Agnieszka Bartoszewicz

A Highly Active Bifunctional Iridium Complex with an Alcohol/Alkoxide-Tethered N-Heterocyclic Carbene for Alkylation of Amines with Alcohols

A series of new iridium(III) complexes containing bidentate N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) functionalized with an alcohol or ether group (NHC-OR, R = H, Me) were prepared. The complexes catalyzed the alkylation of anilines with alcohols as latent electrophiles. In particular, biscationic Ir(III) complexes of the type [Cp*(NHC-OH)Ir(MeCN)](2+)2[BF(4)(-)] afforded higher-order amine products with very high efficiency; up to >99% yield using a 1:1 ratio of reactants and 1-2.5 mol % of Ir, in short reaction times (2-16 h) and under base-free conditions. Quantitative yields were also obtained at 50 °C, although longer reaction times (48-60 h) were needed. A large variety of aromatic amines have been alkylated with primary and secondary alcohols. The reactivity of structurally related iridium(III) complexes was also compared to obtain insights into the mechanism and into the structure of possible catalytic intermediates. The Ir(III) complexes were stable towards oxygen and moisture, and were characterized by NMR, HRMS, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and elemental analyses.

Enantioselective synthesis of alcohols and amines by iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, and related processes.

The preparation of chiral alcohols and amines by using iridium catalysis is reviewed. The methods presented include the reduction of ketones or imines by using hydrogen (hydrogenations), isopropanol, formic acid, or formate (transfer hydrogenations). Also dynamic and oxidative kinetic resolutions leading to chiral alcohols and amines are included. Selected literature reports from early contributions to December 2012 are discussed.

Allylic alcohols as synthetic enolate equivalents: isomerisation and tandem reactions catalysed by transition metal complexes.

Allylic alcohols can be isomerised into carbonyl compounds by transition metal complexes. In the last few years, catalyst design and development have resulted in highly efficient isomerisations under mild reaction conditions, including enantioselective versions. In addition, the isomerisation of allylic alcohols has been combined with C-C bond forming reactions when electrophiles such as aldehydes or imines were present in the reaction mixture. Also, C-F bonds can be formed when electrophilic fluorinating reagents are used. Thus, allylic alcohols can be treated as latent enol(ate)s. In this article, we highlight the latest developments concerning the isomerisation of allylic alcohols into carbonyl compounds, focusing in particular on tandem isomerisation/C-C or C-heteroatom bond formation processes. Significant attention is given to the mechanistic aspects of the reactions.

Ruthenium Complexation in an Aluminium Metal–Organic Framework and Its Application in Alcohol Oxidation Catalysis

A ruthenium trichloride complex has been loaded into an aluminium metal-organic framework (MOF), MOF-253, by post-synthetic modification to give MOF-253-Ru. MOF-253 contains open bipyridine sites that are available to bind with the ruthenium complex. MOF-253-Ru was characterised by elemental analysis, N(2) sorption and X-ray powder diffraction. This is the first time that a Ru complex has been coordinated to a MOF through post-synthetic modification and used as a heterogeneous catalyst. MOF-253-Ru catalysed the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols, including allylic alcohols, with PhI(OAc)(2) as the oxidant under very mild reaction conditions (ambient temperature to 40 °C). High conversions (up to >99%) were achieved in short reaction times (1-3 h) by using low catalyst loadings (0.5 mol% Ru). In addition, high selectivities (>90%) for aldehydes were obtained at room temperature. MOF-253-Ru can be recycled up to six times with only a moderate decrease in substrate conversion.

Microporous Aluminoborates with Large Channels: Structural and Catalytic Properties

Channel zapping: PKU-1 and newly synthesized PKU-2 (Al(2)B(5)O(9)(OH)(3)⋅n H(2)O; see picture) possess microporous structures with 18-ring and 24-ring channels, respectively. They show high reactivity and size selectivity in the cyanosilylation of aldehydes as heterogeneous Lewis acid catalysts. The different channel sizes determine the substrate selectivity. These examples demonstrate the potential of octahedron-based aluminoborate channels in catalysis.

Efficient Synthesis of β‐Hydroxy Ketones from Allylic Alcohols by Catalytic Formation of Ruthenium Enolates

Efficient synthesis of beta-hydroxy ketones from allylic alcohols by catalytic formation of ruthenium enolates

Building molecular complexity via tandem Ru-catalyzed isomerization/C-H activation

A tandem isomerization/C-H activation of allylic alcohols was performed using a catalytic amount of RuCl(2)(PPh(3))(3). A variety of ortho alkylated ketones have been obtained in excellent yields. This tandem process relies on an in situ generation of a carbonyl functional group that directs the ortho C-H bond activation.

The case for the intermediacy of monomeric metaphosphate analogues during oxidation of H-phosphonothioate, H-phosphonodithioate, and H-phosphonoselenoate monoesters: mechanistic and synthetic studies

Studies on the reaction of H-phosphonothioate, H-phosphonodithioate, and H-phosphonoselenoate monoesters with iodine in the presence of a base led to identification of a unique oxidation pathway, which consists of the initial oxidation of the sulfur or selenium atom in these compounds, followed by oxidative elimination of hydrogen iodide to generate the corresponding metaphosphate analogues. The intermediacy of the latter species during oxidation of the investigated H-phosphonate monoester derivatives with iodine was supported by various diagnostic experiments. The scope and limitation of these oxidative transformations for the purpose of the synthesis of nucleoside phosphorothioate, nucleoside phosphorodithioate, and nucleoside phosphoroselenoate diesters was also investigated.

On the Sulfurization of H-Phosphonate Diesters and Phosphite Triesters Using Elemental Sulfur

Sulfurization of tetracoordinate and tricoordinate P(III) derivatives, namely, H-phosphonate diesters, H-phosphonothioate diesters, and phosphite triesters with elemental sulfur under various experimental conditions, was investigated.