Highly Regio‐ and Stereoselective Hydrosilylation of Alkynes Catalyzed by Tridentate Cobalt Complexes

Metal-catalyzed Markovnikov-type selective hydrofunctionalization of terminal alkynes

Metal-catalyzed highly Markovnikov-type selective hydrofunctionalization of terminal alkynes provides a straightforward and atom-economical route to access 1,1-disubstituted alkenes, which have a wide range of applications in organic synthesis. However, the highly Markovnikov-type selective transformations are challenging due to the electronic and steric effects during the addition process. With the development of metal-catalyzed organic synthesis, different metal catalysts have been developed to solve this challenge, especially for platinum group metal catalysts. In this perspective, we review homogeneous metal-catalyzed Markovnikov-type selective hydrofunctionalization of terminal alkynes according to the classified element types as well as reaction mechanisms. Future avenues for investigation are also presented to help expand this exciting field.

Bulky NHC–Cobalt Complex-Catalyzed Highly Markovnikov-Selective Hydrosilylation of Alkynes

The hydrosilylation of alkynes is one of the most attractive and, at the same time, most challenging catalytic transformations, usually demanding the use of noble transition metals. We describe a catalytic system, based on cobalt(0) complex and bulky N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, permitting the highly effective hydrosilylation of a broad scope of alkynes and silanes. The application of bulky NHC ligands allowed a decrease in the amount of cobalt necessary for an effective reaction run to 2.5 mol% and provided excellent selectivity towards challenging α-vinylsilanes. The developed method tolerates a number of substituted aryl, alkyl, and silyl acetylenes. Moreover, it is suitable for both tertiary and secondary silanes. Our findings confirm that steric hindrance around the metal center can effectively increase the activity of a catalyst and ensure better selectivity than those of analogous complexes bearing smaller ligands.

Stereoselective Semi-Hydrogenations of Alkynes by First-Row (3d) Transition Metal Catalysts

The chemo- and stereoselective semi-hydrogenation of alkynes to alkenes is a fundamental transformation in synthetic chemistry, for which the use of precious 4d or 5d metal catalysts is well-established. In mankind's unwavering quest for sustainability, research focus has considerably veered towards the 3d metals. Given their high abundancy and availability as well as lower toxicity and noxiousness, they are undoubtedly attractive from both an economic and an environmental perspective. Herein, we wish to present noteworthy and groundbreaking examples for the use of 3d metal catalysts for diastereoselective alkyne semi-hydrogenation as we embark on a journey through the first-row transition metals.

Copper-Catalyzed Markovnikov Selective 3,4-Hydrosilylation of 2-Substituted 1,3-Dienes

A copper-catalyzed regioselective Markovnikov 3,4-hydrosilylation of 2-substituted 1,3-dienes has been accomplished. A wide range of 2-substituted 1,3-dienes and trihydrosilanes are compatible under the optimal conditions. The bisphosphine ligand with a rigid backbone provides the Markovnikov 3,4-hydrosilylation product in better yield and selectivity. Besides, the synthetic utilities of the allylsilanes also were demonstrated by their flexible derivatizations.

Hydroelementation of diynes

This review highlights the hydroelementation reactions of conjugated and separated diynes, which depending on the process conditions, catalytic system, as well as the type of reagents, leads to the formation of various products: enynes, dienes, allenes, polymers, or cyclic compounds. The presence of two triple bonds in the diyne structure makes these compounds important reagents but selective product formation is often difficult owing to problems associated with maintaining appropriate reaction regio- and stereoselectivity. Herein we review this topic to gain knowledge on the reactivity of diynes and to systematise the range of information relating to their use in hydroelementation reactions. The review is divided according to the addition of the E-H (E = Mg, B, Al, Si, Ge, Sn, N, P, O, S, Se, Te) bond to the triple bond(s) in the diyne, as well as to the type of the reagent used, and the product formed. Not only are the hydroelementation reactions comprehensively discussed, but the synthetic potential of the obtained products is also presented. The majority of published research is included within this review, illustrating the potential as well as limitations of these processes, with the intent to showcase the power of these transformations and the obtained products in synthesis and materials chemistry.

Cobalt-catalyzed alkyne hydrosilylation as a new frontier to selectively access silyl-hydrocarbons

The hydrosilylation of alkynes is a chief chemical method for accessing a range of alkenylsilanes, which can be derivatized to obtain value-added hydrocarbons and utilized in diverse applications. While noble metal-based catalytic procedures have shown great success in accessing vinylsilanes within the context of both academia and industry, replacing the noble metals with cheaper and more abundant base metals has recently drawn significant interest due to their catalytic sustainability and competencies including unprecedented reactivity that could expand chemical tools for accessing other types of silicon-containing hydrocarbons. During the past few years, a number of well-defined, robust cobalt-catalyst platforms that broadly operate either the Chalk-Harrod or a modified Chalk-Harrod mechanism have emerged as a new frontier in the field of selective alkyne hydrosilylation. This review describes the main features of cobalt catalyst systems recently documented for the hydrosilylation of alkynes with a strong emphasis on ligand design and reaction pathways involving Co-H and/or Co-silyl species-mediated elementary transformations to achieve Markovnikov/anti-Markovnikov hydrosilylations as well as new migratory transformations.

Ligand-Regulated Palladium-Catalyzed Regiodivergent Hydroarylation of the Distal Double Bond of Allenamides with Aryl Boronic Acid

The ligand-regulated regiodivergent hydroarylation of the distal double bond of allenamides with aryl boronic acid was achieved in the presence of palladium(II) catalysts, delivering a variety of functionalized enamide with excellent E selectivity and Markovnikov/anti-Markovnikov selectivity. Two possible coordination intermediates were proposed to be responsible for the regiodivergent hydroarylation: (1) The coordination Intermediate I, which was proposed to be formed through the coordination of MeCN, distal double bond, phenyl to palladium, led to the aryl group away from the Intermediate I, inducing excellent E selectivity and anti-Markovnikov selectivity. (2) A switch of regioselectivity to 1,2-Markovnikov hydroarylation was obtained using bidentate phosphine ligand (dppf or Xantphos). The formed coordination Intermediate II led to the N-tether away from the Intermediate II and at the trans position of aryl, resulting in excellent E selectivity and Markovnikov selectivity. Meanwhile, tentative investigation on the mechanism proved that the hydron source of this hydroarylation is more likely to be boronic acid. The transmetallation between aryl boronic acid and palladium catalyst was the initial step of this transformation.

Markovnikov Hydrosilylation of Alkynes with Tertiary Silanes Catalyzed by Dinuclear Cobalt Carbonyl Complexes with NHC Ligation

Metal-catalyzed hydrosilylation of alkynes is an ideal atom-economic method to prepare vinylsilanes that are useful reagents in the organic synthesis and silicone industry. Although great success has been made in the preparation of β-vinylsilanes by metal-catalyzed hydrosilylation reactions of alkynes, reported metal-catalyzed reactions for the synthesis of α-vinylsilanes suffer from narrow substrate scope and/or poor selectivity. Herein, we present selective Markovnikov hydrosilylation reactions of terminal alkynes with tertiary silanes using a dicobalt carbonyl N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex [(IPr)₂Co₂(CO)₆] (IPr = 1,3-di(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) as catalyst. This cobalt catalyst effects the hydrosilylation of both alkyl- and aryl-substituted terminal alkynes with a variety of tertiary silanes with good functional group compatibility, furnishing α-vinylsilanes with high yields and high α/β selectivity. Mechanistic study revealed that the stoichiometric reactions of [(IPr)₂Co₂(CO)₆] with PhC≡CH and HSiEt₃ can furnish the dinuclear cobalt alkyne and mononuclear cobalt silyl complexes [(IPr)(CO)₂Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCPh)Co(CO)₃], [(IPr)(CO)₂Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCPh)Co(CO)₂(IPr)], and [(IPr)Co(CO)₃(SiEt₃)], respectively. Both dicobalt bridging alkyne complexes can react with HSiEt₃ to yield α-triethylsilyl styrene and effect the catalytic Markovnikov hydrosilylation reaction. However, the mono(NHC) dicobalt complex [(IPr)(CO)₂Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCPh)Co(CO)₃] exhibits higher catalytic activity over the di(NHC)-dicobalt complexes. The cobalt silyl complex [(IPr)Co(CO)₃(SiEt₃)] is ineffective in catalyzing the hydrosilylation reaction. Deuterium labeling experiments with PhC≡CD and DSiEt₃ indicates the syn-addition nature of the hydrosilylation reaction. The absence of deuterium scrambling in the hydrosilylation products formed from the catalytic reaction of PhC≡CH with a mixture of DSiEt₃ and HSi(OEt)₃ hints that mononuclear cobalt species are less likely the in-cycle species. These observations, in addition to the evident of nonsymmetric Co₂C₂-butterfly core in the structure of [(IPr)(CO)₂Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCPh)Co(CO)₃], point out that mono(IPr)-dicobalt species are the genuine catalysts for the cobalt-catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction and that the high α selectivity of the catalytic system originates from the joint play of the dicobalt carbonyl species to coordinate alkynes in the Co(μ-η²:η²-HCCR')Co mode and the steric demanding nature of IPr ligand.

(Z)-Selective Hydrosilylation and Hydroboration of Terminal Alkynes Enabled by Ruthenium Complexes with an N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligand

Metal-catalyzed trans-1,2-hydrosilylations and hydroborations of terminal alkynes that generate synthetically valuable (Z)-alkenylsilanes and (Z)-alkenylboranes remain challenging due to the (E)-selective nature of the reactions and the formation of the thermodynamically unfavorable (Z)-isomer. The development of new, efficient catalytic systems for the (Z)-selective hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes is thus highly desirable from a fundamental perspective as it would deepen our understanding of the metal-catalyzed (Z)-selective hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes. This personal account describes our research for developing a ruthenium complex that can efficiently catalyze the hydrosilylation and hydroboration of terminal alkynes, and for exploring the factors controlling (Z)-selectivity of the reactions. Our effort into the activation of B-protected boronic acids, R-B(dan) (dan=naphthalene-1,8-diaminato), that was believed not to participate in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, is also discussed.

Schiff Base Cobalt(II) Complex-Catalyzed Highly Markovnikov-Selective Hydrosilylation of Alkynes

A bench-stable cobalt(II) complex, with 3N-donor socket-type benzimidazole-imine-2H-imidazole ligand is reported as a precatalyst for regioselective hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes. Both aromatic and aliphatic alkynes could be effectively hydrosilylated with primary, secondary, and tertiary silane to give α-vinylsilanes in high yields with excellent Markovnikov selectivity and extensive functional-group tolerance. Catalyst loading varies within 0.5–0.05 mol %, which is one of the most efficient reported so far in the literature on cobalt-catalyzed alkyne hydrosilylation.

Recent Advances in Catalytic Hydrosilylations: Developments beyond Traditional Platinum Catalysts

Hydrosilylation reactions, which allow the addition of Si-H to C=C/C≡C bonds, are typically catalyzed by homogeneous noble metal catalysts (Pt, Rh, Ir, and Ru). Although excellent activity and selectivity can be obtained, the price, purification, and metal residues of these precious catalysts are problems in the silicone industry. Thus, a strong interest in more sustainable catalysts and for more economic processes exists. In this respect, recently disclosed hydrosilylations using catalysts based on earth-abundant transition metals, for example, Fe, Co, Ni, and Mn, and heterogeneous catalysts (supported nanoparticles and single-atom sites) are noteworthy. This minireview describes the recent advances in this field.