Wilkinson hydrogenation catalysts

Figure 1 Mechanism of action of the Wilkinson hydrogenation catalyst the dashed line encloses the predominant part of the cycle.

These activities are understood to reflect the catalytic actions of metal phosphines, e.g., Wilkinson hydrogenation catalyst, (PPh3)3RhCl, metal carbonyls, e.g., hydrogenation catalysts, Ni(CO)5), and cyclopetadienyl metal compounds, e.g., olefln polymerization catalysts, Cp2ZrCl2. 

The steric and electronic properties of phosphines also affect the overall geometry of a complex. For example, bulky phosphines tend to bind trans to one another. Furthermore, the presence of several bulky phosphine ligands in the same coordination sphere can cause deviations from the idealized coordination geometry. For example, the Wilkinson hydrogenation catalyst, RhCl(PPh3)3, contains a nonplanar arrangement of the four donor atoms, as determined by X-ray diffraction, instead of the square planar arrangement expected for a d , Rh(I) complex. 

Wilkinson s catalyst [Rh(Ph3P)3Cl]. An important catalyst for homogeneous hydrogenation which also catalyses oxidation by O2 and CO abstraction from organic derivatives. 

Asymmetric hydrogenation has been achieved with dissolved Wilkinson type catalysts (A. J. Birch, 1976 D. Valentine, Jr., 1978 H.B. Kagan, 1978). The (R)- and (S)-[l,l -binaph-thalene]-2,2 -diylblsCdiphenylphosphine] (= binap ) complexes of ruthenium (A. Miyashita, 1980) and rhodium (A. Miyashita, 1984 R. Noyori, 1987) have been prepared as pure atrop-isomers and used for the stereoselective Noyori hydrogenation of a-(acylamino) acrylic acids and, more significantly, -keto carboxylic esters. In the latter reaction enantiomeric excesses of more than 99% are often achieved (see also M. Nakatsuka, 1990, p. 5586). 

Another possibility for asymmetric reduction is the use of chiral complex hydrides derived from LiAlH. and chiral alcohols, e.g. N-methylephedrine (I. Jacquet, 1974), or 1,4-bis(dimethylamino)butanediol (D. Seebach, 1974). But stereoselectivities are mostly below 50%. At the present time attempts to form chiral alcohols from ketones are less successful than the asymmetric reduction of C = C double bonds via hydroboration or hydrogenation with Wilkinson type catalysts (G. Zweifel, 1963 H.B. Kagan, 1978 see p. 102f.). 

The strategy of the catalyst development was to use a rhodium complex similar to those of the Wilkinson hydrogenation but containing bulky chiral ligands in an attempt to direct the stereochemistry of the catalytic reaction to favor the desired L isomer of the product (17). Active and stereoselective catalysts have been found and used in commercial practice, although there is now a more economical route to L-dopa than through hydrogenation of the prochiral precursor. 

More recently. Baker, Tumas, and co-workers published catalytic hydrogenation reactions in a biphasic reaction mixture consisting of the ionic liquid [BMIM][PFg] and SCCO2 [10]. In the hydrogenation of 1-decene with Wilkinson s catalyst [RhCl(PPh3)3] at 50 °C and 48 bar H2 (total pressure 207 bar), conversion of 98 %... 

Tertiary phosphine complexes [42] are the most important rhodium(I) compounds. RhCl(PPh3)3 ( Wilkinson s compound ), a hydrogenation catalyst, is the most important, but they exist in a range of stoichiometries. Synthesis follows several routes ... 

These are generally analogous to those of Wilkinson s compound, with the important difference that ligand dissociation cannot occur, so that the product of oxidative addition with H2 cannot have a vacant site to bind an alkene and will thus not act as a hydrogenation catalyst [53]. 

Aldehydes, both aliphatic and aromatic, can be decarbonylated by heating with chlorotris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium or other catalysts such as palladium. The compound RhCl(Ph3P)3 is often called Wilkinson s catalyst.In an older reaction, aliphatic (but not aromatic) aldehydes are decarbonylated by heating with di-tert-peroxide or other peroxides, usually in a solution containing a hydrogen donor, such as a thiol. The reaction has also been initiated with light, and thermally (without an initiator) by heating at 500°C. 

Wilkinson s catalyst has also been reported to decarbonylate aromatic acyl halides at 180°C (ArCOX ArX). This reaction has been carried out with acyl iodides, bromides, and chlorides. Aliphatic acyl halides that lack an a hydrogen also give this reaction, but if an a hydrogen is present, elimination takes place instead (17-16). Aromatic acyl cyanides give aryl cyanides (ArCOCN—> ArCN). Aromatic acyl chlorides and cyanides can also be decarbonylated with palladium catalysts. °... 

Scheme 4.17 Simplified alkene hydrogenation mechanism using Wilkinson s catalyst...

Most low-valence metal complexes are generally deactivated by air and sometimes also by water. Carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and PH3 frequently act as poisons for these catalysts. Poisoning by strongly co-ordinating molecules occurs by formation of catalytically inert complexes. An example is the poisoning of Wilkinson s catalyst for alkene hydrogenation ... 

The strategy of using two phases, one of which is an aqueous phase, has now been extended to fluorous . systems where perfluorinated solvents are used which are immiscible with many organic reactants nonaqueous ionic liquids have also been considered. Thus, toluene and fluorosolvents form two phases at room temperature but are soluble at 64 °C, and therefore,. solvent separation becomes easy (Klement et ai, 1997). For hydrogenation and oxo reactions, however, these systems are unlikely to compete with two-phase systems involving an aqueous pha.se. Recent work of Richier et al. (2000) refers to high rates of hydrogenation of alkenes with fluoro versions of Wilkinson s catalyst. De Wolf et al. (1999) have discussed the application and potential of fluorous phase separation techniques for soluble catalysts. 

The modifier in these cases seems to generate enantioselective sites at the metal surface and helps the molecule to adsorb in a preferred fashion so that the formation of only one stereo- product is possible. There are several milestones that have contributed to this state-of-the-art technology. Discovery of Wilkinson s catalyst led to the feasibility of asymmetric hydrogen transfer with the aid of an optically active Wilkinson-type catalyst for L-DOPA (Monsanto s anti-Parkinson disease drug) synthesis (Eqn. (21)). 

A series of anchored Wilkinson s catalysts were prepared by reacting the homogeneous Wilkinson catalyst with several alumina/heteropoly acid support materials. These catalysts were used to promote the hydrogenation of 1-hexene. The results were compared with those obtained using the homogeneous Wilkinson and a l%Rh/Al203 catalyst with respect to catalyst activity and stabihty as well as the reaction selectivity as measured by the amount of double bond isomerization observed. The effect which the nature of the heteropoly acid exerted on the reaction was also examined. 

Catecholborane and pinacolborane are especially useful in hydroborations catalyzed by transition metals.163 Wilkinson s catalyst Rh(PPh3)3Cl is among those used frequently.164 The general mechanism for catalysis is believed to be similar to that for homogeneous hydrogenation and involves oxidative addition of the borane to the metal, generating a metal hydride.165... 

The mechanism of alkene hydrogenation catalyzed by the neutral rhodium complex RhCl(PPh3)3 (Wilkinson s catalyst) has been characterized in detail by Halpern [36-38]. The hydrogen oxidative addition step involves initial dissociation of PPI13, which enhances the rate of hydrogen activation by a factor... 

Figure 1 Hydrogen uptake curves for 1-hexene hydrogenations run at 35°C and 50 psig of hydrogen in 10% toluene/EtOH with a stirring rate of 1700 rpm. a) AHC-Wilk catalyst b) Homogeneous Wilkinson s catalyst.

Amine catalyzed conversion of P-iodoethyl-benzene to styrene, followed by hydrogenation to ethylbenzene catalyzed by Wilkinson s catalyst Sol-gel immobilization of both catalysts... 

Since the first reports on Wilkinson s catalyst,19,20 many transition-metal-based catalytic systems for hydrogenation of unsaturated organic molecules have been developed. Two major pathways seem to occur, one involving monohydride (M—11) species, and the other, dihydride (MH2)... 

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