All You Need To Know About Olefin Metathesis

This is a page that will provide you some information about metathesis!

Basic Facts You Need To Know

  1. It's a reaction between two carbon-carbon bonds (alkenes).
  2. It swaps the two ends of the alkenes and make two new alkenes.
  3. The 2005 Noble Price in chemistry was given to Yves Chuavin, Robin Grubbs, and Richard Schrock for "the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis".
  4. One alkene has two ends, two alkenes have four ends, so there are four ways to swap those.

More Facts! YAY!

  1. The reaction requires metal catalyst.
    • One of the most often used catalysts is called the Grubbs Catalyst.
      • It's a ruthenium catalyst.
      • It's not as reactive as the other catalysts, and it can handle oxygen.
    • Another catalyst is Schrock Catalyst.
      • It's a molybdenum catalyst.
      • It's more reactive than the Grubbs catalyst, and it cannot handle oxygen.
  2. The word metathesis is derived from Greek.
    • Meta means transfer
    • Thesis means position
  3. There are ring closing metathesis and ring opening metathesis.
  4. There are other types of metathesis such as enyne metathesis.
  5. The reaction is often driven by entropy.

Mechanism

Metathesis Mechanism

This is a image of the cross metathesis mechanism obtained from the Olefin Metathesis Wikipedia page.

An Example of Ring Closing Metathesis

Ring Closing Metathesis Example

This is an example of using the ring closing metathesis reaction to solve a synthesis problem on an exam. I drew the picture myself.

A Chemistry Quotes

My favourite quote

Being the precise science that [chemical synthesis] is, this discipline often extends not only into the realms of technology, but also into the domains of the fine arts, for it engenders unparalleled potential for creativity and imagination in its practice.