The seminal contributions by Sonogashira, Cassar and Heck in mid 1970s on Pd/Cu- and Pd-catalysed (copper-free) coupling of acetylenes with aryl or vinyl halides have evolved in myriad applications. Despite the enormous success both in academia and in industry, however, critical mechanistic questions of this cross-coupling process remain unresolved. In this study, experimental evidence and computational support is provided for the mechanism of copper-free Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. In contrast to the consensus monometallic mechanism, the revealed pathway proceeds through a tandem Pd/Pd cycle linked via a multistep transmetallation process. This cycle is virtually identical to the Pd/Cu tandem mechanism of copper co-catalysed Sonogashira cross-couplings, but the role of Cu^I is played by a set of Pd^II species. Phosphine dissociation from the square-planar reactants to form transient three-coordinate Pd species initiates transmetallation and represents the rate-determining step of the process.

Catalytic Mitsunobu reactions have been substantially improved based on strict optimization, mechanistic studies and discovery of a new catalyst.

The 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole ligand prepared by click chemistry 1-(2-picolyl)-4-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazole (ppt) was investigated as novel chelating ligand for Ru(II) complexes with potential antitumor activity. The preparation and structural characterization, mainly by NMR spectroscopy in solution and by X-Ray crystallography in the solid state, of four new Ru(II) complexes is reported: two isomeric Ru-dmso compounds, trans,cis-[RuCl₂(dmso-S)₂(ppt)] (1) and cis,cis-[RuCl₂(dmso-S)₂(ppt)] (2), and two half-sandwich Ru-[9]aneS₃ coordination compounds, [Ru([9]aneS₃)(dmso-S)(ppt)][CF₃SO₃]₂ (3) and [Ru([9]aneS₃)Cl(ppt)][CF₃SO₃] (4). In all compounds ppt firmly binds to ruthenium in a bidentate fashion through the pyridyl nitrogen atom and the triazole N2, thus forming a puckered six-membered ring. The chemical behavior in aqueous solution of the water-soluble complexes 3 and 4 was studied by UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy and compared to that of the previously described organometallic analogue [Ru(η⁶-p-cymene)Cl(ppt)][Cl] (5) in view of their potential antitumor activity. Compounds 3–5 were tested also in vitro for cytotoxic activity against two human cancer cell lines, one sensitive and one resistant to cisplatin, in comparison with cisplatin. Compound 4, the one that aquates faster, was found to be more cytotoxic than cisplatin against human lung squamose carcinoma cell line (A-549).

Cp*-Ir(III) complexes with additional chelating ligands are known active pre-catalysts for the oxygenation of C–H bonds. We present here eight examples of such complexes where the denticity of the chelating ligands has been varied from the well-known 2,2′-bpy through pyridyl-triazole, bi-triazole to ligands containing pyridyl-triazolylidene, triazolyl-triazolylidene and bi-triazolylidenes. Additionally, we also compare the catalytic results to complexes containing chelating cyclometallated ligands with additional triazole or triazolylidene donors. Single crystal X-ray structural data are presented for all the new complexes that contain one or more triazolylidene donors of the mesoionic carbene type. We present the first example of a metal complex containing a chelating triazole-triazolylidene ligand. The results of the catalytic screening show that complexes containing unsymmetrical donors of the pyridyl-triazole or pyridyl-triazolylidene types are the most potent pre-catalysts for the C–H oxygenation of cyclooctane in the presence of either m-CPBA or NaIO₄ as a sacrificial oxidant. These pre-catalysts can also be used to oxygenate C–H bonds in other substrates such as fluorene and ethyl benzene. The most potent pre-catalysts presented here work with a lower catalyst loading and under milder conditions while delivering better product yields in comparison with related literature known Ir(III) pre-catalysts. These results thus point to the potential of ligands with unsymmetrical donors obtained through the click reaction in oxidation catalysis.