Pd-catalyzed synthesis of 1-(hetero)aryl-2,2,2-trichloroethanols using chloral hydrate and (hetero)arylboroxines

1-(Hetero)aryl-2,2,2-trichloroethanols are useful key intermediates for the synthesis of various bioactive compounds. Herein, we describe N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-coordinated cyclometallated palladium complex (CYP)-catalyzed (hetero)aryl addition of chloral hydrate using (hetero)arylboroxines, providing a new approach to 1-(hetero)aryl-2,2,2-trichloroethanols. Notably, PhS-IPent-CYP which coordinated the bulky yet flexible 2,6-di(pentan-3-yl)aniline (IPent)-based NHC showed good catalytic activities and promoted the transformation in 24-97% yields.

Synthesis of some new distyrylbenzene derivatives using immobilized Pd on an NHC-functionalized MIL-101(Cr) catalyst: photophysical property evaluation, DFT and TD-DFT calculations

In this study the catalytic application of a heterogeneous Pd-catalyst system based on metal organic framework [Pd-NHC-MIL-101(Cr)] was investigated in the synthesis of distyrylbenzene derivatives using the Heck reaction. The Pd-NHC-MIL-101(Cr) catalyst showed high efficiency in the synthesis of these π-conjugated materials and products were obtained in high yields with low Pd-contamination based on ICP analysis. The photophysical behaviors for some of the synthesized distyrylbenzene derivatives were evaluated. The DFT and TD-DFT methods were employed to determine the optimized molecular geometry, band gap energy, and the electronic absorption and emission wavelengths of the new synthesized donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) molecules in the gas phase and in various solvents using the chemical model B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory.

A General Approach to Intermolecular Olefin Hydroacylation through Light-Induced HAT Initiation: An Efficient Synthesis of Long-Chain Aliphatic Ketones and Functionalized Fatty Acids

Herein, an operationally simple, environmentally benign and effective method for intermolecular radical hydroacylation of unactivated substrates by employing photo-induced hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) initiation is described. The use of commercially available and inexpensive photoinitiators (Ph₂ CO and NHPI) makes the process attractive. The olefin hydroacylation protocol applies to a wide array of substrates bearing numerous functional groups and many complex structural units. The reaction proves to be scalable (up to 5 g). Different functionalized fatty acids, petrochemicals and naturally occurring alkanes can be synthesized with this protocol. A radical chain mechanism is implicated in the process.

3-Benzylbenzothiazolylidene Carbene Catalyzed Isomerization of Dimethyl Maleate to Dimethyl Fumarate: Experimental and Theoretical Results

Background:

N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (NHCs) have emerged as ubiquitous species having applications in a broad range of fields, including organocatalysis and organometallic chemistry. Since Arduengo and co-workers first isolated a bottlable NHC, namely imidazol-2-ylidene derivative, these nucleophilic species have attained a prominent place in synthetic organic chemistry. The NHC-induced non-asymmetric catalysis has turned out to be a really fruitful area of research in recent years.

Methods and Results:

The quantitative aspects of the experimental and theoretical investigation of isomerization of dimethyl maleate to dimethyl fumarate catalyzed by an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), namely 3-benzylbenzothiazolylidene are being reported for the first time. Dimethyl maleate on treating with 3-benzylbenzothiazolylidene carbene (10 mol%), generated in situ from the reaction of 3- benzylbenzothiazolium bromide with triethylamine in diethyl ether at room temperature under nitrogen atmosphere isomerizes quantitatively to dimethyl fumarate. Theoretical investigation of a model reaction scheme at the wB97XD/6-31+G(d) level reveals that initial attack of the carbene, which is the ratedetermining step, is followed by rotation about the C-C bond in preference to a higher activation free energy path involving proton abstraction. The species so formed splits off the carbene to yield dimethyl fumarate. Eyring equation has been used to rationalize the effect of temperature on the isomerization rate.

Conclusions and Perspective:

3-Benzylbenzothiazolylidene carbene catalyzes the isomerization of dimethyl maleate to its trans-isomer. This carbene can be used in other catalytic reactions, such as acyloin condensation and Stetter reaction.

3-Iodobenzaldehyde: XRD, FT-IR, Raman and DFT studies

The structure of 3-iodobenzaldehyde (3IB) was characterized by FT-IR, Raman and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The conformational isomers, optimized geometric parameters, normal mode frequencies and corresponding vibrational assignments of 3IB were examined using density functional theory (DFT) method, with the Becke-3-Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP) functional and the 6-311+G(3df,p) basis set for all atoms except for iodine. The LANL2DZ effective core basis set was used for iodine. Potential energy distribution (PED) analysis of normal modes was performed to identify characteristic frequencies. 3IB crystallizes in monoclinic space group P21/c with the O-trans form. There is a good agreement between the theoretically predicted structural parameters, and vibrational frequencies and those obtained experimentally. In order to understand halogen effect, 3-halogenobenzaldehyde [XC6H4CHO; X=F, Cl and Br] was also studied theoretically. The free energy difference between the isomers is small but the rotational barrier is about 8kcal/mol. An atypical behavior of fluorine affecting conformational preference is observed.