Bench-Stable Dinuclear Mn(I) Catalysts in E-Selective Alkyne Semihydrogenation: A Mechanistic Investigation
Preshit C Abhyankar1, Samantha N MacMillan2, David C Lacy1
1Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, 14260, USA.
Abstract:
Dinuclear manganese hydride complexes of the form [Mn2 (CO)8 (μ-H)(μ-PR2 )] (R=Ph, 1; R=iPr, 2) were used in E-selective alkyne semi-hydrogenation (E-SASH) catalysis. Catalyst speciation studies revealed rich coordination chemistry and the complexes thus formed were isolated and in turn tested as catalysts; the results underscore the importance of dinuclearity in engendering the observed E-selectivity and provide insights into the nature of the active catalyst. The insertion product obtained from treating 2 with (cyclopropylethynyl)benzene contains a cis-alkenyl bridging ligand with the cyclopropyl ring being intact. Treatment of this complex with H2 affords exclusively trans-(2-cyclopropylvinyl)benzene. These results, in addition to other control experiments, indicate a non-radical mechanism for E-SASH, which is highly unusual for Mn-H catalysts. The catalytically active species are virtually inactive towards cis to trans alkene isomerization indicating that the E-selective process is intrinsic and dinuclear complexes play a critical role. A reaction mechanism is proposed accounting for the observed reactivity which is fully consistent with a kinetic analysis of the rate limiting step and is further supported by DFT computations.
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