Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of Rhodium and Iridium Complexes of the Chelating Bis-SulfoxidetBuSOC2H4SOtBu. Selective O−H Activation of 2-Hydroxy-isopropyl-pyridine

Ir(IV) Sulfoxide-Pincer Complexes by Three-Electron Oxidative Additions of Br2 and I2. Unprecedented Trap-Free Reductive Elimination of I2 from a formal d5 Metal

Oxidative addition of 1.5 equiv of bromine or iodine to a Ir(I) sulfoxide pincer complex affords the corresponding Ir(IV) tris-bromido or tris-iodido complexes, respectively. The unprecedented trap-free reductive elimination of iodine from the Ir(IV)-iodido complex is induced by coordination of ligands or donor solvents. In the case of added I^-, the isostructural tris-iodo Ir(III)-ate complex is quickly generated, which then can be readily reoxidized to the Ir(IV)-iodido complex with FcPF₆ or electrochemically. DFT calculations indicate an "inverted ligand field" in the Ir(IV) complexes and favor dinuclear pathways for the reductive elimination of iodine from the formal d⁵ metal center.

Oxidant-free synthesis of benzimidazoles from alcohols and aromatic diamines catalysed by new Ru(ii)-PNS(O) pincer complexes

A greener method for synthesizing 2-substituted benzimidazole through the acceptorless dehydrogenative condensation of alcohols and ortho-arylenediamine is developed.

The emergence of sulfoxides as efficient ligands in transition metal catalysis

Sulfoxides are capable of forming stable complexes with transition metals and there have been many comprehensive studies into their binding properties. However, the use of sulfoxides, particularly chiral sulfoxides, as ligands in transition metal catalysis is rather less well developed. This review aims to describe these catalytic studies and covers new developments that are showing very promising results and that have led to a renewed interest in this field.

Characterization of DMSO coordination to palladium(II) in solution and insights into the aerobic oxidation catalyst, Pd(DMSO)2(TFA)2

Recent studies have shown that Pd(DMSO)(2)(TFA)(2) (TFA = trifluoroacetate) is an effective catalyst for a number of different aerobic oxidation reactions. Here, we provide insights into the coordination of DMSO to palladium(II) in both the solid state and in solution. A crystal structure of Pd(DMSO)(2)(TFA)(2) confirms that the solid-state structure of this species has one O-bound and one S-bound DMSO ligand, and a crystallographically characterized mono-DMSO complex, trans-Pd(DMSO)(OH(2))(TFA)(2), exhibits an S-bound DMSO ligand. (1)H and (19)F NMR spectroscopic studies show that, in EtOAc and THF-d(8), Pd(DMSO)(2)(TFA)(2) consists of an equilibrium mixture of Pd(S-DMSO)(O-DMSO)(TFA)(2) and Pd(S-DMSO)(2)(TFA)(2). The O-bound DMSO is determined to be more labile than the S-bound DMSO ligand, and both DMSO ligands are more labile in THF relative to EtOAc as the solvent. DMSO coordination to Pd(II) is substantially less favorable when the TFA ligands are replaced with acetate. An analogous carboxylate ligand effect is observed in the coordination of the bidentate sulfoxide ligand, 1,2-bis(phenylsulfinyl)ethane to Pd(II). DMSO coordination to Pd(TFA)(2) is shown to be incomplete in AcOH-d(4) and toluene-d(8), resulting in Pd(II)/DMSO adducts with <2:1 DMSO/Pd(II) stoichiometry. Collectively, these results provide useful insights into the coordination properties of DMSO to Pd(II) under catalytically relevant conditions.

Unprecedented selectivity via electronic substrate recognition in the 1,4-addition to cyclic olefins using a chiral disulfoxide rhodium catalyst

From zero to hero? Sulfoxides are generally not considered useful ligand entities in asymmetric metal catalysis. However, a chiral disulfoxide as a chelating ligand in the rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of aryl boronic acids to cyclic, alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and esters gives impressive catalytic results, thus opening the door to future applications of this new chiral ligand class.