A regiodefined synthesis of α-trimethylsilyl ketones catalyzed by rhodium(I) hydride complex

Bis(ether) derivatives of tetrakis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethene — Direct synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-bis(2-methoxyphenyl)ethene via the McMurry olefination reaction

The direct synthesis of sterically hindered, partially etherified derivatives of tetrakis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethene is reported by using the McMurry reductive olefination reaction on a range of differentially substituted 2,2′-dialkoxy benzophenone substrates. Three orthogonal protection strategies are demonstrated, incorporating β-silylethyl, 3-butenyl, and tert-butyl protecting groups, respectively, into the starting benzophenones. The latter proved most efficient, with both the McMurry coupling and deprotection steps occurring concomitantly under the McMurry conditions to directly yield the desired bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-bis(2-methoxyphenyl)ethene as a 1:1 mixture of E- and Z-diastereoisomers.Key words: preorganized polyaryloxide ligands, McMurry olefination, titanium trichloride, supramolecular chemistry, tetrakis(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethene, 2,2′-disubstituted benzophenone.

Cationic Rhodium(I)/BINAP Complex-Catalyzed Isomerization of Secondary Propargylic Alcohols to α,β-Enones

We have developed a cationic rhodium(I)/BINAP complex-catalyzed isomerization of secondary propargylic alcohols to alpha,beta-enones. The asymmetric variant of this reaction, a kinetic resolution of secondary propargylic alcohols, was also developed with good selectivity. The mechanistic study revealed that the isomerization proceeds through intramolecular 1,3- and 1,2-hydrogen migration pathways. [reaction: see text]

Di- and tetranuclear palladium complexes incorporating phospha- and diphosphaferrocenes as ligands

Monophosphaferrocenes and 4 react with [Pd(COD)Cl2] (COD = cyclooctadiene) to afford cis- [Pd(1 or 4)2Cl2] complexes that slowly decompose in solution to give dimeric complexes 3 and 6 of general formula [[Pd(1 or 4)Cl]2]. In these dimers, which incorporate a Pd-Pd bond, phosphaferrocenes act as four electron donors through the phosphorus-atom lone pair (mu2-bonded) and through one orbital of appropriate symmetry at iron. These dimers can also be more conventionally prepared from the reaction of cis- [Pd(1 or 4) Cl2] complexes with [Pd(dba)2] (dba = dibenzylidene acetone). The reaction of octaethyldiphosphaferrocene (7) with [Pd(COD)Cl2] yields a dinuclear complex [Pd2(7)2Cl4] (8) in which the two ligands 7 are coordinated in a trans fashion through the phosphorus-atom lone pairs. Decomposition of 8 in solution yields a dimeric dicationic complex of general formula [[Pd2(7)2Cl]2]2+[FeCl4]2- (9a) incorporating four palladium atoms. In each ligand. one phospholyl ring behaves as a two-electron donor through the phosphorus-atom lone pair whereas the second binds two palladium centers in a mu2-fashion. A plausible mechanism that explains the formation of dimers 3, 6, and 9a involves the preliminary oxidation of the mono- or diphosphaferrocene ligand. Parallel experiments aimed at confirming this hypothesis have shown that complex 9a can be synthesized from the reaction of FeCl2 with complex 8. Also presented is another synthetic approach to the synthesis of the tetranuclear complex 9b (counterion is GaCl4-) from the reaction of the palladium(0) complex [Pd(7)2] (10) with [Pd(COD)Cl2] the presence of GaCl3 as chloride abstractor.