Tetrakisdirhodium(II) and Its Catalytic Applications for Metal Carbene Transformations

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/hlca.19930760606

The synthesis and X-ray structure of the binuclear complex tetrakis<(4S)-4-phenyloxazolidin-2-one>dirhodium(II) (4>) are reported.Structure-selectivity comparisons are made for typical metal carbene transformations, such as inter- and intramolecular cyclopropane formation, intermolecular cyclopropene formation and intramolecular C-H insertions of diazoacetates and diazoacetamides.The enantioselectivity achieved in the 4>-catalyzed reactions is intermediate between that of 4> and 4>, which were described previously (mepy=methyl 5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylate; bnox=4-benzyloxazolidin-2-one).In contrast to other catalyzed intermolecular cyclopropane formations, those using 4> result preferentially in formation of the cis-cyclopropane.