Supraphos: A supramolecular strategy to prepare bidentate ligands

Supramolecular Approaches To Control Activity and Selectivity in Hydroformylation Catalysis

The hydroformylation reaction is one of the most intensively explored reactions in the field of homogeneous transition metal catalysis, and many industrial applications are known. However, this atom economical reaction has not been used to its full potential, as many selectivity issues have not been solved. Traditionally, the selectivity is controlled by the ligand that is coordinated to the active metal center. Recently, supramolecular strategies have been demonstrated to provide powerful complementary tools to control activity and selectivity in hydroformylation reactions. In this review, we will highlight these supramolecular strategies. We have organized this paper in sections in which we describe the use of supramolecular bidentate ligands, substrate preorganization by interactions between the substrate and functional groups of the ligands, and hydroformylation catalysis in molecular cages.

Ligand libraries for high throughput screening of homogeneous catalysts

This review describes different approaches to construct ligand libraries towards high throughput screening of homogeneous metal catalysts.

Riding the Wave of Monodentate Ligand Revival: From the A/B Concept to Noncovalent Interactions

The rediscovery of chiral monodentate ligands made in the period 1999-2003 had important consequences in enantioselective transition-metal catalysis, such as the introduction of the A/B concept (i.e., use of monodentate ligand mixtures) and, later, a renewed interest in supramolecular ligands capable of ligand-ligand and ligand-substrate interactions. This Personal Account summarizes the contributions made by our research group in this area in the period 2004-2015, which reflect the abovementioned developments. Within this area, we introduced some original concepts, such as 1) the use of chiral tropos ligand mixtures; 2) the development of new strategies to maximize heterocomplex formation from combinations of simple monodentate ligands; 3) the investigation of new ligand-ligand interactions to achieve selective heterocomplex formation; and 4) the development of highly efficient and synthetically accessible supramolecular ligands.

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of olefins with PhthalaPhos, a new class of chiral supramolecular ligands

A library of 19 binol-derived chiral monophosphites that contain a phthalic acid diamide group (PhthalaPhos) has been designed and synthesized in four steps. These new ligands were screened in the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of prochiral dehydroamino esters and enamides. Several members of the library showed excellent enantioselectivity with methyl 2-acetamido acrylate (6 ligands gave >97% ee), methyl (Z)-2-acetamido cinnamate (6 ligands gave >94% ee), and N-(1-phenylvinyl)acetamide (9 ligands gave >95% ee), whilst only a few representatives afforded high enantioselectivities for challenging and industrially relevant substrates N-(3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1-yl)-acetamide (96% ee in one case) and methyl (E)-2-(acetamidomethyl)-3-phenylacrylate (99% ee in one case). In most cases, the new ligands were more active and more stereoselective than their structurally related monodentate phosphites (which are devoid of functional groups that are capable of hydrogen-bonding interactions). Control experiments and kinetic studies were carried out that allowed us to demonstrate that hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the diamide group of the PhthalaPhos ligands strongly contribute to their outstanding catalytic properties. Computational studies carried out on a rhodium precatalyst and on a conceivable intermediate in the hydrogenation catalytic cycle shed some light on the role played by hydrogen bonding, which is likely to act in a substrate-orientation effect.

Hybrid bidentate phosphorus ligands in asymmetric catalysis: privileged ligand approach vs. combinatorial strategies

In this perspective the development of chiral phosphorus ligands for asymmetric catalysis is discussed, with a special focus on hybrid bidentate phosphorus ligands, in particular phosphine-phosphoramidites. An attempt is made to compare privileged ligand and combinatorial approaches to ligand development--for which the class of phosphine-phosphoramidite ligands is well suited--highlighting differences, similarities and their complementary use.

A combinatorial approach to the identification of self-assembled ligands for rhodium-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation

An effective and efficient means to catalyst discovery is the high-throughput screening of catalyst libraries. However, the current status of this approach suffers from a number of limitations, namely access to structurally diverse and meaningful ligand libraries and the enormous effort required for massive parallel screening of the resulting catalysts. We report an integrated solution to these drawbacks, which combines a diversity-oriented ligand synthesis, a catalyst-generation process driven by self-assembly and, finally, a combinatorial iterative library deconvolution strategy to identify the optimal catalyst. As a test case, rhodium-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation was studied and, from a library of 120 self-assembling catalysts, highly enantioselective catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of different olefinic substrates were identified within 17 experiments. Comparison of the results of the iterative library deconvolution strategy with those of the classic parallel-screening process confirmed the validity of this approach.

The uses of supramolecular chemistry in synthetic methodology development: examples of anion and neutral molecular recognition

The principles of supramolecular chemistry have successfully permeated through a broad range of organic chemistry subdisciplines. One subdiscipline that is not routinely associated with supramolecular chemistry is that of organic synthetic methodology. Though sometimes indiscernible, non-bonded and bonding supramolecular interactions play a large role in chemical reactions and catalysis. Many synthetic methods hinge on the creation of anionic charge, albeit just partial, at some step during this process, and hence are prime targets for molecular recognition interactions. Examples are artificial enzymes, biomimetic catalysis, organocatalysis, and many of the catalysts that are derived from a combinatorial screen. Further, supramolecular chemistry is playing an increasingly large role in high-throughput analytical techniques. This tutorial review ties together supramolecular approaches to methodology creation, combinatorial screening, and analytical protocols. The goal is to show, and further predict, that supramolecular chemistry will continually increase its impact in organic synthetic methodology development.

Supramolecular bidentate ligands by metal-directed in situ formation of antiparallel beta-sheet structures and application in asymmetric catalysis

The principles of protein structure design, molecular recognition, and supramolecular and combinatorial chemistry have been applied to develop a convergent metal-ion-assisted self-assembly approach that is a very simple and effective method for the de novo design and the construction of topologically predetermined antiparallel beta-sheet structures and self-assembled catalysts. A new concept of in situ generation of bidentate P-ligands for transition-metal catalysis, in which two complementary, monodentate, peptide-based ligands are brought together by employing peptide secondary structure motif as constructing tool to direct the self-assembly process, is achieved through formation of stable beta-sheet motifs and subsequent control of selectivity. The supramolecular structures were studied by (1)H, (31)P, and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry, X-ray structure analysis, and theoretical calculations. Our initial catalysis results confirm the close relationship between the self-assembled sheet conformations and the catalytic activity of these metallopeptides in the asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation. Good catalyst activity and moderate enantioselectivity were observed for the selected combination of catalyst and substrate, but most importantly the concept of this new methodology was successfully proven. This work presents a perspective interface between protein design and supramolecular catalysis for the design of beta-sheet mimetics and screening of libraries of self-organizing supramolecular catalysts.

Supramolecular PhanePhos-analogous ligands through hydrogen-bonding for asymmetric hydrogenation

PhanePhos-analogous phosphorous ligands have been generated via self-assembly through hydrogen-bonding, and studied in rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation (up to 99% ee).

Ionic Interaction as a Powerful Driving Force for the Formation of Heterobidentate Assembly Ligands

An ionic interaction has been used for the first time to assemble monophosphane ligands. NMR spectroscopy and X-ray studies show that cationic and anionic triphenylphosphane derivatives form ion pairs and subsequently act as a ligand in various transition-metal complexes. The position of the ionic functional groups allows both cis and trans coordination of the novel assembly ligand in square-planar transition-metal complexes.

UREAphos: supramolecular bidentate ligands for asymmetric hydrogenation

Supramolecular bidentate phosphite ligands are presented as a new class of ligands for rhodium catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation.

SUPRAphos-based palladium catalysts for the kinetic resolution of racemic cyclohexenyl acetate

High-throughput screening of the SUPRAphos library revealed a palladium catalyst based on supramolecular ligands that gave fast and highly efficient kinetic resolution of cyclohexenyl acetate with an S-value up to 12.

Rigid bis-zinc(ii) salphen building blocks for the formation of template-assisted bidentate ligands and their application in catalysis

The template-induced formation of chelating bidentate ligands by the selective self-assembly of two monodentate pyridyl phosphorus ligands on a rigid bis-zinc(II) salphen template with two identical binding sites was studied. Using UV-vis, NMR-spectroscopy and X-ray analysis the formed structures were unambiguously proven. The application of these templated bidentate ligands in transition metal catalysis showed, in most cases, typical bidentate character. Compared to previous work based on a more flexible bis-zinc(II) porphyrin template, the current catalytic data suggest that the rigidity of the template is not an important factor for the improvement of the regio- and enantioselectivity under the applied reaction conditions.

INDOLPhos: novel hybrid phosphine-phosphoramidite ligands for asymmetric hydrogenation and hydroformylation

Hybrid bidentate phosphine-phosphoramidite ligands are prepared in a modular 2-step sequence and their rhodium complexes display high selectivity in rhodium catalysed hydrogenation and hydroformylation reactions.

Supramolecular bidentate phosphorus ligands based on bis-zinc(ii) and bis-tin(iv) porphyrin building blocks

Selective metal-ligand interactions have been used to prepare supramolecular bidentate ligands by mixing monodentate ligands with a suitable template. For these assemblies pyridine phosphorus ligands and a zinc(II) porphyrin dimer were used. In the rhodium-catalysed hydroformylation of 1-octene and styrene improved selectivities have been obtained for some of the assembled bidentate ligand systems. In the palladium catalysed asymmetric allylic alkylation similar effects were observed; the enantioselectivity increased by using a bisporphyrin template. The preparation of supramolecular catalyst systems was also explored using tin-oxygen interactions. Dihydroxotin(IV) porphyrin and carboxylic phosphorus ligands assemble into supramolecular ligands and the phosphorus donor atom coordinates to transition metals. The stronger oxygen-tin bond, compared to pyridine-zinc does not result in a better performance of the catalyst.

Bidentate ligands by supramolecular chemistry—the future for catalysis?

In this Frontier Article we give our view on recent developments in transition-metal catalyst development that evolve from a combination of supramolecular strategies and traditional ligand design and development.

Template-induced formation of heterobidentate ligands and their application in the asymmetric hydroformylation of styrene

We report the template-induced formation of chelating heterobidentate ligands by the selective self-assembly of two different monodentate ligands on a rigid bis-zinc(II)-salphen template with two identical binding sites; these templated heterobidentate ligands induce much higher enantioselectivities (up to 72% ee) in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydroformylation of styrene than any of the corresponding homobidentate ligands or non-templated mixed ligand combinations (up to 13% ee).