Carbenes and Nitrenes in Heterocyclic Chemistry: Intramolecular Reactions

Mechanistic Understanding and Reactivity Analyses for the Photochemistry of Disubstituted Tetrazoles

The photolysis of tetrazoles has undergone extensive research. However, there are still some problems to be solved in terms of mechanistic understanding and reactivity analyses, which leaves room for theoretical calculations. Herein, multiconfiguration perturbation theory at the CASPT2//CASSCF level was employed to account for electron correction effects involved in the photolysis of four disubstituted tetrazoles. Based on calculations of vertical excitation properties and evaluations of intersystem crossing (ISC) efficiencies in the Frank-Condon region, the combination of space and electronic effects is found in maximum-absorption excitation. Two types of ISC (¹ππ* → ³nπ*, ¹ππ* → ³ππ*) are determined in disubstituted tetrazoles, and the obtained rates follow the El-Sayed rule. Through mapping three representative types of minimum energy profiles for the photolysis of 1,5-, and 2,5-disubstituted tetrazoles, a conclusion can be drawn that the photolysis of tetrazoles exhibits reactivity characteristic of bond-breaking selectivity. Kinetic evaluations show that the photogeneration of singlet imidoylnitrene operates predominately over that in the triplet state, which can be confirmed by a double-well model in the triplet potential energy surface of 1,5-disubstituted tetrazole. Similar mechanistic explorations and reactivity analyses were also applied to the photolysis of 2,5-disubstituted tetrazole to unveil fragmentation patterns of nitrile imine generation. All computational efforts allow us to better understand the photoreactions of disubstituted tetrazoles and to provide useful strategies for regulating their unique reactivity.

Benzotriazoles and Triazoloquinones: Rearrangements to Carbazoles, Benzazirines, Azepinediones, and Fulvenimines

The denitrogenative rearrangements of several types of benzotriazoles were investigated by DFT (B3LYP/6-311G(d,p)) and CASPT2(10,10)sp/6-311G(d,p) calculations. The Graebe-Ullmann synthesis of carbazoles 18 by pyrolysis or photolysis of 1-arylbenzotriazoles 14 proceeds without the involvement of benzazirines and without Wolff-type ring contraction to fulvenimines. However, 1-aryltetrahydrobenzotriazoles undergo both cyclization to tetrahydrocarbazole and ring contraction. Triazoloquinones like 34 undergo predominant ring contraction to aminofulvenediones like 38 and also ring expansion to azepinediones like 40 and cyclization to N-arylbenzaziridinediones 39, whereas carbazolediones are not formed. Denitrogenation of 1-methylbenzotriazole 64 results in a facile 1,2-H shift with formation of N-phenylmethanimine 67. 1-Cyanobenzotriazole 71 undergoes destructive pyrolysis with charring, and the calculations predict the occurrence of several low-activation energy reaction pathways.

M/X Phosphinidenoid Metal Complex Chemistry

ConspectusLike singlet carbenes and silylenes, transient electrophilic terminal phosphinidene complexes enabled highly selective synthetic transformations, but the required multistep synthetic protocols precluded widespread use of these P₁ building blocks. By contrast, nucleophilic M/Cl phosphinidenoid complexes can be easily accessed in one step from [M(CO)_n(RPCl₂)] complexes. This advantage and the mild reaction conditions opened broad synthetic applicability that enabled access to a variety of novel compounds. The chemistry will be described in this Account, including bonding and mechanistic considerations derived from high-level density functional theory calculations.In 2007, we gained the first strong evidence for the formation of these thermally labile complexes using two different synthetic approaches: P-H deprotonation and Cl/Li exchange; the latter has become the preferred method. Intense studies revealed that steric demand of the P substituents in combination with metal complexation, a donor solvent, and/or the presence of a crown ether are necessary prerequisites for the formation and especially the usability of these intermediates as novel P₁ building blocks. Solution-phase NMR spectroscopy and solid-state X-ray diffraction studies revealed the bonding situation, i.e., a solvent-separated ion pair structure, and typical ³¹P NMR signatures of the anions. To date, we have established the following reactivity patterns for Li/Cl phosphinidenoid complexes: self-condensations (I), electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions (II), 1,1-additions (III), [2 + 1] cycloadditions (IV), ring expansions (V), and redox reactions (VI). For example, self-condensations can yield dinuclear acyclic or polycyclic diphosphane or diphosphene complexes. Their use as nucleophiles and electrophiles can be employed to access functional phosphane ligands with mixed substitution patterns. 1,1-Addition reactions were a puzzling discovery because the resulting products resembled classical P-C π-bond structures but the bonding was more of a donor-to-phosphorus adduct with significant differences in bonding parameters. Into the same category and also surprising fall formal E-H insertion reactions leading to 1,1'-bifunctional phosphane complexes. To date, the most important synthetic impact was achieved in the chemistry of strained P-heterocyclic ligands such as oxaphosphiranes and azaphosphiridines, obtained via [2 + 1] cycloadditions of the title compounds with carbonyls and imines, respectively. Ring expansions have been shown to yield 1,2-oxaphosphetanes and 1,2-thiaphosphetanes, and because of the pool of industrially important epoxides, this provides straightforward and affordable access to these novel P-heterocyclic ligands, which also promise to be of interest in catalytic applications. Recent developments describe redox transformations of Li/Cl phosphinidenoid complexes into new reactive intermediates such as complexes with open-shell P-functional phosphanyl ligands via oxidative single electron transfer reactions or into terminal electrophilic phosphinidene complexes via chloride elimination. The latter is clearly restricted to P-amino derivatives because of their enhanced π-donation capability, as evidenced in a recent study on umpolung of these reactive intermediates. While our efforts to expand M/X phosphinidenoid complex chemistry are ongoing, we want to emphasize that the development of new reactive intermediates not only improves our understanding of bonding and reactivity but also opens new perspectives in organoelement chemistry.

Insights into the photochemistry of 5-aminotetrazole derivatives with applications in coordination chemistry. Effect of the saccharyl moiety on the photostability

The properties and applications of 2-methyl-(2H)-tetrazole-5-amino-saccharinate (2MTS) in catalysis and chelant-based chemotherapy stimulated investigations on its photostability. The photochemistry of monomeric 2MTS in solid argon (15 K) was compared with those of 2-methyl-(2H)-tetrazole-5-amine (2MT) and 1-methyl-(2H)-tetrazole-5-amine (1MT). Compounds were subjected to in situ narrowband UV-irradiation at different wavelengths. Reactions were followed by infrared spectroscopy, supported by B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) calculations. Photochemical pathways for 2MT and 2MTS proved similar but photodegradation of 2MTS was 20× slower, unraveling the photostabilizing effect of the saccharyl moiety that extends into the nitrilimine formed from 2MTS and its antiaromatic 1H-diazirene isomer, which proved photostable at 290 nm, unlike the 1H-diazirene formed from 2MT. Analysis of the photochemistries of 2MTS/2MT (250 nm) and 1MT (222 nm), including energy trends calculated for the isomeric C2H5N3 species postulated/observed from photolysis and EPR results, enabled a deeper insight into the photodegradation mechanisms of 1,5-substituted and 2,5-substituted tetrazoles. We postulate a pivotal singlet state imidoylnitrene species, sN1, as common intermediate, which undergoes a Wolff-type isomerization to a stable carbodiimide. Photo-extrusion of N2 from 1,5-substituted tetrazoles generates sN1 directly but from 2,5-substituted tetrazoles it originates a nitrilimine, then a diazirene, which finally leads to sN1. Selective formation of cyanamide from 1MT requires photoisomerization between sN1 and sN2, accessible at 222 nm. EPR studies enabled the detection of methyl nitrene, arising from photolysis of 1H-diazirene intermediate.

Thermal Rearrangement of Sulfamoyl Azides: Reactivity and Mechanistic Study

The rearrangement of sulfamoyl azides under thermal conditions to form a C-C bond while breaking two C-N bonds is reported. Mechanistic study shows that this reaction goes through a Curtius-type rearrangement to form a 1,1-diazene, then which rearranges possibly through both a concerted rearrangement process and a stepwise radical process. This rearrangement could be used in the synthesis of complex biologically active molecules, such as sterols, and piperine derivatives.

Ultrafast infrared and UV-vis studies of the photochemistry of methoxycarbonylphenyl azides in solution

The photochemistry of 4-methoxycarbonylphenyl azide (2a), 2-methoxycarbonylphenyl azide (3a), and 2-methoxy-6-methoxycarbonylphenyl azide (4a) were studied by ultrafast time-resolved infrared (IR) and UV-vis spectroscopies in solution. Singlet nitrenes and ketenimines were observed and characterized for all three azides. Isoxazole species 3g and 4g are generated after photolysis of 3a and 4a, respectively, in acetonitrile. Triplet nitrene 4e formation correlated with the decay of singlet nitrene 4b. The presence of water does not change the chemistry or kinetics of singlet nitrenes 2b and 3b, but leads to protonation of 4b to produce nitrenium ion 4f. Singlet nitrenes 2b and 3b have lifetimes of 2 ns and 400 ps, respectively, in solution at ambient temperature. The singlet nitrene 4b in acetonitrile has a lifetime of about 800 ps, and reacts with water with a rate constant of 1.9 × 10(8) L·mol(-1)·s(-1) at room temperature. These results indicate that a methoxycarbonyl group at either the para or ortho positions has little influence on the ISC rate, but that the presence of a 2-methoxy group dramatically accelerates the ISC rate relative to the unsubstituted phenylnitrene. An ortho-methoxy group highly stabilizes the corresponding nitrenium ion and favors its formation in aqueous solvents. This substituent has little influence on the ring-expansion rate. These results are consistent with theoretical calculations for the various intermediates and their transition states. Cyclization from the nitrene to the azirine intermediate is favored to proceed toward the electron-deficient ester group; however, the higher energy barrier is the ring-opening process, that is, azirine to ketenimine formation, rendering the formation of the ester-ketenimine (4d') to be less favorable than the isomeric MeO-ketenimine (4d).

A Study of Vinyl Radical Cyclization Using N-Alkenyl-7-bromo-Substituted Hexahydroindolinones

A new method for the synthesis of the octahydropyrrolo[3,2,1-ij]quinoline ring system that possesses the characteristic skeleton of the aspidosperma family of alkaloids has been developed. The method utilizes an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of an amido-substituted furan across a tethered indole pi-bond. To apply this strategy to the synthesis of the indole alkaloid spegazzinidine, it was necessary to address the problem of assembling the final D-ring of the pentacyclic skeleton. Radical cyclization of a model N-allyl-7-bromo-3a-methylhexahydroindolinone system was found to preferentially lead to the 6-endo-trig cyclization product, with the best yield being obtained under high dilution conditions. The six-membered cyclized product is generated through two reaction pathways: (a) 6-endo-trig ring closure and (b) rearrangement of an intermediate methylene-cyclopentyl radical obtained by 5-exo-trig cyclization. A number of related 7-bromo-substituted hexahydroindolinones containing tethered olefinic groups were prepared and found to undergo efficient cyclization under both radical and palladium-mediated reaction conditions. Vinyl radical cyclization with several N-butenyl-substituted systems afforded a mixture of 6-exo and 7-endo cyclization products. A protocol to introduce an ethyl substituent into the C20-position of the aspidospermidine skeleton was also developed.

Rearrangement of 2-Quinolyl- and 1-Isoquinolylcarbenes to Naphthylnitrenes

2-quinolylcarbene 23 and 1-isoquinolylcarbene 33 are generated by flash vacuum thermolysis (FVT) of the corresponding triazolo[1,5-a]quinoline and triazolo[5,1-a]isoquinoline 19 and 29, as well as 2-(5-tetrazolyl)quinoline and 1-(5-tetrazolyl)isoquinoline 20 and 30, respectively. These carbenes rearrange to 1- and 2-naphthylnitrene 21 and 31, respectively, and the nitrenes are also generated by FVT of 1- and 2-naphthyl azides 18 and 28. The products of FVT of both the nitrene and carbene precursors are the 2- and 3-cyanoindenes 26 and 27 together with the nitrene dimers, viz. azonaphthalenes 25 and 35, and the H-abstraction products, aminonaphthalenes 24 and 34. All the azide, triazole, and tetrazole precursors yield 3-cyanoindene 26 as the principal ring contraction product under conditions of low FVT temperature (340-400 degrees C) and high pressure (1 Torr N(2) as carrier gas for the purpose of collisional deactivation). This ring contraction reaction is strongly subject to chemical activation, which caused extensive isomerization of 3-cyanoindene to 2-cyanoindene under conditions of low pressure (10(-3) Torr). 2-Cyanoindene is calculated to be ca. 1.7 kcal/mol below 3-cyanoindene in energy; accordingly, high-temperature FVT of these cyanoindenes always gives mixtures of the two compounds with the 2-cyano isomer dominating. Photolysis of trizolo[1,5-a]quinoline 19 and triazolo[5,1-a]isoquinoline 29 in Ar matrixes causes partial ring opening to the corresponding 2-diazomethylquinoline 19' and 1-diazomethylisoquinoline 29'. The photolysis of the former gives rise to a small amount of the cyclic ketenimine 22, the intermediate connecting 2-quinolylcarbene and 1-naphthylnitrene.

Carbene and nitrene rearrangements: a theoretical study of cyclic allenes and carbenes, carbodiimides, and azirines

B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations of structures, energies, and infrared spectra of several rearrangement products of (hetero)aromatic nitrenes and carbenes are reported. 3-Isoquinolylnitrene 36 ring closes to the azirine 37 prior to ring expansion to the potentially stable but unobserved seven-membered-ring carbodiimide 38 and diazacycloheptatrienylidene C(s)()-39S. A new, stable cycloheptatrienylidene, C(s)()-19S, is located on the naphthylcarbene energy surface. 4-Quinolylnitrene undergoes reaction via the azirine 50 in solution, but ring expansion to the stable seven-membered-ring ketenimine 47 under Ar matrix photolysis conditions. There is excellent agreement between calculated infrared spectra of 1,5-diazacyclohepta-1,2,4,6-tetraene 54 (obtained by photolysis of 4-pyridyl azide), 1-azacyclohepta-1,2,4,6-tetraene 5, 1-azacyclohepta-1,3,5,6-tetraene 55, and 1-azacyclohepta-1,3,4,6-tetraene 56 and the available experimental data.

Substituent effects in the interconversion of phenylcarbene, bicyclo[4.1.0]hepta-2,4,6-triene, and 1,2,4,6-cycloheptatetraene

The effect of aryl substituents on the interconversion of phenylcarbene (PC), bicyclo[4.1.0]hepta-2,4,6-triene (BCT), and 1,2,4,6-cycloheptatetraene (CHTE) has been studied by density functional theory. It is found that substituents have a large effect on both the thermochemistry and activation energy of these rearrangements. For instance, para-substitution yields a range of overall activation energies for the formation of BCT from PC of 20.3 to 11.7 kcal/mol for the NH(2) and NO(2) substituents, respectively. In the syn-meta-substituted cases, all of the rearrangements to the substituted CHTE species are more exothermic than that of the parent PC. The proximity of the substituent to the carbene center can also affect the overall chemistry as in the case of ortho-substituted species. Here, formation of bicyclic structures and ylides, which can then rearrange to stable structures, can compete with the ring-expansion process. Also, as calculated herein, the ortho substituents can, by a combination of mesomeric and steric interactions with the carbene center, affect the overall barrier to reversible ring expansion. Most notably, in the anti-ortho-substituted species, halogens (F and Cl) raise the activation barrier to ring expansion by approximately 5 kcal/mol. This is reminiscent of the effect of fluorine substitution on the chemistry (inter- and intramolecular) of phenylnitrene.

Intramolecular Cyclization of Azides by Iminium Species. A Novel Method for the Construction of Nitrogen Heterocycles under Vilsmeier Conditions

An unprecedented attack of the azide functionality by iminium species, generated in situ under Vilsmeier conditions, provided a novel route for the construction of nitrogen heterocycles. Thus, the treatment of 2-azidoacetophenones with Vilsmeier reagent under reflux conditions gave 5-aryloxazole-4-carboxaldehydes. One-pot synthesis of oxazole carboxaldehydes from 2-bromoacetophenones by dehaloazidation-Vilsmeier cyclization reaction sequence provided better yields. The susceptibility of the carbonyl group to undergo chloroformylation at room temperature without affecting the azide function was exploited to provide an attractive scheme for the synthesis of alpha-azido-beta-chlorovinyl azides from phenacyl azides. The synthesis of a series of N-aryl 5-chloro-2-(dimethylamino)imidazole-4-carboxaldehydes was accomplished by the Vilsmeier cyclization of N-aryl-2-azidoacetamides. The possible mechanisms for the reactions are also discussed.