Homogeneous catalysis, goals

Lanthanide-based catalysts, despite finding a lot of application in homogeneous catalysis, can be rather problematic due to the lability of some ligand types and the versatility of their coordination chemistry in the -1-3 oxidation state this makes the controlled synthesis of single-site Ln complexes a quite ambitious goal [92]. McLain and coworkers first demonstrated the high potential of a homoleptic yttrium complex Y(OCH2CH2NMe2)3 as ROP catalyst for the preparation of PLA from rac-lactide and that it promotes a rapid and controlled polymerization... 

The search for new reactivity and new reactions is an important target in homogeneous catalysis. A declared goal is the selective activation of C-H bonds under mild conditions. Although there are numerous examples of stoichiometric C-H bond oxidative additions to transition metal centers, successful examples regarding catalytic functionalization of C-H bonds have been made only during the last five years. Notable advances have been achieved by Moore and coworkers who described in 1992 the ortAo-acylation of pyridine with olefins and carbon monoxide. The cluster compound triruthenium dodecacarbonyl has been used as catalyst (Scheme 10). 

Future Prospects An area in which we may expect future developments is in the imaginative application of currently known catalytic reactions to the commercial and laboratory synthesis of new classes of compounds. Our understanding of the catalysis of oxidation is still in a much more primitive state than is the case for the reductive reactions discussed in this chapter, and this remains a great challenge. The current interest in developing environmentally sound synthetic routes in the chemical industry will also provide important new goals for homogeneous catalysis for the future. 

To put the importance of homogeneous catalysis in perspective, we first present a very brief summary of the basic processes of the petrochemical industry. Most of these processes are catalytic, and the goal is to convert crude oil to gasoline, other fuels, and basic building blocks for downstream chemicals. 

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