Metathesis, alkene mechanism

Alkanes, dipurin-8-yl-synthesis, 5, 574 Alkanes, poly-N-pyrazoIyl-synthesis, 5, 320 Alkanoic acids, tetrazolyl-anti-inflammatory activity, 5, 835 Alkanoic acids, 4-thienyi-cyclization, 4, 905-906 Alkene metathesis mechanism, 1, 668 Alkenes activated... 

Initially, it was thought more likely that the electron poor metal atom would be involved in the electrophilic attack at the alkene and also the metal-carbon bond would bring the alkene closer to the chiral metal-ligand environment. This mechanism is analogous to alkene metathesis in which a metallacyclobutane is formed. Later work, though, has shown that for osmium the actual mechanism is the 3+2 addition. Molecular modelling lends support to the 3+2 mechanism, but also kinetic isotope effects support this (KIEs for 13C in substrate at high conversion). Oxetane formation should lead to a different KIE for the two alkene carbon atoms involved. Both experimentally and theoretically an equal KIE was found for both carbon atoms and thus it was concluded that an effectively symmetric addition, such as the 3+2 addition, is the actual mechanism [22] for osmium. 

The reaction products are those expected if cyclobutanes were intermediates, but formation and cleavage of cyclobutanes is not the correct mechanism because cyclobutanes generally are not converted to alkenes over alkene-metathesis catalysts. 

The alkene metathesis reaction was unprecedented - such a non-catalysed concerted four-centred process is forbidden by the Woodward-Hoffmann rules - so new mechanisms were needed to account for the products. Experiments by Pettit showed that free cyclobutane itself was not involved it was not converted to ethylene (<3%) under the reaction condition where ethylene underwent degenerate metathesis (>35%, indicated by experiments involving Di-ethylene) [10]. Consequently, direct interconversion of the alkenes, via an intermediate complex (termed a quasi-cyclobutane , pseudo-cyclobutane or adsorbed cyclobutane ) generated from a bis-alkene complex was proposed, and a detailed molecular orbital description was presented to show how the orbital symmetry issue could be avoided, Scheme 12.14 (upper pathway) [10]. 

Alkene metathesis, a remarkable reaction catalyzed by transition metal catalysts, can be traced back to Ziegler-Natta chemistry as its origin [11], In 1964, Natta et al. reported a new type polymerization of cyclopentene using Mo- or W-based catalyst, without knowing the mechanism. This was the first example of ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP eq. 1.9) [12],... 

Abstract Ruthenium holds a prominent position among the efficient transition metals involved in catalytic processes. Molecular ruthenium catalysts are able to perform unique transformations based on a variety of reaction mechanisms. They arise from easy to make complexes with versatile catalytic properties, and are ideal precursors for the performance of successive chemical transformations and catalytic reactions. This review provides examples of catalytic cascade reactions and sequential transformations initiated by ruthenium precursors present from the outset of the reaction and involving a common mechanism, such as in alkene metathesis, or in which the compound formed during the first step is used as a substrate for the second ruthenium-catalyzed reaction. Multimetallic sequential catalytic transformations promoted by ruthenium complexes first, and then by another metal precursor will also be illustrated. 

Figure 5.23 (a) Chauvin-Herisson mechanism for alkene metathesis with well-defined (b) alkylidene and (c) metallacyclobutane initiators... 

By analogy with alkene metathesis, carbyne complexes might be expected to mediate the metathesis of alkynes, which indeed they do, but with some specific limitations. The basic mechanism parallels that for alkene metathesis, with the key intermediate being a metallacyclobutadiene which may break down in one of two possible directions (Figure 5.44). 

There are implications for both alkyne polymerisation and alkene metathesis in the above observations. The sequence ( M2MU) comprises the transformation of one p-carbene to another vi an alkyne insertion followed by rearrangement. If one envisages a molecule of alkyne in the role played by CO in the (Hlj) conversion then the sequence can be taken a step further through insertion of alkyne into the new p-carbyne. Successive insertions and rearrangements of this type then provide a mechanism... 

The ability of a p-carbene to react with an unsaturated hydrocarbon and form an enlarged dimetallocycle encourages speculation over their role in such processes as alkene metathesis and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. In Scheme 6 a possible mechanism for metathesis initiated by a p-carbene is presented, owing much to other workers (T7,22). Reactions of p-carbenes with alkenes are under investigation in our laboratory. Recently Pettit has observed that the p-methylene complex [Fe2(C0)8(p-CH2)] generates propene when subjected to a pressure of ethene and has also suggested the intermediacy of a three-carbon dimetallocycle (23). 

The mechanism of the alkene metathesis reaction is now very well understood and is shown in Scheme 1. The initial mechanistic proposal of a pairwise reaction (the pairwise mechanism) of two alkenes at a transition metal center in a pseudocyclobutane transition metal complex has been discarded in favor of the carbene mechanism (the Chauvin Mechanism) of Scheme 1. ... 

Evidence for the carbene mechanism is now so overwhelming (as discussed below) that the pairwise mechanism is only mentioned in this review for historical reasons. All alkene metathesis reactions are catalyzed by a metal carbene complex of some description, and the widely variable compositions used as catalysts are necessary to generate an active metal carbene group. 

The mechanism described in Scheme 1 (the Chauvin mechanism) is the accepted mechanism of alkene metathesis, and its validity has been demonstrated in two ways. First, classical kinetic studies, including isotopic labeling and crossover experiments performed using poorly defined catalysts, conclusively demonstrated that the carbene mechanism was consistent with the experiments, while the pairwise mechanism was not. More recently, the synthesis of isolable carbene complexes that catalyze the reaction has allowed a more direct observation of the reaction. Each individual step in the Chauvin mechanism has now been observed spectroscopically for several of the well-defined catalyst systems. 

The ROMP reaction is a special example of the alkene metathesis reaction as shown in equation (2), and the mechanism of the ROMP reaction is shown in Scheme 3. The first step in the reaction involves coordination of the substrate... 

Studies involving the specific exchange mechanisms," as well as theoretical calculations" " of alkene metathesis reactions, generally agree that the mechaiusm begins with jt-coordination of the alkene to the electrophihc metal as shown for a general diene in Scheme 5. 

Based upon your knowledge of alkene metathesis, what is the mechanism Exercise 11-4... 

The term alkene metathesis describes a reaction mechanism shown schematically in he following equation ... 

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