Under visible-light irradiation, the gold-catalyzed intermolecular difunctionalization of alkynes with aryl diazonium salts in methanol affords a variety of α-aryl ketones in moderate to good yields. In contrast to previous reports on gold-catalyzed reactions that involve redox cycles, no external oxidants or photosensitizers are required. The reaction proceeds smoothly under mild reaction conditions and shows broad functional-group tolerance. Further applications of this method demonstrate the general applicability of the arylation of a vinyl gold intermediate instead of the commonly used protodemetalation step. This step provides facile access to functionalized products in one-pot processes. With a P,N-bidentate ligand, a stable aryl gold(III) species was obtained, which constitutes the first direct experimental evidence for the commonly postulated direct oxidative addition of an aryl diazonium salt to a pyridine phosphine gold(I) complex.

Photosensitizer-Free Visible-Light-Mediated Gold-Catalyzed 1,2-Difunctionalization of Alkynes

Recent progress on nickel-based systems for ethylene oligo-/polymerization catalysis

This Review showcases the ability of bi- and tridentate ligands to stabilize gold in high oxidation states through the formation of mono- and biscyclometalated gold(III) complexes. In-depth studies on the synthesis, intrinsic reactivity, catalytic relevance, and photophysical properties of stabilized gold(III) species have been carried out, setting the stage for exciting developments in various research areas, such as catalysis, inorganic and bioinorganic chemistry, ligand design, and materials science.

Cyclometalated Gold(III) Complexes: Synthesis, Reactivity, and Physicochemical Properties

Gold‐katalysierte 1,2‐Difunktionalisierung von Alkinen mit sichtbarem Licht ohne zusätzlichen Photosensibilisator

The stoichiometric reactions of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrocycloheptapyridin-9-one (cycloheptapyridin-9-one) with various anilines lead to corresponding mixtures of 9-aryliminocycloheptapyridine and the isomeric 9-arylamino-5,6,7-trihydrocycloheptapyridine derivatives; these compounds further reacted with nickel dichloride to form 9-aryliminocycloheptapyridyl nickel chlorides, respectively. The new organic compounds were analyzed by the NMR measurements, and all the organic and complex compounds were characterized by the FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. In addition, the molecular structures of representative nickel complexes Ni1 and Ni3, determined by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, were found to be binuclear dimers with distorted square-pyramidal geometry around the nickel centers. On activation with either ethylaluminium sesquichloride (Et3Al2Cl3) or methylaluminoxane (MAO), all nickel complex pre-catalysts exhibited high activities of up to 7.80 × 106 g PE mol−1 (Ni) h−1 toward ethylene polymerization and produced highly branched polyethylenes in narrow polydispersity. The title nickel complexes showed comparable activities with 8-arylimino-5,6,7-trihydroquinolyl nickel analogues; whilst both exhibited higher activities than did the 2-iminopyridyl nickel analogues due to the enhancement of the ring-tension of cyclic-fused pyridine derivatives.

Ring-tension adjusted ethylene polymerization by aryliminocycloheptapyridyl nickel complexes

Nickel and palladium complexes of pyridine-phosphine ligands as ethene oligomerization catalysts

Nickel and palladium complexes of new pyridine-phosphine ligands and their use in ethene oligomerization

Nickel and palladium complexes of pyridine-phosphine ligands bearing aromatic substituents and their behavior as catalysts in ethene oligomerization

Herein, we show that the photoactive complexes [(Cp)Fe(arene)]+ (Cp = cyclopentadienyl; arene = C6H6, C6H5Me) act as latent catalysts that allow for photochemical control over the onset of alkyd paint curing, without the need for antiskinning agents such as the volatile 2-butanone oxime normally used to prevent curing during paint storage. The highly soluble neutral complexes [(Cp)Fe(Ch)] and [(Cp)Fe(Ch′)] (Ch = cyclohexadienyl, Ch′ = methylcyclohexadienyl) readily convert to the photoactive complexes [(Cp)Fe(arene)]+ upon oxidation in alkyd, allowing the latter to be dosed in a wide range of concentrations. Infrared and Raman studies show similar spectral changes of the alkyd paint matrix as have been observed in alkyd curing mediated by well-known, industrially applied cobalt- and manganese-based catalyst Co(neodecanoate)2 and [(Me3TACN)2Mn2(μ-OOCR)3](OOCR). The [(Cp)Fe(Ch)]/[(Cp)Fe(arene)]+ system performs equally well as these cobalt- and manganese-based catalysts in terms of drying time and outperform the manganese catalyst by showing a hardness development (increase) similar to that of the cobalt-based catalyst. Based on electron paramagnetic resonance and light–activity studies, we propose that photolysis of [(Cp)Fe(arene)]+ generates short-lived active FeII species, explaining the desired latency. The [(Cp)Fe(Ch)]/[(Cp)Fe(arene)]+ alkyd curing systems presented herein are unique examples of intrinsically latent paint curing catalysts that (1) are based on an abundant and harmless transition metal (Fe), (2) do not require any antiskinning agents, and (3) show favorable performance in terms of drying times and hardness development.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jacsau.1c00579

Photoactive Fe Catalyst for Light-Triggered Alkyd Paint Curing

Polyureas have widespread applications due to their unique material properties. Because of the toxicity of isocyanates, sustainable isocyanate-free routes to prepare polyureas are a field of active research. Current routes to isocyanate-free polyureas focus on constructing the urea moiety in the final polymerizing step. In this study we present a new isocyanate-free method to produce polyureas by Ru-catalyzed carbene insertion into the N–H bonds of urea itself in combination with a series of bis-diazo compounds as carbene precursors. The mechanism was investigated by kinetics and DFT studies, revealing the rate-determining step to be nucleophilic attack on a Ru–carbene moiety by urea. This study paves the way to use transition-metal-catalyzed reactions in alternative routes to polyureas.

J. Flapper

Papers

Nickel and palladium complexes of pyridine-phosphine ligands as ethene oligomerization catalysts

Nickel and palladium complexes of new pyridine-phosphine ligands and their use in ethene oligomerization

Nickel and palladium complexes of pyridine-phosphine ligands bearing aromatic substituents and their behavior as catalysts in ethene oligomerization

Photoactive Fe Catalyst for Light-Triggered Alkyd Paint Curing

Isocyanate-Free Polyurea Synthesis via Ru-Catalyzed Carbene Insertion into the N–H Bonds of Urea