Imidazolium catalysts

The results supported the proposal of Glu-165 as the general base and suggested the novel possibility of neutral histidine acting as an acid, contrary to the expectation that His-95 was protonated [26,58]. The conclusion that the catalytic His-95 is neutral has been confinned by NMR spectroscopy [60]. The selection of neutral imidazole as the general acid catalyst has been discussed in terms of achieving a pX, balance with the weakly acidic intermediate. This avoids the thermodynamic trap that would result from a too stable enediol intermediate, produced by reaction with the more acidic imidazolium [58]. 

Another common reaction is the chlorination of alkenes to give 1,2-dihaloalka-nes. Patell et al. reported that the addition of chlorine to ethene in acidic chloroalu-minate(III) ionic liquids gave 1,2-dichloroethane [68]. Under these conditions, the imidazole ring of imidazolium ionic liquid is chlorinated. Initially, the chlorination occurs at the 4- and 5-positions of the imidazole ring, and is followed by much slower chlorination at the 2-position. This does not affect the outcome of the alkene chlorination reaction and it was found that the chlorinated imidazolium ionic liquids are excellent catalysts for the reaction (Scheme 5.1-39). 

In the author s group, much lower-melting benzenesulfonate, tosylate, or octyl-sulfate ionic liquids have recently been obtained in combination with imidazolium ions. These systems have been successfully applied as catalyst media for the biphasic, Rh-catalyzed hydroformylation of 1-octene [14]. The catalyst activities obtained with these systems were in all cases equal to or even higher than those found with the commonly used [BMIM][PF6]. Taking into account the much lower costs of the ionic medium, the better hydrolysis stability, and the wider disposal options relating to, for example, an octylsulfate ionic liquid in comparison to [BMIM][PF6], there is no real reason to center future hydroformylation research around hexafluorophosphate ionic liquids. 

The ease of formation of the carbene depends on the nucleophilicity of the anion associated with the imidazolium. For example, when Pd(OAc)2 is heated in the presence of [BMIM][Br], the formation of a mixture of Pd imidazolylidene complexes occurs. Palladium complexes have been shown to be active and stable catalysts for Heck and other C-C coupling reactions [34]. The highest activity and stability of palladium is observed in the ionic liquid [BMIM][Brj. Carbene complexes can be formed not only by deprotonation of the imidazolium cation but also by direct oxidative addition to metal(O) (Scheme 5.3-3). These heterocyclic carbene ligands can be functionalized with polar groups in order to increase their affinity for ionic liquids. While their donor properties can be compared to those of donor phosphines, they have the advantage over phosphines of being stable toward oxidation. 

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. 

In our previous work [8], we rqjorted the synthesis of (2-oxo-l,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methacrylate (DOMA) finrn carbon dioxide and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) using quaternary salt catalysts. In the present work, we studied the catalytic pra rmance of alkyhnethyl imidazolium salt ionic liquid in the synthesis of polycarbonate from the copolyraerization of CO2 with GMA. The influences of copolymerization variable like catalyst structure and reaction tenperature on the conversion of GMA and the yield of the polycarbonate have been discussed. 

We initially tested Candida antarctica lipase using imidazolium salt as solvent because CAL was found to be the best enzyme to resolve our model substrate 5-phenyl-l-penten-3-ol (la) the acylation rate was strongly dependent on the anionic part of the solvents. The best results were recorded when [bmim][BF4] was employed as the solvent, and the reaction rate was nearly equal to that of the reference reaction in diisopropyl ether. The second choice of solvent was [bmim][PFg]. On the contrary, a significant drop in the reaction rate was obtained when the reaction was carried out in TFA salt or OTf salt. From these results, we concluded that BF4 salt and PFg salt were suitable solvents for the present lipase-catalyzed reaction. Acylation of la was accomplished by these four enzymes Candida antarctica lipase, lipase QL from Alcaligenes, Lipase PS from Burkholderia cepacia and Candida rugosa lipase. In contrast, no reaction took place when PPL or PLE was used as catalyst in this solvent system. These results were established in March 2000 but we encountered a serious problem in that the results were significantly dependent on the lot of the ILs that we prepared ourselves. The problem was very serious because sometimes the reaction did not proceed at all. So we attempted to purify the ILs and established a very successful procedure (Fig. 3) the salt was first washed with a mixed solvent of hexane and ethyl acetate (2 1 or 4 1), treated with activated charcoal and passed into activated alumina neutral type I as an acetone solution. It was evaporated and dried under reduced... 

The hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds by EtjSiH catalysed by the copper NHC complexes 65 and 66-67 constitutes a convenient method for the direct synthesis of silyl-protected alcohols (silyl ethers). The catalysts can be generated in situ from the corresponding imidazolium salts, base and CuCl or [Cu(MeCN) ]X", respectively. The catalytic reactions usually occur at room tanperature in THE with very good conversions and exhibit good functional group tolerance. Complex 66, which is more active than 65, allows the reactions to be run under lower silane loadings and is preferred for the hydrosilylation of hindered ketones. The wide scope of application of the copper catalyst [dialkyl-, arylalkyl-ketones, aldehydes (even enoUsable) and esters] is evident from some examples compiled in Table 2.3 [51-53],... 

Allylic substitutions catalysed by palladium NHC complexes have been studied and the activity and selectivity of the catalysts compared to analogous Pd phosphine complexes. A simple catalytic system involves the generation of a Pd(NHC) catalyst in situ in THF, from Pdj(dba)j, imidazolium salt and Cs COj. This system showed very good activities for the substitution of the allylic acetates by the soft nucleophilic sodium dimethyl malonate (2.5 mol% Pdj(dba)3, 5 mol% IPr HCl, 0.1 equiv. C (CO ), THF, 50°C) (Scheme 2.22). Generation of the malonate nncleophile can also be carried out in situ from the dimethyhnalonate pro-nucleo-phile, in which case excess (2.1 equivalents) of Cs COj was used. The nature of the catalytic species, especially the number of IPr ligands on the metal is not clear. 

Improvement in the catalyst activities and enantioselectivities was realised by the development of the chiral, bidentate alkoxy-functionalised imidazolium and imidazolidinium pro-ligands (134 and 136). 134, after deprotonation, was used to prepare the well-defined complex 135. Both 136 in the presence of BuLi and Cu(OTf)2 or 135 without any additional co-reagents were efficient catalysts in the asymmetric 1,4 addition of dialky Izincs and Grignards to cyclohexen-2-one giving higher ee (83% at rt and 51% at -30°C, respectively) [107, 108]. 

Further insight into the P-borylation reaction of a,P-enones (Scheme 2.32) showed that the reaction can be carried out in THF, and the catalyst generated in situ from CuCl (5 mol%), the imidazolium salt (5 mol%), and NaO Bu (10 mol%), to form the [Cu(O Bu) (NHC)] as the catalysis initiating species. In this case, stable boron enolate products are formed which need to be hydrolysed by methanol to the ketone products [114]. 

In situ derived systems, in general, performed similarly to preformed complexes, in telomerisation of butadiene with MeOH, Tables 4.1 and 4.2 [68,70,71,77,78], In situ systans may be generated from free NHC or from imidazolium salt in combination with an appropriate Pd(0) or Pd(ll) source. Typically, 2-4 equivalents of imidazolium salt relative to Pd have been nsed [68,70,77], In situ catalysts derived from mono- and bis-Fc-snbstituted (Fc = ferrocenyl) imidazohnm and benzimidazolium salts (64-68) (Table 4.2) showed interesting telomerisation activities ascribed to the steric bulk of the Fc substituents [70]. Unsymmetrical salts 65 and 66 bearing A -Fc and A -Me... 

Among these in situ protocols are those using ionic liquids as the solvent, or as both the solvent and the ligand. It was shown that the use of PdCOAc) in imidazolium-based ionic liquids forms in situ NHC-Pd(II) species [42], The use of methylene-bridged bis-imidazolium salt ionic liquids to form chelated complexes has also been reported [43], although better results have been obtained when Bu NBr is used as the solvent [44] and imidazolium salts were added together with PdCl in catalytic amounts [45]. Other related catalytic species such as bis-NHC complexes of silica-hybrid materials have been tested as recyclable catalysts [46,47]. 

Related reactions, that have been catalysed by NHC/Pd systems, are the intramolecular Mizoroki-Heck using catalysts formed in situ from imidazolium salts and a Pd(0) source [69], and the arylation of allylic alcohols by a benzothiazole-Pd complex [70,71] (Scheme 6.14). 

The use of imidazolium salts for in situ catalyst formation was shown to be optimal for the coupling of TMS-protected alkynes even with sterically demanding aryl bromides and avoids the formation of homocoupling-derived products. For this reaction, Nolan reported that the activation of chlorobenzene by this catalytic system was possible in moderate yield [125] (Scheme 6.41). 

The first examples utilising A-heterocyclic carbenes as ligands in the Buchwald-Hartwig amination involved the in situ formation of the catalyst from the corresponding imidazolium salt and a Pd(0) source. Nolan reported IPr-HCl/PdjCdbalj as a catalytic system for the amination of aryl chlorides in excellent yields, using different types of amines, anilines, and also imines or indoles [142,143] (Scheme 6.46). Hartwig showed later that in some cases the reactions could be performed at room temperature and without anhydrous conditions even for aryl chlorides [ 144]. This was later shown for the less challenging bromides and iodides [145,146]. 

Palladium NHC systems for the hydrodehalogenation of aryl chlorides and bromides and polyhalogenated aromatic substrates originate from about the same time as the first reports on Ni chemistry, and show many similarities. Initial efforts showed that the combination of PdCdba) (2 mol%), one equivalent of imidazolium chloride and KOMe produced an effective system for the reduction of 4-chlorotolu-ene, especially upon use of SIMes HCl 2 (96% yield of toluene after 1 h at 100°C) [7]. Interestingly, higher ligand to metal ratios severely inhibited the catalysis with only 7% yield of toluene achieved in the same time in the presence of two equivalents of SIMes HCl 2. Variation of the metal source (Pd(OAc)2, Pd(CjHjCN)jClj), alkoxide (NaOMe, KO Bu, NaOH/ ec-BuOH) or imidazolium salt (IMes HCl 1, IPr HCl 3, lAd HCl, ICy HCl) all failed to give a more active catalyst. 

Co-NHC complexes receive considerably less attention than Rh-NHC complexes, despite the fact that NHCs may actually be better suited to cobalt. That is, basic phosphines work well with Co whereas less basic phosphines and phosphites provide the best Rh catalysts [2]. Van Rensburg and co-workers synthesised the dimer [Co(CO)3(lMes)]2 (25) and combined it with 1-octene and syngas (H iCO = 2 1) at 60 bar and 170°C [29, 30]. The result was a dark brown oily precipitate identified as the imidazolium salt [IMesH]+[Co(CO) ] . 

Madsen and co-workers have reported an important extension to the amine alkylation chemistry, in which oxidation takes place to give the amide product [13]. A ruthenium NHC complex is formed in situ by the reaction of [RuCl Ccod)] with a phosphine and an imidazolium salt in the presence of base. Rather than returning the borrowed hydrogen, the catalyst expels two equivalents of H. For example, alcohol 31 and benzylamine 27 undergo an oxidative coupling to give amide 32 in good isolated yield (Scheme 11.7). 

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