Diaminocarbenes

M-heterocyclic carbenes are neutral compounds with a divalent carbon atom located between the two nitrogens. The four types of stable diaminocarbenes used for the synthesis of chiral complexes are listed below (Fig. 2) ... 

Using these procedures, many chiral diaminocarbene-transition metal complexes have been synthesized but only a few of them have been used for asymmetric catalysis. The chiral complexes which were isolated but did not receive any application in asymmetric catalysis, are presented at the end of the chapter. 

Herrmann et al. reported for the first time in 1996 the use of chiral NHC complexes in asymmetric hydrosilylation [12]. An achiral version of this reaction with diaminocarbene rhodium complexes was previously reported by Lappert et al. in 1984 [40]. The Rh(I) complexes 53a-b were obtained in 71-79% yield by reaction of the free chiral carbene with 0.5 equiv of [Rh(cod)Cl]2 in THF (Scheme 30). The carbene was not isolated but generated in solution by deprotonation of the corresponding imidazolium salt by sodium hydride in liquid ammonia and THF at - 33 °C. The rhodium complexes 53 are stable in air both as a solid and in solution, and their thermal stability is also remarkable. The hydrosilylation of acetophenone in the presence of 1% mol of catalyst 53b gave almost quantitative conversions and optical inductions up to 32%. These complexes are active in hydrosilylation without an induction period even at low temperatures (- 34 °C). The optical induction is clearly temperature-dependent it decreases at higher temperatures. No significant solvent dependence could be observed. In spite of moderate ee values, this first report on asymmetric hydrosilylation demonstrated the advantage of such rhodium carbene complexes in terms of stability. No dissociation of the ligand was observed in the course of the reaction. 

Chiral diaminocarbene complexes of copper were used in asymmetric conjugate addition of diethylzinc to Michael acceptors. Achiral copper carbene complexes derived from imidazolium salts were synthesized and characterized for the first time by Arduengo in 1993 [43]. In 2001, Woodward reported the use of such Arduengo-type carbene in copper-catalyzed conjugate addition and showed their strong accelerating effect [44]. The same year, Alex-... 

This group showed that isolable silver(I) diaminocarbene complexes can be use in situ instead of free carbenes, to generate the copper carbene complex. The silver salts that precipitates during the formation of the copper complex have not any negative effect on the conversion. This method is advantageous since most of the silver complexes are isolable, air-stable and easily obtained by treatment of the corresponding imidazohnium salt by 0.5 equiv of silver oxide (Scheme 53). The solid structure of 78 was analyzed by X-ray diffraction. 

The use of chiral diaminocarbenes as transition metal hgands for catalyzed asymmetric synthesis is certainly an emerging field of research. They are relatively easy to prepare and they allow munerous structural modifications. Their transition metal complexes shows very usefull properties such as the thermal and air stability. Even if there is only a few reports of effective asymmetric transformations promoted by these class of catalyst, all these pioneering works open the route to the discovery of efficient new catalysts. 

Roland S, Mangeney P (2005) Chiral Diaminocarbene Complexes, Synthesis and Application in Asymmetric Catalysis. 15 191-229... 

Scheme 1.66 Cu-catalysed allylic alkylations of allylic phosphates with vinylalumi-num reagents in the presence of sulfur-containing diaminocarbene ligands.

Striking feature of 25 is the slight pyramidalization around the N1 and N2 centers, which are generally flat in other diaminocarbenes. Finally, carbene 25 revealed a very deshielded carbene center with a C-NMR signal at 5 285 ppm, which is 100 ppm downfield from that of phosphinocarbene 24. 

Rearrangement of the ruthenium (diaminocarbene) isocyanide complex 28 has been noted above. Migration of the carbene substituent group is thought to occur via an intramolecular cyclization reaction (57,58) ... 

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