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The imidazolium salt [(S,S)-tBuNC3H3NCHPhCHPhNH2]PF6, (S,S)-11·HPF6 is a precursor to the enantiopure "Kaibene" ligand, tBu-Kaibene, (S,S)-11 featuring a tert-butyl group on the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ring-nitrogen atoms. It has been prepared in high yield and purity by refluxing a chiral cyclic sulfamidate with 1-tert-butylimidazole. Similarly (S,S)-12·HPF6 with a mesityl group at the imidazolium ring-nitrogen atom has been prepared in the same fashion and serves as a source of Mes-Kaibene, (S,S)-12. These bidentate Kaibene ligands feature an NHC and a primary amine separated by a chiral linker. Salts (S,S)-11·HPF6 or (S,S)-12·HPF6 react with base and AgI or CuI to give a total of four M(Kaibene)2I compounds (M = Ag or Cu). At 22 °C, the amine-functionalized imidazolium cations undergo oxidative addition to iridium(I) in [IrCl(cod)]2 (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) to generate iridium(III) hydride R-Kaibene compounds [IrHCl(cod)((S,S)-11)](PF6) (17) and [IrHCl(cod)((S,S)-12)](PF6) (18), respectively, each as a mixture of six configurational isomers. In contrast, the salt (S,S)-11·HPF6 reacts with [Ir(OtBu)(cod)]2 to produce a bimetallic iridium compound with (S,S)-11 as the bridging ligand. This compound contains interesting NH···Cl and NH···Ir noncovalent intramolecular interactions. Salt (S,S)-12·HPF6 reacts with silver oxide to yield [Ag2((S,S)-12)2](PF6)2 (20). Reagent 20 serves as an efficient transmetalation reagent to deliver to each rhodium in [RhCl(cod)]2 1 equiv of (S,S)-12 as a bidentate ligand to give [Rh(cod)((S,S)-12)](PF6). In the reaction between [IrCl(cod)]2 and 20, (S,S)-12 ends up coordinated in an iridium(III) hydride complex (22) as a tridentate ligand via the NHC, NH2, and a cyclometalated phenyl group. The two iridium hydride compounds, 18 and 22, are catalysts for the hydrogenation of a range of ketones (turnover number up to 499, turnover frequency up to 249 h-1, with er (enantiomeric ratio) up to 35:65 R:S). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By a simple SN2 reaction between N-methylimidazole and a chiral sulfamidate, the first proligand of a new class of enantiopure NHC-CHPh-CHPh-NH2 ligands can be prepared in high yield. This proligand, with the molecular formula [(S,S)-H2NCHPhCHPh-NC3H3N-CH3](PF6), when reacted with a slight excess of lithium or potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide, produces the corresponding NHC-CHPh-CHPh-NH2 ligand, "kaibene". In the presence of the silver(I) starting material AgPF6 or AgI, two Ag(kaibene)2X complexes (X = PF6 or I) and one helical kaibene silver polymer, [Ag(kaibene)]n(PF6)n, can be prepared. Using the suitable silver complex, we successfully transferred kaibene to ruthenium(II), iridium(I), and nickel(II). The ruthenium complex [Ru(p-cymene)(kaibene)(Cl)]PF6 with a base in THF is a moderately active catalyst at 50 °C and 25 bar of H2 for the hydrogenation of acetophenone but with no enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) represent a new type of crystalline porous materials that are covalently assembled from organic building blocks. Construction of functional COFs is, however, a difficult task because it has to meet simultaneously the requirements for crystallinity and functionality. We report herein a facile strategy for the direct construction of chiral-functionalized COFs from chiral building blocks. The key design is to use the rigid scaffold 4,4'-(1H-benzo[d]imidazole-4,7-diyl)dianiline (2) for attaching a variety of chiral moieties. As a first example, the chiral pyrrolidine-embedded building block (S)-4,4'-(2-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-4,7-diyl)dianiline (3) was accordingly synthesized and applied for the successful construction of two chiral COFs, LZU-72 and LZU-76. Our experimental results further showed that these chiral COFs are structurally robust and highly active as heterogeneous organocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural uniqueness of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) has brought these new materials great potential for advanced applications. One of the key aspects yet to be developed is how to improve the robustness of covalently linked reticular frameworks. In order to make the best use of π-conjugated structures, we develop herein a "killing two birds with one stone" strategy and construct a series of ultrastable benzoxazole-based COFs (denoted as LZU-190, LZU-191, and LZU-192) as metal-free photocatalysts. Benefiting from the formation of benzoxazole rings through reversible/irreversible cascade reactions, the synthesized COFs exhibit permanent stability in the presence of strong acid (9 M HCl), strong base (9 M NaOH), and sunlight. Meanwhile, reticulation of the benzoxazole moiety into the π-conjugated COF frameworks decreases the optical band gap and therefore increases the capability for visible-light absorption. As a result, the excellent photoactivity and unprecedented recyclability of LZU-190 (for at least 20 catalytic runs, each with a product yield of 99%) have been illustrated in the visible-light-driven oxidative hydroxylation of arylboronic acids to phenols. This contribution represents the first report on the photocatalytic application of benzoxazole-based structures, which not only sheds new light on the exploration of robust organophotocatalysts from small molecules to extended frameworks but also offers in-depth understanding of the structure-activity relationship toward practical applications of COF materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]