Formation of alkyne-bridged ferrocenophanes using ring-closing alkyne metathesis on 1,1'-diacetylenic ferrocenes.

Novel alkyne-bridged ferrocenophanes [fc{CO(CH) C≡}] (: = 2; : = 3) were synthesized from the corresponding terminal diacetylenic ferrocenes [fc{CO(CH) C≡CH}] (: = 2; : = 3) through ring-closing alkyne metathesis (RCAM) utilizing the highly effective molybdenum catalyst [MesC≡Mo{OC(CF)CH}] (; Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl). The metathesis reaction occurs in short time with high yields whilst giving full conversion of the terminal alkynes. Furthermore, the solvent-dependant reactivity of towards Ag(SbF) is investigated, leading to oxidation and formation of the ferrocenium hexafluoroantimonate in dichloromethane, whereas the silver(I) coordination polymer was isolated from THF solution.

Molecular and Silica-Supported Molybdenum Alkyne Metathesis Catalysts: Influence of Electronics and Dynamics on Activity Revealed by Kinetics, Solid-State NMR, and Chemical Shift Analysis.

Molybdenum-based molecular alkylidyne complexes of the type [MesC≡Mo{OC(CH)(CF)}] (MoF, x = 0; MoF, x = 1; MoF, x = 2; MoF, x = 3; Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) and their silica-supported analogues are prepared and characterized at the molecular level, in particular by solid-state NMR, and their alkyne metathesis catalytic activity is evaluated. The C NMR chemical shift of the alkylidyne carbon increases with increasing number of fluorine atoms on the alkoxide ligands for both molecular and supported catalysts but with more shielded values for the supported complexes. The activity of these catalysts increases in the order MoF < MoF < MoF before sharply decreasing for MoF, with a similar effect for the supported systems (MoF ≈ MoF < MoF < MoF).

Alkyne Metathesis with Silica-Supported and Molecular Catalysts at Parts-per-Million Loadings.

Improvement of the activity, stability, and chemoselectivity of alkyne-metathesis catalysts is necessary before this promising methodology can become a routine method to construct C≡C triple bonds. Herein, we show that grafting of the known molecular catalyst [MesC≡Mo(OtBu ) ] (1, Mes=2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, OtBu =hexafluoro-tert-butoxy) onto partially dehydroxylated silica gave a well-defined silica-supported active alkyne-metathesis catalyst [(≡SiO)Mo(≡CMes)(OtBu ) ] (1/SiO ). Both 1 and 1/SiO showed very high activity, selectivity, and stability in the self-metathesis of a variety of carefully purified alkynes, even at parts-per-million catalyst loadings.

Identification of a Grain Beetle Macrolide Pheromone and Its Synthesis by Ring-Closing Metathesis Using a Terminal Alkyne.

A major C18-macrolide was found during analysis of the frass of the storage beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis to be (9Z,12Z,15R)-octadeca-9,12-dien-15-olide (10, cucujolide XI). The synthesis used ring-closing alkyne metathesis as a key step. The highly active 2,4,6-trimethylbenzylidyne molybdenum complex [MesCMo{OC(CF3)2Me}3] (12) allowed the use of a terminal alkyne and afforded the product in excellent yield.