Rhodium ethers

Similar activation takes place in the carbonylation of dimethyl ether to methyl acetate in superacidic solution. Whereas acetic acid and acetates are made nearly exclusively using Wilkinson s rhodium catalyst, a sensitive system necessitating carefully controlled conditions and use of large amounts of the expensive rhodium triphenylphosphine complex, ready superacidic carbonylation of dimethyl ether has significant advantages. 

The reaction mechanism and rates of methyl acetate carbonylation are not fully understood. In the nickel-cataly2ed reaction, rate constants for formation of methyl acetate from methanol, formation of dimethyl ether, and carbonylation of dimethyl ether have been reported, as well as their sensitivity to partial pressure of the reactants (32). For the rhodium chloride [10049-07-7] cataly2ed reaction, methyl acetate carbonylation is considered to go through formation of ethyUdene diacetate (33) ... 

The unit has virtually the same flow sheet (see Fig. 2) as that of methanol carbonylation to acetic acid (qv). Any water present in the methyl acetate feed is destroyed by recycle anhydride. Water impairs the catalyst. Carbonylation occurs in a sparged reactor, fitted with baffles to diminish entrainment of the catalyst-rich Hquid. Carbon monoxide is introduced at about 15—18 MPa from centrifugal, multistage compressors. Gaseous dimethyl ether from the reactor is recycled with the CO and occasional injections of methyl iodide and methyl acetate may be introduced. Near the end of the life of a catalyst charge, additional rhodium chloride, with or without a ligand, can be put into the system to increase anhydride production based on net noble metal introduced. The reaction is exothermic, thus no heat need be added and surplus heat can be recovered as low pressure steam. 

The avermectins also possess a number of aUyflc positions that are susceptible to oxidative modification. In particular the 8a-methylene group, which is both aUyflc and alpha to an ether oxygen, is susceptible to radical oxidation. The primary product is the 8a-hydroperoxide, which has been isolated occasionally as an impurity of an avermectin B reaction (such as the catalytic hydrogenation of avermectin B with Wilkinson s rhodium chloride-triphenylphosphine catalyst to obtain ivermectin). An 8a-hydroxy derivative can also be detected occasionally as a metaboUte (42) or as an impurity arising presumably by air oxidation. An 8a-oxo-derivative can be obtained by oxidizing 5-0-protected avermectins with pyridinium dichromate (43). This also can arise by treating the 8a-hydroperoxide with base. 

With Alcohols, Ethers, and Esters. Carbon monoxide reacts with alcohols, ethers, and esters to give carboxyHc acids. The reaction yielding carboxyHc acids is general for alkyl (53) and aryl alcohols (54). It is cataly2ed by rhodium or cobalt in the presence of iodide and provides the basis for a commercial process to acetic acid. 

Bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene rhodium (I) chloride dimer (norbornadiene rhodium chloride complex dimer) [12257-42-0] M 462, m 240°(dec). Recrystd from hot CHCl3-pet ether as fine crystals soluble in CHCI3 and C H but almost insoluble in Et20 or pet ether. [7 Chem Soc 3178 1959.]... 

The rhodium-catalyzed isomerization can also be carried out with the chiral catalyst, Ru2Cl4(diop)3 (H2, 20-80°, 1-6 h, 47-90% yield). In this case, optically enriched enol ethers are obtained. ... 

A 500-ml rcund-bottom flask is equipped with a reflux condenser, a gas inlet tube, and a gas outlet leading to a bubbler. The flask is charged with a solution of rhodium (III) chloride trihydrate (2 g) in 70 ml of 95 % ethanol. A solution of triphenylphosphine (12 g, freshly recrystallized from ethanol to remove the oxide) in 350 ml of hot ethanol is added to the flask, and the system is flushed with nitrogen. The mixture is refluxed for 2 hours, following which the hot solution is filtered by suction to obtain the product. The crystalline residue is washed with several small portions of anhydrous ether (50 ml total) affording the deep red crystalline product in about 85% yield. 

A solution of 76 g (S)-( + )-mandelic acid in 400 ml methanol and 5 ml acetic acid was reduced over 5% rhodium-on-alumina under 100 psig for 10 h. The catalyst was removed by filtration through Celite, and the methanol was removed in a rotary evaporator. The white, solid residue was dissolved in I 1 of hot diethyl ether and filtered while hot. After reduction of the volume to 400 ml, 250 ml cyclohexane was added. The remainder of the ether was removed, and the cyclohexane solution was stored for several hours in a refrigerator. The white crystals were filtered and dried in vacuo at 40 C the yield of (S)-( + )-hexahydromandelic acid was 71%. 

Another example is the hydrogenation of the homoallylic eompound 4-methyl-3-cyclohexenyl ethyl ether to a mixture of 4-methylcyclohexyl ethyl ether and methylcyclohexane. The extent of hydrogenolysis depends on both the isomerizing and the hydrogenolyzing tendencies of the catalysts. With unsupported metals in ethanol, the percent hydrogenolysis decreased in the order palladium (62.6%), rhodium (23 6%), platinum (7.1%), iridium (3.9%), ruthenium (3.0%) (S3). 

In general, hydrogenolysis of vinylic compounds is favored by platinum and hydrogenation by ruthenium and rhodium 31,55,59,72,106). In the reduction of 4-methyl-1-cyclohexenyl ether, the order of decreasing hydrogenolysis to give methylcyclohexane was established as Pt Ir > Rh > Os Ru = Pd (52). 

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium will function well under milder conditions and are especially useful when other reducible functions are present. Freifelder (23) considers rhodium-ammonia the system of choice when reducing -amino nitriles and certain )5-cyano ethers, compounds that undergo extensive hydrogenolysis under conditions necessary for base-metal catalysis. 

Nowadays, rhodium or ruthenium are often the preferred catalysts. Rhodium can be used under mild conditions, whereas ruthenium needs elevated pressures. If pressure is available, it might as well be used even with rhodium, for increased pressure makes more efficient use of the catalyst, as well as decreases whatever hydrogenolysis might occur at lower pressure. Rhodium 7,8,12 20,21,38,39,45,65,66,68,69,75) and ruthenium 18,26 8,52,68,69,72,74) are especially advantageous in reductions of sensitive phenols and phenyl ethers that undergo extensive hydrogenolysis over catalysts such as platinum oxide. 

Hydrogen was introduced into a standard hydrogenation vessel containing 10 grams 6-deoxy-6-demethyl-6-methylene-5-oxytetracycline hydrochloride (methacycline), 150 ml methanol and 5 grams 5% rhodium on carbon. The pressure was maintained at 50 psi while agitating at room temperature for 24 hours. The catalyst was then filtered off, the cake washed with methanol and the combined filtrates were evaporated to dryness. The dry solids were slurried in ether, filtered and the cake dried. The resulting solids exhibited a bioactivity of 1,345 units per mg versus K. pneumoniae. 

The carbenoid displacement reaction (see Section 1.4.5.2.1.4.) of the optically active acetoxy sulfide derivative 19 (or the corresponding methoxymethyl ether) with diazomalonate in the presence of a catalytic amount of rhodium acetate in refluxing benzene affords the tram-alkylation productl22. 

Thiacrown ether and related systems also tend to involve octahedrally coordinated rhodium(III) [107]. 

A neat mixture of the /l-unsaturated ketone (10mmol), triethylsilane (11 mmol), and tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(i) chloride (0.01 mmol) was stirred at 50°C for 2h, and the product silyl enol ether was distilled directly (yields 90-98%). 

Rhodium-catalysed addition (10) of hydridosilanes (Chapter 17) to a/3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds can be performed regioselectively, to afford either the product of 1,2-addition, or, perhaps more usefully, that of 1,4-addition, i.e. the corresponding silyl enol ether this latter process is an excellent method for the regiospecific generation of silyl enol ethers. Of all catalyst systems investigated, tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(l) chloride proved to be the best. 

Recently, Aumann et al. reported that rhodium catalysts enhance the reactivity of 3-dialkylamino-substituted Fischer carbene complexes 72 to undergo insertion with enynes 73 and subsequent formation of 4-alkenyl-substituted 5-dialkylamino-2-ethoxycyclopentadienes 75 via the transmetallated carbene intermediate 74 (Scheme 15, Table 2) [73]. It is not obvious whether this transformation is also applicable to complexes of type 72 with substituents other than phenyl in the 3-position. One alkyne 73, with a methoxymethyl group instead of the alkenyl or phenyl, i.e., propargyl methyl ether, was also successfully applied [73]. 

Rhodium catalysts have also been used. Benzylic halides were converted to carboxylic esters with CO in the presence of a rhodium complex. In this case, the R could come from an ether R20, a borate ester B(OR )3, or an Al, Ti, or Zr alkoxide. Reaction with an a,co-diiodide, BU4NF and Mo(CO)e gave the corresponding lactone. ... 

The rhodium-mediated reaction of 69 with 2,3-dihydrofuran (a formal dipolar cycloaddition of a cyclic diazo dicarbonyl compound with a vinyl ether) yields 70. Corrqiound 70 can be transformed in a number of steps to 71 a,b <96TL2391>. 

Asymmetric cyclizahon was also successful in the rhodium-catalyzed hydrosilyla-tion of silyl ethers 57 derived from allyl alcohols. High enanhoselectivity (up to 97%... 

Allyl groups attached directly to amine or amide nitrogen can be removed by isomerization and hydrolysis.228 These reactions are analogous to those used to cleave allylic ethers (see p. 266). Catalysts that have been found to be effective include Wilkinson s catalyst,229 other rhodium catalysts,230 and iron pentacarbonyl.45 Treatment of /V-allyl amines with Pd(PPh3)4 and (V,(V -dimethylbarbi Lurie acid also cleaves the allyl group.231... 

---