Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
![[(DPEPhos)(bcp)Cu]PF6: A General and Broadly Applicable Copper-Based Photoredox Catalyst](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F59739.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
[(DPEPhos)(bcp)Cu]PF6: A General and Broadly Applicable Copper-Based Photoredox Catalyst
Published on: May 21, 2019
A general and efficient copper catalyst for the double carbonylation reaction
Jianming Liu1, Rongzhao Zhang, Shoufeng Wang
1State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.
A novel copper catalyst system enables double carbonylation of aryl iodides and amines, avoiding expensive palladium and phosphine ligands. This nonprecious metal approach offers broader applicability for organic synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Organic Chemistry
- Catalysis
- Organometallic Chemistry
Background:
- Palladium catalysts and phosphine ligands are traditionally used for double carbonylation reactions.
- These traditional methods present challenges related to cost and ligand sensitivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a more economical and versatile catalytic system for the double carbonylation of aryl iodides and secondary amines.
- To replace precious metal catalysts with earth-abundant alternatives.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a copper(I) iodide (CuI) complex with a N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursor as the catalytic system.
- Investigated the double carbonylation of various aryl iodides and secondary amines under optimized conditions.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated the double carbonylation of aryl iodides and secondary amines using the (NHC)CuI catalyst.
- The developed protocol avoids the need for expensive palladium and phosphine ligands.
- The new catalytic system exhibits greater generality compared to previously reported methods.
Conclusions:
- The (NHC)CuI complex provides an efficient and cost-effective alternative for double carbonylation reactions.
- This advancement offers a more sustainable and broadly applicable method in organic synthesis.
- The protocol highlights the potential of nonprecious metal catalysis in complex organic transformations.
Related Concept Videos
Acid Halides to Ketones: Gilman Reagent
As shown below, the mechanism proceeds in two steps. First, one of the alkyl groups of the reagent acts as a nucleophile and attacks the acyl carbon of the acid chloride to form a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by the reformation of the carbon–oxygen double...
Catalysis
Catalysis
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.

