Chromium carbene complexes review

For a review on chromium carbene complex photochemistry in organic syntheses see Hegedus LS (1997) Tetrahedron 53 4105... 

The coordination chemistry of molybdenum reported during 1991 is reviewed, 20 as is the organometallic literature of the chromium triad reported during 1992.321 There is much material of interest in a review of chromium (II) based methods for C-C bond formation322 and a short review of recent developments in the use of chromium carbene complexes in organic synthesis.323 There is some material of interest in a review of peroxo and superoxo complexes of Cr, Mo and W324 and a review of chromium (III) cyano-am(m)ine complexes.325... 

Aryl- and alkenylcarbene complexes are known to react with alkynes through a [3C+2S+1C0] cycloaddition reaction to produce benzannulated compounds. This reaction, known as the Dotz reaction , is widely reviewed in Chap. Chromium-Templated Benzannulation Reactions , p. 123 of this book. However, simple alkyl-substituted carbene complexes react with excess of an alkyne (or with diynes) to produce a different benzannulated product which incorporates in its structure two molecules of the alkyne, a carbon monoxide ligand and the carbene carbon [128]. As referred to before, this [2S+2SH-1C+1C0] cycloaddition reaction can be carried out with diyne derivatives, showing these reactions give better yields than the corresponding intermolecular version (Scheme 80). 

A remarkable reaction, discovered by McGuire and Hegedus in 1982 [292], is the photochemical conversion of heteroatom-substituted chromium and molybdenum carbene complexes into intermediates with ketene-like character (Figure 2.21). This reaction has been reviewed by Hegedus [203]. 

Cycloaddition reactions of a,/3-unsaturated chromium and tungsten complexes have been studied to a great extent and have been reviewed.3 -6 Our report on cycloaddition of (l-alkynyl)carbene complexes is restricted to a short abstract and an update including more recent results. A most remarkable feature of [4+2] cycloadditions of 1,3 dienes to C=C bonds of (l-alkynyl)carbene complexes, e.g., li, is that such reactions proceed under very mild conditions, compared to those for reactions of propargylic esters, e.g., 41. Thus, formation of a Diels-Alder adduct, e.g., a norbornadiene derivative 42, can be achieved at 25°C via carbene complexes instead of at 190°C via the direct route (Scheme 15).68 Ligand disengagement from compound 40 can be achieved in various ways, e.g., by formation of an ester 43 through oxidation of the Cr=C bond, or by formation of an allyl silane 4369 or a stannane.70 71... 

Among the types of complexes found here are formyl, acyl, alkyl, and aryl carbonyls, carbonyl cyanides," " carbonyl isocyanides and acetylides," and thiocarbonyl and seleno-carbonyl complexes." Of the greatest significance, however, are the chromium carbenes, for example, (CO)sCr=C(OR)R". This chemistry has been thoroughly reviewed " nevertheless, these compounds will be briefly discussed here. 

A comprehensive treatment of the benzannulation of Fischer carbene complexes with alkynes is not possible in this review, and thus instead the material presented here will hopefully serve to give the reader an overview of its scope and limitations. The first report of this reaction was in 1975 by Dotz in which he describes the formation of the naphthol chromium tricarbonyl complex (236) from the reaction of the phenyl chromium complex (la) with diphenylacetylene. In the intervening years over 100 papers have been published describing various aspects of this reaction.The reaction of the generic cartene complex (233 Scheme 34) with alkynes will serve to focus the organization of the scope and limitations of the benzaimulation reaction. The issues to be considered are (i) the regioselectivity with unsymmetri-cal alkynes (ii) possible mechanisms (iii) applications in natural product syntheses (iv) the effect of substitution on the aryl or alkenyl substituent of the carbene carbon (v) functionality on the alkyne (vi) effects of the solvent and the concentration of the alkyne (vii) tandem applications with other reactions of carbene complexes (viii) reactions where aromatization is blocked (cyclohexadienone annulation) (ix) annulation of aryl versus alkenyl carbene complexes (x) the effect of the ligands L on the metal (xi) the effect of the ancilliary substituent RX and (xii) reactions with —C X functionality. 

The reactivity of carbene-metal complexes, amongst others the reactivity with respect to alkenes and alkynes, has been reviewed by Dotz Just like free carbenes the coordinated carbenes add to triple bonds to give cyclopropene derivatives. Other reaction products, however, are also possible. For instance, the carbene ligand of chromium complex 23 reacts with diphenylacetylene to a mixture of products, including naphthalene derivative 24 and furan derivative 25 (equation 18). A carbonyl ligand has participated. Molecular orbital calculations by Hofmann and Hammerle " on this system reveal that the reaction would pass through an y-vinylcarbene type of complex (26) instead of through a planar chromacyclobutene 27. The subsequent steps to yield either phenol or furan could involve vinylketene 28, but this still is a matter of debate. Similar, but more selective, furan syntheses have been observed for carbene complexes based on iron and cobalt. ... 

Another applieation of photogenerated metal coordinated ketenes is based on the addition of protie nucleophiles and has been exploited in the synthesis of amino aeids and peptides. [66] As usual, the reactive intermediate is generated by photolysis of an aminoearbene complex 46, which may be a-alkylated in a previous step. The oxazolidine auxiliary applied successfully inducing asymmetry in the P-laetam formation, allowed an enantioselective synthesis of amino aeids. Sinee both enantiomers of the auxiliary may be obtained from the corresponding phenyl glycine enantiomer, natural (5) and non-natural R) amino acid esters 47 are accessible via this route (Scheme 25). A recent review on synthetical applications of chromium carbene photochemistry has been published, [li]... 

Dotz has reviewed the use of chiral centers in either the alkyne or chromium carbene to control the facial selectivity of the chromium arene complex. Examples of these diastereoselective benzannulations exist with the controlling stereocenter in the alkyne, the chromate ester (or amide), or the unsaturated carbene. ... 

Many of the syntheses we have seen within this review depend on the carbonylation of a vinylcarbene complex for the generation of the vinylketene species. The ease of this carbonylation process is controlled, to some degree, by the identity of the metal. The electronic characteristics of the metal will clearly have a great effect on the strength of the metal-carbon double bond, and as such this could be a regulating factor in the carbene-ketene transformation. It is interesting to note the comparative reactivity of a (vinylcarbene)chromium species with its iron analogue The former is a fairly stable species, whereas the latter has been shown to carbonylate readily to form the appropriate (vinylketene)iron complex. 

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