Ruthenium second-generation

The metathesis of ene-ynamides has been investigated by Mori et al. and Hsung et al. [80]. Second-generation ruthenium catalysts and elevated temperatures were required to obtain preparatively useful yields. Witulski et al. published a highly regioselective cyclotrimerization of 1,6-diynes such as 98 and terminal alkynes using the first-generation ruthenium metathesis catalyst 9... 

In recent years, a wealth of information has accumulated on RCM reactions leading to 5-, 6-, and 7-membered carbocycles and heterocycles, so that it is impossible to refer to all the new, natural product-directed work. Therefore, we will concentrate here on a few selected examples that can illustrate (1) the progress made by the advent of the second-generation ruthenium catalysts C-E, (2) the use of RCM in concert with other innovative methodology, and (3) the use of RCM in total syntheses of newly discovered natural products which, due to an outstanding biological profile, have attracted specific interest by the synthetic community. 

The CM reaction between 2-methyl-2-butene (a gera-disubstituted olefin that served in this case also as solvent) and the allylated compound 300, possessing the bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane core of the potential Alzheimer therapeutic garsubellin A (302) [137], underlines the increased activity of the second-generation ruthenium catalysts (Scheme 58). In the presence of 10 mol% of NHC catalyst C, the prenylated compound 301 was formed after only 2 h in 88% yield. 

Second-generation ruthenium-carbene complex, (tricyclohexylphosphine-[l,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene][benzylidene]ruthenium (IV) dichloride),4e was purchased from Strem Chemicals. 

The main reason for the rapid development of metathesis reactions on a laboratory scale (the reaction itself had been known for quite a long time) has been the development of active and robust second-generation ruthenium catalysts (6/3-14 to 6/3-16), which usually provide better yields than the first-generation Grubbs catalysts (6/3-9 or 6/3-13) (Scheme 6/3.2). This also reflects the huge number of domino processes based on ruthenium-catalyzed metathesis, which is usually followed by a second or even a third metathesis reaction. However, examples also exist where, after a metathesis, a second transition metal-catalyzed transformation or a pericyclic reaction takes place. 

Kimura et al. also presented the synthesis and characterization of a second-generation ruthenium(II) bis(terphenyl)polyphenylene dendrimer 52, an attractive molecule with regard to its electrochemical and photochemical pro-... 

Figure 3 Typical second-generation ruthenium-carbene complexes.

Scheme 3 Enyne metathesis using second-generation ruthenium carbene compiexes.

Pawlow et al. (3) prepared multifiinctionalized high-trans-content elastomeric polymers using Grubbs second-generation ruthenium catalyst in the metathesis polymerization of cyclooctadiene, cyclopentene, and l,4-bis(trimethoxysilyl)-2-butene. 

Two tandem alkene metathesis-oxidation procedures using Grubb s second-generation ruthenium catalyst resulted in unique functional group transformations. Use of sodium periodate and cerium(III) chloride, in acetonitrile-water, furnished cis-diols. Oxidation with Oxone, in the presence of sodium hydrogencarbonate, yielded a-hydroxy ketones.296 Secondary alcohols are oxidized to ketones by a hydrogen... 

Scheme 12.21 Contrasting kinetics for the irreversible reactions of first and second generation ruthenium alkylidene complexes 24c and 28 with ethyl vinyl ether (EVE).

The opposite sequence is described with alkynyl silyloxy-tethered enynes. A cascade CM-RCM reaction proceeds in the presence of a second generation ruthenium carbene to give cyclic siloxanes. The initial CM is directed to occur on the alkyne by employing sterically hindered substituted alkenes tethered to the alkyne via a silyl ether group [24] (Scheme 11). 

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