Production of fatty olefin derivatives via olefin metathesis

1. A method for synthesizing a fatty olefin derivative, the method comprising:

a) contacting an olefin according to Formula I

 wherein

R 1 is C 1-18 alkyl, and

subscript z is an integer ranging from 0 to 17,

with a metathesis reaction partner according to Formula IIb

 wherein

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-18 alkyl, and C 2-18 alkenyl,

R 2b is C 1-8 alkyl, and

subscript y is an integer ranging from 0 to 17,

in the presence of a Z-selective metathesis catalyst to form a metathesis product according to Formula IIIc:

 and

b) converting the metathesis product to the fatty olefin derivative;

wherein the fatty olefin derivative is selected from the group consisting of an unsaturated fatty alcohol, an unsaturated fatty alcohol acetate, an unsaturated fatty aldehyde, and an unsaturated fatty acid ester; and

wherein:

(i) the Z-selective metathesis catalyst has a structure according to Formula 2:

wherein:

M is Mo or W;

R 3a is selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, heteroalkyl, cycloalkyl, and heterocycloalkyl, each of which is optionally substituted;

R 4a and R 5a are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted heteroalkenyl, optionally substituted aryl, and optionally substituted heteroaryl;

R 7a is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, heteroalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, silylalkyl, and silyloxy, each of which is optionally substituted; and

R 6a is R 8a —X—, wherein

X is O or S and lea is optionally substituted aryl; or

X is O and R 8a is SiR 9a R 10a R 11a or CR 12a R 13a R 14a , wherein R 9a , R 10a , R 11a , R 12a , R 13a , and R 14a are independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl and optionally substituted phenyl; or

R 6a and R 7a are linked together and are bonded to M via oxygen; or

(ii) the Z-selective metathesis catalyst is selected from the group consisting of

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein converting the metathesis product to the fatty olefin derivative comprises reducing the metathesis product to form an unsaturated fatty alcohol according to Formula Vc:

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the unsaturated fatty alcohol is the fatty olefin derivative.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein R 2b is methyl, subscript y is 7, and subscript z is 3.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein converting the metathesis product to the fatty olefin derivative further comprises acylating the unsaturated fatty alcohol, thereby forming an unsaturated fatty alcohol acetate according to Formula VIc:

wherein R 2c is C 1-6 acyl, and

wherein the unsaturated fatty alcohol acetate is the fatty olefin derivative.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein R 2b is methyl, subscript y is 7, subscript z is 3, and R 2c is acetyl.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein converting the metathesis product to the fatty olefin derivative further comprises oxidizing the unsaturated fatty alcohol, thereby forming an unsaturated fatty aldehyde according to Formula VIIc:

wherein the unsaturated fatty aldehyde is the fatty olefin derivative.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein converting the metathesis product to the fatty olefin derivative further comprises reducing the metathesis product, thereby forming a fatty olefin derivative according to Formula VIIc:

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein R 1 is H, R 2b is methyl, subscript y is 7, and subscript z is 3.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

R 7a is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, heteroalkyl, aryl, aryloxy, and heteroaryl, each of which is optionally substituted; and

X is O or S and R 8a is optionally substituted aryl; or

X is O and R 8a is CR 12a R 13a R 14a .

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein

R 3a is selected from the group consisting of 2,6-dimethylphenyl; 2,6-diisopropylphenyl; 2,6-dichlorophenyl; and adamant-1-yl;

R 4a is selected from the group consisting of —C(CH 3 ) 2 C 6 H 5 and —C(CH 3 ) 3 ;

R 5a is H;

R 7a is selected from the group consisting of pyrrol-1-yl; 2,5-dimethyl-pyrrol-1-yl; triphenylsilyloxy; triisopropylsilyloxy; 2-phenyl-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-prop-2-yloxy; 2-methyl-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-prop-2-yloxy; 9-phenyl-fluorene-9-yloxy; 2,6-diphenyl-phenoxy; and t-butyloxy; and

R 6a is R 8a —X—, wherein

X═O and

R 8a is phenyl which bears two substituents in the ortho positions with respect to O, or which bears at least three substituents, from which two substituents are in the ortho positions with respect to O and one substituent is in the para position with respect to O; or

R 8a is selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted 8-(naphthalene-1-yl)-naphthalene-1-yl; optionally substituted 8-phenlynaphthalene-1-yl; optionally substituted quinoline-8-yl; triphenylsilyl; triisopropylsilyl; triphenylmethyl; tri(4-methylphenyl)methyl; 9-phenyl-fluorene-9-yl; 2-phenyl-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-prop-2-yl; 2-methyl-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-prop-2-yl; and t-butyl.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

R 7a is selected from the group consisting of pyrrol-1-yl; 2,5-dimethyl-pyrrol-1-yl; and

R 8a is phenyl which bears two substituents in the ortho positions with respect to O, or which bears at least three substituents, from which two substituents are in the ortho positions with respect to O and one substituent is in the para position with respect to O; or

R 8a is selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted 8-(naphthalene-1-yl)-naphthalene-1-yl and optionally substituted 8-phenlynaphthalene-1-yl.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Z-selective metathesis catalyst according to Formula 2 has a structure according to Formula 2a:

wherein:

R 3a is aryl, heteroaryl, alkyl, or cycloalkyl, each of which is optionally substituted;

R 7a is pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, indolyl, pyrazolyl, azaindolyl, or indazolyl, each of which is optionally substituted;

R 8a is optionally substituted aryl;

R 5a is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, or alkoxy;

R 4b is a hydrogen atom, —O—(C 1-6 alkyl), —CH 2 —O—(C 1-6 alkyl), heteroalkoxy, or —N(C 1-6 alkyl) 2 ; and

R 4c and R 4d are independently a hydrogen atom, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, a halogen atom, —NO 2 , an amide, or a sulfonamide.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

R 7a is pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, azaindolyl, or indazolyl, each of which is optionally substituted; and

R 5a is a hydrogen atom.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein R 3a is phenyl, 2,6-dichlorophenyl, 2,6-dimethylphenyl, 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, 2-trifluoromethylphenyl, pentafluorophenyl, tert-butyl, or 1-adamantyl.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein R 8a is

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein R 4b is methoxy, R 4c is hydrogen, and R 4d is hydrogen.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Z-selective metathesis catalyst according to Formula 2 is selected from the group consisting of

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is present in an amount less than 0.01 mol % with respect to the olefin or to the metathesis reaction partner.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is H, R 2b is methyl, subscript y is 7, and subscript z is 5.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fatty olefin derivative is a C 11 -C 20 (Z)-9-fatty alcohol.

22. The method of claim 5 , wherein the unsaturated fatty alcohol acetate is an acetate ester of the C 11 -C 20 (Z)-9-fatty alcohol.

23. The method of claim 7 , wherein the unsaturated fatty aldehyde is an C 11 -C 20 (Z)-9-alkenal.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the olefin according to Formula I is a linear C 3 -C 12 olefin and the alkyl ester according to Formula IIb is a Δ 9 -unsaturated fatty acid alkyl ester.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fatty olefin derivative is selected from the group consisting of (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol; (Z)-11-tetradecen-1-ol; and (Z)-13-octadecen-1-ol.

26. The method of claim 5 , wherein the unsaturated fatty alcohol acetate is selected from the group consisting of (Z)-10-dodecenyl acetate; (Z)-10-hexadecenyl acetate; (Z)-10-pentadecenal; (Z)-10-pentadecenyl acetate; (Z)-10-tetradecenyl acetate; (Z)-10-tridecenyl acetate; (Z)-7-decenyl acetate; (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate; (Z)-7-hexadecenyl acetate; (Z)-7-tetradecenyl acetate; (Z)-7-undecenyl acetate; (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate; (Z)-9-hexadecenyl acetate; (Z)-9-pentadecenyl acetate; (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate; (Z)-9-tridecenyl acetate; (Z)-9-undecenyl acetate; (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate; and (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate.

27. The method of claim 7 , wherein the unsaturated fatty aldehyde is selected from the group consisting of (E)-7-dodecenal; (Z)-9-hexadecenal; (Z)-7-hexadecenal; (Z)-9-tetradecenal; (Z)-7-tetradecenal; (Z)-9-dodecenal; (Z)-11-hexadecenal; and (Z)-13-octadecenal.

28. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fatty olefin derivative is an insect pheromone.