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Palladium N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes: Synthesis from Benzimidazolium Salts and Catalytic Activity in Carbon-carbon Bond-forming Reactions
Published on: July 30, 2017
An Entry to Mixed NHC-Fischer Carbene Complexes and Zwitterionic Group 6 Metal Alkenyls
Miguel A Sierra1,2, Alba D Merinero3,4, Elena A Giner3,4
1Departamento de Química Orgánica I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain. sierraor@quim.ucm.es.
Abstract:
The addition of NHCs to α,β-unsaturated Cr(0) and W(0) (Fischer) carbene complexes is strongly dependent on the electrophilicity of the carbene carbon. Electrophilic alkoxy-carbene complexes quantitatively react with NHCs to yield stable zwitterionic (racemic) Cr(0) - and W(0) -alkenyls with total regio- and E-stereoselectivity. Less electrophilic aminocarbenes react with NHCs to promote the displacement of a CO ligand and yield "mixed" NHC/Fischer biscarbenes in a process that is unprecedented in group 6 metal-carbene chemistry. In fact, the compounds prepared, are some of the scarce examples of Fischer bisylidenes reported in the literature. The electrochemistry of the zwitterionic Cr(0) - and W(0) -alkenylcomplexes made, show that these compounds have a strong reductor character, which is demonstrated in their reactions towards [Ph3 C][PF6 ]. The oxidation processes lead to new types of cationic Fischer mono- and biscarbene complexes having a charged NHC fragment in their structures, in a new example of the use of electron-transfer reactions as a method to prepare novel group 6 (Fischer) carbene complexes.
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