Metal Confinement through N-(9-Alkyl)fluorenyl-Substituted N-Heterocyclic Carbenes and Its Consequences in Gold-Catalysed Reactions Involving Enynes.

A series of gold(I) and gold(III) complexes containing bulky bis-N,N'-(9-alkylfluorenyl) heterocyclic carbene ( F-NHC) ligands have been prepared in high yields from appropriate imidazolinium, imidazolium and benzimidazolium salts. In all complexes, the carbene ligand provides high steric protection of the Au-X bond trans to the carbenic C atom. Irrespective of the metal oxidation state, the complexes showed high efficiency in a tandem 3,3-rearrangement/Nazarov reaction of an enynyl acetate.

Using Anilines as Masked Cross-Coupling Partners: Design of a Telescoped Three-Step Flow Diazotization, Iododediazotization, Cross-Coupling Process.

The conversion of commercially available anilines into biaryl and biarylacetylene products was realized by using a telescoped, three-reactor flow diazotization/iododediazotization/cross-coupling process. The segmented flow stream created by off-gassing during the Sandmeyer sequence was restored to a continuous column of reaction solution by using a specially designed continuous-flow unit controlled by custom software created in-house. The resultant aryl iodide was then combined with a stream of cross-coupling solution that fed into the final reactor.

Alkylfluorenyl substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes in copper(I) catalysed hydrosilylation of aldehydes and ketones.

Copper(i) complexes featuring N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in which the nitrogen atoms are substituted by a 9-ethyl-9-fluorenyl group (EF) have been synthesised and tested in the hydrosylilation of functionalized and/or sterically demanding ketones and aldehydes. These reactions, carried out with triethylsilane as hydride source, were best achieved with the imidazolylidene copper complex in which the EF substituents can freely rotate about the corresponding N-CEF bonds. The remarkable stability of the active species, which surpasses that of previously reported Cu-NHC catalysts is likely to rely on the ability of the NHC side arms to protect the copper centre during the catalytic cycle by forming sandwich-like intermediates, but also on its steric flexibility facilitating approach of encumbered substrates.

"Hummingbird" behaviour of N-heterocyclic carbenes stabilises out-of-plane bonding of AuCl and CuCl units.

An N-heterocyclic carbene substituted by two expanded 9-ethyl-9-fluorenyl groups was shown to bind an AuCl unit in an unusual manner, namely with the AuX rod sitting out of the plane defined by the heterocyclic carbene unit. As shown by X-ray studies and DFT calculations, the observed large pitch angle (21°) arises from an easy displacement of the gold(I) atom away from the carbene lone-pair axis, combined with the stabilisation provided by weak CH⋅⋅⋅Au interactions involving aliphatic and aromatic H atoms of the NHC wingtips. Weak, intermolecular Cl⋅⋅⋅H bonds are likely to cooperate with the H⋅⋅⋅Au interactions to stabilise the out-of-plane conformation.

N-Alkylfluorenyl-substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes as bimodal pincers.

Two N-heterocyclic carbene precursors having their nitrogen atoms substituted by the expanded 9-ethyl-9-fluorenyl group, namely imidazolinium chloride 6 and imidazolium chloride 7, have been synthesized in high yields from fluorenone (1). The key intermediate of their syntheses is the new primary amine 9-ethyl-9-fluorenylamine (3), which was prepared in 75% yield. Both salts were readily converted into the corresponding PEPPSI-type palladium complexes, 8 and 9 (PEPPSI: pyridine-enhanced precatalyst preparation stabilisation and initiation).

Directional properties of fluorenylidene moieties in unsymmetrically substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes. Unexpected CH activation of a methylfluorenyl group with palladium. Use in palladium catalysed Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling of aryl chlorides.

Benzimidazolium salts having their two nitrogen atoms substituted by different 9-alkylfluorenyl groups ( and , alkyl(1)/alkyl(2) = Me/Et, Me/Pr, Me/n-Bu, Me/i-Pr, Me/Bn, Me/CH2SMe have been synthesised in high yields in two or three steps from N,N'-bis(9H-fluoren-9-ylidene)benzene-1,2-diamine (). The imidazolium salts were converted readily into the corresponding PEPPSI-type palladium complexes (PEPPSI = pyridine-enhanced precatalyst preparation stabilisation and initiation), while reaction of the methylthioether-substituted salt with PdCl2/K2CO3/pyridine afforded the palladacycle resulting from metallation of the methyl group attached to the fluorenylidene moiety. NMR and X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the carbene ligands in behave as clamp-like ligands, the resulting metal confinement arising from a combination of the orientational properties of the fluorenylidene moieties that push the alkyl groups towards the metal centre and attractive anagostic interactions involving CH2(fluorenyl) groups.

Calix[4]arenes with one and two N-linked imidazolium units as precursors of N-heterocyclic carbene complexes. Coordination chemistry and use in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling.

The calix[4]arene-imidazolium salts 5-(3-butyl-1-imidazolylium)-25,26,27,28-tetrabenzyloxy-calix[4]arene bromide (cone) (2), and 5,11-bis(3-alkyl-1-imidazolylium)-25,26,27,28-tetrabenzyloxycalix[4]arene diiodide (cone) (R = methyl, 3a; R = n-butyl, 3b) have been synthesised. Reaction of 2 in dioxane with PdCl(2) in the presence of CsCO(3) and KBr (80 °C, 24 h) gives the carbene complex trans-[PdBr(2)(calix-monocarbene)(2)] (14), containing two N-heterocyclic carbene ligands derived from 2 (yield: 63%). Repeating the reaction in pyridine instead of dioxane gives the mixed pyridine-carbene complex trans-[PdBr(2)(calix-carbene)(pyridine)] (15) in 75% yield.