The establishment of structure–property relationships in heterogeneous catalysis is of prime importance but remains a formidable challenge. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) featuring excellent chemical tunability are emerging as an auspicious platform for the atomic-level control of heterogeneous catalysis. Herein, we encapsulate palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) in a series of isoreticular mixed-linker MOFs, and the obtained MOF-Pd NPs catalysts were used to unveil the electronic and steric effects of linker substitution on the activity of these catalysts in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. Significantly, m-6,6′-Me2bpy-MOF-Pd exhibits a remarkable enhancement in the activity compared to non-functionalized m-bpy-MOF-Pd and m-4,4′-Me2bpy-MOF-Pd. This study unambiguously demonstrates that the stereoelectronic properties of linker units are crucial to the catalytic activity of nanoparticles encapsulated in MOFs. More interestingly, the trend of activity change is consistent with our previous work on catalytic sites generated in situ from Pd(II) coordinated in MOFs bearing the same functional groups, which suggests that both MOF-Pd NPs and MOF-Pd(II) catalysts generate similar active centers during Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions. This work paves a new avenue to the fabrication of advanced and tunable MOF-based catalysts through rational linker engineering.

We report palladium(II)-functionalized MOF-253 (MOF-253-Pd(OAc)2) as a recyclable catalyst to form all-carbon quaternary centers via conjugate additions of arylboronic acids to β,β-disubstituted enones in aqueous media. We demonstrate MOF-253-Pd(OAc)2 can be reused 8 times to form ketone products in yields above 75% while maintaining its crystallinity. Additions of a range of stereoelectronically diverse arylboronic acids to a variety of β,β-disubstituted enones catalyzed by MOF-253-Pd(OAc)2 occur in modest-to-high yields (34–95%).

Tandem reactions involving Rh-catalyzed intermolecular hydroacylations of alkynes with salicylaldehydes followed by intramolecular oxo-Michael additions are described for the diastereoselective synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted chroman-4-ones. The tandem hydroacylation/oxo-Michael additions occur to form 2,3-disubstituted chroman-4-ones in high yields from a range of 1,2-disubstituted acetylenes and substituted salicylaldehyes. The resulting 2,3-disubstituted chroman-4-ones are readily fluorinated to form trans-3-fluoro-2,3-disubstituted chroman-4-ones in high yields with excellent diastereoselectivity.

Palladium-catalyzed N-tert-prenylations of indoles, tricarbonylchromium-activated indoles, and indolines that occur in high yields (up to 94%) with high tert-prenyl-to-n-prenyl selectivity (up to 12:1) are reported.

This highlight discusses developments in transition metal-catalysed alkene and alkyne hydroacylation reactions over the past three years. The discussion summarizes the development of new catalyst systems for alkene and alkyne hydroacylation and applications to the synthesis of important ketone building blocks. The highlight captures transition metal-catalysed alkene and alkyne hydroacylation at a time of impressive growth when cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, and iridium catalysts are emerging as complements or replacements for traditional rhodium catalysts.

The development of a rhodium catalyst for endo- and enantioselective hydroacylation ofortho-allylbenzaldehydes is reported. A catalyst generated in situ from [Rh(COD)Cl]2, (R)-DTBM-SEGPHOS, and NaBARF promotes the desired hydroacylation reactions and minimizes the formation of byproducts from competitive alkene isomerization and ene/dehydration pathways. These rhodium-catalyzed processes generate the 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one products in moderate-to-high yields (49–91%) with excellent enantioselectivities (96–99% ee).

Catalytic, enantioselective hydroacylations of N-allylindole-2-carboxaldehydes and N-allylpyrrole-2-carboxaldehydes are reported. In contrast to many alkene hydroacylations that form six-membered rings, these annulative processes occur in the absence of ancillary functionality to stabilize the acylrhodium(III) hydride intermediate. The intramolecular hydroacylation reactions generate 7,8-dihydropyrido[1,2-a]indol-9(6H)ones and 6,7-dihydroindolizin-8(5H)-ones in moderate to high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.

Catalytic, enantioselective [3 + 2] cycloadditions of azomethine ylides derived from alanine imino esters with 3-nitroindoles are reported. The dearomative cycloaddition reactions occur in the presence of a catalyst generated in situfrom Cu(OTf)2 and (R)-Difluorphos to form exo′-pyrroloindoline cycloadducts and establish four contiguous stereogenic centers, two of which are fully substituted. The exo′-pyrroloindoline products are formed in moderate-to-good yields (39–85%) with high diastereoselectivities (up to 98:1:1 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee).

Palladium-catalyzed conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to β,β-disubstituted enones in aqueous media is reported. Additions of a wide range of arylboronic acids to β,β-disubstituted enones occur to form ketone products bearing benzylic all-carbon quaternary centers. These reactions are promoted by a simple catalyst prepared from palladium trifluoracetate and 2,2′-bipyridine. The use of aqueous sodium trifluoracetate as the reaction medium significantly enhances reactivity and enables the formation of challenging bis-benzylic and ortho-substituted benzylic all-carbon quaternary centers.

We report catalytic, enantioselective intramolecular hydroacylation of N-vinylindole-2-carboxaldehydes. These hydroacylation reactions occur in the presence of a readily accessible rhodium catalyst and form chiral, non-racemic 2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]indol-1-ones in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.