Silylated cyclohexadienes as new radical chain reducing reagents: preparative and mechanistic aspects

Photocatalytic and Electrochemical Borylation and Silylation Reactions

Due to their high versatility borylated and silylated compounds are inevitable synthons for organic chemists. To escape the classical hydroboration/hydrosilylation paradigm, chemists turned their attention to more modern and green methods such as photoredox chemistry and electrosynthesis. This account focuses on novel methods for the generation of boryl and silyl radicals to forge C-B and C-Si bonds from our group.

Halogen-atom and group transfer reactivity enabled by hydrogen tunneling

The generation of carbon radicals by halogen-atom and group transfer reactions is generally achieved using tin and silicon reagents that maximize the interplay of enthalpic (thermodynamic) and polar (kinetic) effects. In this work, we demonstrate a distinct reactivity mode enabled by quantum mechanical tunneling that uses the cyclohexadiene derivative γ-terpinene as the abstractor under mild photochemical conditions. This protocol activates alkyl and aryl halides as well as several alcohol and thiol derivatives. Experimental and computational studies unveiled a noncanonical pathway whereby a cyclohexadienyl radical undergoes concerted aromatization and halogen-atom or group abstraction through the reactivity of an effective H atom. This activation mechanism is seemingly thermodynamically and kinetically unfavorable but is rendered feasible through quantum tunneling.

Iridium-catalyzed highly stereoselective deoxygenation of tertiary cycloalkanols: stereoelectronic insights and synthetic applications

Excellent and unique diastereoselectivity is observed in the iridium-catalyzed deoxygenation of tertiary cyclohexanols and cyclopentanols. The substituent effect on the diastereoselectivity and detailed control models are analyzed case by case, using tertiary monocyclic and polycyclic cyclohexanols, bicyclic bridged cycloalkanols, and cyclopentanols as the model substrates. The selectivity is decided by the steric environment of the carbocation intermediates and is independent of the catalyst loading. Stereoelectronically, the iridium hydride approaches the carbocation in directions perpendicular to the carbocation plane. The sterically large iridium hydride delivers its hydride in the sterically least hindered direction to the carbocation. The deoxygenation has found important applications in the stereospecific arylations of sterically complex compounds. Our deoxygenation is stereochemically very different from the coupling reactions and can be used to specifically synthesize stereoisomers that are not available via cross-couplings.

Electrochemical radical reactions of alkyl iodides: a highly efficient, clean, green alternative to tin reagents

An electrochemical ‘redox-relay’ system has been developed which allows the generation of C-centered radicals. Intermolecular ‘tin-like’ radical reactions can subsequently be conducted under the most benign of conditions. The yields and efficiency of the processes are competitive and even superior in most cases to comparable conditions with tributyltin hydride. The use of air and electricity as the promotor (instead of a tin or other reagent) combined with the aqueous reaction media make this a clean and ‘green’ alternative to these classic C–C bond forming processes.

A ‘green’ and high-yielding electrochemical method for performing tin-free, intermolecular radical reactions (the Giese reaction) has been developed.

Iron-Catalyzed Oxyalkylation of Terminal Alkynes with Alkyl Iodides

A general oxyalkylation of terminal alkynes enabled by iron catalysis has been developed. Primary and secondary alkyl iodides acted as the alkylating reagents and afforded a range of α-alkylated ketones under mild reaction conditions. Acetyl tert-butyl peroxide (TBPA) was used as the radical relay precursor, providing the initiated methyl radical to start the radical relay process. Preliminary mechanistic studies were conducted, and late-stage functionalizations of natural product derivatives were performed.

Radical Arene Addition vs Radical Reduction: Why Organometal Hydride Chain Reactions Stop and How To Make Them Go

Nonideal kinetic chain analysis was used to examine the kinetic limitations of free-radical synthesis. Homolytic aromatic substitution (HAS: ArH + R^• → ArR + H^•) occurs in a chain-terminating side reaction to the tributyltin hydride ( SnH) reduction chain (RX + SnH + ( i^•)_cat. → RH + SnX). Kinetic modeling of premixed and slow reagent addition reactions have clarified the mechanisms of SM HAS, with the azo initiator ( iNN i) acting not only as radical source but also (as an H^• acceptor) as the redox catalyst for aromatization, and/or as a postaddition oxidant. Refractory halides and other hitherto baffling anomalies may arise from the build up of ipso (rather than ortho)-cycloadduct radicals in the steady-state radical population. The implications of these findings for "tin-free" radical chains (and emerging photoredox methods) are considered via historical and recent examples of the effects of chain-degrading radical transfer (to substrate, product, solvent, initiator, and/or reagent ligands) on the reagent's chain.

Radical cascade cyclization of 1,n-enynes and diynes for the synthesis of carbocycles and heterocycles

This review highlights recent advances in radical cascade cyclization of 1,n-enynes and diynes for the construction of carbo- and heterocycles.

Radical C–H functionalization to construct heterocyclic compounds

Radical C–H functionalization is a promising and dramatic approach to synthesize heterocyclic compounds with high efficiency and environmental sustainability.

9-Silafluorenes via base-promoted homolytic aromatic substitution (BHAS)--the electron as a catalyst

Transition-metal-free intramolecular radical silylation of 2-diphenylsilylbiaryls via base-promoted homolytic aromatic substitution (BHAS) to give 9-silafluorenes is reported. 2-Diphenylsilylbiaryls are readily prepared, and cross dehydrogenative silylation occurs with tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) as a cheap stoichiometric oxidant in the presence of a small amount of tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI) as an initiator. These cyclizations are catalyzed by the electron.

Base-catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of cyclohexa-2,5-dienes: insights into the mechanism through DFT calculations and application to the total synthesis of epi-elwesine

The base-catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of 1-ethylaminocyclohexa-2,5-dienes is described. The transformation proceeds through isomerization of the cyclohexa-1,4-dienyl fragment into the corresponding conjugated 1,3-diene prior to the hydroamination step. Attaching a chiral glycinol ether auxiliary on the amino group allows the protonation to occur with complete diastereocontrol. The resulting lithium amide then adds onto the 1,3-dienyl moiety, affording the desired fused pyrrolidine ring along with the corresponding lithium allylic anion. Protonation of the latter then proceeds with high regiocontrol to favor the resulting allylic amines. In contrast, when the reaction was performed on primary amines, fused pyrrolidines bearing a homoallylic amino group were obtained. The stereochemical course of the process and determination of the reaction pathways were established based on calculations performed at the DFT level. Finally, application of the methodology to the enantioselective synthesis of (+)-epi-elwesine, a crinane alkaloid, is described.

Alkyl transfer from C–C cleavage: replacing the nitro group of nitro-olefins

Hydrogenation is only the beginning: alkyl groups are mildly transferred from alkyl substituted Hantzsch esters to replace the nitro groups of nitro olefins to providetrans-olefins in moderate to excellent yields.

Radical reactions of borohydrides

This review article focuses on state-of-the-art borohydride based radical reactions, also covering earlier work, kinetics and some DFT calculations with respect to the hydrogen transfer mechanism.

Silylboranes as new sources of silyl radicals for chain-transfer reactions

Various silylboranes, which were outfitted with a catecholborane moiety at one end and a (Me(3)Si)(3)Si moiety at the other end of a carbon chain, were prepared through the hydroboration of the corresponding unsaturated silanes. The C-centered radical species generated from these silylboranes efficiently cyclized to provide, through a 5-exo intramolecular homolytic substitution at the silicon center, the corresponding silacycle and a Me(3)Si radical that was subsequently trapped by sulfonyl acceptors. These cyclizations proceeded at unprecedented rates, due, in part, to a strong gem-dialkyl effect that was attributable to the presence of bulky substituents on a quaternary center located on the chain. In parallel, we designed arylsilylboranes that produced silyl radicals through a 1,5-hydrogen transfer. Such silyl radicals may be valuable radical chain carriers, for instance, in oximation reactions of alkyl halides. Finally, computational studies allowed calculation of activation barriers of the homolytic substitution step and additionally illustrated that the overall reaction mechanism involved a transition state in which the attacking carbon center, the central silicon atom, and the Me(3)Si leaving group were collinear.

Tin-free enantioselective radical reactions using silanes

Readily available hexyl silane is an excellent choice as a H-atom donor and a chain carrier in Lewis acid mediated enantioselective radical reactions. Conjugate radical additions to alpha,beta-unsaturated imides at room temperature proceed in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.

Radical migration of substituents of aryl groups on quinazolinones derived from N-acyl cyanamides

A newly designed radical cascade involving N-acyl cyanamides is reported. It builds on aromatic homolytic substitutions as intermediate events and leads to complex heteroaromatic structures via an unprecedented radical migration of a substituent on aryl groups of quinazolinones (hydrogen or alkyl). Mechanistic considerations are detailed, which allowed us to devise fine control over the domino processes. The latter could be predictably stopped at several stages, depending on the reaction conditions. Finally, a surgical introduction of a trifluoromethyl substituent on a quinazolinone was achieved via the reported migration.

Radical Transfer Hydroamination with Aminated Cyclohexadienes Using Polarity Reversal Catalysis: Scope and Limitations

The synthesis of various new 1-aminated-2,5-cyclohexadienes is described. These reagents can be used in radical transfer hydroaminations of unactivated and electron-rich double bonds. With thiols as polarity reversal catalysts good yields are obtained. The radical hydroamination occurs with good to excellent anti-Markovnikov selectivity. Many functional groups such as alcohols, silyl ethers, phosphonates, arylbromides, imides, amides, and also acidic protons are tolerated under the reaction conditions. DFT calculations provide insights into the aromatization of silyl, alkyl, and aminyl substituted cyclohexadienyl radicals to generate the corresponding C-, Si-, and N-centered radicals.

Effect of Chain Length on Radical to Carbanion Cyclo-Coupling of Bromoaryl Alkyl-Linked Oxazolines: 1,3-Areneotropic Migration of Oxazolines

2-Halophenylalkyl-2-oxazolines with alkyl chain spacers of two to six C atoms (n = 0-4) were prepared and their SRN1-type reactions with several base systems examined. The best conditions to promote cyclo-coupling to the corresponding benzocycloalkane derivatives involved use of LDA in THF. The precursors with 3-C-atom and 4-C-atom spacers gave good yields of 2-(1'-phenylindan-1'-yl)-2-oxazolines and 2-(1-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-yl)-2-oxazoline, respectively. The major products from the precursor with a 5-C-atom spacer were derivatives of benzocycloheptane in which the oxazoline group had undergone a novel areneotropic migration from the end of the spacer to the benzo ring. The product from reaction of the corresponding 2-C-atom precursor was a 9-oxazolinophenanthrene derivative. EPR spectroscopy showed the intermediates of the LDA-promoted reactions to be radical anions of the product benzocycloalkanes. This supported an SRN1-type chain mechanism involving initial production of aryl radicals connected to azaenolate ions via the spacer groups. Intramolecular radical to carbanion coupling then generated ring-closed benzocycloalkane radical anions that transferred an electron to more precursor. Diastereoselective radical to carbanion cyclo-coupling reactions were carried out with 2-bromophenylpropyl precursors containing chiral 2-oxazolines. The diastereoselectivity achievable was modest, but the product diastereoisomeric Indane derivatives were easily separable by chromatography.

Stereoselective conjugate radical additions: application of a fluorous oxazolidinone chiral auxiliary for efficient tin removal

[reaction: see text] A series of asymmetric free-radical-mediated intermolecular conjugate additions using a fluorous oxazolidinone chiral auxiliary has been completed. The fluorous auxiliary facilitated product isolation using fluorous solid phase extractions (FSPE), effectively removing excess organic and organometallic reagents. Parallel reactions carried out with a similar but nonfluorous norephedrine-derived oxazolidinone demonstrated the superior stereoselectivity and purification obtainable with the fluorous chiral auxiliary.

Controlled Radical Polymerization in Aqueous Dispersed Media

Controlled radical polymerization (CRP), sometimes also termed ‘living’ radical polymerization, offers the potential to create a wide range of polymer architectures, and its implementation in aqueous dispersed media (e.g. emulsion polymerization, used on a vast scale industrially) opens the way to large-scale manufacture of products based on this technique. Until recently, implementing CRP in aqueous dispersed media was plagued with problems such as loss of ‘living’ character and loss of colloidal stability. This review examines the basic mechanistic processes in free-radical polymerization in aqueous dispersed media (e.g. emulsion polymerization), and then examines, through this mechanistic understanding, the new techniques that have been developed over the last few years to implement CRP successfully in emulsion polymerizations and related processes. The strategies leading to these successes can thus be understood in terms of the various mechanisms which dominate CRP systems in dispersed media; these mechanisms are sometimes quite different from those in conventional free-radical polymerization in these media.

Evolution of functional cyclohexadiene-based synthetic reagents: the importance of becoming aromatic

Suites of new precursors designed around a cyclohexadiene core and intended to mediate "clean" radical chain syntheses have been prepared and tested. 1-Functionalized cyclohexa-2,5-dienes were found to readily donate H-atoms, and the resulting cyclohexadienyl radicals rapidly extruded their functional group as a free radical, because this beta-scission restored aromaticity to the ring. This concept was employed to generate designer radicals from esters of the corresponding alcohols with 1-methyl- or 1-phenylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1-carboxylic acids. In a similar way, pre-adapted carbamoyl radicals were obtained from cyclohexadienyl-amides and proved advantageous for syntheses of alpha- and beta-lactams. Oxime ether substituted carbamoyl radicals cyclized successfully in convenient syntheses of dihydroindolin-2-ones with N-functionality at the 3-position. Similarly, silicon-centered radicals were obtained from 1-silylated cyclohexadienes, and these reagents proved to be very efficient, environmentally benign organotin hydride substitutes. Radical reactions including reductions, cyclizations, intermolecular additions, and hydrosilylations were carried out in high yields with this reagent. Other heteroatom-centered radicals, especially N-centered radicals, were obtained from appropriate cyclohexadienes enabling chain hydroaminations to be conducted. Several of the cyclohexadiene precursors proved to be useful for electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic purposes, and this enabled rate constants for fragmentations of the cyclohexadienyl radicals to be obtained. Kinetic data for H-atom abstraction from cyclohexadienes, the second propagation step of the chain processes, was derived from customized radical clocks and from EPR measurements. In this way, conceptual tools were developed for improving future synthetic methodology based around these reagents.