Silica supported phosphine gold complexes as an efficient catalytic system for a dearomative spirocyclization

Zhen Cao (1) , Antoine Scalabre (2) , Sylvain Nlate (2) , Sonia Buffiere (3) , Reiko Oda (2) , Emilie Pouget (2) , Brigitte Bibal (1)

1 ISM - Institut des Sciences Moléculaires
2 CBMN - Chimie et Biologie des Membranes et des Nanoobjets
3 ICMCB - Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux

The combination of metal catalyst and inorganic silica frameworks provides a greener approach to recyclable catalysis. In this study, three phosphine–gold chloride complexes have been successfully covalently grafted onto chiral silica nanohelices. The resulting 3D ensembles showed chiroptical properties that allowed the monitoring of the supported ligands. The heterogeneous gold chloride catalysts in cooperation with silver triflate exhibited high reactivity in various reactions, especially in the spirocyclization of aryl alkynoate esters, for which a catalytic loading of 0.05 mol % could be employed. The heterogeneous catalysts could be easily recovered and recycled seven or eight times without any loss of efficiency. By adding more silver triflate, 25 cycles with full conversion were achieved owing to a complex catalytic system based on silica and metallic species.

Domaines: Catalyse; Matériaux

Zhen Cao, Antoine Scalabre, Sylvain Nlate, Sonia Buffiere, Reiko Oda, et al.. Silica supported phosphine gold complexes as an efficient catalytic system for a dearomative spirocyclization. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2021, 27 (1), pp.427-433. ⟨10.1002/chem.202004251⟩. ⟨hal-03034091⟩