[Ni(0)L]-catalyzed cyclodimerization of 1,3-butadiene: a comprehensive density functional investigation based on the generic [(C(4)H(6))(2)Ni(0)PH(3)] catalyst

Catalyst Design Principles Enabling Intermolecular Alkene-Diene [2+2] Cycloaddition and Depolymerization Reactions

Aryl-substituted pyridine(diimine) iron complexes promote the catalytic [2 + 2] cycloadditions of alkenes and dienes to form vinylcyclobutanes as well as the oligomerization of butadiene to generate divinyl(oligocyclobutane), a microstructure of poly(butadiene) that is chemically recyclable. A systematic study on a series of iron butadiene complexes as well as their ruthenium congeners has provided insights into the essential features of the catalyst that promotes these cycloaddition reactions. Structural and computational studies on iron butadiene complexes identified that the structural rigidity of the tridentate pincer enables rare s-trans diene coordination. This geometry, in turn, promotes dissociation of one of the alkene arms of the diene, opening a coordination site for the incoming substrate to engage in oxidative cyclization. Studies on ruthenium congeners established that this step occurs without redox involvement of the pyridine(diimine) chelate. Cyclobutane formation occurs from a metallacyclic intermediate by reversible C(sp³)-C(sp³) reductive coupling. A series of labeling experiments with pyridine(diimine) iron and ruthenium complexes support the favorability of accessing the +3 oxidation state to trigger C(sp³)-C(sp³) reductive elimination, involving spin crossover from S = 0 to S = 1. The high density of states of iron and the redox-active pyridine(diimine) ligand facilitate this reactivity under thermal conditions. For the ruthenium congener, the pyridine(diimine) remains redox innocent and irradiation with blue light was required to promote the analogous reactivity. These structure-activity relationships highlight important design principles for the development of next generation catalysts for these cycloaddition reactions as well as the promotion of chemical recycling of cycloaddition polymers.

[RhIL]-catalyzed cyclotetramerization of 1,3-butadiene: a theoretical investigation of alternative mechanistic paths for the generation of the [RhIII(octadienediyl)(PR3)]+ complex

A detailed theoretical investigation of alternative mechanistic paths for the formation of the [Rh(III)(octadienediyl)(PiPr3)]+ complex is presented, employing a gradient-corrected density functional theory (DFT) method (BP86). This process represents most likely the first step in the recently reported [Rh(I)L]-catalyzed cyclotetramerization of butadiene (M. Bosch, M. S. Brookhart, K. Ilg and H. Werner, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2000, 39, 2304). The favorable route for oxidative addition under C-C-bond formation starts from the prevalent [Rh(I)(butadiene)2(PiPr3)]+ form of the active catalyst through oxidative coupling between two cis-eta4-butadienes. This affords the [Rh(III)(bis-eta3-anti-octadienediyl)(PiPr3)]+ compound as the kinetic coupling product that consecutively undergoes transformation into the thermodynamically favorable bis-eta3-syn-octadienediyl-Rh(III) isomer via facile allylic conversions occurring in the octadienediyl framework. The computationally predicted energy profile is almost in quantitative agreement with the experimentally determined kinetics and allows a consistent rationalization of the experimental observations.

[Ni0]-Catalyzed Co-oligomerization of 1,3-Butadiene and Ethylene: A Theoretical Mechanistic Investigation of Competing Routes for Generation of Linear and Cyclic C10-Olefins

A detailed theoretical investigation of the mechanism for the [Ni(0)]-catalyzed co-oligomerization of 1,3-butadiene and ethylene to afford linear and cyclic C(10)-olefins is presented. Crucial elementary processes have been carefully explored for a tentative catalytic cycle, employing a gradient-corrected density functional theory (DFT) method. The favorable route for oxidative coupling starts from the prevalent [Ni(0)(eta(2)-butadiene)(2)(ethylene)] form of the active catalyst through oxidative coupling between the two eta(2)-butadienes. The initial eta(3),eta(1)(C(1))-octadienediyl-Ni(II) product is the active precursor for ethylene insertion, which preferably takes place into the syn-eta(3)-allyl-Ni(II) bond of the prevalent eta(3)-syn,eta(1)(C(1)),Delta-cis isomer. The insertion is driven by a strong thermodynamic force, giving rise entirely to eta(3),eta(1),Delta-trans-decatrienyl-Ni(II) forms, with the eta(3)-anti,eta(1),Delta-trans isomer almost exclusively generated. Occurrence of allyl,eta(1),Delta-cis isomers, however, is precluded on both kinetic and thermodynamic grounds, thereby rationalizing the observation that cis-DT and cis,cis-CDD are never formed. Linear and cyclic C(10)-olefins are generated in a highly stereoselective fashion, with trans-DT and cis,trans-CDD as the only isomers, along competing routes of stepwise transition-metal-assisted H-transfer (DT) and reductive CC elimination under ring closure (CDD), respectively, that start from the prevalent eta(3)-anti,eta(1),Delta-trans-decatrienyl-Ni(II) species. The role of allylic conversion in the octadienediyl-Ni(II) and decatrienyl-Ni(II) complexes has been analyzed. As a result of the detailed exploration of all important elementary steps, a theoretically verified, refined catalytic cycle is proposed and the regulation of the selectivity for formation of linear and cyclic C(10)-olefins is elucidated.

Acrylate Formation via Metal-Assisted C−C Coupling between CO2 and C2H4: Reaction Mechanism as Revealed from Density Functional Calculations

The reaction path for the formation of a binuclear hydrido-acrylate complex in a CO(2)-C(2)H(4) coupling process is explored in detail by locating the key intermediates and transition states on model potential energy surfaces derived from density functional calculations on realistic models. The formation of the new C-C bond is shown to take place via oxidative coupling of coordinated CO(2) and C(2)H(4) ligands resulting in a metalla-lactone intermediate, which can rearrange to an agostic species allowing for a beta-hydrogen shift process. The overall reaction is predicted to be clearly exothermic with all intermediates lying below the reactants in energy, and the highest barrier steps correspond to C-C coupling and beta-hydrogen transfer. The phosphine ligands are found to play an important role in various phases of the reaction as their dissociation controls the coordination of CO(2), the formation of the agostic intermediate, and the dimerization process; furthermore, their presence facilitates the oxidative coupling by supplying electrons to the metal center. Our results provide a theoretical support for the reaction mechanism proposed from experimental observations. The effect of the solvent medium on the relative energy of reaction intermediates and transition states is examined and found important in order to predict reliable energetics.

[Ni(0)L]-catalyzed cyclodimerization of 1,3-butadiene: a density functional investigation of the influence of electronic and steric factors on the regulation of the selectivity

We present a comprehensive theoretical investigation of the influence of the ligand L on the regulation of the product selectivity for the [Ni(0)L]-catalyzed cyclodimerization of 1,3-butadiene. The investigation was based on density functional theory (DFT) and a combined DFT and molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach for the real [bis(butadiene)Ni(0)L] catalysts with L = PMe(3), I; PPh(3), II; P((i)Pr)(3), III; and P(OPh)(3), IV. The role of electronic and steric effects has been elucidated for all crucial elementary steps of the entire catalytic cycle. Allylic isomerization, allylic enantioface conversion, as well as oxidative coupling are shown to be influenced to a minor extent by electronic and steric effects. In contrast, the ligand's properties have a distinct influence on the preestablished equilibrium between the eta(3),eta(1)(C(1)) and bis-eta(3) forms 2 and 4, respectively, of the [(octadienediyl)Ni(II)L] complex and on the rate-determining reductive elimination following competing routes for generation of either VCH, cis-1,2-DVCB, or cis,cis-COD. Electronic factors are shown to predominantly determine the position of the kinetically mobile 2 right harpoon over left harpoon 4 equilibrium. 4 is the prevailing species for ligands L that are pi-acceptors (L = P(OPh)(3)) or weak sigma-donors (L = PPh(3)), while stronger sigma-donors (L = PMe(3), P((i)Pr)(3)) displace the equilibrium to the left. Steric bulk on the ligand as well as its pi-acceptor ability act to facilitate the reductive elimination, while sigma-donor abilities serve to retard this process. Electronic and steric factors are found to not influence uniformly the reductive elimination routes with either 2 or 4 involved. The regulation of the product selectivity is elucidated on the basis of both thermodynamic and kinetic considerations.