Telomerization Processes in Catalytic Systems

Telomerization represents a specialised form of oligomerization in which conjugated dienes react with a small nucleophilic partner (the telogen) under the influence of a transition-metal catalyst to yield well-defined telomeric products. Typically facilitated by palladium, nickel or ruthenium complexes, the process proceeds through coordination of the diene, successive migratory insertion steps, nucleophilic attack and reductive elimination. Control over regio- and chemoselectivity is achieved through judicious ligand design, tuning of reaction parameters and choice of homogeneous or heterogeneous catalyst supports. Recent advances have explored carbonylative variants that integrate carbon monoxide insertion into the growing chain, affording mixed anhydrides and value-added intermediates in a single operation. Innovative reactor designs, including solventless media and green multiphase systems with self-separating products, have enhanced catalyst recyclability and reduced environmental impact. These developments underscore the versatility of telomerization for generating long-chain unsaturated building blocks, surfactant precursors, lubricants and pharmaceutical intermediates from petrochemical and renewable feedstocks, thereby offering sustainable routes to high-value chemicals on industrially relevant scales.

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Telomerization Processes in Catalytic Systems publication trend

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Technical terms

Telomerization: A catalytic process coupling conjugated dienes with a small nucleophile (telogen) to form low-molecular-weight oligomeric products with defined end groups.

Telogen: The nucleophilic molecule (for example, an alcohol or amine) that terminates the growing diene chain in a telomerization reaction.

Carbonylative telomerization: A variant in which carbon monoxide is inserted into the metal–diene intermediate, yielding acyl-containing telomers such as mixed anhydrides.

Turnover number (TON): A metric of catalyst efficiency, denoting the number of substrate molecules converted per catalyst site before deactivation.

N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC): A robust, strongly donating ligand that stabilises low-oxidation-state metal centres, enhancing catalytic activity and selectivity in telomerization.

References

1. Synthesis of biobased amines via Pd-catalysed telomerisation of the renewable β-myrcene in a water/ethanol multiphase system: catalyst recycling enabled by a self-separating product phase. Green Chemistry (2023).
2. Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of mixed anhydrides via carbonylative telomerization. Catalysis Science & Technology (2022).
3. Room temperature, solventless telomerization of isoprene with alcohols using (N-heterocyclic carbene)–palladium catalysts. Catalysis Science & Technology (2015).