%VBur index and steric maps: from predictive catalysis to machine learning

Steric indices are parameters used in chemistry to describe the spatial arrangement of atoms or groups of atoms in molecules. They are important in determining the reactivity, stability, and physical properties of chemical compounds. One commonly used steric index is the steric hindrance, which refers to the obstruction or hindrance of movement in a molecule caused by bulky substituents or functional groups. Steric hindrance can affect the reactivity of a molecule by altering the accessibility of its reactive sites and influencing the geometry of its transition states. Notably, the Tolman cone angle and %VBur are prominent among these indices. Actually, steric effects can also be described using the concept of steric bulk, which refers to the space occupied by a molecule or functional group. Steric bulk can affect the solubility, melting point, boiling point, and viscosity of a substance. Even though electronic indices are more widely used, they have certain drawbacks that might shift preferences towards others. They present a higher computational cost, and often, the weight of electronics in correlation with chemical properties, e.g. binding energies, falls short in comparison to %VBur. However, it is worth noting that this may be because the steric index inherently captures part of the electronic content. Overall, steric indices play an important role in understanding the behaviour of chemical compounds and can be used to predict their reactivity, stability, and physical properties. Predictive chemistry is an approach to chemical research that uses computational methods to anticipate the properties and behaviour of these compounds and reactions, facilitating the design of new compounds and reactivities. Within this domain, predictive catalysis specifically targets the prediction of the performance and behaviour of catalysts. Ultimately, the goal is to identify new catalysts with optimal properties, leading to chemical processes that are both more efficient and sustainable. In this framework, %VBur can be a key metric for deepening our understanding of catalysis, emphasizing predictive catalysis and sustainability. Those latter concepts are needed to direct our efforts toward identifying the optimal catalyst for any reaction, minimizing waste, and reducing experimental efforts while maximizing the efficacy of the computational methods.

Synthetic Strategies of N-Heterocyclic Olefin (NHOs) and Their Recent Application of Organocatalytic Reactions and Beyond

N-heterocyclic olefin (NHO) derivatives have an electron-rich as well as highly polarized carabon-carbon (C=C) double bond because of the electron-donating nature of nitrogen and sulphur atoms. While NHOs have been developing as novel organocatalysts and ligands for transition-metal complexes in various organic compound syntheses, different research groups are currently interested in preparing imidazole and triazolium-based chiral NHO catalysts. Some of them have been used for enantioselective organic transformations, but were still elusive. N-heterocyclic olefins, the alkylidene derivatives of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC), have shown promising results as effective promoters for numerous organic syntheses such as asymmetric catalysis, hydroborylation, hydrosilylation, reduction, CO2 sequestration, alkylation, cycloaddition, polymerization and the ring-opening reaction of aziridine and epoxides, esterification, C-F bond functionalization, amine coupling, trifluoromethyl thiolation, amination etc. NHOs catalysts with suitable structures can serve as a novel class of Lewis/Bronsted bases with strong basicity and high nucleophilicity properties.These facts strongly suggest their enormous chemical potential as sustainable catalysts for a wide variety of reactions in synthetic chemistry. The synthesis of NHOs and their properties are briefly reviewed in this article, along with a summary of the imidazole and triazole core of NHOs' most recent catalytic uses.

Lewis Pair Catalyzed Regioselective Polymerization of (E,E)-Alkyl Sorbates for the Synthesis of (AB)n Sequenced Polymers

In this contribution, Lewis pairs (LPs) composed of N-heterocyclic olefins (NHOs) with different steric hindrance and nucleophilicity as Lewis bases (LBs) and Al-based compounds with comparable acidity but different steric hindrance as Lewis acids (LAs) were applied for 1,4-selective polymerization of (E,E)-methyl sorbate (MS) and (E,E)-ethyl sorbate (ES). The effects of steric hindrance, electron-donating ability, and acidity of LPs on MS and ES polymerization were systematically investigated. High catalytic activity and high initiation efficiency can be achieved, leading to the formation of PMS with 100 % 1,4-selectivity, tunable molecular weight (M_w up to 333 kg mol^-1 ), and narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD). Block copolymerization of ES and methyl methacrylate (MMA) was also realized. Meanwhile, this system can be applied to other homologous conjugated diene substrates. Furthermore, simple chemical reactions can efficiently convert PMS to different polymers with strict (AB)_n sequence structures, such as poly(sorbic acid), poly(propylene-alt-methyl acrylate), poly(propylene-alt-acrylic acid), poly(propylene-alt-allyl alcohol), and poly(ethylene-alt-2-butylene).

The Brönsted Basicities of N-Heterocyclic Olefins in DMSO: An Effective Way to Evaluate the Stability of NHO-CO2 Adducts

A Brönsted basicity scale (∼24 pK units) for 85 commonly seen imidazole-, imidazoline-, triazole-, and thiazole-based N-heterocyclic olefins (NHOs) in DMSO was established using a well-examined computational model. The influence of substituents on the Brönsted basicities of these NHOs was investigated through basicity comparisons and rationalized by geometric analyses. The Gibbs energy (ΔG_r) of the reaction between NHO and CO₂ was also calculated, which linearly correlates with the basicity of the corresponding NHO, suggesting that the stability of NHO-CO₂ adducts can be evaluated by the basicity of NHOs and a stronger basicity leads to a more stable NHO-CO₂ adduct.

Anionic polymerization of acrylic thioester by using organic base

An acrylic thioester is polymerized with organic bases as the initiators via zwitterionic mechanisms involving propagation at the anionic sites.

Highly efficient cyclotrimerization of isocyanates using N-heterocyclic olefins under bulk conditions

With a catalyst loading as low as 0.005%, high to excellent yields of isocyanurates could be achieved from N-heterocyclic olefin mediated organocatalytic cyclotrimerization of a wide range of isocyanates under bulk conditions. Experimental details coupled with structural characterization of the key intermediates led to comprehensive mechanistic studies of cyclotrimerization.

Synthesis, properties & applications of N-heterocyclic olefins in catalysis

N-Heterocyclic olefins (NHOs), a recently (re-)discovered type of electron-rich, polar alkene, are comprehensively presented. Along with synthetic aspects and chemical properties, special emphasis is put on the multi-faceted impact NHOs already have had on catalysis. This is discussed along the lines of small molecule organocatalysis, organo- and metal-assisted polymerization and of the understanding and application of NHO-ligated organometallic complexes. Highlighted are the strong basicity of NHOs ("superbases"), their high nucleophilicity and the design principles to tailor NHO (organo-)catalysts. It is demonstrated that NHOs can complement, and in many cases out-perform, the much better established N-heterocyclic carbene-based systems. Examples include among others CO₂-sequestration, the polymerization of lactones and epoxides or the transfer hydrogenation of carbonyls. Further, the unique ability to selectively address basic or nucleophilic reaction pathways via NHO-mediation is detailed, as is the bonding situation in NHO-metal complexes and the ability of the olefin to act as an electronically flexible ligand.

Lewis Pair Polymerization of Epoxides via Zwitterionic Species as a Route to High-Molar-Mass Polyethers

A dual catalytic setup based on N-heterocyclic olefins (NHOs) and magnesium bis(hexamethyldisilazide) (Mg(HMDS)₂ ) was used to prepare poly(propylene oxide) with a molar mass (M_n ) >500 000 g mol^-1 , in some cases even >10⁶  g mol^-1 , as determined by GPC/light scattering. This is achieved by combining the rapid polymerization characteristics of a zwitterionic, Lewis pair type mechanism with the efficient epoxide activation by the Mg^II species. Transfer-to-monomer, traditionally frustrating attempts at synthesizing polyethers with a high degree of polymerization, is practically removed as a limiting factor by this approach. NMR and MALDI-ToF MS experiments reveal key aspects of the proposed mechanism, whereby the polymerization is initiated via nucleophilic attack by the NHO on the activated monomer, generating a zwitterionic species. This strategy can also be extended to other epoxides, including functionalized monomers.

N-Heterocyclic olefins and thioureas as an efficient cooperative catalyst system for ring-opening polymerization of δ-valerolactone

An organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of δ-valerolactone has been developed.

Polymerization of Polar Monomers Mediated by Main-Group Lewis Acid-Base Pairs

The development of new or more sustainable, active, efficient, controlled, and selective polymerization reactions or processes continues to be crucial for the synthesis of important polymers or materials with specific structures or functions. In this context, the newly emerged polymerization technique enabled by main-group Lewis pairs (LPs), termed as Lewis pair polymerization (LPP), exploits the synergy and cooperativity between the Lewis acid (LA) and Lewis base (LB) sites of LPs, which can be employed as frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs), interacting LPs (ILPs), or classical Lewis adducts (CLAs), to effect cooperative monomer activation as well as chain initiation, propagation, termination, and transfer events. Through balancing the Lewis acidity, Lewis basicity, and steric effects of LPs, LPP has shown several unique advantages or intriguing opportunities compared to other polymerization techniques and demonstrated its broad polar monomer scope, high activity, control or livingness, and complete chemo- or regioselectivity, as well as its unique application in materials chemistry. These advances made in LPP are comprehensively reviewed, with the scope of monomers focusing on heteroatom-containing polar monomers, while the polymerizations mediated by main-group LAs and LBs separately that are most relevant to the LPP are also highlighted or updated. Examples of applying the principles of the LPP and LP chemistry as a new platform for advancing materials chemistry are highlighted, and currently unmet challenges in the field of the LPP, and thus the suggested corresponding future research directions, are also presented.

The Lewis Pair Polymerization of Lactones Using Metal Halides and N-Heterocyclic Olefins: Theoretical Insights

Lewis pair polymerization employing N-Heterocyclic olefins (NHOs) and simple metal halides as co-catalysts has emerged as a useful tool to polymerize diverse lactones. To elucidate some of the mechanistic aspects that remain unclear to date and to better understand the impact of the metal species, computational methods have been applied. Several key aspects have been considered: (1) the formation of NHO-metal halide adducts has been evaluated for eight different NHOs and three different Lewis acids, (2) the coordination of four lactones to MgCl₂ was studied and (3) the deprotonation of an initiator (butanol) was investigated in the presence and absence of metal halide for one specific Lewis pair. It was found that the propensity for adduct formation can be influenced, perhaps even designed, by varying both organic and metallic components. Apart from the NHO backbone, the substituents on the exocyclic, olefinic carbon have emerged as interesting tuning site. The tendency to form adducts is ZnCl₂ > MgCl₂ > LiCl. If lactones coordinate to MgCl₂, the most likely binding mode is via the carbonyl oxygen. A chelating coordination cannot be ruled out and seems to gain importance upon increasing ring-size of the lactone. For a representative NHO, it is demonstrated that in a metal-free setting an initiating alcohol cannot be deprotonated, while in the presence of MgCl₂ the same process is exothermic with a low barrier.

Polarized olefins as enabling (co)catalysts for the polymerization of γ-butyrolactone

N-Heterocyclic olefins (NHOs) can homopolymerize GBL via anionic or zwitterionic pathways, whereby polymerization mode and polymer topology depend on the chemical structure of the NHO and the presence of LiCl as cocatalyst.

Controlled preparation of amphiphilic triblock-copolyether in a metal- and solvent-free approach for tailored structure-directing agents

Organocatalysis is employed as a precise tool for the preparation of triblock-copolyethers for a systematic access to structure-direction.