Anatomy of long-lasting love affairs with lithium carbenoids: past and present status and future prospects

Highly efficient synthesis of functionalized α-oxyketones via Weinreb amides homologation with α-oxygenated organolithiums

An efficient, chemoselective homologation of Weinreb amides to the corresponding variously substituted α-oxyketones has been developed via the addition of lithiated α-oxygenated species. This one-step, experimentally easy, high yielding protocol is amenable not only for accessing simple α-oxyketones but also for more complex substituted ones ranging from primary and secondary alkyl-type to aromatic ones. Full delivery of the stereochemical information contained in the starting materials is observed through both the employment of enantioenriched Weinreb amides and optically active organolithium species.

Alkali Metal Carbenoids: A Case of Higher Stability of the Heavier Congeners

As a result of the increased polarity of the metal-carbon bond when going down the group of the periodic table, the heavier alkali metal organyl compounds are generally more reactive and less stable than their lithium congeners. We now report a reverse trend for alkali metal carbenoids. Simple substitution of lithium by the heavier metals (Na, K) results in a significant stabilization of these usually highly reactive compounds. This allows their isolation and handling at room temperature and the first structure elucidation of sodium and potassium carbenoids. The control of stability was used to control reactivity and selectivity. Hence, the Na and K carbenoids act as selective carbene-transfer reagents, whereas the more labile lithium systems give rise to product mixtures. Additional fine tuning of the M-C interaction by means of crown ether addition further allows for control of the stability and reactivity.

Water opens the door to organolithiums and Grignard reagents: exploring and comparing the reactivity of highly polar organometallic compounds in unconventional reaction media towards the synthesis of tetrahydrofurans

It has always been a firm conviction of the scientific community that the employment of both anhydrous conditions and water-free reaction media is required for the successful handling of organometallic compounds with highly polarised metal-carbon bonds. Herein, we describe how, under heterogeneous conditions, Grignard and organolithium reagents can smoothly undergo nucleophilic additions to γ-chloroketones, on the way to 2,2-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans, "on water", competitively with protonolysis, under batch conditions, at room temperature and under air. The reactivity of the above organometallic reagents has also been investigated in conventional anhydrous organic solvents and in bio-based eutectic and low melting mixtures for comparison. The scope and limitations of this kind of reaction are discussed.

Bromomethyllithium-mediated chemoselective homologation of disulfides to dithioacetals

An efficient, chemoselective homologation of disulfides and diselenides to the corresponding dithio- and diselenoacetals has been developed via the addition of bromomethyllithium. Chemoselectivity is fully preserved in the presence of concomitant electrophilic sites decorating the substrates. The synthetic potential of selected dithioacetals has been evaluated in Feringa-Fañanas-Mastral-type Pd-catalyzed coupling with an organolithium and in the unusual 1,4-addition to a Weinreb amide.

Chemoselective and stereoselective lithium carbenoid mediated cyclopropanation of acyclic allylic alcohols

A new method for the chemo- and stereoselective conversion of acyclic allylic alcohols into the corresponding substituted cyclopropane derivatives has been developed using lithium carbenoids.

Titanium carbenoid-mediated cyclopropanation of allylic alcohols: selectivity and mechanism

A new method for the chemo- and stereoselective conversion of allylic alcohols into the corresponding cyclopropane derivatives has been developed. The cyclopropanation reaction was carried out with an unprecedented titanium carbenoid generated in situ from Nugent's reagent, manganese and methylene diiodide. The reaction involving the participation of an allylic hydroxyl group, proceeded with conservation of the alkene geometry and in a high diastereomeric excess. The scope, limitations and mechanism of this metal-catalysed reaction are discussed.

Insight into the substitution reactions of silylenoid H2SiLiF with GeH3X (X = F, Cl, Br): a theoretical study

The unique substitution reactions of the three-membered-ring silylenoid H2SiLiF with GeH3X (X = F, Cl, Br) were investigated using ab initio and density functional theory calculations. All stationary points on the potential energy surfaces were optimized at the B3LYP/6-311 + G (d, p) level of theory and the QCISD method was then used to calculate the single-point energies. Theoretical calculations predicted that the substitution reactions of H2SiLiF with GeH3X proceed via two reaction paths (I and II), while forming the same product H2FSi-GeH3. In either pathway, there is one precursor complex (Q), one transition state (TS), and one intermediate (IM) connecting the reactants and products. The substitution reaction barriers of H2SiLiF with GeH3X for path I (48.49, 42.71, and 38.71 kJ mol(-1)) decreased with the increase for the same-family element X from up to down in the periodic table, whereas the substitution barriers for path II (6.51, 22.04, and 23.62 kJ mol(-1)) increased with the increase in atomic number of X (X = F, Cl, Br). Path II was more favorable than path I. All the substitution reactions of H2SiLiF with GeH3X were exothermic. The elucidation of the unique mechanism of these substitution reactions suggests a new reaction mode of silicon-germanium bond formation.

New insights into the insertion reactions of germylenoid H2GeLiF with RH (R = F, OH, NH2)

In the present work, a new pathway of the insertion reactions of H2GeLiF with RH (R = F, OH, NH2) was investigated using DFT B3LYP and QCISD methods. The geometries of the stationary points on the potential energy surfaces in the reactions were optimized at the B3LYP/6-311 + G (d, p) level and then the single-point energies were calculated at the QCISD/6-311++G (d, p) level. The calculated results indicated that the initial step of all the reactions is the isomerization of the p-complex structure to a three-membered-ring structure. After isomerization, the insertion reactions of three-membered-ring H2GeLiF with RH (R = F, OH, NH2) take place. The QCISD/6-311++G (d, p)//B3LYP/6-311 + G (d, p) calculated potential energy barriers of the three reactions were 89.77, 137.40, and 167.45 kJ mol(-1), respectively. Under the same situation, the insertion reactions should occur easily in the following order H-F > H-OH > H-NH2. Compared with the direct insertion reactions of H2GeLiF with RH (R = F, OH, NH2), the two-step insertions have lower activation barriers and should be more favorable.

Structure ofH2GeFMgFand its insertion reactions withRH(R=F,OH,NH2)

The structures of the germylenoid H2GeFMgF and its insertion reactions with RH ( R = F , OH , NH2) were studied using the DFT B3LYP and QCISD approaches for the first time. The geometries of all of the stationary points were optimized at the B3LYP/6-311+G (d, p) level of theory. And then the QCISD/6-311++G (d, p) single-point energies were calculated. The solvent effects on the geometries and insertion reactions were also computed using the PCM model. The calculated results suggested that H2GeFMgF had three equilibrium configurations, in which the p-complex structure had the lowest energy and was the most stable structure. The isomerization reactions among the three complexes had been studied. For the insertion reactions of H2GeFMgF with RH ( R = F , OH , NH2), along the potential energy surface, there were one transition state and one intermediate which connected the reactants and the products. For the three insertion reactions the mechanisms are identical. However, under the same conditions the insertion reactions should occur easily in the order of H - F > H - OH > H - NH2. The solvent effect calculations suggested the larger the solvent polarity is, the easier the reaction will be.

Chemoselective efficient synthesis of functionalized β-oxonitriles through cyanomethylation of Weinreb amides

Homologation of Weinreb amides with cyanomethyllithium: a new route to β-oxonitriles.

Selective dehydrocoupling of phosphines by lithium chloride carbenoids

The development of a simple, transition-metal-free approach for the formation of phosphorus-phosphorus bonds through dehydrocoupling of phosphines is presented. The reaction is mediated by electronically stabilized lithium chloride carbenoids and affords a variety of different diphosphines under mild reaction conditions. The developed protocol is simple and highly efficient and allows the isolation of novel functionalized diphosphines in high yields.

Lithiated oxazolinyloxiranes and oxazolinylaziridines: key players in organic synthesis

This paper focuses on α-lithiated oxazolinyloxiranes and oxazolinylaziridines, their generation, reactions, and synthetic applications. The ability of the oxazoline ring in providing stabilization to such α-heterosubstituted carbanions either through electronic effects and coordinative action has been stressed as well as the contribution to the configurational stability or instability of such species. IR spectroscopic data, multinuclear NMR investigations, and ab initio calculations planned to get insights on chemical properties and structural features have been carried out. A number of new reactions including alkylations, addition reactions, hydroxyalkylations, cyclopropanations, lactonizations, and rearrangements have been discovered, giving access to a variety of substances including: aziridinolactones, epoxylactones, aryl alkanones, polysubstituted cyclopropanes, cyclopropanefused lactones, dihydro-oxazoloisoquinolines, diversely functionalized oxazolines, and products that can be derived from them by synthetic elaboration.

Substitution effects on the formation of T-shaped palladium carbene and thioketone complexes from Li/Cl carbenoids

The preparation of palladium thioketone and T-shaped carbene complexes by treatment of thiophosphoryl substituted Li/Cl carbenoids with a Pd(0) precursor is reported. Depending on the steric demand, the anion-stabilizing ability of the silyl moiety (by negative hyperconjugation effects) and the remaining negative charge at the carbenic carbon atom, isolation of a three-coordinate, T-shaped palladium carbene complex is possible. In contrast, insufficient charge stabilization results in the transfer of the sulfur of the thiophosphoryl moiety and thus in the formation of a thioketone complex. While the thioketones are stable compounds the carbene complexes are revealed to be highly reactive and decompose under elimination of Pd metal. Computational studies revealed that both complexes are formed by a substitution mechanism. While the ketone turned out to be the thermodynamically favored product, the carbene is kinetically favored and thus preferentially formed at low reaction temperatures.

Addition of lithium carbenoids to isocyanates: a direct access to synthetically useful N-substituted 2-haloacetamides

The addition of lithium carbenoids to isocyanates provides a versatile access to N-substituted 2-haloacetamides: the reaction tolerates the presence of variously functionalized substituents on the nitrogen atom, including sterically demanding ones and reactive halogens. No erosion of the enantiopurity was observed in the case of optically active isocyanates. One of the substrates prepared has been employed in Charette's type chemoselective addition of a Grignard reagent to access an α-chloroketone.

“The Great Beauty” of organolithium chemistry: a land still worth exploring

This Frontier highlights and analyses, from the authors’ perspective, some recent selected contributions from the organolithium field with an eye towards new challenging research directions.

Synthesis and stability of Li/Cl carbenoids based on bis(iminophosphoryl)methanes

Bis(iminophosphoryl) substituted Li/Cl carbenoids – accessable via different preparation methods – show high thermal stabilities, which however depend on the N-substituent.

Investigation of functionalized α-chloroalkyllithiums for a stereospecific reagent-controlled homologation approach to the analgesic alkaloid (-)-epibatidine

Four putative functionalized α-chloroakyllithiums RCH2CHLiCl, where R=CHCH2(18 a), CCH (18 b), CH2OBn (18 c), and CH[O(CH2)2O] (18 d), were generated in situ by sulfoxide-lithium exchange from α-chlorosulfoxides, and investigated for the stereospecific reagent-controlled homologation (StReCH) of phenethyl and 2-chloropyrid-5-yl (17) pinacol boronic esters. Deuterium labeling experiments revealed that α-chloroalkyllithiums are quenched by proton transfer from their α-chlorosulfoxide precursors and it was established that this effect compromises the yield of StReCH reactions. Use of α-deuterated α-chlorosulfoxides was discovered to ameliorate the problem by retarding the rate of acid-base chemistry between the carbenoid and its precursor. Carbenoids 18 a and 18 b showed poor StReCH efficacy, particularly the propargyl group bearing carbenoid 18 b, the instability of which was attributed to a facile 1,2-hydride shift. By contrast, 18 d, a carbenoid that benefits from a stabilizing interaction between O and Li atoms gave good StReCH yields. Boronate 17 was chain extended by carbenoids 18 a, 18 b, and 18 d in 16, 0, and 68% yield, respectively; α-deuterated isotopomers D-18 a and D-18 d gave yields of 33 and 79% for the same reaction. Double StReCH of 17 was pursued to target contiguous stereodiads appropriate for the total synthesis of (-)-epibatidine (15). One-pot double StReCH of boronate 17 by two exposures to (S)-D-18 a (≤66 % ee), followed by work-up with KOOH, gave the expected stereodiad product in 16% yield (d.r.~67:33). The comparable reaction using two exposures to (S)-D-18 d (≤90% ee) delivered the expected bisacetal containing stereodiad (R,R)-DD-48 in 40% yield (≥98% ee, d.r.=85:15). Double StReCH of 17 using (S)-D-18 d (≤90% ee) followed by (R)-D-18 d (≤90% ee) likewise gave (R,S)-DD-48 in 49% yield (≥97% ee, d.r.=79:21). (R,S)-DD-48 was converted to a dideuterated isotopomer of a synthetic intermediate in Corey's synthesis of 15.

Addition of electrophilic radicals to 2-benzyloxyglycals: synthesis and functionalization of fluorinated α-C-glycosides and derivatives

A new method for the synthesis of fluorinated α-C-glycosides is described. The reactions between highly electrophilic radicals (fluorinated or unfluorinated) and a 2-benzyloxyglucal or galactal provide 2-keto-D-arabino- or 2-keto-D-lyxo-hexopyranosides through an addition/fragmentation process. Sodium borohydride mediated or Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction of these compounds provides α-C-glycosides that feature appropriate anchoring groups for further synthetic elaboration. The presence of CF2 CO2 iPr or CF2 Br groups at the pseudo-anomeric position allows efficient reduction/olefination or Br/Li-exchange/nucleophilic-addition sequences. These transformations open the way for the synthesis of fluorinated C-glycosidic analogues of glycoconjugates.

A new reaction mode of germanium-silicon bond formation: insertion reactions of H₂GeLiF with SiH₃X (X = F, Cl, Br)

A combined density functional and ab initio quantum chemical study of the insertion reactions of the germylenoid H2GeLiF with SiH3X (X = F, Cl, Br) was carried out. The geometries of all the stationary points of the reactions were optimized using the DFT B3LYP method and then the QCISD method was used to calculate the single-point energies. The theoretical calculations indicated that along the potential energy surface, there were one precursor complex (Q), one transition state (TS), and one intermediate (IM) which connected the reactants and the products. The calculated barrier heights relative to the respective precursors are 102.26 (X = F), 95.28 (X = Cl), and 84.42 (X = Br) kJ mol(-1) for the three different insertion reactions, respectively, indicating the insertion reactions should occur easily according to the following order: SiH3-Br > SiH3-Cl > SiH3-F under the same situation. The solvent effects on the insertion reactions were also calculated and it was found that the larger the dielectric constant, the easier the insertion reactions. The elucidations of the mechanism of these insertion reactions provided a new reaction model of germanium-silicon bond formation.

On the Configurational Stability of Chiral Heteroatom-Substituted [D1]Methylpalladium Complexes as Intermediates of Stille and Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reactions

Enantiomerically pure (S)-tributylstannyl[D1]methanol and (R)- and (S)-tributylstannyl[D1]methyl benzoates were Stille-coupled with bromobenzene and benzoyl chloride in 1,4-dioxane and toluene using [(Ph3P)4Pd] or [(Ph3P)2PdCl2] either alone or in combination with CuCN as cocatalyst at temperatures up to 80 °C. The products were found to be enantiomerically pure. (R)- and (S)-N-(tributylstannyl[D1]methyl)phthalimides gave enantiomerically pure products with benzoyl chloride, but with bromobenzene protected phenyl[D1]methylamines gave products of only 52-69 % ee depending on the solvent used. Tributyl(thio[D1]methyl)stannanes could not be Stille-coupled with benzoyl chloride or with bromobenzene. Similarly, dimethyl phenyl[D1]methylboronate underwent a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling with bromobenzene to give phenyl[D1]methylsilane with 99 % ee. All couplings followed a retentive course and, except in one case, the intermediate [XCHDPdL n ] complexes were found to be microscopically configurationally stable.

Synthesis of α,β-unsaturated α'-haloketones through the chemoselective addition of halomethyllithiums to Weinreb amides

A straightforward synthesis of variously functionalized α,β-unsaturated α'-haloketones has been achieved through the chemoselective addition of halomethyllithium carbenoids to Weinreb amides at -78 °C. A comparative study employing the corresponding esters under the same reaction conditions pointed out that the instability of the tetrahedral intermediate formed from the latter is responsible for the observed formation of carbinols instead of the desired haloketones.

Dynamic resolution of lithiated ortho-trifluoromethyl styrene oxide and the effect of chiral diamines on the barrier to enantiomerisation

The first dynamic thermodynamic resolution of a racemic oxiranyllithium is described with selectivities of up to 82 : 18 from a selection of three types of chiral ligands (seven ligands in total). Both (-)-sparteine and its (+)-surrogate were surprisingly found to increase the enantiomerisation barrier.

On the preparation and determination of configurational stability of chiral thio- and bromo[D1]methyllithiums

Thio- and bromo[D₁]methyllithiums (ee 99%) were generated from the respective stannanes by tin–lithium exchange at temperatures ranging from 0 to −95 °C. Thio[D₁]methyllithiums 6 were found to be microscopically configurationally labile on the time scale of the thiophosphate-α-mercaptophosphonate rearrangement even at −95 °C. Thio[D₁]methyllithiums 13a and 13b underwent a thia-[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement down to −95 °C and 13b only down to −50 °C. The former were microscopically configurationally stable below −95 °C, and the latter racemized completely at −50 °C. Chiral bromo[D₁]methyllithiums are chemically unstable at −78 °C but microscopically configurationally stable at the time scale of their addition to benzaldehyde and acetophenone.