Integrated Cobaloxime and Mesoporous Silica-Supported Ruthenium/Diamine Co-Catalysis for One-Pot Hydration/Reduction Enantioselective Sequential Reaction of Alkynes

This study developed a cost-efficient hydration/asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) process for the one-pot synthesis of valuable chiral alcohols from alkynes. During this process, the initial homogeneous cobaloxime-catalyzed hydration of alkynes was followed by heterogeneous Ru/diamine-catalyzed ATH transformation of the in-situ generated ketones, which provided varieties of chiral alcohols in good yields with up to 99% ee values. The immobilized Ru/diamine catalyst could be recycled at least three times before its deactivation in the sequential reaction system. This work shows a general method for developing one-pot asymmetric sequential catalysis towards sustainable organic synthesis.

Photo-on-Demand Synthesis of Vilsmeier Reagents with Chloroform and Their Applications to One-Pot Organic Syntheses

The Vilsmeier reagent (VR), first reported a century ago, is a versatile reagent in a variety of organic reactions. It is used extensively in formylation reactions. However, the synthesis of VR generally requires highly toxic and corrosive reagents such as POCl₃, SOCl₂, or COCl₂. In this study, we found that VR is readily obtained from a CHCl₃ solution containing N,N-dimethylformamide or N,N-dimethylacetamide upon photo-irradiation under O₂ bubbling. The corresponding Vilsmeier reagents were obtained in high yields with the generation of gaseous HCl and CO₂ as byproducts to allow their isolations as crystalline solid products amenable to analysis by X-ray crystallography. With the advantage of using CHCl₃, which bifunctionally serves as a reactant and a solvent, this photo-on-demand VR synthesis is available for one-pot syntheses of aldehydes, acid chlorides, formates, ketones, esters, and amides.

Insights into the synergistic influence of [Emim][OAc] and AgOAc for the hydration of propargylic alcohols to α-hydroxy ketones in the presence of CO2

A catalytic mechanism including metals, ionic liquids, and co-catalysts is elucidated for the first time.

An Efficient Hydration and Tandem Transfer Hydrogenation of Alkynes for the Synthesis of Alcohol in Water

A practical and efficient method for the synthesis of alcohols in one pot from readily available alkynes via a tandem process by formic acid promoted hydration and metal-ligand bifunctional iridium-catalyzed­ transfer hydrogenation under mild conditions has been described. This transformation is simple, efficient, and can be performed with a variety of alkynes in good yields and with excellent stereoselectivities. Experimental results showed high catalytic activity, and turnover frequency (TOF) up to 25000. Importantly, this transformation can be conducted in water, and is thus green and environmentally friendly.

Recent advances in metal-catalysed asymmetric sequential double hydrofunctionalization of alkynes

Recent advances in various metal-catalysed asymmetric sequential double hydrofunctionalizations of alkynes have been highlighted in this feature article.

One catalyst, multiple processes: ligand effects on chemoselective control in Ru-catalyzed anti-Markovnikov reductive hydration of terminal alkynes

The ligand effect through kinetic and thermodynamic control on the chemoselectivity of one-catalyst multi-step catalysis.

In(III) and Hf(IV) Triflate-Catalyzed Hydration and Catalyst-free Hydrohalogenation of Aryl Acetylenes in Liquid Sulfur Dioxide

The use of liquid sulfur dioxide as a reaction solvent to promote chemical transformations of alkynes has been explored. First, a combination of liquid SO2 and In(OTf)3 or Hf(OTf)4 as a catalyst allows to perform hydration of aryl alkynes under mild conditions without a direct addition of Brønsted acid. Second, novel catalyst-free conditions for the synthesis of α-vinyl iodides, bromides, and chlorides from aryl alkynes have been developed in liquid SO2 using group I and II metal halides and ammonium iodide as the halide ion sources.

One-pot synthesis of chiral alcohols from alkynes by CF3SO3H/ruthenium tandem catalysis

A practical one-pot synthesis of chiral alcohols from readily available alkynes via tandem catalysis by the combination of CF₃SO₃H and a fluorinated chiral diamine Ru(ii) complex in aqueous CF₃CH₂OH is described. Very interestingly, the combination of fluorinated catalysts and solvent exhibits a positive fluorine effect on the reactivity and enantioselectivity. A range of chiral alcohols with wide functional group tolerance was obtained in high yield and excellent stereoselectivity under simple and mild conditions.

A simple and compatible catalytic system for one-pot transformation of alkynes into chiral alcohols was developed.

Zeolite Y nanoparticle assemblies with high activity in the direct hydration of terminal alkynes

A strong acidic zeolite Y nanoparticle assembly (HNANO-Y) with a micro–meso–macroporous structure was synthesized and used as a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the hydration of alkynes to prepare ketone compounds.

Compartmentalization of Incompatible Catalytic Transformations for Tandem Catalysis

In Nature, incompatible catalytic transformations are being carried out simultaneously through compartmentalization that allows for the combination of incompatible catalysts in tandem reactions. Herein, we take the compartmentalization concept to the synthetic realm and present an approach that allows two incompatible transition metal catalyzed transformations to proceed in one pot in tandem. The key is the site isolation of both catalysts through compartmentalization using a core-shell micellar support in an aqueous environment. The support is based on amphiphilic triblock copolymers of poly(2-oxazoline)s with orthogonal functional groups on the side chain that can be used to cross-link covalently the micelle and to conjugate two metal catalysts in different domains of the micelle. The micelle core and shell provide different microenvironments for the transformations: Co-catalyzed hydration of an alkyne proceeds in the hydrophobic core, while the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of the intermediate ketone into a chiral alcohol occurs in the hydrophilic shell.

Regioselective hydration of terminal alkynes catalyzed by a neutral gold(I) complex [(IPr)AuCl] and one-pot synthesis of optically active secondary alcohols from terminal alkynes by the combination of [(IPr)AuCl] and Cp*RhCl[(R,R)-TsDPEN]

A neutral gold(I) complex [(IPr)AuCl] (IPr = 1,3-bis(diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) was found to be a highly effective catalyst for the hydration of terminal alkynes, including aromatic alkynes and aliphatic alkynes. The desired methyl ketones were obtained in high yields with complete regioselectivities. Furthermore, a series of optically active secondary alcohols could be obtained in high yield with good to excellent enatioselectivities via one-pot sequential hydration/asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) from terminal alkynes by the combination of of [(IPr)AuCl] and Cp*RhCl[(R,R)-TsDPEN] (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, TsDPEN = N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine). Notably, this research exhibited the potential of the direct use of neutral gold(I) complexes instead of cationic ones as catalysts for the activation of multiple bonds for organic synthesis.

Room-temperature acetylene hydration by a Hg(ii)-laced metal–organic framework

Catch and release—the thiol group first binds the metal guest; H₂O₂oxidation then leads to the metal sulfonate as powerful Lewis acids imbedded in the host framework.