Method 7 Alkyne Metathesis

The Pd-catalyzed C-C coupling (Sonogashira coupling) was applied to polymer synthesis about 20 years ago [23-25], and has especially been developed for the synthesis of n-conjugated poly(aryleneethynylene)s (PAEs) (for reviews, see refs. [16,26-33]). Recently other synthetic routes for PAEs were also developed, e.g., the alkyne metathesis method [28, 34] and the coupling reaction of =C-MR3 with R X (M=Si [35, 36] or Sn [37, 38]). In this review, we are concerned with the synthesis and chemical properties of PAEs with heteroaromatic rings. 

RCM of dienes to cycloalkenes provides a useful method for the syntheses of carbo- and heterocycles and thus has been proved to be extremely effective in total synthesis of various natural products. Usually, however, mixtures of (E)- and (Z)-olefms result. In contrast, ring-closing alkyne metathesis provides a reliable route for synthesis of both (E)- and (Z)-macrocycloalkenes in a stereoslective manner taking advantage of stereoselective partial reduction of resulting cycloalkynes. A Lindlar reduction gives (Z)-cycloalkenes, whereas a hydroboration/ protonation sequence afford ( )-cycloalkenes (Equation (23)). Recently, Trost reported an alternative procedure for the synthesis of (E)-olefins from alkynes through hydrosilylation by a ruthenium catalyst. This procedure converts cycloalkyne 130, for example, to vinylsilane 131 and then to (E)-cycloalkene 132 in a stereoselective manner (Scheme 46)7 ... 

While alkyne metathesis is not going to displace alkene methathesis as a synthetic method, it is a complementary approach that can offer advantages. 

This short review focuses on the application of alkyne metathesis in the field of natural product synthesis, which is central for the evaluation and ranking of synthetic methods. Natural products are often complex, with the simultaneous presence of different functional groups and novel molecular architecture. If a method works for chemicals bought from the... 

The most recent method developed for the nA —> An approach relies on dynamic covalent bond formation using a metathesis reaction. In this case, reactions are typically under thermodynamic control, providing the potential for increased selectivity in product formation. The initial examples using alkyne metathesis toward the formation of SPMs were reported by Adams, Bunz, and coworkers using the precatalyst [Mo(CO)6] [27,28], but rather low yields of the desired products (4) limited general applicability (Scheme 6.2). Recent efforts by Moore and coworkers using a Mo(VI)-alkylidyne catalyst, however, have refined this process such that precipitation-driven reactions now provide moderate to excellent results (see Scheme 6.24) [29]. 

In 1995, Mori revived alkyne metathesis with simple Mo(CO)6-based catalyst systems, and successfully prepared a series of diaryl- and arylalkylacetylenes (Scheme 5) [12]. The yields of the dimerization reactions were not particularly high. The simplicity of the method utilizing off-the-shelf catalyst precursors in combination with technical quality solvents made these systems potentially valuable for the synthesis of novel aromatic oligomers and polymers (Scheme 5). Mori offered an alternative mechanistic picture as to how alkyne metathesis might work in these simple catalyst systems, which invoked a transient molybdenacyclo-pentadiene 9a the classic interpretation of alkyne metathesis according to Schrock involves an intermediate 9b as shown in Scheme 5. 

In Section 24.12, we introduced alkene (olefin) metathesis, i.e. metal-catalysed reactions in which C=C bonds are redistributed. The importance of alkene and alkyne metathesis was recognized by the award of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs and Richard R. Schrock for the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis . Examples of alkene metathesis are shown in Figure 27.3. The Chauvin mechanism for metal-catalysed alkene metathesis involves a metal alkyli-dene species and a series of [2 + 2]-cycloadditions and cycloreversions (Figure 27.4). Scheme 27.6 shows the mechanism for alkyne metathesis which involves a high oxidation state metal alkylidyne complex, L M=CR. 

The in-sUu formation of alkyne metathesis catalysts from cheap, commercially available Mo(CO)g and 4-chlorophenol, as developed by Mortreux [21-24] and Mori [25], is arguably the most popular method for the formation of hnear polymers by alkyne metathesis polymeriTation. In general, the well-defined W and Mo alkyhdyne... 

The PPEs [14, 35, 36], which are dehydrogenated analogs of the poly(p-phenylene vinylene) s, display desirable optoelectronic properties that have found extensive use as emissive materials [37, 38]. PPE preparation is dominated by the Sonogashira Pd/Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl haUdes and terminal alkynes [39]. However, polymerizations under these conditions rarely achieve a high molecular weight, and defects such as diyne formation and alkyne crosshnking in the polymer backbone are endemic [14, 40]. Alkyne metathesis was envisioned as a complementary method to PPE synthesis, with much success. 

There are two general methods to synthesize PAEs. One is die Pd-catalyzed coupling of a dihaloarene to a diethynylarene (6). The other is alkyne metathesis,... 

There is relevant material on carbenes in reviews on catalytic methods for metal carbene transformations formation of metal carbon multiple bonds from alkynes, metathesis catalysis. ... 

---