Vinyl acetate, hydroformylation

The asymmetric hydroformylation of functionalized aliphatic alkenes is generally more difficult than the hydroformylation of vinyl arenes. The rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of vinyl acetate (36) yields 2- and 3-acetoxypropanals, 37 and 38, with high chemoselectivity. Ethyl acetate and acetic acid can also be found as by-products. One of the potential applications of vinyl acetate hydroformylation is the production of enantiopure propane 1,2-diol (Scheme 6). 

For the vinyl acetate hydroformylation, it has been proposed that the insertion of the alkene into the Rh - H at the branched carbon atom is stabilized by a five-membered ring intermediate, which has been observed by NMR spectroscopy [69],... 

Hydroformylation of vinyl acetate to give mainly the branched product in >90% ee has been achieved using a rhodium catalyst containing binaphthol and phosphine ligands anchored to polystyrene. 

Related systems are the bis-diazaphospholane ligands of which ESPHOS has proved optimal. Best results were obtained upon hydroformylation of vinyl acetate with ee values up to 89% for the branched lactalde-hyde acetate (Scheme 23) [72], Even more efficient variations are bis-3,4-diazaphospholane ligands, which furnished up to 96% ee upon hydroformylation of vinyl acetate [73]. 

The cA-PtCl2(diphosphine)/SnCl2 constitutes the system mostly used in catalyzed hydroformylation of alkenes and many diphosphines have been tested. In the 1980s, Stille and co-workers reported on the preparation of platinum complexes with chiral diphosphines related to BPPM (82) and (83) and their activity in asymmetric hydroformylation of a variety of prochiral alkenes.312-314 Although the branched/normal ratios were low (0.5), ees in the range 70-80% were achieved in the hydroformylation of styrene and related substrates. When the hydroformylation of styrene, 2-ethenyl-6-methoxynaphthalene, and vinyl acetate with [(-)-BPPM]PtCl2-SnCl2 were carried out in the presence of triethyl orthoformate, enantiomerically pure acetals were obtained. 

Rh(acac)(CO)2] in combination with ESPHOS (76a) was applied in the asymmetric hydroformylation of vinyl acetate with excellent results. ESPHOS was effective in styrene hydroformylation, but the product is essentially racemic.270... 

The first reports on asymmetric hydroformylation using diphosphite ligands revealed no asymmetric induction. In 1992, Takaya et al. published the results of the asymmetric hydroformylation of vinyl acetate (ee = 50%) with chiral diphosphites.358... 

Rhodium precipitation in solubilized rhodium-phosphite complex catalyzed liquid recycle hydroformylation may be minimized or prevented by carrying out product recovery in the presence of an organic polymer containing polar functional groups such as amides, ketones, carbamates, ureas and carbonates.[20] Patent examples include the use of polyvinylpyrrolidone and vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer with diorganophosphite-modified rhodium catalysts. 

Arya et al. used solid phase synthesis to prepare immobilised dendritic catalysts with the rhodium centre in a shielded environment to mimic nature s approach of protecting active sites in a macromolecular environment (e.g. catalytic sites inside enzymes) [51], Two generations PS immobilised rhodium-complexed dendrimers, 6 and the more shielded 7, were synthesised.The PS resin immobilised rhodium-complexed dendrimers were used in the hydroformylation of styrene, p-methoxystyrene, vinyl acetate and vinyl benzoate using a total pressure of 70 bar 1 1 CO/H2 at 45 °C in CH2C12. 

Another route to the diol monomer is provided by hydroformylation of allyl alcohol or allyl acetate. Allyl acetate can be produced easily by the palladium-catalyzed oxidation of propylene in the presence of acetic acid in a process similar to commercial vinyl acetate production. Both cobalt-and rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylations have received much attention in recent patent literature (83-86). Hydroformylation with cobalt carbonyl at 140°C and 180-200 atm H2/CO (83) gave a mixture of three aldehydes in 85-99% total yield. 

Early studies of the cobalt hydroformylation (4) included vinyl acetate as the olefinic reactant. A mixture of a- and /3-formyl esters was reported. 

Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydroformylation of Vinyl Acetate. .. 52... 

Abstract This chapter presents the latest achievements reported in the asymmetric hydroformylation of olefins. It focuses on rhodium systems containing diphosphites and phosphine-phosphite ligands, because of their significance in the subject. Particular attention is paid to the mechanistic aspects and the characterization of intermediates in the hydroformylation of vinyl arenes because these are the most important breakthroughs in the area. The chapter also presents the application of this catalytic reaction to vinyl acetate, dihydrofurans and unsaturated nitriles because of its industrial relevance. 

The influences of the ligand-to-metal ratio, reaction temperature and syngas pressure on the enantioselectivity and regioselectivity were also studied. A multi-substrate screening approach has recently been used by Dow Chemical Company to identify the best catalyst for the hydroformylation of vinyl acetate. Here, the chiral phosphite Kelliphite, 5 (Fig. 1) gave enantioselectivity up 88% ee and excellent regioselectivity for the branched isomer [24,25]. 

The first reports on asymmetric hydroformylation using diphosphite ligands revealed no asymmetric induction [71], In 1992, Takaya et al. published the results of the asymmetric hydroformylation of vinyl acetate (e.e.=50%) with chiral diphosphites [72], In 1992, an important breakthrough appeared in the patent literature when Babin and Whiteker at Union Carbide reported the asymmetric hydroformylation of various alkenes with e.e. s up to 90%, using bulky diphosphites derived from homochiral (2R,4R)-pentane-2, 4-diol (see Figure 8.20). Van Leeuwen et al. studied the influence of the bridge length, bulky substituents and cooperativity of chiral centres on the performance of the catalyst [73,74],... 

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