Objective: Identify the best metal complex and reaction condition for getting the target product with maximum yield.
Question: While optimizing the reaction conditions for a particular reaction, catalyzed by synthesized transition metal complex, what kind of order would be better?
a. Fix a metal complex and screen all other conditions initially (like solvent, oxidant, time, etc.,). Then finally screen the 10 different metal complexes?
(or)
b. Fix all the reagents (provided the reaction is happening) and screen all the metal complexes first. Then screen the different reagents?
Note: The no. of synthesized complexes = 10
With a model reaction condition based on the literature, the catalytic activity of the first complex is confirmed.
If you have number of metal complex and you want to report metal complex activity on any organic reaction then 1st prefer (b) Then optimization the reaction with prefered metal complex in (a) which standardized in condition (b) .
That's preferably get two communication to you.
If it is already proven that the reaction is taking place, then fix all other conditions and vary the metal complexes. However, it is not a hundred percent fool proof method.
Hello Premkumar,
thank you for posting this very interesting technical question on RG. We are synthetic inorganic chemists, so that I'm not really a specist in catalysis. However, I know that the investigation of catalyzed reactions often involves trial and error, and to the best of my knowledge there is no general rule on how to proceed. For example, when you say "Fix a metal complex initially and screen all other conditions (like solvent, oxidant, time, etc.,)" it is the question: How much time do you have? Can you afford to spend weeks or months varying all the reaction conditions?
On the other hand, when you ask "Fix all the reagents initially (provided the reaction is happening) and then screen the metal complexes?" my questions would be: How many metal complexes do you have available in your lab for screening? Can you afford buying very expensive rhodium or platinum complexes?
In general, I would strongly suggest to first read a review article about your envisaged reaction and do a literature search first to find out which metal complexes and reaction conditions are suitable in your case. Then select the metal complexes and conditions according to the available resources.
Good luck with your work!
Thank you Professor Frank T. Edelmann for your kind answer. I have synthesized few copper complexes in my lab and used one among them as a catalyst for an organic reaction. The target product was obtained successfully. But, I needed a clarification for the priority in the order of optimization.
Should I first vary all the conditions like oxidant, solvent, temperature, time, etc., by keeping the complex-1 constant and finally screen all the other complexes with the optimized condition or vice versa?
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