Ruthenium-based Metathesis Catalysts Research Articles

Dimethyl 4,5-di-chloro-phthalate.

While endeavoring to synthesize new chlorinated ligands for ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts, the title compound dimethyl 4,5-di-chloro-phthalate, C10H8Cl2O4, was prepared from commercially available 4,5-di-chloro-phthalic acid in ∼77% yield. The title mol-ecule, which also finds utility as a precursor mol-ecule for the synthesis of drugs used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, shows one carbonyl-containing methyl ester moiety lying nearly co-planar with the chlorine-derivatized aromatic ring while the second methyl ester shows a significant deviation of 101.05 (12)° from the least-squares plane of the aromatic ring. Within the crystal, structural integrity is maintained by the concerted effects of electrostatic inter-actions involving the electron-deficient carbonyl carbon atom and the electron-rich aromatic ring along the a-axis direction and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between neighboring mol-ecules parallel to b.

Spicing up olefin cross metathesis with the renewables estragole and methyl sorbate

Diene moieties conjugated to a carbonyl group are ubiquitous in nature and are present in compounds with relevant biological properties. Herein we investigate the cross metathesis (CM) of the renewable cross partners estragole and methyl sorbate (MeSo) to produce methyl 6-(4-methoxyphenyl)hexa-2,4-dienoate. By the judicious choice of the ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts, as well as the reaction conditions, it was possible to obtain good conversion and selectivity for the desired product in catalyst loadings as low as 50 ppm (0.005 mol%), with a minimal amount of solvent.

Kinetics of Dicyclopentadiene Polymerization in the Presence of the Second Generation Hoveyda-Grubbs Catalyst with N-Chelating Ligand

This article considers the thermodynamic aspects, thermo- and rheokinetics of endo-dicyclopentadiene polymerization in the presence of the original metathesis second Hoveyda-Grubbs catalyst with an N-chelating ligand. The activation energy of endo-dicyclopentadiene polymerization was determined as 88.9–89.2 kJ/mol. The thermal effect of the ring-opening metathesis endo-dicyclopentadiene polymerization reaction reaches 52.7 kJ/mol. This is lower than the values for molybdenum- and tungsten-containing catalysts reported in the literature, which can be explained by a different microstructure of the polymer produced in the presence of ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts.

The influence of the cationic carbenes on the initiation kinetics of ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts; a DFT study.

Cationic carbenes are a relatively new and rare group of ancillary ligands, which have shown their superior activity in a number of challenging catalytic reactions. In ruthenium-based metathesis catalysis they are often used as ammonium tags, to provide water-soluble, environment-friendly catalysts. In this work we performed computational studies on three cationic carbenes with the formal positive charge located at different distances from the carbene carbon. We show that the predicted initiation rates of Grubbs, indenylidene, and Hoveyda–Grubbs-like complexes incorporating these carbenes show little variance and are similar to initiation rates of standard Grubbs, indenylidene, and Hoveyda–Grubbs catalysts. In all investigated cases the partial charge of the carbene carbon atom is similar, resulting in comparable Ccarbene–Ru bond strengths and Ru–P/O dissociation Gibbs free energies.

Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization in Miniemulsion Using a TEGylated Ruthenium-Based Metathesis Catalyst

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD) in miniemulsion was conducted utilizing a water-soluble TEGylated ruthenium alkylidene catalyst that was designed to underg...

Stereoretentive Olefin Metathesis Made Easy: In Situ Generation of Highly Selective Ruthenium Catalysts from Commercial Starting Materials.

The in situ preparation of highly stereoretentive ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts is reported. This approach completely avoids the isolation of intermediates and air-sensitive catalysts, thus allowing for the rapid access and evaluation of numerous dithiolate Ru catalysts. A procedure was established to perform cross-metathesis reactions without the use of a glovebox, and on a small scale even Schlenk techniques are not required. Consequently, the chemistry displayed in this report is available to every practicing organic chemist and presents a powerful approach for the identification of new stereoretentive catalysts.

Correction to Kinetics and Mechanism of Isocyanide-Promoted Carbene Insertion into the Aryl Substituent of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligand in Ruthenium-Based Metathesis Catalysts

Correction to Kinetics and Mechanism of Isocyanide-Promoted Carbene Insertion into the Aryl Substituent of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligand in Ruthenium-Based Metathesis Catalysts

Kinetics and Mechanism of Isocyanide-Promoted Carbene Insertion into the Aryl Substituent of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligand in Ruthenium-Based Metathesis Catalysts

In situ IR spectroscopy was used to study the kinetics of addition of L = alkyl and aryl isocyanides to the Grubbs second-generation carbene complex Ru(H2IMes)(CHPh)(PCy3)Cl2 (H2IMes = 1,3-dimesityl-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene), which triggers carbene insertion into an aromatic ring of the N-heterocyclic carbene supporting ligand, forming Ru{1-mesityl-3-(7′-Ph-2′,4′,6′-trimethylcycloheptatrienyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene}L2(PCy3)Cl2. The rate law was determined to be first order in isocyanide concentration and first order in carbene complex concentration. For various isocyanides CNR the rate increases as R = tert-butyl ≪ cyclohexyl < n-octyl < CH2Ph ≈ CH2CO2Me ≈ CH2SO2C6H4-4-Me < C6H4-4-OMe < C6H4-4-Cl. The proposed mechanism involves reversible addition of isocyanide followed by rate-determining, irreversible carbene insertion and subsequent, rapid addition of the second isocyanide. The carbene insertion is accelerated by the electrophilicity of the carbene, which is enhanced due to ligand binding...

A Highly Efficient Synthesis of Z-Macrocycles Using Stereoretentive, Ruthenium-Based Metathesis Catalysts.

A highly efficient, Z-selective ring-closing metathesis system for the formation of macrocycles using a stereoretentive, ruthenium-based catalyst supported by a dithiolate ligand is reported. The catalyst is remarkably active as observed in initiation experiments showing complete catalyst initiation at -20 °C within 10 minutes. Macrocyclization reactions generated Z-products from easily accessible diene starting materials bearing a Z-olefin moiety. This approach provides a more efficient and selective route to Z-macrocycles relative to previously reported systems. Reactions were completed within shorter reaction times, and turnover numbers of up to 100 could be achieved. Macrocyclic lactones ranging in size from twelve- to seventeen-membered rings were synthesized in moderate to high yields (67-79 %) with excellent Z-selectivity (95-99 %).

Preference of Ruthenium-Based Metathesis Catalysts toward Z- and E-Alkenes as a Guide for Selective Reactions to Alkene Stereoisomers.

As a guide for selective reactions toward either Z- or E-alkene in a metathesis reaction, the relative preference of metathesis Ru catalysts for each stereoisomer was determined by a method using time-dependent fluorescence quenching. We found that Ru-1 prefers the Z-isomer over the E-isomer, whereas Ru-2 prefers the E-isomer over the Z-isomer. The Z/E-alkene preference of the catalysts precisely predicted the Z/E isomeric selectivity in the metathesis reactions of diene substrates possessing combinations of Z/E-alkenes. For the diene substrates, the rate order of the reactions using Ru-1 was Z,Z-1,6-diene > Z,E-1,6-diene > E,E-1,6-diene, while the completely opposite order of E,E-1,6-diene > Z,E-1,6-diene > Z,Z-1,6-diene was exhibited in the case of Ru-2.

Synthesis Optimization and Catalytic Activity Screening of Industrially Relevant Ruthenium-Based Metathesis Catalysts

Olefin metathesis is a powerful catalytic reaction that has a huge potential in the pharmaceutical, polymer and specialty chemicals industries. Cost-effective industrial applications require large-scale availability of catalyst precursors which combine high activity, high selectivity and long life-time. Among the known numerous families of olefin metathesis catalysts, the Umicore M7-catalyst family represents a novel class of Hoveyda-type complexes showing excellent chemical stabilities and modular activity profiles. Relevant aspects related to their industrial synthesis as well as their catalytic performance in valuable olefin metathesis transformations are overviewed here.

Controlled synthesis of azobenzene functionalized homo and copolymers via direct acyclic diene metathesis polymerization

A powerful and efficient strategy for obtaining a series of azobenzene functionalized linear unsaturated polyolefins is described, which involves the first design and synthesis of three different α,ω-diene monomers with different reactivity of acrylates and terminal double bonds and their subsequent acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization under mild reaction conditions. Different ruthenium based metathesis catalysts and conditions were tested to optimize the ADMET polymerization of these monomers. Besides, this polycondensation method is also reported allowing for the synthesis of alternating and diblock azobenzene-containing copolymers with molecular weight control by using the selectivity of olefin cross-metathesis between acrylates and terminal olefins. The resulting polymers showed well-defined molecular weights, reasonable polydispersity index, and reversible photoresponsive behavior. This special combination of the benefits of metathesis polymerization and azobenzene is a highly versatile system for materials in many applications.

Ruthenium-catalysed Z-selective cross metathesis of allylic-substituted olefins.

The Z-selective cross metathesis of allylic-substituted olefins is explored with recently developed ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts. The reaction proceeds with excellent stereoselectivity for the Z-isomer (typically >95%) and yields of up to 88% for a variety of allylic substituents. This includes the first synthesis of Z-α,β-unsaturated acetals by cross metathesis and their elaboration to Z-α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. In addition, the reaction is tolerant of a variety of cross partners, varying in functionality and steric profile.

Highly Selective Macrocycle Formations by Metathesis Catalysts Fixated in Nanopores

Ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts immobilized on mesocellular siliceous foam (MCF) bearing large nanopores proved highly efficient and selective for macrocyclic ring-closing metathesis (RCM). Kinetic studies revealed that the homogeneous counterpart exhibited far higher activity that accounted for more oligomerization pathways and resulted in less macrocyclization products. Meanwhile, the immobilized catalysts showed lower conversion rates leading to higher yields of macrocyclic products in a given reaction time, with conversion rates and yields dependent upon pore size, catalyst loading density, and linker length. The macrocycle formations via RCM were accelerated by increasing the pore size and decreasing the catalyst loading density while retaining the comparably high yield. The catalysts immobilized on MCF, of which silica surface is rigid and pores are relatively large, showed high conversion rates and yields compared with an analogue immobilized on TentaGel resins, of which backbone becomes flexible upon swelling in the reaction medium. It is noteworthy that the selectivity for the macrocyclic RCM can be significantly improved by tuning the catalyst initiation rates via immobilization onto the support materials in which well-defined three-dimentional network of large nanopores are deployed.

Reactivity of terminal phenylpentenes in a ruthenium-catalyzed cross-metathesis reaction: construction of linear bifunctional C-8 alkenes

In the present study the behavior of 1-functionalized 2-phenylpent-4-enes in the presence of ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts was investigated. The experimental observations revealed that the outcome of the reaction depends very much on the combination of olefinic partners used in the reaction; only certain combinations delivered satisfactory amounts of unsymmetrical cross-metathesis products, i.e., bifunctional C-8 alkenes.

Highly Active Ruthenium Metathesis Catalysts Exhibiting Unprecedented Activity and Z-Selectivity

A novel chelated ruthenium-based metathesis catalyst bearing an N-2,6-diisopropylphenyl group is reported and displays near-perfect selectivity for the Z-olefin (>95%), as well as unparalleled TONs of up to 7400, in a variety of homodimerization and industrially relevant metathesis reactions. This derivative and other new catalytically active species were synthesized using an improved method employing sodium carboxylates to induce the salt metathesis and C-H activation of these chelated complexes. All of these new ruthenium-based catalysts are highly Z-selective in the homodimerization of terminal olefins.

Stereoselective Access to Z and E Macrocycles by Ruthenium-Catalyzed Z-Selective Ring-Closing Metathesis and Ethenolysis

The first report of Z-selective macrocyclizations using a ruthenium-based metathesis catalyst is described. The selectivity for Z macrocycles is consistently high for a diverse set of substrates with a variety of functional groups and ring sizes. The same catalyst was also employed for the Z-selective ethenolysis of a mixture of E and Z macrocycles, providing the pure E isomer. Notably, an ethylene pressure of only 1 atm was required. These methodologies were successfully applied to the construction of several olfactory macrocycles as well as the formal total synthesis of the cytotoxic alkaloid motuporamine C.

Cis-Selective Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization with Ruthenium Catalysts

Cis-selective ring-opening metathesis polymerization of several monocyclic alkenes as well as norbornene and oxanorbornene-type monomers using a C-H activated, ruthenium-based metathesis catalyst is reported. The cis content of the isolated polymers depended heavily on the monomer structure and temperature. A cis content as high as 96% could be obtained by lowering the temperature of the polymerization.

Chelated Ruthenium Catalysts for Z-Selective Olefin Metathesis

We report the development of ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts with chelating N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands that catalyze highly Z-selective olefin metathesis. A very simple and convenient procedure for the synthesis of such catalysts has been developed. Intramolecular C-H bond activation of the NHC ligand, promoted by anion ligand substitution, forms the appropriate chelate for stereocontrolled olefin metathesis.

Ruthenium-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis accelerated by long-range steric effect

Ruthenium-based metathesis catalysts with a N-heterocyclic carbene ligand bearing 2,3,4,5-tetraphenylphenyl moieties (1-TPPh and 1-TPPh*) are developed. The highly active catalyst system has been realized in THF by the combination of 1-TPPh* and CuCl as a phosphine scavenger.