Synthesis,Structure, Reactivity and Catalytic Implications of a Cationic,Acetylide-Bridged Trigold–JohnPhos Species

The cationic complex [(JohnPhos–Au)₃(acetylide)][SbF₆] (JohnPhos=(2-biphenyl)di-tert-butylphosphine, L1) has been characterised structurally and features an acetylide–trigold(I)–JohnPhos system; the trinuclear–acetylide unit, coordinated to the monodentate bulk phosphines, adopts an unprecedented μ,η¹,η²,η¹ coordination mode with an additional interaction between distal phenyl rings and gold centres. Other cationic σ,π-[(gold(I)L1)₂] complexes have also been isolated. The reaction of trimethylsilylacetylene with various alcohols (iPrOH, nBuOH, n-HexOH) catalysed by cationic [Au^IL1][SbF₆] complexes in CH₂Cl₂ at 50 °C led to the formation of acetaldehyde acetals with a high degree of chemo- and regioselectivity. The reaction mechanism was studied, and several organic and inorganic intermediates have been characterised. A comparative study with the analogous cationic [Cu^IL1][PF₆] complex revealed different behaviour; the copper metal is lost from the coordination sphere leading to the formation of cationic vinylphosphonium and copper nanoparticles. Additionally, a new catalytic approach for the formation of this high-value cationic vinylphosphonium has been established.     

Homogeneous catalysis by ruthenium carbonyl clusters

The historical background of and the incentive for using ruthenium carbonyl clusters as homogeneous catalysts are outlined. Keeping in view the possible solutions the uncertainties arising from declusterification and metal colloid formation are discussed. All ruthenium cluster-catalysed reactions are broadly classified as reactions with or without carbon monoxide as one of the reactants and the basic differences between such reactions are highlighted. Some of the factors of special relevance to cluster-catalysed reaction systems are mentioned. The reactions involving carbon monoxide are then discussed. These include water-gas-shift reaction, carbon monoxide hydrogenation, hydroformylation, reductive carbonylation of nitrobenzene and other carbonylation reactions. Hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, isomerisation and a few other reactions are then discussed. For all these reactions, special emphasis is laid on well-characterised cluster complexes that have been proposed as catalytic intermediates. Finally an attempt has been made to identify the path that future research in cluster catalysis is likely to follow.     

Molecular recognition and host-guest interactions in complexes of O-bistren,C-bistren,and bisdien

The host-guest relationships of the complexes of the cryptand ligands O-BISTREN and C-BISTREN, and of the analogous macrocyclic ligand BISDIEN are compared. The affinities of their binuclear copper(II) complexes for the bridging ligands (OH^–, F^–) as cascade type guests (i.e., guests of guests) are reported. The ability of the dicobalt(II)-BISDIEN complex to coordinate dioxygen and an additional bifunctional guest simultaneously, leads to the possibility of a new type of catalysis occurring within the cavity of a macrocyclic complex.