Provided in the present invention is a method for preparing chiral alkyl compounds by the asymmetric hydrogenation reaction of iron complex catalysts catalysing olefins: using the disubstituted olefin shown in formula I as a raw material, atmospheric hydrogen as a hydrogen source, FeX2-8-OIQ complex as a catalyst, and a silane compound and acetonitrile as cocatalysts, and reacting for 12-24 hours under the action of a reducing agent to prepare the chiral alkyl compound shown in formula II. The method of the present invention has mild reaction conditions, simple operation, and high atom economy. In addition, the reaction does not require the addition of any other toxic transition metal (such as ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium), and has great practical application value in the synthesis of drugs and materials. The conversion rate of the reaction is also good, generally reaching >99%, and the enantioselectivity is also high, generally 70-99%. ##STR00001## ##STR00002##

The present invention provides novel solutions to the problem of recycling carbonylation catalysts in epoxide carbonylation processes. The inventive methods are characterized in that the catalyst is recovered in a form other than as active catalyst. In some embodiments, catalyst components are removed selectively from the carbonylation product stream in two or more processing steps. One or more of these separated catalyst components are then utilized to regenerate active catalyst which is utilized during another time interval to feed a continuous carbonylation reactor.

The present invention encompasses catalysts for the carbonylation of heterocycles such as ethylene oxide, as well as methods for their use. The catalysts feature Lewis acidic metal complexes having one or more tethered metal-coordinating groups in combination with at least one metal carbonyl species. In preferred embodiments, the inventive catalysts have improved stability when subjected to product separation conditions in continuous ethylene oxide carbonylation processes.

In one aspect, the present invention provides catalysts for the carbonylation of heterocycles. The inventive catalysts feature metal-ligand complexes having cationic functional groups tethered to the ligand, wherein the tethered cationic groups are associated with anionic metal carbonyl species. The invention also provides methods of using the inventive catalysts to affect the ring opening carbonylation of epoxides.

A composition is capable of curing via condensation reaction. The composition uses a new condensation reaction catalyst. The new condensation reaction catalyst is used to replace conventional tin catalysts. The composition can react to form a gum, gel, rubber, or resin.

A chiral bimetallic cooperative catalysis system containing a chelating ligand and use thereof in asymmetric synthesis of bedaquiline are provided. Specifically, in the chiral bimetallic cooperative catalysis system, an equilibrium constant of a reaction is increased by the chelating ligand formed by an achiral secondary amine and chiral lithium aminoalcohol, thereby promoting an addition reaction between 6-bromo-3-benzyl-2-methoxyquinoline (I) and 3-dimethylamino-1-naphthyl-1-propanone (II) to move forward. By means of the bimetallic cooperative catalysis system, the yield of the target product (1R,2S)-bedaquiline is obviously increased.

The present invention provides unimolecular metal complexes having increased activity in the copolymerization of carbon dioxide and epoxides. Also provided are methods of using such metal complexes in the synthesis of polymers. According to one aspect, the present invention provides metal complexes comprising an activating species with co-catalytic activity tethered to a multidentate ligand that is coordinated to the active metal center of the complex.

In one aspect, the present disclosure encompasses polymerization systems for the copolymerization of CO.sub.2 and epoxides comprising 1) a catalyst including a metal coordination compound having a permanent ligand set and at least one ligand that is a polymerization initiator, and 2) a chain transfer agent having one or more sites capable of initiating copolymerization of epoxides and CO.sub.2, wherein the chain transfer agent contains one or more masked hydroxyl groups. In a second aspect, the present disclosure encompasses methods for the synthesis of polycarbonate polyols using the inventive polymerization systems. In a third aspect, the present disclosure encompasses polycarbonate polyol compositions characterized in that the polymer chains have a high percentage of OH end groups, a high percentage of carbonate linkages, and substantially all polycarbonate chains having hydroxyl end groups have no embedded chain transfer agent.

The invention relates to a method for producing, amongst other things, amino-acid and/or hydroxycarboxylic-acid metal chelates, a solvent-free mixture of at least one metal oxide, metal hydroxide, metal carbonate or oxalate, and the solid organic acid is subjected to intensive mechanical stress. According to the invention, this is done in that the reaction partners are introduced in particle form into a fluid stream of a fluid-bed countercurrent mill operating without grinding elements, wherein mechanical activation of at least one of the reaction partners is effected by collision processes within a reaction chamber formed in a region of the fluid stream, and a solid body reaction to form the metal chelate is triggered. The novel method operates very energy-efficiently and with a high specific yield. It leads to a product having compact particles in the small, single-digit micrometer range having a comparatively narrow particle size distribution and a large surface. The product is homogenous and very pure. Thermal loading or decomposition of the organic chelate ligands, in particular of the amino acids, is likewise avoided, as are contaminants from milling and grinding element abrasion.

The present invention provides a catalyst for synthesizing a cyclic carbonate and a preparation method and use thereof. A diamine compound X, a salicylaldehyde-containing compound and a metal source M are subjected to reaction, and then added with a phenothiazine compound Y for continuous reaction to obtain a phenothiazine metal Schiff base catalyst. The formation of phenothiazine free radicals by phenothiazine compounds with a central metal can protect the central metal in the course of reaction and inhibit inactivation caused by the self-polymerization of the central meta, thus improving the activity and stability of a catalyst. Phenothiazine compounds can be present as a polymerization inhibitor to inhibit the generation of by-products such as polycarbonates and polyethylene glycol and enhance the selectivity of the catalyst during the reaction. The phenothiazine compounds are alkaline and can adsorb and activate carbon dioxide during reaction, which helps to improve the reaction efficiency. The phenothiazine metal Schiff base catalyst prepared in the present invention has high activity, strong stability and good selectivity and thus, can achieve the efficient catalyzed synthesis of cyclic carbonates under mild conditions.