Catalysis, by organometallic compounds

B. Comils, W. A. Herrmann, eAs., Applied Homogeneous Catalysis by Organometallic Compounds, VCH, Weinheim, 1996... 

The C-H transformation in the synthesis of fine chemicals can be separated in reactions employing catalysis by organometallic compounds and metal-free synthesis. Organometallic catalyzed functionalization is usually performed in liquid or gas/liquid reactions whereas the metal-free synthesis of fine chemicals often occurs as a gas-phase reaction. 

Soluble polymers have attracted recent attention in catalysis and combinatorial chemistry.1 3 When used in catalysis by organometallic compounds, soluble polymer ligands offer the following advantages The reaction is homogeneous in nature and separation of catalysts can be easily achieved by filtration or precipitation. We have now developed a new class of polymer ligands based on fluoroacrylate-arylphosphine copolymers for catalysis in periluorocarbon solvents and supercritical C02 (scC02). 

Reactions of Oiganoinetallic Complexes 686 Catalysis by Organometallic Compounds 705 Slereochenvcally Nmrigid Molecules 723 Conclusion 730... 

On the basis of these results, the polyurethane catalysis by organometallic compounds can hardly be explained by an activated binary complex as proposed by Entelis. Ternary or quaternary complexes are more realistic catalytic pathways but their present description is not necessarily the best one (16). All the complexation possibilities are not taken into account. 

Catalysis by organometallic compounds is based on activation of the substrates by coordinating it to the metal, which lowers the activation energy of the reaction between substrates. As in other types of catalysis the use of a homogeneous catalyst in a reaction provides a new pathway, because the reactants interact with the metallic complex first. Homogeneous transition metal catalysts are increasingly being applied in industrial processes to obtain bulk chemicals, fine chemicals and polymers. 

Comprehensive handbooks (28,29) are available that give extensive coverage of homogeneous catalysis by organometallic compounds. 

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