Carbon−Carbon Coupling Reactions Catalyzed by Heterogeneous Palladium Catalysts

Synthesis of hindered biphenyls by sequential non-transition metal-catalyzed reaction/palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings

The sequential reaction of 1,2-dihalobenzenes with aryl lithiums followed by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with Grignard reagents and arylboronic acids is described. This sequential reaction provides a convenient and expeditious access to tri-ortho substituted biaryl derivatives.

Heterogeneous multifunctional catalysts for tandem processes: an approach toward sustainability

The development of sustainable organometallic chemistry is one of the many challenges that chemists must address to solve environmental issues. Until now, the classical approach was to develop highly selective homogeneous catalysts for a single transformation. However, a new area of research focuses on the execution of two or more reactions in the same vessel using heterogeneous multitask catalysts. This approach results in a reduced number of operations leading to time and cost benefits. Moreover, owing to the scarcity of natural resources and the recent dramatic cost increase of these resources and metals, the development of recyclable heterogeneous catalysts is urgent. This Minireview focuses on the latest developments in tandem reactions promoted by heterogeneous multitask catalysts.

A New Synthetic Route of 2-Aroyl- and 2-Benzyl-Benzofurans and their Application in the Total Synthesis of a Metabolite Isolated from Dorstenia gigas

The Lewis acid-catalyzed cyclization of the (Z)-3-(dimethylamino)-2-aryloxy-1-arylprop-2-en-1-ones 4a–h leads to a regioselective and short synthesis of 2-aroylbenzofurans 2a–h. The Wolff–Kishner reduction of the latter yielded a series of substituted 2-benzylbenzofurans 3a–h. This methodology was applied in the first total synthesis of the metabolite 2-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-6-methoxybenzofuran 1, which was isolated from the tropical plant Dorstenia gigas, and obtained through a six-step route and in a 24% overall yield.

Pd on porous glass: a versatile and easily recyclable catalyst for Suzuki and Heck reactions

The catalytic activity of Pd supported on porous glass was studied for both Suzuki and Heck reactions under aerobic conditions, with particular focus on the Suzuki coupling. The reactions were carried out in water under microwave irradiation. The effects of the catalyst preparation process (calcination time and temperature), as well as the base, substrate, and boron compound used on the coupling reaction were investigated in relation to the reusability of the catalyst. Various bases promote the Suzuki coupling of phenylboronic acid with bromophenol very effectively resulting in quantitative conversion and excellent selectivity for the coupling product. However, most bases lead to deactivation of the catalyst after the first reaction cycle and the catalyst must be reactivated before reuse. Therefore, excellent conversions and selectivities for individual reactions are not sufficient to conclude if the chosen conditions are suitable for a given reaction, but resuits from recycling studies have to be considered also.

Diversity-oriented syntheses of functional π-systems by multicomponent and domino reactions

Functional π-electron systems can be synthesized in a diversity-oriented fashion by applying multicomponent and domino reactions. Based upon alkyne activation by Sonogashira coupling, reactive triple or double bonds become the key functionality for sequential and consecutive synthesis of heterocycles, such as β-amino vinyl nitrothiophenes, δ-amino propenylidene indolones, indolizines, furans, pyrroles, annelated 2-amino pyridines, and spirocyclic benzofuranones and indolones. All these chromophores and fluorophores possess peculiar properties such as nonlinear optical (NLO) activity, pH-sensitivity, distinct solid-state fluorescence, or large Stokes shifts.

Acceleration of Suzuki-Miyaura- and Stille-type coupling reactions by irradiation with near-UV-A light

Irradiation of a palladium catalyst bearing UV-A-absorbing phosphine ligands with low-intensity UV-A light leads to higher conversions of reactants at lower temperatures and an increased selectivity towards the cross-coupling product in Suzuki-Miyaura- and Stille-type reactions. The examples studied illustrate that a selective energy input into the catalyst by irradiation leads to more selective conversions under milder reaction conditions. With the availability of affordable and energy-efficient UV-A LED light sources, selective heating of the catalyst by light can be envisaged as a general strategy to increase the performance of a catalyst.

Smaller building blocks form larger assemblies: aggregation behavior of biaryl-based dendritic facial amphiphiles

Synthesis and micellar behavior of biaryl-based benzyl ether dendritic molecules prepared from a new biaryl building block are described. The key objective of the study is to tune the size of individual dendritic molecules and investigate its effect on aggregation behavior of the resulting micelle-like assemblies. We show that the functional group placement in the building block influences flexibility of the dendritic backbone and interior volume available for packing the hydrophobic groups, which is reflected in different aggregation behavior and aggregate size of the two types of micellar assemblies.

Highly Efficient and Reusable Supported Pd Catalysts for Suzuki−Miyaura Reactions of Aryl Chlorides

Syntheses of air- and moisture-stable heterogeneous (tert-butylarylphosphino)polystyrene-supported Pd catalysts and their use for versatile Suzuki-Miyaura reactions of aryl chlorides and arylboronic acids under non-anhydrous conditions are reported. The catalysts are easily recovered by filtration. They can be used many times (more than seven) without showing any loss of activity, and the amount of Pd leached is extremely low (<0.1%).

Allene formation by gold catalyzed cross-coupling of masked carbenes and vinylidenes

Addition of a sterically demanding cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) to AuCl(SMe(2)) followed by treatment with [Et(3)Si(Tol)](+)[B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-) in toluene affords the isolable [(CAAC)Au(eta(2)-toluene)](+)[B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-) complex. This cationic Au(I) complex efficiently mediates the catalytic coupling of enamines and terminal alkynes to yield allenes and not propargyl amines as observed with other catalysts. Mono-, di-, and tri-substituted enamines can be used, as well as aryl-, alkyl-, and trimethylsilyl-substituted terminal alkynes. The reaction tolerates sterically hindered substrates and is diastereoselective. This general catalytic protocol directly couples two unsaturated carbon centers to form the three-carbon allenic core. The reaction most probably proceeds through an unprecedented "carbene/vinylidene cross-coupling."

Easily accessible and highly tunable indolyl phosphine ligands for Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of aryl chlorides

This study describes a new class of easily accessible indolyl phosphine ligands, prepared via an efficient protocol involving Fischer indolization from readily available phenylhydrazine and substituted acetophenones. This versatile ligand scaffold provides beneficial features, including high potential of steric and electronic tunability. The air-stable indolyl phosphines in combination with a palladium metal precursor provide highly effective catalysts for Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of unactivated aryl chlorides, and the catalyst loading down to 0.02 mol % can be achieved.

Bis(diphenylphosphino)acetonitrile: Synthesis, ligand properties and application in catalytic carbon–carbon coupling

Treatment of acetonitrile (1 equiv.) with n-butyllithium (0.95 equiv.) followed by chlorodiphenylphosphine (0.95 equiv.) under optimised reaction conditions gave a ca. 60% yield of bis(diphenylphosphino)acetonitrile (dppmCN, 1). The bidentate ligand was employed in the synthesis of the four-membered chelate metal complexes (dppmCN)MCl(2) [M = Pd (6a), Pt (6b)] and (dppmCN)RuCp*(Cl) (7). A very active catalyst for bromobenzene/phenylboronic acid Suzuki-Miyaura coupling was in situ generated by treatment of Pd(OAc)(2) with bis(diphenylphosphino)acetonitrile [TOF (1 h) >600000].