Urbina-Blanco, C. A.; Poater, A.; Lebl, T.; Manzini, S.; Slawin, A. M. Z.; Cavallo, L.; Nolan, S. P. The Activation Mechanism of Ru-Indenylidene Complexes in Olefin Metathesis. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 7073-7079. Recent literature accounts have challenged the notion that all olefin metathesis reactions catalyzed by Ru-NHC complexes are identical, beginning with dissociation […]

Grau, E.; Mecking, S. “Polyterpenes by ring opening metathesis polymerization of caryophyllene and humulene” Green Chemistry 2013, 15, 1112-1115  Polymers are an indispensable commodity within modern society found in all sectors of a consumer economy, such as: materials, pharmaceuticals and energy. Typically derived from non-renewable petroleum sources, polymers account for ~7% of the gas oil […]

Despite the huge advances in the area of olefin metathesis, better catalysts are still sought to increase the efficiency of ring closing metathesis (RCM) reactions and make them more applicable in industry1. Recently, several modified second-gen Grubbs-Hoveyda catalysts were prepared and tested for RCM by the Plenio group. The goal was to develop faster initiating […]

Wathier, M.; Lakin, B. A.; Bansal, P. N.; Stoddart, S. S.; Snyder, B. D.; Grinstaff, M. W. “A Large-Molecular-Weight Polyanion, Synthesized via Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization, as a Lubricant for Human Articular Cartilage” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 4930–4933 Mammals use natural lubricants, known as synovial fluid to keep their joints moving smoothly. With age, […]

Khalimon, A.Y; Leitao, E.M.; Piers, W. E. “Photogeneration of a Phosphonium Alkylidene Olefin Metathesis Catalyst” Organometallics 2012, 31, 5634-5637. DOI: 10.1021/om3005965 Chemists are always searching for a finely tunable, robust catalyst. Often this is accomplished by the use of some type of external activation that not only allows control over the activation of the catalyst, […]

Kong, J.; Chen; C.; Balsells-Padros; J., Cao, Y.; Dunn, R. F.; Dolman, S. J.; Janey, J.; Li, H.; and Zakuto, M.J. “Synthesis of the HCV Protease Inhibitor Vaniprevir (MK-7009) Using Ring-Closing Metathesis Reaction” J. Org. Chem. 2012, 77, 3820. Several years ago the chemical development group at Boehringer Ingelheim1 used a ring closing metathesis (RCM) step […]

Ohlmann, D. M.; Tschauder, N.; Stockis, J.-P.; Gooßen, Dierker, M.; Gooßen, L. J. “Isomerizing Olefin Metathesis as a Strategy To Access Defined Distributions of Unsaturated Compounds from Fatty Acids” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 13716-13729. As petrochemical feedstocks are depleted, the chemical community is charged with discovering and developing new methods to access value […]

Amakawa, K.; Wrabetz, S.; Kröhnert, J.; Tzolova-Müller, G. Schlögl, R.; Trunschke, A. “In Situ Generation of Active Sites in Olefin Metathesis” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 11462-11473. Heterogeneous, silica-supported tungsten catalysts are used to conduct the most efficient and largest practiced metathesis reactions in industry (The Phillips Triolefin Process). Despite their prominence, these catalysts […]

Park, Hyeon; Choi, Tae-Lim. “Fast Tandem Ring-Opening/Ring-Closing Metathesis Polymerization from a Monomer Containing Cyclohexene and Terminal Alkyne” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134 (17), 7270-7273. DOI: 10.1021/ja3017335 Sometimes two wrongs can make a right. Tae-Lim Choi and his group at Seoul National University have designed a monomer, which embodies this phrase by using  two unsuitable […]

After the first generation of well-defined ruthenium metathesis catalysts were developed, most of the efforts in designing new catalysts concentrated on finding more and more reactive versions. However, more reactive catalysts are not suitable for ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of very reactive monomers especially on a commercial scale. To solve this problem a number of […]

Back in 2008, a report surfaced from the laboratory of Prof. Karol Grela describing the behavior of a series of naphthalene-based Hoveyda-Grubbs type catalysts (1a-c).1 Somewhat surprisingly, at least in my eyes upon initial assessment, the complexes displayed very drastic differences in terms of catalytic activity. Complex 1b behaved in a similar fashion to the […]