Part I: transition metal complexes with nitrone-based bidentate and tridentate ligands: synthesis, structural characterizations, and catalysis. Part II: N-heterocyclic carbene based ruthenium catalysts for direct amide synthesis from alcohols and amines.

Abstract

This thesis is divided into two parts. In part one, several nitrone-based bidentate and tridentate ligands have been developed, and the subsequent metalations of these ligands allowed us to synthesize a series of neutral and/or cationic Pd (II), Ni (II) and Ru (II) OXO-type (X = C or N) pincer complexes and cationic Ir (III) complexes. The structural characterizations and catalytic abilities of these complexes in C-C couplings, transfer hydrogenation reaction, and Oppenauer-type oxidation of alcohol were studied thoroughly. In part two, iV-heterocyclic carbene based ruthenium complexes were developed as highly active catalysts for direct amide synthesis from alcohols and amines. The well-defined catalysts provided mechanistic insight suggesting a ruthenium hydride species as an active catalytic intermediate.