Investigations on organozinc compounds IX. Coordination chemistry of organozinc compounds RZnX: organozinc derivatives of tert-butanol, some phenols, diethylhydroxylamine and some oximes

Demystifying the asymmetry-amplifying, autocatalytic behaviour of the Soai reaction through structural, mechanistic and computational studies

The Soai reaction has profoundly impacted chemists' perspective of autocatalysis, chiral symmetry breaking, absolute asymmetric synthesis and its role in the origin of biological homochirality. Here we describe the unprecedented observation of asymmetry-amplifying autocatalysis in the alkylation of 5-(trimethylsilylethynyl)pyridine-3-carbaldehyde using diisopropylzinc. Kinetic studies with a surrogate substrate and spectroscopic analysis of a series of zinc alkoxides that incorporate specific structural mutations reveal a 'pyridine-assisted cube escape'. The new tetrameric cluster functions as a catalyst that activates the substrate through a two-point binding mode and poises a coordinated diisopropylzinc moiety for alkyl group transfer. Transition-state models leading to both the homochiral and heterochiral products were validated by density functional theory calculations. Moreover, experimental and computational analysis of the heterochiral complex provides a definitive explanation for the nonlinear behaviour of this system. Our deconstruction of the Soai system reveals the structural logic for autocatalyst evolution, function and substrate compatibility-a central mechanistic aspect of this iconic transformation.

A novel class of tunable cyclopropanation reagents (RXZnCH2Y) and their synthetic applications

The Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation is a widely used method to synthesize cyclopropanes from alkenes using methylene iodide and a zinc reagent. A novel class of organozinc species, RXZnCH(2)Y, has been found to efficiently cyclopropanate alkenes, including traditionally unreactive unfunctionalized alkenes. The reactivity and selectivity of this class of organozinc reagents can be regulated by tuning the electronic and/or steric nature of the RX group attached to Zn. During recent years, this class of organozinc reagent has been widely used in organic synthesis as a reagent for cyclopropanation and other useful synthetic transformations. Catalytic, asymmetric versions of this reaction have been developed providing high enantiomeric excess for unfunctionalized olefins.

Reactivity of C1 surface species formed in methane activation on Zn-modified H-ZSM-5 zeolite

Solid-state (13)C magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy investigations identified zinc methyl species, formate species, and methoxy species as C(1) surface species formed in methane activation on the zeolite Zn/H-ZSM-5 catalyst at T≤573 K. These C(1) surface species, which are possible intermediates in further transformations of methane, were prepared separately by adsorption of (13)C-enriched methane, carbon monoxide, and methanol onto zinc-containing catalysts, respectively. Successful isolation of each surface species allowed convenient investigations into their chemical nature on the working catalyst by solid-state (13)C MAS NMR spectroscopy. The reactivity of zinc methyl species with diverse probe molecules (i.e., water, methanol, hydrochloride, oxygen, or carbon dioxide) is correlated with that of organozinc compounds in organometallic chemistry. Moreover, surface formate and surface methoxy species possess distinct reactivity towards water, hydrochloride, ammonia, or hydrogen as probe molecules. To explain these and other observations, we propose that the C(1) surface species interconvert on zeolite Zn/H-ZSM-5. As implied by the reactivity information, potential applications of methane co-conversion on zinc-containing zeolites might, therefore, be possible by further transformation of these C(1) surface species with rationally designed co-reactants (i.e., probe molecules) under optimized reaction conditions.

Structural isomerism and thermodynamic properties of the methylzinc alkoxide molecules (MeZnOR)n (R = Me, tBu) and cations [(MeZnOMe)n]+ (n = 3, 4) studied by B3LYP and PCM calculations

Zinc oxide is a semiconductor as well as a catalyst in important industrial processes, and alkylzinc alkoxide species of the type (RZnOR)(n) are precursors for the preparation of nanoscaled zinc oxide particles. In this work, the structures, thermodynamic properties, dipole moments, and molecular vibrations of substituted zinc oxide molecules and cations have been studied by density functional calculations at the B3LYP/6-31+G(2df,p) level. The neutral tetramers (MeZnOMe)(4) and (MeZnO(t)Bu)(4) are cubane-like species of T(d) symmetry in the gas phase, whereas the cation [(MeZnOMe)(4)](+) is approximately of C(3v) symmetry due to a Jahn-Teller distortion. For the neutral trimers (MeZnOMe)(3) and (MeZnO(t)Bu)(3) two structural isomers of almost identical energy were located on the potential energy surfaces: A closo-cluster with eight ZnO bonds is most stable both as isolated molecule and in a polarizable continuum, but a roof-shaped structure with seven ZnO bonds differs in enthalpy by less than 8 kJ mol(-1). In the case of the analogous cation [(MeZnOMe)(3)](+), the isomer with the roof-shaped Zn(3)O(3) skeleton is 31.7 kJ mol(-1) more stable in the gas phase than the cluster isomer. A particularly long Zn-C bond in the most stable cationic tri- and tetramers explains the loss of a methyl group, observed mass spectrometrically after electron impact ionization. The dissociation of the tetramers (MeZnOMe)(4) and (MeZnO(t)Bu)(4) into 4/3 trimers is endothermic and endergonic, but less so for the tert-butyl derivative compared to the all-methyl cluster. This destabilizing effect of tert-butyl substituents on the tri- and tetrameric clusters follows also from the larger internuclear distances between the non-hydrogen atoms in the structures of (MeZnO(t)Bu)(n) (n = 3 and 4) compared to the analogous all-methyl derivatives. Remarkable differences of the atomic charges of the carbon atoms of methyl or tert-butyl groups attached to oxygen have been found.

Geometries, Thermodynamic Properties and Reactions of Methylzinc Alkoxide Clusters Studied by Density Functional Theory Calculations

Methylzinc alkoxide complexes are precursors for the preparation of nanosized zinc oxide particles, which in turn are catalysts or reagents in important industrial processes such as methanol synthesis and rubber vulcanization. We report for the first time the structures, energies, atomic charges, dipole moments, and vibrational spectra of more than 20 species of the type [(MeZnOR')n] with R' = H, Me, tBu and n = 1-6, calculated by density functional theory methods, mostly at the B3LYP/6-31+G* level of theory. For R' = Me, the global minimum structure of the tetramer (n = 4) is a highly symmetrical heterocubane but a ladder-type isomer is by only 70.9 kJ mol(-1) less stable. The corresponding trimer is most stable as a rooflike structure; a planar six-membered ring of relative energy 13.5 kJ mol(-1) corresponds to a saddle point connecting two equivalent rooflike trimer structures. All dimers form planar four-membered Zn2O2 rings whereas the monomer has a planar CZnOC backbone. A hexameric drumlike structure represents the global minimum on the potential energy hypersurface of [(MeZnOMe)6]. The enthalpies and Gibbs energies of the related dissociation reactions hexamer --> tetramer --> trimer --> dimer --> monomer as well as of a number of isomerization reactions have been calculated. The complexes [(MeZnOMe)n] (n = 1-3) form adducts with Lewis bases such as tetrahydrofuran (thf) and pyridine (py). The binding energy of py to the zinc atoms is about 65% larger than that of thf but is not large enough to break up the larger clusters. The bimolecular disproportionation of [(MeZnOMe)4] with formation of the dicubane [Zn{(MeZn)3(OMe)4}2] and Me2Zn is less endothermic than any isomerization or dissociation reaction of the heterocubane, but for steric reasons this reaction is not possible if R' = tBu. A novel reaction mechanism for the reported interconversion, disproportionation and ligand exchange reactions of zinc alkoxide complexes is proposed.

A Novel Class of Tunable Zinc Reagents (RXZnCH2Y) for Efficient Cyclopropanation of Olefins

A class of zinc reagents (RXZnCH(2)Y) generated with an appropriate organozinc is very effective for the cyclopropanation of olefins. The reactivity and selectivity of these reagents can be regulated by tuning the electronic and steric nature of the RX group on Zn. A reasonable level of enantioselectivity was obtained for the cyclopropanation of unfunctionalized olefins when a chiral (iodomethyl)zinc species was used, providing a valuable approach for the asymmetric cyclopropanation of unfunctionalized olefins.

Stability, reactivity, solution, and solid-state structure of halomethylzinc alkoxides

In this paper, we report our findings regarding the development of a Lewis acid-catalyzed cyclopropanation of allylic alcohols with bis(iodomethyl)zinc. Iodomethylzinc alkoxides can be formed by treatment of an alcohol with bis(iodomethyl)zinc. These species are not prone to undergo cyclopropanation at low temperature but the addition of a Lewis acid in catalytic amounts induces the cyclopropanation reaction. Using this procedure, we demonstrated that the Lewis acid-catalyzed pathway significantly overwhelms the uncatalyzed one. This paper describes fundamental issues regarding the preparation and stability of halomethyl zinc alkoxides in solution as well as their aggregation state in solution and solid-state structures. Furthermore, the competition reaction between the inter- vs intramolecular cyclopropanation will be studied. Finally, we will discuss the possible activation pathways to explain the Lewis acid activation of halomethylzinc alkoxides. These findings provided new insights on the reactivity of ROZnCH(2)I and established the groundwork for the elaboration of an enantioselective version of the reaction.

Catalytic, Enantioselective Cyclopropanation of Allylic Alcohols. Substrate Generality

Catalytic, enantioselective cyclopropanation of a broad range of allylic alcohols and one homoallylic alcohol was carried out. The cyclopropanation reagent employed was bis(iodomethyl)zinc generated by the method of Furukawa, and the chiral promoter used (10 mol %) was the N,N-bis(methanesulfonyl) derivative of (R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane. Three experimental features were found to be critical for the rapid and selective cyclopropanation: (1) use of the ethylzinc alkoxide of the allylic alcohol as the substrate by prior deprotonation of the allylic alcohols by diethylzinc, (2) the formation of the zinc complex of the promoter by prior deprotonation of the bis-sulfonamide with diethylzinc, and (3) the use of added zinc iodide generated in situ from diethylzinc and iodine. The stereoselectivity of cyclopropanation was found to be independent of olefin geometry and worked well for substrates bearing both aliphatic and aromatic substituents at either or both 3-positions of the allylic alcohol. However, a methyl substituent on the 2-position of the allyl alcohol was not well tolerated and led to slow reactions and poor enantioselectivities. A rationale for the observed selectivities is proposed.