Aerobic reduction of olefins by in situ generation of diimide with synthetic flavin catalysts.

A versatile reducing agent, diimide, can be generated efficiently by the aerobic oxidation of hydrazine with neutral and cationic synthetic flavin catalysts 1 and 2. This technique provides a convenient and safe method for the aerobic reduction of olefins, which proceeds with 1 equiv of hydrazine under an atmosphere of O(2) or air. The synthetic advantage over the conventional gas-based method has been illustrated through high hydrazine efficiency, easy and safe handling, and characteristic chemoselectivity. Vitamin B(2) derivative 6 acts as a highly practical, robust catalyst for this purpose because of its high availability and recyclability. Association complexes of 1b with dendritic 2,5-bis(acylamino)pyridine 15 exhibit unprecedented catalytic activities, with the reduction of aromatic and hydroxy olefins proceeding significantly faster when a higher-generation dendrimer is used as a host pair for the association catalysts. Contrasting retardation is observed upon similar treatment of non-aromatic or non-hydroxy olefins with the dendrimer catalysts. Control experiments and kinetic studies revealed that these catalytic reactions include two independent, anaerobic and aerobic, processes for the generation of diimide from hydrazine. Positive and negative dendrimer effects on the catalytic reactions have been ascribed to the specific inclusion of hydrazine and olefinic substrates into the enzyme-like reaction cavities of the association complex catalysts.