Metathesis reactions transition-metal complexes

Although the number of applications of olefin metathesis to transition metal complexes is small compared to the number of applications in organic synthesis, this field is becoming increasingly important. Spectacular examples are the double RCM reactions of copper phenanthroline complexes as a synthetic route to catenanes [113] or a recently reported approach to steric shielding of rhenium complex terminated sp-carbon chains [114]. 

Before discussing the preparation of late transition metal complexes resulting from the activation of O-H bonds by late transition metal complexes, we wbl describe metathesis methods for the preparation of hydrido(hydroxo), hydrido(alkoxo), and hydrido(carboxylato) complexes. Though many methods of preparation of transition metal hydroxides, alkoxides, etc. by a metathesis reaction have been reported [1], only a limited number of examples of the preparation of hydrido(hydroxo), hydri-do(alkoxo) complexes etc. by metathesis are available. 

Several transition metal complexes can catalyze the exchange of partners of two double bonds. Known as the olefin metathesis reaction, this process can be used to close or open rings, as well to interchange double-bond components. 

The mechanism for the reaction catalyzed by cationic palladium complexes (Scheme 24) differs from that proposed for early transition metal complexes, as well as from that suggested for the reaction shown in Eq. 17. For this catalyst system, the alkene substrate inserts into a Pd - Si bond a rather than a Pd-H bond [63]. Hydrosilylation of methylpalladium complex 100 then provides methane and palladium silyl species 112 (Scheme 24). Complex 112 coordinates to and inserts into the least substituted olefin regioselectively and irreversibly to provide 113 after coordination of the second alkene. Insertion into the second alkene through a boat-like transition state leads to trans cyclopentane 114, and o-bond metathesis (or oxidative addition/reductive elimination) leads to the observed trans stereochemistry of product 101a with regeneration of 112 [69]. 

Enyne metathesis is caused by transition metals. There are two types of enyne metathesis one is caused by a carbene complex, as is olefin metathesis, via [2+2] cocyclization and the other type is a reaction that proceeds via oxidative cycli-zation by a low-valent transition metal complex (Scheme 2). 

In many other reactions of zirconacydes catalyzed by transition metal complexes containing Cu, Ni, Pd, etc., a-bond metathesis (transmetallation) must undoubtedly be involved, but such products have not generally been identified. Partly for this reason, they are not discussed here. Readers are referred to the chapter by T. Takahashi. 

Figure 2. Hydroboration reactions of olefin catalyzed by early transition metal complexes. The proposed reaction mechanism involves a o-bond metathesis step. (M = Lanthanide or other early transition metals.)...

As mentioned in the introduction, early transition metal complexes are also able to catalyze hydroboration reactions. Reported examples include mainly metallocene complexes of lanthanide, titanium and niobium metals [8, 15, 29]. Unlike the Wilkinson catalysts, these early transition metal catalysts have been reported to give exclusively anti-Markonikov products. The unique feature in giving exclusively anti-Markonikov products has been attributed to the different reaction mechanism associated with these catalysts. The hydroboration reactions catalyzed by these early transition metal complexes are believed to proceed with a o-bond metathesis mechanism (Figure 2). In contrast to the associative and dissociative mechanisms discussed for the Wilkinson catalysts in which HBR2 is oxidatively added to the metal center, the reaction mechanism associated with the early transition metal complexes involves a a-bond metathesis step between the coordinated olefin ligand and the incoming borane (Figure 2). The preference for a o-bond metathesis instead of an oxidative addition can be traced to the difficulty of further oxidation at the metal center because early transition metals have fewer d electrons. 

Effectively, this is another example of the addition of a functional aromatic compound to an alkene, as the Murai reaction, but the mechanism is different. Alkyl substituted pyridine derivatives are interesting molecules for pharmaceutical applications. The a-bond metathesis reaction is typical of early transition metal complexes as we have learnt in Chapter 2. 

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cycloolefins,93-99 a reaction of significant practical importance (see Section 12.3), is catalyzed by a number of well-defined transition-metal complexes. Alkylidene and metallacyclobutane... 

At present, Mo, W, Re and Ru complexes are known to catalyse alkene metathesis [7]. This unique reaction, catalysed by transition metal complexes, is impossible to achieve by other means. Later, based on studies of the reactivities of Fischer-type carbene complexes, it was discovered that carbene complexes are the intermediates in alkene metatheses. WClg reacts with EtAlCl2 to afford the diethyltungsten complex 3 by transmetallation, and subsequent elimination of a-hydrogen generates ethane and the carbene complex 4 which is the active catalyst. 

Alkenylsilanes, mainly vinyl silanes and allyl silanes or related compounds, being widely used intermediates for organic synthesis can be efficiently prepared by several reactions catalyzed by transition-metal complexes, such as dehy-drogenative silylation of alkenes, hydrosilylation of alkynes, alkene metathesis, silylative coupling of alkenes with vinylsilanes, and coupling of alkynes with vinylsilanes [1-7]. Ruthenium complexes have been used for chemoselective, regioselective and stereoselective syntheses of unsaturated products. 

The term intramolecular enyne metathesis describes two types of processes. One involves a [2+2] cycloaddition of a multiple bond and a transition-metal carbene complex and the other is an oxidative cyclization catalyzed by low-valent transition-metal complexes, for example, Pt, Pd and Ru. The latter reaction is also called a skeletal reorganization. Both processes lead to similar products (Eq. 84). 

Carbenes can be stabilized as transition metal complexes decomposition of phenyldiazomethane in the presence of a ruthenium(II) complex gives a carbene complex stable enough to be isolated and stored for months. These complexes are among the most important of carbene-derived reagents because of a remarkable reaction known as alkene (or more commonly olefin) metathesis. 

Alkene metathesis is one of the more important of the many new useful reactions that use transition metal complexes as catalysts. You will see more in Chapters 45 and 48. 

Olefin metathesis is the transformation of two olefins 1 and 2 into two new olefins 3 and 4. Formally, the reaction represents a mutual exchange of alkylidene groups [Eq. (1)]. The reaction is catalyzed by various transition metal complexes. 

Boroles are readily reduced to the respective dianions owing in part to the empty p orbital on the boron atom. The reduction of 6-(4-/i< t/-butylphenyl)-3-/i t/-butyl-5-(bis-2,6-(4-/< /r-butylphenyl)phenyl)dibenzoborole 37 with excess lithium powder in diethyl ether suspension at — 10°C led to deep red crystalline dianionic bis(diethylether)dilithium salt 38. An attempt to obtain transition metal complexes by metathesis reactions of transition metal halides SnCU,... 

There are essentially three different types of transition metal carbene complexes featuring three different types of carbene ligands. They have all been named after their first discoverers Fischer carbenes [27-29], Schrock carbenes [30,31] and WanzUck-Arduengo carbenes (see Figure 1.1). The latter, also known as N-heterocycUc carbenes (NHC), should actually be named after three people Ofele [2] and Wanzlick [3], who independently synthesised their first transition metal complexes in 1968, and Arduengo [1] who reported the first free and stable NHC in 1991. Fischer carbene complexes have an electrophilic carbene carbon atom [32] that can be attacked by a Lewis base. The Schrock carbene complex has a reversed reactivity. The Schrock carbene complex is usually employed in olefin metathesis (Grubbs catalyst) or as an alternative to phosphorus ylides in the Wittig reaction [33]. 

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