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A General Regioselective Synthesis of Alcohols by Cobalt-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Epoxides
A straightforward methodology for the synthesis of anti-Markovnikov-type alcohols is presented. By using a specific cobalt triphos complex in the presence of Zn(OTf)2 as an additive, the hydrogenation of epoxides proceeds with high yields and selectivities. The described protocol shows a broad substrate scope, including multi-substituted internal and terminal epoxides, as well as a good functional-group tolerance. Various natural-product derivatives, including steroids, terpenoids, and sesquiterpenoids, gave access to the corresponding alcohols in moderate-to-excellent yields. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Synthesis of Molybdenum Pincer Complexes and Their Application in the Catalytic Hydrogenation of Nitriles
A series of molybdenum(0), (I) and (II) complexes ligated by different PNP and NNN pincer ligands were synthesized and structurally characterized. Along with previously described Mo−PNP complexes Mo-1 and Mo-2, all prepared compounds were tested in the catalytic hydrogenation of aromatic nitriles to primary amines. Among the applied catalysts, Mo-1 is particularly well suited for the hydrogenation of electron-rich benzonitriles. Additionally, two aliphatic nitriles were transformed into the desired products in 80 and 86 %, respectively. Moreover, catalytic intermediate Mo-1a was isolated and its role in the catalytic cycle was subsequently demonstrated. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Nickel-Catalyzed Stereodivergent Synthesis of E- and Z-Alkenes by Hydrogenation of Alkynes
A convenient protocol for stereodivergent hydrogenation of alkynes to E- and Z-alkenes by using nickel catalysts was developed. Simple Ni(NO3)2⋅6 H2O as a catalyst precursor formed active nanoparticles, which were effective for the semihydrogenation of several alkynes with high selectivity for the Z-alkene (Z/E>99:1). Upon addition of specific multidentate ligands (triphos, tetraphos), the resulting molecular catalysts were highly selective for the E-alkene products (E/Z>99:1). Mechanistic studies revealed that the Z-alkene-selective catalyst was heterogeneous whereas the E-alkene-selective catalyst was homogeneous. In the latter case, the alkyne was first hydrogenated to a Z-alkene, which was subsequently isomerized to the E-alkene. This proposal was supported by density functional theory calculations. This synthetic methodology was shown to be generally applicable in >40 examples and scalable to multigram-scale experiments. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Cascade Synthesis of Pyrroles from Nitroarenes with Benign Reductants Using a Heterogeneous Cobalt Catalyst
A bifunctional 3d-metal catalyst for the cascade synthesis of diverse pyrroles from nitroarenes is presented. The optimal catalytic system Co/NGr-C@SiO2-L is obtained by pyrolysis of a cobalt-impregnated composite followed by subsequent selective leaching. In the presence of this material, (transfer) hydrogenation of easily available nitroarenes and subsequent Paal–Knorr/Clauson-Kass condensation provides >40 pyrroles in good to high yields using dihydrogen, formic acid, or a CO/H2O mixture (WGSR conditions) as reductant. In addition to the favorable step economy, this straightforward domino process does not require any solvents or external co-catalysts. The general synthetic utility of this methodology was demonstrated on a variety of functionalized substrates including the preparation of biologically active and pharmaceutically relevant compounds, for example, (+)-Isamoltane. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
Preparation of a Series of Supported Nonsymmetrical PNP-Pincer Ligands and the Application in Ester Hydrogenation
In contrast to their symmetrical analogues, nonsymmetrical PNP-type ligand motifs have been less investigated despite the modular pincer structure. However, the introduction of mixed phosphorus donor moieties provides access to a larger variety of PNP ligands. Herein, a facile solid-phase synthesis approach towards a diverse PNP-pincer ligand library of 14 members is reported. Contrary to often challenging workup procedures in solution-phase, only simple workup steps are required. The corresponding supported ruthenium-PNP catalysts are screened in ester hydrogenation. Usually, industrially applied heterogeneous catalysts require harsh conditions in this reaction (250–350 °C at 100–200 bar) often leading to reduced selectivities. Heterogenized reusable Ru-PNP catalysts are capable of reducing esters and lactones selectively under mild conditions. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
Hydrogenation of Polyesters to Polyether Polyols
The amount of plastic waste is continuously increasing. Besides conventional recycling, one solution to deal with this problem could be to use this waste as a resource for novel materials. In this study, polyesters are hydrogenated to give polyether polyols by using in situ-generated Ru-Triphos catalysts in combination with Lewis acids. The choice of Lewis acid and its concentration relative to the ruthenium catalyst are found to determine the selectivity of the reaction. Monitoring of the molecular weight during the reaction confirms a sequential mechanism in which the diols that are formed by hydrogenation are etherified to the polyethers. To probe the applicability of this tandem hydrogenation etherification approach, a range of polyester substrates is investigated. The oligoether products that form in these reactions have the chain lengths that are appropriate for application in the adhesives and coatings industries. This strategy makes polyether polyols accessible that are otherwise difficult to obtain from conventional fossil-based feedstocks. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
A General Catalyst Based on Cobalt Core–Shell Nanoparticles for the Hydrogenation of N-Heteroarenes Including Pyridines
Herein, we report the synthesis of specific silica-supported Co/Co3O4 core–shell based nanoparticles prepared by template synthesis of cobalt-pyromellitic acid on silica and subsequent pyrolysis. The optimal catalyst material allows for general and selective hydrogenation of pyridines, quinolines, and other heteroarenes including acridine, phenanthroline, naphthyridine, quinoxaline, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine, and indole under comparably mild reaction conditions. In addition, recycling of these Co nanoparticles and their ability for dehydrogenation catalysis are showcased. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH