Ruthenium complexes olefin

Jack Halpern Perhaps I have more reason than anyone else to be disposed to the view that 7r-complexing is an important step of the insertion reaction, because I think that possibly we have the only reasonably clear cut case of an olefin insertion reaction where a complex is clearly implicated. This is the ruthenium chloride-catalyzed hydrogenation of certain olefins, which almost certainly involves the insertion of the olefin into a ruthenium hydrogen bond and where certainly a ruthenium olefin complex is involved as an observable reactant. Nevertheless, I am not at all sure to what extent this is a general or necessary feature of such insertion reactions. The important question is whether one or two coordination positions on the metal ion are involved in the transition state of the insertion reaction. For example, if one considers the insertion of an olefin, say into an M—X bond, then the transition state may look something like ... 

Reduction of ammonium chlororuthenate with titanous chloride gives a solution containing divalent ruthenium which will absorb ethylene or propylene to give a 1 1 ruthenium-olefin complex which was not isolated (108). Ethylene was previously reported not to form stable complexes on treatment with ruthenium halides (97). 

Ruthenium-olefin complexes have been prepared by photochemical carbonyl displacement reactions ... 

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. 

The three steps 32-34 have been suggested77 to be equilibria, and the overall equilibrium must lie far to the left because no adduct 23 is found in the reaction mixture when the reaction of sulfonyl chloride with olefin is carried out in the absence of a tertiary amine. A second possible mechanism involving oxidative addition of the arenesulfonyl halide to form a ruthenium(IV) complex and subsequent reductive elimination of the ruthenium complex hydrochloride, [HRulvCl], was considered to be much less likely. 

Fig. 2 Ruthenium-NHC complexes active in catalytic olefin metathesis...

The mechanistic investigations presented in this section have stimulated research directed to the development of advanced ruthenium precatalysts for olefin metathesis. It was pointed out by Grubbs et al. that the utility of a catalyst is determined by the ratio of catalysis to the rate of decomposition [31]. The decomposition of ruthenium methylidene complexes, which attribute to approximately 95% of the turnover, proceeds monomolecularly, which explains the commonly observed problem that slowly reacting substrates require high catalyst loadings [31]. This problem has been addressed by the development of a novel class of ruthenium precatalysts, the so-called second-generation catalysts. 

The outstanding performances of five-membered NHC ligands in organometallic chemistry and catalysis prompted Grubbs and co-workers to develop a novel stable four-membered NHC [64]. Following their interest in developing new ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts, they synthesised and fully characterised complex 51 to study the impact of the architecturally unique NHC ligand on the activity of the Ru-based catalyst [65] (Fig. 3.20). In the RCM of 1 at 40°C in CH Cl with 51 (5 mol% catalyst), the reaction reached completion within 20 min, whereas less than 10 min are required for standard catalysts 14 and 16. It should be noted that catalysts 14 and 16 are able to complete the RCM of 1 with only 1 mol% catalyst at 30°C. 

Ruthenium-NHC complexes exhibit activity in a very wide field of applications. Due to their unique ability to break and reassemble olefin bonds under reaction conditions very favourable to design simple processes, applications in nearly any chemical discipline can be foreseen. This field may span from manufacturing of specialty polymers and rabbers to pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical intermediates, agrochemicals, fragrances, dyes, specialty chemicals for electronic applications or fine chemicals from natural feedstock and many more. Below are described Ru-NHC catalysed reactions applied from pilot to full commercial scale. 

In 1998, Wakatsuki et al. reported the first anti-Markonikov hydration of 1-alkynes to aldehydes by an Ru(II)/phosphine catalyst. Heating 1-alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of [RuCljlCgHs) (phosphine)] phosphine = PPh2(QF5) or P(3-C6H4S03Na)3 in 2-propanol at 60-100°C leads to predominantly anti-Markovnikov addition of water and yields aldehydes with only a small amount of methyl ketones (Eq. 6.47) [95]. They proposed the attack of water on an intermediate ruthenium vinylidene complex. The C-C bond cleavage or decarbonylation is expected to occur as a side reaction together with the main reaction leading to aldehyde formation. Indeed, olefins with one carbon atom less were always detected in the reaction mixtures (Scheme 6-21). 

Formation of a trinuclear ruthenium carbene complex via the olefin scission reaction has also been noted (68) ... 

Thermolysis of ruthenium carbene complexes leads to intramolecular r/> -bcnzylic C-H functionalization in the presence of a hydrogen-accepting olefin (Equation (35)).44,44a. 

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. 

The olefin binding site is presumed to be cis to the carbene and trans to one of the chlorides. Subsequent dissociation of a phosphine paves the way for the formation of a 14-electron metallacycle G which upon cycloreversion generates a pro ductive intermediate [ 11 ]. The metallacycle formation is the rate determining step. The observed reactivity pattern of the pre-catalyst outlined above and the kinetic data presently available support this mechanistic picture. The fact that the catalytic activity of ruthenium carbene complexes 1 maybe significantly enhanced on addition of CuCl to the reaction mixture is also very well in line with this dissociative mechanism [11] Cu(I) is known to trap phosphines and its presence may therefore lead to a higher concentration of the catalytically active monophosphine metal fragments F and G in solution. 

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. 

This observation may well explain the considerable difference between metal-olefin and metal-acetylene chemistry observed for the trinuclear metal carbonyl compounds of this group. As with iron, ruthenium and osmium have an extensive and rich chemistry, with acetylenic complexes involving in many instances polymerization reactions, and, as noted above for both ruthenium and osmium trinuclear carbonyl derivatives, olefin addition normally occurs with interaction at one olefin center. The main metal-ligand framework is often the same for both acetylene and olefin adducts, and differs in that, for the olefin complexes, two metal-hydrogen bonds are formed by transfer of hydrogen from the olefin. The steric requirements of these two edgebridging hydrogen atoms appear to be considerable and may reduce the tendency for the addition of the second olefin molecule to the metal cluster unit and hence restrict the equivalent chemistry to that observed for the acetylene derivatives. 

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]. 

The increased stability of ruthenium carbene complexes towards oxygen-containing compounds might be because later transition metals, having more d-electrons, are softer and hence react better with soft bases, e.g. olefins. The early transition metals, on the other hand, having few d-electrons, are generally harder and react preferentially with hard bases, such as water or carbonyl compounds. 

Recent mechanistic work has shown that 16 e Ru methylene complexes (such as bisphosphine 11) are slow to re-enter the catalytic cycle. Their reluctance to initiate can result in competitive decomposition see Mechanism and Activity of Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts, M.S. Sanford, J.A. Love, R.H. Grubbs,/. 

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

Together with Schrock s molybdenum-imido compound 50 ° the ruthenium-phosphine complexes 51 and especially 52 developed by Grubbs " proved to be an outstanding achievement in the development of molecular catalysts for olefin metathesis reactions (Scheme 10). 

Rhodium(I) and ruthenium(II) complexes containing NHCs have been applied in hydrosilylation reactions with alkenes, alkynes, and ketones. Rhodium(I) complexes with imidazolidin-2-ylidene ligands such as [RhCl( j -cod)(NHC)], [RhCl(PPh3)2(NHC)], and [RhCl(CO)(PPh3)(NHC)] have been reported to lead to highly selective anti-Markovnikov addition of silanes to terminal olefins [Eq. 

Ruthenium(II)-NHC systems ean be used for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Generally, similar results as for the analogous phosphine complexes are obtained. For the ATRP of styrene and methyl methacrylate (MMA) [(NHC)2peBr2] was found to rival copper(I)-based systems and to yield poly (MMA) with low polydispersities. Polymerizations based on olefin metathesis that are catalyzed by ruthenium-NHC complexes are discussed separately vide supra). 

Rhodium(I) and ruthenium(II) complexes containing NHCs with hemilabile ether moieties were successfully applied as catalysts for the cyclopropanation of olefins with diazoalkanes [Eq. (53)]. ... 

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)] °... 

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