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Now showing 1 - 10 of 17
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    Cascade Synthesis of Pyrroles from Nitroarenes with Benign Reductants Using a Heterogeneous Cobalt Catalyst
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Ryabchuk, Pavel; Leischner, Thomas; Kreyenschulte, Carsten; Spannenberg, Anke; Junge, Kathrin; Beller, Matthias
    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
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    Ligand-Controlled Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylation of Alkynols : Highly Selective Synthesis of α-Methylene-β-Lactones
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2020) Ge, Yao; Ye, Fei; Liu, Jiawang; Yang, Ji; Spannenberg, Anke; Jiao, Haijun; Jackstell, Ralf; Beller, Matthias
    The first general and regioselective Pd-catalyzed cyclocarbonylation to give α-methylene-β-lactones is reported. Key to the success for this process is the use of a specific sterically demanding phosphine ligand based on N-arylated imidazole (L11) in the presence of Pd(MeCN)2Cl2 as pre-catalyst. A variety of easily available alkynols provide under additive-free conditions the corresponding α-methylene-β-lactones in moderate to good yields with excellent regio- and diastereoselectivity. The applicability of this novel methodology is showcased by the direct carbonylation of biologically active molecules including natural products. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    Addressing the Reproducibility of Photocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH Verlag, 2019) Marx, Maximilian; Mele, Andrea; Spannenberg, Anke; Steinlechner, Christoph; Junge, Henrik; Schollhammer, Philippe; Beller, Matthias
    Reproducibility of photocatalytic reactions, especially when conducted on small scale for improved turnover numbers with in situ formed catalysts can prove challenging. Herein, we showcase the problematic reproducibility on the example of attractive photocatalytic CO2 reduction utilizing [FeFe] hydrogenase mimics. These Fe complexes, well-known for their application in proton reduction reactions, were combined with a heteroleptic Cu photosensitizer and produced CO/H2/HCO2H mixtures of variable constitution. However, the reactions indicated a poor reproducibility, even when conducted with well-defined complexes. Based on our experience, we make suggestions for scientists working in the field of photocatalysis on how to address and report the reproducibility of novel photocatalytic reaction protocols. In addition, we would like to highlight the importance of studying reproducibility of novel reaction protocols, especially in the fields of photocatalytic water splitting and CO2 reduction, where TONs are widely used as the comparable measure for catalytic activity. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
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    Efficient methylation of anilines with methanol catalysed by cyclometalated ruthenium complexes
    (London : RSC Publ., 2021) Piehl, Patrick; Amuso, Roberta; Spannenberg, Anke; Gabriele, Bartolo; Neumann, Helfried; Beller, Matthias
    Cyclometalated ruthenium complexes4-10allow the effective methylation of anilines with methanol to selectively giveN-methylanilines. This hydrogen autotransfer procedure proceeds under mild conditions (60 °C) in a practical manner (NaOH as base). Mechanistic investigations suggest an active homogenous ruthenium complex and β-hydride elimination of methanol as the rate determining step. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2021.
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    Cobalt-Catalyzed Aqueous Dehydrogenation of Formic Acid
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2019) Zhou, Wei; Wei, Zhihong; Spannenberg, Anke; Jiao, Haijun; Junge, Kathrin; Junge, Henrik; Beller, Matthias
    Among the known liquid organic hydrogen carriers, formic acid attracts increasing interest in the context of safe and reversible storage of hydrogen. Here, the first molecularly defined cobalt pincer complex is disclosed for the dehydrogenation of formic acid in aqueous medium under mild conditions. Crucial for catalytic activity is the use of the specific complex 3. Compared to related ruthenium and manganese complexes 7 and 8, this optimal cobalt complex showed improved performance. DFT computations support an innocent non-classical bifunctional outer-sphere mechanism on the triplet state potential energy surface. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
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    Cooperative catalytic methoxycarbonylation of alkenes: Uncovering the role of palladium complexes with hemilabile ligands
    (Cambridge : RSC, 2018) Dong, Kaiwu; Sang, Rui; Wei, Zhihong; Liu, Jie; Dühren, Ricarda; Spannenberg, Anke; Jiao, Haijun; Neumann, Helfried; Jackstell, Ralf; Franke, Robert; Beller, Matthias
    Mechanistic studies of the catalyst [Pd2(dba)3/1,1′-bis(tert-butyl(pyridin-2-yl)phosphanyl)ferrocene, L2] for olefin alkoxycarbonylation reactions are described. X-ray crystallography reveals the coordination of the pyridyl nitrogen atom in L2 to the palladium center of the catalytic intermediates. DFT calculations on the elementary steps of the industrially relevant carbonylation of ethylene (the Lucite α-process) indicate that the protonated pyridyl moiety is formed immediately, which facilitates the formation of the active palladium hydride complex. The insertion of ethylene and CO into this intermediate leads to the corresponding palladium acyl species, which is kinetically reversible. Notably, this key species is stabilized by the hemilabile coordination of the pyridyl nitrogen atom in L2. The rate-determining alcoholysis of the acyl palladium complex is substantially facilitated by metal-ligand cooperation. Specifically, the deprotonation of the alcohol by the built-in base of the ligand allows a facile intramolecular nucleophilic attack on the acyl palladium species concertedly. Kinetic measurements support this mechanistic proposal and show that the rate of the carbonylation step is zero-order dependent on ethylene and CO. Comparing CH3OD and CH3OH as nucleophiles suggests the involvement of (de)protonation in the rate-determining step.
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    Synthesis of Molybdenum Pincer Complexes and Their Application in the Catalytic Hydrogenation of Nitriles
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH Verlag, 2020) Leischner, Thomas; Spannenberg, Anke; Junge, Kathrin; Beller, Matthias
    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.
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    Highly selective hydrogenation of amides catalysed by a molybdenum pincer complex : Scope and mechanism
    (Cambridge : RSC, 2019) Leischner, Thomas; Suarez, Lluis Artús; Spannenberg, Anke; Nova, Ainara; Junge, Kathrin; Nova, Ainara; Beller, Matthias
    A series of molybdenum pincer complexes has been shown for the first time to be active in the catalytic hydrogenation of amides. Among the tested catalysts, Mo-1a proved to be particularly well suited for the selective C-N hydrogenolysis of N-methylated formanilides. Notably, high chemoselectivity was observed in the presence of certain reducible groups including even other amides. The general catalytic performance as well as selectivity issues could be rationalized taking an anionic Mo(0) as the active species. The interplay between the amide CO reduction and the catalyst poisoning by primary amides accounts for the selective hydrogenation of N-methylated formanilides. The catalyst resting state was found to be a Mo-alkoxo complex formed by reaction with the alcohol product. This species plays two opposed roles-it facilitates the protolytic cleavage of the C-N bond but it encumbers the activation of hydrogen. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
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    3,3-Difluoroallyl ammonium salts: highly versatile, stable and selective gem-difluoroallylation reagents
    ([London] : Nature Publishing Group UK, 2021) Ye, Fei; Ge, Yao; Spannenberg, Anke; Neumann, Helfried; Xu, Li-Wen; Beller, Matthias
    The selective synthesis of fluorinated organic molecules continues to be of major importance for the development of bioactive compounds (agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals) as well as unique materials. Among the established synthetic toolbox for incorporation of fluorine-containing units, efficient and general reagents for introducing -CF2- groups have been largely neglected. Here, we present the synthesis of 3,3-difluoropropen-1-yl ammonium salts (DFPAs) as stable, and scalable gem-difluoromethylation reagents, which allow for the direct reaction with a wide range of fascinating nucleophiles. DFPAs smoothly react with N-, O-, S-, Se-, and C-nucleophiles under mild conditions without necessity of metal catalysts with exclusive regioselectivity. In this way, the presented reagents also permit the straightforward preparation of many analogues of existing pharmaceuticals.
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    Homogeneous cobalt-catalyzed reductive amination for synthesis of functionalized primary amines
    ([London] : Nature Publishing Group UK, 2019) Murugesan, Kathiravan; Wei, Zhihong; Chandrashekhar, Vishwas G.; Neumann, Helfried; Spannenberg, Anke; Jiao, Haijun; Beller, Matthias; Jagadeesh, Rajenahally V.
    The development of earth abundant 3d metal-based catalysts continues to be an important goal of chemical research. In particular, the design of base metal complexes for reductive amination to produce primary amines remains as challenging. Here, we report the combination of cobalt and linear-triphos (bis(2-diphenylphosphinoethyl)phenylphosphine) as the molecularly-defined non-noble metal catalyst for the synthesis of linear and branched benzylic, heterocyclic and aliphatic primary amines from carbonyl compounds, gaseous ammonia and hydrogen in good to excellent yields. Noteworthy, this cobalt catalyst exhibits high selectivity and as a result the -NH2 moiety is introduced in functionalized and structurally diverse molecules. An inner-sphere mechanism on the basis of the mono-cationic [triphos-CoH]+ complex as active catalyst is proposed and supported with density functional theory computation on the doublet state potential free energy surface and H2 metathesis is found as the rate-determining step.