Ethenolysis Reactions Catalyzed by Imido Alkylidene Monoaryloxide Monopyrrolide (MAP) Complexes of Molybdenum

Abstract
Monoaryloxide-pyrrolide (MAP) olefin metathesis catalysts of molybdenum that contain a chiral bitetralin-based aryloxide ligand are efficient for ethenolysis of methyl oleate, cyclooctene, and cyclopentene. Ethenolysis of 5000 equiv of methyl oleate produced 1-decene (1D) and methyl-9-decenoate (M9D) with a selectivity of >99%, yields up to 95%, and a TON (turnover number) of 4750 in 15 h. Tungstacyclobutane catalysts gave yields approximately half those of molybdenum catalysts, either at room temperature or at 50 °C, although selectivity was still >99%. Ethenolysis of 30 000 equiv of cyclooctene to 1,9-decadiene could be carried out with a TON of 22 500 at 20 atm (75% yield), while ethenolysis of 10 000 equiv of cyclopentene to 1,6-heptadiene could be carried out with a TON of 5800 at 20 atm (58% yield). There is no reason to propose that the efficiency of ethenolysis has been maximized with the most successful catalyst reported here.

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