Catalytic reduction of ethyl chloroacetate by cobalt(I) salen electrogenerated at vitreous carbon cathodes

Cobalamin-Mediated Electrocatalytic Reduction of Ethyl Chloroacetate in Dimethylformamide

The catalytic reduction of ethyl chloroacetate (ECA) by hydroxocobalamin (HOCbl) in dimethylformamide was studied electrochemically and spectroelectrochemically to identify initial steps in the reaction between the electrogenerated Co(I) center of cobalamin (cob(I)alamin) and ECA. Cyclic voltammograms of HOCbl in the presence of ECA show a small increase in current related to reduction of Co(II) to Co(I), and a new peak at more negative potentials related to reduction of an ethyl carboxymethyl-Cbl intermediate. The oxidation state of HOCbl during catalysis was monitored by means of spectroelectrochemical controlled-potential bulk electrolysis. Addition of ECA to electrogenerated cob(I)alamin initially generates the Co(II) form (cob(II)alamin) followed by a gradual formation of an ethyl carboxymethyl-Cbl intermediate. Controlled-potential bulk electrolysis was performed to identify products formed from catalytic reduction of ECA by electrogenerated cob(I)alamin and quantify the number of electrons transferred per molecule of ECA. Product distributions and coulometric results, together with the results of voltammograms and spectroelectrochemical controlled-potential bulk electrolysis, were interpreted to propose a reaction mechanism.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of α-Bromo Amides with Grignard Reagents

A cobalt-catalyzed cross-coupling between α-bromo amides and Grignard reagents is disclosed. The reaction is general and allows access to a large variety of α-aryl and β,γ-unsaturated amides. Some mechanistic investigations have been undertaken to determine the nature of the intermediate species.

Structural and spectroscopic investigation of an anilinosalen cobalt complex with relevance to hydrogen production

A Co(II) anilinosalen catalyst containing proton relays in the first coordination sphere has been synthesized that catalyzes the electrochemical production of hydrogen from acid in dichloromethane and acetonitrile solutions. The complex has been spectroscopically and theoretically characterized in different protonation and redox states. We show that both coordinated anilido groups of the neutral Co(II) complex can be protonated into aniline form. Protonation induces an anodic shift of more than 1 V of the reduction wave, which concomitantly becomes irreversible. Hydrogen evolution that originates from the aniline protons located in the first coordination sphere is observed upon bulk electrolysis at -1.5 V of the protonated complex in absence of external acid. Structures for intermediates in the catalytic reaction have been identified based on this data.

Synthesis, spectroscopy, magnetic and redox behaviors of copper(II) complexes with tert-butylated salen type ligands bearing bis(4-aminophenyl)ethane and bis(4-aminophenyl)amide backbones

New salen type ligands, N,N'-bis(X-3-tert-butylsalicylidene)-4,4'-ethylenedianiline [(X=H (1), 5-tert-butyl (2)] and N,N'-bis(X-3-tert-butylsalicylidene)-4,4'-amidedianiline [X=H (3), 5-tert (4)] and their copper(II) complexes 5-8, have been synthesized. Their spectroscopic (IR, (1)H NMR, UV/vis, ESR) properties, as well as magnetic and redox-reactivity behavior are reported. IR spectra of 7 and 8 indicate the coordination of amide oxygen atoms of 3 and 4 ligands to Cu(II). The solid state ESR spectra of 5-8 exhibits less informative exchange narrowed isotropic or anisotropic signals with weak unresolved low field patterns. The magnetic moments of 5 (2.92 μ(B) per Cu(II)) and 6 (2.79 μ(B) per Cu(II)) are unusual for copper(II) complexes and considerably higher than those for complexes 7 and 8. Cryogenic measurements (300-10 K) show weak antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the copper(II) centers in complexes 6 and 8. The results of electrochemical and chemical redox-reactivity studies are discussed.

Catalytic Reduction and Intramolecular Cyclization of Haloalkynes in the Presence of Nickel(I) Salen Electrogenerated at Carbon Cathodes in Dimethylformamide

[reaction: see text] Pentylidenecyclopentane can be conveniently prepared in up to 86% yield via the catalytic reduction of 1-iodo- or 1-bromo-5-decyne by [[2,2'-[1,2-ethanediylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)]bis[phenolato]]-N,N',O,O']nickelate(I) electrogenerated at a carbon cathode in dimethylformamide containing tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate. This electrosynthesis can be accomplished at potentials for which the haloalkynes are electroinactive, and it can be completed within 30 min at room temperature. Attempts to synthesize pentylidenecyclobutane and pentylidenecyclohexane from 1-halo-4-nonynes and 11-halo-5-undecynes, respectively, under similar conditions afford the carbocycles in very low yields (2% and 6%, respectively). Other products derived from the various haloalkynes are dimers, alkynes, and 1-alkenynes. Dimers (alkadiynes) arising from 1-halo-4-nonynes and 11-halo-5-undecynes are formed in yields ranging from 80% to 89%, whereas icosa-5,15-diyne (the dimer obtained from a 1-halo-5-decyne) is found in significantly lower yield (</=13%). Alkynes and 1-alkenynes are produced in yields of 3-10% and 2-3%, respectively. A mechanistic scheme, involving alkyn-1-yl radicals arising from nickel(I) salen catalyzed cleavage of the carbon-halogen bond of each haloalkyne, is proposed to account for the formation of all products.

Synthesis, spectroscopy and electrochemical behaviors of nickel(II) complexes with tetradentate shiff bases derived from 3,5-Bu(2)(t)-salicylaldehyde

Nickel(II) complexes of a series of N,N'-polymethylenebis(3,5-Bu(2)(t)-salicylaldimine) ligands containing 2,4-di-Bu(2)(t)-phenol arms, NiL(x), were synthesized and their spectroscopic and redox properties were examined. The UV-vis, (1)H NMR spectroscopic and magnetic results indicate that complexes NiL(1)-NiL(4) unlike NiL(5) and NiL(6) have a square-planar structure in the solid state and in solution. Cyclic voltammograms of NiL(x) (x=1-4) complexes displayed two-step oxidation processes. The first oxidation peak potentials of all Ni(II) complexes corresponds to the reversible one-electron oxidation process of the metal center, yielding Ni(III) species. The second oxidation peak of the complexes was assigned as the ligand based oxidation generating a coordinated phenoxyl radical species.