An Alternative Mechanistic Paradigm for the β‐ Z Hydrosilylation of Terminal Alkynes: The Role of Acetone as a Silane Shuttle

Synthesis and catalytic activity of well-defined Co(I) complexes based on NHC-phosphane pincer ligands

A new methodology for the preparation of Co(I)-NHC (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes, namely, [Co(PCNHCP)(CO)2][Co(CO)4] (1) and [Co(PCNHCP)(CO)2]BF4 (2), has been developed (PCNHCP = 1,3-bis(2-(diphenylphosphanyl)ethyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene). Both complexes can be straightforwardly prepared by direct reaction of their parent imidazolium salts with the Co(0) complex Co2(CO)8. Complex 1 efficiently catalyses the reductive amination of furfural and levulinic acid employing silanes as reducing agents under mild conditions. Furfural has been converted into a variety of secondary and tertiary amines employing dimethyl carbonate as the solvent, while levulinic acid has been converted into pyrrolidines under solventless conditions. Dehydrocoupling of the silane to give polysilanes has been observed to occur as a side reaction of the hydrosilylation process.

β-(Z)-Selective alkyne hydrosilylation by a N,O-functionalized NHC-based rhodium(I) catalyst

Neutral and cationic cyclooctadiene rhodium(I) complexes with a lutidine-derived polydentate ligand having NHC and methoxy side-donor functions, [RhBr(cod)(κC-tBuImCH2PyCH2OMe)] and [Rh(cod)(κ2C,N-tBuImCH2PyCH2OMe)]PF6, have been prepared. Carbonylation of the cationic compound yields the dicarbonyl complex [Rh(CO)2(κ2C,N-tBuImCH2PyCH2OMe)]PF6 whereas carbonylation of the neutral compound affords a mixture of di- and monocarbonyl neutral complexes [RhBr(CO)2(κC-tBuImCH2PyCH2OMe)] and [RhBr(CO)(κ2C,N-tBuImCH2PyCH2OMe)]. These complexes efficiently catalyze the hydrosilylation of 1-hexyne with HSiMe2Ph with a marked selectivity towards the β-(Z)-vinylsilane product. Catalyst [RhBr(CO)(κ2C,N-tBuImCH2PyCH2OMe)] showed a superior catalytic performance, in terms of both activity and selectivity, and has been applied to the hydrosilylation of a range of 1-alkynes and phenylacetylene derivatives with diverse hydrosilanes, including HSiMe2Ph, HSiMePh2, HSiPh3 and HSiEt3, showing excellent β-(Z) selectivity for the hydrosilylation of linear aliphatic 1-alkynes. Hydrosilylation of internal alkynes, such as diphenylacetylene and 1-phenyl-1-propyne, selectively affords the syn-addition vinylsilane products. The β-(Z) selectivity of these catalysts contrasts with that of related rhodium(I) catalysts based on 2-picolyl-functionalised NHC ligands, which were reported to be β-(E) selective. An energy barrier ΔG‡ of 19.8 ± 2.0 kcal mol-1 (298 K) has been determined from kinetic studies on the hydrosilylation of 1-hexyne with HSiMe2Ph. DFT studies suggest that the methoxy-methyl group is unlikely to be involved in the activation of hydrosilane, and then hydrosilane activation is likely to proceed via a classical Si-H oxidative addition.

Hydrosilylation of Terminal Alkynes Catalyzed by an Air-Stable Manganese-NHC Complex

In recent years, catalysis with base metal manganese has received a significant amount of interest. Catalysis with manganese complexes having N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) is relatively underdeveloped in comparison to the extensively investigated manganese catalysts possessing pincer ligands (particularly phosphine-based ligands). Herein, we describe the synthesis of two imidazolium salts decorated with picolyl arms (L₁ and L₂) as NHC precursors. Facile coordination of L₁ and L₂ with MnBr(CO)₅ in the presence of a base resulted in the formation manganese(I)-NHC complexes (1 and 2) as an air-stable solid in good isolated yield. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed the structure of the cationic complexes [Mn(CO)₃(NHC)][PF₆] with tridentate N,C,N binding of the NHC ligand in a facile fashion. Along with a few known manganese(I) complexes, these Mn(I)-NHC complexes 1 and 2 were tested for the hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes. Complex 1 was proved to be an effective catalyst for the hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes with good selectivity toward the less thermodynamically stable β-(Z)-vinylsilanes. This method provided good regioselectivity (anti-Markovnikov addition) and stereoselectivity (β-(Z)-product). Experimental evidence suggested that the present hydrosilylation pathway involved an organometallic mechanism with manganese(I)-silyl species as a possible reactive intermediate.

Activation of Si–H and B–H bonds by Lewis acidic transition metals and p-block elements: same, but different

In this Perspective we discuss the ability of transition metal complexes to activate and cleave the Si–H and B–H bonds of hydrosilanes and hydroboranes (tri- and tetra-coordinated) in an electrophilic manner, avoiding the need for the metal centre to undergo two-electron processes (oxidative addition/reductive elimination). A formal polarization of E–H bonds (E = Si, B) upon their coordination to the metal centre to form σ-EH complexes (with coordination modes η¹ or η²) favors this type of bond activation that can lead to reactivities involving the formation of transient silylium and borenium/boronium cations similar to those proposed in silylation and borylation processes catalysed by boron and aluminium Lewis acids. We compare the reactivity of transition metal complexes and boron/aluminium Lewis acids through a series of catalytic reactions in which pieces of evidence suggest mechanisms involving electrophilic reaction pathways.

In this Perspective we compare the ability of transition metals and p-block Lewis acids to activate electrophilically hydrosilanes and hydroboranes. The mechanistic similarities and dissimilarities in different catalytic transformations are analyzed.

Impact of Green Cosolvents on the Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Formic Acid: The Case of Iridium Catalysts Bearing NHC-phosphane Ligands

The catalysts [Ir(COD)(κ3-P,C,P'-PCNHCP)]BF4 and [Ir(COD)(κ2-P,C-PCNHCO)]BF4 proved to be active in the solventless dehydrogenation of formic acid. The impact of various cosolvents on the activity was evaluated, showing an outstanding improvement of the catalytic performance of [Ir(COD)(κ2-P,C-PCNHCO)]BF4] in "green" organic carbonates: namely, dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and propylene carbonate (PC). The TOF1h value for [Ir(COD)(κ2-P,C-PCNHCO)]BF4 increases from 61 to 988 h-1 upon changing from solventless conditions to a 1/1 (v/v) DMC/HCOOH mixture. However, in the case of [Ir(COD)(PCNHCP)]BF4, only a marginal improvement from 156 to 172 h-1 was observed under analogous conditions. Stoichiometric experiments allowed the identification of various key reaction intermediates, providing valuable information on their reactivity. Experimental data and DFT calculations point to the formation of dinuclear species as the catalyst deactivation pathway, which is prevented in the presence of DMC and PC.

Iridium(i) complexes bearing hemilabile coumarin-functionalised N-heterocyclic carbene ligands with application as alkyne hydrosilylation catalysts

A set of iridium(i) complexes of formula IrCl(κC,η²-I^RCou^R')(cod) or IrCl(κC, η²-BzI^RCou^R')(cod) (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene; Cou = coumarin; I = imidazolin-2-carbene; BzI = benzimidazolin-2-carbene) have beeen prepared from the corresponding azolium salt and [Ir(μ-OMe)(cod)]₂ in THF at room temperature. The crystalline structures of 4b and 5b show a distorted trigonal bipyramidal configuration in the solid state with a coordinated coumarin moiety. In contrast, an equilibrium between this pentacoordinated structure and the related square planar isomer is observed in solution as a consequence of the hemilability of the pyrone ring. Characterization of both species by NMR was achieved at the low and high temperature limits, respectively. In addition, the thermodynamic parameters of the equilibrium, ΔH_R and ΔS_R, were obtained by VT ¹H NMR spectroscopy and fall in the range 22-33 kJ mol^-1 and 72-113 J mol^-1 K^-1, respectively. Carbonylation of IrCl(κC,η²-BzI^TolCou^7,8-Me₂)(cod) resulted in the formation of a bis-CO derivative showing no hemilabile behaviour. The newly synthesised complexes efficiently catalyze the hydrosilylation of alkynes at room temperature with a preference for the β-(Z) vinylsilane isomer.

Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Stereo- and Regioselective Hydrosilylation of Unsymmetrical Alkynes

Alkyne hydrosilylation is one of the most efficient methods for the synthesis of alkenyl silicon derivatives and has been a hot topic of research for decades. This short review summarizes the progress in transition-metal-catalyzed stereo- and regioselective hydrosilylation of unsymmetrical alkynes. Topics are discussed based on different types of alkynes and the selectivities.

1 Introduction

2 Terminal Alkyne Hydrosilylation

2.1 β-E Selectivity

2.2 β-Z Selectivity

2.3 α-selectivity

3 Internal Alkyne Hydrosilylation

3.1 Aryl–Alkyl Acetylenes

3.2 Alkyl–Alkyl Acetylenes

3.3 Internal Alkynes with Polarized Substituents

4 Summary and Outlook

Preparation of Butadienylpyridines by Iridium-NHC-Catalyzed Alkyne Hydroalkenylation and Quinolizine Rearrangement

Iridium(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of formula Ir(κ2 O,O'-BHetA)(IPr)(η2 -coe) [BHetA=bis-heteroatomic acidato, acetylacetonate or acetate; IPr=1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-carbene; coe=cyclooctene] have been prepared by treating Ir(κ2 O,O'-BHetA)(η2 -coe)2 complexes with IPr. These complexes react with 2-vinylpyridine to afford the hydrido-iridium(III)-alkenyl cyclometalated derivatives IrH(κ2 O,O'-BHetA)(κ2 N,C-C7 H6 N)(IPr) through the iridium(I) intermediate Ir(κ2 O,O'-BHetA)(IPr)(η2 -C7 H7 N). The cyclometalated IrH(κ2 O,O'-acac)(κ2 N,C-C7 H6 N)(IPr) complex efficiently catalyzes the hydroalkenylation of aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkynes and enynes with 2-vinylpyridine to afford 2-(4R-butadienyl)pyridines with Z,E configuration as the major reaction products (yield up to 89 %). In addition, unprecedented (Z)-2-butadienyl-5R-pyridine derivatives have been obtained as minor reaction products (yield up to 21 %) from the elusive 1Z,3gem-butadienyl hydroalkenylation products. These compounds undergo a thermal 6π-electrocyclization to afford bicyclic 4H-quinolizine derivatives that, under catalytic reaction conditions, tautomerize to 6H-quinolizine to afford the (Z)-2-(butadienyl)-5R-pyridine by a retro-electrocyclization reaction.

Reversible Silylium Transfer between P-H and Si-H Donors

The Mo=PR₂ π* orbital in a Mo phosphenium complex acts as acceptor in a new P^III -based Lewis superacid. This Lewis acid (LA) participates in electrophilic Si-H abstraction from E₃ SiH to give a Mo-bound secondary phosphine ligand, Mo-PR₂ H. The resulting Et₃ Si⁺ ion remains associated with the Mo complex, stabilized by η¹ -P-H donation, yet undergoes rapid exchange with an η¹ -Si-H adduct of free silane in solution. The equilibrium between these two adducts presents an opportunity to assess the role of this new LA in catalytic reactions of silanes: is the LA acting as a catalyst or as an initiator? Preliminary results suggest that a cycle including the Mo-bound phosphine-silylium adduct dominates in the catalytic hydrosilylation of acetophenone, relative to a putative cycle involving the silane-silylium adduct or "free" silylium.

Trivalent Rare-Earth Metal Amide Complexes as Catalysts for the Hydrosilylation of Benzophenone Derivatives with HN(SiHMe2 )2 by Amine-Exchange Reaction

The rare-earth metal complexes Ln(L1 )[N(SiHMe2 )2 ](thf) (Ln=La, Ce, Y; L1 =N,N''-bis(pentafluorophenyl)diethylenetriamine dianion) were synthesized by treating Ln[N(SiHMe2 )2 ]3 (thf)2 with L1 H2 . The lanthanum and cerium derivatives are active catalysts for the hydrosilylation of benzophenone derivatives with HN(SiHMe2 )2 . An amine-exchange reaction was revealed as a key step of the catalytic cycle, in which Ln-Si-H β-agostic interactions are proposed to promote insertion of the carbonyl moiety into the Si-H bond.

Supported Ni nanoparticles with a phosphine ligand as an efficient heterogeneous non-noble metal catalytic system for regioselective hydrosilylation of alkynes

A convenient and effective heterogeneous non-noble metal catalytic system for regioselective hydrosilylation of alkynes was successfully developed by the combination of Ni/Al2O3 with a xantphos ligand. The resulting catalytic system displayed excellent catalytic performance in the heterogeneous hydrosilylation of PhSiH3 with a wide range of aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkynes, affording the corresponding (E)-vinylsilanes in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivity.

Progress on Iridium-Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Alkenes and Alkynes

Hydrosilylation of multiple carbon–carbon bonds is a well-known process for the construction of organosilicon compounds. Nowadays, precious metal catalysts, especially platinum complexes, still occupy dominant positions in such processes. However, one important member of the precious metal family, iridium, is less used in this field. As early research mainly focused on developing stable and effective iridium catalysts, recent advances have disclosed the specific efficiency of simple iridium catalytic systems in the synthesis of functional organo­silicon compounds. This short review summarizes the utilization of iridium complexes for the hydrosilylation of alkenes and alkynes, with an emphasis on the recent advances published in the last decade.

1 Introduction

2 Iridium-Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Alkenes

3 Iridium-Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Alkynes

4 Conclusions and Perspectives

Highly Efficient and Reusable Alkyne Hydrosilylation Catalysts Based on Rhodium Complexes Ligated by Imidazolium-Substituted Phosphine

Rhodium complexes ligated by imidazolium-substituted phosphine were used as catalysts in the hydrosilylation of alkynes (1-heptyne, 1-octyne, and phenylacetylene) with 1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyltrisiloxane (HMTS) or triethylsilane (TES). In all cases, the above complexes showed higher activity and selectivity compared to their precursors ([Rh(PPh3)3Cl] and [{Rh(µ-Cl)(cod)}2]). In the reactions with aliphatic alkynes (both when HMTS and TES were used as hydrosilylating agents), β(Z) isomer was mainly formed, but, in the reaction of phenylacetylene with TES, the β(E) product was formed. The catalysts are very durable, stable in air and first and foremost insoluble in the reactants which facilitated their isolation and permitted their multiple use in subsequent catalytic runs. They make a very good alternative to the commonly used homogeneous catalysts.

Highly β( Z)-Selective Hydrosilylation of Terminal Alkynes Catalyzed by Thiolate-Bridged Dirhodium Complexes

A series of novel monothiolate-bridged dirhodium complexes, [Cp*Rh(μ-SR)(μ-Cl)₂RhCp*][BF₄] {Cp* = η⁵-C₅Me₅, R = tertiary butyl ( ^tBu), 1a; R = ferrocenyl (Fc), 1b; R = adamantyl (Ad), 1c} were designed and successfully synthesized, which can smoothly facilitate highly regioselective and stereoselective hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes to afford β( Z) vinylsilanes with good functional group compatibility. Furthermore, the hydride bridged dirhodium complex [Cp*Rh(μ-S ^tBu)(μ-Cl)(μ-H)RhCp*][BF₄] (5) as a potential intermediate was obtained by the reaction of 1a with excess HSiEt₃.

A leap forward in iridium-NHC catalysis: new horizons and mechanistic insights

This review summarises the most recent advances in Ir-NHC catalysis while revisiting all the classical reactions in which this type of catalyst has proved to be active. The influence of the ligand system and, in particular, the impact of the NHC ligand on the activity and selectivity of the reaction have been analysed, accompanied by an examination of the great variety of catalytic cycles hitherto reported. The reaction mechanisms so far proposed are described and commented on for each individual process. Moreover, some general considerations that attempt to explain the influence of the NHC from a mechanistic viewpoint are presented at the end of the review. The first sections are dedicated to the most widely explored reactions that use Ir-NHCs, i.e., hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation, for which a general overview that tries to compile all the Ir-NHC catalysts hitherto reported for these processes is provided. The next sections deal with hydrogen borrowing, hydrosilylation, water splitting, dehydrogenation (of alcohols, alkanes, aminoboranes and formic acid), hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE), signal amplification by reversible exchange and C-H bond functionalisation (silylation and borylation). The last section compiles a series of reactions somewhat less explored for Ir-NHC catalysts that include the hydroalkynylation of imines, hydroamination, diboration of olefins, hydrolysis and methanolysis of silanes, arylation of aldehydes with boronic acids, addition of aroyl chlorides to alkynes, visible light driven reactions, isomerisation of alkenes, asymmetric intramolecular allylic amination and reactions that employ heterometallic catalysts containing at least one Ir-NHC unit.

Metal complexes with oxygen-functionalized NHC ligands: synthesis and applications

Ligand design has met with considerable success with both categories of hybrid ligands, which are characterized by chemically different donor groups, and of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). Their spectacular development and diversity are attracting worldwide interest and offers almost unlimited diversity and potential in e.g. coordination/organometallic main group and transition metal chemistry, catalysis, medicinal chemistry and materials science. This review aims at providing a comprehensive update on a specific class of ligands that has enjoyed much attention in the past few years, at the intersection between the two categories mentioned above, that of hybrid NHC ligands in which the functionality associated with the carbene donor is of the oxygen-donor type. For each type of oxygen-donor present in such chelating (Section 1) or bridging (Section 2) hybrid ligands, we will examine the synthesis, structures and reactivity of their metal complexes and their applications, with a special focus on homogeneous catalysis (Section 3). Thus, hydrogenation, C-H bond activation, C-C, C-N, C-O bond formation, hydrolysis of silanes, oligomerization, polymerization, metathesis, hydrosilylation, C-C bond cleavage, acceptorless dehydrogenation, dehalogenation/hydrogen transfer, oxidation and reduction reactions will be successively presented in a tabular manner, to facilitate an overview and a rapid identification of the relevant publications describing which metals associated with a given oxygen functionality are most suitable. The literature coverage includes the year 2015.

Revisiting the iridacycle-catalyzed hydrosilylation of enolizable imines

In situ¹H NMR spectroscopy reveals a cascade mechanism for the hydrosilylation of enolizable imines catalyzed by iridium(iii) metallacycles.

Enhanced Catalytic Activity of Iridium(III) Complexes by Facile Modification of C,N-Bidentate Chelating Pyridylideneamide Ligands

A set of aryl-substituted pyridylideneamide (PYA) ligands with variable donor properties owing to a pronounced zwitterionic and a neutral diene-type resonance structure were used as electronically flexible ligands at a pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp*) iridium center. The straightforward synthesis of this type of ligand allows for an easy incorporation of donor substituents such as methoxy groups in different positions of the phenyl ring of the C,N-bidentate chelating PYA. These modifications considerably enhance the catalytic activity of the coordinated iridium center toward the catalytic aerobic transfer hydrogenation of carbonyls and imines as well as the hydrosilylation of phenylacetylene. Moreover, these PYA iridium complexes catalyze the base-free transfer hydrogenation of aldehydes, and to a lesser extent also of ketones. Under standard transfer hydrogenation conditions including base, aldehydes are rapidly oxidized to carboxylic acids rather than reduced to the corresponding alcohol, as is observed under base-free conditions.

Smart N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands in Catalysis

It is well-recognized that N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have provided a new dimension to the design of homogeneous catalysts. Part of the success of this type of ligands resides in the limitless access to a variety of topologies with tuned electronic properties, but also in the ability of a family of NHCs that are able to adapt their properties to the specific requirements of individual catalytic transformations. The term "smart" is used here to refer to switchable, multifunctional, adaptable, or tunable ligands and, in general, to all those ligands that are able to modify their steric or electronic properties to fulfill the requirements of a defined catalytic reaction. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively describe all types of smart NHC ligands by focusing attention on the catalytically relevant ligand-based reactivity.

Pincer cobalt complex-catalyzed Z-selective hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes

Co-Catalyzed Z-selective hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes produces (Z)-β-vinylsilanes, which are further converted to (Z)-disubstituted alkenes by Pd-catalyzed cross couplings.