Luis A. Adrio

Speciation of Pd(OAc)2 in ligandless Suzuki–Miyaura reactions

Generation of catalytically active Pd(0) species from Pd(OAc)2 has been examined, in the context of Suzuki–Miyaura reactions involving substitution of aryl bromides under aerobic and ambient conditions. Using a combination of spectroscopic, microscopic and kinetic measurements, the role of each reaction component is delineated in the speciation of the palladium species. Among the key findings are the effects of O2, H2O and inorganic base, and implications for catalytic activity.

Silver‐Catalysed Enantioselective Addition of OH and NH Bonds to Allenes: A New Model for Stereoselectivity Based on Noncovalent Interactions

The ability of silver complexes to catalyse the enantioselective addition of O-H and N-H bonds to allenes is demonstrated for the first time by using optically active anionic ligands that were derived from oxophosphorus(V) acids as the sources of chirality. The intramolecular addition of acids, alcohols, and amines to allenes can be achieved with up to 73% ee. The exploitation of a C-H anomeric effect allowed the absolute configuration of a sample of 2-substituted tetrahydrofuran of low ee to be unambiguously assigned by comparison of the chiroptical ORD and VCD measurements with calculated spectra. In the second part of the work, the origin of the stereoselectivity was probed by DFT free-energy calculations of the transition states. A new model of enantiomeric differentiation was developed that was based on noncovalent interactions. This model allowed us to identify the source of stereoselectivity as weak attractive interactions; such dispersive forces are often overlooked in asymmetric catalysis. A new computational approach was developed that represents these interactions as colour-coded isosurfaces that are characterised by the reduced density-gradient profile.

Synthesis of Terphenyls

A terphenyl molecule consists of a central aromatic ring flanked by two other aryl groups, which may be arranged in 1,2 (ortho)-, 1,3 (meta)- or 1,4 (para)-configurations. Due to their conjugated π...

Operando XAFS of supported Pd nanoparticles in flowing ethanol/water mixtures: implications for catalysis

Ethanol–water, a prototypical ‘green’ solvent mixture, cannot be considered as inert toward supported Pd nanoparticles. We establish severe size dependencies in Pd redox behavior, persistent gradients in Pd phase in a plug-flow situation, and that Pd nanoparticles are contaminated with hydrogen derived from the solvent.

Electronic structures of cyclometalated palladium complexes in the higher oxidation states

The electronic and redox properties of a series of cyclometalated Pd complexes with oxidation states of +2, +3 and +4 were examined using a range of currently available spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. Changes in metal-ligand bond lengths were established by X-ray crystallography and correctly predicted by DFT calculations, from which the frontier orbitals and partial atomic charges can be obtained. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) revealed interesting XANES features that suggest a synergistic relationship between metal-ligand interactions. The electrochemical study of the Pd(ii) dimer was found to contain two sequential oxidative potentials indicative of a weak metal-metal interaction.

Effects of Cl on the reduction of supported PdO in ethanol/water solvent mixtures

Abstract The reduction of γ-Al2O3-supported PdO in flowing aqueous ethanol was investigated. Quick EXAFS (QEXAFS) performed at the Pd K-edge reveals that the presence of Cl can have a profound effect on the reduction process. At low loadings of Pd (1 wt-%), the size dependency of the process is inverted, compared to Cl-free samples. The extent of reduction was found to be dependent on loading/particles size. It is shown, using in situ QEXAFS at the Cl K- and Pd L3-edges, that residual Cl is not removed by the flowing solvent mixture, even at an elevated temperature of 350 K. The origins of these behaviours are discussed in terms of the differing effects that Cl may have when bonded to oxidic or reduced metal centres and the results were compared to earlier observations made on the effects of Cl on commercial polyurea encapsulated Pd ENCAT™ NP 30 catalysts.

Palladacycle catalysis: an innovation to the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction.

Herein we report a Suzuki-Miyaura type cross-coupling between an aryl halide and a functionalized boronic acid palladacycle in the absence of an external catalyst. This reaction is an unprecedented case of catalysis in palladium metallacycle chemistry.

Restructuring of supported Pd by green solvents: an operando quick EXAFS (QEXAFS) study and implications for the derivation of structure–function relationships in Pd catalysis

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is commonly used as an ex situ technique to determine structural changes by comparing images of catalyst particles before and after a reaction. This requires the use of an alcoholic solvent to disperse the particles on a grid. In this work, we will show that Pd catalysts can be transformed during the procedure, by using EXAFS to determine the structure of Pd catalysts in different environments (as dry or wet samples). Supported palladium nanoparticles exposed to aqueous ethanolic solution (50% w/v) are transformed to a common, reduced, and hydrogen-contaminated state, irrespective of their initial habit or support. Catalysts comprised of nanosize PdO are reduced at ca. 350 K, whereas samples comprised of very small (ca. ≤10 atoms) Pd particles react with the solvent at just above room temperature and agglomerate with considerable loss of dispersion. As such any potential benefits to catalysis sought through the synthesis of very highly dispersed metallic Pd supported upon a range of inorganic dispersants will be rapidly erased through the action of such solvents.

Application of phosphine ligands in organic synthesis

Phosphine ligands continue to occupy a dominant position in homogeneous and asymmetric catalysis. In recent years, increasing availability of phosphine ligands and precursors from commercial sources has greatly facilitated the rapid discovery and optimisation of new catalytic processes. This Report ...