Copper(I) Based Photoredox Chemistry

Photoredox catalysis has become a powerful tool for chemists. However, the reliance on expensive Ir and Ru based photoredox catalysts (PC) motivates research for more sustainable options. Copper complexes based on favorable photophysical properties, high abundance and comparatively low prices offer a more sustainable alternative which is outlined in Chapter 1. This dissertation is dedicated to the development of new Cu(I) complexes and their investigation as PCs. Chapter 2 describes the synthesis of a new 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) based ligand and the heteroleptic [Cu(N^N)(P^P)][PF6] complexes in combination with 4,5-Bis(diphenyl- phosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene (Xantphos, 1) and Bis[(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl] ether (POP, 2). The complexes were thoroughly characterized and employed as PCs for the chlorotrifluoromethylation of activated alkenes with CF3SO2Cl. Complex 1 shows high activity with high yields and wide functional group tolerance in the chlorotrifluoromethylation of styrenes as well as alkenes adjacent to electron-withdrawing groups. The reaction with unactivated alkenes proved to be inefficient. Consequently, the design, synthesis and application of a new Cu(I) based photoredox catalyst is described. Chapter 3 details the use of complex 1 as PC for the chlorosulfonation of alkenes and alkynes with sulfonyl chlorides. The reactions occur under mild conditions and exhibit high functional group tolerance with broad scope in terms of both alkene and sulfonyl chloride. Notably, the reaction occurs with alkynes albeit in moderate to low yields to give exclusively the (E)âproduct. Chapter 4 reports the synthesis of new bpy based ligands and their heteroleptic [Cu(N^N)(xantphos)][PF6] complexes to investigate possible structure-activity relationships. The synthesized Cu(I) complexes are characterized and their activities as photoredox catalysts compared to different Cu(I) based complexes are investigated. Consequently, it is shown that PC 1 is the most active catalyst in the chlorosulfonation of styrenes based on a variety of substrates due its long excited state lifetime in combination with a relatively high photoluminescence quantum yield and photo-stability.

New developments in iron-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond forming reactions

Chandra Mouleeswara Rao Volla

The goal of this thesis is to develop new carbon-carbon bond forming reactions using inexpensive and simple coupling partners like aryl halides (pseudohalides), sulfonyl derivatives, Grignard reagents, alkenes and alkynes with metal catalysis, preferably under environmental friendly conditions. A brief review of different cross-coupling reactions is presented applying noble metal catalysts like palladium and nickel. The importance of sustainability and hence the development of alternative iron-catalysis is discussed. The history of iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and their applications to the synthesis of natural products, significant new developments in the field are visited. On our side, we have shown that 2-methylpropene-, prop-2-ene-, 1-methylprop-2-ene- and but-2-enesulfonyl chlorides can be used as electrophilic partners in palladium-catalyzed desulfinylative C-C cross-coupling reactions with both hard and soft nucleophiles. Alk-2-enesulfonate esters can also be used as electrophilic partners in allylic arylations and allylic alkylations. The regioselectivity of the reaction depends on the nature of the catalyst. With PdCl2(PhCN)2, (E)-crotylderivatives are formed with high regioselectivity using either 1-methylprop-2-ene- or but-2-enesulfonyl chlorides. We found also the alk-2-enesulfonyl chlorides that are electrophilic partners in palladium-catalyzed C-C coupling reactions can also be used as nucleophilic partners towards carbonyl compounds by Umpolung. In the presence of a catalytic amount of palladium and a transmetallating agent such as diethylzinc, sulfonyl chlorides can be coupled both with aldehydes and ketones to form homoallylic alcohols in good yields. In the case of unsymmetrical sulfonyl chlorides, regioselectivity depends on the polarity of the solvent and generates selectively products of γ-addition. Most useful is our discovery of conditions permitting the desulfinylative C-C cross-coupling of inexpensive alkanesulfonyl chlorides and Grignard reagents. Above 65 °C, the iron-catalyzed reaction generates products of C-C coupling rather than sulfones. It does not require any expensive and/or toxic ligand. This procedure was also applied to the ligand free iron-catalyzed couplings of alk-2-enesulfonyl chlorides with aromatic and aliphatic Grignard reagents. We have also discovered the synergic effect of iron and copper salts in palladium-free Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling reaction of a wide range of aryl iodides, aromatic and aliphatic alkynes. Together with Dr. R. Loska we have studied the iron-catalyzed Mizoroki-Heck cross-coupling reaction with styrenes. In the presence of iron(II) chloride and potassium tert-butoxide in dimethyl sulfoxide, aryl and heteroaryl iodides undergo stereoselective Mizoroki–Heck C-C cross-coupling reactions with electron-rich alkenes at 60 °C giving the corresponding (E)-alkenes. The best yields were obtained upon addition of a ligand such as proline or picolinic acid. Aryl bromides and pyridinyl bromides are also coupled with styrenes but in lower yields. Finally, we have explored iron-catalyzed C-H activation. Ligand and solvent free-conditions have been developed for the iron-catalyzed oxidative C-C cross-coupling of tertiary amines and terminal alkynes. FeCl2 catalyzes the coupling to generate propargylamines using tert-butylperoxide as oxidant. High chemoselectivity was observed for the aminomethyl group and was attributed to a steric factor.

EPFL2009

Iron Complexes for Hydrogen Activation and Catalytic Hydrogenation

Simona Mazza

Inspired by Nature several groups have developed structural and functional iron complexes mimicking the active site of the iron-hydrogenases, which show high reactivity in the H2 cleavage. Usually pendant bases have been incorporated onto families of Fe complexes in order to achieve active systems. In the view of these recent developments, in chapter two, we investigated the possibility of synthesizing novel iron (II) complexes bearing an amine internal base and providing an open site for substrate binding as catalysts for H2 activation. Pentacoordinated Fe(II) low spin complexes [(PhPNP)Fe(CO)(bdt)] (1), [(PhPNP)Fe-(CO)(Nbt)] (4), [(CyPNP)Fe(CO)(Nbt)] (5), [(dppe)Fe(CO)(Nbt)] (6) and the paramagnetic complex [(CyPNP)FeCl2] (10) have been synthesized and fully characterised. Unfortunately, when these complexes were tested as catalysts for hydrogenation reaction of a wide range of unsaturated substrates, no appreciable reactivity was observed. Same behaviour was observed in the case of complexes [(CyPNP)Fe(CO)(Cp)] (11) and [(CyPNP)Fe(CH3CN)(Cp)] (12) where the Cp ligand was installed in order to modulate the electronic and steric properties on the iron center. In chapter three, a new class of well-defined iron pincer complexes is reported. Several Fe(II) complexes supported by a 2,6-bis(phosphinito)pyridine ligand (PONOP) have been synthesized and fully characterised. In particular, the Fe-hydride complexes [(iPrPONOP)-Fe(CO)(H)Br] (14) and (iPrPONOP)Fe(CO)(H)(CH3CN) (15) could activate H2 at room temperature. Moreover, complexes 14 and 15 served as catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of aldehydes at room temperature. In presence of sodium formate as hydrogen donor, 14 and 15 showed an excellent reactivity in hydrogen transfer reaction of aldehydes. The mechanism of hydrogen activation and hydrogenation is discussed based on the observed reactivity of iron complexes. The feature of being chemoselective towards aldehydes and a broad functional-group tolerance make these iron-hydride systems remarkable in the class of the earth-abundant-metal hydrogenation catalysts. Chapter four is dedicated to the tuning of the Fe-PONOP systems reported in chapter three in order to synthesize similar iron(II) complexes exhibiting enhanced reactivity for H2 activation and hydrogenation of unsaturated substrates. As first attempt, complexes [(CyPONOP)Fe(CO)Br2] (22) and the analogous chloride [(CyPONOP)Fe(CO)Cl2] (23) bearing the stronger donor CyPONOP ligand were synthesized and tested as catalysts for hydrogenation reaction, but none of the substrates employed was reduced. As second attempt, the CO ligand was substituted with the better donor ligand tert-butyl isocyanide in presence of iPrPONOP as pincer ligand. Several Fe-PONOP complexes were synthesized and fully characterized. In particular the Fe-hydride complex [(iPrPONOP)Fe(tBuNC)(H)Br] (25) exhibited reactivity towards hydrogenation of aldehydes under the same reaction conditions reported for 14. No reaction was observed in presence of acetophenone, cyclohexene and 1-decene demonstrating that, although spectroscopically different, 25 did not exhibit enhanced reactivity relative to 14.

EPFL2015

Palladium Catalysed Intramolecular Carbo-oxygenation of Propargylic Amines to Access 1,2-Amino Alcohols and alpha-Amino Ketones via in situ Tether Formation

Phillip Gulliver Dominic Greenwood

a-Amino ketones and 1,2-amino alcohols are important structural motifs in organic chemistry, that can be observed in natural products, pharmaceutically and bioactive compounds. For these reasons, they constitute privileged targets for the development of new and effective synthetic methods. The dual-functionalisation of unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds is a powerful approach to access these crucial motifs. In this context, Pd catalysis has been comprehensively investigated and has consistently demonstrated its capability. Methods enabling the concomitant formation of a carbonâ heteroatom and a carbonâcarbon bond are highly valuable, but the challenges of intermolecular reactions have led to the development of tether systems that require additional steps for their introduction and removal. In situ tethering strategies have previously been explored within the Waser group to circumvent these limitations. This approach relies on a one-pot, three component, Pd catalysed carboetherification or amination reaction, leading to rapidly increase in complexity of simple substrates. So far, the in situ methodologies developed by the Waser group have focused on the functionalisation of alkenes from allylic amines and alcohols. In this regard, the goal of my PhD was to expand the in situ tethering methodologies established within the Waser group, to the synthesis of a-amino ketones and 1,2-amino alcohols. Specifically, my focus was on the formation a trifluoromethyl hemiaminal with a propargylic amine and using the resulting aminal to direct the oxyalkynylation and oxyarylation of the alkyne substrate via a Pd catalysed transformation. Upon optimisation, the reaction of a protected terminal propargylamine, trifluoroacetaldehyde ethyl hemiacetal and silylbromoacetylene using a Pd0 complex with DPEPhos as the catalytic system and Cs2CO3 as the base gave the desired oxazolidine alkenes in high yields and E:Z selectivity. Substrates with substitution on the terminal position and at the propargylic required a change of ligand and base. The transformation was broadly tolerant towards substitution on the nitrogen and the alkyne. An oxyarylative variant was also developed, using Ruphos as ligand, and worked well with a range of iodoarene partners. The obtained oxazolidines could be conveniently orthogonally deprotected to access the a-amino ketone and terminal alkyne; the hydrogenation of the unsaturated oxazolidines has allowed access to 1,2-amino alcohol scaffolds and the application of gold catalysis converted the enyne-oxazolidine system into trisubstituted silyl furans. The identification of a sideproduct of the oxyalkynylation process led to the development of a carboxy-alkynylation reaction using a "CO2" unit derived from the carbonate base. Optimisation established CsHCO3 to the best base/"CO2" source, using DPEPhos as ligand. This transformation gave convenient access to diverse library of cyclic carbamates. Work is ongoing to achieve an enantioselective oxyarylation using chiral phosphine ligands. The asymmetric synthesis of oxazolidines, followed by the diastereoselective alkene hydrogenation and subsequent tether removal would allow the stereodivergent access to interesting diarylalkyl-1,2- amino alcohols. Most recently, the product was synthesised in 66% yield, with 66%ee using commercially available Trost ligand.

EPFL2020