Alkenes isomerization, homogeneous catalysis

Some recently reported examples of homogeneous catalysis of isomerization of alkenes by transition-metal complexes are listed in Table... 

We have already alluded to the diversity of oxidation states, the dominance of oxo chemistry and the cluster carbonyls. Brief mention should be made too of the tendency of osmium (shared also by ruthenium and, to some extent, rhodium and iridium) to form polymeric species, often with oxo, nitrido or carboxylato bridges. Although it does have some activity in homogeneous catalysis (e.g. of m-hydroxylation, hydroxyamination or animation of alkenes, see p. 558, and occasionally for isomerization or hydrogenation of alkenes, see p. 571), osmium complexes are perhaps too substitution-inert for homogeneous catalysis to become a major feature of the chemistry of the element. The spectroscopic properties of some of the substituted heterocyclic nitrogen-donor complexes may yet make osmium an important element for photodissociation energy research. 

Asymmetric Synthesis by Homogeneous Catalysis Coordination Organometallic Chemistry Principles Hydrobo-ration Catalysis Hydrogenation Isomerization of Alkenes Mechanisms of Reaction of Organometallic Complexes Silicon Organosilicon Chemistry. 

Ammonia N-donor Ligands Asymmetric Synthesis by Homogeneous Catalysis Decarbonylation Catalysis Hydride Complexes of the Transition Metals Hydroboration Catalysis Hydrogenation Isomerization of Alkenes Hydrosilation Catalysis P-donor Ligands Rhodium Organometallic Chemistry. 

Zr and Hf hydrides have been proposed as intermediates or by-products in heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis of alkene isomerization, polymerization, and trimerization reactions.388 657-659 For example, heating the well-characterized silica-bound Zr(neopentyl)ra (n 1, 2) with dihydrogen afforded silica supported Zr-hydrides as indicated by IR spectroscopy. 58 Interestingly, this silica-supported Zr hydride exchanged via cr-bond metathesis with alkanes to produce the corresponding Zr alkyl derivatives.388,660,661... 

Two reviews deal with the relation between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. One of these reviews is of a general physical and theoretical nature, while the other is concerned with specific classes of compounds — alkenes, alkynes, and fats — and concentrates on their hydrogenation and isomerization. Homogeneous catalysis by ruthenium complexes has been reviewed. The application of molecular orbital symmetry rules, to organic as well as to organometallic reaction mechanisms, has been discussed, and a set of rules similar to, but simpler to apply than, the Woodward-Hoffmann rules has been described. ... 

These and other recent studies of the homogeneous catalysis of the isomerization of alkenes summarized are in Table 2. 

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