Rhodium-catalyzed carbonylation

In 2006, the group of Artok showed that 5-aryl-2(5H)-furanones could be prepared in moderate to good yields by a rhodium-catalyzed carbonylative arylation of internal alkynes with aryl boronic acids (Scheme 1.9a) [22]. a,P-Unsaturated ketones (chal-cone derivatives) were formed as the major product when some TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) was added under the same reaction conditions [23a]. By varying the catalytic system, indanones could be produced as the main product [23b]. The chemical behavior of terminal alkynes is different, and either a,P-unsaturated ketones or furans starting from propargylic alcohols can be achieved (Scheme 1.9b) [24, 25]. In the case of vinyl ketones, 1,4-diketones were obtained by rhodium-catalyzed coupling of arylboronic acids in the presence of 20-40 bar of CO [26]. In 2007, Chatani demonstrated that indenones could be accessed by a carbonylative rhodium-catalyzed cyclization of alkynes with 2-bromophenylboronic adds (Scheme 1.9c) [27]. Here, the key intermediate is a vinylrhodium(I) spedes that is formed by transmetaUation of RhCl with 2-bromophenylboronic acid followed by insertion of... 

Ca.ta.lysis, The readily accessible +1 and +3 oxidation states of rhodium make it a useful catalyst. There are several reviews of the catalytic properties of rhodium available (130—132). Rhodium-catalyzed methanol carbonylation (Monsanto process) accounted for 81% of worldwide acetic acid by 1988 (133). The Monsanto acetic acid process is carried out at 175°0 and 1.5 MPa (200 psi). Rhodium is introduced as RhCl3 but is likely reduced in a water... 

A related but distinct rhodium-catalyzed methyl acetate carbonylation to acetic anhydride (134) was commercialized by Eastman in 1983. Anhydrous conditions necessary to the Eastman acetic anhydride process require important modifications (24) to the process, including introduction of hydrogen to maintain the active [Rhl2(CO)2] catalyst and addition of lithium cation to activate the alkyl methyl group of methyl acetate toward nucleophilic attack by iodide. 

Rhodium catalyzed reaction of A -butenyl-l,3-propanediamines 397 with a mixture of H2 and CO gave usually a mixture of hydroformylated 398 and 399 and carbonylated products 400 and 401 in the presence of a phosphite [PPha, PBu3, PCCgHiOa, P(o-tol)3] (97TL4315, 97T17449). When the hindered biphosphite, BIPEPHOS, and a 9 1 or 1 1 mixture of H2 and... 

The rhodium-catalyzed tandem carbonyl ylide formation/l,3-dipolar cycloaddition is an exciting new area that has evolved during the past 3 years and high se-lectivities of >90% ee was obtained for both intra- and intermolecular reactions with low loadings of the chiral catalyst. 

Rhodium catalyzed carbonylations of olefins and methanol can be operated in the absence of an alkyl iodide or hydrogen iodide if the carbonylation is operated in the presence of iodide-based ionic liquids. In this chapter, we will describe the historical development of these non-alkyl halide containing processes beginning with the carbonylation of ethylene to propionic acid in which the omission of alkyl hahde led to an improvement in the selectivity. We will further describe extension of the nonalkyl halide based carbonylation to the carbonylation of MeOH (producing acetic acid) in both a batch and continuous mode of operation. In the continuous mode, the best ionic liquids for carbonylation of MeOH were based on pyridinium and polyalkylated pyridinium iodide derivatives. Removing the highly toxic alkyl halide represents safer, potentially lower cost, process with less complex product purification. 

Historically, the rhodium catalyzed carbonylation of methanol to acetic acid required large quantities of methyl iodide co-catalyst (1) and the related hydrocarboxylation of olefins required the presence of an alkyl iodide or hydrogen iodide (2). Unfortunately, the alkyl halides pose several significant difficulties since they are highly toxic, lead to iodine contamination of the final product, are highly corrosive, and are expensive to purchase and handle. Attempts to eliminate alkyl halides or their precursors have proven futile to date (1). 

In this manuscript, we will chronicle the discoveiy and development of these non-alkyl halide containing processes for the rhodium catalyzed carbonylation of ethylene to propionic acid and methanol to acetic acid when using ionic liquids as solvent. 

Ethylene Carbonylation. The classical rhodium catalyzed carbonylation of ethylene to propionic acid (Eqn. 1) used ethyl iodide or HI as a co-catalyst (6). In the presence of excess ethylene and CO the process could proceed further to propionic anhydride (Eqn. 2). While additional products, such as ethyl propionate (EtC02Et), diethyl ketone (DEK), and ethanol were possible (See Eqns. 3-5), the only byproduct obtained when using a rhodium-alkyl iodide catalyst was small amounts (ca. 1-1.5%) of ethyl propionate. (See Eqns. 3-5.)... 

The rhodium catalyzed carbonylation of ethylene and methanol can be conducted in the absence of added alkyl halide if the reactions are conducted in iodide based ionic liquids or molten salts. In the case of ethylene carbonylation, the imidazolium iodides appeared to perform best and operating in the absence of ethyl iodide gave improved selectivities relative to processes using ethyl iodide and ionic hquids. In the case of... 

In addition, Wu and Li recently have developed an efficient rhodium-catalyzed cascade hydrostannation/conjugate addition of terminal alkynes and unsaturated carbonyl compounds in water stereoselectively (Scheme 4.5).88... 

There are two important rhodium-catalyzed transformations that are broadly used in domino processes as the primary step. The first route is the formation of keto carbenoids by treatment of diazo keto compounds with Rh11 salts. This is then followed by the generation of a 1,3-dipole by an intramolecular cyclization of the keto carbenoid onto an oxygen atom of a neighboring keto group and an inter- or intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. A noteworthy point here is that the insertion can also take place onto carbonyl groups of aldehydes, esters, and amides. Moreover, cycloadditions of Rh-carbenes and ring chain isomerizations will also be discussed in this section. 

The examples described so far clearly show the value of the rhodium-catalyzed carbene transfer obtained from diazo compounds onto carbonyl and imino groups. However, the scope is even broader, as the formed carbene can also undergo an ad-... 

The rhodium-catalyzed conversion of a-diazo-p-hydroxy carbonyl into P-dicarbonyl compounds (Table 23, Entries 6-8) in general seems to be preferable to the acid-catalyzed reaction because of higher yields and absence of side-reactions 37S,377). From a screening of 20 metal salts and complexes, Rh2(OAc)4, RhCl(PPh3)3, PdCl2 and CoCl2 emerged as the most efficient catalysts for the transformation of a-diazo-P-hydroxy esters into P-ketoesters 376). This reaction has become part of... 

Mannig and Noth reported the first example of rhodium-catalyzed hydroboration to C=C bonds in 1985.4 Catecholborane reacts at room temperature with 5-hexene-2-one at the carbonyl double bond when the reaction was run in the presence of 5mol.% Wilkinson s catalyst [Rh(PPh3)3Cl], addition of the B—H bond across the C=C double bond was observed affording the anti-Markovnikoff ketone as the major product (Scheme 2). Other rhodium complexes showed good catalytic properties ([Rh(COD)Cl2]2, [ Rh(PPh3)2(C O )C 1], where... 

Lactam ring formation is observed in the rhodium-catalyzed ring-opening carbonylation of cyclopropylamine 20 to N-cyclopropylpyrrolidone 21 (Scheme 8) [14]. (Scheme 8)... 

Increasing use is being made of pyran syntheses based upon [4 + 2] cycloadditions of carbonyl compounds. The appropriate unsaturated aldehyde with ethyl vinyl ether yields 53 with peracids this affords an epoxide that undergoes ring contraction to the aldehyde 54 (Scheme 23) and rhodium catalyzed decarbonylation affords the required 3-alkylfuran with the optical center intact.116 Acetoxybutadiene derivatives add active carbonyl compounds giving pyrans that contract under the influence of acids to give... 

Another route to the diol monomer is provided by hydroformylation of allyl alcohol or allyl acetate. Allyl acetate can be produced easily by the palladium-catalyzed oxidation of propylene in the presence of acetic acid in a process similar to commercial vinyl acetate production. Both cobalt-and rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylations have received much attention in recent patent literature (83-86). Hydroformylation with cobalt carbonyl at 140°C and 180-200 atm H2/CO (83) gave a mixture of three aldehydes in 85-99% total yield. 

Comparison of Cobalt- and Rhodium-Catalyzed Methanol Carbonylation Reactions... 

It has been recently reported that an organic pseudohalide can function as a promoter in the methanol carbonylation reaction. Webber et al. (21) have shown that pentachlorobenzenethiol will promote the rhodium-catalyzed reaction but at less than 5% of the rate of the iodide system. 

Eastman-Halcon A process for making acetic anhydride from syngas. The basic process is the carbonylation of methyl acetate. Methanol is made directly from the carbon monoxide and hydrogen of syngas. Acetic acid is a byproduct of the cellulose acetate manufacture for which the acetic anhydride is needed. The carbonylation is catalyzed by rhodium chloride and chromium hexacarbonyl. 

Extensively developed by Ojima and co-workers, SiCaT and carbonylative silylcarbocyclization (CO-SiCaC) represent a rapid entry into polycyclic molecules of interest.271 For instance, the rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular SiCaT of triyne 441 afforded tricyclic compound 442 in high yield, accompanied by a small amount of cycloadduct 443 (Scheme 111).270... 

Mononuclear ruthenium complexes were found to be superior to carbonyl clusters during a comprehensive comparison of a variety of catalysts in the reduction of acetone [49]. Without solvent, most catalysts were highly selective, although the activity was quite low. The addition of water to the system vastly increased yields, in agreement with Schrock and Osborrfs observations into rhodium-catalyzed hydrogenations (Table 15.9) [41],... 

Hydrofoil impellers, 16 673—674 Hydroformulation, 13 768 Hydroformylation, 10 598 allyl alcohol, 2 236—237 ionic liquids in, 26 882—885 maleic anhydride, 15 492 metal carbonyls in, 16 72—73 rhodium-catalyzed, 19 647 Hydroformylation reactions, 13 448 Hydrogasification, coal, 13 845 Hydrogel-based drug delivery,... 

Hydroformylation of hetero olefins such as carbonyl compounds is not known to proceed with significant levels of efficiency, whereas the hydroformylation of olefins has been developed to a sophisticated stage. Generally, aldehydes resultant from the latter process exhibit a low propensity to undergo further hydroformylation, with the exception of some activated aldehydes. The rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of formaldehyde is the key step in the synthesis of ethyleneglycol from synthesis gas. Chan et al. found... 

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