Unravelling the olefin cross metathesis on solid support. Factors affecting the reaction outcome.

Olefin cross metathesis on solid support under a variety of conditions is described. A comprehensive analysis considering diverse factors governing the reaction outcome gives a series of patterns for the application of this useful methodology in organic synthesis. If the intrasite reaction is not possible, homodimerization of the soluble olefin is crucial. When the homodimer is less reactive than its monomer, reaction outcome depends on the homodimerization rate, which, in turn, depends on the precatalyst used and the reaction conditions. If the site-site interaction is a feasible process, the cross metathesis product is obtained exclusively when the newly-formed double bond is resilient to further metathetic events. Taking into account these considerations, we have demonstrated that excellent results in terms of cross metathesis coupling can be obtained under the optimized conditions, and that microwave irradiation is also an interesting alternative for the development of a practical and energy-efficient cross metathesis on solid support.