Silver- and gold-catalyzed azide−alkyne cycloaddition by functionalized NHC-based polynuclear catalysts: Computational investigation and mechanistic insights
Ali A Khairbek , Mohammad Abd Al-Hakim Badawi , Abdullah Yahya Abdullah Alzahrani , Rajimon KJ , Renjith Thomas
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study evaluated the catalytic efficiency of Au(I), Ag(I), and Cu(I) complexes in the azide‒alkyne cycloaddition (AAC) reaction through density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Cu(I) complexes exhibit superior catalytic performance, with lower energy barriers (8.8 kcal/mol) and a favorable Gibbs free energy of -0.9 kcal/mol in the key cycloaddition step, significantly outperforming Ag and Au complexes. Structural analysis revealed that shorter M−C bond lengths in the Cu complex contributed to increased stability. Additionally, the copper complex has a more negative Gibbs free energy for the formed metallacycle, indicating a thermodynamically favorable reaction pathway. Noncovalent interaction (NCI) and reduced density gradient (RDG) analyses of the Cu, Ag, and Au systems highlighted distinct interaction patterns influencing the reactivity. Furthermore, electron localization function (ELF) and localized orbital locator (LOL) analyses revealed bonding characteristics in those complexes. This study offers valuable insights into the mechanistic differences among Au(I), Ag(I), and Cu(I) complexes, paving the way for future research on enhancing the catalytic activity of copper, silver and gold complexes through ligand modification.
期刊介绍:
Molecular Catalysis publishes full papers that are original, rigorous, and scholarly contributions examining the molecular and atomic aspects of catalytic activation and reaction mechanisms. The fields covered are:
Heterogeneous catalysis including immobilized molecular catalysts
Homogeneous catalysis including organocatalysis, organometallic catalysis and biocatalysis
Photo- and electrochemistry
Theoretical aspects of catalysis analyzed by computational methods