Jarl Ivar van der Vlugt

Ligands that store and release electrons during catalysis

First-row transition metals can be given a noble character by redox-active ligands, thus enabling two-electron oxidative addition and reductive elimination steps (see scheme). A recently reported cobalt-mediated Negishi-type cross-coupling reaction provides an illustrative example of this concept and reveals its potential to develop new catalytic reactions with cheap, abundant metals.

Advances in selective activation and application of ammonia in homogeneous catalysis

Recent developments toward selective N-H cleavage and the use of ammonia as a substrate in homogeneous catalysis are discussed in this critical review (134 references).

Complexes with Nitrogen-Centered Radical Ligands: Classification, Spectroscopic Features, Reactivity, and Catalytic Applications

The electronic structure, spectroscopic features, and (catalytic) reactivity of complexes with nitrogen-centered radical ligands are described. Complexes with aminyl ([M(˙NR2)]), nitrene/imidyl ([M(˙NR)]), and nitridyl radical ligands ([M(˙N)]) are detectable and sometimes even isolable species, and despite their radical nature frequently reveal selective reactivity patterns towards a variety of organic substrates. A classification system for complexes with nitrogen-centered radical ligands based on their electronic structure leads to their description as one-electron-reduced Fischer-type systems, one-electron-oxidized Schrock-type systems, or systems with a (nearly) covalent M-N π bond. Experimental data relevant for the assignment of the radical locus (i.e. metal or ligand) are discussed, and the application of complexes with nitrogen-centered radical ligands in the (catalytic) syntheses of nitrogen-containing organic molecules such as aziridines and amines is demonstrated with recent examples. This Review should contribute to a better understanding of the (catalytic) reactivity of nitrogen-centered radical ligands and the role they play in tuning the reactivity of coordination compounds.

Base-Free Production of H2 by Dehydrogenation of Formic Acid Using An Iridium–bisMETAMORPhos Complex

Erase the base: An iridium complex based on a cooperative ligand that functions as an internal base is reported. This complex can rapidly and cleanly dehydrogenate formic acid in absence of external base, a reaction that is required if formic acid is to be exploited as an energy carrier (see scheme).

Highly selective asymmetric Rh-catalyzed hydroformylation of heterocyclic olefins

A small family of new chiral hybrid, diphosphorus ligands, consisting of phosphine-phosphoramidites L1 and L2 and phosphine-phosphonites L3a-c, was synthesized for the application in Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydroformylation of heterocyclic olefins. High-pressure (HP)-NMR and HP-IR spectroscopy under 5-10 bar of syngas has been employed to characterize the corresponding catalyst resting state with each ligand. Indole-based ligands L1 and L2 led to selective ea coordination, while the xanthene derived system L3c gave predominant ee coordination. Application of the small bite-angle ligands L1 and L2 in the highly selective asymmetric hydroformylation (AHF) of the challenging substrate 2,3-dihydrofuran (1) yielded the 2-carbaldehyde (3) as the major regioisomer in up to 68% yield (with ligand L2) along with good ees of up to 62%. This is the first example in which the asymmetric hydroformylation of 1 is both regio- and enantioselective for isomer 3. Interestingly, use of ligand L3c in the same reaction completely changed the regioselectivity to 3-carbaldehyde (4) with a remarkably high enantioselectivity of 91%. Ligand L3c also performs very well in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydroformylation of other heterocyclic olefins. Highly enantioselective conversion of the notoriously difficult substrate 2,5-dihydrofuran (2) is achieved using the same catalyst, with up to 91% ee, concomitant with complete regioselectivity to the 3-carbaldehyde product (4) under mild reaction conditions. Interestingly, the Rh-catalyst derived from L3c is thus able to produce both enantiomers of 3-carbaldehyde 4, simply by changing the substrate from 1 to 2. Furthermore, 85% ee was obtained in the hydroformylation of N-acetyl-3-pyrroline (5) with exceptionally high regioselectivities for 3-carbaldehyde 8Ac (>99%). Similarly, an ee of 86% for derivative 8Boc was accomplished using the same catalyst system in the AHF of N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-3-pyrroline (6). These results represent the highest ees reported to date in the AHF of dihydrofurans (1, 2) and 3-pyrrolines (5, 6).

Water splitting by cooperative catalysis

A mononuclear Ru complex is shown to efficiently split water into H2 and O2 in consecutive steps through a heat- and light-driven process (see picture). Thermally driven H2 formation involves the aid of a non-innocent ligand scaffold, while dioxygen is generated by initial photochemically induced reductive elimination of hydrogen peroxide. These features might be the onset for new designs of catalytic water-splitting systems.

Redox-Active Ligand-Induced Homolytic Bond Activation†

Coordination of the novel redox-active phosphine-appended aminophenol pincer ligand (PNO(H2) ) to Pd(II) generates a paramagnetic complex with a persistent ligand-centered radical. The complex undergoes fully reversible single-electron oxidation and reduction. Homolytic bond activation of diphenyldisulfide by the single-electron reduced species leads to a ligand-based mixed-valent dinuclear palladium complex with a single bridging thiolate ligand. Mechanistic investigations support an unprecedented intramolecular ligand-to-disulfide single-electron transfer process to induce homolytic SS cleavage, thereby releasing a thiyl (sulfanyl) radical. This could be a new strategy for small-molecule bond activation.

Dinuclear Copper(I) Thiolate Complexes with a Bridging Noninnocent PNP Ligand

In natural systems, substrate activation and transformation is often achieved through metal–ligand cooperativity, and almost exclusively with earth-abundant 3d metals.[1] However, this concept of a metal and its ligand acting in concert is still strongly under-explored in synthetic chemistry with first-row transition metals, although for heavier analogues this has provided new routes to the formation and functionalization of useful building blocks.[2] Recently, a family of pincer ligands[3] was demonstrated to enable cooperative catalysis.[4] Strikingly, relatively little attention has been paid to the chemistry of Fe,[5] Co,[6, 7] and Ni[8–10] with these noninnocent ligand frameworks relative to the elegant reactivity detailed for their heavier congeners. Reports of the coinage metals Ag and Au are also scarce.[9c] Furthermore, Cu chemistry has rarely been explored with any pincer scaffold.[11]

Highly enantioselective hydroformylation of dihydrofurans catalyzed by hybrid phosphine–phosphonite rhodium complexes

Unprecedented regio- and enantioselectivities (>91%) are reported for the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydroformylation of 2,3- and 2,5-dihydrofuran using tunable hybrid phosphine-phosphonite ligands.

Catalytic Synthesis of N-Heterocycles via Direct C(sp3)–H Amination Using an Air-Stable Iron(III) Species with a Redox-Active Ligand

Coordination of FeCl3 to the redox-active pyridine–aminophenol ligand NNOH2 in the presence of base and under aerobic conditions generates FeCl2(NNOISQ) (1), featuring high-spin FeIII and an NNOISQ radical ligand. The complex has an overall S = 2 spin state, as deduced from experimental and computational data. The ligand-centered radical couples antiferromagnetically with the Fe center. Readily available, well-defined, and air-stable 1 catalyzes the challenging intramolecular direct C(sp3)–H amination of unactivated organic azides to generate a range of saturated N-heterocycles with the highest turnover number (TON) (1 mol% of 1, 12 h, TON = 62; 0.1 mol% of 1, 7 days, TON = 620) reported to date. The catalyst is easily recycled without noticeable loss of catalytic activity. A detailed kinetic study for C(sp3)–H amination of 1-azido-4-phenylbutane (S1) revealed zero order in the azide substrate and first order in both the catalyst and Boc2O. A cationic iron complex, generated from the neutral precatalyst upon reaction with Boc2O, is proposed as the catalytically active species.