Control of Olefin Hydroarylation Catalysis via a Sterically and Electronically Flexible Platinum(II) Catalyst Scaffold

Pt-II complexes supported by dipyridyl ligands have been demonstrated to catalyze olefin hydroarylation. Herein, studies on the influence of dipyridyl motif variation are reported. Increasing the chelate ring size of dipyridyl-ligated Pt-II complexes from five- to six-membered rings by replacing 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine with 2,2'-dipyridylmethane has been shown to increase catalytic activity and longevity for catalytic ethylene hydrophenylation. For 2,2'-dipyridyl ligands, the presence of methyl groups in the 6/6'-positions of the pyridyl rings reduces the extent of dialkylation to produce diethylbenzenes but also increases the rate of catalyst decomposition. Substituting the methylene spacer between the pyridyl rings of 2,2'-dipyridylmethane with more electron-withdrawing groups also reduces catalytic efficiency. The steric profile of Pt-II complexes with increased chelate ring size or substituents in the 6/6'-positions of the pyridyl rings provides a marked change in regioselectivity for ethylene hydroarylation using ethylbenzene as well as the linear to branched selectivity for the hydrophenylation of propylene.