Metathesis influence

Of course, even in the case of acyclic alkenes reaction enthalpy is not exactly zero, and therefore the product distribution is never completely statistically determined. Table V gives equilibrium data for the metathesis of some lower alkenes, where deviations of the reaction enthalpy from zero are relatively large. In this table the ratio of the contributions of the reaction enthalpy and the reaction entropy to the free enthalpy of the reaction, expressed as AHr/TASr, is given together with the equilibrium distribution. It can be seen that for the metathesis of the lower linear alkenes the equilibrium distribution is determined predominantly by the reaction entropy, whereas in the case of the lower branched alkenes the reaction enthalpy dominates. If the reaction enthalpy deviates substantially from zero, the influence of the temperature on the equilibrium distribution will be considerable, since the high temperature limit will always be a 2 1 1 distribution. Typical examples of the influence of the temperature are given in Tables VI and VII. 

Many authors have observed that the cis-trans ratio of the products of the metathesis reaction is equal to the thermodynamic equilibrium value. This suggests that the reaction is not highly stereoselective. However, under certain conditions the product distribution is influenced by kinetic factors. For instance, it proves to be possible to prepare from cyclopentene... 

The discussion about the mechanism of the dehydrogenative polymerization reaction has not yet been completed. However, the reaction mechanism seems to be strongly influenced by the specific random conditions that apply for each particular system. Presumably with late transition metals a silylene mechanism is more appropriate. It may be a matter of the steric constraints of the system to shift the reaction towards a-bond metathesis. 

The E/Z selectivity problem is restricted to cross metathesis and RCM leading to macrocycles (macro-RCM). Both aspects have recently been covered in reviews by Blechert et al. [8d] and by Prunet [44]. E/Z selectivity can be influenced by reaction temperature, solvent or substitution pattern of the substrate. Here, we will only discuss the influence of the precatalyst. 

Bent ansa-metallocenes of early transition metals (especially Ti, Zr, Hf) have attracted considerable interest due to their catalytic activity in the polymerization of a-olefins. Ruthenium-catalyzed olefin metathesis has been used to connect two Cp substituents coordinated to the same metal [120c, 121a] by RCM or to connect two bent metallocenes by cross metathesis [121b]. A remarkable influence of the catalyst on E/Z selectivity was described for the latter case while first-generation catalyst 9 yields a 1 1 mixture of E- and Z-dimer 127, -127 is the only product formed with 56d (Eq. 19). 

The results obtained with the various metathesis substrates depicted in Scheme 44 demonstrate the lack of a stereopredictive model for the RCM-based formation of macrocycles, not only by the strong influence that may be exhibited by remote substituents, but also by the fact that the use of more reactive second-generation catalysts may be unfavorable for the stereochemical outcome of the reaction. Dienes 212a-f illustrate the influence of the substitution pattern. All reactions were performed with Grubbs first-generation catalyst A... 

Scheme 49 Total syntheses of epo490 (240d) and epoD (237d) by diene-ene RCM between CIO and Cl 1 favorable influence of solvent toluene or unprotected hydroxy groups in metathesis substrates 239 [113]...

Thus far, chemists have been able to influence the stereoselectivity of macro-cyclic RCM through steric and electronic substrate features or by the choice of a catalyst with appropriate activity, but there still exists a lack of prediction over the stereochemistry of macrocyclic RCM. One of the most important extensions of the original metathesis reaction for the synthesis of stereochemi-cally defined (cyclo)alkenes is alkyne metathesis, followed by selective partial hydrogenation. 

Nearly all of the polymers produced by step-growth polymerization contain heteroatoms and/or aromatic rings in the backbone. One exception is polymers produced from acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization.22 Hydrocarbon polymers with carbon-carbon double bonds are readily produced using ADMET polymerization techniques. Polyesters, polycarbonates, polyamides, and polyurethanes can be produced from aliphatic monomers with appropriate functional groups (Fig. 1.1). In these aliphatic polymers, the concentration of the linking groups (ester, carbonate, amide, or urethane) in the backbone greatly influences the physical properties. 

The first cross metathesis to form a tetra-substituted olefin was achieved recently [146]. Howell and co-workers used lactams as substrates for CM with mono- and di-substituted olefins. The authors suggest that the limitations of the method are primarily due to steric reasons. Varying the electron density of the lactam showed no great influence on the reactivity while steric influences like a-branched allylic crosspartners or a methyl-group in the C4-position of the lactam both led to no reaction (Scheme 3.13). 

In scrutinizing the various proposed reaction sequences in Eq. (26), one may classify the behavior of carbene complexes toward olefins according to four intimately related considerations (a) relative reactivities of various types of olefins (b) the polar nature of the metal-carbene bond (c) the option of prior coordination of olefin to the transition metal, or direct interaction with the carbene carbon and (d) steric factors, including effects arising from ligands on the transition metal as well as substituents on the olefinic and carbene carbons. Information related to these various influences is by no means exhaustive at this point. Consequently, some apparent contradictions exist which seem to cast doubt on the relevance of various model compound studies to conventional catalysis of the metathesis reaction, a process which unfortunately involves species which elude direct structural determination. 

At this early stage of comprehension of the interrelation between metathesis and cyclopropanation, many questions remain. Why is the formation of cyclopropanes such a rare occurrence with typical metathesis catalysts, yet favored with some zero-valent carbene complexes What is the role of prior complexation of the olefin with the metal in determining the reaction course for metal-carbene species How are typical metathesis carbenes polarized, and how does this polarization influence selectivity of metathesis reactions (e.g., regenerative metathesis of a-... 

From a consideration of data provided in studies limited to the metathesis of 2-pentene, several views of the stereochemistry have been recently advanced. For the most part, they deal only with steric influences caused by alkyl groups coming from the reacting olefin. 

It would be tempting to apply the same rationale to the metathesis of 2-pentene isomers, but clearly, the steric requirements of methyl and ethyl are much less than that of isopropyl, and trade-offs involving cis-1,2-disubstitution vs. axial orientation are not clear neither is the important role of catalyst ligand influence. 

The presence of halogen atoms appears to exert little, if any, effect on catalyst activity, but it can influence the course of the metathesis reaction. Vinylic halides are unreactive, as exemplified by the ring-opening polymerization of l-chloro-l,5-cyclooctadiene, which afforded a perfectly alternating copolymer of butadiene and chloroprene (7/2) via polymerization exclusively through the unsubstituted double bond. 

The ruthenium catalyst system, 14, shown in Fig. 3, also carries out ADMET condensation chemistry, albeit with higher concentrations being required to achieve reasonable reaction rates [32]. The possibility of intramolecular compl-exation with this catalyst influences the polymerization reaction, but nonetheless, ruthenium catalysis has proved to be a valuable contributor to overall condensation metathesis chemistry. Equally significant, these catalysts are tolerant to the presence of alcohol functionality [33] and are relatively easy to synthesize. For these reasons, ruthenium catalysis continues to be important in both ADMET and ring closing metathesis chemistry. 

Dyson et al. also showed that it is important to account for the chloride concentration in the ionic liquid [87]. These authors proved that chloride impurities, resulting from the synthesis of the ionic liquid, have a strong influence on hydrogenation activity. This was demonstrated by a comparison of hydrogenation activity in [BMIM][BF4] which was made via the classical ion-exchange reaction (metathesis route, Scheme 41.2 (1)), with a chloride concentration of 0.2 mol kg-1, and the same ionic liquid which was made by direct conversion of... 

Advent of ring-closing olefin metathesis reaction has influenced the synthetic strategy of pheromones very much. For example, the racemate of a macrolide pheromone such as (5Z,13S)-5-tetradecen-13-olide (29) (aggregation pheromone of the flat grain beetle, Cryptolestes pusillus) could readily be synthesized as shown in Scheme 42 [67]. Unfortunately, ( )-29 prepared by this method was a mixture of c/s, trans-isomers (Z/E=69 31). (S)-5-Hexadecanolide (27) was also synthesized by means of ring-closing olefin metathesis as shown in Scheme 43 [68]. 

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