Transmetallation with alkynyl copper complexes

Alkynyl complexes contain metal-carbon bonds in which the metal is bound to the sp-hybridized carbon at the terminus of a metal-carbon triple bond. The materials properties of these complexes have been investigated extensively. The properties of these complexes include luminescence, optical nonlinearity, electrical conductivity, and liquid crystallinity. These properties derive largely from the extensive overlap of the metal orbitals with the ir-orbitals on the alkynyl ligand. The M-C bonds in alkynyl complexes appear to be considerably stronger than those in methyl, phenyl, or vinyl complexes. Alkynyl complexes are sometimes prepared from acetylide anions generated from terminal alkynes and lithium bases (e.g., method A in Equation 3.42), but the acidity of alkynyl C-H bonds, particularly after coordination of the alkyne to the transition metal, makes it possible to form alkynyl complexes from alkynes and relatively weak bases (e.g., method B in Equation 3.42). Alkynyl copper complexes are easily prepared and often used to make alkynylnickel, -palladium, or -platinum complexes by transmetallation (Equation 3.43). This reaction is a step in the preparation of Ni, Pd, or Pt alkynyl complexes from an alkyne, base, and a catalytic amoimt of Cul (Equation 3.44). This protocol for... 

Fig. 13.22. Mechanism of the Pd(0)-catalyzed arylation of a copper acetylide. Step 1 formation of a 7T complex between the catalytically active Pd(0) complex and the arylating agent. Step 2 oxidative addition of the arylating agent and formation of a Pd(II) complex with a

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