Jacob Overgaard

In Situ Generated Bulky Palladium Hydride Complexes as Catalysts for the Efficient Isomerization of Olefins. Selective Transformation of Terminal Alkenes to 2-Alkenes

Application of an in situ generated bulky palladium(II) hydride catalyst obtained from a 1:1:1 mixture of Pd(dba)(2), P(tBu)(3), and isobutyryl chloride provides an efficient protocol for the isomerization and migration of a variety of olefins. In addition to the isomerization of (Z)- to (E)-olefins, the conjugative migration of allylbenzenes, allyl ethers, and amines was effectively achieved in near-quantitative yields and with excellent functional group tolerance. Catalyst loadings in the range of 0.5-1.0 mol % were typically applied, but even loadings as low as 0.25 mol % could be achieved when the reactions were performed under neat conditions. More interestingly, the investigated catalyst proved to be selective for converting terminal alkenes to 2-alkenes. This one-carbon migration process for monosubstituted olefins provides an alternative catalyst, which bridges the gap between the allylation and propenylation/vinylation protocols. Several substrates, including homoallylic alcohols and amines, were selectively transformed into their corresponding 2-alkenes, and examples using enantiomerically enriched substrates provided products without epimerization at the allylic stereogenic carbon centers. Finally, some mechanistic investigations were undertaken to understand the nature of the active in situ generated Pd-H catalyst. These studies revealed that the catalytic system is highly dependent on the large steric demand of the P(tBu)(3) ligand. The use of an alternative ligand, cataCXium PinCy, also proved effective for generating an active catalyst, and it was demonstrated in some cases to display better selectivity for the one-carbon shifts of terminal olefins. A possible intermediate involved in the preparation of the active catalyst was characterized by its single-crystal X-ray structure, which revealed a monomeric tricoordinated palladium(II) acyl complex, bearing a chloride ligand.

Taking Advantage of the Ambivalent Reactivity of Ynamides in Gold Catalysis: A Rare Case of Alkyne Dimerization

A gold mine of results: A series of ynamides have been dimerized in the presence of a gold(I) complex. This unprecedented transformation involves the formation of a key keteniminium intermediate that reacts to form a variety of cyclic and acyclic products. The substitution pattern of the ynamide determines which product is formed (see scheme; EWG=electron-withdrawing group, Ts=p-toluenesulfonyl). Copyright

Strong N−H⋅⋅⋅O Hydrogen Bonding in a Model Compound of the Catalytic Triad in Serine Proteases

Low-barrier hydrogen bond (LBHB) involvement in enzyme catalysis is examined by analysis of experimental nuclear and electron densities of a model compound for the catalytic triad in serine proteases (shown schematically), which is based on a cocrystal of betaine, imidazole, and picric acid. The three short, strong N-H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds in the structure have varying degrees of covalent bonding contributions suggesting a gradual transition to the LBHB situation.

Experimental Electron Density Study of the Mg−Mg Bonding Character in a Magnesium(I) Dimer

Experimental charge density modeling of a magnesium dimer complex and subsequent topological analysis reveals the existence of a chemical bond between the two central Mg atoms. Analysis of the molecular system using the energy density, the source function, and several density profiles along the entire bond path portrays the bond as one between two monovalent Mg atoms containing significant covalent character.

A family of heterometallic wheels containing potentially fourteen hundred siblings

The synthesis and structure of new heterometallic wheels are reported, with preliminary studies of selected compounds.

Photomagnetic Switching of the Complex [Nd(dmf)4(H2O)3(μ‐CN)Fe(CN)5]⋅H2O Analyzed by Single‐Crystal X‐Ray Diffraction

X-ray vision: Single-crystal XRD experiments (see picture) reveal the excited-state structure of the photomagnetic heterobimetallic title complex. The system shows a decrease in all the iron-ligand bond lengths, suggesting that photoexcitation involves a ligand-to-metal charge transfer or a change in the superexchange coupling between the metal centers.

Synchrotron X-ray charge density study of coordination polymer Co3(C8H4O4)4(C4H12N)2(C5H11NO)3 at 16 K.

The charge density (CD) of coordination polymer Co3(C8H4O4)4(C4H12N)2(C5H11NO)3 (1) has been determined from multipole modeling of structure factors obtained from single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements at 16 K. The crystal structure formally contains a negatively charged framework with cations and neutral molecules in the voids. However, the CD suggests that the framework is close to neutral, and therefore qualitative conclusions based on formal charge counting, e.g., about guest inclusion properties, will be incorrect. There are considerable differences in the charge distributions of the three unique benzenedicarboxylic acid linkers, which are widely used in coordination polymers. This suggests that the electrostatic properties of coordination polymer cavities, and thereby their inclusion properties, are highly tunable. The electron density topology shows that the tetrahedrally coordinated Co atom has an atomic volume which is 15% larger than that of the octahedrally coordinated Co atom. The crystal structure has both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions, but no direct metal-metal bonding is evidenced in the CD. The magnetic ordering therefore takes place through superexchange in the oxygen bridges and the aromatic linkers. Bonding analysis of the experimental CD reveals that two oxygen atoms, O(1) and O(11), have significant covalent contributions to the metal-ligand bonding, whereas all other oxygen atoms have closed-shell interactions with the metals. This indicates that these two oxygen atoms are the key mediators of the magnetic ordering.

Experimental Charge Density Analysis of a Gallium(I) N-Heterocyclic Carbene Analogue

The experimental electron density of the only known example of a four-membered Ga(I) N-heterocyclic carbene analogue has been determined by multipole modeling of 90 K X-ray diffraction data and compared to theoretical data. In order to obtain a satisfactory model, it is necessary to modify the radial dependency of the core electrons of Ga using two separate scaling parameters for s,p- and d-electrons. Evidence for significant lone-pair density on Ga is found in the electron density and derived properties despite the partial positive charge of this atom. Static deformation density and molecular electrostatic potential clearly show a directional lone pair on Ga, whereas the Laplacian of the total electron density does not; this feature is, however, present in the Laplacian of the valence-only density. The Ga center also acts as an acceptor in four intramolecular C-H···Ga contacts, whose nature is probed by density properties. Substantial covalent character is apparent in the Ga-N bonds, but no sign of donation from filled N p-orbitals to empty Ga p-orbitals is found, whereas π-delocalization over the organic ligand is evident. This study highlights the utility of experimental charge density analysis as a technique to investigate the unusual bonding and electronic characteristics of low oxidation state/low coordinate p-block complexes.

X–N Charge density analysis of the hydrogen bonding motif in 1-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)ethanoneElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: multipole population coefficients and pseudoatom parameterization. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/ob/b2/b211683a/

The total experimental charge density in 1-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)ethanone (1) has been determined using high-resolution X-ray diffraction data in combination with neutron diffraction data measured at 100 K. Multipole refinement was carried out in terms of the rigid pseudoatom model. Multipole refinement converged at R = 0.026 for 5415 reflections with I > 2 sigma(I). Topological analysis of the total experimental charge density rho(r) and its Laplacian, -[symbol: see text]2 rho(r) together with a comparison against high level theoretical gas-phase calculations reveals fine details of intra- and intermolecular bonding features, in particular the extent of the pi-delocalisation throughout the molecule.

Access to 1,2‐Dihydroisoquinolines through Gold‐Catalyzed Formal [4+2] Cycloaddition

A new synthetic route to the privileged 1,2-dihydroisoquinolines is reported. This method, which relies on a gold-catalyzed formal [4+2] cycloaddition between ynamides and imines, provides a new retrosynthetic disconnection of the 1,2-dihydroisoquinoline core by installing the 1,8a C-C and 2,3 C-N bonds in one step. Both aldimines and ketimines can be used as substrates. In addition, one example of dihydrofuropyridine synthesis is also demonstrated.