Insights into Dehydrogenative Coupling of Alcohols and Amines Catalyzed by a (PNN)–Ru(II) Hydride Complex: Unusual Metal–Ligand Cooperation

Highly Enantiomerically Enriched Secondary Alcohols via Epoxide Hydrogenolysis

In this article, we report the development of ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogenolysis of epoxides to selectively give the branched (Markovnikov) alcohol products. In contrast to previously reported catalysts, the use of Milstein's PNN-pincer-ruthenium complex at room temperature allows the conversion of enantiomerically enriched epoxides to secondary alcohols without racemization of the product. The catalyst is effective for a range of aryl epoxides, alkyl epoxides, and glycidyl ethers and is the first homogeneous system to selectively promote hydrogenolysis of glycidol to 1,2-propanediol, without loss of enantiomeric purity. A detailed mechanistic study was conducted, including experimental observations of catalyst speciation under catalytically relevant conditions, comprehensive kinetic characterization of the catalytic reaction, and computational analysis via density functional theory. Heterolytic hydrogen cleavage is mediated by the ruthenium center and exogenous alkoxide base. Epoxide ring opening occurs through an opposite-side attack of the ruthenium hydride on the less-hindered epoxide carbon, giving the branched alcohol product selectively.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of E-Aldimines, N-Heterocycles, and H2 by Dehydrogenative Coupling of Benzyl Alcohol and Aniline Derivatives Using CoCl2 as a Catalyst

The acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling (ADC) between alcohols and amines to produce imines has been achieved mostly by employing precious-metal-based complexes or complexes of earth-abundant metal ions with sensitive and complicated ligand systems as catalysts mostly under harsh reaction conditions. Methodologies using readily available earth-abundant metal salts as catalysts without the requirement of ligand, oxidant, or any external additives are not explored. We report an unprecedented microwave-assisted CoCl₂-catalyzed acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of benzyl alcohol and amine for the synthesis of E-aldimines, N-heterocycles, and H₂ under mild condition, without any complicated exogenous ligand template, oxidant, or other additives. This environmentally benign methodology exhibits broad substrate scope (43 including 7 new products) with fair functional-group tolerance on the aniline ring. Detection of metal-associated intermediate by gas chromatography (GC) and HRMS, H₂ detection by GC, and kinetic isotope effect reveal the mechanism of this CoCl_2-catalyzed reaction to be via ADC. Furthermore, kinetic experiments and Hammett analysis with variation in the nature of substituents over the aniline ring reveal the insight into the reaction mechanism with different substituents.

Catalytic Mechanisms of Transfer Hydrogenation of Azobenzene with Ammonia Borane by Pincer Bismuth Complex: Crucial Role of C=N Functional Group on the Pincer Ligand

Transfer hydrogenation of azobenzene with ammonia borane mediated by pincer bismuth complex 1 was systematically investigated through density functional theory calculations. An unusual metal-ligand cooperation mechanism was disclosed, in which the saturation/regeneration of the C=N functional group on the pincer ligand plays an essential role. The reaction is initiated by the hydrogenation of the C=N bond (saturation) with ammonia borane to afford 3^CN , which is the rate-determining step with Gibbs energy barrier (ΔG^≠ ) and Gibbs reaction energy (ΔG) of 25.6 and -7.3 kcal/mol, respectively. 3^CN is then converted to a Bi-H intermediate through a water-bridged pathway, which is followed up with the transfer hydrogenation of azobenzene to produce the final product N,N'-diphenylhydrazine and regenerate the catalyst. Finally, the catalyst could be improved by substituting the phenyl group for the tert-butyl group on the pincer ligand, where the ΔG^≠ value (rate-determining step) decreases to 24.0 kcal/mol.

Manganese-catalyzed hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, and hydroelementation reactions

The emerging field of organometallic catalysis has shifted towards research on Earth-abundant transition metals due to their ready availability, economic advantage, and novel properties. In this case, manganese, the third most abundant transition-metal in the Earth's crust, has emerged as one of the leading competitors. Accordingly, a large number of molecularly-defined Mn-complexes has been synthesized and employed for hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, and hydroelementation reactions. In this regard, catalyst design is based on three pillars, namely, metal-ligand bifunctionality, ligand hemilability, and redox activity. Indeed, the developed catalysts not only differ in the number of chelating atoms they possess but also their working principles, thereby leading to different turnover numbers for product molecules. Hence, the critical assessment of molecularly defined manganese catalysts in terms of chelating atoms, reaction conditions, mechanistic pathway, and product turnover number is significant. Herein, we analyze manganese complexes for their catalytic activity, versatility to allow multiple transformations and their routes to convert substrates to target molecules. This article will also be helpful to get significant insight into ligand design, thereby aiding catalysis design.

RuII complexes of 1,2,3-triazole appended tertiary phosphines, [P(Ph){(o-C6H4)(1,2,3-N3C(Ph)CH}2] and [P(Ph){o-C6H4(CCH)-(1,2,3-N3-Ph)}2]: highly active catalysts for transfer hydrogenation of carbonyl/nitro compounds and for α-alkylation of ketones

The synthesis of two new 1,2,3-triazole appended monophosphines [P(Ph){(o-C₆H₄)(1,2,3-N₃C(Ph)CH}₂] (1) and [P(Ph){o-C₆H₄(CCH)(1,2,3-N₃-Ph)}₂] (2) and their Ru^II complexes is described. The reactions of 1 and 2 with [Ru(PPh₃)₃Cl₂] in a 1 : 1 molar ratio produced cationic complexes 3 and 4, respectively. Both the complexes showed very high catalytic activity towards transfer hydrogenation, nitro reduction, and α-alkylation reactions and afforded the corresponding products in good to excellent yields. The free energy of β-hydride elimination from the respective Ru-alkoxide intermediates, a key mechanistic step common to all the three catalytic pathways, was calculated to be close to ergoneutral by density functional theory-based calculations, which is posited to rationalize the catalytic activity of 3. The reduction of aromatic nitro compounds was found to be highly chemoselective and produced the corresponding amines as major products even in the presence of a carbonyl group. The triazolyl-N2 coordinated Ru^II-NPN complex 3 showed better catalytic activity compared to the triazolyl-N3 coordinated complex 4.

The key role of the latent N-H group in Milstein's catalyst for ester hydrogenation

We previously demonstrated that Milstein's seminal diethylamino-substituted PNN-pincer-ruthenium catalyst for ester hydrogenation is activated by dehydroalkylation of the pincer ligand, releasing ethane and eventually forming an NHEt-substituted derivative that we proposed is the active catalyst. In this paper, we present a computational and experimental mechanistic study supporting this hypothesis. Our DFT analysis shows that the minimum-energy pathways for hydrogen activation, ester hydrogenolysis, and aldehyde hydrogenation rely on the key involvement of the nascent N-H group. We have isolated and crystallographically characterized two catalytic intermediates, a ruthenium dihydride and a ruthenium hydridoalkoxide, the latter of which is the catalyst resting state. A detailed kinetic study shows that catalytic ester hydrogenation is first-order in ruthenium and hydrogen, shows saturation behavior in ester, and is inhibited by the product alcohol. A global fit of the kinetic data to a simplified model incorporating the hydridoalkoxide and dihydride intermediates and three kinetically relevant transition states showed excellent agreement with the results from DFT.

Synthesis, structure and catalytic activity of manganese(ii) complexes derived from bis(imidazole)methane-based ligands

New mononuclear manganese(ii) complexes [Mn(κ2-L1)(OAc)2] ([Mn]-1), [Mn(κ2-L2)(OAc)2] ([Mn]-2) and [Mn(κ2-L3)(OAc)2] ([Mn]-3) with imidazole based ligands {4,4'-(phenylmethylene)bis(2-ethyl-5-methyl-1H-imidazole)} (L1), {(4,4'-((2-methoxy phenyl)methylene)bis(2-ethyl-5-methyl-1H-imidazole)} (L2) and {4,4'-((2-chlorophenyl) methylene)bis(2-ethyl-5-methyl-1H-imidazole)} (L3) are synthesized and fully characterized by a variety of techniques. Furthermore, the molecular structures of complexes [Mn]-1 and [Mn]-2 are established by single crystal X-ray structure analysis. The synthesized manganese(ii) complexes exhibited efficient catalytic oxidative coupling of primary amines in air under solvent-free conditions to the corresponding imines in moderate to good yields.

Dehydroalkylative Activation of CNN- and PNN-Pincer Ruthenium Catalysts for Ester Hydrogenation

Ruthenium-pincer complexes bearing CNN- and PNN-pincer ligands with diethyl- or diisopropylamino side groups, which have previously been reported to be active precatalysts for ester hydrogenation, undergo dehydroalkylation on heating in the presence of tricyclohexylphosphine to release ethane or propane, giving five-coordinate ruthenium(0) complexes containing a nascent imine functional group. Ethane or propane is also released under the conditions of catalytic ester hydrogenation, and time-course studies show that this release is concomitant with the onset of catalysis. A new PNN-pincer ruthenium(0)-imine complex is a highly active catalyst for ester hydrogenation at room temperature, giving up to 15 500 turnovers with no added base. This complex was shown to react reversibly at room temperature with two equivalents of hydrogen to give a ruthenium(II)-dihydride complex, where the imine functionality has been hydrogenated to give a protic amine side group. These observations have potentially broad implications for the identities of catalytic intermediates in ester hydrogenation and related transformations.

Mechanistic Insight Into the AuCN Catalyzed Annulation Reaction of Salicylaldehyde and Aryl Acetylene: Cyanide Ion Promoted Umpolung Hydroacylation/Intramolecular Oxa-Michael Addition Mechanism

The detailed mechanism of the AuCN-catalyzed annulation of salicylaldehyde (SA) and phenyl acetylene leading to isoflavanone-type complexes has been investigated via density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Reaction pathways and possible stationary points are obtained with the combined molecular dynamics and coordinate driving (MD/CD) method. Our calculations reveal that the cyanide ion promoted umpolung hydroacylation/intramolecular oxa-Michael addition mechanism is more favorable than the Au(I)/Au(III) redox mechanism proposed previously. In the umpolung mechanism, the hydroxyl of SA is found to strongly stabilize the cyanide ion involved intermediates and transition states via hydrogen bond interactions, while the Au(I) ion always acts as a counter cation. The overall reaction is exergonic by 41.8 kcal/mol. The hydroacylation of phenyl acetylene is the rate-determining step and responsible for the regioselectivity with a free energy barrier of 27.3 kcal/mol. These calculated results are in qualitative accord with the experimental findings.

Mechanism of atom economical conversion of alcohols and amines to amides using Fe(ii) pincer catalyst. An outer-sphere metal-ligand pathway or an inner-sphere elimination pathway?

In this present theoretical study, we investigated the reaction mechanism of atom-economical amide formation from alcohols and amines mediated by iron(ii) hydride complex (^iPrPNP)Fe(H)(CO) (^iPrPNP = N[CH₂CH₂(PiPr₂)]₂) using state-of-the-art density functional theory. Two scenarios of mechanistic pathways were considered, the inner-sphere and the outer-sphere pathways. In former case, the reaction of encounter complex of formaldehyde with amine is the rate-determining step with ΔG_{298 K} = 33.75 kcal mol⁻¹ while as in latter case dehydrogenation from trans-hydride is the rate-determining step having ΔG_{298 K} = 21.34 kcal mol⁻¹. Both the mechanistic scenarios operate through stepwise ionic pathways. The assessment of computational results demonstrate that inner-sphere pathway is energetically demanding and thus rendering outer-sphere pathway to be the most plausible mechanism of amide formation. Ligand modifications reveal that electron-withdrawing groups like CF₃ near N of PNP ligand reduce the catalytic efficiency of the catalyst. Furthermore, changing the isopropyl moiety of phosphine scaffold with CH₃ has a minimal impact on catalytic activity of the catalyst. Overall, our computational results provide new insights for the design and development of new Fe(ii) based pincer catalysts for atom economical amide formation from alcohols and amines.

The schematic representation depicting the difference in inner and outer-sphere pathways for amide synthesis from alcohols and amines mediated by Fe(ii) hydride complex.

Direct access toN-alkylated amines and iminesviaacceptorless dehydrogenative coupling catalyzed by a cobalt(ii)-NNN pincer complex

A Co(ii)-NNN pincer complex catalyzed directN-alkylation of anilines with alcoholsviahydrogen auto-transfer and selective acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of benzylamines with alcohols affording imines with the liberation of molecular hydrogen and water is reported.

Mechanistic studies on the N-alkylation of amines with alcohols catalysed by iridium(i) complexes with functionalised N-heterocyclic carbene ligands

Experimental and theoretical studies give support for an iridium-catalyzed C–N bond formation.

Synthesis, characterization and Pd(ii)-coordination chemistry of the ligand tris(quinolin-8-yl)phosphite. Application in the catalytic aerobic oxidation of amines

The ligand P(Oquin)₃ is reported and was coordinated to Pd(ii). This complex is a catalyst precursor for the homocoupling of amines.

DFT study on the iridium-catalyzed multi-alkylation of alcohol with ammonia

The catalytic mechanism for the multi-alkylation of benzyl alcohols with ammonia catalyzed by the water-soluble catalyst, [Cp*Ir^III(NH₃)₃][I]₂, is computationally investigated by density functional theory (DFT).

Unusual non-bifunctional mechanism for Co-PNP complex catalyzed transfer hydrogenation governed by the electronic configuration of metal center

The unusual non-bifunctional mechanism for Co^II-PNP catalyzed transfer hydrogenation is revealed to be governed by the electronic configuration of the metal center, which is different from traditional bifunctional catalysts.

New iridium catalysts for the selective alkylation of amines by alcohols under mild conditions and for the synthesis of quinolines by acceptor-less dehydrogenative condensation

A novel family of iridium catalysts stabilised by P,N-ligands have been introduced. The ligands are based on imidazo[1,5-b]pyridazin-7-amines and can be synthesised with a broad variety of substitution patterns. The catalysts were synthesised quantitatively from the protonated ligands and a commercially available iridium precursor. The catalysts mediate the alkylation of amines by alcohols under mild conditions (70 °C). In addition, the synthesis of quinolines from secondary or primary alcohols and amino alcohols is reported. This sustainable synthesis proceeds through the liberation of two equivalents of water and two equivalents of dihydrogen. The investigations indicate that catalysts suitable for hydrogen autotransfer or borrowing hydrogen chemistry might also be suitable for acceptor-less dehydrogenative condensation reactions.

Reversible carbon-carbon bond formation between carbonyl compounds and a ruthenium pincer complex

This communication describes the reversible reaction of a ruthenium pincer complex with a variety of carbonyl compounds. Both NMR spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic characterization of isomeric carbonyl adducts are reported, and the equilibrium constants for carbonyl binding have been determined.