Ruthenium carbenes, metathesis

Acyclic diene molecules are capable of undergoing intramolecular and intermolec-ular reactions in the presence of certain transition metal catalysts molybdenum alkylidene and ruthenium carbene complexes, for example [50, 51]. The intramolecular reaction, called ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM), affords cyclic compounds, while the intermolecular reaction, called acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization, provides oligomers and polymers. Alteration of the dilution of the reaction mixture can to some extent control the intrinsic competition between RCM and ADMET. 

Ruthenium hydride complexes, e.g., the dimer 34, have been used by Hofmann et al. for the preparation of ruthenium carbene complexes [19]. Reaction of 34 with two equivalents of propargyl chloride 35 gives carbene complex 36 with a chelating diphosphane ligand (Eq. 3). Complex 36 is a remarkable example because its phosphine ligands are, in contrast to the other ruthenium carbene complexes described so far, arranged in a fixed cis stereochemistry. Although 36 was found to be less active than conventional metathesis catalysts, it catalyzes the ROMP of norbornene or cyclopentene. 

The search for even more active and recyclable ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts has recently led to the development of phosphine-free complexes by combining the concept of ligation with N-heterocyclic carbenes and benzyli-denes bearing a coordinating isopropoxy ligand. The latter was exemplified for Hoveyda s monophosphine complex 13 in Scheme 5 [12]. Pioneering studies in this field have been conducted by the groups of Hoveyda [49a] and Blechert [49b], who described the phosphine-free precatalyst 71a. Compound 71a is prepared either from 56d [49a] or from 13 [49b], as illustrated in Scheme 16. 

Eq. 14) [81]. Although this transformation does not appear to be a metathesis reaction, it is thought to proceed via the formation of ruthenium carbene species and not via classical [2+2+2]-cycloaddition pathways. A rationale for the strong preference of the meta isomer 99 was provided on the basis of a metathesis-type mechanism. 

It has been demonstrated that group 6 Fischer-type metal carbene complexes can in principle undergo carbene transfer reactions in the presence of suitable transition metals [122]. It was therefore interesting to test the compatibility of ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts and electrophilic metal carbene functionalities. A series of examples of the formation of oxacyclic carbene complexes by metathesis (e.g., 128, 129, Scheme 26) was published by Dotz et al. [123]. These include substrates where double bonds conjugated to the pentacarbonyl metal moiety participate in the metathesis reaction. Evidence is... 

While diene metathesis or diyne metathesis are driven by the loss of a (volatile) alkene or alkyne by-product, enyne metathesis (Fig. 2) cannot benefit from this contributing feature to the AS term of the reaction, since the event is entirely atom economic. Instead, the reaction is driven by the formation of conjugated dienes, which ensures that once these dienes have been formed, the process is no longer a reversible one. Enyne metathesis can also be considered as an alkylidene migration reaction, because the alkylidene unit migrates from the alkene part to one of the alkyne carbons. The mechanism of enyne metathesis is not well described, as two possible complexation sites (alkene or alkyne) exist for the ruthenium carbene, leading to different reaction pathways, and the situation is further complicated when the reaction is conducted under an atmosphere of ethylene. Despite its enormous potential to form mul-... 

For the last 2 decades ruthenium carbene complexes (Grubbs catalyst first generation 109 or second generation 110, Fig. 5.1) have been largely employed and studied in metathesis type reactions (see Chapter 3) [31]. However, in recent years, the benefits of NHC-Ru complexes as catalysts (or pre-catalysts) have expanded to the area of non-metathetical transformations such as cycloisomerisation. 

Quite recently, ruthenium carbene complexes more typically known as olefin metathesis catalysts have been shown to act as alkyne hydrosilylation catalysts.78,79 7Vzz r-addition is the major product with trialkylsilanes, even in a single example with an internal alkyne.78 This result represents one of the very few examples of fra r-hydrosilylation of internal alkynes. 

Keywords Ruthenium-carbenes, Ruthenium-allenylidenes, Ring closing metathesis, Natural product synthesis, Fine chemicals. 

In a formal sense, complexes 1 represent pre-catalysts that convert in the first turn of the catalytic cycle (vide infra) into ruthenium methylidene species of type 3 which are believed to be the actual propagating species in solution (Schemes 2,4). The ease of formation of 3 strongly depends on the electronic properties of the original carbene moiety in 1. In addition to complexes la-c with R1=CH=CPh2, ruthenium carbenes with Rx=aryl (e.g. Id, Scheme 3) constitute another class of excellent metathesis pre-catalysts, which afford the methylidene complex 3 after an even shorter induction period [5]. In contrast, any kind of electron-withdrawing (e.g. -COOR) or electron-donating substitu-... 

The ruthenium carbene complexes 1 discussed in the previous chapter have set the standards in the field of olefin metathesis and are widely appreciated tools for advanced organic synthesis [3]. A serious drawback, however, relates to the preparation of these compounds requiring either 3,3-diphenylcyclopropene or diazoalkanes, i.e. reagents which are rather difficult to make and/or fairly hazardous if used on a large scale [60]. Therefore, a need for metathesis catalysts persists that exhibit essentially the same activity and application profile as 1 but are significantly easier to make. 

In turn, the propensity of 1 to respond to steric hindrance can be used to control the site of initiation of an RCM reaction in a polyene substrate (Scheme 9) [20]. Thus, dienyne 25 reacts with the catalyst regioselectively at the least substituted site the evolving ruthenium carbene 26 undergoes a subsequent enyne metathesis leading to a new carbene 27, which is finally trapped by the disubsti-tuted olefin to afford the bicyclo[4.4.0]decadiene product 28. By simply reversing the substitution pattern of the double bonds, the complementary bicyclo [5.3.0] compound 32 is formed exclusively, because the cyclization cascade is then triggered at the other end of the substrate. Note that in both examples tri-substituted olefins are obtained by means of a ruthenium based metathesis catalyst [20] ... 

Intermolecular enyne metathesis has recently been developed using ethylene gas as the alkene [20]. The plan is shown in Scheme 10. In this reaction,benzyli-dene carbene complex 52b, which is commercially available [16b], reacts with ethylene to give ruthenacyclobutane 73. This then converts into methylene ruthenium complex 57, which is the real catalyst in this reaction. It reacts with the alkyne intermolecularly to produce ruthenacyclobutene 74, which is converted into vinyl ruthenium carbene complex 75. It must react with ethylene, not with the alkyne, to produce ruthenacyclobutane 76 via [2+2] cycloaddition. Then it gives diene 72, and methylene ruthenium complex 57 would be regenerated. If the methylene ruthenium complex 57 reacts with ethylene, ruthenacyclobutane 77 would be formed. However, this process is a so-called non-productive process, and it returns to ethylene and 57. The reaction was carried out in CH2Cl2 un-... 

With the development of an analogous ruthenium benzylidene catalyst 17 by Grubbs and co-workers in 1995, a ruthenium carbene catalyst suitable for the cross-metathesis reaction was in place [34]. Benzylidene 17 exhibited the same impressive tolerance of air and moisture, and the same stability towards functional groups as its predecessor 4, but benefited from easier preparation [35,36] and much improved initiation rates. 

Polymers Catalytic reactions involving C=C bonds are widely used for the conversion of unsaturated fatty compounds to prepare useful monomers for polymer synthesis. Catalytic C-C coupling reactions of unsaturated fatty compounds have been reviewed by Biermann and Metzger [51]. Metathesis reactions involving unsaturated fatty compounds to prepare co-unsaturated fatty acid esters have been applied by Warwel et al. [52], Ethenolysis of methyl oleate catalyzed by ruthenium carbenes developed by Grubb yields 1-decene and methyl 9-decenoate (Scheme 3.6), which can be very useful to prepare monomers for polyolefins, polyesters, polyethers and polyamide such as Nylon 11. 

Adlhart, C. Hinderling, C. Baumann, H. Chen, P. Mechanistic Studies of Olefin Metathesis by Ruthenium Carbene Complexes Using ESl-MS/MS. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000,122, 8204-8214. 

Ruthenium complexes B are stable in the presence of alcohols, amines, or water, even at 60 °C. Olefin metathesis can be realized even in water as solvent, either using ruthenium carbene complexes with water-soluble phosphine ligands [815], or in emulsions. These complexes are also stable in air [584]. No olefination of aldehydes, ketones, or derivatives of carboxylic acids has been observed [582]. During catalysis of olefin metathesis replacement of one phosphine ligand by an olefin can occur [598,809]. 

Ruthenium Carbene-Based Olefin Metathesis Initiators Catalyst Decomposition and Longevity M. Ulman, R.H. Grubbs,/. Org.Chem. 1999, 64, 7202— 7207. 

A Soluble Polymer-Bound Ruthenium Carbene Complex A Robust and Reusable Catalyst for Ring-Qosing Olefin Metathesis, Q. Yao, Angew. Chem. 2000,... 

Later Grubbs discovered ruthenium carbene complex and used it for a metathesis reaction to synthesize cyclic compounds 5a-d [Eqs. (6.4) and (6.5)]. In 1995, Grubbs found that ruthenium benzylidene carbene complex Ic," which is now commercially available, has the same reactivity as that of lb. Many researchers have therefore used this complex for olefin metathesis, and this reaction has been useful for the synthesis of carbo- and heterocyclic compounds and fused bicyclic compounds [Eq. [6.6)] °... 

Cross-metathesis of terminal alkyne 142 and cyclopentene gives cyclic compound 143 having a diene moiety [Eq. (6.114)]. ° Terminal ruthenium carbene generated from an alkyne and methylidene ruthenium carbene complex reacts with cyclopentene to afford two-carbon elongated cycloheptadiene 143 ... 

Another example is the ionic tagging of a ruthenium carbene catalyst for ringclosing alkene metathesis. A [-(CH2)4-MIM] PF6 moiety was built into the structure of the catalyst, which enabled the long-term retention of the catalyst in the [BMIM]PF6 ionic liquid for multiple recycles (188). 

Reuse of Catalysts in Ring-Closure Metathesis with an Ionic Tagged Ruthenium Carbene Complex (188)... 

On the other hand, it has been shown that ruthenium carbene complexes lb and Ic are also effective for enyne metathesis. Intramolecular reaction of enyne metathesis is now a useful method for synthesizing cyclic compounds having a diene moiety, and intermolecular enyne metathesis has provided a method for synthesis of 1,3-dienes. 

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