Laserblitzphotolytische Erzeugung α,β-ungesättigter Iminium-Ionen

Predicting Absolute Rate Constants for Huisgen Reactions of Unsaturated Iminium Ions with Diazoalkanes

The kinetics and stereochemistry of the reactions of iminium ions derived from cinnamaldehydes and MacMillan's imidazolidinones with diphenyldiazomethane and aryldiazomethanes were investigated experimentally and with DFT calculations. The reactions of diphenyldiazomethane with iminium ions derived from MacMillan's second-generation catalysts gave 3-aryl-2,2-diphenylcyclopropanecarbaldehydes with yields >90 % and enantiomeric ratios of ≥90:10. Predominantly 2:1 products were obtained from the corresponding reactions with monoaryldiazomethanes. The measured rate constants are in good agreement with the rate constants derived from the one-center nucleophilicity parameters N and sN of diazomethanes and the one-center electrophilicity parameters E of iminium ions as well as with quantum chemically calculated activation energies.

Stereocontrolled Synthesis of 1,4-Dicarbonyl Compounds by Photochemical Organocatalytic Acyl Radical Addition to Enals

We report a visible-light-mediated organocatalytic strategy for the enantioselective acyl radical conjugate addition to enals, leading to valuable 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds. The process capitalizes upon the excited-state reactivity of 4-acyl-1,4-dihydropyridines that, upon visible-light absorption, can trigger the generation of acyl radicals. By means of a chiral amine catalyst, iminium ion activation of enals ensures a stereoselective radical trap. We also demonstrate how the combination of this acylation process with a second catalyst-controlled bond-forming event allows to selectively access the full matrix of all possible stereoisomers of the resulting 2,3-substituted 1,4-dicarbonyl products.

Photogeneration of benzhydryl cations by near-UV laser flash photolysis of pyridinium salts

Laser flash irradiation of substituted N-benzhydryl pyridinium salts yields benzhydryl cations (diarylcarbenium ions) and/or benzhydryl radicals (diarylmethyl radicals). The use of 3,4,5-triamino-substituted pyridines as photoleaving groups allowed us to employ the third harmonic of a Nd/YAG laser (355 nm) for the photogeneration of benzhydryl cations. In this way, benzhydryl cations can also be photogenerated in the presence of aromatic compounds and in solvents which are opaque at the wavelength of the quadrupled Nd/YAG laser (266 nm). To demonstrate the scope and limitations of this method, the rate constants for the bimolecular reactions of benzhydryl cations with several substituted pyridines were determined in acetonitrile and with water in acetone. The obtained data agree with results obtained by stopped-flow UV-vis spectroscopic measurements. The rate constants for the reaction of the 4,4'-bis[methyl(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)amino]benzhydrylium ion with 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine were also determined in dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, and acetone. From the second-order rate constants, we derived the nucleophilicity parameters N and s(N) for the substituted pyridines, as defined by the linear free energy relationship, log k(2) = s(N)(N + E).

Electrophilicities of bissulfonyl ethylenes

Kinetics of the reactions of bissulfonyl ethylenes with various carbanions, a sulfur ylide, and siloxyalkenes have been investigated photometrically at 20 °C. The second-order rate constants have been combined with the known nucleophile- specific parameters N and s(N) for the nucleophiles to calculate the empirical electrophilicity parameters E of bissulfonyl ethylenes according to the linear free energy relationship log k(20 °C)=s(N)(N+E). Structure-reactivity relationships are discussed, and it is shown that the electrophilicity parameters E derived in this work can be employed to define the synthetic potential of bissulfonyl ethylenes as Michael acceptors.