Renhua Qiu

Facile regio- and stereoselective hydrometalation of alkynes with a combination of carboxylic acids and group 10 transition metal complexes: selective hydrogenation of alkynes with formic acid.

A facile, highly stereo- and regioselective hydrometalation of alkynes generating alkenylmetal complex is disclosed for the first time from a reaction of alkyne, carboxylic acid, and a zerovalent group 10 transition metal complex M(PEt(3))(4) (M = Ni, Pd, Pt). A mechanistic study showed that the hydrometalation does not proceed via the reaction of alkyne with a hydridometal generated by the protonation of a carboxylic acid with Pt(PEt(3))(4), but proceeds via a reaction of an alkyne coordinate metal complex with the acid. This finding clarifies the long proposed reaction mechanism that operates via the generation of an alkenylpalladium intermediate and subsequent transformation of this complex in a variety of reactions catalyzed by a combination of Brϕnsted acid and Pd(0) complex. This finding also leads to the disclosure of an unprecedented reduction of alkynes with formic acid that can selectively produce cis-, trans-alkenes and alkanes by slightly tuning the conditions.

Nickel-catalyzed direct thiolation of C(sp(3))-H bonds in aliphatic amides.

Nickel-catalyzed thiolation of the inactivated methyl C(sp(3))-H bonds of aliphatic amides with disulfide is described. It is a novel strategy for the synthesis of thioethers with the ultimate goal of generating thioether carboxylic acids with various functional groups.

Copper-Mediated Remote C–H Bond Chalcogenation of Quinolines on the C5 Position

An efficient and convenient method is developed for the remote C-H bond chalcogenation of 8-aminoquinoline scaffolds on the C5 position that is geometrically inaccessible. The protocol makes use of inexpensive CuBr2 as mediator and shows good tolerance toward numerous disulfides/diselenides and aliphatic amides, giving the corresponding products in good to excellent yield.

Rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular oxidative cross-coupling of (hetero)arenes with chalcogenophenes.

A straightforward and efficient method for the rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular oxidative cross-coupling of arenes and heteroarenes with thio- and selenophene derivatives (chalcogenophenes) via double C-H bond cleavage has been developed by using Cu(OAc)2/AgSbF6 as an oxidant. The reaction is applicable to a wide range of (hetero)arenes carrying a directing group and chalcogenophenes to yield substituted biaryl heterocyclic derivatives and oligothiophene derivatives in moderate to high yields.

The Palladium-Catalyzed Intermolecular C–H Chalcogenation of Arenes

Palladium catalyzes the intermolecular chalcogenation of carbazole, 2-phenylpyridine, benzo[h]quinolone, and indole derivatives with disulfides and diselenides via selective C-H bond cleavage, providing a convenient route to thio and selenoethers.

Synthesis and structure of an air-stable cationic organobismuth complex and its use as a highly efficient catalyst for the direct diastereoselective Mannich reaction in water

An air-stable cationic organobismuth complex was successfully synthesized and found to show high catalytic efficiency in the direct diastereoselective Mannich reaction in water.

Strong Lewis Acids of Air‐Stable Metallocene Bis(perfluorooctanesulfonate)s as High‐Efficiency Catalysts for Carbonyl‐Group Transformation Reactions

Strong Lewis acids of air-stable metallocene bis(perfluorooctanesulfonate)s [M(Cp)(2)][OSO(2)C(8)F(17)](2)⋅nH(2)O⋅THF (M = Zr (2 a⋅3 H(2)O⋅THF), M = Ti (2 b⋅2 H(2)O⋅THF)) were synthesized by the reaction of [M(Cp)(2)]Cl(2) (M = Zr (1 a), M = Ti (1 b)) with nBuLi and C(8)F(17)SO(3)H (2 equiv) or with C(8)F(17)SO(3)Ag (2 equiv). The hydrate numbers (n) of these complexes were variable, changing from 0 to 4 depending on conditions. In contrast to well-known metallocene triflates, these complexes suffered no change in open air for a year. thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) analysis showed that 2 a and 2 b were thermally stable at 300 and 180 °C, respectively. These complexes exhibited unusually high solubility in polar organic solvents. Conductivity measurement showed that the complexes (2 a and 2 b) were ionic dissociation in CH(3)CN solution. X-ray analysis result confirmed 2 a⋅3 H(2)O⋅THF was a cationic organometallic Lewis acid. UV/Vis spectra showed a significant red shift due to the strong complex formation between 10-methylacridone and 2 a. Fluorescence spectra showed that the Lewis acidity of 2 a fell between those of Sc(3+) (λ(em)=474 nm) and Fe(3+) (λ(em)=478 nm). ESR spectra showed the Lewis acidity of 2 a (0.91 eV) was at the same level as that of Sc(3+) (1.00 eV) and Y(3+) (0.85 eV), while the Lewis acidity of 2 b (1.06 eV) was larger than that of Sc(3+) (1.00 eV) and Y(3+) (0.85 eV). They showed high catalytic ability in carbonyl-compound transformation reactions, such as the Mannich reaction, the Mukaiyama aldol reaction, allylation of aldehydes, the Friedel-Crafts acylation of alkyl aromatic ethers, and cyclotrimerization of ketones. Moreover, the complexes possessed good reusability. On account of their excellent catalytic efficiency, stability, and reusability, the complexes will find broad catalytic applications in organic synthesis.

Synthesis and structure of air-stable Lewis acidic binuclear complex of zirconocene pentafluorophenylsulfonate and its catalytic application in the allylation of carbonyl compounds with tetraallyltin.

Air-stable Lewis acidic micro2-hydroxy bridged binuclear complex of zirconocene pentafluorophenylsulfonate was successfully synthesized and found to show high catalytic efficiency in chemoselective allylation of carbonyl compounds with tetraallyltin in aqueous methanol media.

Effect of butterfly-shaped sulfur-bridged ligand and counter anions on the catalytic activity and diastereoselectivity of organobismuth complexes

In the direct Mannich reaction and synthesis of α,β-unsaturated ketones, the use of organobismuth complexes as catalysts leads to high diastereoselectivity and products of single trans conformation. In this paper, we illustrate the relationship between structure and catalytic activity as well as diastereoselectivity of organobismuth complexes having a 5,6,7,12-tetrahydrodibenz [c,f][1,5]thiobismocine framework as well as bearing a butterfly-shaped sulfur-bridged ligand and tunable anions. With the exposed bismuth center acting as a Lewis acid site and the uncoordinated lone pair electrons of sulfur as a Lewis base site, the cationic organobismuth complexes work as bifunctional Lewis acid/base catalysts. Due to the steric influence of the butterfly-shaped structure and synergistic effect of Lewis acid and Lewis base centers, the complexes can direct substrate attack in organic synthesis. By adjusting the electron-withdrawing ability of the counter anions, the S-Bi bond strength can be regulated, leading to a significant change in Lewis acidity and Lewis basicity as well as catalytic activity. Through synergistic modulation of the above effects, one can control the diastereoselectivity of the organobismuth complexes for the generation of a single diastereoisomer.

Facile separation catalyst system: direct diastereoselective synthesis of (E)-α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by an air-stable Lewis acidic/basic bifunctional organobismuth complex in ionic liquids

The catalyst system that comprises an air-stable bifunctional Lewis acidic/basic organobismuth complex and [Bmim]BF4 is highly efficient in the cross-condensation of aldehydes with ketones. Through switching the reaction from homogeneous to heterogeneous, the system shows facile separation ability and facile reusability.