Four known electronically diverse cobalt(II) acetylacetonate derivatives were synthesized by replacement of the acetylacetonate methyl groups with combinations of tert-butyl, ethoxy, and trifluoromethyl groups in order to study the effect of catalyst electronic properties on the reaction rate and product yield of the cobalt-catalyzed reaction between haloalkenes and butylzinc iodide. Infrared spectroscopy of these compounds showed an increase in the CO stretching frequency as the ligand substituents became more electron withdrawing. These compounds, in addition to cobalt(II) acetylacetonate itself, were evaluated as catalysts for the coupling reaction between (E)-1-iodo-1-octene and butylzinc iodide to form (E)-5-dodecene. Faster reaction rates were observed and higher yields of 5-dodecene were produced when catalysts containing electron-donating ligands were employed. Side reactions, including the homocoupling of 1-iodo-1-octene to produce 7,9-hexadecadiene, were also observed under the reported reaction conditions. The rate of side-product formation was more competitive with the rate of the cross-coupling reaction when slower, electron-deficient catalysts were employed.
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