Halogen Bonds in Organic Synthesis and Organocatalysis

Halogen-Bonding-Enabled Photoinduced Atom Transfer Radical Addition/Cyclization Reaction Leading to Tricyclic Heterocycles

Atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) reactions are crucial for the dual functionalization of unsaturated hydrocarbons. Radical generation, pivotal in ATRA, has seen advancements from thermal to photochemical methods. Recent focus on halogen-bonding-based radical generation, including our group's innovative photochemical approach, offers cost-effective alternatives to transition-metal-dependent photocatalysts. This eliminates the need for high-energy UV light, enhancing the efficiency with noncovalent interactions.

Green and sustainable approaches for the Friedel-Crafts reaction between aldehydes and indoles

The synthesis of indoles and their derivatives, more specifically bis(indolyl)methanes (BIMs), has been an area of great interest in organic chemistry, since these compounds exhibit a range of interesting biological and pharmacological properties. BIMs are naturally found in cruciferous vegetables and have been shown to be effective antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and even anticancer agents. Traditionally, the synthesis of BIMs has been achieved upon the acidic condensation of an aldehyde with indole, utilizing a variety of protic or Lewis acids. However, due to the increased environmental awareness of our society, the focus has shifted towards the development of greener synthetic technologies, like photocatalysis, organocatalysis, the use of nanocatalysts, microwave irradiation, ball milling, continuous flow, and many more. Thus, in this review, we summarize the medicinal properties of BIMs and the developed BIM synthetic protocols, utilizing the reaction between aldehydes with indoles, while focusing on the more environmentally friendly methods developed over the years.

Diaryliodoniums as Hybrid Hydrogen- and Halogen-Bond-Donating Organocatalysts for the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé Reaction

Dibenziodolium and diphenyliodonium triflates display high catalytic activity for the multicomponent reaction that leads to a series of imidazopyridines. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that both the salts can play the role of hybrid hydrogen- and halogen-bond-donating organocatalysts, which electrophilically activate the carbonyl and imine groups during the reaction process. The ortho-H atoms in the vicinal position to the I atom play a dual role: forming additional noncovalent bonds with the ligated substrate and increasing the maximum electrostatic potential on the σ-hole at the iodine atom owing to the effects of polarization. Dibenziodolium triflate exhibits higher catalytic activity, and the results obtained from ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) titrations, in conjunction with those from DFT calculations, indicate that this could be explained in terms of the additional energy required for the rotation of the phenyl ring in the diphenyliodonium cation during ligation of the substrate.

Mukaiyama aldol reaction catalyzed by (benz)imidazolium-based halogen bond donors

A series of cationic monodentate and bidentate iodo(benz)imidazolium-based halogen bond (XB) donors were employed as catalysts in a Mukaiyama aldol reaction. While 5 mol% of a monodentate variant showed noticeable activity, a syn-preorganized bidentate XB donor provided a strong performance even with 0.5 mol% loading. In contrast to the very active BAr^F₄ salts, PF₆ or OTf salts were either inactive or showed background reaction through Lewis base catalysis. Repetition experiments clearly ruled out a potential hidden catalysis by elemental iodine and demonstrated the stability of our catalyst over three consecutive cycles.

Bidentate Chiral Bis(imidazolium)-Based Halogen-Bond Donors: Synthesis and Applications in Enantioselective Recognition and Catalysis

Even though halogen bonding-the noncovalent interaction between electrophilic halogen substituents and Lewis bases-has now been established in molecular recognition and catalysis, its use in enantioselective processes is still very rarely explored. Herein, we present the synthesis of chiral bidentate halogen-bond donors based on two iodoimidazolium units with rigidly attached chiral sidearms. With these Lewis acids, chiral recognition of a racemic diamine is achieved in NMR studies. DFT calculations support a 1:1 interaction of the halogen-bond donor with both enantiomers and indicate that the chiral recognition is based on a different spatial orientation of the Lewis bases in the halogen-bonded complexes. In addition, moderate enantioselectivity is achieved in a Mukaiyama aldol reaction with a preorganized variant of the chiral halogen-bond donor. This represents the first case in which asymmetric induction was realized with a pure halogen-bond donor lacking any additional active functional groups.

Simple iodoalkyne-based organocatalysts for the activation of carbonyl compounds

A novel approach for the formation of bisindolylmethane derivatives (BIMs) is described as a proof of concept to evaluate the catalytic capacity of iodoalkynes. The use of these derivatives is reported as an example of simple halogen bond-based organocatalyst. This kind of activation has not been used before for the synthesis of bisindolylmethane derivatives 3. Interestingly, the preparation of 3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-1-phenylbutan-1-one (8) has been also achieved for the first time with an iodoalkyne derivative. We prove the efficiency of this family of new catalysts by developing a simple and easy operational methodology, opening the door to the development of alternative catalysts in the area of halogen bond-based organocatalysts.

Tunable chiral triazole-based halogen bond donors: assessment of donor strength in solution with nitrogen-containing acceptors

Various structurally modified iodo-triazole based XB donors were screened with quinuclidine, displaying K_a values as high as 1.1 × 10⁴ M⁻¹.

Substituent Effects on the [N-I-N](+) Halogen Bond

We have investigated the influence of electron density on the three-center [N–I–N]⁺ halogen bond. A series of [bis(pyridine)iodine]⁺ and [1,2-bis((pyridine-2-ylethynyl)benzene)iodine]⁺ BF₄^– complexes substituted with electron withdrawing and donating functionalities in the para-position of their pyridine nitrogen were synthesized and studied by spectroscopic and computational methods. The systematic change of electron density of the pyridine nitrogens upon alteration of the para-substituent (NO₂, CF₃, H, F, Me, OMe, NMe₂) was confirmed by ¹⁵N NMR and by computation of the natural atomic population and the π electron population of the nitrogen atoms. Formation of the [N–I–N]⁺ halogen bond resulted in >100 ppm ¹⁵N NMR coordination shifts. Substituent effects on the ¹⁵N NMR chemical shift are governed by the π population rather than the total electron population at the nitrogens. Isotopic perturbation of equilibrium NMR studies along with computation on the DFT level indicate that all studied systems possess static, symmetric [N–I–N]⁺ halogen bonds, independent of their electron density. This was further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction data of 4-substituted [bis(pyridine)iodine]⁺ complexes. An increased electron density of the halogen bond acceptor stabilizes the [N···I···N]⁺ bond, whereas electron deficiency reduces the stability of the complexes, as demonstrated by UV-kinetics and computation. In contrast, the N–I bond length is virtually unaffected by changes of the electron density. The understanding of electronic effects on the [N–X–N]⁺ halogen bond is expected to provide a useful handle for the modulation of the reactivity of [bis(pyridine)halogen]⁺-type synthetic reagents.

Multiple Noncovalent Bonding in Halogen Complexes with Oxygen Organics. I. Tertiary Amides

The present work describes the structure and binding of adducts of N,N'-diacetylpiperazine with halogens and interhalogens based on combination of different experimental methods and quantum chemical calculations. On the basis of conductometric and spectro-photometric experimental results, behavior of complexes in the acetonitrile solution was described. The iodine adduct with N,N'-diacetylpiperazine fully degrades into components. Adducts of interhalogens I-X (X = Cl or Br) with N,N'-diacetylpiperazine in acetonitrile partially dissociate to anionic [X-I-X](-) and cationic species. In the solid state, molecules are connected via C═O···I, C-H···I, and Cl···Cl attractive interactions. N,N'-diacetylpiperazine···dihalogen complex is stabilized by simultaneous C═O···I and C-H···I interactions. Such binding mode allows to explain the problems of the direct halogenation of acetyl-containing compounds with molecular halogens as reagents. We believe that the observed binding pattern can be used as prototypical for future design of halogeno complexes.

Barluenga's reagent with HBF4as an efficient catalyst for alkyne-carbonyl metathesis of unactivated alkynes

Barluenga's reagent (IPy₂BF₄, Py = pyridine) treated with HBF₄efficiently catalyzes the inter- and intramolecular alkyne-carbonyl metathesis of unactivated alkynes. This work represents the first catalytic application of the Barluenga's reagent.

Characteristic redshift and intensity enhancement as far-IR fingerprints of the halogen bond involving aromatic donors

Characteristic redshift and intensity enhancement of the C–I stretching band have been proven to be distinct signatures of the halogen bond involving iodopentafluorobenzene.

Counterion influence on the N-I-N halogen bond

A detailed investigation of the influence of counterions on the [N-I-N]+ halogen bond in solution, in the solid state and in silico is presented. Translational diffusion coefficients indicate close attachment of counterions to the cationic, three-center halogen bond in dichloromethane solution. Isotopic perturbation of equilibrium NMR studies performed on isotopologue mixtures of regioselectively deuterated and nondeuterated analogues of the model system showed that the counterion is incapable of altering the symmetry of the [N-I-N]+ halogen bond. This symmetry remains even in the presence of an unfavorable geometric restraint. A high preference for the symmetric geometry was found also in the solid state by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Molecular systems encompassing weakly coordinating counterions behave similarly to the corresponding silver(i) centered coordination complexes. In contrast, systems possessing moderately or strongly coordinating anions show a distinctly different behavior. Such silver(i) complexes are converted into multi-coordinate geometries with strong Ag-O bonds, whereas the iodine centered systems remain linear and lack direct charge transfer interaction with the counterion, as verified by 15N NMR and DFT computation. This suggests that the [N-I-N]+ halogen bond may not be satisfactorily described in terms of a pure coordination bond typical of transition metal complexes, but as a secondary bond with a substantial charge-transfer character.