Towards Nickel-NHC Fluoro Complexes-Synthesis of Imidazolium Fluorides and Their Reactions with Nickelocene

While hundreds of complexes of the general formula [Ni(η5-C5H5)(NHC)(X)] exist (NHC = a N-heterocyclic carbene, X = Cl, Br, I), none is yet known with X = F. We attempted to prepare such a species by reacting nickelocene with imidazolium fluorides. Three imidazolium fluorides (ImH)+ F- [Im = (N,N'-bis-(R)-imidazolium: 1a, IMe, R = Me; 1b, IMes, R = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl; 1c, IPr, R = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl)] were prepared and characterized by spectroscopic methods. In addition, the salts 1b [(IMesH)+ F-] and 1c [(IPrH)+ F-] were subjected single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. The reactions of these imidazolium fluorides with nickelocene did not lead to [Ni(η5-C5H5)(NHC)(F)] species. Instead, the reaction of 1a [(IMeH)+ F-] and 1b [(IMesH)+ F-] with nickelocene led to the salt 2 [Ni(η5-C5H5)(IMe)2]+ F- and to the square planar complex 3atrans-[NiF2(IMes)2] respectively. Both complexes were characterized spectroscopically and by single crystal X-ray diffraction. All four X-ray diffraction studies reveal hydrogen bonding and hydrogen interactions with the F atom or anion, and in some cases with solvent molecules of crystallization, and these phenomena are all discussed. Complex 2, in particular, exhibited a wide range of interesting H-bonded interactions in the solid state. Complexes 2 and 3a were tested as catalysts for Suzuki-Miyaura coupling but were not promising: complex 2 was inactive, and while 3a did indeed catalyze the reaction, it gave widely diverging results owing to its instability in solution.

Hydroboration of Terminal Alkynes Catalyzed by a Mn(I) Alkyl PCP Pincer Complex Following Two Diverging Pathways

A stereo- and regioselective Mn(I)-catalyzed hydroboration of terminal alkynes with pinacolborane (HBPin) is described. The hydroboration reaction is highly Z-selective in the case of aryl alkynes and E-selective in the case of aliphatic alkynes. The reaction requires no additives or solvents and proceeds with a catalyst loading of 1 mol % at 50-70 °C. The most active precatalyst is the bench-stable alkyl Mn(I) complex cis-[Mn(PCP-iPr)(CO)2(CH2CH2CH3)]. The catalytic process is initiated by the migratory insertion of a CO ligand into the Mn-alkyl bond to yield an acyl intermediate. This species undergoes C-H and B-H bond cleavage of the alkyne (aromatic alkynes) and HBPin (in the case of aliphatic alkynes) forming the active Mn(I) alkynyl and boryl catalysts [Mn(PCP-iPr)(CO)(C≡CR)] and [Mn(PCP-iPr)(CO)(BPin)], respectively. A broad variety of aromatic and aliphatic alkynes was efficiently and selectively borylated. Mechanistic insights are provided based on experimental data and DFT calculations. The functionalized alkenes can be used for further applications in cross-coupling reactions.

Radical hydroboration for the synthesis of organoboron compounds

Organoboron compounds demonstrate diverse applications in the fields of organic synthesis, materials science, and medicinal chemistry. Compared to the conventional hydroboration reaction, radical hydroboration serves as an alternative approach for the synthesis of organoborons via different mechanisms. In radical hydroboration, a boryl radical is initially generated from homolytic cleavage of a B-H or a B-B bond, which is then added to an unsaturated double bond to deliver a carbon radical. Subsequent hydrogen atom transfer or reduction of the carbon radical to form a carbanion followed by protonation gave the final product. Over the past few years, numerous efforts have been made for efficient synthesis of boryl radicals and the expansion of substrate scope of the radical hydroboration reaction. Here, we discuss the recent advancement of radical hydroboration and its associated mechanisms. Numerous radical hydroboration strategies employing N-heterocyclic carbene borane, bis(pinacolato)diboron and pinacolborane as the boron source were illustrated. Thermochemical, photochemical and electrochemical strategies for the generation of boryl radicals were also discussed in detail.

Half-sandwich Ni(II) complexes bearing enantiopure bidentate NHC-carboxylate ligands: efficient catalysts for the hydrosilylative reduction of acetophenones

Chiral nickel complexes containing NHC-carboxylate chelate ligands derived from the (S)-isomeric form of amino acids have been synthesised from the corresponding imidazolium salt and nickelocene. The presence of the carboxylate on the N-side arm of the heterocycle results in the competing formation of mixtures of mono- and bis-NHC complexes (i.e., [Ni(η5-Cp)(κ2-C,O-NHC)] and [Ni(κ2-C,O-NHC)2]), both of which retain the (S)-configuration of the stereogenic center and which can be separated by chromatography. Both the 18e- and 16e- complexes are found to be very stable and cannot be interconverted. The composition of the resulting mixtures depends mainly on the entity of the amino acid residue and, of more practical interest, on the reaction conditions. Thus, microwave heating and MeCN as a solvent favor the formation of the half-sandwich nickel complexes, rather than the bis-NHC compounds. Some of the [Ni(η5-Cp)(κ2-C,O-NHC)] complexes turn out to be among the best nickel catalysts for the hydrosilylative reduction of p-acetophenones described to date, although without chiral induction, in the absence of activating additives and under mild catalytic conditions.

Highly Selective Nickel-Catalyzed Isomerization-Hydroboration of Alkenes Affords Terminal Functionalization at Remote C-H Position

We report herein the synthesis and characterization of nickel complexes supported by tridentate and bidentate phosphino(silyl) ancillary ligands, along with the successful application of these complexes as precatalysts for the hydroboration of terminal and internal alkenes using pinacolborane (HBPin). These reactions proceeded with low nickel loadings of 2.5-5 mol % in the absence of co-solvent, and in some cases at room temperature. Isomerization to afford exclusively the terminal hydroboration product was obtained across a range of internal alkenes, including tri- and tetra-substituted examples. This reactivity is unprecedented for nickel and offers a powerful means of achieving functionalization at a C-H position remote from the C=C double bond. Nickel-catalyzed deuteroboration experiments using DBPin support a mechanism involving 1,2-insertion of the alkene and subsequent chain-walking, which results in isotopic scrambling.

Synthesis of Imidazolium Cations Linked to Para-t-Butylcalix[4]arene Frameworks and Their Use as Synthons for Nickel-NHC Complexes Tethered to Calix[4]arenes

A series of cationic p-tert-butylcalix[4]arenes, with side-arms that are functionalized with imidazolium groups, have been synthesized in good yields. The parent tetrahydroxy para-t-butyl-calix[4]arene was dialkylated at the phenolic hydrogen atoms using α,ω-dibromo-alkanes to yield bis(mono-brominated) alkoxy-chains of variable length. The brominated side-arms in these compounds were then further alkylated with substituted imidazoles (N-methylimidazole, N-(2,4,6-trimethyl-phenyl)imidazole, or N-(2,6-di-isopropylphenyl)imidazole) to yield a series of dicationic calixarenes with two imidazolium groups tethered, via different numbers of methylene spacers (n = 2-4), to the calixarene moiety. Related tetracationic compounds, which contain four imidazolium units linked to the calix[4]arene backbone, were also prepared. In all of these compounds, the NMR data show that the calixarenes adopted a cone configuration. All molecules were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and by MS studies. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies were attempted on many mono-crystals of these cations, but significant disorder problems, partly caused by occluded solvent in the lattice, and lack of crystallinity resulting from partial solvent loss, precluded the good resolution of most X-ray structures. Eventually, good structural data were obtained from an unusually disordered single crystal of 5a, (1,3)-Cone-5,11,17,23-tetra-t-butyl-25,27-di-hydroxy-26,28-di-[2-(N-2,6-diisopropylphenyl-imidazolium)ethoxy]calix[4]arene dibromide and its presumed structure was confirmed. The structure revealed the presence of H-bonded interactions and some evidence of π-stacking. Some of these imidazolium salts were reacted with nickelocene to form the nickel N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes 7a-7d. A bis-carbene nickel complex 8 was also isolated and its structure was established by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The structure was disordered and not of high quality, but the structural data corroborated the spectroscopic data.

Development of a Nickel-Catalyzed N-N Coupling for the Synthesis of Hydrazides

A nickel-catalyzed N-N cross-coupling for the synthesis of hydrazides is reported. O-Benzoylated hydroxamates were efficiently coupled with a broad range of aryl and aliphatic amines via nickel catalysis to form hydrazides in an up to 81% yield. Experimental evidence implicates the intermediacy of electrophilic Ni-stabilized acyl nitrenoids and the formation of a Ni(I) catalyst via silane-mediated reduction. This report constitutes the first example of an intermolecular N-N coupling compatible with secondary aliphatic amines.

The transition metal-catalysed hydroboration reaction

This review covers the development of the transition metal-catalysed hydroboration reaction, from its beginnings in the 1980s to more recent developments including earth-abundant catalysts and an ever-expanding array of substrates.

Nickel-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydroboration of Vinylarenes

The enantioselective hydroboration of vinylarenes catalyzed by a chiral, nonracemic nickel catalyst is presented as a facile method for generating chiral benzylic boronate esters. Various vinylarenes react with bis(pinacolato)diboron (B₂pin₂) in the presence of MeOH as a hydride source to form chiral boronate esters in up to 92% yield with up to 94% ee. The use of anhydrous Me₄NF to activate B₂pin₂ is crucial for ensuring fast transmetalation to achieve high enantioselectivities.

A Ni0 σ-Borane Complex Bearing a Rigid Bidentate Borane/Phosphine Ligand: Boryl Complex Formation by Oxidative Dehydrochloroborylation and Catalytic Activity for Ethylene Polymerization

While of interest, synthetically feasible access to boryl ligands and complexes remains limited, meaning such complexes remain underexploited in catalysis. For bidentate boryl ligands, oxidative addition of boranes to low-valent Ir^I or Pt⁰ are the only examples yet reported. As part of our interest in developing improved group 10 ethylene polymerization catalysts, we present here an optimized synthesis of a novel, rigid borane/phosphine ligand and its Ni⁰ σ-borane complex. From the latter, an unprecedented oxidative dehydrochloroborylation, to give a Ni^II boryl complex, was achieved. Furthermore, this new B/P ligand allowed the nickel-catalyzed polymerization of ethylene, which suggests that Ni⁰ σ-hydroborane complexes act as masked Ni^II boryl hydride reagents.

First-Row d-Block Element-Catalyzed Carbon-Boron Bond Formation and Related Processes

Organoboron reagents represent a unique class of compounds because of their utility in modern synthetic organic chemistry, often affording unprecedented reactivity. The transformation of the carbon-boron bond into a carbon-X (X = C, N, and O) bond in a stereocontrolled fashion has become invaluable in medicinal chemistry, agrochemistry, and natural products chemistry as well as materials science. Over the past decade, first-row d-block transition metals have become increasingly widely used as catalysts for the formation of a carbon-boron bond, a transformation traditionally catalyzed by expensive precious metals. This recent focus on alternative transition metals has enabled growth in fundamental methods in organoboron chemistry. This review surveys the current state-of-the-art in the use of first-row d-block element-based catalysts for the formation of carbon-boron bonds.

Borylation of Unactivated C(sp3)-H Bonds with Bromide as a Traceless Directing Group

A palladium-catalyzed alkyl C-H borylation with bromide as a traceless directing group is described, providing a convenient approach to access alkyl boronates bearing a β-all-carbon quaternary stereocenter. The protocol features a broad substrate scope, excellent site selectivity, and good functional group tolerance.

Manganese-Catalyzed Hydroboration of Terminal Olefins and Metal-Dependent Selectivity in Internal Olefin Isomerization-Hydroboration

In the past decade, the use of earth-abundant metals in homogeneous catalysis has flourished. In particular, metals such as cobalt and iron have been used extensively in reductive transformations including hydrogenation, hydroboration, and hydrosilylation. Manganese, on the other hand, has been considerably less explored in these reductive transformations. Here, we report a well-defined manganese complex, [Mn(^iPrBDI)(OTf)₂] (2a; BDI = bipyridinediimine), that is an active precatalyst in the hydroboration of a variety of electronically differentiated alkenes (>20 examples). The hydroboration is specifically selective for terminal alkenes and occurs with exclusive anti-Markovnikov selectivity. In contrast, when using the analogous cobalt complex [Co(^iPrBDI)(OTf)₂] (3a), internal alkenes are hydroborated efficiently, where a sequence of isomerization steps ultimately leads to their hydroboration. The contrasting terminal versus internal alkene selectivity for manganese and cobalt was investigated computationally and is further discussed in the herein-reported study.