Studies on gold(I) and gold(III) alcohol functionalised NHC complexes

Tuning the Steric and Electronic Properties of Hemilabile NHC ligands for Gold(I/III) Catalyzed Oxyarylation of Ethylene: A Computational Study

Mechanistic studies on 1,2-oxyarylation of ethylene promoted by gold catalysts bearing hemilabile N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC^X) ligands were conducted by DFT calculations, exploring the whole catalytic cycle. After highest energy transition state (TS) barriers were located for NHC^N gold catalyst, and experimental results with different iodoarenes and alcohols rationalized, the study was extended to modified NHC^X catalysts, to observe how electronic and steric effects could affect the rate determining step TS. Electronic effects were investigated on NHC^X (X=H, N, O, P, and S), whereas steric effects emerged when comparing catalysts with different N-R groups (R=Dipp, Mes, tBu and Me). Finally, we suggest a different catalyst design based on N-aryl N-o-donor-aryl NHC, with different donors and NHC backbones to search for better performing systems.

Chiral NHC Ligands for Enantioselective Gold(I) Catalysis Under Aerobic Conditions: the Importance of Conformational Flexibility and Steric Hindrance of NHC Ligand on Reactivity

Gold(I) catalysis has been recognized as a valuable tool for the unique transformation of multiple carbon-carbon bonds. Enantioselective π-catalysis based on gold(I) complexes is, however, still underdeveloped due to lack of privileged ligands. Herein, we present an accessible method to a new family of stable yet catalytically active chiral NHC-Au(I)-Cl complexes. The key to preserving a simultaneous fine balance between reactivity and stability in this newly developed family appears to be sterically hindered, but conformationally flexible NHC ligands. These could be easily accessed on a multigram scale by merging sterically hindered anilines with commercially available amino alcohols and amines via a four-steps synthetic sequence without the need for chromatographic purification. Further investigations of the catalytic activity of NHC-Au-Cl complexes identified the OH functionality incorporated into the NHC core as crucial for the level of enantioselectivity as well as the TsO- anion responsible for the activation of NHC-Au(I)-Cl. Finally, NMR studies and X-ray investigations revealed for the first time that the widely accepted ion metathesis (NHC-Au-Cl to NHC-Au-OSO2 R) responsible for the activation of NHC-Au-Cl complexes does not take place (or it is very slow) in commonly used MeNO2 in contrast to DCM.

Tunable Gold-catalyzed Reactions of Propargyl Alcohols and Aryl Nucleophiles

Gold‐catalyzed transformations of 1,3‐diarylpropargyl alcohols and various aryl nucleophiles were studied. Selective tunable synthetic methods were developed for 1,1,3‐triarylallenes, diaryl‐indenes and tetraaryl‐allyl target products by C3 nucleophilic substitution and subsequent intra‐ or intermolecular hydroarylation, respectively. The reactions were scoped with regards to gold(I)/(III) catalysts, solvent, temperature, and electronic and steric effects of both the diarylpropargyl alcohol and the aryl nucleophiles. High yields of triaryl‐allenes and diaryl‐indenes by gold(III) catalysis were observed. Depending on the choice of aryl nucleophile and control of reaction temperature, different product ratios have been obtained. Alternatively, tetraaryl‐allyl target products were formed by a sequential one‐pot tandem process from appropriate propargyl substrates and two different aryl nucleophiles. Corresponding halo‐arylation products (I and Br; up to 95 % 2‐halo‐diaryl‐indenes) were obtained in a one‐pot manner in the presence of the respective N‐halosuccinimides (NIS, NBS).

Chiral oxazolidines acting as transient hydroxyalkyl-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbenes: an efficient route to air stable copper and gold complexes for asymmetric catalysis

Optically pure oxazolidines were synthesized in nearly quantitative yields from chiral hydroxyalkyl-functionalized imidazolinium salts. Acting as transient chiral diamino N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), these oxazolidines allowed the efficient formation of well-defined copper(i) and gold(i) hydroxyalkyl-NHC complexes, which could be isolated, for the first time, as air stable complexes after silica gel chromatography. Interestingly, X-ray analysis of gold complexes revealed that the hydroxyl-function is not chelated to the metal. Computational studies suggested that both cyclisation to produce oxazolidine and O–H bond elimination to form the transient carbene (prior to coordination) occur through a concerted mechanism. The novel chiral copper-catalysts, as well as oxazolidines alone (copper free), demonstrated excellent performances in asymmetric conjugate addition and allylic alkylation with high regio- and enantio-selectivities (up to 99% ee).

Well-defined chiral Cu(i) and Au(i) hydroxyalkyl NHC complexes were synthesized from oxazolidines. The copper-catalysts and oxazolidines alone (copper free), demonstrated excellent performances in asymmetric conjugate addition and allylic alkylation.

Rapid and mild synthesis of Au-NHC complexes in a simple two-phase flow reactor

We describe a simple two-phase flow reactor which allows for the rapid synthesis of several Au(i)-NHC complexes in high yields (>88%), under mild conditions, and with minimal workup. Translation of the standard weak base method to a two-phase flow reaction prevents the common problem of decomposition to Au(0). The reaction can be scaled up more than ten-fold without loss in conversion efficiency. An optional second stage allows for direct synthesis of Au(iii)-NHC complexes, without isolation of the Au(i)-NHC intermediate, with a two-step isolated yield of 82%.