Enantioselective Synthesis of 5-epi-Citreoviral Using Ruthenium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Ring-Closing Metathesis

Chiral ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts can perform asymmetric ring-closing reactions in ≥90% ee with low catalyst loadings. To illustrate the practicality of these reactions and the products they form, an enantioselective total synthesis of 5-epi-citreoviral was completed by using an asymmetric ring-closing olefin metathesis reaction as a key step early in the synthesis. All of the stereocenters in the final compound were set by using the chiral center generated by asymmetric olefin metathesis

Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts Bearing Carbohydrate-Based N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Ru-based olefin metathesis catalysts containing carbohydrate-derived NHCs from glucose and galactose were synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy. 2D-NMR spectroscopy revealed the presence of Ru−C (benzylidene) rotamers at room temperature, and the rate of rotation was measured using magnetization transfer and VT-NMR spectroscopy. The catalysts were found to be effective at ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), ring-closing metathesis (RCM), cross-metathesis (CM), and asymmetric ring-opening cross-metathesis (AROCM) and showed surprising selectivity in both CM and AROCM

Facile Synthesis of Effcient and Selective Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts with Sulfonate and Phosphate Ligands

A series of novel, air-stable ruthenium NHC catalysts with sulfonate and phosphate anions have been prepared easily in one pot at high yields using commercially available precursors. The catalysts were found to be effective for ring-opening metathesis polymerization, ring-closing metathesis, and cross-metathesis. The catalysts showed higher cis-selectivity in olefin cross-metathesis reactions as compared to earlier known ruthenium-based olefin metathesis catalysts, with allylbenzene and cis-1,4-diacetoxybutene as substrates

Formation of bridged bicycloalkenes via ring closing metathesis

Ring closing metathesis may be used in the formation of small ring bicycloalkenes from monocyclic diene precursors

A Tandem Approach to Photoactivated Olefin Metathesis: Combining a Photoacid Generator with an Acid Activated Catalyst

Combining an acid activated precatalyst with a photoacid generator (PAG) in the presence of ultraviolet light resulted in a highly efficient catalyst for olefin metathesis. The tandem system of precatalyst and PAG was capable of both ring closing metathesis (RCM) and ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) in good to excellent conversion. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the catalytically active species is very similar to that of other well-known Ru-based catalysts

Ring closing metathesis in protic media by means of a neutral and polar ruthenium benzylidene complex

The ring closing olefine metathesis in protic solvents using a new ruthenium benzylidene complex is described

Cascade metathesis reactions for the synthesis of taxane and isotaxane derivatives

Tricyclic isotaxane and taxane derivatives and have been synthesized by a very efficient cascade ring-closing dienyne metathesis (RCDEYM) reaction, which formed the A and B rings in one operation. When the alkyne is present at C13 (with no neighboring gem-dimethyl group), the RCEDYM reaction leads to 14,15-isotaxanes 16a,b and 18b with the gem-dimethyl group on the A ring. If the alkyne is at the C11 position (and thus flanked by a gem-dimethyl group), RCEDYM reaction only proceeds in the presence of a trisubstituted olefin at C13, which disfavors the competing diene ring-closing metathesis reaction, to give the tricyclic core of Taxol 44

Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts Bearing an N-Fluorophenyl-N-Mesityl-Substituted Unsymmetrical N-Heterocyclic Carbene

Two new ruthenium-based olefin metathesis catalysts, each bearing an unsymmetrical N-heterocyclic carbene ligand, have been synthesized and fully characterized. Their catalytic performance has been evaluated in ring-closing metathesis, cross metathesis, and ring-opening metathesis polymerization reactions

Tandem ring‐opening–ring‐closing metathesis for functional metathesis catalysts

Use of a tandem ring-opening–ring-closing metathesis (RORCM) strategy for the synthesis of functional metathesis catalysts is reported. Ring opening of 7-substituted norbornenes and subsequent ring-closing metathesis forming a thermodynamically stable 6-membered ring lead to a very efficient synthesis of new catalysts from commercially available Grubbs’ catalysts. Hydroxy functionalized Grubbs’ first- as well as third-generation catalysts have been synthesized. Mechanistic studies have been performed to elucidate the order of attack of the olefinic bonds. This strategy was also used to synthesize the ruthenium methylidene complex

Functional metathesis catalyst through ring closing enyne metathesis: one pot protocol for living heterotelechelic polymers

Enyne ring closing metathesis has been used to synthesize functional group carrying metathesis catalysts from a commercial (Ru-benzylidene) Grubbs’ catalysts. The new Grubbs-type ruthenium carbene was used to synthesize living heterotelechelic ROMP polymers without any intermediate purification. Olefin metathesis with a mono substituted alkyne followed by ring closing metathesis with an allylic ether provided efficient access to new functional group carrying metathesis catalysts. Different functional benzylidene and alkylidene derivatives have been investigated in the synthesis of heterotelechelic polymers in one pot