Metal Alkoxide Promoted Regio‐ and Stereoselective CO and CC Metathesis of Allenoates with Aldehydes

The reaction of 2,3‐allenoates and aldehydes in the presence of an alkoxide affords alkyl 4,5‐diaryl‐3‐oxo‐2‐propylpent‐4(E)‐enoates and cis‐3,4‐diaryloxetanes through a formal C?O and C?C metathesis. A mechanism for this reaction has been proposed.     

Selenium-77 NMR chemical shifts of five-membered selenium and sulphur heterocycles with CSe,CS,and CO groups

This paper reports the ⁷⁷Se NMR chemical shifts of 1,3-dithiole-, 1,3-thiaselenole- and 1,3-diselenole-2-ones, -thiones and -selones, of the corresponding saturated compounds 1,3-diselenolane-2-one, -thione and -selone, and the 1,3-thiaselenolium tetrafluoroborates, either unsubstituted or substituted by morpholino, ethylthio or ethylseleno groups in the 2-position. The ⁷⁷Se chemical shift values of the ring selenium and the C?Se groups are compared with the ¹³C chemical shift values of neighbouring carbon atoms. The relationships between the ⁷⁷Se chemical shifts of the C?Se groups and the wavelengths of their n→* absorption in the UV-visible spectrum are discussed with respect to the significance of the δE term in the contribution of the paramagnetic screening and the electron density distribution.     

Organocatalysis of CN/CN and CC/CN Exchange in Dynamic Covalent Chemistry

The reversibly formed C?N bond plays a very important role in dynamic covalent chemistry and the C?N/C?N exchange of components between different imine constituents to create dynamic covalent libraries has been extensively used. To facilitate diversity generation, we have investigated an organocatalyzed approach, using L ‐proline as catalyst, to accelerate the formation of dynamic libraries of [n×n] imine components. The organocatalysis methodology has also been extended, under somewhat modified conditions, to reversible C?C/C?N exchange processes between Knoevenagel derivatives of barbituric acid and imines, allowing for the generation of increased diversity.     

Metal‐Mediated Production of Isocyanates,R3ENCO from Dinitrogen,Carbon Dioxide,and R3ECl

A highly efficient and versatile chemical cycle has been developed for the production of isocyanates through the molecular fixation of N₂, CO₂ and R₃ECl (E=C, Si, and Ge). Key steps include a ‘one‐pot’ photolytic N N bond cleavage of a Group 6 dinuclear dinitrogen complex with in situ trapping by R₃ECl to provide a metal terminal imido complex that can engage in simultaneous nitrene‐group transfer and oxygen‐atom transfer to generate an intermediate metal terminal oxo complex with release of the isocyanate product. Reaction of the oxo complex with additional equivalents of R₃ECl regenerates a metal dichloride that is the precursor for dinuclear dinitrogen starting material.     

Metal‐Mediated Production of Isocyanates,R3ENCO from Dinitrogen,Carbon Dioxide,and R3ECl

A highly efficient and versatile chemical cycle has been developed for the production of isocyanates through the molecular fixation of N₂, CO₂ and R₃ECl (E=C, Si, and Ge). Key steps include a ‘one‐pot’ photolytic N? N bond cleavage of a Group 6 dinuclear dinitrogen complex with in situ trapping by R₃ECl to provide a metal terminal imido complex that can engage in simultaneous nitrene‐group transfer and oxygen‐atom transfer to generate an intermediate metal terminal oxo complex with release of the isocyanate product. Reaction of the oxo complex with additional equivalents of R₃ECl regenerates a metal dichloride that is the precursor for dinuclear dinitrogen starting material.     

From Disilene (SiSi) to Phosphasilene (SiP) and Phosphacumulene (PCN)

The generation of heavier double‐bond systems without by‐ or side‐product formation is of considerable importance for their application in synthesis. Peripheral functional groups in such alkene homologues are promising in this regard owing to their inherent mobility. Depending on the steric demand of the N‐alkyl substituent R, the reaction of disilenide Ar₂Si?Si(Ar)Li (Ar=2,4,6‐iPr₃C₆H₂) with ClP(NR₂)₂ either affords the phosphinodisilene Ar₂Si?Si(Ar)P(NR₂)₂ (for R=iPr) or P‐amino functionalized phosphasilenes Ar₂(R₂N)Si? Si(Ar)?P(NR₂) (for R=Et, Me) by 1,3‐migration of one of the amino groups. In case of R=Me, upon addition of one equivalent of tert‐butylisonitrile a second amino group shift occurs to yield the 1‐aza‐3‐phosphaallene Ar₂(R₂N)Si? Si(NR₂)(Ar)? P?C?NtBu with pronounced ylidic character. All new compounds were fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy as well as single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and DFT calculations in selected cases.