Hydrogenation Wilkinson’s catalysts

Hydrogenations. Wilkinson s catalyst does not promote hydrogenation of aromatic compounds under mild reaction conditions. However, in special cases, certain aromatic compounds... 

Wilkinson s catalyst [Rh(Ph3P)3Cl]. An important catalyst for homogeneous hydrogenation which also catalyses oxidation by O2 and CO abstraction from organic derivatives. 

More recently. Baker, Tumas, and co-workers published catalytic hydrogenation reactions in a biphasic reaction mixture consisting of the ionic liquid [BMIM][PFg] and SCCO2 [10]. In the hydrogenation of 1-decene with Wilkinson s catalyst [RhCl(PPh3)3] at 50 °C and 48 bar H2 (total pressure 207 bar), conversion of 98 %... 

Aldehydes, both aliphatic and aromatic, can be decarbonylated by heating with chlorotris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium or other catalysts such as palladium. The compound RhCl(Ph3P)3 is often called Wilkinson s catalyst.In an older reaction, aliphatic (but not aromatic) aldehydes are decarbonylated by heating with di-tert-peroxide or other peroxides, usually in a solution containing a hydrogen donor, such as a thiol. The reaction has also been initiated with light, and thermally (without an initiator) by heating at 500°C. 

Wilkinson s catalyst has also been reported to decarbonylate aromatic acyl halides at 180°C (ArCOX ArX). This reaction has been carried out with acyl iodides, bromides, and chlorides. Aliphatic acyl halides that lack an a hydrogen also give this reaction, but if an a hydrogen is present, elimination takes place instead (17-16). Aromatic acyl cyanides give aryl cyanides (ArCOCN—> ArCN). Aromatic acyl chlorides and cyanides can also be decarbonylated with palladium catalysts. °... 

Scheme 4.17 Simplified alkene hydrogenation mechanism using Wilkinson s catalyst...

Most low-valence metal complexes are generally deactivated by air and sometimes also by water. Carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and PH3 frequently act as poisons for these catalysts. Poisoning by strongly co-ordinating molecules occurs by formation of catalytically inert complexes. An example is the poisoning of Wilkinson s catalyst for alkene hydrogenation ... 

The strategy of using two phases, one of which is an aqueous phase, has now been extended to fluorous . systems where perfluorinated solvents are used which are immiscible with many organic reactants nonaqueous ionic liquids have also been considered. Thus, toluene and fluorosolvents form two phases at room temperature but are soluble at 64 °C, and therefore,. solvent separation becomes easy (Klement et ai, 1997). For hydrogenation and oxo reactions, however, these systems are unlikely to compete with two-phase systems involving an aqueous pha.se. Recent work of Richier et al. (2000) refers to high rates of hydrogenation of alkenes with fluoro versions of Wilkinson s catalyst. De Wolf et al. (1999) have discussed the application and potential of fluorous phase separation techniques for soluble catalysts. 

The modifier in these cases seems to generate enantioselective sites at the metal surface and helps the molecule to adsorb in a preferred fashion so that the formation of only one stereo- product is possible. There are several milestones that have contributed to this state-of-the-art technology. Discovery of Wilkinson s catalyst led to the feasibility of asymmetric hydrogen transfer with the aid of an optically active Wilkinson-type catalyst for L-DOPA (Monsanto s anti-Parkinson disease drug) synthesis (Eqn. (21)). 

A series of anchored Wilkinson s catalysts were prepared by reacting the homogeneous Wilkinson catalyst with several alumina/heteropoly acid support materials. These catalysts were used to promote the hydrogenation of 1-hexene. The results were compared with those obtained using the homogeneous Wilkinson and a l%Rh/Al203 catalyst with respect to catalyst activity and stabihty as well as the reaction selectivity as measured by the amount of double bond isomerization observed. The effect which the nature of the heteropoly acid exerted on the reaction was also examined. 

Catecholborane and pinacolborane are especially useful in hydroborations catalyzed by transition metals.163 Wilkinson s catalyst Rh(PPh3)3Cl is among those used frequently.164 The general mechanism for catalysis is believed to be similar to that for homogeneous hydrogenation and involves oxidative addition of the borane to the metal, generating a metal hydride.165... 

The mechanism of alkene hydrogenation catalyzed by the neutral rhodium complex RhCl(PPh3)3 (Wilkinson s catalyst) has been characterized in detail by Halpern [36-38]. The hydrogen oxidative addition step involves initial dissociation of PPI13, which enhances the rate of hydrogen activation by a factor... 

Figure 1 Hydrogen uptake curves for 1-hexene hydrogenations run at 35°C and 50 psig of hydrogen in 10% toluene/EtOH with a stirring rate of 1700 rpm. a) AHC-Wilk catalyst b) Homogeneous Wilkinson s catalyst.

Amine catalyzed conversion of P-iodoethyl-benzene to styrene, followed by hydrogenation to ethylbenzene catalyzed by Wilkinson s catalyst Sol-gel immobilization of both catalysts... 

Since the first reports on Wilkinson s catalyst,19,20 many transition-metal-based catalytic systems for hydrogenation of unsaturated organic molecules have been developed. Two major pathways seem to occur, one involving monohydride (M—11) species, and the other, dihydride (MH2)... 

Neither tritium or deuterium gas, with zero dipole moments, can be expected to interact positively with microwave radiation. Their low solubilities are seen as a further disadvantage. Our thoughts therefore turned towards an alternative procedure, of using solid tritium donors and the one that has found most favor with us is formate, usually as the potassium, sodium or ammonium salt. Catalytic hydrogen transfer of this kind is remarkably efficient as the results for a-methylcinnamic acid show [50]. The thermal reaction, when performed at a temperature of 50 °C, takes over 2 h to come to equilibrium whereas the microwave-enhanced reaction is complete within 5 min. A further advantage is that more sterically hindered al-kenes such as a-phenylcinnamic acid which are reduced with extreme difficulty when using H2 gas and Wilkinson s catalyst are easily reduced under microwave-enhanced conditions. 

FIGURE 22.8 The hydrogenation of alkenes using Wilkinson s catalyst. L is P(C6H5)3 or perhaps a solvent molecule. 

Some disagreement exists regarding the structure of the transition state (whether H or P3 is trans to the alkene) and whether or not solvent molecules occupy sites that are apparently vacant. In spite of some uncertainty regarding these details, the major issues regarding the catalyzed hydrogenation of alkenes using Wilkinson s catalyst are fairly well understood. 

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