A series of three chiral, expanded six-membered NHC−palladium(II) complexes was prepared with successively increased sterical demand, while retaining natural d-(+)-camphor as a chiral motif. The catalysts showed different reaction profiles in the asymmetric, intramolecular α-arylation of amides. The molecular structure of two N-heterocyclic and one nitrogen acyclic carbene palladium isonitrile complex was unequivocally determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The results reported herein account for a correlation of catalytic activity and enantiodiscrimination in relation to the degree of chiral substitution and steric congestion at the metal center. The modular and convergent synthetic route of these air-and moisturestable palladium isonitrile complexes underlines the usefulness of this approach.

A straightforward synthesis of novel chiral polysiloxane‐based metal stationary phases immobilized through a propylenoxy linker (Chirasil‐Metal‐OC3) to the polymeric backbone is presented. Synthesis was accomplished in six steps with high overall yields starting from commercially available, enantiopure (+)‐(1S)‐camphorsulfonic acid. Two different approaches towards Chirasil‐Metal phases featuring either a propylenoxy or propylenthio linker used for immobilization through hydrosilylation are presented. Furthermore, a new protocol for the fluoroacylation, which is one of the key steps in the synthesis of (1R)‐3‐(perfluoroalkanoyl)camphorate metal complexes, was developed to improve the isolation and overall yield. The immobilization of (1R,4S)‐10‐(allyloxy)‐3‐(heptafluorobutanoyl)camphor – 10‐(allyloxy)‐hfbc – onto polysiloxanes as well as the incorporation of nickel(II), oxovanadium(IV), europium(III), and lanthanum(III) was characterized by FT ATR IR and NMR spectroscopy. Overall, seven different Chirasil‐Metal‐OC3 polymers with different separation properties were prepared by metal incorporation and variation of the amount of immobilized (1R,4S)‐10‐(allyloxy)‐3‐(heptafluorobutanoyl)camphor (10‐allyloxy‐hfbc: 3.5, 10.2, and 20.0 %). Their performance in enantioselective complexation gas chromatography was systematically studied and excellent enantioselectivity was found for Chirasil‐Nickel‐OC3. Separation of 29 small‐sized compounds, encompassing, among others, epoxides, substituted alkenes and alkynes as well as alcohols and amides, was achieved with high separation factors α. The synthetic strategy, enantiomer separations and thermal stability (up to 160 °C) demonstrates the versatility of the newly derived Chirasil‐Metal‐OC3 phases.

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The catalytic activity of novel bidentate N,N-chelated palladium complexes derived from electron excessive, backbone fused 3,3′-bipyrazoles in the selective isomerization of terminal arylpropenoids and 1-alkenes is described. The catalysts are easily modified by appropriate wing tip substitution, while maintaining the same bulky, rigid unreactive aliphatic backbone. Eleven novel palladium complexes with different electronic and steric properties were investigated. Their performance in the palladium(II)-catalyzed isomerization of a series of substituted allylbenzenes was evaluated in terms of electronic as well as steric effects. Besides the clear finding of a general trend towards higher catalyst activity with more electron-donating properties of the coordinated N,N-bidentate ligands, we found that the catalytic process strongly depends on the choice of solvents and additives. Extensive solvent screening revealed that reactions run best in a 2:1 toluene-methanol mixture, with the alcohol employed being a crucial factor in terms of electronic and steric factors. A reaction mechanism involving a hydride addition–elimination mechanism starting with a palladium hydride species generated in situ in alcoholic solutions, as corroborated by experiments using deuterium labeled allylbenzene, seems to be most likely. The proposed mechanism is also supported by the observed reaction rate orders of κ_obs[cat.]≈1 (0.94), κ_obs [substrate]=0.20→1.0 (t→∞) and κobs [methanol]=−0.51 for the isomerization of allylbenzene. Furthermore, the influence of acid and base, as well as the role of the halide coordinated to the catalyst, are discussed. The system catalyzes the isomerization of allylbenzenes very efficiently yielding high E:Z selectivities under very mild conditions (room temperature) and at low catalyst loadings of 1 mol% palladium even in unpurified solvents. The integrity and stability of the catalyst system were confirmed by multiple addition reaction cycles, successive filtration and isolation experiments, and the lack of palladium black formation

1,3,4,6-Tetraketones typically undergo keto-enol tautomerism forming bis-enols stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonding in two six-membered rings. However, 1,3,4,6-tetraketones derived from the terpene ketone camphor and norcamphor exist as isomers with two distinguishable modes of intramolecular hydrogen bonding, namely, the formation of six- or seven-membered rings. The structural requirements for this so far unknown behavior were investigated in detail by synthesis and comparison of structural analogues. Both isomers of such 1,3,4,6-tetraketones were fully characterized in solution and in the solid state. Intriguingly, they slowly interconvert in solution by means of tautomerism-rotation cascades, as was corroborated by DFT calculations. The influence of temperature and complexation with the transition metals Pd, Rh, and Ir on the interconversion process was investigated.

In the present study, the properties of a new bidentate N,N′-chelating ligand class that bears an electron-excessive 3,3′-bipyrazole core have been investigated. The ligands are easily accessible in a three-step procedure by condensation with diethyl oxalate followed by tandem condensation with hydrazine hydrate and finally by aryl- or alkylation exclusively at the N-1,1′-pyrazole positions to furnish overall eleven new ligands with different electronic properties. After structural analysis of the ligands, their coordination to palladium, copper, and cobalt has been studied. These ligands coordinate the 2,2′-pyrazolyl nitrogen atoms in a bidentate fashion to the metals to realize complexes with an (L)MX₂ motif. We present two crystal structures of Pd and Cu complexes, which to the best of our knowledge represent the first d⁸ and d⁹ 2,2′-bipyrazole compounds coordinated through bidentate complexation. Initial catalytic experiments have been performed with palladium complexes with three bipyrazole ligands of this new class; the palladium-catalyzed copper-free Wacker oxidation of different alkenes showed superior activity compared to 2,2′-bipyridines. We attribute this to a higher redox potential of the 3,3′-bipyrazoles, which are ― besides electronic effects ― also strongly influenced by steric effects. These might be enforced by the extended ligand backbone, the choice of the wingtip substitution, and the smaller coordination cavity within the N²,N^2′ atoms compared to 2,2′-bipyridine ligands

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The cover picture shows the leaves and blossom of the camphor tree cinnamomum camphora (photo taken at the botanical garden of the Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg), a natural source of (+)‐(1R)‐camphor, which is the chiral key moiety of immobilized (1R)‐3‐(perfluoroalkanoyl)camphorate metal complexes. The beautiful white blossom forms a structure with tetrahedral elements, which are “mirrored” in the model of the polymeric chiral stationary phase. This chiral stationary phase is accessible in large quantities and can be used in complexation gas chromatography, showing exceptional high separation factors for a large number of stereoisomers. Details are discussed in the article by O. Trapp et al. on p. 3929 ff.