The Need:

Efficient and selective hydrofunctionalization of alkenes via catalytic hydroboration, hydrogenation, or hydrosilylation address a critical demand in various chemical sectors. Particularly, in the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and food industries these reactions play a pivotal role in valorization of mixtures of alkenes through selective conversion to a saturated product. However current catalysts developed for these reactions utilize precious metal elements (e.g. rhodium, iridium, palladium, platinum), which can be costly and/or difficult to source.

The Technology:

Our technology introduces a new catalyst design that features earth-abundant transition metals, such as cobalt or iron. Synthesized through a straightforward process from commercially available precursors, the lead cobalt precatalyst has been shown to be air and moisture stable for up to six months and highly active for both hydroboration and hydrogenation of broad scope of alkene substrates upon activation. In the case of hydroboration, catalytic hydrofunctionalization using this catalyst proceeds via a chain-walking mechanism to exclusively furnish the linear product.

Commercial Applications:

• Alkene hydrogenation reactions in the petrochemical, pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and food industries.
• Hydroboration and hydrosilylation reactions for incorporating reactive functional groups into hydrocarbon feedstocks.
• Bulk application in the industrial silicone industry for alkene hydrosilylation.
• Preparation of boronate esters for constructing complex molecules in the fine chemical industry.

Benefits/Advantages:

• Cost Effective: utilization of Earth-abundant transition metals, like cobalt, and simple synthesis through commercially available precursors makes these catalysts less costly and quicker to produce than precious metal catalysts.
• Highly Efficient, Selective, and Mild Catalysis; these catalysts can produce complete substrate conversion within a few hours at room temperature and ambient pressure and turnover numbers >10,000 for terminal alkenes (hydroboration). Selective for the linear, ant-Markovnikov product.
• Stable and Easy to Use: Tolerant to air and moisture exposure, this catalyst is benchtop stable, enhancing stability and ease of handling in industrial settings.
• Highly Rechargeable: Catalysts can be recharged, multiple times, with the addition of new substrate.
• Modifiable and Selective: the catalyst is amenable to steric and electronic modifications enabling tuning of catalyst selectivity, including enantioselectivity.