Robust and electron-rich cis-palladium(II) complexes with phosphine and carbene ligands as catalytic precursors in Suzuki coupling reactions.

A new imidazolinium ligand precursor [L(2)H]Cl (2) was prepared in 86 % yield. Compared with its imidazolium counterpart, [L(1)H]Cl (1), 2 is very sensitive to moisture and can undergo ring-opening reactions very readily. Palladium complexes with the ring-opened products from imidazolinium salts were isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Theoretical studies confirmed that the imidazolinium salt has a higher propensity for the ring-opening reaction than the imidazolium counterpart. New mixed phosphine/carbene palladium complexes, cis-[PdCl(2)(L)(PR(3))] (L=L(1) and L(2); R=Ph, Cy), were successfully prepared. These complexes are highly robust as revealed by variable-temperature NMR spectroscopic studies and thermal gravimetric analysis. The structural and electronic properties of the new complexes on varying the carbene group (imidazol-2-ylidene group (unsaturated carbene) vs. imidazolin-2-ylidene (saturated carbene)) and the phosphine group (PPh(3) vs. PCy(3)) were studied in detail by X-ray crystallography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations. The catalytic study reveals that cis-[PdCl(2)(L(2))(PCy(3))] is a competent Pd(II) precatalyst for Suzuki coupling reactions, in which unreactive aryl chlorides can be applied as substrates.

Cis-trans isomerizations of beta-carotene and lycopene: a theoretical study.

The all-trans to mono-cis isomerizations of polyenes and two C40H56 carotenes, beta-carotene and lycopene, at the ground singlet (S0) and triplet (T1) states are studied by means of quantum chemistry computations. At the S0 state of polyenes containing n acetylene units (Pn), we find that the energy barrier of the central C=C rotation decreases with n. In contrast, however, at the T 1 state, the rotational barrier increases with n. For the C40H56 carotenes, the rotational barriers of lycopene are lower than those of their beta-carotene counterparts. This difference renders the rotational rates of lycopene to be 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those of beta-carotene at room temperature. For both these carotenes, the barrier is lowest for the rotation toward the 13-cis isomer. The relative abundances are in the following order: all-trans > 9-cis > 13-cis > 15-cis. Although the 5-cis isomer of lycopene has the lowest energy among the cis isomers, its formation from the all-trans form is restricted, owing to a very large rotational barrier. The possible physiological implications of this study are discussed.

Aluminum complexes incorporating symmetrical and asymmetrical tridentate pincer type pyrrolyl ligands: synthesis, characterization and reactivity study.

A series of aluminum complexes incorporating substituted symmetrical and asymmetrical tridentate pyrrolyl ligands are synthesized conveniently and the treatment of the derivatives with small organic molecules are analyzed. The reaction of lithiated [C4H2NH(2-CH2NH(t)Bu)(5-CH2NR1R2)], where for 1, R1 = R2 = Me; 2, R1 = H, R2 = (t)Bu, with AlCl3 in diethyl ether affords Al[C4H2N(2-CH2NH(t)Bu)(5-CH2NMe2)]Cl2 (3) and Al[C4H2N(2,5-CH2NH(t)Bu)2]Cl2 (4), respectively, in high yields. Furthermore, subjecting 3 and 4 to reaction with one equiv. of LiNMePh in diethyl ether generates Al[C4H2N(2-CH2NH(t)Bu)(5-CH2NMe2)][NMePh]Cl (5) and Al[C4H2N(2,5-CH2NH(t)Bu)2][NMePh]Cl (6), respectively, while eliminating one equiv. of LiCl. The reaction between compound 4 with two equiv. of LiO-Ph-4-Me in diethyl ether yields the aluminum di-phenoxide compound Al[C4H2N(2,5-CH2NH(t)Bu)2](O-Ph-4-Me)2 (7) whereas the combination of 3 and two equiv. of LiNH(t)Bu, produces Al[C4H2N(2-CH2N(t)Bu)(5-CH2NMe2)](NH(t)Bu)(NH2(t)Bu) (8). Additionally, the mixing of 1 and one equiv. of AlMe3 renders Al[C4H2N(2-CH2NH(t)Bu)(5-CH2NMe2)]Me2 (9). Adding one more equiv. of AlMe3 with 9 affords {Al[C4H2N(2-CH2NH(t)Bu)(5-CH2NMe2)AlMe3]Me2} (10), which can also be obtained by treating 1 with two equiv. of AlMe3 directly. The treatment of 9 with one equiv. of 2,6-dimethylphenol in diethyl ether gives the aluminum alkoxide derivative, Al[C4H2N(2-CH2NH(t)Bu)(5-CH2NMe2)](O-C6H3-2,6-Me2)Me (11). Furthermore, the reaction between 9 and one equiv. of 1-ethyl-1-phenyl ketene, initiates the aluminum dimethyl complex Al{C4H2N[2-CH2CEtPh-C(=O)-NH(t)Bu](5-CH2NMe2)}Me2 (12) with a C-N bond breakage and a C-C bond formation. All the Al-derivatives are characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy and the molecular structures are determined by single crystal X-ray diffractometry in solid state.

Deprotonation and reductive addition reactions of hypervalent aluminium dihydride compounds containing substituted pyrrolyl ligands with phenols, ketones, and aldehydes.

The reactivities of [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]AlH2 (1) with primary and secondary amines, phenols, ketones, and phenyl isothiocyanate were examined. Reactions of 1 with one or two equivalents of 2,6-dichloroaniline in methylene chloride generated [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]AlH(NHC6H3-2,6-Cl2) (2) and [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]Al(NHC6H3-2,6-Cl2)2 (3), respectively, following hydrogen elimination. Similarly, the reactions of 1 with one or two equivalents of carbazole afforded [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]AlH(NC12H8) (4) or [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]Al(NC12H8)2 (5) by deprotonating the acidic N-H of carbazole. Reacting 1 with one equivalent of 2,6-diisopropylphenol in diethyl ether formed an aluminium phenoxo compound [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]AlH(OC6H3-2,6-iPr2) (6), by deprotonation of phenol as well with the elimination of one equivalent hydrogen. Further reaction of 6 with one equivalent of 2,4,6-trimethylacetophenone in methylene chloride generated [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]Al(OC6H3-2,6-iPr2)[OC(=CH2)(C6H2-2,4,6-Me3)] (7) by deprotonating the methyl proton of the acetophenone. Similar deprotonation occurred when 1 reacted with two equivalents of 2,4,6-trimethylacetophenone in methylene chloride to generate [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]Al[OC(=CH2)(C6H2-2,4,6-Me3)]2 (8). Compounds [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]Al(OCHPh2)2 (9), and [C4H2N(CH2NMe2)2]Al(SCHNPh)2 (10) could also be obtained by reacting 1 with two equivalents of benzophenone and phenyl isothiocyanate, respectively through hydroalumination. The 1H NMR spectra of 10 showed broad signals for the CH2N and NMe2 groups, which represent dynamical fluctuations of the molecules in solution state. The estimated energy barrier (DeltaG(c)(double dagger)) from the coalescence temperature for the fluctuation was estimated at 17.1 Kcal mol(-1). The solid-state structures of compounds 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 10 have been determined.

Theoretical study of the enthalpies of formation for C40H56 carotenes.

Theoretical study of the enthalpies of formation (DeltaHf) for polyenes up to nine ethylene units and for several C40H56 carotenes including beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lycopene, and prolycopene is presented. For polyenes and small branched alkenes, we used G2, G3, and G3MP2B3 theories, and the DeltaHf values were evaluated with the atomization, isodesmic bond separation, and homodesmic schemes. The applicability of six DFT functionals were evaluated by comparing their predictions with those obtained using G3 theory within the atomization scheme. Additivity approaches, including atom equivalents and group equivalents using DFT and semiempirical theories, were explored. We found that group equivalents associated with isodesmic reactions are able to provide the most accurate predictions within the test set. The predictions from the six functionals are in good agreement with the G3 results. Among them, B3LYP performs the best, with an average absolute deviation of only 0.30 kcal/mol. The application of DFT in the prediction for the DeltaHf value of C40H56 carotenes is promising.