Alkenes catalysts, ruthenium complexes

The significant potential of the ruthenium complex 65 was further underlined in the catalytic asymmetric ring-opening/cross metathesis of the cyclic alkene 70 (Scheme 44). This transformation is catalyzed by 5% mol of 65 at room temperature, in air, and with undistilled and nondegassed THF to deliver the corresponding diene 71 in 96% ee and 66% isolated yield. In standard conditions (distilled and degassed THF), the alkene 70 reacts in 75 min to give the diene in 95% ee and 76% yield, with only 0.5 mol % of catalyst. 

Alkynes often react with similar efficiency at room temperature (RT) in minutes. Treatment of the identical tethered alkene-VCP with a ruthenium catalyst leads to the formation of (1-3 6,7- 7-cyclodecadienyl)ruthenium complex (Equation (3)).36... 

Intermolecular enyne metathesis has recently been developed using ethylene gas as the alkene [20]. The plan is shown in Scheme 10. In this reaction,benzyli-dene carbene complex 52b, which is commercially available [16b], reacts with ethylene to give ruthenacyclobutane 73. This then converts into methylene ruthenium complex 57, which is the real catalyst in this reaction. It reacts with the alkyne intermolecularly to produce ruthenacyclobutene 74, which is converted into vinyl ruthenium carbene complex 75. It must react with ethylene, not with the alkyne, to produce ruthenacyclobutane 76 via [2+2] cycloaddition. Then it gives diene 72, and methylene ruthenium complex 57 would be regenerated. If the methylene ruthenium complex 57 reacts with ethylene, ruthenacyclobutane 77 would be formed. However, this process is a so-called non-productive process, and it returns to ethylene and 57. The reaction was carried out in CH2Cl2 un-... 

Ruthenium complexes are active hydrogenation catalysts for the reduction of dienes to monoenes. Both zerovalent and divalent ruthenium complexes containing various (alkene, diene and phosphine) ligands have been employed as catalysts that have met with different degrees of success. 

In the hydrogenation of alkenes, rhodium-, ruthenium- and iridium-phosphine catalysts are typically used [2-4]. Rhodium-phosphine complexes, such as Wilkinson s catalyst, are effective for obtaining alkanes under atmospheric pres-... 

Unfunctionalized alkenes have posed more of a problem, as they have no polar moiety which can coordinate to the catalyst. Such an additional metal binding site next to the C = C bond has proven to be crucial for directing coordination to the catalyst and, therefore, rhodium and ruthenium complexes, which are highly selective for functionalized alkenes, generally provide only low enan-tioselectivity for this class of substrates. 

Ruthenium complexes B also undergo fast reaction with terminal alkenes, but only slow or no reaction with internal alkenes. Sterically demanding olefins such as, e.g., 3,3-dimethyl-l-butene, or conjugated or cumulated dienes cannot be metathesized with complexes B. These catalysts generally have a higher tendency to form cyclic oligomers from dienes than do molybdenum-based catalysts. With enol ethers and enamines irreversible formation of catalytically inactive complexes occurs [582] (see Section 2.1.9). Isomerization of allyl ethers to enol ethers has been observed with complexes B [582]. 

Despite this seminal work, it has only been recently that these metallacumulenes have really emerged as useful catalyst precursors or catalyst intermediates in organic synthesis. In particular, significant advances have been made in the field of alkene metathesis and propargylation reactions using mainly ruthenium complexes. A survey of this chemistry is presented in the following section. 

In 1998 it was revealed that allenylidene-ruthenium complexes, arising simply from propargylic alcohols, were efficient precursors for alkene metathesis [12], This discovery first initiated a renaissance in allenylidene metal complexes as possible alkene metathesis precursors, then it was observed and demonstrated that allenylidene-ruthenium complexes rearranged into indenylidene-ruthenium intermediates that are actually the real catalyst precursors. The synthesis of indenylidene-metal complexes and their efficient use in alkene metathesis are now under development. The interest in finding a convenient source of easy to make alkene metathesis initiators is currently leading to investigation of other routes to initiators from propargylic derivatives. 

Allenylidene-Ruthenium Complexes as Alkene Metathesis Catalyst Precursors the First Evidence... 

Two observations initiated a strong motivation for the preparation of indenylidene-ruthenium complexes via activation of propargyl alcohols and the synthesis of allenylidene-ruthenium intermediates. The first results from the synthesis of the first indenylidene complexes VIII and IX without observation of the expected allenylidene intermediate [42-44] (Schemes 8.7 and 8.8), and the initial evidence that the well-defined complex IX was an efficient catalyst for alkene metathesis reactions [43-44]. The second observation concerned the direct evidence that the well-defined stable allenylidene ruthenium(arene) complex Ib rearranged intramo-lecularly into the indenylidene-ruthenium complex XV via an acid-promoted process [22, 23] (Scheme 8.11) and that the in situ prepared [33] or isolated [34] derivatives XV behaved as efficient catalysts for ROMP and RCM reactions. 

The water-soluble Ru(II) complex [Ru(i76-C6H6)(CH3CN)3](BF4)2 catalyzed the biphasic hydrogenation of alkenes and ketones with retention of the catalyst in the aqueous phase (87). However, the ruthenium complex moved to the organic phase when benzaldehyde was hydrogenated. In a benzene-D20 system, H-D exchange was observed between H2 and D20. Both monohydridic pathway and a dihydridic pathway are possible for hydrogen activation, and these two different catalytic cycles influence the yield and product distribution. 

An efficient reduction of alkenes with sodium borohydrde as the reducing agent using 0.5-1.0 mol% Ru(PPh3)4H2 as catalyst, in the presence of water, has been reported. The ruthenium complex probably catalyses both the formation of hydrogen from borohydride-water and the subsequent reduction process.320... 

A highly regio- and enantio-selective hydroformylation of alkenes, such as PhCH= CH2, CH2=CHCH2CN, and CH2=CHOAc, catalysed by ruthenium complexes with (g) 2,5-disubstituted phospholane ligands has been reported. With (83) as the ligand, the turnover rates over 4000 h-1 at 80 °C, have been attained.108 (Acac)Rh(CO)2-TangPhos [Tangphos = (84)] has been developed as a new enantioselective catalyst for asymmetric hydroformylation of norbornene and other [2.2.1]-bicyclic alkenes (55-92% ee).109... 

Optically active metal complexes have been recognized as excellent catalysts for the enantioselective cyclopropanation of carbenes with alkenes. Normally, diazo compounds react under metal catalysts in the dark to afford carbenoid complexes as key intermediates. Katsuki et al. have reported the ds-selective and enantioselective cyclopropanation of styrene with a-diazoacetate in the presence of optically active (R,R)-(NO + )(salen)ruthenium complex 80, supported under illumination (440 nm light or an incandescent bulb) [59]. The irradiation causes dissociation of the apical ligand ON + in 80, and thus avoids the splitting of nitrogen from the a-diazoacetate. 

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