Iridium(III) Catalyzed Z-Selective Allylic Arylation of α-Fluoro But-1-enoic Acid Amides via β-F-Elimination in Water

Allylic arylation of α-fluoro but-1-enoic acid amides with arylboronic acids was carried out in water by comparing the catalytic activity of iridium(III) and rhodium(III). Ir(III) has shown a strong superiority over Rh(III) to give allyl-aryl coupling products with excellent stereoselectivity in favor of the Z-isomer. The origin of high stereoselectivity is perhaps because of the a coordination of iridium Ir-N or Ir-O.

Heterogeneous Supported Palladium Catalysts for Liquid-Phase Allylation of Nucleophiles

In recent years, palladium-catalyzed allylation has become the focus of much research. However, conventional homogeneous Pd catalysts face problems regarding their recovery, reuse, and cost, especially with respect to green chemistry principles. Herein, we present an overview of the development of catalytic allylation with various heterogeneous Pd catalysts, because they can be easily and conveniently recovered and reused. We also emphasize the use of different solid supports such as polymers, silica, and other hybrid supports to inspire future research in this promising field. Moreover, the unique effects of support surfaces for enhancing catalysis by immobilized heterogeneous Pd species are introduced.

Catalytic Reductive Alkylation of Amines in Batch and Microflow Conditions Using a Silicon-Wafer-Based Palladium Nanocatalyst

We describe the development of the catalytic reductive alkylation of amines with aldehydes under the atmospheric pressure of H2 using a brush-like silicon-nanostructure-supported palladium nanoparticle composite (SiNS-Pd) as a silicon-wafer-based reusable heterogeneous catalyst. The present reaction of primary and secondary amines with various aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of the catalyst (0.02-0.05 mol % Pd) gave the corresponding secondary and tertiary amines including Lomerizine and Aticaprant in a 68% quantitative yield without overalkylation. We also designed and fabricated a flow device equipped with SiNS-Pd for microflow reactions, which was applied to the gas-liquid-solid triphasic reaction system (i.e., H2 gas, a substrate solution, and a solid catalyst). A multigram-scale reaction of aniline and benzaldehyde was demonstrated to obtain N-benzylaniline (ca. 4 g/day), in which the internal volume of the flow channel was 43 μL, the residence time was approximately 1 s, and the turnover number (TON) reached 4.0 × 104 in a continuous 24 h run (1.7 × 103 h-1; 0.50 s-1).

Rhodium(III) Catalyzed Regioselective and Stereospecific Allylic Arylation in Water by β-Fluorine Elimination of the Allylic Fluoride: Toward the Synthesis of Z-Alkenyl-Unsaturated Amides

A direct coupling of arylboronic acids with allylic fluorides was carried out in water without additives using a rhodium(III) catalyst (Cp*RhCl₂)₂. The transformation proceeded with excellent γ-selectivity to afford major allyl-aryl coupling products (Z) γ-substituted α,β-unsaturated amides. The reactions of α-chiral allylic fluorides took place with excellent α-to-γ chirality transfer to give allylated arenes with a stereogenic center at the benzylic and allylic position.

Catalytic Palladium-Based and Iron-Based Membrane Reactors: Novel Strategies of Synthesis

Several procedures were employed in the preparation of different Pd- and Fe-based catalytic membrane reactors (CMRs) via the normal wet impregnation method, reverse filtration of a microemulsion, sputtering method, and the precipitation of a Fe complex. Depending on the chosen procedure, the metal active phase can be found on the exterior and/or interior part of the CMR or even in its pores in concentrations between 0.05 and 2 wt %. Moreover, we have managed to implement a unique systematic process to grow hydrotalcite in the pores of a Pd-CMR. To exemplify the activity of these new CMRs, we have tested them in the peroxidation of phenol and in situ epoxidation of trans-chalcone.

Mechanistic Study on Allylic Arylation in Water with Linear Polystyrene-Stabilized Pd and PdO Nanoparticles

The catalytic cycle of allylic arylation in water catalyzed by linear polystyrene-stabilized Pd or PdO nanoparticles (PS-PdNPs or PS-PdONPs) was investigated. Stoichiometric stepwise reactions indicated that the reaction did not proceed stepwise on the surface of the catalyst. In the case of the reaction with PS-PdNPs, the leached Pd species is the catalytically active species and the reaction takes place through a similar reaction pathway accepted in the case of a complex catalyst. In contrast, allylic arylation using PS-PdONPs as a catalyst occurs via a Pd(II) catalytic cycle.

Aqueous protocol for allylic arylation of cinnamyl acetates with sodium tetraphenylborate using a Bedford-type palladacycle catalyst

Allylic arylation using 0.002 mol% of a Bedford-type palladacycle catalyst is described under mild reaction conditions.

Development of Batch and Flow Immobilized Catalytic Systems with High Catalytic Activity and Reusability

My mission in catalysis research is to develop highly active and reusable supported catalytic systems in terms of fundamental chemistry and industrial application. For this purpose, I developed three types of highly active and reusable supported catalytic systems. The first type involves polymeric base-supported metal catalysts: Novel polymeric imidazole-Pd and Cu complexes were developed that worked at the mol ppm level for a variety of organic transformations. The second involves catalytic membrane-installed microflow reactors: Membranous polymeric palladium and copper complex/nanoparticle catalysts were installed at the center of a microtube to produce novel catalytic membrane-immobilized flow microreactor devices. These catalytic devices mediated a variety of organic transformations to afford the corresponding products in high yield within 1-38 s. The third is a silicon nanowire array-immobilized palladium nanoparticle catalyst. This device promoted a variety of organic transformations as a heterogeneous catalyst. The Mizoroki-Heck reaction proceeded with 280 mol ppb (0.000028 mol%) of the catalyst, affording the corresponding products in high yield.

Nanocatalysis in Flow

Nanocatalysis in flow is catalysis by metallic nanoparticles (NPs; 1-50 nm) performed in microstructured reactors. These catalytic processes make use of the enhanced catalytic activity and selectivity of NPs and fulfill the requirements of green chemistry. Anchoring catalytically active metal NPs within a microfluidic reactor enhances the reagent/catalyst interaction, while avoiding diffusion limitations experienced in classical approaches. Different strategies for supporting NPs are reviewed herein, namely, packed-bed reactors, monolithic flow-through reactors, wall catalysts, and a selection of novel approaches (NPs embedded on nanotubes, nanowires, catalytic membranes, and magnetic NPs). Through a number of catalytic reactions, such as hydrogenations, oxidations, and cross-coupling reactions, the advantages and possible drawbacks of each approach are illustrated.

Heterogenization of Pd–NHC complexes onto a silica support and their application in Suzuki–Miyaura coupling under batch and continuous flow conditions

Immobilised Pd–NHC catalysts were successfully applied in Suzuki–Miyaura reaction under batch and flow conditions.

A palladium NNC-pincer complex: an efficient catalyst for allylic arylation at parts per billion levels

Allylic arylation of allylic acetates by sodium tetraarylborates in the presence of ppb to ppm (molar) loadings of a palladium NNC-pincer complex catalyst in methanol at 50 °C gave the corresponding arylated products in excellent yields.

Pd-Catalyzed stereospecific allyl-aryl coupling of allylic alcohols with arylboronic acids

An efficient method for Pd-catalyzed stereospecific allyl-aryl coupling of allylic alcohols with arylboronic acids has been described. The reactions proceeded smoothly in the presence of Pd2(dba)3·CHCl3 and racemic BINAP under mild and neutral conditions, affording allyl-aryl coupling products in moderate to high yields with excellent stereospecificities.

Pd-catalyzed ligand-free Suzuki reaction of β-substituted allylic halides with arylboronic acids in water

The combination of Pd(TFA)₂ and KOH could efficiently catalyze the reaction of β-substituted allylic halides with arylboronic acids in water.

Driving an equilibrium acetalization to completion in the presence of water

A polymeric acid membrane was generated at the laminar flow interface in a microflow reactor. The polymeric acid membrane-installed microflow devices achieved condensation of a variety of carbonyl substrates with diols to give the corresponding acetals in yields of up to 97% for residence times of 19 to 38 s.

A palladium-nanoparticle and silicon-nanowire-array hybrid: a platform for catalytic heterogeneous reactions

We report the development of a silicon nanowire array-stabilized palladium nanoparticle catalyst, SiNA-Pd. Its use in the palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki-Heck reaction, the hydrogenation of an alkene, the hydrogenolysis of nitrobenzene, the hydrosilylation of an α,β-unsaturated ketone, and the C-H bond functionalization reactions of thiophenes and indoles achieved a quantitative production with high reusability. The catalytic activity reached several hundred-mol ppb of palladium, reaching a TON of 2 000 000.

Development of polymeric palladium-nanoparticle membrane-installed microflow devices and their application in hydrodehalogenation

We have developed a variety of polymeric palladium-nanoparticle membrane-installed microflow devices. Three types of polymers were convoluted with palladium salts under laminar flow conditions in a microflow reactor to form polymeric palladium membranes at the laminar flow interface. These membranes were reduced with aqueous sodium formate or heat to create microflow devices that contain polymeric palladium-nanoparticle membranes. These microflow devices achieved instantaneous hydrodehalogenation of aryl chlorides, bromides, iodides, and triflates by 10-1000 ppm within a residence time of 2-8 s at 50-90 °C by using safe, nonexplosive, aqueous sodium formate to quantitatively afford the corresponding hydrodehalogenated products. Polychlorinated biphenyl (10-1000 ppm) and polybrominated biphenyl (1000 ppm) were completely decomposed under similar conditions, yielding biphenyl as a fungicidal compound.

Pd-catalyzed regioselective and stereospecific Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of allylic carbonates with arylboronic acids

The Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction of unsymmetric 1,3-disubstituted secondary allylic carbonates with arylboronic acids has been developed in a wet solvent under a base-free system to afford allyl-aryl coupling products in a high level of isolated yields with complete regio- and E/Z-selectivities with good to excellent chemoselectivities. The coupling reaction of optically active allyl carbonates gave allyl-aryl coupling products with excellent enantioselectivities with inversion of the stereochemistry. This coupling method was successfully applied to the synthesis of (S)-naproxen.

Homocoupling of aryl halides in flow: Space integration of lithiation and FeCl(3) promoted homocoupling

The use of FeCl₃ resulted in a fast homocoupling of aryllithiums, and this enabled its integration with the halogen–lithium exchange reaction of aryl halides in a flow microreactor. This system allows the homocoupling of two aryl halides bearing electrophilic functional groups, such as CN and NO₂, in under a minute.