No abstract

The complex Ru(TPP)(NAr)(2) inserts a nitrene group into allylic and benzylic C-H bonds and is the key intermediate in the ruthenium porphyrin-catalyzed amination of hydrocarbons by aryl azides.

Nitrene transfer reactions represent a useful methodology to synthesize in a few steps high added-value compounds used as organic intermediates. Herein, we describe the catalytic activity of metal porphyrin complexes in a wide range of reactions such as C-H hydrocarbon amination and olefin aziridination to synthesize nitrogen containing molecules. All the most important nitrene sources have been reviewed stressing the potentiality and limits of each one in the particular class of chemical transformation.

CoII (tpp) catalyzes the reaction of aromatic azides (ArN 3 ) with nonactivated olefins to yield allylic amines or aziridines in moderate-to-good yields. The chemoselectivity of the catalytic reaction is particularly high. Depending on the substrate employed, allylic amines or aziridines can be obtained. The reaction mechanism was investigated, and the reaction proceeds through reversible coordination of the aryl azide to the Co II -porphyrin complex. The often postulated "nitrene" complex is not an intermediate in this reaction. The kinetics for the allylic amination is first order in azide, Co(tpp), and olefin. For the aziridination, the kinetics is again first order

Cobalt(II) complexes of chiral bis-binaphthyl porphyrins were prepared, and their catalytic activity in the asymmetric cyclopropanation of alkenes with ethyl diazoacetate was examined. Good yields and enantioselectivities (up to 90% ee) were observed with cis/trans ratios reaching 11:89. UV−vis and 1H NMR studies suggest that the axial nitrogen ligand N-methylimidazole could play a role in changing the enantioselectivity of the reaction.

Aryl azides have been used as atom-efficient nitrene transfer reagents in the (porphyrin)ruthenium-catalyzed amination of olefins. Several azides, olefins and [Ru(porphyrin)CO] complexes were tested to investigate the scope and limits of the reaction. Quantitative yields and short reaction times were achieved by using terminal olefins and aryl azides bearing electron-withdrawing groups on the aryl moiety. The reactions were influenced by steric factors. Internally disubsti-

The reaction of Ru(TPP)CO (TPP ) dianion of tetraphenylporphyrin) with 1-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-methyl-5-phenyl-1,2,3-triazoline yielded a ∆ 2 -1,2,3-triazoline ruthenium(II) porphyrin complex, which is responsible for the catalyst deactivation in the aziridination reaction of R-methylstyrene by p-nitrophenyl azide.

A reproducible synthesis of a competent epoxidation catalyst, [Ru(VI)(TPP)(O)2)] (TPP = tetraphenylporphyrin dianion), starting from [Ru(II)(TPP)(CO)L] (L = none or CH3OH), is described. The molecular structure of the complex was determined by using ab initio X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) methods, and its solution behavior was in detail investigated by NMR techniques such as PGSE (pulsed field gradient spin-echo) measurements. [Ru(IV)(TPP)(OH)]2O, a reported byproduct in the synthesis of [Ru(VI)(TPP)(O)2], was synthesized in a pure form by oxidation of [Ru(II)(TPP)(CO)L] or by a coproportionation reaction of [Ru(VI)(TPP)(O)2] and [Ru(II)(TPP)(CO)L], and its molecular structure was then determined by XRPD analysis. [Ru(VI)(TPP)(O)2] can be reduced by dimethyl sulfoxide or by carbon monoxide to yield [Ru(II)(TPP)(S-DMSO)2] or [Ru(II)(TPP)(CO)(H2O)], respectively. These two species were characterized by conventional single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.