Scalable Negishi Coupling between Organozinc Compounds and (Hetero)Aryl Bromides under Aerobic Conditions when using Bulk Water or Deep Eutectic Solvents with no Additional Ligands

Kumada-Tamao-Corriu Type Reaction of Aromatic Bromo- and Iodoamines with Grignard Reagents

The first example of the Kumada-Tamao-Corriu type reaction of unprotected bromoanilines with Grignard reagents is described. The method uses a palladium source and a newly designed Buchwald-type ligand as the catalytic system. Secondary and tertiary bromo- and iodoamines were also successfully coupled to alkyl Grignard reagents. The products of the competitive β-hydride elimination reaction were successfully reduced using a highly efficient electron-deficient phosphine ligand (BPhos). Mechanistic considerations allowed us to establish that the less electron-rich phosphine ligands stabilize the transition state much better than the electron-rich ones; hence, they increase the reaction yield and reduce the amount of β-hydride elimination products. The developed method proved to be tolerant of many functional groups and can be applied to many different aromatic bromo- and iodoamines. Multigram synthesis of p-toluidine from 4-bromoaniline was achieved with a palladium catalyst loading of only 0.03 mol%.

C versus O Protonation in Zincate Anions: A Simple Gas-Phase Model for the Surprising Kinetic Stability of Organometallics

For better understanding the intrinsic reactivity of organozinc reagents, we have examined the protolysis of the isolated zincate ions Et₃ Zn^- , Et₂ Zn(OH)^- , and Et₂ Zn(OH)₂ Li^- by 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol in the gas phase. The protonation of the hydroxy groups and the release of water proceed much more efficiently than the protonation of the ethyl groups and the liberation of ethane. Quantum-chemical computations and statistical-rate theory calculations fully reproduce the experimental findings and attribute the lower reactivity of the more basic ethyl moiety to higher intrinsic barriers, which override the thermodynamic preference for its protonation. Thus, our minimalistic gas-phase model provides evidence for the intrinsically low reactivity of organozinc reagents toward proton donors and helps to explain their remarkable kinetic stability against moisture and even protic media.

Selective Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols in Low Melting Mixtures and Water and Use for Telescoped One-Pot Hybrid Reactions

An efficient, selective and sustainable protocol was developed for the CuCl₂/TEMPO/TMEDA‐catalyzed aerobic oxidation of activated alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds using water or the environmentally friendly low melting mixture (LMM) d‐fructose‐urea as the reaction medium. Such oxidation reactions proceed under mild (room temperature or 40 °C) and aerobic conditions, with the carbonyl derivatives isolated in up to 98 % yield and within 4 h reaction time when using the above‐mentioned LMM. The potential application of this methodology is demonstrated by setting up useful telescoped, one‐pot two‐step hybrid transformations for the direct conversion of primary alcohols either into secondary alcohols or into valuable nitroalkenes, by combining oxidation processes with nucleophilic additions promoted by highly polarized organometallic compounds (Grignard and organolithium reagents) or with nitroaldol (Henry) reactions, respectively.

Aerobic/Room-Temperature-Compatible s-Block Organometallic Chemistry in Neat Conditions: A Missing Synthetic Tool for the Selective Conversion of Nitriles into Asymmetric Alcohols

Highly-efficient and selective one-pot/two-step modular double addition of different highly polar organometallic reagents (RLi/RMgX) to nitriles en route to asymmetric tertiary alcohols (without the need for isolation/purification of any halfway reaction intermediate) has been studied, for the first time, in the absence of external/additional organic solvents (neat conditions), at room temperature and under air/moisture (no protecting atmosphere is required), which are generally forbidden reaction conditions in the field of highly-reactive organolithium/organomagnesium reagents. The one-pot modular tandem protocol demonstrated high chemoselectivity with a broad range of nitriles, as no side reactions (Li/halogen exchange, ortho-lithiations or benzylic metalations) were detected. Finally, this protocol could be scaled up, thus proving that this environmentally friendly methodology is amenable for a possible applied synthesis of asymmetric tertiary alcohols under bench type reaction conditions and in the absence of external organic solvents.

Ligand-Free Copper-Catalyzed Ullmann-Type C-O Bond Formation in Non-Innocent Deep Eutectic Solvents under Aerobic Conditions

An efficient and novel protocol was developed for a Cu-catalyzed Ullmann-type aryl alkyl ether synthesis by reacting various (hetero)aryl halides (Cl, Br, I) with alcohols as active components of environmentally benign choline chloride-based eutectic mixtures. Under optimized conditions, the reaction proceeded under mild conditions (80 °C) in air, in the absence of additional ligands, with a catalyst [Cu^I or Cu^II species] loading up to 5 mol% and K₂ CO₃ as the base, providing the desired aryloxy derivatives in up to 98 % yield. The potential application of the methodology was demonstrated in the valorization of cheap, easily available, and naturally occurring polyols (e. g., glycerol) for the synthesis of some pharmacologically active aryloxypropanediols (Guaiphenesin, Mephenesin, and Chlorphenesin) on a 2 g scale in 70-96 % yield. Catalyst, base, and deep eutectic solvent could easily and successfully be recycled up to seven times with an E-factor as low as 5.76.