Reversible oxidative Addition an Kohlenstoff

How to Decarbonize N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (NHCs): The simple Alane Adducts (NHC) ⋅ AlR3 (R=H, Me, Et)

The reaction of the amine-stabilized alane (NMe3) ⋅ AlH3 1 with the backbone-saturated N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) SIDipp (SIDipp=1,3-bis-{2,6-di-iso-propyl-phenyl}-imidazolidin-2-ylidene) at 0 °C yielded the NHC alane adduct (SIDipp) ⋅ AlH3 2. Reaction at elevated temperatures or prolonged reaction at room temperature gave the product of a ring expansion reaction (RER) of the NHC, (NMe3) ⋅ AlH(RER-SIDippH2) 3 ⋅ (NMe3). Subsequent reaction of the latter with sterically less hindered NHCs (IMeMe {=1,3,4,5-tetramethyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene}, IiPrMe {=1,3-di-iso-propyl-4,5-dimethyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene}, and IiPr {=1,3-di-iso-propyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene}) afforded the NHC-stabilized RER-products (NHC) ⋅ AlH(RER-SIDippH2) 3 ⋅ (NHC) (NHC=IMeMe, IiPrMe, IiPr), while no reaction was observed with the sterically more demanding NHCs IDipp (=1,3-bis-{2,6-di-iso-propyl-phenyl}-imidazolin-2-ylidene), SIDipp and ItBu (=1,3-di-tert-butyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene). The compounds 3 ⋅ (NHC) were also obtained starting from (SIDipp) ⋅ AlH3 2 and NHC at room temperature. Heating solutions of (SIDipp) ⋅ AlH3 2 without additional base to 95 °C resulted in decarbonization of the NHC and substitution of the carbene carbon atom with aluminum hydride under loss of ethene. Subsequent dimerization afforded cis-[AlH{μ-N(Dipp)CH2CH2N(Dipp)}]2 4_dimer. Heating solutions of the NHC-ligated aluminum alkyls (SIDipp) ⋅ AlR3 2R (R=Me, Et) to 145 °C instead led to complete scission of the NHC backbone with evolution of ethene and isolation of the dialkylaluminium(III) amidinates {DippNC(R)NDipp}AlR2 5R (R=Me, Et).

Activation of Ge-H and Sn-H Bonds with N-Heterocyclic Carbenes and a Cyclic (Alkyl)(amino)carbene

A study of the reactivity of several N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and the cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene 1-(2,6-di-iso-propylphenyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethyl-pyrrolidin-2-ylidene (cAACMe ) with the group 14 hydrides GeH2 Mes2 and SnH2 Me2 (Me=CH3 , Mes=1,3,5-(CH3 )3 C6 H2 ) is presented. The reaction of GeH2 Mes2 with cAACMe led to the insertion of cAACMe into one Ge-H bond to give cAACMe H-GeHMes2 (1). If 1,3,4,5-tetramethyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene (Me2 ImMe ) was used as the carbene, NHC-mediated dehydrogenative coupling occurred, which led to the NHC-stabilized germylene Me2 ImMe ⋅GeMes2 (2). The reaction of SnH2 Me2 with cAACMe also afforded the insertion product cAACMe H-SnHMe2 (3), and reaction of two equivalents Me2 ImMe with SnH2 Me2 gave the NHC-stabilized stannylene Me2 ImMe ⋅SnMe2 (4). If the sterically more demanding NHCs Me2 ImMe , 1,3-di-isopropyl-4,5-dimethyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene (iPr2 ImMe ) and 1,3-bis-(2,6-di-isopropylphenyl)-imidazolin-2-ylidene (Dipp2 Im) were employed, selective formation of cyclic oligomers (SnMe2 )n (5; n=5-8) in high yield was observed. These cyclic oligomers were also obtained from the controlled decomposition of cAACMe H-SnHMe2 (3).

Realizing 1,1-Dehydration of Secondary Alcohols to Carbenes: Pyrrolidin-2-ols as a Source of Cyclic (Alkyl)(Amino)Carbenes

Herein we report secondary pyrrolidin-2-ols as a source of cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes (CAAC) for the synthesis of CAAC-CuI -complexes and cyclic thiones when reacted with CuI -salts and elemental sulfur, respectively, under reductive elimination of water from the carbon(IV)-center. This result demonstrates a convenient and facile access to CAAC-based CuI -salts, which are well known catalysts for different organic transformations. It further establishes secondary alcohols to be a viable source of carbenes-realizing after 185 years Dumas' dream who tried to prepare the parent carbene (CH2 ) by 1,1-dehydration of methanol. Addressed is also the reactivity of water towards CAACs, which proceeds through an oxidative addition of the O-H bond to the carbon(II)-center. This emphasizes the ability of carbon-compounds to mimic the reactivity of transition-metal complexes: reversible oxidative addition and reductive elimination of the O-H bond to/from the C(II)/C(IV)-centre.

Transition Metal Catalyst-Free, Base-Promoted 1,2-Additions of Polyfluorophenylboronates to Aldehydes and Ketones

A novel protocol for the transition metal-free 1,2-addition of polyfluoroaryl boronate esters to aldehydes and ketones is reported, which provides secondary alcohols, tertiary alcohols, and ketones. Control experiments and DFT calculations indicate that both the ortho-F substituents on the polyfluorophenyl boronates and the counterion K+ in the carbonate base are critical. The distinguishing features of this procedure include the employment of commercially available starting materials and the broad scope of the reaction with a wide variety of carbonyl compounds giving moderate to excellent yields. Intriguing structural features involving O-H⋅⋅⋅O and O-H⋅⋅⋅N hydrogen bonding, as well as arene-perfluoroarene interactions, in this series of racemic polyfluoroaryl carbinols have also been addressed.

N,N'-Ethylene-Bridged Bis-2-Aryl-Pyrrolinium Cations to E-Diaminoalkenes: Non-Identical Stepwise Reversible Double-Redox Coupled Bond Activation Reactions

This work presents a stepwise reversible two‐electron transfer induced hydrogen shift leading to the conversion of a bis‐pyrrolinium cation to an E‐diaminoalkene and vice versa. Remarkably, the forward and the reverse reaction, which are both reversible, follow two completely different reaction pathways. Establishing such unprecedented property in this type of processes was possible by developing a novel synthetic route towards the starting dication. All intermediates involved in both the forward and the backward reactions were comprehensively characterized by a combination of spectroscopic, crystallographic, electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and theoretical methods. The presented synthetic route opens up new possibilities for the generation of multi‐pyrrolinium cation scaffold‐based organic redox systems, which constitute decidedly sought‐after molecules in contemporary chemistry.

B-B Cleavage and Ring-Expansion of a 1,4,2,3-Diazadiborinine with N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

A 1,4,2,3-diazadiborinine derivative was found to form Lewis adducts with strong two-electron donors such as N-heterocyclic and cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes. Depending on the donor, some of these Lewis pairs are thermally unstable, converting to sole B,N-embedded products upon gentle heating. The products of these reactions, which have been fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, were identified as B,N-heterocycles with fused 1,5,2,4-diazadiborepine and 1,4,2-diazaborinine rings. Computational modelling of the reaction mechanism provides insight into the formation of these unique structures, suggesting that a series of B-H, C-N, and B-B bond activation steps are responsible for these "intercalation" reactions between the 1,4,2,3-diazadiborinine and NHCs.

New Insights in Frustrated Lewis Pair Chemistry with Azides

The geminal frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) tBu2 PCH2 BPh2 (1) reacts with phenyl-, mesityl-, and tert-butyl azide affording, respectively, six, five, and four-membered rings as isolable products. DFT calculations revealed that the formation of all products proceeds via the six-membered ring structure, which is thermally stable with an N-phenyl group, but rearranges when sterically more encumbered Mes-N3 and tBu-N3 are used. The reaction of 1 with Me3 Si-N3 is believed to follow the same course, yet subsequent N2 elimination occurs to afford a four-membered heterocycle (5), which can be considered as a formal FLP-trimethylsilylnitrene adduct. Compound 5 reacts with hydrochloric acid or tetramethylammonium fluoride and showed frustrated Lewis pair reactivity towards phenylisocyanate.

Intramolecular Ring-Expansion Reaction (RER) and Intermolecular Coordination of In Situ Generated Cyclic (Amino)(aryl)carbenes (cAArCs)

Cyclic (amino)(aryl)carbenes (cAArCs) based on the isoindoline core were successfully generated in situ by α-elimination of 3-alkoxyisoindolines at high temperatures or by deprotonation of isoindol-2-ium chlorides with sodium or copper(I) acetates at low temperatures. 3-Alkoxy-isoindolines 2 a,b-OR (R=Me, Et, iPr) have been prepared in high yields by the addition of a solution of 2-aryl-1,1-diphenylisoindol-2-ium triflate (1 a,b-OTf; a: aryl=Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl; b: Mesityl-, Mes=2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) to the corresponding alcohol (ROH) with NEt3 at room temperature. Furthermore, the reaction of 2 a,b-OMe in diethyl ether with a tenfold excess of hydrochloric acid led to the isolation of the isoindol-2-ium chlorides 1 a,b-Cl in high yields. The thermally generated cAArC reacts with sulfur to form the thioamide 3 a. Without any additional trapping reagent, in situ generation of 1,1-diphenylisoidolin-3-ylidenes does not lead to the isolation of these compounds, but to the reaction products of the insertion of the carbene carbon atom into an ortho C-H bond of a phenyl substituent, followed by ring-expansion reaction; namely, anthracene derivatives 9-N(H)aryl-10-Ph-C14 H8 4 a,b (a: Dipp; b: Mes). These compounds are conveniently synthesized by deprotonation of the isoindol-2-ium chlorides with sodium acetate in high yields. Deprotonation of 1 a-Cl with copper(I) acetate at low temperatures afforded a mixture of 4 a and the corresponding cAArC copper(I) chloride 5 a, and allowed the isolation and structural characterization of the first example of a cAArC copper complex of general formula [(cAArC)CuCl].

Reactivity of a Dihydrodiborene with CO: Coordination, Insertion, Cleavage, and Spontaneous Formation of a Cyclic Alkyne

Under a CO atmosphere, the dihydrodiborene [(cAAC)HB=BH(cAAC)] underwent coordination of CO concomitant with reversible hydrogen migration from boron to the carbene carbon atom, as well as reversible CO insertion into the B=B bond. Heating the CO adduct resulted in two unusual cAAC ring-expansion products, one presenting a B=C bond to a six-membered 1,2-azaborinane-3-ylidene, the other an unprecedented nine-membered cyclic alkyne resulting from reductive cleavage of CO and spontaneous formation of a C≡C bond.