Selective C-alkylation Between Alcohols Catalyzed by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Molybdenum

The first implementation of a molybdenum complex with an easily accessible bis-N-heterocyclic carbene ligand to catalyze β-alkylation of secondary alcohols via borrowing-hydrogen (BH) strategy using alcohols as alkylating agents is reported. Remarkably high activity, excellent selectivity, and broad substrate scope compatibility with advantages of catalyst usage low to 0.5 mol%, a catalytic amount of NaOH as the base, and H₂O as the by-product are demonstrated in this green and step-economical protocol. Mechanistic studies indicate a plausible outer-sphere mechanism in which the alcohol dehydrogenation is the rate-determining step.     

Annuitization and asset allocation with borrowing constraint

We generalize the result of Yaari (1965) on annuitization with borrowing constraint. We show that inability to borrow against future labor income has a significant influence on an individual’s consumption and asset allocation strategies. We also show that there exists a certain threshold of wealth for annuitization. We find that the wealth threshold is lower in the presence of borrowing constraint than in its absence, implying the individual’s earlier retirement.     

Optimal retirement with borrowing constraints and forced unemployment risk

In this paper, we study optimal retirement in a two-dimensional incomplete market caused by borrowing constraints and forced unemployment risk. We show that the two aspects jointly affect an individual’s optimal consumption, investment, and retirement strategies. In contrast to the complete market case, the endogenously determined wealth threshold for retirement is significantly affected by the two-dimensional market incompleteness, resulting in a lower wealth threshold. We also discuss a possible unemployment insurance scheme for the borrowing-constrained individual to respond to the shocks of forced unemployment.     

Co-Catalyzed Metal-Ligand Cooperative Approach for N-alkylation of Amines and Synthesis of Quinolines via Dehydrogenative Alcohol Functionalization

Herein we report a cobalt-catalyzed sustainable approach for C−N cross-coupling reaction between amines and alcohols. Using a well-defined Co-catalyst 1 a bearing 2-(phenyldiazenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline ligand, various N-alkylated amines were synthesized in good yields. 1 a efficiently alkylates diamines producing N, N′-dialkylated amines in good yields and showed excellent chemoselectivity when oleyl alcohol and β-citronellol, containing internal carbon-carbon double bond were used as alkylating agents. 1 a is equally compatible with synthesizing N-heterocycles via dehydrogenative coupling of amines and alcohols. 1H-Indole was synthesized via an intramolecular dehydrogenative N-alkylation reaction, and various substituted quinolines were synthesized by coupling of 2-aminobenzyl alcohol and secondary alcohols. A few control reactions and spectroscopic experiments were conducted to illuminate the plausible reaction mechanism, indicating that the 1 a -catalyzed N-alkylation proceeds through the borrowing hydrogen pathway. The coordinated arylazo ligand participates actively throughout the reaction; the hydrogen eliminated during dehydrogenation of alcohols was set aside in the ligand backbone and subsequently gets transferred in the reductive amination step to imine intermediates yielding N-alkylated amines. On the other hand, 1 a -catalyzed quinoline synthesis proceeds through dehydrogenation followed by successive C−C and C−N coupling steps forming H₂O₂ as a by-product under air.     

Dynamic mean–variance portfolio selection with borrowing constraint

This paper derives explicit closed form solutions, for the efficient frontier and optimal investment strategy, for the dynamic mean–variance portfolio selection problem under the constraint of a higher borrowing rate. The method used is the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation in a stochastic piecewise linear-quadratic (PLQ) control framework. The results are illustrated on an example.     

Ruthenium catalyzed amination cyclization of 1,2,4-butanetriol with primary amines: A borrowing hydrogen strategy for 3-pyrrolidinol synthesis

A ruthenium based catalytic system([Ru(p-cymene)Cl2]2/XantPhos with substoichiometric Cs2CO3)has been established to effectively achieve the first direct amination cyclization of 1,2,4-butanetriol with primary aromatic amines.The product of this sustainable hydrogen autotransfer process is valuable Naryl-3-pyrrolidinol.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed selective synthesis of monoalkylated barbituric acids through “borrowing hydrogen” methodology

An environmentally benign alkylation of barbituric acids via “borrowing hydrogen” process with ruthenium catalysis has been established. The corresponding 5-(alkyl)barubituric acids were obtained in good to excellent yields with low catalyst loading. Various substrates including aliphatic alcohols were tolerated in the present catalytic system. A novel method for construction of barbituric acid-fused benzopyrane derivatives was also demonstrated.     

The synthesis and structure of pyridine-oxadiazole iridium complexes and catalytic applications:Non-coordinating-anion-tuned selective C—N bond formation

Several novel pyridine-oxadiazole iridium complexes were synthesized and characterized through X-ray crystallography.The designed iridium.complexes revealed surprisingly high catalytic activity in C-N bondformation of amides and benzyl alcohols with the assistance of non-coordinating anions.In an attempt to achieve borrowing hydrogen reactions of amides with benzyl alcohols,N,N'-(phenylmethylene)dibenzamide products we re unexpectedly isolated under non-coordinating anion conditions,whereas N-benzylbenzamide products were achieved in the absence of non-coordinating anions.The mechanism explorations excluded the possibility of"silver effect"(silver-assisted or bimetallic catalysis)and revealed that the reactivity of iridium catalyst was varied by non-coordinating anions.This work provided a convenient and useful methodology that allowed the iridium complex to be a chemoselective catalyst and demonstrated the first example of non-coordinating-anion-tuned selective C-N bond formation.     

β-Arylation of Racemic Secondary Benzylic Alcohols to Access Enantioenriched β-Arylated Alcohols

The transformation of alcohols into value-added products is of great importance, as simple alcohols are widespread and can be easily derived from both fossil fuels and biomass. The selective functionalization of a sp³ C−H bond on the alkyl side chain of an alcohol over its hydroxyl group would offer an expedient route to expand the chemical space of alcohols but it remains a challenging task. Harnessing the borrowing hydrogen strategy, the β-arylation of secondary alcohols with aryl bromides has been achieved in this study, which allows for the selective functionalization of a β-Csp³−H bond in an alcohol substrate. Under the catalysis of a Pd complex, secondary alcohols reacted with aryl bromides to afford 1,2-diaryl alcohols with broad substrate scope in the presence of a ketone additive. Furthermore, the enantioconvergent version of the reaction has also been realized, transforming racemic secondary alcohols into enantioenriched chiral 1,2-diaryl alcohols under the cooperative Pd and Ru catalysis. Mechanism studies indicate that the reactions are enabled by borrowing hydrogen catalysis.