Toward Optimizing the Performance of Homogeneous L-Au-X Catalysts through Appropriate Matching of the Ligand (L) and Counterion (X–)

Insights on the Anion Effect in N-heterocyclic Carbene Based Dinuclear Gold(I) Catalysts

Dinuclear bisNHC (bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)) gold(I) complexes 3 a and 4 a of general formula [Au2 Br2 (bisNHC)] were tested as catalysts in the cycloisomerization of N-(prop-2-yn-1-yl)benzamide and in the hydromethoxylation of 3-hexyne in the presence of silver(I) activators bearing different counteranions. The catalytic performance of mononuclear NHC complexes (1 a, 2 a) in the same reactions was also studied. The results highlighted the fundamental role of both NHC ligand and counterion in the catalytic cycles and activation process: dinuclear catalysts exhibit higher initial activity even under milder conditions but suffer in terms of stability with respect to mono NHCs. Furthermore, a new dinuclear bisNHC gold(I) complex 4 b of general formula [Au2 (OTs)2 (bisNHC)] (OTs=p-toluenesulfonate) was successfully synthesized and characterized by means of NMR and ESI-MS analyses.

Ferrocenyl Dinuclear Gold(I) Complexes. Study of their Structural Features and the Influence of Bridging and Phosphane Ligands in a Catalytic Cyclization Reaction

The combination of the ferrocene moiety with gold(I) catalysis remains a relatively unexplored field. In this article, we delve into the synthesis, characterization, and potential catalytic activity of four complexes utilizing both monodentate and bidentate ferrocenyl diphenylphosphane ligands (ppf and dppf), coordinated with two gold(I) metal centers, linked by either chloride or pentafluorophenylthiolate bridging ligands. This leads to the formation of cationic "self-activated" precatalysts capable of initiating the catalytic cycle without the need for external additives. The catalytic activity of these complexes was assessed through a model reaction in gold(I) catalysis, specifically the cyclization of a N-propargylbenzamide to produce an oxazole. In addition, we studied and compared the influence exerted by both the phosphane and the bridging ligand on the performance of these catalysts.

Hydroamination of alkynes catalyzed by NHC-Gold(I) complexes: the non-monotonic effect of substituted arylamines on the catalyst activity

Imines are valuable key compounds for synthesizing several nitrogen-containing molecules used in biological and industrial fields. They have been obtained, as highly regioselective Markovnikov products, by reacting several alkynes with arylamines in the presence of three new N-Heterocyclic carbene gold(I) complexes (3b, 4b, and 6b) together with the known 1-2b and 7b gold complexes as well as silver complexes 1-2a. Gold(I) complexes were investigated by means of NMR, mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallographic studies. Accurate screening of co-catalysts and solvents led to identifying the best reaction conditions and the most active catalyst (2b) in the model hydroamination of phenylacetylene with aniline. Complex 2b was then tested in the hydroamination of alkynes with a wide variety of arylamines yielding a lower percentage of product when arylamines with both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents were involved. Computational studies on the rate-determining step of hydroamination were conducted to shed light on the significantly different yields observed when reacting arylamines with different substituents.

Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Ion Pairing in Gold(III) Catalysts

The ion pairing structure of the possible species present in solution during the gold(III)-catalyzed hydration of alkynes: [(ppy)Au(NHC)Y]X2 and [(ppy)Au(NHC)X]X [ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, NHC = NHCiPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-di-isopropylphenyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene; NHC = NHCmes = 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene X = Cl-, BF4-, OTf-; Y = H2O and 3-hexyne] are determined. The nuclear overhauser effect nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experimental measurements integrated with a theoretical description of the system (full optimization of different ion pairs and calculation of the Coulomb potential surface) indicate that the preferential position of the counterion is tunable through the choice of the ancillary ligands (NHCiPr, NHCmes, ppy, and Y) in [(ppy)Au(NHC)(3-hexyne)]X2 activated complexes that undergo nucleophilic attack. The counterion can approach near NHC, pyridine ring of ppy, and gold atom. From these positions, the anion can act as a template, holding water in the right position for the outer-sphere attack, as observed in gold(I) catalysts.

Hydration Reactions Catalyzed by Transition Metal-NHC (NHC = N-Heterocyclic Carbene) Complexes

The catalytic addition of water to unsaturated C-C or C-N π bonds represent one of the most important and environmentally sustainable methods to form C-O bonds for the production of synthetic intermediates, medicinal agents and natural products. The traditional acid-catalyzed hydration of unsaturated compounds typically requires strong acids or toxic mercury salts, which limits practical applications and presents safety and environmental concerns. Today, transition-metal-catalyzed hydration supported by NHC (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) ligands has attracted major attention. By rational design of ligands, choice of metals and counterions as well as mechanistic studies and the development of heterogeneous systems, major progress has been achieved for a broad range of hydration processes. In particular, the combination of NHC ligands with gold shows excellent reactivity compared with other catalytic systems; however, other systems based on silver, ruthenium, osmium, platinum, rhodium and nickel have also been discovered. Ancillary NHC ligands provide stabilization of transition metals and ensure high catalytic activity in hydration owing to their unique electronic and steric properties. NHC-Au(I) complexes are particularly favored for hydration of unsaturated hydrocarbons due to soft and carbophilic properties of gold. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of hydration reactions catalyzed by transition metal-NHC complexes and their applications in catalytic hydration of different classes of π-substrates with a focus on the role of NHC ligands, types of metals and counterions.

Hydrogen bonding-enabled gold catalysis: ligand effects in gold-catalyzed cycloisomerizations in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP)

Gold catalysis has witnessed immense evolution in recent years, yet it still requires the use of activators to render the common [AuCl(L)] complexes catalytically active. Herein, the H-bonding donor properties of hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) are utilized for Au-Cl bond activation and the ancillary ligand and counteranion effects on cycloisomerization reactions are showcased in HFIP as solvent.

H-Bonded Counterion-Directed Enantioselective Au(I) Catalysis

A new strategy for enantioselective transition-metal catalysis is presented, wherein a H-bond donor placed on the ligand of a cationic complex allows precise positioning of the chiral counteranion responsible for asymmetric induction. The successful implementation of this paradigm is demonstrated in 5-exo-dig and 6-endo-dig cyclizations of 1,6-enynes, combining an achiral phosphinourea Au(I) chloride complex with a BINOL-derived phosphoramidate Ag(I) salt and thus allowing the first general use of chiral anions in Au(I)-catalyzed reactions of challenging alkyne substrates. Experiments with modified complexes and anions, ¹H NMR titrations, kinetic data, and studies of solvent and nonlinear effects substantiate the key H-bonding interaction at the heart of the catalytic system. This conceptually novel approach, which lies at the intersection of metal catalysis, H-bond organocatalysis, and asymmetric counterion-directed catalysis, provides a blueprint for the development of supramolecularly assembled chiral ligands for metal complexes.

Towards Dual-Metal Catalyzed Hydroalkoxylation of Alkynes

Poly (vinyl ethers) are compounds with great value in the coating industry due to exhibiting properties such as high viscosity, soft adhesiveness, resistance to saponification and solubility in water and organic solvents. However, the main challenge in this field is the synthesis of vinyl ether monomers that can be synthetized by methodologies such as vinyl transfer, reduction of vinyl phosphate ether, isomerization, hydrogenation of acetylenic ethers, elimination, addition of alcohols to alkyne species etc. Nevertheless, the most successful strategy to access to vinyl ether derivatives is the addition of alcohols to alkynes catalyzed by transition metals such as molybdenum, tungsten, ruthenium, palladium, platinum, gold, silver, iridium and rhodium, where gold-NHC catalysts have shown the best results in vinyl ether synthesis. Recently, the hydrophenoxylation reaction was found to proceed through a digold-assisted process where the species that determine the rate of the reaction are PhO-[Au(IPr)] and alkyne-[Au(IPr)]. Later, the improvement of the hydrophenoxylation reaction by using a mixed combination of Cu-NHC and Au-NHC catalysts was also reported. DFT studies confirmed a cost-effective method for the hydrophenoxylation reaction and located the rate-determining step, which turned out to be quite sensitive to the sterical hindrance due to the NHC ligands.

Experimental and computational evidence on gold-catalyzed regioselective hydration of phthalimido-protected propargylamines: an entry to β-amino ketones

The results of our investigations on the Au-catalyzed regioselective hydration reaction of both alkyl- and aryl-substituted N-propargyl phthalimides directed to the selective formation of the corresponding β-phthalimido ketones are described. Experimental data, in particular the observed regioselectivity, have been qualitatively supported by quantum-chemical calculations carried out on model systems in the framework of Density Functional Theory (DFT) followed by quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIMS). Our results suggest that the electronic features of the initial adduct between the propargyl triple bond and the Au(i) catalyst, in particular the character of the gold-triple bond interaction, are essential for the observed regioselectivity. Other effects, such as the presence of the solvent and the formation of a H-bond between the water molecule and the phthalimido moiety, although apparently irrelevant for the regioselectivity, have proven to be kinetically and catalytically rather important.

Gold-Catalyzed Intermolecular Alkyne Hydrofunctionalizations—Mechanistic Insights

An overview of the current state of mechanistic understanding of gold-catalyzed intermolecular alkyne hydrofunctionalization reactions is presented. Moving from the analysis of the main features of the by-now-generally accepted reaction mechanism, studies and evidences pointing out the mechanistic peculiarities of these reactions using different nucleophiles HNu that add to the alkyne triple bond are presented and discussed. The effects of the nature of the employed alkyne substrate and of the gold catalyst (employed ligands, counteranions, gold oxidation state), of additional additives and of the reaction conditions are also considered. Aim of this work is to provide the reader with a detailed mechanistic knowledge of this important reaction class, which will be invaluable for rapidly developing and optimizing synthetic protocols involving a gold-catalyzed alkyne hydrofunctionalization as a reaction step.

Efficient [(NHC)Au(NTf2)]-catalyzed hydrohydrazidation of terminal and internal alkynes

The efficient hydrohydrazidation of terminal (6a–r, 18 examples, 0.1–0.2 mol % [(NHC)Au(NTf₂)], T = 60 °C) and internal alkynes (7a–j, 10 examples, 0.2–0.5 mol % [(NHC)Au(NTf₂)], T = 60–80 °C) utilizing a complex with a sterically demanding bispentiptycenyl-substituted NHC ligand and the benign reaction solvent anisole, is reported.

Hydration of alkynes catalyzed by [Au(X)(L)(ppy)]X in the green solvent γ-valerolactone under acid-free conditions: the importance of the pre-equilibrium step

Stable and robust [Au(H₂O)(NHC)(ppy)](X)₂ successfully catalyses the hydration of alkynes in GVL, under acid-free conditions. DFT calculation and NMR measurements suggest that pre-equilibrium is the key step of the whole process.

Au-catalyzed skeletal rearrangement of O-propargylic oximes via N-O bond cleavage with the aid of a Brønsted base cocatalyst

Au-catalyzed skeletal rearrangement reaction of O-propargylic oxime proceeded via N–O bond cleavage with the aid of a Brønsted base cocatalyst.

O-Propargylic oximes that possess an electron-withdrawing aryl group on the oxime moiety undergo Au-catalyzed skeletal rearrangements via N–O bond cleavage to afford the corresponding 2H-1,3-oxazine derivatives. Our studies show that the inclusion of a Brønsted base cocatalyst not only accelerates the reaction but also switches pathways of the skeletal rearrangement reaction, realizing divergent synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. Computational studies indicate that the elimination of propargylic proton in the cyclized vinylgold intermediate is rate-determining and both electron-withdrawing substituents at the oxime moiety and base cocatalyst facilitate the proton elimination. Moreover, the protodeauration process proceeds stepwise involving N–O bond cleavage followed by recyclization to construct the oxazine core.

Phosphinines versus mesoionic carbenes: a comparison of structurally related ligands in Au(i)-catalysis

Gold(i) complexes based on a 2,4,6-triarylphosphinine and a mesoionic carbene derivative have been prepared and characterized crystallographically. Although structurally related, both heterocycles differ significantly in their donor/acceptor properties. These opposed electronic characteristics have been exploited in Au(i)-catalyzed cycloisomerization reactions. For the conversion of the standard substrate dimethyl 2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2-(prop-2-ynyl)malonate the results obtained for both Au-catalysts were found to be very similar and comparable to the ones reported in the literature for other carbene- or phosphorus(iii)-based Au(i)-complexes. In contrast, a clear difference between the catalytic systems was found for the cycloisomerization of the more challenging substrate N-2-propyn-1-ylbenzamide. A combination of the phosphinine-based complex and [AgSbF₆] or [Cu(OTf)₂] leads to a catalytic species, which is more active than the mesoionic carbene-based coordination compound. We attribute these differences to the stronger π-accepting ability of phosphinines in comparison to mesoionic carbenes. The here presented results show for the first time that phosphinines can be used efficiently as π-accepting ligands in Au(i)-catalyzed cycloisomerization reactions.

Gold(i)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of ortho-(alkynyl) styrenes: DFT analysis of the crucial role of SbF6− in the elimination of protons

The mechanism, regioselectivity and role of SbF₆⁻ in the gold(i)-catalyzed reaction of o-(alkynyl) styrene are clarified through our DFT calculations.

The role of the metal in the dual-metal catalysed hydrophenoxylation of diphenylacetylene

Computational studies on homo- and heterobimetallic group 11 metal-NHC complexes were carried out, providing insights into the catalysed-hydrophenoxylation of alkynes.

Well-Defined Chiral Gold(III) Complex Catalyzed Direct Enantioconvergent Kinetic Resolution of 1,5-Enynes

The development of a gold(III) catalyzed direct enantioconvergent 1,5-enyne cycloisomerization and kinetic resolution reaction is described. The transformation results in highly enantioenriched bicyclo[3.1.0]hexenes at all levels of conversion, with no racemization or symmetrization taking place during the course of the reaction, and simultaneously affords optically enriched 1,5-enynes. This report marks the first highly enantioselective transformation catalyzed by a well-defined cationic gold(III) catalyst and demonstrates the unique potential of gold(III) complexes in enantioselective catalysis.

Why can a gold salt react as a base?

A new mass-spectrometry method allows monitoring the key role of the gold–gold interaction in the transformation of gold salts to bases.

The preference for dual-gold(i) catalysis in the hydro(alkoxylation vs. phenoxylation) of alkynes

Dinuclear gold complexes and their use in catalysis have received significant recent attention, but there are few critical comparisons of mono- versus dual gold-catalysed pathways.

Determining the Impact of Ligand and Alkene Substituents on Bonding in Gold(I)-Alkene Complexes Supported by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: A Computational Study

The nature of the gold(I)-alkene bond in [(NHC)Au(alkene)](+) complexes (where NHC is the N-heterocyclic carbene 1,3-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)imidazole-2-ylidine and its derivatives) has been studied using density functional theory. By utilization of a series of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents ranging from -NO2 to -NH2, an examination of substituent effects has been undertaken with 4-substituted NHC ligands, monosubstituted ethylene derivatives, and 4-substituted styrene derivatives. Natural population, natural bond orbital (NBO), molecular orbital, and bond energy decomposition analysis (EDA) methods have been used to quantify a number of important parameters, including the charge of the coordinated alkenes and the magnitude of alkene→[(NHC)Au](+) and [(NHC)Au](+)→alkene electron donation. EDA methods have also been used to quantify the strength of the [(NHC)Au](+)-(alkene) bond and the impact of both ligand and alkene substitution on different components of the interaction, including polarization, orbital, electrostatic, and Pauli repulsive contributions. Finally, molecular orbital analysis has been used to understand the activation of the alkenes in terms of orbital composition and stabilization within the [(NHC)Au(alkene)](+) complexes relative to the free alkenes. These results provide important insight into the fundamental nature of gold(I)-alkene bonding and the impact of both ligand and alkene substitution on the electronic structure of these complexes.

Reaction Intermediates Kinetics in Solution Investigated by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Diaurated Complexes

A new method to investigate the reaction kinetics of intermediates in solution by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry is presented. The method, referred to as delayed reactant labeling, allows investigation of a reaction mixture containing isotopically labeled and unlabeled reactants with different reaction times. It is shown that we can extract rate constants for the degradation of reaction intermediates and investigate the effects of various reaction conditions on their half-life. This method directly addresses the problem of the relevance of detected gaseous ions toward the investigated reaction solution. It is demonstrated for geminally diaurated intermediates formed in the gold mediated addition of methanol to alkynes. Delayed reactant labeling allows us to directly link the kinetics of the diaurated intermediates with the overall reaction kinetics determined by NMR spectroscopy. It is shown that the kinetics of protodeauration of these intermediates mirrors the kinetics of the addition of methanol demonstrating they are directly involved in the catalytic cycle. Formation as well as decomposition of diaurated intermediates can be drastically slowed down by employing bulky ancillary ligands at the gold catalyst; the catalytic cycle then proceeds via monoaurated intermediates. The reaction is investigated for 1-phenylpropyne (Ph-CC-CH3) using [AuCl(PPh3)]/AgSbF6 and [AuCl(IPr)]/AgSbF6 as model catalysts. Delayed reactant labeling is achieved by using a combination of CH3OH and CD3OH or Ph-CC-CH3 and Ph-CC-CD3.

Potassium tris(triflyl)methide (KCTf3): a broadly applicable promoter for cationic metal catalysis

KCTf₃ enhanced the reaction rates and the chemical yields of a wide spectrum of cationic metal catalyzed reactions in consistent and significant manner. These reactions include traditional Lewis acid catalysis and transition metal catalysis. KCTf₃ is an easily handled neutral salt that is commercially available.