Reported here is the use of 1-haloacetylenes and 1-halopolyynes as synthons for the preparation of new palladium(II) end-capped polyynes. The 1-haloalkynes were obtained in a series of transformations from para-substituted bromoarenes that included Sonogashira coupling followed by halogenation and chain elongation via Cadiot–Chodkiewicz protocol. The key step for the synthesis of metal complexes was oxidative addition of 1-haloalkynes to Pd(PPh3)4, which allowed obtaining a series of metal compounds 1–5-C n X with carbon chains up to hexatriyne in 75–100% yield. All the compounds were characterized by NMR and HRMS or elemental analysis. The 13C spectra of the 1-haloalkynes showed interesting, although expected, shifts of the carbon chain atoms close to the halogen termini. X-ray crystal structures were obtained for three polyynestwo butadiynes (2-C4[Pd]Br and 3-C4[Pd]Br) and one hexatriyne (1-C6[Pd]Br)and the latter is the first reported X-ray crystal structure of palladium end-capped hexatriyne.

The synthesis of a unique series of long, asymmetric 1-iodopolyynes (1-Cn I and 2-Cn I) with the sp-hybridized carbon chain up to a decapentayne is reported. These compounds were then used as substrates in reactions with Pd(PPh3 )4 leading to another series of palladium end-capped polyynes, which were unstable in solution. Organometallic octatetraynes 1-C8 [Pd]I, 2-C8 [Pd]I, and decapentayne 1-C10 [Pd]I are palladium end-capped polyyne compounds with the longest carbon chains reported so far. All the complexes as well as their organic precursors were fully characterized by NMR, HRMS(ESI), IR, TGA-DTA, and UV/Vis techniques, and the X-ray crystal structures of two silyl-protected precursors and one palladium complex are presented. The synthetic approach for palladium species is envisioned as a general route for the synthesis of labile organometallic polyynes.

The reaction of MgBu2, ZnEt2 or Ca(O(i)Pr)2 with 2 eq. of three-coordinating N-[methyl(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)]-N-methyl-N-methyl-1,3-oxolaneamine (mpoa-H) or N-[methyl(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)]-N-methyl-N-methyl-1,3-oxolaneamine (tbpoa-H) gave neutral, monomeric [Mg(mpoa)2], [Zn(mpoa)2], [Zn(tbpoa)2], and [Ca(tbpoa)2] as white powders in 58-90% yields. The resulting aminophenolates were characterized in solution by NMR showing, in the case of [Zn(tbpoa)2], interesting dynamics. [Zn(tbpoa)2] and [Ca(tbpoa)2] were characterized by X-ray crystallography to show the Zn atom to be pseudo-octahedrally coordinated and the Ca atom in six-coordination mode. The new homoleptic complexes were tested in the polymerization of lactide with an external alcohol to reveal stable behaviour (during the polymerization process) only in the case of [Zn(tbpoa)2]. The high activity of the catalyst was correlated with a ligand flexibility that was further supported by theoretical studies.

We have developed a method for palladium-catalyzed, pyrazole-directed sp3 C—H bond arylation by aryl iodides. The reaction employs a Pd(OAc)2 catalyst at 5–10 mol% loading and silver(I) oxide as a halide-removal agent, and it proceeds in acetic acid or acetic acid/hexafluoroisopropanol solvent. Ozonolysis of the pyrazole moiety affords pharmaceutically important β-phenethylamines.