Olefin transition metal complexes theoretical studies

Sakaki S (2005) Theoretical Studies of C-H s-Bond Activation and Related by Transition-Metal Complexes. 12 31-78 Satoh T, see Miura M (2005) 14 1-20 Satoh T, see Miura M (2005) 14 55-84 Savoia D (2005) Progress in the Asymmetric Synthesis of 1,2-Diamines from Azomethine Compounds. 15 1-58 Schmalz HG, Gotov B, Bbttcher A (2004) Natural Product Synthesis. 7 157-180 Schmidt B, Hermanns J (2004) Olefin Metathesis Directed to Organic Synthesis Principles and Applications. 13 223-267... 

Abstract The applications of hybrid DFT/molecular mechanics (DFT/MM) methods to the study of reactions catalyzed by transition metal complexes are reviewed. Special attention is given to the processes that have been studied in more detail, such as olefin polymerization, rhodium hydrogenation of alkenes, osmium dihydroxylation of alkenes and hydroformylation by rhodium catalysts. DFT/MM methods are shown, by comparison with experiment and with full quantum mechanics calculations, to allow a reasonably accurate computational study of experimentally relevant problems which otherwise would be out of reach for theoretical chemistry. 

In many catalytic processes and transition metal mediated reactions, a-bor-ane complexes have been shown to be intermediates. The bis(borane) complex Cp2Ti( 72-HBcat/)2 (HBcaT = HBcat-4-f-Bu) is a highly active catalyst for the hydroboration of vinylarenes [37]. A mechanism, shown in Scheme 3, has been proposed for the Ti-catalyzed hydroboration on the basis of a detailed mechanistic study [37]. Theoretical calculations provided further support to the proposed reaction mechanism and showed that the reductive elimination step, giving the product molecules, is rate-determining [38]. In the Cp2Ti(CO)2 catalyzed hydroboration of alkynes [36,37], the proposed reaction mechanism (Scheme 4) also involves a a-borane complex similar to 11 and 14. In the titanium-catalyzed decaborane-olefin hydroborations [47,48], a-borane complexes were also considered as intermediates. In the Cp2MH (M = Nb, Ta) mediated hydroboration reactions of olefins [39,41], Smith and his coworkers observed several interesting cr-borane complexes, such as 21-23 discussed above. 

Numerous theoretical studies on both early and late transition metal SSCs have appeared in recent years covering nearly all aspects of the olefin polymerization process (for reviews, see Refs. 282 and 283). The employed methodologies include molecular mechanics (284-291), ah initio electronic structure methods (292-297), density functional studies (298-303), as well as various hybrid techniques (304-308), such as the combination of quantum and molecular mechanics (QM/MM). A detailed description of these studies is outside the scope of this article nevertheless, these theoretical investigations have played a major role in elucidating the elementary steps of olefin complexation, chain propagation, and chain termination as well as the mechanisms of stereocontrol in catalytic olefin polymerization. 

We consider the various factors (basis set, level of electron correlation) governing the accuracy of theoretical calculation of bonds to transition metals. The lessons of these studies are utilized in examining metathesis by high-oxidation-state Cr and Mo complexes. Metathesis of olefins by the Cr complexes is unfavorable because of a competing reaction involving cyclopropane elimination. The metathesis by Mo complexes is more favorable, and we conclude... 

The most famous mechanism, namely Cossets mechanism, in which the alkene inserts itself directly into the metal-carbon bond (Eq. 5), has been proposed, based on the kinetic study [134-136], This mechanism involves the intermediacy of ethylene coordinated to a metal-alkyl center and the following insertion of ethylene into the metal-carbon bond via a four-centered transition state. The olefin coordination to such a catalytically active metal center in this intermediate must be weak so that the olefin can readily insert itself into the M-C bond without forming any meta-stable intermediate. Similar alkyl-olefin complexes such as Cp2NbR( /2-ethylene) have been easily isolated and found not to be the active catalyst precursor of polymerization [31-33, 137]. In support of this, theoretical calculations recently showed the presence of a weakly ethylene-coordinated intermediate (vide infra) [12,13]. The stereochemistry of ethylene insertion was definitely shown to be cis by the evidence that the polymerization of cis- and trans-dideutero-ethylene afforded stereoselectively deuterated polyethylenes [138]. 

---