Xinggao Fang

Ytterbium trichloride-catalyzed allylation of aldehydes with allyltrimethylsilane

Abstract Ytterbium chloride (YbCl 3 ) is found to be an effective catalyst for the allylation of both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes using allyltrimethylsilane.

Metal complexes based on an upper-rim calix[4]arene phosphine ligand

Abstract A new upper-rim phosphacalix[4]arene 5,17-bis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)-25,26,27,28-tetrapropoxycalix[4]arene ( 4 ) has been prepared starting from commercially available tert -butyl calix[4]arene. Treatment of 4 with (COD)PdMeCl and (COD)PtCl 2 gives polymeric phosphine-coordinated Pd(II) and Pt(II) species, respectively. 4 reacts with [(COD)RhCl] 2 to give a di-rhodium complex that is an active catalyst for the hydroformylation of 1-octene and styrene.

Triphenylmethyl tris(p-methoxyphenyl)phosphonium cation: a structurally characterized phosphonium analog of hexaphenylethane

Reaction of tris(p-methoxyphenyl)phosphine with [Ph3C][B(ArF)4] [ArF=3,5-(CF3)2C6H3] afforded [Ph3CP(4-OMeC6H4)3][B(ArF)4], a structural analog of hexaphenylethane, which shows a very long P–C distance [1.931(3) A] in the solid state, indicating a strong steric repulsive interaction between the two parts of the phosphonium cation.

Ytterbium Trichloride-Catalyzed Diels-Alder Reactions of Unactivated Dienes

Abstract Ytterbium chloride (YbCl3) is an effective and reusable catalyst for Diels-Alder reactions of unactivated dienes with α,β-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes at room temperature, leading to products with high regio- and stereoselectivities.