the NHC ligand. The values of 2062/1976 and 2063/1982 cm(-1), respectively, indicate that the new NHCs are among the most basic cyclic ligands reported so far. Compounds 3 and 6 were additionally converted to the corresponding cationic silver(i) bis-NHC complexes [Ag(1,3-dimesityl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene)(2)]AgBr(2) (13) and [Ag[1,3-bis(2-propyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene](2)]AgBr(2) (14), which were subsequently used in transmetalation reactions for the synthesis of the corresponding palladium(II) complexes Pd(1,3-dimesityl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene)(2) (2+)(Ag(2)Br(2)Cl(4) (4-))(1/2) (15) and Pd[1,3-bis(2-propyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-2-ylidene)(2)]Cl(2) (16). Complex 15 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, and 16 in the monoclinic space group C(2)/c. The catalytic activity of 15 and 16 in Heck-type reactions was studied in detail. Both compounds are highly active in the coupling of aliphatic and aromatic vinyl compounds with aryl bromides and chlorides with turnover numbers (TONs) up to 2000000. Stabilities of 15 and 16 under Heck-couplings conditions were correlated with their molecular structure. Finally, selected kinetic data for these couplings are presented.     

Synthesis of Nickel(II) Azacorroles by Pd‐Catalyzed Amination of α,α′‐Dichlorodipyrrin NiII Complex and Their Properties

Synthesis of nickel(II) complexes of meso‐aryl‐substituted azacorroles was performed by Buchwald–Hartwig amination of a dipyrrin Ni^II complex with benzylamine through C? N and C? C coupling. The highly planar structure of Ni^II azacorroles was elucidated by X‐ray diffraction analysis. ¹H NMR analysis and nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) calculation on Ni^II azacorrole revealed its distinct aromaticity with [17]triaza‐annulene 18π conjugation. In addition, acylation of azacorrole selectively afforded N‐ and C‐acylated azacorroles depending on the reaction conditions, showing the dual reactivity of azacorroles.     

Palladium complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes as catalysts for cross-coupling reactions--a synthetic chemist's perspective

Palladium-catalyzed C-C and C-N bond-forming reactions are among the most versatile and powerful synthetic methods. For the last 15 years, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have enjoyed increasing popularity as ligands in Pd-mediated cross-coupling and related transformations because of their superior performance compared to the more traditional tertiary phosphanes. The strong sigma-electron-donating ability of NHCs renders oxidative insertion even in challenging substrates facile, while their steric bulk and particular topology is responsible for fast reductive elimination. The strong Pd-NHC bonds contribute to the high stability of the active species, even at low ligand/Pd ratios and high temperatures. With a number of commercially available, stable, user-friendly, and powerful NHC-Pd precatalysts, the goal of a universal cross-coupling catalyst is within reach. This Review discusses the basics of Pd-NHC chemistry to understand the peculiarities of these catalysts and then gives a critical discussion on their application in C-C and C-N cross-coupling as well as carbopalladation reactions.     

N4‐Tetradentate Dicarboxyamidate/Dipyridyl Palladium Complexes as Robust Catalysts for the Heck Reaction of Deactivated Aryl Chlorides

Structurally well defined and thermally stable Pd^II complexes, derived from N4‐tetradentate dicarboxyamide/dipyridyl ligands, were evaluated as catalysts for the Heck reactions of deactivated aryl chlorides and olefins (see scheme). The concept of using an anionic carboxyamide as an ancillary ligand for palladium demonstrated here provides a new opportunity for the development of phosphine‐free transition‐metal catalysis.