Cobalt carbonyls, reaction with pyridines

The Co2(CO)g/pyridine system can catalyze carbomethoxylation of butadiene to methyl 3-pentenoate (Eq. 6.44) [80]. The reaction mechanism of the cobalt-catalyzed carbalkoxylation of olefins was investigated and the formation of a methoxycar-bonylcobalt species, MeOC(0)Co from a cobalt carbonyl complex with methanol as an intermediate is claimed [81, 82]. 

Both Co2(CO)g and Co4(CO),2 are oxidized by air even in the solid state, and by halogens. With the latter, complete decomposition to CO and Co(II) halides occurs. Reaction of cobalt carbonyl derivatives with I2 in pyridine is frequently used for analyses by gas volumetry of CO evolved. Octacarbonyldicobalt, Co2(CO)g, is attacked by organic substances that contain active protons and converted to the corresponding Co(II) salts , as in reactions for Fe(CO)j [equations (1) and (m), 14.6.2.3.2]. Included here is reaction of Co2(CO)g with cyclopentadiene to give dicarbonylcyclopentadienylcobalt(I) as a dark red oil (b.p. 75 C/22 torr) ... 

If cobalt carbonylpyridine catalyst systems are used, the formation of unbranched carboxylic acids is strongly favored not only by reaction of a-olefins but also by reaction of olefins with internal double bonds ( contrathermo-dynamic double-bond isomerization) [59]. The cobalt carbonylpyridine catalyst of the hydrocarboxylation reaction resembles the cobalt carbonyl-terf-phos-phine catalysts of the hydroformylation reaction. The reactivity of the cobalt-pyridine system in the hydrocarboxylation reaction is remarkable higher than the cobalt-phosphine system in the hydroformylation reaction, especially in the case of olefins with internal double bonds. This reaction had not found an industrial application until now. 

A more favorable synthesis of salts of the iron, cobalt and nickel carbonyl anions, which were initially prepared by disproportionation reactions of Fe(CO)5, Co2(CO)8, and Ni(CO)4 with pyridine and other amines, was found by treatment of the neutral carbonyls with alkali in aqueous or alcoholic solutions. Careful studies by Hieber revealed that Fe(CO)5 as well as Fe3(CO)12 reacted with exactly four equivalents of hydroxide ions to give the corresponding dianionic iron carbonylates (Scheme 4.4). These dianions are relatively strong bases and readily accept a proton from a water molecule to give the monoanionic hydrido carbonylates [I IFe(CO)4] and [HFe3(CO)n], respectively [36]. The related carbonylates of cobalt and manganese, [Co(CO)4] and [Mn(CO)5], were obtained by a similar way as [Fe(CO)4]2 [25]. With regard to the mechanism of Hieber s Basenreaktion , the most plausible explanation is based on an initial nucleophilic attack by the hydroxide ion at the carbon atom of a CO... 

Cobalt, nickel, iron, ruthenium, and rhodium carbonyls as well as palladium complexes are catalysts for hydrocarboxylation reactions and therefore reactions of olefins and acetylenes with CO and water, and also other carbonylation reactions. Analogously to hydroformylation reactions, better catalytic properties are shown by metal hydrido carbonyls having strong acidic properties. As in hydroformylation reactions, phosphine-carbonyl complexes of these metals are particularly active. Solvents for such reactions are alcohols, ketones, esters, pyridine, and acidic aqueous solutions. Stoichiometric carbonylation reaction by means of [Ni(CO)4] proceeds at atmospheric pressure at 308-353 K. In the presence of catalytic amounts of nickel carbonyl, this reaction is carried out at 390-490 K and 3 MPa. In the case of carbonylation which utilizes catalytic amounts of cobalt carbonyl, higher temperatures (up to 530 K) and higher pressures (3-90 MPa) are applied. Alkoxylcarbonylation reactions generally proceed under more drastic conditions than corresponding hydrocarboxylation reactions. 

The use of CO containing 3% H2 in the hydroesteriflcation reaction is standard, suggesting that a cobalt hydrocarbonyl is the active catalyst species. The reaction sequence involves olefin insertion into the Co—H bond, (carbonyl insertion) to give an acyl complex and cleavage with alcohol assisted by the pyridine promoter ... 

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