Complexes metathesis-active

The observed methane generation points to a plausible I —> III or II - III transformation, but it does not distinguish which of the structures (II or III) is the metathesis-active carbene. This matter is mechanistically significant with regard to the chain termination process. Type III may terminate by a bimolecular dimerization sequence as in Eq. (11), or it may convert to a 7r-olefin complex via an uncommon 1,2-hydride shift ... 

The undefined but presumably coordinatively unsaturated species M would likely recombine with a free olefin to form a complex which is not a metathesis-active species, but which would now require an additional... 

In summary, the interrelation of cis-selective catalysts and their lack of metathesis activity with acyclic olefins are rationalized by a speculative scheme that incorporates the concept of a tridentate cagelike complex as the active species of cis-directing catalysts. 

A variety of catalytically active five-coordinate tungsten oxo and imido alkylidene complexes also have been prepared that contain some donor amine or pyridine linked either to the imido ligand or to a phenyl ligand bound to the metal (A, Scheme 2) [101-105]. Such species show metathesis activity (e.g., ROMP of norbornene),but there does not appear to be any proof that the integrity of the initiator is maintained. 

The exact nature of the alkylidenes formed on various oxide surfaces is still uncertain, as is the nature of the alkylidenes responsible for the often observed metathesis activity. Mo(N)(CH2CMe3)3 also has been employed as a precursor to a surface-bound species believed to be of the type Mo(NH)(CHCMe3)(CH2CMe3) (Osurf) [115]. Although the alkylidene carbon atom could not be observed in solid state NMR spectra, which is typical of surface supported alkylidenes, reaction with acetone to give 2,4,4-trimethylpent-2-ene quantitatively confirmed the presence of the reactive neopentylidene complex. Such species would initiate various metathesis reactions when prepared on partially dehydroxylated silica. 

The expected intermediate for the metathesis reaction of a metal alkylidene complex and an alkene is a metallacyclobutane complex. Grubbs studied titanium complexes and he found that biscyclopentadienyl-titanium complexes are active as metathesis catalysts, the stable resting state of the catalyst is a titanacyclobutane, rather than a titanium alkylidene complex [15], A variety of metathesis reactions are catalysed by the complex shown in Figure 16.8, although the activity is moderate. Kinetic and labelling studies were used to demonstrate that this reaction proceeds through the carbene intermediate. 

A Grubbs-type ruthenium complex and a Hoveyda ruthenium complex were compared under similar conditions for recycled activity. Both the reference catalysts showed a large drop in metathesis activity in the subsequent tests. For example, a Grubbs-type ruthenium alkylidene catalyst showed a drop of nearly 50% conversion in the second run. 

Two observations initiated a strong motivation for the preparation of indenylidene-ruthenium complexes via activation of propargyl alcohols and the synthesis of allenylidene-ruthenium intermediates. The first results from the synthesis of the first indenylidene complexes VIII and IX without observation of the expected allenylidene intermediate [42-44] (Schemes 8.7 and 8.8), and the initial evidence that the well-defined complex IX was an efficient catalyst for alkene metathesis reactions [43-44]. The second observation concerned the direct evidence that the well-defined stable allenylidene ruthenium(arene) complex Ib rearranged intramo-lecularly into the indenylidene-ruthenium complex XV via an acid-promoted process [22, 23] (Scheme 8.11) and that the in situ prepared [33] or isolated [34] derivatives XV behaved as efficient catalysts for ROMP and RCM reactions. 

R.H. Grubbs, P. Schwab, and S.T. Nguyen, High metathesis activity ruthenium and osmium metal carbene complexes, US Patent 6 806 325, assigned to California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA), October 19, 2004. 

---