The more general reaction, hydroalkenylation, is the formal insertion of an alkene into the C-H bond of any terminal alkene. The reaction is catalyzed by metal complexes. A representative reaction is the conversion of styrene and ethylene to 3-phenybutene:[1]
Ethylene dimerization
The dimerization of ethylene which gives 1-butene is another example of a hydrovinylation. In the Dimersol and Alphabutol Processes, alkenes are dimerized for the production of gasoline and for comonomers such as 1-butene. These processes operate at several refineries across the world at the scales of about 400,000 tons/year (2006 report).[2] 1-Butene is amenable to isomerization to 2-butenes, which is used in olefin conversion technology to give propylene.
In organic synthesis
The addition can be done highly regio- and stereoselectively, although the choices of metal, ligands, and counterions often play very important role. Many metals have also been demonstrated to form active catalysts, including nickel[3][4][5] and cobalt.[6][7][8]
In a stoichiometric version of a hydrovinylation reaction, nucleophiles add to an electrophilic transition metal alkene complex, forming a C-C bond. The resulting metal alkyl undergoes beta-hydride elimination, liberating the vinylated product.[9]
Hydroarylation
Hydroarylation is again a special case of hydrovinylation. Hydroarylation has been demonstrated for alkyne and alkene substrates. An early example was provided by the Murai reaction, which involves the insertion of alkenes into a C-H bond of acetophenone. The keto group directs the regiochemistry, stabilizing an aryl intermediate.[10]
When catalyzed by palladium carboxylates, a key step is electrophilic aromatic substitution to give a Pd(II) aryl intermediate.[11] Gold behaves similarly.[12]Hydropyridination is a similar reaction, but entails addition of a pyridyl-H bond to alkenes and alkynes.[13]
^T. V. RajanBabu; G. A. Cox (2014). "5.32 Hydrovinylation Reactions in Organic Synthesis". Hydrovinylation Reactions in Organic Synthesis. Comprehensive Organic Synthesis II (Second Edition). Vol. 5. pp. 1582–1620. doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-097742-3.00533-4. ISBN978-0-08-097743-0.
^Grutters, M. M. P.; Muller, C.; Vogt, D. (2006). "Highly Selective Cobalt-Catalyzed Hydrovinylation of Styrene". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128 (23): 7414–5. doi:10.1021/ja058095y. PMID16756275.
^Hilt, G.; Danz, M.; Treutwein, J. (2009). "Cobalt-Catalyzed 1,4-Hydrovinylation of Styrenes and 1-Aryl-1,3-butadienes". Org. Lett. 11 (15): 3322–5. doi:10.1021/ol901064p. PMID19583205.
^Jia, C.; Kitamura, T.; Fujiwara, Y. (2001). "Catalytic Functionalization of Arenes and Alkanes Via C-H Bond Activation". Acc. Chem. Res. 34 (8): 633–639. doi:10.1021/ar000209h. PMID11513570.
^Shen, Hong C. (2008). "Recent advances in syntheses of heterocycles and carbocycles via homogeneous gold catalysis. Part 1: Heteroatom addition and hydroarylation reactions of alkynes, allenes, and alkenes". Tetrahedron. 64 (18): 3885–3903. doi:10.1016/j.tet.2008.01.081.