Reduction, of alkenes

Reduction of an alkene forms an alkane by addition of H2. TVvo bonds are broken-71 bond of the alkene and the H2 C bond—and two new C - H o bonds are formed. 

Hydrogenation catalysts are insoluble in common solvents, thus creating a heterogeneous reaction mixture. This insolubility has a practical advantage. These catalysts contain expensive metals, but they can be filtered away from the other reactants after the reaction is complete, and then reused. 

The addition of H2 occurs only in the presence of a metal catalyst, and thus, the reaction is called catalytic hydrt enation. The catalyst consists of a metal— usually Pd, Pt, or Ni—adsorbed onto a finely divided inert solid, such as charcoal. For example, the catalyst 10% Pd on carbon is composed of 10% Pd and 90% carbon, by weight. H2 adds in a syn fashion, as shown in Equation [2]. 

What alkane is formed when each alkene is treated with H2 and a Pd catalyst CHa CH2CH(CH3)2 

Recall from Chapter 8 that trans alkenes are generally more stable than els alkenes. 

Problem 12.3 Draw all alkenes that react with one equivalent of H2 in the presence of a palladium catalyst to form each alkane. Consider constitutional isomers only. 

Related processes such as hydrosilylation, hydroboration and hydroamination are considered in this chapter. Hydroformylation is also considered, as well as hydroacylation and hydrocyanation reactions of alkenes. 

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A catalyst, usually acid, is required to promote chemoselective and regioselective reduction under mild conditions. A variety of organosilanes can be used, but triethylsilane ia the presence of trifiuoroacetic acid is the most frequendy reported. Use of this reagent enables reduction of alkenes to alkanes. Branched alkenes are reduced more readily than unbranched ones. Selective hydrogenation of branched dienes is also possible. 

An even more effective homogeneous hydrogenation catalyst is the complex [RhClfPPhsfs] which permits rapid reduction of alkenes, alkynes and other unsaturated compounds in benzene solution at 25°C and 1 atm pressure (p. 1134). The Haber process, which uses iron metal catalysts for the direct synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures, is a further example (p. 421). 

Interactive to use a web-based palette to predict products from the reduction of alkenes. 

Iron porphyrins containing vinyl ligands have also been prepared by hydromet-allation of alkynes with Fe(TPP)CI and NaBH4 in toluene/methanol. Reactions with hex-2-yne and hex-3-yne are shown in Scheme 4. with the former giving two isomers. Insertion of an alkyne into an Fe(III) hydride intermediate, Fe(TPP)H, formed from Fe(TPP)Cl with NaBH4, has been proposed for these reactions. " In superficially similar chemistry, Fe(TPP)CI (present in 10 mol%) catalyzes the reduction of alkenes and alkynes with 200 mol% NaBH4 in anaerobic benzene/ethanol. For example, styrene is reduced to 2,3-diphenylbutane and ethylbenzene. Addition of a radical trap decreases the yield of the coupled product, 2,3-diphenylbutane. Both Fe(lll) and Fe(II) alkyls, Fe(TPP)CH(Me)Ph and [Fe(TPP)CH(Me)Ph] , were propo.sed as intermediates, but were not observed directly. ... 

Methanoic acid and methanoates were amongst the most effective donors used for reduction of alkenes in aqueous solution, using Rh, Ru, Pt, and Pd complexes of (115), the most active catalyst being [RuCl2(115)2].344... 

Supplemental References for Table 1. Organosilane Reduction of Alkenes... 

The synthesis of cationic rhodium complexes constitutes another important contribution of the late 1960s. The preparation of cationic complexes of formula [Rh(diene)(PR3)2]+ was reported by several laboratories in the period 1968-1970 [17, 18]. Osborn and coworkers made the important discovery that these complexes, when treated with molecular hydrogen, yield [RhH2(PR3)2(S)2]+ (S = sol-vent). These rhodium(III) complexes function as homogeneous hydrogenation catalysts under mild conditions for the reduction of alkenes, dienes, alkynes, and ketones [17, 19]. Related complexes with chiral diphosphines have been very important in modern enantioselective catalytic hydrogenations (see Section 1.1.6). 

Rhodium(II) acetate complexes of formula [Rh2(OAc)4] have been used as hydrogenation catalysts [20, 21]. The reaction seems to proceed only at one of the rhodium atoms of the dimeric species [20]. Protonated solutions of the dimeric acetate complex in the presence of stabilizing ligands have been reported as effective catalysts for the reduction of alkenes and alkynes [21]. 

In summary, the most popular hydrogen donors for the reduction of ketones, aldehydes and imines are alcohols and amines, while cyclic ethers or hydroaromatic compounds are the best choice for the reduction of alkenes and alkynes. 

In summary, the reduction of ketones and aldehydes can both be performed with MPV and transition-metal complexes as catalysts. Reductions of alkenes, al-kynes, and imines require transition-metal catalysts MPV reductions with these substrates are not possible. 

Transition metals can display selectivities for either carbonyls or olefins (Table 20.3). RuCl2(PPh3)3 (24) catalyzes reduction of the C-C double bond function in the presence of a ketone function (Table 20.3, entries 1-3). With this catalyst, reaction rates of the reduction of alkenes are usually higher than for ketones. This is also the case with various iridium catalysts (entries 6-14) and a ruthenium catalyst (entry 15). One of the few transition-metal catalysts that shows good selectivity towards the ketone or aldehyde function is the nickel catalyst (entries 4 and 5). Many other catalysts have never been tested for their selectivity for one particular functional group. 

Burk et al. showed the enantioselective hydrogenation of a broad range of N-acylhydrazones 146 to occur readily with [Et-DuPhos Rh(COD)]OTf [14]. The reaction was found to be extremely chemoselective, with little or no reduction of alkenes, alkynes, ketones, aldehydes, esters, nitriles, imines, carbon-halogen, or nitro groups occurring. Excellent enantioselectivities were achieved (88-97% ee) at reasonable rates (TOF up to 500 h ) under very mild conditions (4 bar H2, 20°C). The products from these reactions could be easily converted into chiral amines or a-amino acids by cleavage of the N-N bond with samarium diiodide. 

Chemical catalysts for transfer hydrogenation have been known for many decades [2e]. The most commonly used are heterogeneous catalysts such as Pd/C, or Raney Ni, which are able to mediate for example the reduction of alkenes by dehydrogenation of an alkane present in high concentration. Cyclohexene, cyclo-hexadiene and dihydronaphthalene are commonly used as hydrogen donors since the byproducts are aromatic and therefore more difficult to reduce. The heterogeneous reaction is useful for simple non-chiral reductions, but attempts at the enantioselective reaction have failed because the mechanism seems to occur via a radical (two-proton and two-electron) mechanism that makes it unsuitable for enantioselective reactions [2 c]. 

Brunner, Leitner and others have reported the enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of alpha-, beta-unsaturated alkenes of the acrylate type [50]. The catalysts are usually rhodium phosphine-based and the reductant is formic acid or salts. The rates of reduction of alkenes using rhodium and iridium diamine complexes is modest [87]. An example of this reaction is shown in Figure 35.8. Williams has shown the transfer hydrogenation of alkenes such as indene and styrene using IPA [88]. 

The balance between biocatalytic and other, organometallic-based, methodology is heavily biased in favour of the latter section when considering reduction reactions of importance in synthetic organic chemistry. Two areas will be described to illustrate the point, namely the reduction of carbonyl groups and the reduction of alkenes, not least since these points of focus complement experimental work featured later in the book. 

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