TY - JOUR

T1 - Activation and discovery of earth-abundant metal catalysts using sodium tert-butoxide

AU - Docherty, Jamie H.

AU - Peng, Jingying

AU - Dominey, Andrew P.

AU - Thomas, Stephen P.

PY - 2017/6/1

Y1 - 2017/6/1

N2 - First-row, earth-abundant metals offer an inexpensive and sustainable alternative to precious-metal catalysts. As such, iron and cobalt catalysts have garnered interest as replacements for alkene and alkyne hydrofunctionalization reactions. However, these have required the use of air- and moisture-sensitive catalysts and reagents, limiting both adoption by the non-expert as well as applicability, particularly in industrial settings. Here, we report a simple method for the use of earth-abundant metal catalysts by general activation with sodium tert-butoxide. Using only robust air- and moisture-stable reagents and pre-catalysts, both known and, significantly, novel catalytic activities have been successfully achieved, covering hydrosilylation, hydroboration, hydrovinylation, hydrogenation and [2π+2π] alkene cycloaddition. This activation method allows for the easy use of earth-abundant metals, including iron, cobalt, nickel and manganese, and represents a generic platform for the discovery and application of non-precious metal catalysis.

AB - First-row, earth-abundant metals offer an inexpensive and sustainable alternative to precious-metal catalysts. As such, iron and cobalt catalysts have garnered interest as replacements for alkene and alkyne hydrofunctionalization reactions. However, these have required the use of air- and moisture-sensitive catalysts and reagents, limiting both adoption by the non-expert as well as applicability, particularly in industrial settings. Here, we report a simple method for the use of earth-abundant metal catalysts by general activation with sodium tert-butoxide. Using only robust air- and moisture-stable reagents and pre-catalysts, both known and, significantly, novel catalytic activities have been successfully achieved, covering hydrosilylation, hydroboration, hydrovinylation, hydrogenation and [2π+2π] alkene cycloaddition. This activation method allows for the easy use of earth-abundant metals, including iron, cobalt, nickel and manganese, and represents a generic platform for the discovery and application of non-precious metal catalysis.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019902534&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/nchem.2697

DO - 10.1038/nchem.2697

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28537588

AN - SCOPUS:85019902534

VL - 9

SP - 595

EP - 600

JO - Nature Chemistry

JF - Nature Chemistry

SN - 1755-4330

IS - 6

ER -