Intramolecularly alkylated Cosalen complexes: thermolysis and photolysis of coenzyme B12 models with a cobalt-to-ligand carbon bridge

Cobalt-Catalyzed Electroreductive Alkylation of Unactivated Alkyl Chlorides with Conjugated Olefins

Reactions of unactivated alkyl chlorides under mild and sustainable conditions are rare compared to those of alkyl bromides or iodides. As a result, synthetic methods capable of modifying the vast chemical space of chloroalkane reagents, wastes, and materials are limited. We report the cobalt-catalyzed reductive addition of unactivated alkyl chlorides to conjugated alkenes. Co-catalyzed activation of alkyl chlorides is performed under electroreductive conditions, and the resulting reactions constitute formal alkyl-alkyl bond formation. In addition to developing an operationally simple methodology, detailed mechanistic studies provide insights into the elementary steps of a proposed catalytic cycle. In particular, we propose a switch in the mechanism of C-Cl bond activation from nucleophilic substitution to halogen atom abstraction, which is critical for efficiently generating alkyl radicals. These mechanistic insights were leveraged in designing ligands that enable couplings of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl chlorides.

Synthesis and crystal structures of a new series of intramolecular bridged alkylcobaloxime complexes

A new series of intramolecular bridged alkylcobaloxime complexes were prepared by heating a solution of aqua-(3-bromopropyl)cobaloxime (1) through an intramolecular nucleophilic substitution. They are characterized by EA, ESI-MS, and (1)H NMR. Crystal structures of Br(O-C(3)H(6)-(dmgH))(dmgH)Co(III) (2), [H(2)O(O-C(3)H(6)-(dmg))(dmgH(2))Co(III)]ClO(4) (3), [Py(O-C(3)H(6)-(dmg))(dmgH(2))Co(III)]ClO(4) (4), [Bzm(O-C(3)H(6)-(dmg))(dmgH(2))Co(III)]ClO(4) (5), and Im(O-C(3)H(6)-(dmg))(dmgH)Co(III) (6') were determined by X-ray diffraction. It is revealed that an intramolecular tri-methylene bridge exists between cobalt and one of the equatorial oxime oxygens forming a six-membered ring in the complexes. Additionally, the axial bases have some influences in their structure parameters, for example, Co-L bond lengths; folding angles in equatorial ligands; hydrogen atom positions in O-H-O bridge; and the orientations of those L planes with respect to the equatorial planes.