This invention relates generally to olefin metathesis catalysts, to the preparation of such compounds, compositions comprising such compounds, methods of using such compounds, and the use of such compounds in the metathesis of olefins and in the synthesis of related olefin metathesis catalysts. The invention has utility in the fields of catalysis, organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and in industrial applications such as oil and gas, fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

A highly efficient, Z-selective ring-closing metathesis system for the formation of macrocycles using a stereoretentive, ruthenium-based catalyst supported by a dithiolate ligand is reported. This catalyst is demonstrated to be remarkably active as observed in initiation experiments showing complete catalyst initiation at −20° C. within 10 min. Using easily accessible diene starting materials bearing a Z-olefin moiety, macrocyclization reactions generated products with significantly higher Z-selectivity in appreciably shorter reaction times, in higher yield, and with much lower catalyst loadings than in previously reported systems. Macrocyclic lactones ranging in size from twelve-membered to seventeen-membered rings are synthesized in moderate to high yields (68-79% yield) with excellent Z-selectivity (95%-99% Z).

The invention relates to a method for producing a formate, the method including reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide, a hydrogen carbonate or a carbonate using a catalyst in the presence of a solvent, wherein the reaction is a two-phase system in which an organic solvent and an aqueous solvent are present in a separated state in the solvent, and the catalyst is at least one selected from a ruthenium complex represented by the formula (1) in the specification, a tautomer or stereoisomer thereof, and a salt compound of the complex, tautomer or stereoisomer.

The present invention relates to novel manganese complexes and their use, inter alia, for homogeneous catalysis in (1) the preparation of imine by dehydrogenative coupling of an alcohol and amine; (2)C—C coupling in Michael addition reaction using nitriles as Michael donors; (3) dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols to give esters and hydrogen gas (4) hydrogenation of esters to form alcohols (including hydrogenation of cyclic esters (lactones) or cyclic di-esters (di-lactones), or polyesters); (5) hydrogenation of amides (including cyclic dipeptides, lactams, diamide, polypeptides and polyamides) to alcohols and amines (or diamine); (6) hydrogenation of organic carbonates (including polycarbonates) to alcohols or hydrogenation of carbamates (including polycarbamates) or urea derivatives to alcohols and amines; (7) dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols to ketones; (8) amidation of esters (i.e., synthesis of amides from esters and amines); (9) acylation of alcohols using esters; (10) coupling of alcohols with water and a base to form carboxylic acids; and (11) preparation of amino acids or their salts by coupling of amino alcohols with water and a base. (12) preparation of amides (including formamides, cyclic dipeptides, diamide, lactams, polypeptides and polyamides) by dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols and amines; (13) preparation of imides from diols.

Included herein are methods for photodriven hydrogenation of N.sub.2, the methods comprising, for example: hydrogenating N.sub.2 to NH.sub.3 in the presence of a light, an organic transfer agent, and a first metal-containing catalyst; wherein: the transfer agent and the first catalyst are in a solution; the transfer agent comprises n chemically transferable electrons and protons, n being an integer equal to or greater than 1; the step of hydrogenating comprises at least one charge-transfer reaction via which the transfer agent donates at least one electron and at least one proton to one or more other chemical species; the step of hydrogenating comprises at least one photochemical reaction; and the light is characterized by energy sufficient to drive the at least one photochemical reaction. Also disclosed herein are methods comprising regenerating a spent-transfer agent back into the transfer agent.

A method for C—H bond activation and/or C—N coupling reaction comprises adding a hydrocarbon material to a container; adding a metal catalyst to the container; adding a primary or a secondary amine to the container. The metal catalyst is represented by the following formula:

##STR00001##

where Q is a 5 or 6 membered aromatic ring; W, X, and Y are the same or different, and are independently N, S, P, or O; M is Ni, Pd, Fe, Co, Cr, Mn, Cu, Pt, Ir, or Ru; Z is halide (F, Cl, Br, or I); R1 and R2 are the same or different, and are independently alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl or cycloalkyl; and n is 1, 2, or 3.

Described herein are compositions composed of frustrated Lewis pairs impregnated in porous materials such as, for example, metal-organic frameworks, and their uses thereof. These compositions may allow new applications of frustrated Lewis pairs in catalysis by sequestering and protecting the frustrated Lewis pair within the nanospace of the porous material. Also provided are methods of hydrogenating an organic compound having at least one unsaturated functional group comprising using the compositions described herein.

A method for C—H bond activation and/or C—N coupling reaction comprises using a metal catalyst to catalyze the C—H bond activation and/or C—N coupling reaction; wherein the metal catalyst represented by the following formula a metal catalyst for C—H bond activation and/or C—N coupling reaction, and a method using the same and application thereof. Specifically, a metal catalyst represented by the following formula: ##STR00001##
wherein Q is a 5 or 6 membered aromatic ring; W, X, and Y are the same or different, and are independently N, S, P, or O; M is Ni, Pd, Fe, Co, Cr, Mn, Cu, Pt, Ir, or Ru; Z is halide (F, Cl, Br, or I), acetate, water, or hydroxyl; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different, and are independently alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl or cycloalkyl.

The invention relates to a method of forming an olefin from a first olefin and a second olefin in a metathesis reaction, comprising step (i): (i) reacting the first olefin with the second olefin in the presence of a compound that catalyzes said metathesis reaction such that the molar ratio of said compound to the first or the second olefin is from 1:500 or less, and the conversion of the first or the second olefin to said olefin is at least 50%, characterized in that as compound that catalyzes said metathesis reaction a compound of the following formula is used: ##STR00001## wherein M is Mo or W; R.sup.1 is aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, or heteroalkyl; optionally substituted; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 can be the same or different and are hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, heteroalkyl, heteroalkenyl, aryl, or heteroaryl; optionally substituted; R.sup.5 is alkyl, alkoxy, heteroalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, silylalkyl, silyloxy, optionally substituted; and R.sup.4 is a residue R.sup.6—X—, wherein X═O and R.sup.6 is aryl, optionally substituted; or X═S and R.sup.6 is aryl, optionally substituted; or X═O and R.sup.6 is (R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9)Si; wherein R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9 are alkyl or phenyl, optionally substituted; or X═O and R.sup.6 is (R.sup.10, R.sup.11, R.sup.12)C, wherein R.sup.10, R.sup.11, R.sup.12 are independently selected from phenyl, alkyl; optionally substituted; and to the catalysts used in the method.

The invention relates to the field of oligomerization of olefins to produce linear α-olefins, in particular hexene-1, with the use of a catalyst system. The catalyst system comprises a chromium source compound, a nitrogen-containing ligand, alkylaluminum, and a zinc compound, wherein catalyst system is activated during its preparation by 1) heating some and SHF irradiation (microwave irradiation) of alkylaluminum or a mixture of the alkylaluminum and the zinc compound, or by 2) heating alkylaluminum or a mixture of the alkylaluminum and the zinc compound, followed by holding (aging) the prepared catalyst system for a certain period of time.