Aryl cation and carbene intermediates in the photodehalogenation of chlorophenols

The photochemistry of 2,6-dimethyl-4-chlorophenol (6) has been studied in methanol and trifluoroethanol (TFE) through product studies and transient absorption spectroscopy. Chloride loss from triplet 6 gave triplet hydroxyphenyl cation 14, which equilibrated with triplet oxocyclohexadienylydene 15 within a few tens of nanoseconds; the cation can, however, be selectively trapped by allyltrimethylsilane (k(ad) = 10(8)-10(9) m(-1) s(-1)) to give a phenonium ion and the allylated phenol. In neat alcohols, 14 and 15 are reduced through different mechanisms, namely by hydrogen transfer through radical cation 17 and via phenoxyl radical 16, respectively. The mechanistic rationalization has been substantiated by the parallel study of an O-silylated derivative. The work shows that the chemistry of the highly (but selectively) reactive phenyl cation 14 can not only be discriminated from that of the likewise highly reactive carbene 15, but also exploited for synthetically useful reactions, as in this case with alkenes. Photolysis of electron-donating substituted halobenzenes may be the method of choice for the mild generation of some classes of phenyl cations.     

Generation and reactivity of the 4-aminophenyl cation by photolysis of 4-chloroaniline

4-Chloroaniline and its N,N-dimethyl derivative are photostable in cyclohexane but undergo efficient photoheterolysis in polar media via the triplet state and give the corresponding triplet phenyl cations. CASSCF and UB3LYP calculations show that the 4-aminophenyl triplet cation has a planar geometry and is stabilized by >10 kcal mol(-1) with respect to the slightly bent singlet. The triplet has a mixed carbene-diradical character at the divalent carbon. This species either adds to the starting substrate forming 5-chloro-2,4'-diaminodiphenyls (via an intermediate cyclohexadienyl cation) or is reduced to the aniline (via the aniline radical cation) in a ratio depending on the hydrogen-donating properties of the solvent. Transients attributable to the triplet aminophenyl cation as well as to the ensuing intermediates are detected. Chemical evidence for the generation of the phenyl cation is given by trapping via electrophilic substitution with benzene, mesitylene, and hexamethylbenzene (in the last case the main product is a 6-aryl-3-methylene-1,4-cyclohexadiene). Relative rates of electrophilic attack to benzene and to some alkenes and five-membered heterocycles are measured and span over a factor of 15 or 30 for the two cations. The triplet cation formed under these conditions is trapped by iodide more efficiently than by the best pi nucleophiles. However, in contrast to the singlet cation, it does not form ethers with alcohols, by which it is rather reduced.     

Aryl Cation and Carbene Intermediates in the Photodehalogenation of Chlorophenols

The photochemistry of 2,6‐dimethyl‐4‐chlorophenol ( 6 ) has been studied in methanol and trifluoroethanol (TFE) through product studies and transient absorption spectroscopy. Chloride loss from triplet 6 gave triplet hydroxyphenyl cation 14 , which equilibrated with triplet oxocyclohexadienylydene 15 within a few tens of nanoseconds; the cation can, however, be selectively trapped by allyltrimethylsilane (k_ad = 10⁸–10⁹ m ^?1 s^?1) to give a phenonium ion and the allylated phenol. In neat alcohols, 14 and 15 are reduced through different mechanisms, namely by hydrogen transfer through radical cation 17 and via phenoxyl radical 16 , respectively. The mechanistic rationalization has been substantiated by the parallel study of an O‐silylated derivative. The work shows that the chemistry of the highly (but selectively) reactive phenyl cation 14 can not only be discriminated from that of the likewise highly reactive carbene 15 , but also exploited for synthetically useful reactions, as in this case with alkenes. Photolysis of electron‐donating substituted halobenzenes may be the method of choice for the mild generation of some classes of phenyl cations.     

A Novel Reactivity of Phosphanylalumane (>P−Al<): Reversible Addition of a Saturated Interelement Bond to Olefins

The reversible addition of olefins to a phosphanylalumane, P−Al single-bond species, was investigated. The P−Al bond added to ethylene and relatively small terminal alkenes (propylene and hex-1-ene) at room temperature to give the corresponding alkene adducts. Heating the terminal alkene adducts released the corresponding alkenes and regenerated the P−Al bond, but no release of ethylene was observed even under vacuum conditions. The reactivity of ethylene adduct as a new saturated C₂ vicinal P/Al-based FLP was also investigated. The ethylene adduct was found to undergo complexation with nitriles to give the corresponding nitrile adducts to the Al center, which retained the ethylene tether as in the case of the corresponding P/B-based FLP. However, the reactivity of ethylene toward CO₂ and benzaldehyde differed from that of the P/B system giving the corresponding adducts.     

Photoinduced reactions of chloranil with 1,1-diarylethenes and product photochemistry-intramolecular

Photoinduced reactions of chloranil (CA) with 1,1-diarylethenes 1 [(p-X-Ph)(2)C=CH(2), X = F, Cl, H, Me] in benzene afforded products 4-14, respectively, with the bicyclo[4.2.0]oct-3-ene-2,5-diones 4, the 6-diarylethenylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diones 5, and 2,3,5, 6-tetrachlorohydroquinone 13 as the major primary products. The cyclobutane products 4 are formed via a triplet diradical intermediate without involvement of single electron transfer (SET) between the two reactants, while 5 is derived from a reaction sequence with initial SET interaction between (3)CA and the alkene. The 9-arylphenanthrene-1,4-diones 6 and its 10-hydroxy-derivatives 7 are secondary photochemical products derived from 5. The isomeric cage products 9-11 are formed from 4 via intramolecular benzene-alkene [2 + 2] (ortho-)photocycloadditions induced by the triplet excited enedione moiety. The relative amount of the two groups of products (4 and its secondary products 9-11 via non-SET route vs 5 and its secondary products 6, 7, 8, 12, and 14 via SET route) shows a rather regular change, with the ratio of non-SET route products gradually increasing with the increase in oxidation potential of the alkenes and in the positive free energy change for electron transfer (DeltaG(ET)) between (3)CA and the alkene, at the expense of the ratio of the products from the SET route. The competition between the SET and non-SET routes was also found to be drastically influenced by solvent polarity, with the SET pathways more favored in polar solvent. Photo-CIDNP investigations suggest the intermediacy of exciplexes or contact ion radical pairs in these reactions in benzene, while in acetonitrile, SET process led to the formation of CA(*)(-) and cation radical of the alkene in the form of solvent separated ion radical pairs and free ions.     

(Sensitized) photolysis of diazonium salts as a mild general method for the generation of aryl cations. Chemoselectivity of the singlet and triplet 4-substituted phenyl cations

The photolysis of a series of 4-X-benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborates is studied in MeCN. Loss of nitrogen occurs from the singlet excited state with X=H, t-Bu, and NMe2 and leads to the singlet aryl cation. This adds to the solvent yielding the corresponding acetanilides. With other substituents, ISC competes with (X=Br, CN) or overcomes (X=COMe, NO2) fragmentation and the aryl cation is formed in part or completely in the triplet state. In neat MeCN, this either abstracts hydrogen from the solvent (in most cases inefficiently) or undergoes intersystem crossing to the more stable singlet that reacts as above. In the presence of pi nucleophiles (allyltrimethylsilane or benzene), the triplet aryl cation is efficiently trapped giving substituted allylbenzenes and biphenyls, respectively. By triplet sensitization by xanthone, the triplet cation and the products from it are obtained from the whole series considered. The direct or sensitized photodecomposition of diazonium fluoroborates, substituted with both electron-donating and -withdrawing substituents, in the presence of alkenes and arenes offers an access to an alternative arylation procedure.     

Photoinduced three-component reactions of tetracyanobenzene with alkenes in the presence of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds as nucleophiles

Photoinduced three-component reactions between tetracyanobenzene (TCNB), an aromatic olefin, and a beta-dicarbonyl compound afford products composed of the three components via formal elimination of hydrogen cyanide, leading to the vicinal dialkylation of the olefin and the alpha-alkylation of the beta-dicarbonyl compounds. It is shown that these reactions are initiated by photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from the olefin to the singlet excited TCNB and proceed by a nucleophile-olefin combination, aromatic substitution (NOCAS) reaction sequence with the enolized beta-dicarbonyl compound as a nucleophile. Therefore, aromatic olefins are suitable substrates in photo-NOCAS reactions when TCNB is used as the electron acceptor. In addition, these results show that the enol of beta-dicarbonyl compound serves as a carbon nucleophile to trap the alkene cation radical in PET reactions to lead to C-C bond formation.     

Polyoxotungstate photoinduced alkylation of electrophilic alkenes by cycloalkanes

Alkyl radical obtained by irradiation of tetrabutylammonium decatungstate in acetonitrile in the presence of cycloalkanes (C5H10, C6H12, C7H14) are efficiently trapped by electrophilic alkenes (acrylonitrile, isopropylydenmalonitrile, isopropylydencyanoacetate) to give the corresponding alkylated aliphatic nitriles. The reaction can be carried out up to complete conversion of the alkene with reasonable (in most cases 60-65 %) yields. Addition of the radicals to the alkene is followed by electron transfer from reduced decatungstate regenerating the sensitizer (turn over number up to 60). Steady-state measurements, EPR evidence, deuteration experiments and attempted intramolecular trapping of the adduct radical support the mechanistic proposal.     

Phenonium ions from the addition of phenyl cations to alkenes. Photochemical synthesis of (rearranged) aminoalkylanilines from haloanilines in the presence of alkenes and amines

beta-Aminoalkylanilines are smoothly obtained by irradiation of 4-chloro- and 4-fluoroanilines (as well as the N,N-dimethyl derivatives) in the presence of alkenes (1-hexene, cyclohexene) and amines (butylamine, piperidine) in polar, protic solvents such as trifluoroethanol (yield 40-75%). The reaction involves photoheterolysis of the haloaniline, addition of the resulting phenyl cation to the alkene and trapping of the phenonium cation by amine. A fraction (up to ca. 20%) of aminoalkylanilines resulting from Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement of the phenonium cation is obtained in some cases. Reduction and direct trapping of the phenyl cation by the amine compete with the above three-component synthesis in a less stabilizing solvent such as acetonitrile, but not in CF(3)CH(2)OH.     

Generation of Aryl Radicals through Reduction of Hypervalent Iodine(III) Compounds with TEMPONa: Radical Alkene Oxyarylation

A novel method for selective generation of aryl radicals from diaryliodonium salts and iodanylidene malonates with sodium 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl (TEMPONa) as a single‐electron transfer (SET) reducing reagent is described. In the presence of various alkenes, aryl radicals formed after SET‐reduction of hypervalent iodine compounds undergo alkene addition and the adduct radicals that are thus generated are efficiently trapped by the concomitantly generated TEMPO radical to eventually afford oxyarylated products in moderate to very good yields. The efficiency of aryl radical generation of various iodine(III) reagents is studied and the generation of an iodanylidene malonate aryl radical is also investigated by computational methods.     

Cine Substitution in 2-Oxabicyclo[4.2.0]octanones and Subsequent Unusual Rearrangements(1)

Reaction of 2-chlorooxabicyclo[4.2.0]octanone 5 with several nucleophiles was examined and found to differ significantly from those of carbon analog 1. MeO(-) and PhS(-) led either to products of cine substitution 9 or of ring opening to cyclobutenones 8. With most enolates cine substitution occured via C-alkylation of the intermediate oxidoallyl cation in spite of formation of a new C-C bond between two quaternary carbons; with nitroalkanes O-alkylation was preferred. With azide as a nucleophile, further transformations occurred, among them an oxy-promoted electrocyclic cyclobutane opening, with incorporation of a phenyl triazole unit and final formation of the unusual product 19a. Evidence for a mechanism explaining formation of 19a was obtained by isolation of intermediates. Thermolysis or photolysis of 8e or9b led via electrocyclic ring opening to a vinyl ketene which was trapped by MeOH, alkenes, dienes, or oxygen to produce polyfunctional unsaturated esters 29 and 30 or 8-membered ring lactone 31, fused cyclobutanones 33 and 34, pyranone 38, or gamma-lactone 39, respectively.     

Intermolecular Photocyclizations of N‐(ω‐Hydroxyalkyl)tetrachlorophthalimide with Alkenes Leading to Medium‐ and Large‐Ring Heterocycles—Reaction Modes and Regio‐ and Stereoselectivity of the 1,n‐Biradicals

A new photocyclization strategy by using intermolecular tandem reactions between N‐(ω‐hydroxyalkyl)‐4,5,6,7‐tetrachlorophthalimides ( 1 , 2 , and 3 ) and a series of acyclic and cyclic alkenes is reported. Electron transfer of the triplet‐excited phthalimide with the alkene and regioselective trapping of the alkene cation radical by the hydroxyl group at the phthalimide side chain gives a triplet 1,n‐biradical, which after intersystem crossing (ISC) leads to regio‐ and diastereoselective synthesis of polycyclic heterocycles with an N,O‐containing medium to large ring. Regio‐ and diastereoselectivity in the cyclizations are clarified by unambiguous steric structure assignments of the products by X‐ray diffraction or extensive 2D NMR measurements. The diastereoselectivity is decided by the stereochemical course of the ISC process of the triplet 1,n‐biradicals. These intermolecular photoreactions also furnish a new strategy to generate triplet 1,n‐biradicals. Therefore, in photoreactions of 1 and 2 with phenylcyclohexene, the unprecedented stereoselective formation of products by intramolecular hydrogen‐atom transfer in the 1,n‐biradical intermediate was found ( 9 and 23 ). These facts provide direct verification to the reaction pathways of the 1,n‐biradicals and give a new insight into the factors deciding reaction‐pathway partitioning and stereoselectivity.     

Radical Ions in Photochemistry. 44. The Photo-NOCAS Reaction with Acetonitrile as the Nucleophile

Studies on the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) reactions of isobutylene (2-methylpropene, 1) in the absence of methanol have identified a new photochemical nucleophile-olefin combination, aromatic substitution (photo-NOCAS) reaction. Under these conditions acetonitrile was found to act as the nucleophile and to combine with the alkene radical cation. The resulting distonic radical cation then adds to the radical anion of 1,4-dicyanobenzene (2(-*)). The final product (6) results from cyclization into the ortho postion of the phenyl group. This product formation is rationalized on the basis of the relatively high oxidation potential of the alkene (i.e., one-electron oxidation yields a reactive radical cation), the fact that addition of the nucleophile (acetonitrile) to the radical cation is relatively unhindered, and the relatively low acidity of the radical cation due to the low radical stability of the allylic radical formed upon deprotonation. High-level ab initio molecular orbital calculations were used to determine the structures and relative energies of the possible intermediate distonic and bridged radical cations. The scope and mechanism of this type of photo-NOCAS reaction are discussed.     

Nitrene-Mediated Enantioselective Intramolecular Olefin Oxyamination to Access Chiral γ-Aminomethyl-γ-Lactones

Attaching a nitrene precursor to an intramolecular nucleophile allows for a catalytic asymmetric intramolecular oxyamination of alkenes in which the nucleophile adds in an endocyclic position and the amine in an exocyclic fashion. Using chiral-at-ruthenium catalysts, chiral γ-aminomethyl-γ-lactones containing a quaternary carbon in γ-position are provided in high yields (up to 99 %) and with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99 % ee). DFT calculations support the possibility of both a singlet (concerted oxyamination of the alkene) and triplet pathway (stepwise oxyamination) for the formation of the predominant stereoisomer. γ-Aminomethyl-γ-lactones are versatile chiral building blocks and can be converted to other heterocycles such as δ-lactams, 2-oxazolidinones, and tetrahydrofurans.     

Information on the location of carbon-carbon double bonds in C6−C23 linear alkenes from carbon addition reactions in a quadrupole ion trap equipped with a pulsed sample-inlet system

Ion-molecule reactions of a number of alkene molecular ions with different neutral alkenes were studied in a quadrupole ion trap equipped with a pulsed sample-inlet system. The molecules studied include several isomeric unbranched hexenes, heptenes, octenes, and nonenes, as well as representative alkenes with ten, twelve, fourteen, and twenty-three carbon atoms. Transfer of structurally characteristic number of methylene units between the ionic and neutral reactants dominates the product distributions for all the alkenes studied, with the exception of 1-alkenes. Isomeric alkenes can be readily distinguished on the basis of their products from reactions with neutral alkenes. It is suggested that distonic intermediates are generated in these reactions, and that they fragment by alkene elimination after 1,2- and 1,5-hydride shifts. The ability to vary the reaction time, pressure of the neutral reagents, and the type of ions and neutral molecules present in the reaction chamber during each stage of the experiment sequence makes it possible to maximize the amount of structural information obtained for alkenes in these experiments. Use of CS ₂ ^+? to generate the alkene molecular ion by charge exchange yields the same information without the need to carry out a mass-selection step for the ionized alkene.     

Enantioselective alkene radical cations reactions

The reaction of enantiomerically enriched 2-methyl-2-nitro-3-(diphenylphosphatoxy)alkyl radicals with tributyltin hydride and AIBN in benzene at reflux results in the formation of alkene radical cation/anion pairs, which are trapped intramolecularly by amine nucleophiles, leading to pyrrolidine and piperidine systems with memory of stereochemistry. The scope and limitations of the system are explored with respect to nucleophile, leaving group, and substituents within the substrate backbone.     

Alkylation of alkenes: ethylaluminum sesquichloride-mediated hydro-alkyl additions with alkyl chloroformates and di-tert-butylpyrocarbonate

A general method for the hydro-alkyl addition to the nonactivated C=C double bond of alkenes using alkyl chloroformates (primary, secondary), 12, and di-tert-butylpyrocarbonate, 52, mediated by ethylaluminum sesquichloride (Et(3)Al(2)Cl(3)) has been developed. Reaction of 12 and 52, respectively, with Et(3)Al(2)Cl(3) gives an alkyl cation which is added to the alkene; hydride transfer to the adduct carbenium ion or, if applicable, 1,2-H shift followed by hydride transfer from Et(3)Al(2)Cl(3) to the rearranged adduct carbenium ion gives the saturated addition product. The reaction has been applied to 1-alkenes, 2-methyl-1-alkenes, internal double bonds, and to three cyclic alkenes. Special interest has been focused on alkylations of unsaturated fatty compounds, such as oleic acid (2), which are important renewable feedstocks. 2-Methylalkanes, 3-methylalkanes, 2,4-dimethylalkanes, 2,3-dimethylalkanes, 2,2,4-trimethylalkanes, cyclohexylalkanes, and carboxylic acids and esters with the respective branched alkyl chain have been synthesized with good to moderate yields.     

Catalytic,Stereoselective Dihalogenation of Alkenes: Challenges and Opportunities

Although recent years have witnessed significant advances in the development of catalytic, enantioselective halofunctionalizations of alkenes, the related dihalogenation of olefins to afford enantioenriched vicinal dihalide products remains comparatively underdeveloped. However, the growing number of complex natural products bearing halogen atoms at stereogenic centers has underscored this critical gap in the synthetic chemist’s arsenal. This Review highlights the selectivity challenges inherent in the design of enantioselective dihalogenation processes, and formulates a mechanism‐based classification of alkene dihalogenations, including those that may circumvent the “classical” haliranium (or alkene‐dihalogen π‐complex) intermediates. A variety of metal and main group halide reagents that have been used for the dichlorination or dibromination of alkenes are discussed, and the proposed mechanisms of these transformations are critically evaluated.     

Cationic arylation through photo(sensitised) decomposition of diazonium salts. Chemoselectivity of triplet phenyl cations

The photodediazoniation of some 4-X-phenyldiazonium tetrafluoborates in MeCN leads to the singlet phenyl cations (X = H, tert-butyl, NMe2, CN), which add to the solvent yielding the corresponding acetanilides. Triplet sensitisation, however, leads to the triplet phenyl cation, which is reduced in neat solvent and is trapped by pi nucleophiles (allyltrimethylsilane and benzene), resulting in an ionic analogue of the Meerwein or Gomberg arylations. With the 4-nitro derivative intersystem crossing prevails over dediazoniation from the singlet and with the 4-cyano competes with it, so that in those cases the triplet phenyl cation is formed also upon direct irradiation.     

PRODUCTION OF LIGHT ALKENES FROM CO AND/OR CO_2 HYDROGENATION OVER K-Fe-MnO/SILICALITE-2 CATALYST

High selectivity to light alkenes can be achieved from CO and CO_2hydrogenation over K-Fe-MnO/Si-2 catalyst.The alkene selectivity isinsensitive to reaction temperature for CO hydrogenation,while apparentlyincreases for CO_2 hydrogenation with raising reaction temperature.An increasein alkene selectivity is observed for both CO and CO_2 hydrogenation with GHSVrising,While a decrease with the elevation of reaction pressure for both CO/H_2and CO_2/H_2 reaction.A two-step mechanism is suggested forCO_2 hydrogenation to form hydrocarbons,by which the variations incontributions of CO and HC as products of CO_2/H_2 reaction with change ofreaction temperature,GHSV and pressure are explained.Moreover,thecatalyst is favorable for selective production of light olefins,which can alsoconcern the slightly secondary reactions of light olefins to some extent.