The catalytic activity of nickel(U) chloride and cobalt(ll) chloride complexes with selected phosphines in the hydroboration of conjugated dienes, alkynes and derivatives with catecholborane has been examined. In the presence of CoCI 2 (dppp) 1,2-and 1,4-addition products to dienes are obtained, whereas NiCl 2 (dppe) and NiCljidppp) favor 1,2-addition products. Higher regioselectivity of addition to terminal alkynes and to trimethylsilylacetylene in the reactions catalyzed by NiCI 2 (dppe), as compared to the uncatalyzed reactions, has been achieved. Homopropargylic derivatives can be cleanly monohydroborated under very mild conditions in the presence of this catalyst.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONNickelocene, cyclopentadienylnickel(II) chloride and nickel(II) chloride complexes with triphenylphosphine, nickel(U) chloride and cobalt(ll) chloride complexes with l,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp), and l,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb), were chosen as catalysts. Since catecholborane undergoes disproportionation in the presence of certain metal salts, the stability of its 1 Μ solutions in tetrahydrofuran containing 1 % molar of the above mentioned compounds was monitored by "B NMR analysis. For all the compounds examined, the catecholborane signal at 526.0 remained the main signal in the spectrum after 24 h at room temperature. In the presence of nickelocene and cyclopentadienylnickel(II) chloride complex with triphenylphosphine a small peak at δ 0.5 corresponding to borane-tetrahydrofuran and a signal at δ 20.0 were observed. In the presence of the other compounds the spectra did not show a borane signal. A signal at Ö20.0, corresponding to a borate ester, integrating for 3-12 % of the total area of the signals, and not increasing in intensity after 48 h, was present. The lack of the signal corresponding to borane-tetrahydrofuran, a possible disproportionation product, indicates the stability of catecholborane in the presence of these compounds.
Conjugated dienes.The catalytic activity of the chosen compounds in the reactions of catecholborane with isoprene and 2,3-dimethyl-l,3-butadiene was examined in comparison to 1-alkenes. The reactions were carried out at 1 : 1 molar ratio at room temperature using the solutions described above. As shown in Table 1, hydroboration of 1-alkenes in the presence of the nickel compounds and CoCI 2 (dppb) gave either low yields or no product. In contrast, isoprene reacted with catecholborane in the presence of NiCI 2 (dppp) and CoCl 2 (dppp) to give 79 % of the product in 6 h and 24 h, respectively. It is interesting to note that the order of activity CoCI 2 (dppp) > CoCl 2 (dppe)» CoCl 2 (dppb) does not parallel the corresponding nickel(II) chloride complexes NiCI 2 (dppe) > NiCI 2 (dppp) > NiCl 2 (dppb). Nickelocene and nickel(II) chloride complex with triphenylphosphine showed a low activity, similarly to the reactions with 1-alkenes. Consequently, NiCI 2 (dppp) and CoCI 2 (dppp) were used as catalysts for the reactions of representat...