How does the addition of steric hindrance to a typical N-heterocyclic carbene ligand affect catalytic activity in olefin metathesis?

Albert Poater, Laura Falivene, César A. Urbina-Blanco, Simone Manzini, Steven P. Nolan, Luigi Cavallo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

62 Scopus citations

Abstract

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to predict and rationalize the effect of the modification of the structure of the prototype 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand. The modification consists in the substitution of the methyl groups of ortho isopropyl substituent with phenyl groups, and here we plan to describe how such significant changes affect the metal environment and therefore the related catalytic behaviour. Bearing in mind that there is a significant structural difference between both ligands in different olefin metathesis reactions, here by means of DFT we characterize where the NHC ligand plays a more active role and where it is a simple spectator, or at least its modification does not significantly change its catalytic role/performance. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7433
JournalDalton Transactions
Volume42
Issue number20
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Inorganic Chemistry

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