Andrew J. West

Recovery and recycle of fluoroalkyl-derivatised BINAP ligands using FRP silica gel

Three chiral perfluoroalkylated bidentate phosphorus(III) ligands have been prepared and characterised. These ligands have been evaluated in the asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl acetoacetate in dichloromethane and compared with the parent, non-fluorinated, ruthenium catalyst systems. After catalysis, recovery and reuse of the ligands has been achieved.

Asymmetric hydrogenation with perfluoroalkylated monodentate phosphorus(III) ligands in supercritical CO2 and CH2Cl2

Four chiral perfluoroalkylated monodentate phosphorus(III) ligands have been prepared and characterised. These ligands have been evaluated in the rhodium-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation of dimethyl itaconate in both dichloromethane and supercritical CO2 (scCO2) and compared with the parent, non-perfluoroalkylated, catalyst systems.

Recycling of a perfluoroalkylated BINOL ligand using fluorous solid-phase extraction

After the asymmetric addition of allyltri-n-butyltin to benzaldehyde, a perfluoroalkylated BINOL-Sn complex was separated from the organic product using fluorous reverse phase silica gel. The lightly fluorinated ligand was then recovered by hydrolysis of the Rf6-BINOL-Sn complex with dilute hydrochloric acid and was reused three times without loss of activity or enantioselectivity.

Phosphorous(III) compounds incorporating perfluoroalkyl-derivatised biphenolic units

A perfluoroalkyl-derivatised biphenol has been prepared. Using this unit, the synthesis of a series of perfluoroalkyl-derivatised phosphorus(III) ligands incorporating chelation at the phosphorus centre is described.

Zinc, cadmium and mercury

This Chapter reviews the literature reported during 2007 on zinc, cadmium and mercury. The synthesis of novel compounds and complexes of these metals is reviewed and new observations and inferences are reported. Research highlights for each of the metals during the year are also given.