Umicore‘s business unit Precious Metals Chemistry is further expanding its cross-coupling catalyst portfolio by acquiring Ruhr University Bochum’s YPhos ligands and catalysts technology. Recognized as one of the most elegant and versatile synthetic methods to prepare high-value chemicals, cross-coupling reactions have become essential in the synthesis of agrochemicals, electronic chemicals, fine chemicals or pharmaceuticals.

Invented by professor Viktoria Gessner’s research group, YPhos ligands are a novel class of phosphines bearing ylide substituents. They feature electronic and steric properties that show an excellent aptitude to support active transition metal catalysts, particularly in reactions where strong electron-donating ligands and steric protection of low coordinated species are required.

Compared to the currently best-known phosphine catalyst systems, YPhos ligands, combined with specific palladium-catalysts, showed a superior performance at room temperature Buchwald-Hartwig amination of aryl chlorides. They have additionally proven highly efficient in a wide range of challenging palladium-catalyzed α-arylation of alkyl ketones with aryl chlorides under mild conditions. Additionally, they feature outstanding performance in gold-catalyzed hydroamination and hydration reactions, using low catalyst loadings under mild reaction conditions.

Umicore now offers its customers worldwide a selection of YPhos ligand and catalyst systems on research and commercial scale. Research quantities are available from Umicore’s distribution partner Merck. This agreement with Ruhr-Bochum University enables Umicore to provide full access to an outstanding proprietary technology and to support its customers with an expanded portfolio of cutting-edge homogeneous catalysts and service offering, including Buchwald and Hazari precatalysts, Grubbs metathesis catalysts and many more.