Esters metal catalysed amidation

Perhaps the most extensively studied catalytic reaction in acpreous solutions is the metal-ion catalysed hydrolysis of carboxylate esters, phosphate esters , phosphate diesters, amides and nittiles". Inspired by hydrolytic metalloenzymes, a multitude of different metal-ion complexes have been prepared and analysed with respect to their hydrolytic activity. Unfortunately, the exact mechanism by which these complexes operate is not completely clarified. The most important role of the catalyst is coordination of a hydroxide ion that is acting as a nucleophile. The extent of activation of tire substrate througji coordination to the Lewis-acidic metal centre is still unclear and probably varies from one substrate to another. For monodentate substrates this interaction is not very efficient. Only a few quantitative studies have been published. Chan et al. reported an equilibrium constant for coordination of the amide carbonyl group of... 

Once again, there has been considerable interest in tervalent ester and amide chemistry that relates to the preparation of new, often chiral, ligand systems for use in metal-catalysed homogeneous catalysis. 

As in recent years, the synthesis of new chiral phosphines and related chiral tervalent phosphorus esters and amides continues to be a major preoccupation, being driven by the need for improved performance in metal-catalysed processes. It is very pleasing to note that two of the recipients of the 2001 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, William S. Knowles, and Ryoji Noyori, are honoured for their work in the synthesis and application in catalysis of chiral phosphine ligands. Interest in the structures of metallo-organophosphide systems, noted in the previous volume, has continued to develop. The chemistry of heteroaromatic ring systems, notably that of phospholes, and of low coordination number p -bonded compounds, also remain active areas. 

Non-drying vegetable oil-based poly(ester amide) resins require a long time period and a high temperature for curing by conventional transition metal catalysed peroxide systems, such as Co-/Mn-octate/naphthate with methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP), in the presence of styrene as a... 

Once again, the drive for improved performance in transition metal ion-catalysed processes has continued to stimulate the synthesis of new types of organophosphine and tervalent phosphorus-ester and -amide ligands. Activity in the chemistry of heteroaromatic phosphorus ring systems and low-coordination number p -bonded systems has also remained at a high level. New mechanistic insights into the Mitsunobu reaction have been reported, and interest in synthetic applications of Staudinger/Mitsunobu procedures has continued to develop. 

The carbonylation of aryl halides with alcohols and amines catalysed by palladium complexes with triphenylphosphine ligand is the convergent and direct route to the synthesis of aromatic esters as well as aromatic amides. Even though these palladium complexes are widely employed as the best catalytic system, those catalysts are difficult to separate and reuse for the reaction without further processing. The major drawbacks are oxidation of triphenylphosphine to phosphine oxide, reduction of palladium complex to metal and termination of the catalytic cycle. The phosphine-free, thermally stable and air resistant catalyst (1) containing a carbon-palladium covalent bond (Figure 12.3) has been found to be a highly selective and efficient catalyst for the carbonylation of aryl iodides.[1]... 

Preparation of Phosphines by Addition of P-H to Unsaturated Compounds. -This route has not received much attention over the past year. A stereoselective synthesis of tris(Z-styryl)phosphine is offered by the addition of phosphine to phenylacetylene in a superbasic system (HMPA-H20-K0H)." In a similar vein, the reaction of phosphine with styrene and a-methylstyrene in a superbasic medium (DMSO-KOH) provides a route to the primary phosphines, (2-phenylethyl)phosphine and (2-methyl-2-phenylethyl)phosphine, respectively. 7 Transition metal phosphine complexes have been shown to catalyse the a-hydroxylation, P-cyanoethylation, and P-alkoxycarbonylethylation of phosphine. 71 Addition of primary phosphines to acrylic esters has been used for the synthesis of the phosphines (80).7 A similar addition of diphenylphosphine to acrylic esters and amides has given a series of hydrophilic phosphines (81). 72 The bis(phosphorinanyl)ethane (82) is formed in the photochemical addition of l,2-bis(phosphino)ethane to 1,4-pentadiene. ... 

Alkali metal t-butoxides, hydrides and bis(TMS)amides efficiently catalyse Claisen-Tishchenko disproportionation of aldehydes to the corresponding carboxylic esters. Potassium bases were more effective than sodium, and 18-crown-6 further accelerates the reaction. Kinetic studies suggest that the rate-determining step is a second-order concerted hydride transfer from a potassium hemiacetal to another molecule of aldehyde. 

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