Ethylene Dimerization and Oligomerization Using Bis(phosphino)boryl Supported Ni Complexes.

We report the dimerization and oligomerization of ethylene using bis(phosphino)boryl supported Ni(II) complexes as catalyst precursors. By using alkylaluminum(III) compounds or other Lewis acid additives, Ni(II) complexes of the type (RPBP)NiBr (R = tBu or Ph) show activity for the production of butenes and higher olefins. Optimized turnover frequencies of 640 molethylene·molNi-1·s-1 for the formation of butenes with 41(1)% selectivity for 1-butene using (PhPBP)NiBr, and 68 molethylene·molNi-1·s-1 for butenes production with 87.2(3)% selectivity for 1-butene using (tBuPBP)NiBr, have been demonstrated. With methylaluminoxane as a co-catalyst and (tBuPBP)NiBr as the precatalyst, ethylene oligomerization to form C4 through C20 products was achieved, while the use of (PhPBP)NiBr as the pre-catalyst retained selectivity for C4 products. Our studies suggest that the ethylene dimerization is not initiated by Ni hydride or alkyl intermediates. Rather, our studies point to a mechanism that involves a cooperative B/Ni activation of ethylene to form a key 6-membered borametallacycle intermediate. Thus, a cooperative activation of ethylene by the Ni-B unit of the (RPBP)Ni catalysts is proposed as a key element of the Ni catalysis.

Competing amination and C-H arylation pathways in Pd/xantphos-catalyzed transformations of binaphthyl triflates: switchable routes to chiral amines and helicene derivatives.

A Pd(OAc)2/xantphos catalyst system was found effective for benzylaminations of binaphthyl 2-triflates bearing a variety of alkyl, benzyl, and substituted phenyl substituents at the 2'-position. With 2'-aryl substituents, an intramolecular Pd-catalyzed C-H arylation was observed as a competing side reaction under some conditions. By adjusting the solvent and quantity of the amine, the reaction was optimized to favor either the amination or the C-H arylation pathway, affording two distinct and potentially useful sets of products. The amines represent tunable chiral ligand precursors, while the C-H arylation pathway affords a series of benzofused [5]helicene derivatives. Kinetic studies and activation parameters for the C-H arylation pathway, supported by DFT calculations, are consistent with a concerted metalation-deprotonation (CMD) mechanism involving a Pd-bound carbonate as the base. Xantphos is proposed to facilitate the turnover-limiting inner-sphere CMD step by acting as a hemilabile ligand, while its wide bite angle engenders a low reductive elimination barrier.

Cu(II) carboxylate arene C─H functionalization: Tuning for nonradical pathways.

We report carbon-hydrogen acetoxylation of nondirected arenes benzene and toluene, as well as related functionalization with pivalate and 2-ethylhexanoate ester groups, using simple copper(II) [Cu(II)] salts with over 80% yield. By changing the ratio of benzene and Cu(II) salts, 2.4% conversion of benzene can be reached. Combined experimental and computational studies results indicate that the arene carbon-hydrogen functionalization likely occurs by a nonradical Cu(II)-mediated organometallic pathway. The Cu(II) salts used in the reaction can be isolated, recycled, and reused with little change in reactivity. In addition, the Cu(II) salts can be regenerated in situ using oxygen and, after the removal of the generated water, the arene carbon-hydrogen acetoxylation and related esterification reactions can be continued, which leads to a process that enables recycling of Cu(II).

Tetracyclic dihydronaphthalene derivatives via gold-catalyzed aminative homodimerization of ortho-alkynylbenzaldehydes.

Gold(i) catalyzes domino homodimerization of o-alkynylbenzaldehydes via a sequence of 6-endo-dig-cyclization, amine addition, and [4+2] cycloaddition involving two bicyclic intermediates. The resulting products integrate medicinally relevant 1,2-dihydronaphthalene and isochromene moieties into a single amine-substituted tetracyclic framework.

Assembly of fused indenes via Au(I)-catalyzed C1-C5 cyclization of enediynes bearing an internal nucleophile.

A tandem reaction initiated by Au(I)-catalyzed C1-C5 cyclization of enediynes bearing an internal carboxy nucleophile has been developed, providing a distinctive methodology for the assembly of fused indenes including indeno[1,2-c]isochromen-5(11H)-ones and indeno[1,2-b]pyran-2(5H)-ones. A mechanism involving the concerted formation of the five- and six-membered rings was proposed.