Allyl carbonates homogeneous hydrogenation

Catalytic hydrogenation is mostly used to convert C—C triple bonds into C C double bonds and alkenes into alkanes or to replace allylic or benzylic hetero atoms by hydrogen (H. Kropf, 1980). Simple theory postulates cis- or syn-addition of hydrogen to the C—C triple or double bond with heterogeneous (R. L. Augustine, 1965, 1968, 1976 P. N. Rylander, 1979) and homogeneous (A. J. Birch, 1976) catalysts. Sulfur functions can be removed with reducing metals, e. g. with Raney nickel (G. R. Pettit, 1962 A). Heteroaromatic systems may be reduced with the aid of ruthenium on carbon. 

Abstract The use of A-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes as homogeneous catalysts in addition reactions across carbon-carbon double and triple bonds and carbon-heteroatom double bonds is described. The discussion is focused on the description of the catalytic systems, their current mechanistic understanding and occasionally the relevant organometallic chemistry. The reaction types covered include hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, hydrosilylation, hydroboration and diboration, hydroamination, hydrothiolation, hydration, hydroarylation, allylic substitution, addition, chloroesterification and chloroacylation. 

Similar reactions occur with all aliphatic halides and the rates of substitution are related to the degree of ionic character of the carbon-halogen bond. For preparation purposes, trityl bromide or propargyl bromide are more convenient than allyl bromide. The compounds obtained are listed in Table XI. They were obtained pure and characterized fully. Zr (allyl) 3Br and Zr(allyl)2Br2 are sufficiently soluble in toluene for polymerizations to be initially homogeneous. Their relative reactivities are listed in Table XI. In all cases hydrogen was used to reduce the molecular weight of the polymer formed. In this respect the polymer derived from Zr (allyl )3Br was more readily modified than that from Zr (allyl) 4, but in order to avoid... 

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