Conditions for the selective dehydrogenation of (+)‐limonene 1 to the polymer building block dimethylstyrene 2 are described. The reaction occurs smoothly in the presence of Pd(OTFA)2 as catalyst and CuCl2 as oxidant. High selectivity for retaining the exocyclic double bond during aromatization is achieved (>14:1). Initially, variable‐temperature NMR experiments, under stoichiometric conditions, showed a stepwise formation of a π‐allyl intermediate and subsequent reaction to give a mixture of products. However, kinetic experiments showed a sigmoidal curve, pointing to the heterogeneous nature of the catalytically active species. A number of experiments were undertaken to differentiate between homogeneous, molecularly defined catalysis and heterogeneous, nanocluster‐based catalysis. Based on the results, it is proposed that the true catalytic system is heterogeneous in nature.
A series of mixed Cp* amidate tantalum complexes Cp*Ta(RNC(O)R')X(3) (where R = Me(2)C(6)H(3), (i)Pr, R' = (t)Bu, Ph, X = Cl, Me) have been prepared via salt metathesis and their fundamental reactivities under reducing conditions have been explored. Reaction of the tantalum chloro precursors with potassium graphite under N(2) or Ar leads to the stereoselective formation of the terminal tantalum oxo species, Cp*Ta=O(η(2)-RN=CR')Cl. This represents the formal extrusion of oxygen from the amidate ligand to the reduced tantalum center and is accompanied by the formation of the iminoacyl fragment bound to Ta(v). Amidate dinitrogen complexes, [Cp*TaCl(RNC(O)(t)Bu)](2)(μ-N(2)) (where R = Me(2)C(6)H(3), (i)Pr) were synthesized via salt metathesis from the known [Cp*TaCl(2)](2)(μ-N(2)) precursor, establishing that amidate ligands can support dinitrogen complexes, but not the reduction process often necessary for their synthesis.
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