Direct Observations of the Metal−Ligand Bifunctional Addition Step in an Enantioselective Ketone Hydrogenation

Performance of homogeneous catalysts viewed in dynamics

Effective assessment of catalytic performance is the foundation for the rational design and development of new catalysts with superior performance. The ubiquitous screening/optimization studies use reaction yields as the sole performance metric in an approach that often neglects the complexity of the catalytic system and intrinsic reactivities of the catalysts. Using an example of hydrogenation catalysis, we examine the transient behavior of catalysts that are often encountered in activation, deactivation and catalytic turnover processes. Each of these processes and the reaction environment in which they take place are gradually shown to determine the real-time catalyst speciation and the resulting kinetics of the overall catalytic reaction. As a result, the catalyst performance becomes a complex and time-dependent metric defined by multiple descriptors apart from the reaction yield. This behaviour is not limited to hydrogenation catalysis and affects various catalytic transformations. In this feature article, we discuss these catalytically relevant descriptors in an attempt to arrive at a comprehensive depiction of catalytic performance.

Structure, reactivity and catalytic properties of manganese-hydride amidate complexes

The high efficiency of widely applied Noyori-type hydrogenation catalysts arises from the N-H moiety coordinated to a metal centre, which stabilizes rate-determining transition states through hydrogen-bonding interactions. It was proposed that a higher efficiency could be achieved by substituting an N-M' group (M' = alkali metals) for the N-H moiety using a large excess of metal alkoxides (M'OR); however, such a metal-hydride amidate intermediate has not yet been isolated. Here we present the synthesis, isolation and reactivity of a metal-hydride amidate complex (HMn-NLi). Kinetic studies show that the rate of hydride transfer from HMn-NLi to a ketone is 24-fold higher than that of the corresponding amino metal-hydride complex (HMn-NH). Moreover, the hydrogenation of N-alkyl-substituted aldimines was realized using HMn-NLi as the active catalyst, whereas HMn-NH is much less effective. These results highlight the superiority of M/NM' bifunctional catalysis over the classic M/NH bifunctional catalysis for hydrogenation reactions.

Basic Promotors Impact Thermodynamics and Catalyst Speciation in Homogeneous Carbonyl Hydrogenation

Homogeneously catalyzed reactions often make use of additives and promotors that affect reactivity patterns and improve catalytic performance. While the role of reaction promotors is often discussed in view of their chemical reactivity, we demonstrate that they can be involved in catalysis indirectly. In particular, we demonstrate that promotors can adjust the thermodynamics of key transformations in homogeneous hydrogenation catalysis and enable reactions that would be unfavorable otherwise. We identified this phenomenon in a set of well-established and new Mn pincer catalysts that suffer from persistent product inhibition in ester hydrogenation. Although alkoxide base additives do not directly participate in inhibitory transformations, they can affect the equilibrium constants of these processes. Experimentally, we confirm that by varying the base promotor concentration one can control catalyst speciation and inflict substantial changes to the standard free energies of the key steps in the catalytic cycle. Despite the fact that the latter are universally assumed to be constant, we demonstrate that reaction thermodynamics and catalyst state are subject to external control. These results suggest that reaction promotors can be viewed as an integral component of the reaction medium, on its own capable of improving the catalytic performance and reshaping the seemingly rigid thermodynamic landscape of the catalytic transformation.

Calculations on the non-classical β-hydride elimination observed in trans-(H)(OMe)-Ir(Ph)(PMe3)3: possible production and reaction of methyl formate

The octahedral trans hydrido-alkoxide complex trans-(H)(OMe)-Ir(Ph)(PMe3)3 (2-OCH3) was prepared by Milstein and coworkers by addition of methanol to Ir(Ph)(PMe3)3 (1). 2-OCH3 was discovered to undergo a methanol catalyzed outer-sphere carbonyl de-insertion in which a vacant coordination site is not required. The reaction yields the octahedral trans dihydride complex trans-(H)2-Ir(Ph)(PMe3)3 (2-H) as a kinetic product along with formaldehyde derivatives reported as [CH2=O]x. We investigate the mechanism and products of this reaction using density functional theory. The de-insertion transition state has an ion-pair character leading to a high barrier in benzene continuum: ΔG ‡ = 27.9 kcal/mol. Adding one methanol molecule by H-bonding to the alkoxide of 2-OCH3 lowers the barrier to 22.7 kcal/mol. When the calculations are conducted in a methanol continuum, the barrier drops to 8.8 kcal/mol. However, the thermodynamics of de-insertion are endergonic by near 5 kcal/mol in both benzene and methanol. The calculations identify a low energy outer-sphere H/OMe metathesis pathway that transforms the formaldehyde and another 2-OCH3 molecule directly into a second 2-H complex and methyl formate. Likewise, a second H/OCH3 metathesis reaction interconverting methyl formate and 2-OCH3 into 2-H and dimethyl carbonate is computed to be exergonic and kinetically facile. These results imply that the production of methyl formate and dimethyl carbonate from 2-OCH3 is plausible in this system. The net transformation from the square planar 1 and methanol to 2-H and either methyl formate or dimethyl carbonate would represent a unique stoichiometric dehydrogenative coupling reaction taking place at room temperature by an outer-sphere mechanism.

Ruthenium complexes with N-functionalized secondary amino ligands: a new class of catalysts toward efficient hydrogenation of esters

A series of ruthenium complexes (o-PPh2C6H4NHR)2RuCl2 (R = Me, 3; Et, 4; CH2Ph, 5) and (o-PPh2C6H4NH2)[(CH2NHR)2]RuCl2 (R = Me, 7; Et, 8; iPr, 9) modulated with mono-N-functionalized secondary amino ligands were synthesized and demonstrated as efficient catalysts in the hydrogenation of esters into alcohols. The catalytic performances of these new complexes are much better than their corresponding primary amino ligand-constituted complexes (o-PPh2C6H4NH2)2RuCl2 (2) and (o-PPh2C6H4NH2)[(CH2NH2)2]RuCl2 (6). The significant improvement is attributed to the increased electron density of the secondary amino ligand in comparison with that of the primary amino ligand.

DFT methods applied to answer the question: how accurate is the ligand acidity constant method for estimating the pKa of transition metal hydride complexes MHXL4 when X is varied?

Additive ligand acidity constants A_L of anionic ligands are calculated for neutral hydrides of iron(ii), ruthenium(ii) and osmium(ii) with phosphine and carbonyl co-ligands; constant A_L in green, more variable A_L in red.

Efficient acceptorless dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols to ketones mediated by a PNN-Ru(ii) catalyst

The ruthenium(ii) complex, [fac-PN_HN]RuCl₂(PPh₃) (C), in combination with t-BuOK proved an effective and versatile catalyst allowing aromatic-, aliphatic- and cycloalkyl-containing alcohols to be efficiently converted to their corresponding ketones with high values of TON achievable.

Theoretical Study of the Catalytic Hydrogenation of Alkenes by a Disilaferracyclic Complex: Can the Fe-Si σ-Bond-Assisted Activation of H-H Bonds Allow Development of a Catalysis of Iron?

The mechanisms associated with the hydrogenation of alkenes catalyzed by the iron complex Fe(cis-CO)₂{o-(SiMe₂)₂C₆H₄}₂(H)₂ (1) were investigated by DFT calculations. The complex 1 has a structure in which the iron center is bonded to four silicon atoms and two hydrides. Secondary Si···H···Si interactions were also observed. The exchange of a 1,2-bis(dimethylsilyl)benzene ligand with ethylene and hydrogen gives a disilaferracycle bearing η²-(CH₂═CH₂) and η²-H₂ ligands. The catalytic cycle initiated from the disilaferracycle involves cleavage of a H-H linkage assisted by an Fe-Si bond to form Fe-H and η¹-(H-Si) moieties (step 1), hydrogen migration from the Fe-H group to the η²-(CH₂═CH₂) ligand which accomplishes the insertion of ethylene into the Fe-H bond (step 2), and reaction of the resulting β-agostic ethyl moiety with the η²-(H-Si) group to form ethane on the iron atom (step 3). The octahedral geometry of 1 as well as the presence of π-acidic CO ligands and Fe-Si σ-bonds contributes to all of the catalytic intermediates and the transition states being in the low-spin state. Steps 1 and 3 correspond to the σ-complex-assisted metathesis (σ-CAM) mechanisms proposed by Perutz and Sabo-Etienne, suggesting that these mechanisms can assist in the design of iron-based hydrogenation catalysts operating under mild conditions.

Unravelling the Mechanism of Basic Aqueous Methanol Dehydrogenation Catalyzed by Ru-PNP Pincer Complexes

Ruthenium PNP complex 1a (RuH(CO)Cl(HN(C₂H₄Pi-Pr₂)₂)) represents a state-of-the-art catalyst for low-temperature (<100 °C) aqueous methanol dehydrogenation to H₂ and CO₂. Herein, we describe an investigation that combines experiment, spectroscopy, and theory to provide a mechanistic rationale for this process. During catalysis, the presence of two anionic resting states was revealed, Ru-dihydride (3^-) and Ru-monohydride (4^-) that are deprotonated at nitrogen in the pincer ligand backbone. DFT calculations showed that O- and CH- coordination modes of methoxide to ruthenium compete, and form complexes 4^- and 3^-, respectively. Not only does the reaction rate increase with increasing KOH, but the ratio of 3^-/4^- increases, demonstrating that the "inner-sphere" C-H cleavage, via C-H coordination of methoxide to Ru, is promoted by base. Protonation of 3^- liberates H₂ gas and formaldehyde, the latter of which is rapidly consumed by KOH to give the corresponding gem-diolate and provides the overall driving force for the reaction. Full MeOH reforming is achieved through the corresponding steps that start from the gem-diolate and formate. Theoretical studies into the mechanism of the catalyst Me-1a (N-methylated 1a) revealed that C-H coordination to Ru sets-up C-H cleavage and hydride delivery; a process that is also promoted by base, as observed experimentally. However, in this case, Ru-dihydride Me-3 is much more stable to protonation and can even be observed under neutral conditions. The greater stability of Me-3 rationalizes the lower rates of Me-1a compared to 1a, and also explains why the reaction rate then drops with increasing KOH concentration.

Catalytic Synthesis of Substituted Indoles and Quinolines from the Dehydrative C-H Coupling of Arylamines with 1,2- and 1,3-Diols

The cationic ruthenium-hydride complex catalyzes dehydrative C-H coupling reaction of arylamines with 1,2-diols to form the indole products. The analogous coupling of arylamines with 1,3-diols afforded the substituted quinolines. The catalytic method directly forms these coupling products in a highly regioselective manner without generating any toxic byproducts.

The mechanism of enantioselective ketone reduction with Noyori and Noyori–Ikariya bifunctional catalysts

The present article describes the current level of understanding of the mechanism of enantioselective hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones with pioneering prototypes of bifunctional catalysts, the Noyori and Noyori–Ikariya complexes.

Mechanism of Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Aromatic Ketones Catalyzed by a Combined System of Ru(π-CH2C(CH3)CH2)2(cod) and the Chiral sp(2)N/sp(3)NH Hybrid Linear N4 Ligand Ph-BINAN-H-Py

The combination of a Goodwin-Lions-type chiral N4 ligand, (R)-Ph-BINAN-H-Py ((R)-3,3'-diphenyl-N(2),N(2')-bis((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine; L), with Ru(π-CH2C(CH3)CH2)2(cod) (A) (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) catalyzes the hydrogenation of acetophenone (AP) to (R)-1-phenylethanol (PE) with a high enantiomer ratio (er). Almost no Ru complex forms, with A and L remaining intact throughout the reaction while generating PE quantitatively according to [PE] = k(obs)t(2). An infinitesimal amount of reactive and unstable RuH2L (B) with C2-Λ-cis-α stereochemistry is very slowly and irreversibly generated from A by the action of H2 and L, which rapidly catalyzes the hydrogenation of AP via Noyori's donor-acceptor bifunctional mechanism. A CH-π-stabilized Si-face selective transition state, CSi, gives (R)-PE together with an intermediary Ru amide, D, which is inhibited predominantly by formation of the Ru enolate of AP. The rate-determining hydrogenolysis of D completes the cycle. The time-squared term relates both to the preliminary step before the cycle and to the cycle itself, with a highly unusual eight-order difference in the generation and turnover frequency of B. This mechanism is fully supported by a series of experiments including a detailed kinetic study, rate law analysis, simulation of t/[PE] curves with fitting to the experimental observations at the initial reaction stage, X-ray crystallographic analyses of B-related octahedral metal complexes, and Hammett plot analyses of electronically different substrates and ligands in their enantioselectivities.

Alcohol-assisted base-free hydrogenation of acetophenone catalyzed by OsH(NHCMe2CMe2NH2)(PPh3)2

The hydrido–amido complex OsH(NHCMe2CMe2NH2)(PPh3)2 (1) catalyzes the base-free hydrogenation of ketones in benzene. Kinetic studies using acetophenone revealed that the system has an induction period, after which the rate of the reaction increases. A constant rate was observed when a critical amount of the product alcohol was added, indicating that the reaction is autocatalytic in 1-phenylethanol. Varying the initial conditions showed that the reaction rate is dependent on hydrogen and catalyst concentration and independent of ketone concentration. Above the critical concentrations of 1-phenylethanol, the reaction rate is independent of alcohol concentration. The rate law for pressures up to 5 atm was found to be rate = d[alcohol]/dt = −d[ketone]/dt = k[Os][H2], with k = 30 mol L−1 s−1 at 293 K and the temperature dependence provided energy of activation parameters. Therefore, the heterolytic splitting of dihydrogen is rate determining under these conditions. Only small kinetic isotope effects were measured in contrast with the analogous ruthenium system. Complex 1 reacts with the product alcohol 1-phenylethanol and is partially converted into the dihydride complex trans-OsH2(NH2CMe2CMe2NH2)(PPh3)2 and acetophenone; with excess alcohol, an osmium alkoxide is observed at low temperature. As expected from these results, 1 is a ketone transfer hydrogenation catalyst in isopropanol.

Unravelling the mechanism of the asymmetric hydrogenation of acetophenone by [RuX2(diphosphine)(1,2-diamine)] catalysts

The mechanism of catalytic hydrogenation of acetophenone by the chiral complex trans-[RuCl2{(S)-binap}{(S,S)-dpen}] and KO-t-C4H9 in propan-2-ol is revised on the basis of DFT computations carried out in dielectric continuum and the most recent experimental observations. The results of these collective studies suggest that neither a six-membered pericyclic transition state nor any multibond concerted transition states are involved. Instead, a hydride moiety is transferred in an outer-sphere manner to afford an ion-pair, and the corresponding transition state is both enantio- and rate-determining. Heterolytic dihydrogen cleavage proceeds neither by a (two-bond) concerted, four-membered transition state, nor by a (three-bond) concerted, six-membered transition state mediated by a solvent molecule. Instead, cleavage of the H-H bond is achieved via deprotonation of the η(2)-H2 ligand within a cationic Ru complex by the chiral conjugate base of (R)-1-phenylethanol. Thus, protonation of the generated (R)-1-phenylethoxide anion originates from the η(2)-H2 ligand of the cationic Ru complex and not from NH protons of a neutral Ru trans-dihydride complex, as initially suggested within the framework of a metal-ligand bifunctional mechanism. Detailed computational analysis reveals that the 16e(-) Ru amido complex [RuH{(S)-binap}{(S,S)-HN(CHPh)2NH2}] and the 18e(-) Ru alkoxo complex trans-[RuH{OCH(CH3)(R)}{(S)-binap}{(S,S)-dpen}] (R = CH3 or C6H5) are not intermediates within the catalytic cycle, but rather are off-loop species. The accelerative effect of KO-t-C4H9 is explained by the reversible formation of the potassium amidato complexes trans-[RuH2{(S)-binap}{(S,S)-N(K)H(CHPh)2NH2}] or trans-[RuH2{(S)-binap}{(S,S)-N(K)H(CHPh)2NH(K)}]. The three-dimensional (3D) cavity observed within these molecules results in a chiral pocket stabilized via several different noncovalent interactions, including neutral and ionic hydrogen bonding, cation-π interactions, and π-π stacking interactions. Cooperatively, these interactions modify the catalyst structure, in turn lowering the relative activation barrier of hydride transfer by ~1-2 kcal mol(-1) and the following H-H bond cleavage by ~10 kcal mol(-1), respectively. A combined computational study and analysis of recent experimental data of the reaction pool results in new mechanistic insight into the catalytic cycle for hydrogenation of acetophenone by Noyori's catalyst, in the presence or absence of KO-t-C4H9.

A computational study of the CO dissociation in cyclopentadienyl ruthenium complexes relevant to the racemization of alcohols

The formation of an active 16-electron ruthenium sec-alkoxide complex via loss of the CO ligand is an important step in the mechanism of the racemization of sec-alcohols by (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)X ruthenium complexes with X = Cl and O(t)Bu. Here we show with accurate DFT calculations the potential energy profile of the CO dissociation pathway for a series of relevant (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)X complexes, where X = Cl, O(t)Bu, H and COO(t)Bu. We have found that the CO dissociation energy increases in the following order: O(t)Bu (lowest), Cl, COO(t)Bu and H (highest). Using the distance between ruthenium and C(CO), r = Ru-C(CO), as a constraint, and by optimizing all other degrees of freedom for a range of Ru-CO distances, we obtained relative energies, ΔE(r) and geometries of a sufficient number of transient structures with the elongated Ru-CO bond up to r = 3.4 Å. Our calculations provide a quantitative understanding of the CO ligand dissociation in (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)Cl and (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)(O(t)Bu) complexes, which is relevant to the mechanism of their catalytic activity in the racemization of alcohols. We recently reported that exchange of the CO ligand by isotopically labeled (13)CO in the Ru-O(t)Bu complex occurs twenty times faster than that in the Ru-Cl complex. This corresponds to a difference of 1.8 kcal mol(-1) in the CO dissociation energy (at room temperature). This is in very good agreement with the calculated difference between the two potential energy curves for Ru-O(t)Bu and Ru-Cl complexes, which is about 1.8-2 kcal mol(-1) around the corresponding transition states of the CO dissociation. The calculated difference in the total energy for CO dissociation in (η(5)-Ph(5)C(5))Ru(CO)(2)X complexes is related to the stabilization provided by the X group in the final 16-electron complexes, which are formed via product-like transition states. In addition to the calculated transition states of CO dissociation in Ru-O(t)Bu and Ru-Cl complexes, the calculated transient structures with the elongated Ru-CO bond provide insight into how the geometry of the ruthenium complex with a potent heteroatom donor group (X) gradually changes when one of the COs is dissociating.

The N-H functional group in organometallic catalysis

The organometallic approach is one of the most active topics in catalysis. The application of NH functionality in organometallic catalysis has become an important and attractive concept in catalyst design. NH moieties in the modifiers of organometallic catalysts have been shown to have various beneficial functions in catalysis by molecular recognition through hydrogen bonding to give catalyst-substrate, ligand-ligand, ligand-catalyst, and catalyst-catalyst interactions. This Review summarizes recent progress in the development of the organometallic catalysts based on the concept of cooperative catalysis by focusing on the NH moiety.