The efficient hydroformylation of 1,1,3-trisubstituted allenes is accomplished with low loadings of a Rh catalyst supported by a BisDiazaPhos (BDP) ligand. The ligand identity is key to achieving high regioselectivity, while the mild reaction conditions minimize competing isomerization and hydrogenation to produce β,γ-unsaturated aldehydes and their derivatives in excellent yields.

Stopped-flow NMR spectroscopy provides the first direct, in situ observation of lactide epimerization during polymerization with the N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalyst 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene (IMes). Hexad analysis of the polymer microstructure using 13C NMR spectroscopy supports a chain-end-controlled mechanism for stereocontrol of the lactide polymerization. Data for both monomer consumption and molecular weight distribution (MWD) as a function of time have been examined using more than one dozen kinetic models. The most successful models feature reversible, unimolecular termination, first-order propagation in monomer, no backbiting term, and include a first-order catalyst death term. The developed modeling method allows insight into a challenging mechanistic problem by successfully modeling MWD evolution and monomer concentration with time.

Rhodium bis(diazaphospholane) (BDP) catalyzed hydroformylation of styrene is sensitive to CO concentration, and drastically different kinetic regimes are affected by modest changes in gas pressure. The Wisconsin High Pressure NMR Reactor (WiHP-NMRR) has enabled the observation of changes in catalyst speciation in these different regimes. The apparent discrepancy between catalyst speciation and product distribution led us to report the first direct, noncatalytic quantitative observation of hydrogenolysis of acyl dicarbonyls. Analysis and modeling of these experiments show that not all catalyst is shunted through the off-cycle intermediates and this contributes to the drastic mismatch in selectivities. The data herein highlight the complex kinetics of Rh(BDP) catalyzed hydroformylation. In this case, the complexity arises from competing kinetic and thermodynamic preferences involving formation and isomerization of the acyl mono- and dicarbonyl intermediates and their hydrogenolysis to give aldehydes.

Chromophore quench-labeling applied to 1-octene polymerization as catalyzed by hafnium-pyridyl amido precursors enables quantification of the amount of active catalyst and observation of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of Hf-bound polymers via UV-GPC analysis. Comparison of the UV-detected MWD with the MWD of the “bulk” (all polymers, from RI-GPC analysis) provides important mechanistic information. The time evolution of the dual-detection GPC data, concentration of active catalyst, and monomer consumption suggests optimal activation conditions for the Hf pre-catalyst in the presence of the activator [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4]. The chromophore quench-labeling agents do not react with the chain-transfer agent ZnEt2 under the reaction conditions. Thus, Hf-bound polymeryls are selectively labeled in the presence of zinc-polymeryls. Quench-labeling studies in the presence of ZnEt2 reveal that ZnEt2 does not influence the rate of propagation at the Hf center, and chain transfer of Hf-bound polymers to ZnEt2 is fast and quasi-irreversible. The quench-label techniques represent a means to study commercial polymerization catalysts that operate with high efficiency at low catalyst concentrations without the need for specialized equipment.

A series of tetraaryl bisdiazaphospholane (BDP) ligands were prepared varying the phosphine bridge, backbone, and substituents in the 2- and 5-positions of the diazaphospholane ring. The parent acylhydrazine backbone was transformed to an alkylhydrazine via a borane reduction procedure. These reduced ligands contained an all sp3 hybridized ring mimicking the all sp3 phospholane of (R,R)-Ph-BPE, a highly selective ligand in asymmetric hydroformylation. The reduced bisdiazaphospholane (red-BDP) ligands were shown crystallographically to have an increased C–N–N–C torsion angle—this puckering resembles the structure of (R,R)-Ph-BPE and has a dramatic influence on regioselectivity in rhodium catalyzed hydroformylation. The red-BDPs demonstrated up to a 5-fold increase in selectivity for the branched aldehyde compared to the acylhydrazine parent ligands. This work demonstrates a facile procedure for increased branched selectivity from the highly active and accessible class of BDP ligands in hydroformylation.

AbstractA stopped-flow NMR probe is described that enables fast flow rates, short transfer times, and equilibration of the reactant magnetization and temperature prior to reaction. The capabilities of the probe are demonstrated by monitoring the polymerization of lactide as catalyzed by the air-sensitive catalyst 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene (IMes) over the temperature range of −30 to 40 °C. The incorporation of stopped-flow capabilities into an NMR probe permits the rich information content of NMR to be accessed during the first few seconds of a fast reaction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chromophore-containing quench agents 2 and 3 enable quantitative active site counting and determination of the mass distribution of active catalyst polymeryls by refractive index (RI) and UV detected gel permeation chromatography (GPC) for the polymerization of 1-hexene catalyzed by (EBI)ZrMe2/B(C6F5)3. Time evolution of catalyst speciation data and the time profiles of monomer consumption, end-group generation, and bulk molecular weight distribution data have been analyzed by kinetic modeling to determine rate constants for initiation by insertion of hexene into a Zr–Me bond (ki), propagation (kp), chain transfer to form vinylidene (k1,2) and vinylene (k2,1) end groups, and reinitiation from a Zr–H bond (kr). Unlike previous models that assumed fast catalyst reinitiation, this analysis reveals that kr is considerably slower than kp; catalyst speciation data are critical to making this distinction. This study demonstrates that chromophore quench-labeling with 2 and 3 enables rapid, quantitative analysis of detailed kinetic models for catalytic olefin polymerization reactions using GPC with UV and RI detectors.Keywords: active site; catalysis; kinetics; mechanism; polymerization

A method for aerobic oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids has been developed using organic nitroxyl and NOx cocatalysts. KetoABNO (9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-3-one N-oxyl) and NaNO2 were identified as the optimal nitroxyl and NOx sources, respectively. The mildness of the reaction conditions enables sequential asymmetric hydroformylation of alkenes/aerobic aldehyde oxidation to access α-chiral carboxylic acids without racemization. The scope, utility, and limitations of the oxidation method are further evaluated with a series of achiral aldehydes bearing diverse functional groups.

Asymmetric hydroformylation (AHF) of 2-vinyl-6-methoxynaphthalene demonstrates important design characteristics of a vertical pipes-in-series plug flow reactor (PFR). The regio- and enantioselectivity of the AHF reaction provide a chemical probe of gas–liquid mixing in a flow reactor for comparison with well-stirred batch reactors. Results obtained with the flow reactor compare favorably to those obtained in batch. Thus, AHF provides an efficient, in-flow enantioselective synthesis of (S)-Naproxen.

A novel strategy, free of coupling reagents and protection/deprotection steps, for the synthesis of oligo(2-hydroxyacid)s containing up to four monomer units with atom economy, sequence specificity, and control of stereocenter configuration is described. The strategy comprises an iterative application of the sequence asymmetric hydroformylation/oxidation/alkyne hydroacyloxylation that features catalytic, atom-economical C–C and C–O bond forming reactions. Asymmetric hydroformylation with Rh-bisdiazaphospholane catalyst introduces each stereocenter with high enantio- (ca. 93% e.e.), diastereo- (up to 25:1 d.r.), and regioselectivity (>50:1) at low catalyst loadings and mild pressures. The side chain in each monomer is tailored by choosing from a variety of readily available alkynes.

An optimized route to enantiopure tetra-carboxylic acid and tetra-carboxamide bis(diazaphospholane) ligands that obviates chromatographic purification is presented. This synthesis, which is demonstrated on 15 and 100 g scales, features a scalable classical resolution of tetra-carboxylic acid enantiomers with recycling of the resolving agent. When paired with a rhodium metal center, these bis(diazaphospholane) ligands are highly active and selective in asymmetric hydroformylation applications.

In the absence of H2, reaction of [Rh(H) (CO)2(BDP)] [BDP = bis(diazaphospholane)] with hydroformylation substrates vinyl acetate, allyl cyanide, 1-octene, and trans-1-phenyl-1,3-butadiene at low temperatures and pressures with passive mixing enables detailed NMR spectroscopic characterization of rhodium acyl and, in some cases, alkyl complexes of these substrates. For trans-1-phenyl-1,3-butadiene, the stable alkyl complex is an η3-allyl complex. Five-coordinate acyl dicarbonyl complexes appear to be thermodynamically preferred over the four-coordinate acyl monocarbonyls at low temperatures and one atmosphere of CO. Under noncatalytic (i.e., no H2 present) reaction conditions, NMR spectroscopy reveals the kinetic and thermodynamic selectivity of linear and branched acyl dicarbonyl formation. Over the range of substrates investigated, the kinetic regioselectivity observed at low temperatures under noncatalytic conditions roughly predicts the regioselectivity observed for catalytic transformations at higher temperatures and pressures. Thus, kinetic distributions of off-cycle acyl dicarbonyls constitute reasonable models for catalytic selectivity. The Wisconsin high-pressure NMR reactor (WiHP-NMRR) enables single-turnover experiments with active mixing; such experiments constitute a powerful strategy for elucidating the inherent selectivity of acyl formation and acyl hydrogenolysis in hydroformylation reactions.

We respond to recent comments (Hiberty et al., 2015) on our earlier article (Clauss et al., 2014) concerning “rabbit ears” depictions of lone pair orbitals in water and other species.

A recent analysis of the bonding in transition metal (TM) complexes with cyclic aminoalkyl carbene (cAAC) ligands, TM(cAAC)2 (TM = Cu, Ag, and Au), purports to show that metal–ligand bonding involves the TM in the excited 2P state and that TM(pπ) → (cAAC)2 backdonation is not properly recognized in NBO analysis because of biases against participation of np functions in transition metal bonding. The questions of TM np orbital involvement in bonding and the possible biases in the NBO occupancy-weighted symmetric orthogonalization procedure have been examined by performing NBO analyses in two ways: (1) single Lewis structure (loc) analysis with TM np orbitals treated as valence (NBOs) or nonvalence (NBOx) and (2) direct comparison of a two-configuration resonance model (res/NBOs) treatment with a single configuration model using the expanded valency (loc/NBOx) treatment. The principal bonding picture that emerges from NBO analysis features a TM cation with two “non-innocent” cAAC ligands that are each reduced by 0.5 electrons. The unpaired spin delocalizes over a π network spanning the two ligands, whether or not a TM cation is present. In the localized NBO framework, the unpaired spin primarily occupies a 1e π-type “long-bond” between the carbonic carbon centers, with secondary resonance delocalization over the TM npπ and the two Npπ orbitals. This description is consistent with all experimental data. Energy decomposition analysis–natural orbitals for chemical valence (EDA-NOCV) analysis of the Cu complex with different reference states reveals that the inferred nature of the bonding depends wholly on the choice of reference state. We show that the earlier selection of a neutral, excited 2P Cu reference state virtually dictates the bonding description to feature an unphysical degree of TM(pπ) → (cAAC)2 backdonation.

Condensation reactions of enantiopure bis-3,4-diazaphospholanes (BDPs) that are functionalized with carboxylic acids enable covalent attachment to bead and silica supports. Exposure of tethered BDPs to the hydroformylation catalyst precursor, Rh(acac)(CO)2, yields catalysts for immobilized asymmetric hydroformylation (iAHF) of prochiral alkenes. Compared with homogeneous catalysts, catalysts immobilized on Tentagel resins exhibit similarly high regioselectivity and enantioselectivity. When corrected for apparent catalyst loading, the activity of the immobilized catalysts approaches that of the homogeneous analogues. Excellent recyclability with trace levels of rhodium leaching are observed in batch and flow reactor conditions. Silica-bound catalysts exhibit poorer enantioselectivities.

Asymmetric hydroformylation (AHF) of Z-enamides and Z-enol esters provides chiral, alpha-functionalized aldehydes with high selectivity and atom economy. Rh-bisdiazaphospholane catalysts enable hydroformylation of these challenging disubstituted substrates under mild reaction conditions and low catalyst loadings. The synthesis of a protected analog of l-DOPA demonstrates the utility of AHF for enantioselective, atom-efficient synthesis of peptide precursors.

We describe the logical flaws, experimental contradictions, and unfortunate educational repercussions of common student misconceptions regarding the shapes and properties of lone pairs, inspired by overemphasis on “valence shell electron pair repulsion” (VSEPR) rationalizations in current freshman-level chemistry textbooks. VSEPR-style representations of orbital shape and size are shown to be fundamentally inconsistent with numerous lines of experimental and theoretical evidence, including quantum mechanical “symmetry” principles that are sometimes invoked in their defense. VSEPR-style conceptions thereby detract from more accurate introductory-level teaching of orbital hybridization and bonding principles, while also requiring wasteful “unlearning” as the student progresses to higher levels. We include specific suggestions for how VSEPR-style rationalizations of molecular structure can be replaced with more accurate conceptions of hybridization and its relationship to electronegativity and molecular geometry, in accordance both with Bent's rule and the consistent features of modern wavefunctions as exhibited by natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis.

Reaction of [Rh(H)(CO)2(BDP)] (BDP = bis(diazaphospholane)) with styrene at low temperatures enables detailed NMR characterization of four- and five-coordinate rhodium alkyl complexes [Rh(styrenyl)(CO)n(BDP)] presumed to be intermediates in rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation. The five-coordinate acyl complexes [Rh(C(O)styrenyl)(CO)2(BDP)] are also observed and characterized. The equilibrium distribution of these species suggests an inversion of thermodynamic preference for branched vs linear species from the alkyl to the acyl stage.

Rates and selectivities of styrene hydroformylation as catalyzed by the rhodium coordination complex of (S,S,S)-bis-diazaphos (BDP) under extremely low pressures of syngas (CO/H2) are reported. At pressures <10 psia, the catalyst system is selective for the linear regioisomer, 3-phenyl-1-propanal, whereas at high pressure, it is highly selective for branched (R)-2-phenylpropanal. Lowered pressures severely degrade the enantioselectivity of the branched product. Qualitative kinetic data reveal large changes in the form of the apparent rate law, suggesting significant changes in catalyst speciation prior to selectivity-determining transformations. Most strikingly, under low-pressure conditions, the qualitative kinetic data imply that the catalyst accumulates as either 4-coordinate (bisphosphine)Rh(CO)(alkyl) (4) or 5-coordinate (bisphosphine)Rh(CO)(alkyl)(styrene) (5) complexes, neither of which have been previously observed as hydroformylation resting states under catalytic conditions. Although styrene is electronically biased to yield branched product, simple changes in the pressure of CO change the rate law and regio- and enantioselectivity while maintaining useful catalytic rates. These observations suggest that a broad range of selectivity regimes can be accessed with a single catalyst, instead of a catalyst library, simply by varying across different magnitudes of CO pressure.Keywords: asymmetric hydroformylation; catalysis; enantioselectivity; kinetics; mechanism; regioselectivity

We describe a novel “long-bonding” motif that appears in the framework of natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis as a surprising form of 3-center, 4-electron (3c/4e) L···A···L′ bonding with “inverted” electronegativity pattern ΞA > ΞL, ΞL′. Such long-bonding (denoted L∧L′) underlies the predicted (meta)stability of exotic rare gas species with highly electronegative ligands (e.g., HeF2, NeF2) as well as the absolute stability of low-electronegativity metallic triads (e.g., BeLi2, ZnCu2, and related species) that are experimentally unknown but can be anticipated from simple valency and electronegativity trends. We focus particularly on the BeLi2 triad, whose Lewis-type Li∧Li′ long bond is of paradoxical antibonding phase pattern, denoted σ̂*LiLi′ to suggest its essential 2–1/2(sLi – sLi′) orbital composition. We demonstrate how the long-bonded triad serves as a fundamental building-block for numerous 1-, 2-, and 3-d structures that are predicted to exhibit extraordinary calorimetric, vibrational, and electric polarizability properties, commonly associated with the delocalized metallic limit. Both thermodynamic and kinetic results support the NBO inference that σ̂/σ̂*-type long-bonding signals the transition to a fundamentally new regime of chemical association, separated by significant activation barriers from the covalent molecular domain and characterized by reversed perturbative precedence of Lewis-type vs resonance-type donor–acceptor contributions. Long-bond resonance therefore appears to be of central importance to a broadened conceptual picture of molecular and metallic interaction phenomena.

Twelve chiral bis-3,4-diazaphospholane ligands and six alkene substrates (styrene, vinyl acetate, allyloxy-tert-butyldimethylsilane, (E)-1-phenyl-1,3-butadiene, 2,3-dihydrofuran, and 2,5-dihydrofuran) probe the influence of steric bulk on the activity and selectivity of asymmetric hydroformylation (AHF) catalysts. Reaction of an enantiopure bisdiazaphospholane tetraacyl fluoride with primary or secondary amines yields a small library of tetracarboxamides. For all six substrates, manipulation of reaction conditions and bisdiazaphospholane ligands enables state-of-the-art performance (90% or higher ee, good regioselectivity, and high turnover rates). For the nondihydrofuran substrates, the previously reported ligand, (S,S)-2, is generally most effective. However, optimal regio- and enantioselective hydroformylation of 2,3-dihydrofuran (up to 3.8:1 α-isomer/β-isomer ratio and 90% ee for the α-isomer) and 2,5-dihydrofuran (up to <1:30 α-isomer/β-isomer ratio and 95% ee for the β-isomer) arises from bisdiazaphospholanes containing tertiary carboxamides. Hydroformylation of either 2,3- or 2,5-dihydrofuran yields some of the β-formyl product. However, the absolute sense of stereochemistry is inverted. A stereoelectronic map rationalizes the opposing enantiopreferences

A recent contribution to this Journal advocates the retirement of hybrid atomic orbitals based on premises such as “significant experimental evidence and theoretical ... indicate that hybrid orbitals do not exist and do not appropriately describe molecular bonding” and the like. Critical analysis, which includes a detailed examination of the photoelectron spectrum of methane, reveals these premises to be ill founded and inconsistent with modern electronic structure analyses. Placed in a modern context, the hybrid orbital concept helps to familiarize students with the methods of working chemists, foster construction of a deeper, more interconnected understanding of chemistry and its connection to the laws of nature, and provides a secure foundation for more advanced chemistry classes.Keywords: Covalent Bonding; First-Year Undergraduate/General; Lewis Structures; Misconceptions/Discrepant Events; MO Theory; Physical Chemistry; Quantum Chemistry; Upper-Division Undergraduate; Valence Bond Theory; VSEPR Theory;

Kinetics associated with the [(SBI)Zr(CH2SiMe2(C6H4)NMe2)][MeB(C6F5)3] (1a)-catalyzed polymerization of 1-hexene in a mixed toluene-d8/chlorobenzene-d5 solvent at −33 °C were investigated via 1H NMR and compared to the kinetics associated with the (SBI)ZrMe(MeB(C6F5)3) (1c)-catalyzed polymerization of 1-hexene under identical conditions. In the presence of 1-hexene, both catalysts form an identical propagating species, (SBI)Zr(poly-1-hexyl)(MeB(C6F5)3) (1b), but the concentration of 1b during 1a-catalyzed polymerization is only ca. 40% of the anticipated value. Under reaction conditions, 1b reacts reversibly with the model complex p-TMS-C6H4-NMe2 (2) to yield the outer-sphere ion pair tentatively identified as [(SBI)Zr(poly-1-hexyl)(2)][MeB(C6F5)3] (1e), which acts as an essentially dormant site during 1-hexene polymerization. Warming of 1b in the absence of additives generates the well-defined hydridoborate complex (SBI)ZrMe(HB(C6F5)3) (1d), which does not reinitiate in the presence of 1-hexene. β-Hydride elimination of 1b in the presence of additives such as 1,2-dichloroethane and 2 results in catalyst decomposition.

Accurate active-site counts are necessary for the establishment of olefin polymerization kinetics, yet current techniques are often tedious and limited in sensitivity. Herein, we describe the development of a novel method for determining the fraction of initiated catalyst using standard gel-permeation chromatography (GPC). The first insertion of monomer into the chromophore-bearing zirconocene 1 generates a single equivalent of a labeled polymer chain. The polymer-bound label can be quantified as a function of polymer molecular weight using a GPC with a UV detector; simultaneous RI detection allows both the extent of monomer conversion and the molecular-weight distribution to also be established. We estimate that monomer to catalyst ratios of as high as 10 000:1 can be measured using this technique.

Stopped-flow NMR measurements suitable for determination of reaction kinetics on time scales of 100 ms or longer have been achieved by adaptation of a commercial NMR flow probe with a high-efficiency mixer and drive system. Studies of metallocene-catalyzed alkene polymerization at room temperature have been complicated by high rates, imprecise knowledge of the distribution of different catalyst species with time, and the high sensitivity of the catalysts to low concentrations of impurities. Application of the stopped-flow NMR method to the study of the kinetics of 1-hexene polymerization in the presence of (EBI)ZrMe[MeB(C6F5)3] demonstrates that NMR spectroscopy provides an efficient method for direct and simultaneous measurement of substrate consumption and catalyst speciation as a function of time. Kinetic modeling of the catalyst and substrate concentration time courses reveal efficient determination of initiation, propagation, and termination rate constants. As first suggested by Collins and co-workers (Polyhedron 2005, 24, 1234−1249), a kinetic model in which Zr−HB(C6F5)3 forms rapidly upon β-hydride elimination but reacts relatively slowly with alkene to reinitiate chain growth is supported by these data.

The reaction of molecular oxygen with palladium(0) centers is a key step in Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidation reactions. The present study provides a density functional theory (DFT) computational analysis of the mechanism and electronic structural features of the reversible, associative exchange between O2 and ethylene at an ethylenediamine (en)-coordinated palladium(0) center. Salient features of the mechanism include: (1) the near thermoneutrality of the O2-alkene exchange reaction, consistent with experimentally observed reversible exchange between O2 and alkenes at well-defined Pd centers, (2) end-on activation of triplet O2 at an apical site of the trigonal Pd0 center, resulting in formation of a PdI(η1-superoxide) species, (3) rearrangement of the PdI(η1-superoxide) species into a pseudo-octahedral (en)Pd(η2-O2)(η2-C2H4) species with concomitant crossing from the triplet to singlet energy surfaces, and (4) release of alkene from an axial face of (en)PdII(η2-peroxo) with a geometry in which the alkene leaves with an end-on trajectory (involving an interaction of the Pd dz2 and alkene π* orbitals). This study highlights the similar reactivity and reaction pathways of alkenes and O2 with an electron-rich metal center, despite the different ground-state electronic configurations of these molecules (closed-shell singlet and open-shell triplet, respectively).

A series of bis-phosphite and bis-phosphine ligands for asymmetric hydroformylation reactions has been evaluated. Bis-phosphite ligands lead, in general, to high regioselectivities across a range of substrates while good enantioselectivities are limited to only a few examples. We found that bis-phospholane-type ligands, such as bis-diazaphospholanes and bis-phospholanes, can lead to very high regio- and enantioselectivities for several different substrates.

Single-site polymerization catalysts enable exquisite control over alkene polymerization reactions to produce new materials with unique properties. Knowledge of catalyst speciation and fundamental kinetics are essential for full mechanistic understanding of zirconocene-catalyzed alkene polymerization. Currently the effect of activators on fundamental polymerization steps is not understood. Progress in understanding activator effects requires determination of fundamental kinetics for zirconocene catalysts with noncoordinating anions such as [B(C6F5)4]−. Kinetic NMR studies at low temperature demonstrate a very fast propagation rate for 1-hexene polymerization catalyzed by [(SBI)Zr(CH2SiMe3)][B(C6F5)4] [where SBI is rac-Me2Si(indenyl)2] with complete consumption of 1-hexene before the first NMR spectrum. Surprisingly, the first NMR spectrum reveals, aside from uninitiated catalyst, Zr-allyls as the sole catalyst-containing species. These Zr-allyls, which exist in two diastereomeric forms, have been characterized by physical and chemical methods. The mechanism of Zr-allyl formation was probed with a trapping experiment, leading us to favor a mechanism in which Zr-polymeryl undergoes β-H transfer to metal without dissociation of coordinated alkene followed by σ-bond metathesis to form H2 and Zr-allyl. Zr-allyl species undergo slow reactions with alkene but react rapidly with H2 to form hydrogenation products.

Phospholanes have attracted considerable attention as ligands for asymmetric catalysis. The DuPHOS family of ligands reported by Burk et al. in 1991 has found considerable success as ligands for asymmetric hydrogenations. An overview of recent synthetic approaches to chiral phospholanes is presented. Also included are some of the more recent applications of phospholanes in asymmetric catalysis.

Functionalized chiral diazaphospholanes ligate to a variety of transition metals, yielding chiral, catalytically active, metal complexes. Previous work has established that amino acid derivatization of the carboxyl groups of (R,R)-N,N′-phthaloyl-2,3-(2-carboxyphenyl)-phenyl-3,4-diazaphospholane (1) yields phosphines that are excellent ligands for palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reactions. Alanine functionalization is particularly effective for allylic alkylation of 1,3-dimethylallyl acetate. Standard Merrifield resins and amino acid coupling methods are used to synthesize the bead-attached phosphine having the topology bead-linker-lAla-(R,R)-1-lAla-OMe, as a 1:1 mixture of linkage isomers. Use of this supported phosphine in Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation yields 92% enantiomeric excess, matching prior solution-phase results. A 20-member collection of amino acid-functionalized phosphines on beads with the topology bead-linker-AA2-AA1-1-AA1-AA2 was synthesized by using parallel solid-state methods and screened for efficacy in allylic alkylation. Resulting enantioselectivities indicate that the AA1 position has the strongest effect on the reaction. Catalyst activities can vary widely with the nature of the phosphine ligand and the reaction conditions. Meaningful analysis of intrinsic catalytic activities awaits identification of the structure and abundance of the active catalyst.

Fundamental issues concerning the hydroformylation of 1-alkenes as catalyzed by Rh complexes ligated with the xantphos diphosphine ligand are explored using ONIOM calculations. In this study xantphos serves as a prototype of the large bite-angle ligands that are associated with high regioselectivity and rates in catalytic hydroformylation. Computations have been used to explore the thermodynamics of 56 unique isomers (e.g., cis vs. trans isomers of square planar complexes, diequatorial vs. axial-equatorial five-coordinate complexes) and conformers for intermediates along the reaction pathway. More than 20 transition states relevant to the catalyst mechanism have been determined. In terms of realistically modelling experiment, the computational results are mixed. In agreement with experiment, the computations yield a mixture of diequatorial and axial-equatorial isomers of HRh(xantphos)(CO)2 as the catalyst resting state. Dissociation of CO from these complexes is computed to be barrierless leading to a computed free energy for exchange of CO ligands around 15 kcal mol−1, somewhat lower than the value of ca. 20 kcal mol−1 derived from experimental data. The computed ratios of rates of propene insertion to form n-propyl and i-propyl Rh-alkyl (42 ∶ 1) is in good agreement with experimental ratios of n-nonanal to i-nonanal (52 ∶ 1) for 1-octene hydroformylation. Nonetheless, the computations dramatically overestimate the overall activation free energies for catalytic hydroformylation. Thus, at this stage computations do not provide useful insight into the the kinetics of hydroformylation and detailed mechanistic issues. It appears that much of this discrepancy between computed and experimental activation energies originates from the underestimation of propene bonding energies.