Tandem isomerisation-metathesis catalytic processes of linear olefins in ionic liquid biphasic system.

trans-3-Hexene is converted to heavier linear olefins by a tandem Ru-catalysed biphasic isomerisation/metathesis sequence. The difference in olefin metathesis and isomerisation rates is modulated by keeping the ionophilic metathesis catalyst in an ionic phase whilst the isomerisation catalyst is in another organic non-polar phase.

Ionic transformations in extremely nonpolar fluorous media: easily recoverable phase-transfer catalysts for halide-substitution reactions.

Solutions of the fluorous alkyl halides R(f8)(CH(2))(m)X (R(fn)=(CF(2))(n-1)CF(3); m=2, 3; X=Cl, Br, I) in perfluoromethylcyclohexane or perfluoromethyldecalin are inert towards solid or aqueous NaCl, NaBr, KI, KCN, and NaOAc. However, halide substitution occurs in the presence of fluorous phosphonium salts (R(f8)(CH(2))(2))(R(f6)(CH(2))(2))(3)P(+)X(-) (X=I (1), Br (3)) and (R(f8)(CH(2))(2))(4)P(+)I(-) (10 mol %), which are soluble in the fluorous solvents under the reaction conditions (76-100 degrees C). Stoichiometric reactions of a) 1 with R(f8)(CH(2))(2)Br and b) 3 with R(f8)(CH(2))(2)I were conducted under homogenous conditions in perfluoromethyldecalin at 100 degrees C and yielded the same R(f8)(CH(2))(2)I/R(f8)(CH(2))(2)Br equilibrium ratio ( approximately 60:40). This shows that ionic displacements can take place in extremely nonpolar fluorous phases and suggests a classical phase-transfer mechanism for the catalyzed reactions. Interestingly, the nonfluorous salt (CH(3)(CH(2))(11))(CH(3)(CH(2))(7))(3)P(+)I(-) (4) also catalyzes halide substitutions, but under triphasic conditions with 4 suspended between the lower fluorous and upper aqueous layers. NMR experiments established very low solubilities in both phases, which suggests interfacial catalysis. Catalyst 1 is easily recycled, optimally by simple precipitation onto teflon tape.

Ionophilic phosphines: versatile ligands for ionic liquid biphasic catalysis.

Phosphine ligands bearing an imidazolium fragment were easily prepared by one-step radical chain addition of secondary phosphines to allyl or vinyl imidazolium salts. These ligands were used to prepare new ionophilic second generation Grubbs-type catalysts. The catalyst immobilized in 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium ILs shows good catalytic activity in RCM reactions of several substrates and, depending on the media employed, is stable up to eight cycles.

Ionic transformations in extremely nonpolar fluorous media: phase transfer catalysis of halide substitution reactions.

Fluorous solutions of alkyl halides Rf8(CH2)mX (m = 2, 3; X = Cl, Br, I) are inert toward solid or aqueous NaCl, NaBr, and KI, but halide substitution occurs in the presence of fluorous phosphonium salts (10 mol %, 76-100 degrees C).

Kinetics and mechanistic aspects of the Heck reaction promoted by a CN-palladacycle.

In the Heck reaction between aryl halides and n-butyl acrylate, the palladacycle {Pd[kappa(1)-C, kappa(1)-N-C=(C(6)H(5))C(Cl)CH(2)NMe(2)](mu-Cl)}(2), 1, is merely a reservoir of the catalytically active Pd(0) species [1](Pd colloids or highly active forms of low ligated Pd(0) species) that undergoes oxidative addition of the aryl halide on the surface with subsequent detachment, generating homogeneous Pd(II) species. The main catalytic cycle is initiated by oxidative addition of iodobenzene to [1], followed by the reversible coordination of the olefin to the oxidative addition product. All the unimolecular subsequent steps are indistinguishable kinetically and can be combined in a single step. This kinetic model predicts that a slight excess of alkene relative to iodobenzene leads to a rapid rise in the Pd(0) concentration while when using a slight excess of iodobenzene, relative to alkene, the oxidative addition product is the resting state of the catalytic cycle. Competitive experiments of various bromoarenes and iodoarenes with n-butyl acrylate catalyzed by 1 and CS, CP, and NCN palladacycles gave the same rho value (2.4-2.5 for Ar-Br and 1.7-1.8 for Ar-I) for all palladacycles employed, indicating that they generate the same species in the oxidative addition step. The excellent fit of the slope with the sigma(0) Hammett parameter and the entropy of activation of -43 +/- 8 J mol(-1) K(-1) are consistent with an associative process involving the development of only a partial charge in the transition state for the oxidative step of iodobenzene.

Identification of 1,3-dialkylimidazolium salt supramolecular aggregates in solution.

The nature of the interactions between 1,3-dialkylimidazolium cations and noncoordinating anions such as tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, and tetraphenylborate has been studied in the solid state by X-ray diffraction analysis and in solution by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, conductivity, and microcalorimetry. In the solid state, these compounds show an extended network of hydrogen-bonded cations and anions in which one cation is surrounded by at least three anions and one anion is surrounded by at least three imidazolium cations. In the pure form, imidazolium salts are better described as polymeric supramolecules of the type {[(DAI)(3)(X)](2+)[(DAI)(X)(3)](2-)}(n) (where DAI is the dialkylimidazolium cation and X is the anion) formed through hydrogen bonds of the imidazolium cation with the anion. In solution, this supramolecular structural organization is maintained to a great extent, at least in solvents of low dielectric constant, indicating that mixtures of imidazolium ionic liquids with other molecules can be considered as nanostructured materials. This model is very useful for the rationalization of the majority of the unusual behavior of the ionic liquids.

Gaseous supramolecules of imidazolium ionic liquids: "magic" numbers and intrinsic strengths of hydrogen bonds.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is found to gently and efficiently transfer small to large as well as singly to multiply charged [X+]n[A-]m supramolecules of imidazolium ion (X+) ionic liquids to the gas phase, and to reveal "magic numbers" for their most favored assemblies. Tandem mass spectrometric experiments (ESI-MS/MS) were then used to dissociate, via low-energy collision activation, mixed and loosely bonded [A- - - -X- - - -A']- and [X- - - -A- - - -X']+ gaseous supramolecules, as well as their higher homologues, and to estimate and order via Cooks' kinetic method (CKM) and B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) calculations the intrinsic solvent-free magnitude of hydrogen bonds. For the five anions studied, the relative order of intrinsic hydrogen-bond strengths to the 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ion [X1]+ is: CF3CO2- (zero) > BF4- (-3.1) > PF6- (-10.0) > InCl4- (-16.4) and BPh4- (-17.6 kcal mol(-1)). The relative hydrogen-bond strength for InCl4- was measured via CKM whereas those for the other anions were calculated and used as CKM references. A good correlation coefficient (R=0.998) between fragment ion ratios and calculated hydrogen-bond strengths and an effective temperature (Teff) of 430 K demonstrate the CKM reliability for measuring hydrogen-bond strengths in gaseous ionic liquid supramolecules. Using CKM and Teff of 430 K, the intrinsic hydrogen-bond strengths of BF4- for the three cations investigated is: 1-n-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium ion (0) > 1,3-di-[(R)-3-methyl-2-butyl]-imidazolium ion (-2.4) > 1,3-di-[(R)-alpha-methylbenzyl]-imidazolium ion (-3.0 kcal mol(-1)). As evidenced by "magic" numbers, greater stabilities are found for the [(X1)2(BF4)3]- and [(X1)5A4]+ supramolecules (A not equal InCl4-).

A new totally flat N(sp(2))C(sp(2))N(sp(2)) pincer palladacycle: synthesis and photoluminescent properties.

The Sonogashira coupling of 2-bromopyridine with 8-quinolinyl-acetylene affords 2-pyridinyl-8-quinolinyl-acetylene (1) in high yields. The chloropalladation of 1 with Li(2)PdCl(4) in methanol at room temperature affords the pincer palladacycle (C(5)H(4)N-2-C=C(Cl)-8-C(9)H(6)kappaN,kappaC,kappaN)PdCl (2) in 63% yield. The X-ray molecular structure of (2) shows that it is totally flat and that it is associated in pairs though pi-stacking between alternate pyridine-quinoline moieties (3.448 A). The pairs are also connected by pi-stacking with an interpair distance of 3.452 A between quinoline-quinoline moieties. A very low fluorescence emission was also revealed by the pincer palladacycle 2 in both solution and the solid state, which has been ascribed to an excimeric emission due to the particular structure (rigid and totally flat) of 2 in the solid state.

Chloropalladated propargyl amine: a highly efficient phosphine-free catalyst precursor for the Heck reaction.

[reaction: see text] The palladacycle (Pd[k(1)-C, k(1)-N-C=(C(6)H(5))C(Cl)CH(2)NMe(2)](mu-Cl))(2) 1 derived from the chloropalladation of 3-(dimethylamino)-1-phenyl-1-propyne promotes the arylation of olefins under relatively mild reaction conditions. The coupling of iodoarenes and activated bromoarenes with n-butylacrylate and styrene occurs at room temperature. Turnover numbers of up to 85 000 have been achieved with deactivated bromoarenes and up to 1000 for activated chloroarenes at higher temperatures (80-150 degrees C).