Substituent Effects and Mechanistic Insights on the Catalytic Activities of (Tetraarylcyclopentadienone)iron Carbonyl Compounds in Transfer Hydrogenations and Dehydrogenations

(Cyclopentadienone)iron carbonyl compounds are catalytically active in carbonyl/imine reductions, alcohol oxidations, and borrowing hydrogen reactions, but the effect of cyclopentadienone electronics on their activity is not well established. A series of (tetraarylcyclopentadienone)iron tricarbonyl compounds with varied electron densities on the cyclopentadienone were prepared, and their activities in transfer hydrogenations and dehydrogenations were explored. Additionally, mechanistic studies, including kinetic isotope effect experiments and modifications to substrate electronics, were undertaken to gain insights into catalyst resting states and turnover-limiting steps of these reactions. As the cyclopentadienone electron density increased, both the transfer hydrogenation and dehydrogenation rates increased. A catalytically relevant, trimethylamine-ligated iron compound was isolated and characterized and was observed in solution under both transfer hydrogenation and dehydrogenation conditions. Importantly, it was catalytically active in both reactions. Kinetic isotope effect data and initial rates in transfer hydrogenation reactions with 4'-substituted acetophenones provided evidence that hydrogen transfer from the catalyst to the carbonyl substrate occurred during the turnover-limiting step, and NMR spectroscopy supports the trimethylamine adduct as an off-cycle resting state and the (hydroxycyclopentadienyl)iron hydride as an on-cycle resting state. In transfer dehydrogenations of alcohols, the use of electronically modified benzylic alcohols provided evidence that the turnover-limiting step involves the transfer of hydrogen from the alcohol substrate to the catalyst. The trimethylamine-ligated compound was proposed as the primary catalyst resting state in dehydrogenations.

Synthesis, stereochemical assignment, and enantioselective catalytic activity of late transition metal planar chiral complexes

Planar chirality is an important form of molecular chirality that can be utilized to induce enantioselectivity when incorporated into transition metal catalysts. However, due to synthetic constraints, the use of late transition metal planar chiral complexes to conduct enantioselective transformations has been limited. Additionally, the published methods surrounding the stereochemical assignment of planar chiral compounds are sometimes conflicting, making proper assignment difficult. This review aims to provide clarity on the methods available to assign planar chirality and provide an overview on the synthesis and use of late transition metal planar chiral complexes as enantioselective catalysts.

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.

(Cyclopentadienone)iron Complexes: Synthesis, Mechanism and Applications in Organic Synthesis

(Cyclopentadienone)iron tricarbonyl complexes are catalytically active, inexpensive, easily accessible and air-stable that are extensively studied as an active pre-catalyst in homogeneous catalysis. Its versatile catalytic activity arises exclusively due to the presence of a non-innocent ligand, which can trigger its unique redox properties effectively. These complexes have been employed widely in (transfer)hydrogenation (e. g., reduction of polar multiple bonds, Oppenauer-type oxidation of alcohols), C-C and C-N bond formation (e. g., reductive aminations, α-alkylation of ketones) and other synthetic transformations. In this review, we discuss the remarkable advancement of its various synthetic applications along with synthesis and mechanistic studies, until February 2021.

(Cyclopentadienone)iron-Catalyzed Transfer Dehydrogenation of Symmetrical and Unsymmetrical Diols to Lactones

Air-stable iron carbonyl compounds bearing cyclopentadienone ligands with varying substitution were explored as catalysts in dehydrogenative diol lactonization reactions using acetone as both the solvent and hydrogen acceptor. Two catalysts with trimethylsilyl groups in the 2- and 5-positions, [2,5-(SiMe₃)₂-3,4-(CH₂)₄(η⁴-C₄C═O)]Fe(CO)₃ (1) and [2,5-(SiMe₃)₂-3,4-(CH₂)₃(η⁴-C₄C═O)]Fe(CO)₃ (2), were found to be the most active, with 2 being the most selective in the lactonization of diols containing both primary and secondary alcohols. Lactones containing five-, six-, and seven-membered rings were successfully synthesized, and no over-oxidations to carboxylic acids were detected. The lactonization of unsymmetrical diols containing two primary alcohols occurred with catalyst 1, but selectivity was low based on alcohol electronics and modest based on alcohol sterics. Evidence for a transfer dehydrogenation mechanism was found, and insight into the origin of selectivity in the lactonization of 1°/2° diols was obtained. Additionally, spectroscopic evidence for a trimethylamine-ligated iron species formed in solution during the reaction was discovered.

Synthesis and Catalytic Application of Knölker-Type Iron Complexes with a Novel Asymmetric Cyclopentadienone Ligand Design

Asymmetric catalysis is an essential tool in modern chemistry, but increasing environmental concerns demand the development of new catalysts based on cheap, abundant, and less toxic iron. As a result, Knölker-type catalysts have emerged as a promising class of iron catalysts for various chemical transformations, notably the hydrogenation of carbonyls and imines, while asymmetric versions are still under exploration to achieve optimal enantio-selectivities. In this work, we report a novel asymmetric design of a Knölker-type catalyst, in which the C2-rotational symmetric cyclopentadienone ligand possesses chiral substituents on the 2- and 5-positions near the active site. Four examples of the highly modular catalyst design were synthesized via standard organic procedures, and their structures were confirmed with NMR, IR, MS, and polarimetry analysis. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to elucidate the spatial conformation of the catalysts, and therewith to rationalize the influence of structural alterations. Transfer- and H2-mediated hydrogenations were successfully established, leading to appreciable enantiomeric excesses (ee) values up to 70%. Amongst all reported Knölker-type catalysts, our catalyst design achieves one of the highest ee values for hydrogenation of acetophenone and related compounds.