Synthesis and characterization of palladium(ii) complexes with new diphosphonium-diphosphine and diphosphine ligands. Production of low molecular weight alternating polyketones via catalytic CO/ethene copolymerisation

Performance of enhanced DuBois type water reduction catalysts (WRC) in artificial photosynthesis - effects of various proton relays during catalysis

Inspired by natural photosynthesis, features such as proton relays have been integrated into water reduction catalysts (WRC) for effective production of hydrogen. Research by DuBois et al. showed the crucial influence of these relays, largely in the form of pendant amine functions. In this work catalysts are presented containing innovative diphosphinoamine ligands: [M(ii)Cl2(PNP-C1)], [M(ii)(MeCN)2(PNP-C1)]2+, [M(ii)(PNP-C1)2]2+, and [M(ii)Cl(PNP-C2)]+ (M = Pt2+, Pd2+, Ni2+, Co2+; PNP-C1 = N,N-bis{(di(2-methoxyphenyl)phosphino)methyl}-N-alkylamine, PNP-C2 = N,N-bis{(di(2-methoxyphenyl)phosphino)ethyl}-N-alkylamine and alkyl = Me, Et, iso-Pr, Bz). Synthetic strategies and detailed characterisation are covered, including 1H-, 13C-, and 31P-NMR analysis, mass spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The catalytic properties have been explored by changing the pendant amines and auxiliary methoxy coordination sites, as well as enlarging the ligand backbone. Moreover, confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations based on XRD data in vacuo and solvent environment, two very different catalytic cycles are proposed. PNP-C1 shows a classical proton relay, whereas PNP-C2 allows an additional coordination of nitrogen, acting optionally like a pincer. Through new insights into efficiency and stability-increasing influences of proton relays in general, their number per metal centre, an enlarged ligand backbone and the use of solvato instead of halogenido complexes, substantial improvements have been made in catalytic performance over the DuBois et al. catalysts and recently self-made WRCs. The turnover number (TON) related to the single site of cost-efficient nickel WRCs is increased from 11.4 to 637, whereas a corresponding palladium catalyst gives TON as high as 2289.

Carbonylation of ethene catalysed by Pd(II)-phosphine complexes

This review deals with olefin carbonylation catalysed by Pd(II)-phosphine complexes in protic solvents. In particular, the results obtained in the carbonylation with ethene are reviewed. After a short description of the basic concepts relevant to this catalysis, the review treats in greater details the influence of the bite angle, skeletal rigidity, electronic and steric bulk properties of the ligand on the formation of the products, which range from high molecular weight perfectly alternating polyketones to methyl propanoate. It is shown that the steric bulk plays a major role in directing the selectivity. Particular emphasis is given to the factors governing the very active and selective catalysis to methyl propanoate, including the mechanism of the catalytic cycles with diphosphine- and monophosphine-catalysts. A brief note on the synthesis of methyl propanoate using a “Lucite” type catalyst in ionic liquids is also illustrated. A chapter is dedicated to the carbonylation of olefins in aqueous reaction media. The nonalternating CO-ethene copolymerization is also treated.

Phosphinito- and phosphonito-oxazoline Pd(ii) complexes as CO/ethylene insertion intermediates: synthesis and structural characterization

The phosphinito-oxazoline ligand 4,4-dimethyl-2-[methoxy(diphenylphosphine)]-4,5-dihydrooxazole (2a) and the phosphonite-oxazoline ligand 4,4-dimethyl-2-[methoxy(6H-dibenz[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphorin)]-4,5-dihydrooxazole (8a) were prepared by deprotonation of (4,5-dihydro-4,4-dimethyloxazol-2-yl)methanol (1a) and reaction with the corresponding P-Cl function, similar to the ligands 2b (4,4-dimethyl-2-[1-oxy(diphenylphosphine)-1-methylethyl]-4,5-dihydrooxazole) and 8b (4,4-dimethyl-2-[1-oxy(6H-dibenz[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphorin)-1-methylethyl]-4,5-dihydrooxazole) reported previously. These ligands react with [PdClX(COD)] to give complexes of the type [PdClX(P,N)] (3a P,N = 2a, X = Cl; 4a P,N = 2a, X = Me; 4b P,N = 2b , X = Me; 9a P,N = 8a, X = Cl; 9b P,N = 8b, X = Cl; 10a P,N = 8a, X = Me; 10b P,N = 8b, X = Me). Complexes 4a,b and 10a,b reacted with AgCF(3)SO(3) to yield [PdMe(P,N)OSO(2)CF(3)] 5a,b and 11a,b, respectively. From the stepwise insertion reaction of CO and ethylene into the Pd-C bond of 5a and 11a,b, the alkyl ketone chelate complexes [Pd{CH(2)CH(2)C(O)Me}(P,N)]CF(3)SO(3) 7a and 14a,b respectively, have been isolated and spectroscopically characterized. Complexes 3a.CH(2)Cl(2), 5a, 9b, 10a,b, [PdMe(H(2)O)(P,N)]CF(3)SO(3) 12b, (P,N = 8b) and 14a,b have also been characterized by X-ray crystallography and the structures of 14a,b represent still rare examples of structurally characterized CO/ethylene coupling products.