Cobalt-catalysed alkene hydrogenation: a metallacycle can explain the hydroxyl activating effect and the diastereoselectivity.

ABSTRACT: Bis(phosphine)cobalt dialkyl complexes have been reported to be highly active in the hydrogenation of tri-substituted alkenes bearing hydroxyl substituents. Alkene substrates containing ether, ester, or ketone substituents show minimal reactivity, indicating an activating effect of the hydroxyl group. The mechanistic details of bis(phosphine)cobalt-catalysed hydrogenation were recently evaluated computationally (X. Ma, M. Lei, J. Org. Chem. 2017, 82, 2703-2712) and a Co(0)-Co(ii) redox mechanism was proposed. However, the activating effect of the hydroxyl substituent and the accompanying high diastereoselectivity were not studied. Here we report a computational study rationalizing the role of the hydroxyl group through a key metallacycle species. The metallacycle is part of a

SUBMITTER: Morello GR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5989653 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature