Isotopically Enriched 13C Diffusion-Ordered NMR Spectroscopy: Analysis of Methyllithium

Probing the interactions of GlcNH2 with boric acid via NMR spectroscopy

The essential role of boronic esters in controlling both the direction and selectivity of chemical reactions as well as their significant function in catalytic activity have been demonstrated for industrially important processes. The specific interaction analyses of the monosaccharide GlcNH2 with boric acid are of interest since monosaccharides serve as model systems for the more sophisticated carbohydrate molecules. The interaction of GlcNH2 with boric acid was systematically investigated by numerous NMR techniques. A 1 : 1 chelate boron complex coordinated at the cis-1,2 position of GlcNH2 was identified as the major species in DMSO-d6 solution via1H and 13C INEPT DOSY NMR spectroscopy. This specific boron nitrogen coordination mechanism was further supported by the 1H-15N HSQC spectra. Variations in the spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) of the 13C1 nucleus also provided quantitative data regarding this non-covalent interactions. This is an application of 1H, 13C INEPT DOSY, 1H-15N HSQC, and relaxation methods to study such aggregations in solutions. These methods have potential applications in the characterization of reactive intermediates in biomass conversions.

The interpretation of small molecule diffusion coefficients: Quantitative use of diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy

Measuring accurate molecular self-diffusion coefficients, D, by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques has become routine as hardware, software and experimental methodologies have all improved. However, the quantitative interpretation of such data remains difficult, particularly for small molecules. This review article first provides a description of, and explanation for, the failure of the Stokes-Einstein equation to accurately predict small molecule diffusion coefficients, before moving on to three broadly complementary methods for their quantitative interpretation. Two are based on power laws, but differ in the nature of the reference molecules used. The third addresses the uncertainties in the Stokes-Einstein equation directly. For all three methods, a wide range of examples are used to show the range of chemistry to which diffusion NMR can be applied, and how best to implement the different methods to obtain quantitative information from the chemical systems studied.

The structure-defining incorporation of chloride in methyllithium dimers

Two polymeric solid-state structures of pmdta-stabilized methyllithium with co-existing tetrameric and dimeric units were obtained, linked by the structure-giving “contaminant” LiCl, incorporated only in dimeric entities.

Extraction of Reliable Molecular Information from Diffusion NMR Spectroscopy: Hydrodynamic Volume or Molecular Mass?

Measuring accurate translational self-diffusion coefficients (D_t ) by NMR techniques with modern spectrometers has become rather routine. In contrast, the derivation of reliable molecular information therefrom still remains a nontrivial task. In this paper, two established approaches to estimating molecular size in terms of hydrodynamic volume (V_H ) or molecular weight (M) are compared. Ad hoc designed experiments allowed the critical aspects of their application to be explored by translating relatively complex theoretical principles into practical take-home messages. For instance, comparing the D_t values of three isosteric Cp₂ MCl₂ complexes (Cp=cyclopentadienyl, M=Ti, Zr, Hf), having significantly different molecular mass, provided an empirical demonstration that V_H is the critical molecular property affecting D_t . This central concept served to clarify the assumptions behind the derivation of D_t =ƒ(M) power laws from the Stokes-Einstein equation. Some pitfalls in establishing log (D_t ) versus log (M) linear correlations for a set of species have been highlighted by further investigations of selected examples. The effectiveness of the Stokes-Einstein equation itself in describing the aggregation or polymerization of differently shaped species has been explored by comparing, for example, a ball-shaped silsesquioxane cage with its cigar-like dimeric form, or styrene with polystyrene macromolecules.

Sodium Diisopropylamide: Aggregation, Solvation, and Stability

The solution structures, stabilities, physical properties, and reactivities of sodium diisopropylamide (NaDA) in a variety of coordinating solvents are described. NaDA is stable for months as a solid or as a 1.0 M solution in N,N-dimethylethylamine (DMEA) at -20 °C. A combination of NMR spectroscopic and computational studies show that NaDA is a disolvated symmetric dimer in DMEA, N,N-dimethyl-n-butylamine, and N-methylpyrrolidine. Tetrahydrofuran (THF) readily displaces DMEA, affording a tetrasolvated cyclic dimer at all THF concentrations. Dimethoxyethane (DME) and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine quantitatively displace DMEA, affording doubly chelated symmetric dimers. The trifunctional ligands N,N,N',N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine and diglyme bind the dimer as bidentate rather than tridentate ligands. Relative rates of solvent decompositions are reported, and rate studies for the decomposition of THF and DME are consistent with monomer-based mechanisms.

Conformational Polymorphism of Lithium Pinacolone Enolate

A metastable, polymorphic hexameric crystal structure of lithium pinacolone enolate (LiOPin) is reported along with three preparation methods. NMR-based structural characterization implies that the lithium pinacolate hexamer deaggregates to a tetramer in toluene but retains mainly the hexameric structure in nonaromatic hydrocarbon solvents such as cyclohexane. Moreover, the presence of a small amount of lithium aldolate (LiOA) dramatically influences the aggregation state of LiOPin by forming a mixed aggregate with a 3:1 ratio (LiOPin₃·LiOA).

Radical Cyclisation of α-Halo Aluminium Acetals: A Mechanistic Study

α-Bromo aluminium acetals are suitable substrates for Ueno-Stork-like radical cyclisations affording γ-lactols and acid-sensitive methylene-γ-lactols in high yields. The mechanistic study herein sets the scope and limitation of this reaction. The influence of the halide (or chalcogenide) atom X (X=Cl, Br, I, SPh, SePh) in the precursors α-haloesters, as well as influence of the solvent and temperature was studied. The structure of the aluminium acetal intermediates resulting from the reduction of the corresponding α-haloesters has been investigated by low-temperature (13) C-INEPT diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments and quantum calculations, providing new insights into the structures of these thermally labile intermediates. Oxygen-bridged dimeric structures with a planar Al2 O2 ring are proposed for the least hindered aluminium acetals, while monomeric structures seem to prevail for the most hindered species. A comparison against the radical cyclisation of aluminium acetals derived from allyl and propargyl alcohols with the parent Ueno-Stork has been made at the BHandHLYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory, highlighting mechanistic similarities and differences.

How Microsolvation Numbers at Li Control Aggregation Modes, sp(2)-Stereoinversion, and NMR Coupling Constants (2)JH,H of H2C═C in α-(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)vinyllithium

The title compound 4 is a trisolvated monomer 4&3THF in THF solution and dimerizes endothermically to form (4&THF)2 with a strongly positive (!) dimerization entropy in toluene as the solvent. In the absence of electron-pair donor ligands, 4 aggregates (>dimer) in hydrocarbon solutions. These results followed from the (13)C-α splitting patterns and the magnitudes of the one-bond (13)C,(6)Li NMR coupling constants in combination with lithiation NMR shifts as secondary NMR criteria. The rate constants of cis/trans sp(2)-stereoinversion could be measured on the (1)H NMR time scale in THF, in which solvent the preinversion lifetime is 0.24 s at 25 °C. This inversion proceeds according to the pseudomonomolecular, ionic mechanism with the typical, strongly negative pseudoactivation entropy. In a different mechanism, the lifetimes are much longer at 25 °C for the dimer (4&t-BuOMe)2 in toluene (ca. 2.5 min) and for donor-free, aggregated 4 in hexane solution (roughly 1 min). The olefinic interproton two-bond coupling constants (2)JH,H of the H2C═CLi part are proposed as an indicator of microsolvation at Li, because they were found to increase linearly with the "explicit" solvation of α-arylvinyllithiums by 0, 1, 2, and 3 electron-pair donor ligands.

Efficient asymmetric syntheses of 1-phenyl-phosphindane, derivatives, and 2- or 3-oxa analogues: mission accomplished

A highly enantioselective synthesis of unsubstituted 1-phenyl-phosphindane and its P-borane and P-oxide derivatives was effectively established via a new fluoride-triggered desilylative carbocyclization strategy. Preparation of the "oxygen atom-doped" 1-phenyl-3-oxa-1-phosphindane-P-borane analogue was otherwise achieved via a tandem P-α-iodination-intra-O-alkylation.