Lanthanide formamidinates as improved catalysts for the Tishchenko reaction
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
The tris(formamidinato)lanthanum(III) complexes [La(o-TolForm)3(thf)2] [1; o-TolForm = N,N'-bis(o-tolyl)formamidinate], [La(XylForm)3(thf)] [2; XylForm = N,N'-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)formamidinate], and [La(EtForm)3] [3, EtForm = N,N'-bis(2,6-diethylphenyl)formamidinate] are a new class of precatalysts for the Tishchenko reaction. Their catalytic activity is a result of their high Lewis acidity and the ease with which the ligand spheres can be interchanged. For the dimerization of benzaldehyde to give benzyl benzoate, which is a benchmark reaction, compound 1 is, to the best of our knowledge, the most active catalyst ever reported. On a preparative scale, the reaction can be performed in the absence of solvent. A range of aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic aldehydes was rapidly converted into the corresponding esters by using catalysts 1–3.
Journal
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry
Publication Name
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry
Volume
2008
ISBN/ISSN
1099-0682
Edition
N/A
Issue
4
Pages Count
5
Location
N/A
Publisher
Wiley
Publisher Url
N/A
Publisher Location
N/A
Publish Date
N/A
Url
N/A
Date
N/A
EISSN
N/A
DOI
10.1002/ejoc.200700827