Acidities of hydrocarbons and sulfur-containing hydrocarbons in dimethyl sulfoxide solutions

Vanadium Alkylidyne Initiated Cyclic Polymer Synthesis: The Importance of a Deprotiovanadacyclobutadiene Moiety

Reported is the catalytic cyclic polymer synthesis by a 3d transition metal complex: a V(V) alkylidyne, [(dBDI)V≡CtBu(OEt2)] (1-OEt2), supported by the deprotonated β-diketiminate dBDI2- (dBDI2- = ArNC(CH3)CHC(CH2)NAr, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3). Complex 1-OEt2 is a precatalyst for the polymerization of phenylacetylene (PhCCH) to give cyclic poly(phenylacetylene) (c-PPA), whereas its precursor, complex [(BDI)V≡CtBu(OTf)] (2-OTf; BDI- = [ArNC(CH3)]2CH, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3, OTf = OSO2CF3), and the zwitterion [((C6F5)3B-dBDI)V≡CtBu(OEt2)] (3-OEt2) exhibit low catalytic activity despite having a neopentylidyne ligand. Cyclic polymer topologies were verified by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and intrinsic viscosity studies. A component of the mechanism of the cyclic polymerization reaction was probed by isolation and full characterization of 4- and 6-membered metallacycles as model intermediates. Metallacyclobutadiene (MCBD) and deprotiometallacyclobutadiene (dMCBD) complexes (dBDI)V[C(tBu)C(H)C(tBu)] (4-tBu) and (BDI)V[C(tBu)CC(Mes)] (5-Mes), respectively, were synthesized upon reaction with bulkier alkynes, tBu- (tBuCCH) and Mes-acetylene (MesCCH), with 1-OEt2. Furthermore, the reaction of the conjugate acid of 1-OEt2, [(BDI)V≡CtBu(OTf)] (2-OTf), with the conjugated base of phenylacetylene, lithium phenylacetylide (LiCCPh), yields the doubly deprotio-metallacycle complex, [Li(THF)4]{(BDI)V[C(Ph)CC(tBu)CC(Ph)]} (6). Protonation of the doubly deprotio-metallacycle complex 6 yields 6-H+, a catalytically active species toward the polymerization of PhCCH, for which the polymers were also confirmed to be cyclic by SEC studies. Computational mechanistic studies complement the experimental observations and provide insight into the mechanism of cyclic polymer growth. The noninnocence of the supporting dBDI2- ligand and its role in proton shuttling to generate deprotiometallacyclobutadiene (dMCBD) complexes that proposedly culminate in the formation of catalytically active V(III) species are also discussed. This work demonstrates how a dMCBD moiety can react with terminal alkynes to form cyclic polyalkynes.

Photocatalytic Reductive Radical-Polar Crossover for a Base-Free Corey-Seebach Reaction

A metal-free generation of carbanion nucleophiles is of prime importance in organic synthesis. Herein we report a photocatalytic approach to the Corey-Seebach reaction. The presented method operates under mild redox-neutral and base-free conditions giving the desired product with high functional group tolerance. The reaction is enabled by the combination of photo- and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalysis. This catalytic merger allows a C-H to carbanion activation by the abstraction of a hydrogen atom followed by radical reduction. The generated nucleophilic intermediate is then capable of adding to carbonyl electrophiles. The obtained dithiane can be easily converted to the valuable α-hydroxy carbonyl in a subsequent step. The proposed reaction mechanism is supported by emission quenching, radical-radical homocoupling and deuterium labeling studies as well as by calculated redox-potentials and bond strengths.

Understanding the solubilization of Ca acetylide with a new computational model for ionic pairs

The unique reactivity of the acetylenic unit in DMSO gives rise to ubiquitous synthetic methods. We theoretically consider CaC2 solubility and protolysis in DMSO and formulate a strategy for CaC2 activation in solution-phase chemical transformations. For this, we use a new strategy for the modeling of ionic compounds in strongly coordinating solvents combining Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics with the DFTB3-D3(BJ) Hamiltonian and static DFT computations at the PBE0-D3(BJ)/pob-TZVP-gCP level. We modeled the thermodynamics of CaC2 protolysis under ambient conditions, taking into account its known heterogeneity and considering three polymorphs of CaC2. We give a theoretical basis for the existence of the elusive intermediate HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-Ca-OH and show that CaC2 insolubility in DMSO is of thermodynamic nature. We confirm the unique role of water and specific properties of DMSO in CaC2 activation and explain how the activation is realized. The proposed strategy for the utilization of CaC2 in sustainable organic synthesis is outlined.

Electrophilic oligodeoxynucleotide synthesis using dM-Dmoc for amino protection

Solid-phase synthesis of electrophilic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) was achieved using dimethyl-Dmoc (dM-Dmoc) as amino protecting group. Due to the high steric hindrance of the 2-(propan-2-ylidene)-1,3-dithiane side product from deprotection, the use of excess nucleophilic scavengers such as aniline to prevent Michael addition of the side product to the deprotected ODN during ODN cleavage and deprotection was no longer needed. The improved technology was demonstrated by the synthesis and characterization of five ODNs including three modified ones. The modified ODNs contained the electrophilic groups ethyl ester, α-chloroamide, and thioester. Using the technology, the sensitive groups can be installed at any location within the ODN sequences without using any sequence- or functionality-specific conditions and procedures.

Insertion of terminal alkyne into Pt-N bond of the square planar [PtI2(Me2phen)] complex

The reactivity of [PtX₂(Me₂phen)] complexes (X = Cl, Br, I; Me₂phen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) with terminal alkynes has been investigated. Although the dichlorido species [PtCl₂(Me₂phen)] exhibits negligible reactivity, the bromido and iodido derivatives lead in short time to the formation of five-coordinate Pt(ii) complexes of the type [PtX₂(Me₂phen)(η²-CH[triple bond, length as m-dash]CR)] (X = Br, I; R = Ph, n-Bu), in equilibrium with the starting reagents. Similar to analogous complexes with simple acetylene, the five coordinate species can also undergo dissociation of an halido ligand and formation of the transient square-planar cationic species [PtX(Me₂phen)(η²-CH[triple bond, length as m-dash]CR)]⁺. This latter can further evolve to give an unusual, sparingly soluble square planar product where the former terminal alkyne is converted into a :C[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)(R) moiety with the α-carbon bridging the Pt(ii) core with one of the two N-donors of coordinated Me₂phen. The final product [PtX₂{κ²-N,C-(Z)-N[combining low line]1-N10-C[combining low line][double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)(R)}] (N1-N10 = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline; X = Br, I) contains a Pt-N-C-C-N-C six-membered chelate ring in a square planar Pt(ii) coordination environment.

Direct synthesis of nitroaryl acetylenes from acetylenes and nitroarenes via oxidative nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen

Acetylenic carbanions add to nitroarenes (dinitrobenzenes, nitropyridines, etc.) to form σ^H-adducts that are subsequently oxidized by DDQ according to the oxidative nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (ONSH) pathway to give nitroaryl acetylenes.

Can a pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligand act as a proton-relay in f-element chemistry? Insights from a joint experimental/theoretical study

Isomerisation of buta-1,2-diene to but-2-yne by (Me(5)C(5))(2)Yb is a thermodynamically favourable reaction, with the Δ(r)G° estimated from experimental data at 298 K to be -3.0 kcal mol(-1). It proceeds in hydrocarbon solvents with a pseudo first-order rate constant of 6.4 × 10(-6) s(-1) and 7.4 × 10(-5) s(-1) in C(6)D(12) and C(6)D(6), respectively, at 20 °C. This 1,3-hydrogen shift is formally forbidden by symmetry and has to occur by an alternative pathway. The proposed mechanism for buta-1,2-diene to but-2-yne isomerisation by (Me(5)C(5))(2)Yb involves coordination of methylallene (buta-1,2-diene) to (Me(5)C(5))(2)Yb, and deprotonation of methylallene by one of the Me(5)C(5) ligands followed by protonation of the terminal methylallenyl carbon to yield the known coordination compound (Me(5)C(5))(2)Yb(η(2)-MeC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CMe). Computationally, this mechanism is not initiated by a single electron transfer step, and the ytterbium retains its oxidation state (II) throughout the reactivity. Experimentally, the influence of the metal centre is discussed by comparison with the reaction of (Me(5)C(5))(2)Ca towards buta-1,2-diene, and (Me(5)C(5))(2)Yb with ethylene. The mechanism by which the Me(5)C(5) acts as a proton-relay within the coordination sphere of a metal also rationalises the reactivity of (i) (Me(5)C(5))(2)Eu(OEt(2)) with phenylacetylene, (ii) (Me(5)C(5))(2)Yb(OEt(2)) with phenylphosphine and (iii) (Me(5)C(5))(2)U(NPh)(2) with H(2) to yield (Me(5)C(5))(2)U(HNPh)(2). In the latter case, the computed mechanism is the heterolytic activation of H(2) by (Me(5)C(5))(2)U(NPh)(2) to yield (Me(5)C(5))(2)U(H)(HNPh)(NPh), followed by a hydrogen transfer from uranium back to the imido nitrogen atom using one Me(5)C(5) ligand as a proton-relay. The overall mechanism by which hydrogen shifts using a pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligand as a proton-relay is named Carambole in reference to carom billiards.

Homo- and heteroleptic alkoxycarbene f-element complexes and their reactivity towards acidic N-H and C-H bonds

The reactivity of a series of organometallic rare earth and actinide complexes with hemilabile NHC-ligands towards substrates with acidic C-H and N-H bonds is described. The synthesis, characterisation and X-ray structures of the new heteroleptic mono- and bis(NHC) cyclopentadienyl complexes LnCp2(L) 1 (Ln = Sc, Y, Ce; L = alkoxy-tethered carbene [OCMe2CH2(1-C{NCHCHN(i)Pr})]), LnCp(L)2 (Ln = Y) , and the homoleptic tetrakis(NHC) complex Th(L)4 4 are described. The reactivity of these complexes, and of the homoleptic complexes Ln(L)3 (Ln = Sc 3, Ce), with E-H substrates is described, where EH = pyrrole C4H4NH, indole C8H6NH, diphenylacetone Ph2CC(O)Me, terminal alkynes RC≡CH (R = Me3Si, Ph), and cyclopentadiene C5H6. Complex 1-Y heterolytically cleaves and adds pyrrole and indole N-H across the metal carbene bond, whereas 1-Ce does not, although 3 and 4 form H-bonded adducts. Complexes 1-Y and 1-Sc form adducts with CpH without cleaving the acidic C-H bond, 1-Ce cleaves the Cp-H bond, but 2 reacts to form the very rare H(+)-[C5H5](-)-H(+) motif. Complex 1-Ce cleaves alkyne C-H bonds but the products rearrange upon formation, while complex 1-Y cleaves the C-H bond in diphenylacetone forming a product which rearranges to the Y-O bonded enolate product.

Development of Zn-ProPhenol-catalyzed asymmetric alkyne addition: synthesis of chiral propargylic alcohols

The development of a general and practical zinc-catalyzed enantioselective alkyne addition methodology is reported. The commercially available ProPhenol ligand (1) has facilitated the addition of a wide range of zinc alkynylides to aryl, aliphatic, and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes in high yield and enantioselectivity. New insights into the mechanism of this reaction have resulted in a significant reduction in reagent stoichiometry, enabling the use of precious alkynes and avoiding the use of excess dimethylzinc. The enantioenriched propargylic alcohols from this reaction serve as versatile synthetic intermediates and have enabled efficient syntheses of several complex natural products.

Ab initio modeling of organolithium equilibria

Experimental ion pair pK's of monomeric contact ion pair lithium salts in THF from our previous studies give good correlations with ab initio calculations at the Hartree-Fock 6-31+g(d) level. PCM methods were found to be inadequate in nonpolar organic solvents, and dielectric solvation was not used in the correlations. Specific coordination of two or three ether solvent molecules with lithium was found to be satisfactory. These correlations include carboxamides, amines, dithianes, sulfones, and sulfoxides, as well as some ketones, beta-diketones, and the lithium salts of dianions.

Orbital Interactions and Solvent Effects Determining the Stability of Condensed Cyclopentadienides in Solution

The structure and the stability of various cyclopentadienides, which involve 6pi, 10pi, 14pi, and 22pi electrons, are investigated from computations at various levels of theory as well as from orbital interaction analyses. The reason that some of the cyclopentadienides are stabilized and others are destabilized by the introduction of aromatic rings is discussed in terms of absolute hardness and orbital interaction. Cyclopentadienide, a special 6pi-electron system, has the largest value of absolute hardness among the condensed cyclopentadienides investigated; thus this carbanion resists both oxidation and reduction most strongly. The absolute hardness decreases when aromatic rings are introduced to cyclopentadienide to form condensed cyclopentadienides, depending on the way they are connected. Computed values of the ionization potential and oxidation potentials measured in solution have a linear correlation within isomers of the same size, but are not in agreement for different sets of isomers. Solvent effects on the ionization potential are assessed by performing self-consistent reaction field calculations, the results being in excellent agreement with experiments. It is demonstrated that the solvent effects are significant in small cyclopentadienides of 6pi- and 10pi-electron systems, compared to larger ones and that addition of condensed aromatic rings intrinsically stabilizes the formed condensed cyclopentadienides with respect to ionization potential.