Transition-metal-coordinated alkynes

Intramolecular allylation of alkynes with allylsilanes is catalyzed by a variety of electrophilic transition metal halides and complexes (e.g. Pt(II), Pd(II), Ru(II), Au(III), and Ag(I)) (Scheme 10.196) [518]. Unlike the EtAlCl2- or HfCL,-catalyzed reaction, alkyriylaled allylsilanes are cyclized in an exo mode by these catalysts. The proposed reaction mechanism involves nucleophihc addition of an allylsilane to a metal-coordinated alkyne. 

Two commonly used synthetic methodologies for the synthesis of transition metal complexes with substituted cyclopentadienyl ligands are important. One is based on the functionalization at the ring periphery of Cp or Cp metal complexes and the other consists of the classical reaction of a suitable substituted cyclopentadienyl anion equivalent and a transition metal halide or carbonyl complex. However, a third strategy of creating a specifically substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand from smaller carbon units such as alkylidynes and alkynes within the coordination sphere is emerging and will probably find wider application [22]. 

The reaction of alkenes with alkenes or alkynes does not always produce an aromatic ring. An important variation of this reaction reacts dienes, diynes, or en-ynes with transition metals to form organometallic coordination complexes. In the presence of carbon monoxide, cyclopentenone derivatives are formed in what is known as the Pauson-Khand reaction The reaction involves (1) formation of a hexacarbonyldicobalt-alkyne complex and (2) decomposition of the complex in the presence of an alkene. A typical example Rhodium and tungsten ... 

The finding of preparatively available iminoboranes RB = NR some years ago opened exciting new possibilities not only in B—N chemistry, but also in coordination chemistry. The first examples of iminoborane-transition-metal complexes have now been published. The structurally completely characterized t-BuB = NBu-t adds, like its alkyne analog, to the 03(00)5 fragment as a bridging ligand. When Co2(CO)g and t-BuB = NBu-t are dissolved in pentane at 0°C, warming to RT and evaporation of unreacted iminoborane yields (t-BuBNBu-t)Co2(CO)5 (86%) as a black solid, which can be recrystallized from ether-nitromethane (1 3) ... 

The first complexes of a-keto ylides and group 5 early transition metals have only recently been obtained by reaction of Nb(III) derivatives [[NbCl3(dme) (R C=CR")] with 25 (R = thiazolyl) (Scheme 16). The chelation of the ylide occurs through an N,0-coordination to the metal center and in presence of MeLi a deprotonation of a phenyl ring takes place with the loss of alkyne, leading to the formation of a new orfho-metallated binuclear compound 32. The two ylides involved in the complexation behave as tridentate anionic ligands and are mutually in a trans disposition in order to minimize the steric hindrance [71,72]. Another binuclear niobium complex 33 has been obtained from 25 (R = Me, Ph) with this time an 0-coordinated a-keto ylide [68]. 

Compounds (L)AuC=CR can appear as ligands in the coordination sphere of transition metals. The interaction may be fluxional with metal-metal contacts M-Au and the alkyne coordinated side-on (if, dihapto) to the gold atom. Typical examples are (cp)(CO)(NO)W[Ph3PAuC=C Bu 90 and l, c3(CO)9[R3PAuC=CtBu], with R = Ph, Pr, for which several isomers have been observed in solution.91... 

The cycloaddition-isomerization procedure can be accomplished in the presence of a catalytic amount of a transition metal salt. The reactions proceed at room temperature, neither air nor water needed to be excluded. The presence of an electron-withdrawing group is not necessary to activate the dienophile as the example below shows that gold coordination increases the electrophilicity of the triple bond. The presence of a terminal alkyne should also be important. In the case of a disubstituted alkyne no reaction can be observed <00JA11553>. 

Catalytic quantities of transition- or non-transition metals promote the cyclization of 2-alkynynylbiphenyl analogs to phenanthrene or fulvene analogs. The mechanism is thought to involve activation of the alkyne by metal coordination, prior to cyclization (Equations (179) and (180)).146... 

Silver belongs to the late transition metals and, like gold, favors coordination to C=C triple bonds. A lot of silver-containing organometallic complexes, where silver-alkyne interactions assist the assembly of the complexes, are known. None of these complexes, however, was applied to efficient carbon-carbon bond formation in organic synthesis. 

Generally, cyclohexyne is an unstable molecule because of its ring strain. However, it can be stabilized by coordination to transition metals.35 The reduction of 1,2-dibromocyclohexene by sodium/mercury in the presence of a nickel-bromide complex afforded the Ni-alkyne complex 66 as a thermally stable and isolable compound (Scheme 22).36 Complex 66 smoothly reacted with C02 under atmospheric pressure to give nickelacycle 67 in good yield. Dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate was inserted into the vinyl-nickel bond in 67 to give the seven-membered oxanickelacycle 68. 

The hydration of alkynes represents a prime example in which simple coordinative activation by transition metal complexation greatly facilitates an otherwise very slow chemical process (Equation (107)). This reaction has been a long-studied problem, but only recently have alternatives to the classical use of catalysts such as Hg(n) salts been sought. These new catalyst systems typically display much enhanced reactivity, and some can mediate an anti-Markovnikov hydration through a novel mechanism (Table 1). 

Figure 2. Proposed mechanisms for the alkyne to vinylidene isomerization coordinated to a transition metal fragment...

Orbital interaction diagram and EHT calculations show that the 1,2 intramolecular shift of hydrogen is symmetry disfavored [10]. In presence of a transition metal fragment to which the alkyne coordinates, the activation energy is considerably lower. This has been attributed to the tendency of H to shift as a proton rather than as a hydride. 

Already 20 years ago, Antonova et al. proposed a different mechanism, with a more active role of the transition metal fragment [3], The tautomerization takes place via an alkynyl(hydrido) metal intermediate, formed by oxidative addition of a coordinated terminal alkyne. Subsequent 1,3-shift of the hydride ligand from the metal to the P-carbon of the alkynyl gives the vinylidene complex (Figure 2, pathway b). 

In the transformation of a 1-alkyne to a vinylidene in the coordination sphere of a transition metal, the migrating hydrogen atom plays a key role. Usually, ancillary ligands on the metal are only spectators and do contribute to small modifications of the bonding properties of the metal fragment. However, if a hydride is present as a ligand to the transition metal center, it may interfere with the alkyne to vinylidene transformation. This may open up new selective and efficient routes to vinylidene complexes. 

Terminal alkynes readily react with coordinatively unsaturated transition metal complexes to yield vinylidene complexes. If the vinylidene complex is sufficiently electrophilic, nucleophiles such as amides, alcohols or water can add to the a-carbon atom to yield heteroatom-substituted carbene complexes (Figure 2.10) [129 -135]. If the nucleophile is bound to the alkyne, intramolecular addition to the intermediate vinylidene will lead to the formation of heterocyclic carbene complexes [136-141]. Vinylidene complexes can further undergo [2 -i- 2] cycloadditions with imines, forming azetidin-2-ylidene complexes [142,143]. Cycloaddition to azines leads to the formation of pyrazolidin-3-ylidene complexes [143] (Table 2.7). 

The first tt complexes of 1,3-diynes were reported by Greenfield. Shortly thereafter, Tilney-Bassett described the first heterometallic derivatives. This area has grown steadily since these initial reports and many complexes of this type are now known. Diyne complexes are often simply alkyne-substituted analogues of conventional jr-alkyne complexes. Indeed, transition metal compounds that form -complexes with mono-alkynes can be expected to form complexes with diynes. However, the thermal sensitivity of terminal diynes, especially 1,3-butadiyne, may limit the application of routine reaction conditions in some cases. Further coordination of the ynyl ligand by additional metal fragments is usually determined by the reagent stoichiometry and by steric effects. 

Strained cycloalkynes can be stabilized by coordination to one or more transition metal centers (198). The unusual vicinal defluorination reaction of perfluoro-l,3-cyclohexadiene with [Co2(CO)8] to give the /i-alkyne complex 45 (see Section III,E) prompted a study of the reactions of OFCOT with cobalt carbonyl precursors. 

As noted in the introduction, in contrast to attack by nucleophiles, attack of electrophiles on saturated alkene-, polyene- or polyenyl-metal complexes creates special problems in that normally unstable 16-electron, unsaturated species are formed. To be isolated, these species must be stabilized by intramolecular coordination or via intermolecular addition of a ligand. Nevertheless, as illustrated in this chapter, reactions of significant synthetic utility can be developed with attention to these points. It is likely that this area will see considerable development in the future. In addition to refinement of electrophilic reactions of metal-diene complexes, synthetic applications may evolve from the coupling of carbon electrophiles with electron-rich transition metal complexes of alkenes, alkynes and polyenes, as well as allyl- and dienyl-metal complexes. Sequential addition of electrophiles followed by nucleophiles is also viable to rapidly assemble complex structures. 

Chiral Metal Atoms in Optically Active Organo-Transition-Metal Compounds, 18, 151 13C NMR Chemical Shifts and Coupling Constants of Organometallic Compounds, 12, 135 Compounds Derived from Alkynes and Carbonyl Complexes of Cobalt, 12, 323 Conjugate Addition of Grignard Reagents to Aromatic Systems, I, 221 Coordination of Unsaturated Molecules to Transition Metals, 14, 33 Cyclobutadiene Metal Complexes, 4, 95 Cyclopentadienyl Metal Compounds, 2, 365... 

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