The present invention refers to a process for a transition metal, particularly nickel-catalyzed cyanation reaction of aryl/vinyl halide using organic nitrile compounds. This new reaction provides a strategically distinct approach to the safe preparation of aryl/vinyl cyanides, which are essential compounds in agrochemistry and medicinal chemistry.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

The present disclosure provides a method for efficiently producing and providing compounds having a spirooxindole skeleton, for example compounds having a spirooxindole skeleton and having antitumor activity that inhibit the interaction between Mdm2 protein and p53 protein, or intermediates thereof, using an asymmetric catalyst. Compounds having optically active tricyclic dispiroindole skeletons are obtained through catalytic asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction using ketimine as a reaction substrate and using a chiral ligand and a Lewis acid.

The present invention refers to processes for catalytic reversible alkene-nitrile interconversion through controllable HCN-free transfer hydrocyanation.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

The metal-catalyzed alkoxycarbonylation of a lactone is a method of alkoxycarbonylating a -lactone, specifically 3-ethylidene-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one. The method includes combining the -lactone with an alcohol in an organic solvent in the presence of a catalyst system that includes palladium or a salt thereof to form a reaction mixture, which is heated to 110-130 C. at a pressure of 20-50 bar for between 3-5 hours under flow of carbon monoxide gas. The product of the reaction is a substituted 2-octendioate diester. The alcohol may be methyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, isobutyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or phenol. The solvent may be toluene, acetonitrile, or tetrahydrofuran. The method may include adding an acid to the reaction mixture, which may be dilute (about 5 mol %) sulfuric or p-toluenesulfonic acid. The catalyst system may also include a phosphine ligand.

The present disclosure provides a method for efficiently producing and providing compounds having a spirooxindole skeleton, for example compounds having a spirooxindole skeleton and having antitumor activity that inhibit the interaction between Mdm2 protein and p53 protein, or intermediates thereof, using an asymmetric catalyst. Compounds having optically active tricyclic dispiroindole skeletons are obtained through catalytic asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction using ketimine as a reaction substrate and using a chiral ligand and a Lewis acid.

This invention is based on the discovery that homogeneous catalysts, [Rh(C.sub.2H.sub.4).sub.2Cl].sub.2 and/or [Rh(COD).sub.2][BF.sub.4], can be used to produce spinetoram in higher yields at lower catalyst loadings as compared to previous methodologies. In addition, one or more phosphorus ligand donors can also be added to further increase yields/efficiency. The methods and/or systems provided herein enable cost-effective ways to produce spinetoram in large quantity with relatively simple procedures.

The invention relates to oligomerization of olefins, such as ethylene, to higher olefins, such as a mixture of 1-hexene and 1-octene, using a catalyst system that comprises a) a source of chromium b) one or more activators and c) a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound. Additionally, the invention relates to a phosphacycle-containing ligating compound and a process for making said compound.

Catalyst compositions for the conversion of aldehyde compounds and primary alcohol compounds to olefins are disclosed herein. Reactions include oxidative dehydroxymethylation processes and oxidative dehydroformylation methods, which are beneficially conducted in the presence of a sacrificial acceptor of H.sub.2 gas, such as N,N-dimethylacrylamide.