Stoichiometric processes with copper complexes

The reaction of iron-carbonyl complexes with alkynes led to cyclobutenediones, which is formally a [2 + 1 + 1]-cycloaddition process for the formation of a cyclobutene derivative (Scheme 9.22) [49]. Nevertheless, in this reaction the liberation of the ligand is initiated by addition of stoichiometric amounts of copper] 11) salts and the use of various alkynes leads to interesting products such as 30 in good yields. 

The first example of an enantioselective thiadiene cycloaddition involved the reaction of 2,-4-diphenyl- 1-thiabuta-1,3-diene with l-propenoyl-l,3-oxazolidin-2-one. Stoichiometric quantities of a copper triflate bis-imine complex catalyst 428 and 4 A molecular sieves are necessary to achieve the highest enantioselectivity and the best endojexo ratio. The absolute configuration of the major endo isomer was determined by reduction of the acyloxazolidine side chain to the known (3/ ,4/ )-5-hydroxymethyl derivative (Scheme 137) <1997J(P1)2957>. The process is improved using a homochiral Cu triflate or Ni perchlorate bis(oxazoline) complex when catalytic amounts are adequate for a range of thiabutadienes <1999CC1001>. 

Typical of the methods available for the preparation of 7t-allylpalladium complexes is the preparation of the crystalline compound 70 by heating prenyl acetate 71 in acetic acid with PdCl2 in the presence of copper(II) chloride, followed by chromatographic purification. Alkylation of 70 with the anion derived from the Ci5-sulphone 72 is then carried out in DMF in the presence of at least four equivalents of triphenylphosphine (two per Pd) and gives the crystalline C2o-sulphone 73 from which vitamin A may be obtained by ethoxide-catalysed elimination of phenylsulphinic acid [40] (Scheme 16). Despite the moderate yield (52%) in the alkylation step and the use of stoichiometric amounts of palladium, this synthesis of vitamin A (7) avoids the lengthy functionalization process that is often necessary with more conventional methods of carbon-carbon bond formation. 

The process of choice for acetaldehyde production is ethylene oxidation according to the so-called Wacker-Hoechst process [route (c) in Topic 5.3.2]. The reaction proceeds by homogeneous catalysis in an aqueous solution of HQ in the presence of palladium and copper chloride complexes. The oxidation of ethylene occurs in a stoichiometric reaction of PdQ2 with ethylene and water that affords acetaldehyde, metallic palladium (oxidation state 0), and HQ [step (a) in Scheme 5.3.5). The elemental Pd is reoxidized in the process by Cu(II) chloride that converts in this step into Cu(I) chloride [step (b) in Scheme 5.3.5). The Cu(II) chloride is regenerated by oxidation with air to finally close the catalytic cycle [step (c) in Scheme 5.3.5). 

Using a stoichiometric amount of 22, i.e. six equivalents, afforded a mixture of mono- to hexa-alkylated species from which the ligand 23 was isolated by crystallization. The hexa-alkylation process could be enhanced reacting a twofold excess of 22 with the hexaphenol. The ligand CTV(bipy)6 was then isolated in 71 % yield. Again, the H-NMR provided evidence for the hexasubstitution and the Cat, symmetry of the isolated ligand. The compound obtained can accommodate either three square planar (copper(II)) or tetrahedral (copper(I)) transition metals, or, two octahedral transition metals (nickel(II)). The corresponding complexes are of interest in order to study, metal-metal interactions either by electrochemistry, EPR or photochemistry [39]. 

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