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Cover Picture: Multisite Catalysis: A Mechanistic Study of β ‐Lactone Synthesis from Epoxides and CO—Insights into a Difficult Case of Homogeneous Catalysis (Chem. Eur. J. 6/2003)
Author(s) -
Molnar Ferenc,
Luinstra Gerrit A.,
Allmendinger Markus,
Rieger Bernhard
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.200390146
Subject(s) - lewis acids and bases , chemistry , carbonylation , nucleophile , catalysis , cobalt , carbon monoxide , epoxide , homogeneous catalysis , stereochemistry , medicinal chemistry , organic chemistry
Abstract The cover picture shows the molecular structure of the complex formed by Al(O‐ i Pr) 3 (acts as Lewis acid), β ‐propiolactone, and the [Co(CO) 4 ] − anion (aluminium: pink; carbon: grey; cobalt: blue; hydrogen: white; oxygen: red). This structure corresponds to the product complex in the formation of β ‐lactones from epoxides and carbon monoxide (schematically shown in the upper right hand corner). Carbonylation of epoxides by using a combination of Lewis acids and cobalt carbonyls was studied both by theoretical and experimental methods. Only the concerted interaction of a Lewis acid and a nucleophile (multisite catalysis) opens a low‐energy pathway for trans opening of oxirane rings. For more details see the article by F. Molnar, B. Rieger et al. on p. 1273 ff.