Recent advances in electrochemical C-H phosphorylation

The activation of C-H bond, and its direct one-step functionalization, is one of the key synthetic methodologies that provides direct access to a variety of practically significant compounds. Particular attention is focused on modifications obtained at the final stages of the synthesis of complicated molecules, which requires high tolerance to the presence of existing functional groups. Phosphorus is an indispensable element of life, and phosphorus chemistry is now experiencing a renaissance due to new emerging applications in medicinal chemistry, materials chemistry (polymers, flame retardants, organic electronics, and photonics), agricultural chemistry (herbicides, insecticides), catalysis (ligands) and other important areas of science and technology. In this regard, the search for new, more selective, low-waste synthetic routes become relevant. In this context, electrosynthesis has proven to be an eco-efficient and convenient approach in many respects, where the reagents are replaced by electrodes, where the reactants are replaced by electrodes, and the applied potential the applied potential determines their "oxidizing or reducing ability". An electrochemical approach to such processes is being developed rapidly and demonstrates some advantages over traditional classical methods of C-H phosphorylation. The main reasons for success are the exclusion of excess reagents from the reaction system: such as oxidants, reducing agents, and sometimes metal and/or other improvers, which challenge isolation, increase the wastes and reduce the yield due to frequent incompatibility with these functional groups. Ideal conditions include electron as a reactant (regulated by applied potential) and the by-products as hydrogen or hydrocarbon. The review summarizes and analyzes the achievements of electrochemical methods for the preparation of various phosphorus derivatives with carbon-phosphorus bonds, and collects data on the redox properties of the most commonly used phosphorus precursors. Electrochemically induced reactions both with and without catalyst metals, where competitive oxidation of precursors leads to either the activation of C-H bond or to the generation of phosphorus-centered radicals (radical cations) or metal high oxidation states will be examined. The review focuses on publications from the past 5 years.

Composing NLO Chromophore as a Puzzle: Electrochemistry-based Approach to Design and Effectiveness

A series of D-π-A, D-π-D'-π-A, D-π-A'-π-A nonlinear optical chromophores with vinylene π-electron bridges or bridges with π-deficient/π-excessive heterocyclic moieties along with the corresponding precursors D-vinylene, D-π-D', D'-π-A, D-π-A' and A'-π-A are synthesized and studied both experimentally and computationally. The effect of the heterocycle in the π-electron bridge on the oxidation/reduction potentials and the energy gap (ΔE^el ) is investigated in detail. The properties of the D-π-A'(D')-π-A chromophores are shown to correlate with those of building blocks: the oxidation potential is determined by the D-vinylene, and the reduction potential is determined by A'(D')-π-A truncated compounds. The contribution of the acceptor to the oxidation potential of chromophores in comparison with those of the precursors was estimated and analyzed in terms of electronic communication between the end groups. A good correlation between the ΔE^el and the chromophores' first hyperpolarizability is revealed.

Single-Pore versus Dual-Pore Bipyridine-Based Covalent-Organic Frameworks: An Insight into the Heterogeneous Catalytic Activity for Selective CH Functionalization

Exponential growth in the field of covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) is emanating from the direct correlation between designing principles and desired properties. The comparison of catalytic activity between single-pore and dual-pore COFs is of importance to establish structure-function relationship. Herein, the synthesis of imine-linked dual-pore [(BPyDC)]_{x %} -ETTA COFs (x = 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%) with controllable bipyridine content is fulfilled by three-component condensation of 4,4',4″,4'″-(ethene-1,1,2,2-tetrayl)tetraaniline (ETTA), 4,4'-biphenyldialdehyde, and 2,2'-bipyridyl-5,5'-dialdehyde in different stoichiometric ratio. The strong coordination of bipyridine moieties of [(BPyDC)]_{x %} -ETTA COFs with palladium imparts efficient catalytic active sites for selective functionalization of sp² CH bond to CX (X = Br, Cl) or CO bonds in good yield. To broaden the scope of regioselective CH functionalization, a wide range of electronically and sterically substituted substrates under optimized catalytic condition are investigated. A comparison of the catalytic activity of palladium decorated dual-pore frameworks with single-pore imine-linked Pd(II) @ Py-2,2'-BPyDC framework  is undertaken. The finding of this work provides a sporadic example of chelation-assisted CH functionalization and disclosed an in-depth comparison of the relationship between superior catalytic activity and core properties of rationally designed imine linked frameworks.

Electrochemical Insight into Mechanisms and Metallocyclic Intermediates of C-H Functionalization

Transition metal-catalyzed C-H activation has emerged as a powerful tool in organic synthesis and electrosynthesis as well as in the development of new methodologies for producing fine chemicals. In order to achieve efficient and selective C-H functionalization, different strategies have been used to accelerate the C-H activation step, including the incorporation of directing groups in the substrate that facilitate coordination to the catalyst. In this review, we try to underscore that the understanding the mechanisms of the catalytic cycle and the reactivity or redox activity of the key metal cyclic intermediates in these reactions is the basis for controlling the selectivity of synthesis and electrosynthesis. Combination of the electrosynthesis and voltammetry with traditional synthetic and physico-chemical methods allows one to achieve selective transformation of C-H bonds to functionalized C-C or C-X (X=heteroatom or halogen) bonds which may encourage organic chemists to use it in the future more often. The possibilities and the benefits of electrochemical techniques are analyzed and summarized.

Rapid Electrochemical Methane Functionalization Involves Pd-Pd Bonded Intermediates

High-valent Pd complexes are potent agents for the oxidative functionalization of inert C-H bonds, and it was previously shown that rapid electrocatalytic methane monofunctionalization could be achieved by electro-oxidation of Pd^II to a critical dinuclear Pd^III intermediate in concentrated or fuming sulfuric acid. However, the structure of this highly reactive, unisolable intermediate, as well as the structural basis for its mechanism of electrochemical formation, remained elusive. Herein, we use X-ray absorption and Raman spectroscopies to assemble a structural model of the potent methane-activating intermediate as a Pd^III dimer with a Pd-Pd bond and a 5-fold O atom coordination by H_xSO₄^(x-2) ligands at each Pd center. We further use EPR spectroscopy to identify a mixed-valent M-M bonded Pd₂^II,III species as a key intermediate during the Pd^II-to-Pd^III₂ oxidation. Combining EPR and electrochemical data, we quantify the free energy of Pd dimerization as <-4.5 kcal/mol for Pd₂^II,III and <-9.1 kcal/mol for Pd^III₂. The structural and thermochemical data suggest that the aggregate effect of metal-metal and axial metal-ligand bond formation drives the critical Pd dimerization reaction in between electrochemical oxidation steps. This work establishes a structural basis for the facile electrochemical oxidation of Pd^II to a M-M bonded Pd^III dimer and provides a foundation for understanding its rapid methane functionalization reactivity.

Open clamshell dinuclear palladium(ii) complexes possessing out-of-plane anisotropy

Double cyclometalation of planar, oligomeric phenylpyridines yielded dinuclear palladium(ii) complexes with novel out-of-plane anisotropy. An X-ray crystal structure analysis revealed that the complexes exhibit concave-convex geometry, and 1H NMR measurement evidenced the occurrence of stable out-of-plane anisotropy. The dipole moment and Pd-Pd interaction were investigated by theoretical calculations.

Photoexcited Pd(ii) auxiliaries enable light-induced control in C(sp3)-H bond functionalisation

Herein we report the photophysical and photochemical properties of palladacycle complexes derived from 8-aminoquinoline ligands, commonly used auxiliaries in C–H activation. Spectroscopic, electrochemical and computational studies reveal that visible light irradiation induces a mixed LLCT/MLCT charge transfer providing access to synthetically relevant Pd(iii)/Pd(iv) redox couples. The Pd(ii) complex undergoes photoinduced electron transfer with alkyl halides generating C(sp³)–H halogenation products rather than C–C bond adducts. Online photochemical ESI-MS analysis implicates participation of a mononuclear Pd(iii) species which promotes C–X bond formation via a distinct Pd(iii)/Pd(iv) pathway. To demonstrate the synthetic utility, we developed a general method for inert C(sp³)–H bond bromination, chlorination and iodination with alkyl halides. This new strategy in auxiliary-directed C–H activation provides predictable and controllable access to distinct reactivity pathways proceeding via Pd(iii)/Pd(iv) redox couples induced by visible light irradiation.

Visible light irradiation of 8-aminoquinoline Pd(ii) complexes initiates photoinduced electron transfer with alkyl halides, affording C–H halogenation over C–C bond adducts. A method for inert C(sp³)–H bond halogenation (Br, Cl and I) is reported.

C-H Functionalizations by Palladium Carboxylates: The Acid Effect

Finding optimal reaction conditions is usually complex, requires many experiments, and is therefore demanding in terms of human, financial, and environmental resources. This work provides a simple workflow for easier design of popular palladium-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions, where the active palladium catalysts contain carboxylate ligands. The key factor for optimizing reaction conditions is to find a balance between two opposing effects of the carboxylic acid in the reaction mixture: generation of more reactive palladium catalyst versus deactivation of a substrate by its protonation.

Nano-architecture of silica nanoparticles as a tool to tune both electrochemical and catalytic behavior of NiII@SiO2

The present work introduces a facile synthetic route for efficient doping of [Ni^II(bpy)_x] into silica nanoparticles with various sizes and architectures. Variation of the latter results in different concentrations of the Ni^II complexes at the interface of the composite nanoparticles. The UV-Vis analysis of the nanoparticles reveals changes in the inner-sphere environment of the Ni^II complexes when embedded into the nanoparticles, while the inner-sphere of Ni^II is invariant for the nanoparticles with different architecture. Comparative analysis of the electrochemically generated redox transformations of the Ni^II complexes embedded in the nanoparticles of various architectures reveals the latter as the main factor controlling the accessibility of Ni^II complexes to the redox transitions which, in turn, controls the electrochemical behavior of the nanoparticles. The work also highlights an impact of the nanoparticulate architecture in catalytic activity of the Ni^II complexes within the different nanoparticles in oxidative C–H fluoroalkylation of caffeine. Both low leakage and high concentration of the Ni^II complexes at the interface of the composite nanoparticles enables fluoroalkylated caffeine to be obtained in high yields under recycling of the nanocatalyst five times at least.

The present work introduces a facile synthetic route for efficient doping of [Ni^II(bpy)_x] into silica nanoparticles with various sizes and architectures.

Opportunities and challenges for combining electro- and organometallic catalysis in C(sp2)-H phosphonation

The chemistry of organoelemental compounds including carbon-phosphorus derivatives is now one of the most rapidly developing fields of research, regarding both fundamental science and solution of applied problems. Extensive opportunities for the synthesis of organophosphorus compounds are opened up by the use of unconventional methods, first of all, electrochemical ones, which combine the benefits of usual homogeneous chemistry in solution and electrochemistry, where reactants are generated at the electrodes directly in the reaction system. The interest in the organic electrosynthesis is caused by several factors, including mild conditions (room temperature, atmospheric pressure), the possibility of conducting reactions in a closed system with a low concentration of the catalyst, which is readily regenerated. This mini-review generalizes the achievements in the field of development of new electrochemical, efficient and atom-economical, catalytic methods for the formation of aromatic carbon – phosphorus bonds and some historical background of these approaches.

External oxidant-free cross-coupling: electrochemically induced aromatic C–H phosphonation of azoles with dialkyl-H-phosphonates under silver catalysis

A convenient external oxidant-free method of azole derivatives phosphorylation by dialkyl-H-phosphonates through electrochemical catalytic oxidation in the presence of silver salts (1%) is proposed.

Palladium(ii)–palladium(ii) bonding in two open clamshell dinuclear complexes

In two Pd(ii) dimers with Pd–Pd distance ≤3.26 Å, the metal–metal bond order is found to be zero.