ZWITTERION-RUTHENIUM COMPLEX FOR CATALYTIC AEROBIC OXIDATION REACTIONS

Abstract

Zwitterion ligand metal complexes and methods of aerobic oxidation using a zwitterion ligand metal complex are provided. The zwitterion ligand metal complexes can include a transition metal salt and a zwitterion ligand, which can comprise a non-conjugated amide anion-phosphonium cation, an amide anion-ammonium cation, or an iminium cation. The methods of aerobic oxidation can include combining the zwitterion ligand metal complex with an oxidizable compound and molecular oxygen to allow the isolation of an oxidized compound from the oxidizable compound.

Claims

1. A zwitterion ligand metal complex, comprising: a transition metal salt; and a zwitterion ligand, wherein the zwitterion ligand comprises a non-conjugated amide anion-phosphonium cation or an amide anion-iminium cation.

2. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 1, wherein the amide anion is a sulfonic amide anion.

3. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 2, wherein the sulfonic amide anion is a tosylate amide anion.

4. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 1, wherein the iminium cation is the iminium of 4-pyrrolidinopyridine.

5. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 1, wherein the phosphonium cation is the phosphonium ion of a trialkylphosphine.

6. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 1, wherein the zwitterion ligand is a ring-opening product of a strained cyclic amide.

7. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 6, wherein the strained cyclic amide is an aziridine amide.

8. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 7, wherein the aziridine amide is cyclohexene imine amide.

9. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 6, wherein the strained cyclic amide is a sulfonic acid amide.

10. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 9, wherein the sulfonic acid amide is an aromatic sulfonic amide.

11. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 10, wherein the aromatic sulfonic amide is a toluene sulfonic amide.

12. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 1, wherein the metal salt is a ruthenium (III) salt.

13. The zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 12, wherein the ruthenium (III) salt is RuCl.sub.3.

14. A method of aerobic oxidation, comprising: providing the zwitterion ligand metal complex according to claim 1; providing an oxidizable compound; providing molecular oxygen; combining the zwitterion ligand metal complex, the oxidizable compound, and the molecular oxygen to produce an oxidized compound; and isolating the oxidized compound from the oxidizable compound.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the zwitterion ligand of the zwitterion ligand metal complex is 2-tosylamidocyclohexyl-tributylphosphonium.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the metal salt zwitterion ligand metal complex is the tri-hydrate of ruthenium (III) chloride.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the oxidizable compound is a primary alcohol, secondary alcohol, a hydroquinone, an indoline, or 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline, wherein the primary alcohol is an aliphatic alcohol, a benzyl alcohol, or an allyl alcohol, wherein the secondary alcohol is an aliphatic alcohol, a benzyl alcohol, an allyl alcohol, a diphenyl methyl alcohol, a 1-phenyl allyl alcohol, or a 1-alkenyl-allyl alcohol, and wherein the oxidized compound is an aldehyde or a ketone.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: providing a solvent; and combining the solvent with the zwitterion ligand metal complex, the oxidizable compound, and the molecular oxygen.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the solvent is 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE), and wherein providing molecular oxygen comprises providing air.

20. The method according to claim 14, further comprising heating to a temperature in a range of from 23 C. to 100 C.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1A shows a reaction scheme to form zwitterion ligands ZW1 and ZW2, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0009] FIG. 1B shows a reaction scheme for transesterification using ZW1 as catalyst.

[0010] FIG. 1C shows a reaction scheme formation of nitric acid protonation of ZW2 and the x-ray structure of the protonated species ZW2-HNO.sub.3.

[0011] FIG. 2 shows a reaction scheme for the formation of a metal complex with ZW2, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0012] FIG. 3A shows a reaction scheme for the aerobic oxidation of p-methoxy benzyl alcohol using a ruthenium(III) chloride ligand catalyst.

[0013] FIG. 3B shows a bar graph for the yield and selectivity of the oxidation of FIG. 3A with RuCl.sub.3.3H.sub.2O with various ligands indicated below.

[0014] FIG. 4A shows a reaction scheme for the aerobic oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols using a Ru(III)-ZW2 catalyst, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0015] FIG. 4B shows the structure of aldehydes for the aerobic oxidation of primary alcohols as shown in FIG. 4A to various benzyl aldehydes and aliphatic aldehydes, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 4C shows the structure of ketones and aldehydes for the aerobic oxidation of secondary alcohols and allyl alcohols, respectively as shown in FIG. 4A to various benzyl ketones and aliphatic ketones, and ,-unsaturated aldehydes, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0017] FIG. 5A is a reaction scheme for the aerobic oxidation of 1,4-hydroquinones to 1,4-benzoquinones using a Ru(III)-ZW2 catalyst, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0018] FIG. 5B is a reaction scheme for the aerobic oxidation of indolines to indoles using a Ru(III)-ZW2 catalyst, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0019] FIG. 5C is a reaction scheme for the aerobic oxidation of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline to quinoxaline using a Ru(III)-ZW2 catalyst, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0020] FIG. 6 shows reaction schemes for the aerobic oxidation of p-methoxy benzyl alcohol using a Ru(III)-ZW2 catalyst, according to an embodiment of the invention, with air as the source of oxygen and the selectivity for the oxidation of a benzyl alcohol over an aliphatic alcohol.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a reaction scheme for a stereoselective transfer semi-hydrogenation reaction.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Embodiments of the subject invention provide zwitterion ligand metal complexes and methods of aerobic oxidation using a zwitterion ligand metal complex. The zwitterion ligand metal complexes can include a transition metal salt and a zwitterion ligand, which can comprise a non-conjugated amide anion-phosphonium cation, an amide anion-ammonium cation, or an iminium cation. The methods of aerobic oxidation can include combining the zwitterion ligand metal complex with an oxidizable compound and molecular oxygen to allow the isolation of an oxidized compound from the oxidizable compound. The oxidized compound that is isolated can be, for example, an aldehyde or a ketone, though embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0023] In addition to the pyridinium ligand ZW1, a phosphonium zwitterion ligand, ZW2, according to an embodiment of the subject invention, can be prepared by reacting tri-n-butylphosphine with aziridine 1, as shown in FIG. 1A. ZW2 is air/moisture stable and its preparation is readily scalable. Similar to the non-classical hydrogen bond (NCHB) in ZW1, the nitrate anion interacts with the phosphonium cationic moiety in a salt formed between HNO.sub.3 and ZW2, ZW2-HNO.sub.3, where, as characterized by X-ray crystallography, forms a NCHB, as shown in FIG. 1C. In an embodiment, a zwitterion ligand, such as but not limited to ZW2, is capable of forming a complex with one or more transition metal salts M-X to form charge-neutral metal complexes, such as ZW2-M, as shown in FIG. 2. The complex displays an amide anion coordinated to the metal center with dissociation of the counter-anion X from the metal center by NCHB formation with the phosphonium cationic moiety, as shown in FIG. 2. Dissociation of the basic counter-anion X enhances the reactivity of the metal center. Rather than employing a common approach where silver salts are used to remove the metal's counter-anion(s) irreversibly, according to embodiments of the invention, the counter-anion X remains in the putative zwitterion-metal complex ZW2-M in close proximity to the metal center. Thus, the amide and the phosphonium/X moieties are situated to synergistically form a bifunctional ligand whiles the counter-anion X reversibly coordinates to and dissociate from the metal center. This hemilabile interaction allows the ligands to modify the binding mode and stabilize reactive intermediates along the reaction pathway, which enhances catalytic performance in various reactions.

[0024] To demonstrate this behavior, the oxidation of alcohols to carbonyls can be performed, as shown in FIG. 3A. The transformation is a ubiquitous and pivotal reaction in research and industry, and important for the formation of carbonyl compounds as medicines, agricultural chemicals, and fragrances. Molecular oxygen at 1 atmosphere (atm) can be used as the oxidant, which is highly desired in industrial processes because water is the only by-product. This type of reaction has been studied using various tailor-made transition metal complexes. Oxidation of alcohol 2a to aldehyde 3a at room temperature using ruthenium trichloride as a catalyst is sluggish when conducted in the absence of external ligand, unless high pressure and temperature are employed. The formation of an ether side product, 4a, predominates, as indicated in FIG. 3B. In contrast, the oxidation proceeds smoothly when zwitterion ZW1 is added as the external ligand, according to an embodiment of the invention. The performance is further enhanced when the phosphonium zwitterion ZW2 is used as the ligand in otherwise identical conditions, giving the desired aldehyde 3a in 97% yield, with no formation of an ether side product 4a. A 3:1 ratio of ligand and Ru (ligand:Ru) provides optimal catalytic activity. Comparing with many other common charge-neutral ligands such as phosphines PL1-PL4, amines NL1-NL4, and N-heterocyclic carbene IPr, the catalytic performance using zwitterionic ligand ZW2 is far superior. Note that the HCl salt of ZW2 performs the reaction but only sluggishly, indicating the importance of the basic amide anion in the coordination to the metal center for the catalytic oxidation reaction. Phosphonium salt PBr and tosyl amide NLi, which are the segmented catalysts of ZW2, allow a sluggish reaction individually or when these components are employed in a 1:1 mixture as the ligand, which points to the synergistic effect of the site-isolated phosphonium and amide moieties of ZW2 to form the active Ru catalyst.

[0025] The catalytic performance of the zwitterionic ruthenium complex facilely oxidizes a broad scope of alcohol substrates, as shown in FIG. 4A. Benzyl alcohols with electron-donating (methyl, methoxy, and dimethylamine) or electron-withdrawing (chloro, bromo, iodo, nitro, methyl ester, trifluoromethyl and sulfonamide) substituents successfully oxidize to the corresponding aldehydes in good yields (3a-3i), as indicated in FIG. 4B. Alcohols with naphthyl, pyridinyl and furanyl substituents are compatible with the catalytic protocol (3j-3l). Aliphatic primary alcohols result in the desired aldehydes smoothly (3m-3p), as indicated in FIG. 4B. Notably, the olefin functionality in substrate 3m remained intact under the mild and oxidative reaction conditions.

[0026] As indicated in FIG. 4C, various secondary alcohols 3q-3z resulting in the desired aryl and alkyl substituted ketones 3q-3z. Reaction temperature can be increased to compensate for the inherently slower reaction of the secondary alcohol substrates. The zwitterion ligand metal complex catalytic is compatible with the oxidation of allylic alcohols 3aa-3ad, giving the corresponding ,-unsaturated carbonyl compounds 3aa-3ad.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 5A, in an embodiment, hydroquinone 5a can undergo oxidative dehydrogenation to yield 1,4-benzoquinone 6a in 86% yield using 2.5 mol % of Ru catalyst complex. Substituted hydroquinones 5b-5d are converted into 1,4-benzoquinones 6b-6d in excellent yields, and 1,4-naphthoquinone 6e is formed from 1,4-dihydroxylnaphthalene 5e. In another embodiment of the invention, as indicated in FIG. 5B, the oxidative dehydrogenation of indolines 7 to indoles 8 is readily carried out. Quinoxaline 10 was also obtained through the double oxidation of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline 9, as shown in FIG. 5C.

[0028] The practicality of the oxidation can be demonstrated by conducting the reaction under ambient air at gram-scale, as shown in FIG. 6. The temperature was increased to compensate the reduced reaction rate due to the lower concentration of molecular oxygen. The oxidation reaction of 2a proceeds smoothly to give aldehyde 3a in 95% yield under the optimal conditions. In addition, the catalyst complex can be recovered simply by precipitation and the recycled catalyst promotes the same reaction without observable loss of catalytic performance. The catalytic protocol could also be applied to the chemoselective oxidation of diol 2af and the mono-oxidized product 3af was obtained exclusively.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a reaction scheme for a stereoselective transfer semi-hydrogenation reaction. Referring to FIG. 7, using Ru(II) (low valence metal to stabilize the hydride) together with the ZW2 ligand effectively catalyzes the transfer semi-hydrogenation of diphenylacetylene (11) into trans-1,2-diphenylethylene (12), with a yield of at least 80%. Even more advantageously, excellent stereoselectivity (12:13=40:1) can be obtained and was observed. In contrast, ligands such as triphenylphosphine and NHC carbene IPr gave only moderate yield and stereoselectivity.

Materials and Methods

[0030] The aerobic oxidation reactions for FIGS. 4A-C were conducted with 2 (0.3 mmol), RuCl.sub.3.3H.sub.2O (5 mol %), ZW2 (15 mol %) in DCE (1.5 mL) in a sealed tube (10 mL capacity) under O.sub.2 (1 atm) at the indicated times and temperatures and with the isolated yields provided under the product structures.

[0031] The aerobic oxidation reactions for FIGS. 5A-C were conducted with substrate (0.3 mmol), RuCl.sub.3.3H.sub.2O (n mol %), ZW2 (3n mol %) in DCE (1.5 mL) in a sealed tube (10 mL capacity) under O.sub.2 (1 atm) with the isolated yields provided under the product structures.

[0032] It should be understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and the scope of the appended claims. In addition, any elements or limitations of any invention or embodiment thereof disclosed herein can be combined with any and/or all other elements or limitations (individually or in any combination) or any other invention or embodiment thereof disclosed herein, and all such combinations are contemplated with the scope of the invention without limitation thereto.