Rhodium‐Catalyzed PIII‐Directed ortho‐C−H Borylation of Arylphosphines

Transition‐metal‐mediated metalation of an aromatic C?H bond that is adjacent to a tertiary phosphine group in arylphosphines via a four‐membered chelate ring was first discovered in 1968. Herein, we overcome a long‐standing problem with the ortho‐C?H activation of arylphosphines in a catalytic fashion. In particular, we developed a rhodium‐catalyzed ortho‐selective C?H borylation of various commercially available arylphosphines with B₂pin₂ through P^III‐chelation‐assisted C?H activation. This discovery is suggestive of a generic platform that could enable the late‐stage modification of readily accessible arylphosphines.     

2,4‐Bis(α,α‐di­methyl­benzyl)­phenol

The structure of the title compound, 2,4‐bis(1‐methyl‐1‐phenylethyl)phenol, C₂₄H₂₆O, was found to have a torsion angle of 129.95 (13)° for the C—C bond that connects the benzyl carbon to the phenol ring ortho to the OH group. A value of ～50° was expected from molecular mechanics calculations. Intermolecular interactions, in particular O—H?O and edge–face π bonding, may contribute to this discrepancy. Intramolecular O—H?π bonding is also observed.     

α‐Halogenoacetanilides as Hydrogen‐Bonding Organocatalysts that Activate Carbonyl Bonds: Fluorine versus Chlorine and Bromine

α‐Halogenoacetanilides (X=F, Cl, Br) were examined as H‐bonding organocatalysts designed for the double activation of C?O bonds through NH and CH donor groups. Depending on the halide substituents, the double H‐bond involved a nonconventional C?H???O interaction with either a H?CX_n (n=1–2, X=Cl, Br) or a H?C_Ar bond (X=F), as shown in the solid‐state crystal structures and by molecular modeling. In addition, the catalytic properties of α‐halogenoacetanilides were evaluated in the ring‐opening polymerization of lactide, in the presence of a tertiary amine as cocatalyst. The α‐dichloro‐ and α‐dibromoacetanilides containing electron‐deficient aromatic groups afforded the most attractive double H‐bonding properties towards C?O bonds, with a N?H???O???H?CX₂ interaction.     

2‐Ethylsulfanyl‐7‐(furan‐2‐yl)‐4‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)pyrazolo[1,5‐a][1,3,5]triazine: π‐stacked chains of hydrogen‐bonded R22(10) dimers

In the title compound, C₁₅H₁₂N₄OS₂, the bond distances in the fused heterocyclic system show evidence for aromatic‐type delocalization in the pyrazole ring with some bond fixation in the triazine ring. The thiophenyl substituent is slightly disordered over two sets of atomic sites having occupancies of 0.934 (4) and 0.066 (4). The non‐H atoms in the entire molecule are nearly coplanar, with the planes of the furanyl substituent and the major orientation of the thiophenyl substituent making dihedral angles of 5.72 (17) and 1.8 (3)°, respectively, with that of the fused ring system. Molecules are linked into centrosymmetric R₂²(10) dimers by C—H...O hydrogen bonds and these dimers are further linked into chains by a single π–π stacking interaction. Comparisons are made with some related 4,7‐diaryl‐2‐(ethylsulfanyl)pyrazolo[1,5‐a][1,3,5]triazines which contain variously substituted aryl groups in place of the furanyl and thiophenyl substituents in the title compound.     

Substituent Effect on N-Benzylideneanilines by DFT Energy Partition

To investigate the substituent effect on x-electron delocalization of the N-benzylideneaniline （NBA）, the vertical resonance energies △E^V（θ） of eleven substituted NBAs were separated into n and a parts at the B3LYP/6-311G（d） level of the Density Functional Theory （DFT）. When substituted with an electron-releasing group --OH, the calculated △E^V（θ） of NBA was increased, indicative of more resonance destabilization than the mother molecule. However, when substituted with an electron-withdrawing group -NO2, the calculated △E^V（θ） values indicated less resonance destabilization. The most destabilizing effect was observed especially when the -OH group located at the ortho-position of the aromatic ring in the fragment -N=CH-Ar. For most of the substituted NBA molecules, it was the destabilized a framework that determined the destabilizing feature of the vertical resonance energy, instead of the stabilized n system. When the -NO2 substituent at the para-position of the aromatic ring of the -N=CH-Ar group, the π system had the highest stabilizing effect while the σ framework exhibited the highest destabilizing effect. While the -NO2 substituent was at the para-position of the left aromatic ring （At-）, the NBA had the least vertical resonance energy value.     

Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Oxidant‐Free Allylation of Aromatic Ketoximes with Allylic Acetates at Room Temperature

Substituted aromatic ketoximes reacted efficiently with allylic acetates in the presence of {[RuCl₂(p‐cymene)]₂} and AgSbF₆ in 1,2‐dichloroethane at ambient temperature, providing ortho‐allyl aromatic ketoximes in a highly regioselective manner without an oxidant. In the reaction, the acetate group of allyl acetate acts as a base to activate the C?H bond of aromatics. Later, ortho‐allyl aromatic ketoximes were converted into ortho‐allyl aromatic ketones in the presence of HCl.     

Density functional theory investigation of the binding interactions between phosphoryl,carbonyl, imino,and thiocarbonyl ligands and the pentaaqua nickel(II) complex: Coordination affinity and associated parameters

Density Functional Theory (UB3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p)) calculations of the affinity of the pentaaqua nickel(II) complex for a set of phosphoryl [O?P(H)(CH₃)(PhR)], imino [HN?C(CH₃)(PhR)], thiocarbonyl [S?C(CH₃)(PhR)] and carbonyl [O?C(CH₃)(PhR)] ligands were performed, where R?NH₂, OCH₃, OH, CH₃, H, Cl, CN, and NO₂ is a substituent at the para‐position of a phenyl ring.The affinity of the pentaaqua nickel(II) complex for these ligands was analized and quantified in terms of interaction enthalpy (ΔH), Gibbs free energy (ΔG²⁹⁸), geometric and electronic parameters of the resultant octahedral complexes. The ΔH and ΔG²⁹⁸ results show that the ligand coordination strength increases in the following order: carbonyl < thiocarbonyl < imino < phosphoryl. This coordination strength order is also observed in the analysis of the metal‐ligand distances and charges on the ligand atom that interacts with the Ni(II) cation. The electronic character of the substituent R is the main parameter that affects the strength of the metal‐ligand coordination. Ligands containing electron‐donating groups (NH₂, OCH₃, OH) have more exothermic ΔH and ΔG²⁹⁸ than ligands with electron‐withdrawing groups (Cl, CN, NO₂). The metal‐ligand interaction decomposed by means of the energy decomposition analysis (EDA) method shows that the electronic character of the ligand modulates all the components of the metal‐ligand interaction. The absolute softness of the free ligands is correlated with the covalent contribution to the instantaneous interaction energy calculated using the EDA method. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

An Experimental Study on the Effect of Substituents on Aromatic–Aromatic Interactions in Dithia[3,3]‐metaparacyclophanes

Simple model systems based on the 2,11‐dithia[3,3]‐metaparacyclophane skeleton were synthesized to study the effects of substituents on the intramolecular aromatic–aromatic interactions between benzene rings. X‐ray crystallography established that, in their more stable conformations, these metaparacyclophanes featured partially overlapping aromatic rings (interplanar distances of about 3.5 Å), with the planes of the aromatic systems arranged in a slightly tilted disposition (interplanar angles in the range 5–19°). Calculations showed that these derivatives underwent topomerization by flipping of the meta‐substituted ring over the para‐substituted one, a process in which the two rings adopted a continuum of edge‐to‐face dispositions, including an orthogonal one, which were less stable than the starting face‐to‐face arrangement. The energy barriers to the isomerization process were experimentally determined by variable‐temperature NMR spectroscopy, by using an internal temperature standard to assess even minor differences in energy (relative experimental error: (±0.1 kJ mol^?1). The variation in the barriers as a function of the different substituents on the interacting ring was small and apparently unrelated to the effect of the substituents on the polarity of the π‐systems. An explanation based on the charge‐penetration effect seemed more‐suitable to rationalize the observed trends in the barriers.     

Protonenresonanzuntersuchungen an Aminoboranen—II: Einflüsse von para-Phenylsubstituenten auf die Rotationsbarriere um die N?B-Bindung

The electronic influence of substituents on the free enthalpy of rotation around the N? B bond in aminoboranes was investigated in two series of compounds: (a) (CH₃)₂N?BCl (phenyl-p-X), containing the para-phenyl substituent at the boron atom, and (b) (p-X-phenyl)CH₃N?B(CH₃)₂, containing the para-phenyl substituent at the nitrogen atom of the N? B linkage (X = ? NR₂, ? OCH₃, ? C(CH₃)₃, ? Si(CH₃)₃, ? H, ? F, ? Cl, ? Br, ? I, ? CF₃ and ? NO₂). By comparing the rotational barriers in corresponding compounds of both series, a reverse effect of the substituents could be observed. Electron-withdrawing substituents in the para position of the phenyl ring increase the ΔG_c^≠ if the phenyl group is attached to the boron atom; on the other hand, a lower ΔG_c^≠ is observed if the phenyl ring is bonded to the nitrogen atom of the N? B system. Substitution of the phenyl ring with electron-donating substituents in the paraposition exerts the opposite effect. Within each series of compounds, the differences of ΔG_c^≠ values [δ(ΔG_c^≠) = ΔG_c^≠ (X) ? ΔG_c^≠ (X = H)] between substituted and unsubstituted compounds can be explained in terms of inductive and mesomeric effects of the ring substituents and can be correlated with the Hammett σ constant of each substituent. A comparison of the slopes of the plotted lines shows that the influence of the ring substituents is more pronounced in compounds with N-phenyl-p-X than in those with B-phenyl-p-X.     

Ruthenium N‐heterocyclic–carbene catalyzed diarylation of arene C?H bond

Novel ruthenium‐1,3‐dialkylimidazolin‐2‐ylidene complexes ( 2a–e ) have been prepared and characterized by C, H, N analysis, ¹H‐NMR and ¹³C‐NMR. The ortho position of the aromatic ring of pyridyl group substituted aromatic compound was directly arylated with aryl bromides and chlorides in the presence of a catalytic amount of [RuCl₂(1,3‐dialkylimidazolin‐2‐ylidene)] complexes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structures and Dynamic Solution Behavior of Cationic,Two‐Coordinate Gold(I)–π‐Allene Complexes

A family of seven cationic gold complexes that contain both an alkyl substituted π‐allene ligand and an electron‐rich, sterically hindered supporting ligand was isolated in >90 % yield and characterized by spectroscopy and, in three cases, by X‐ray crystallography. Solution‐phase and solid‐state analysis of these complexes established preferential binding of gold to the less substituted C?C bond of the allene and to the allene π face trans to the substituent on the uncomplexed allenyl C?C bond. Kinetic analysis of intermolecular allene exchange established two‐term rate laws of the form rate=k₁[complex]+k₂[complex][allene] consistent with allene‐independent and allene‐dependent exchange pathways with energy barriers of ΔG^≠₁=17.4–18.8 and ΔG^≠₂=15.2–17.6 kcal mol^?1, respectively. Variable temperature (VT) NMR analysis revealed fluxional behavior consistent with facile (ΔG^≠=8.9–11.4 kcal mol^?1) intramolecular exchange of the allene π faces through η¹‐allene transition states and/or intermediates that retain a staggered arrangement of the allene substituents. VT NMR/spin saturation transfer analysis of [{P(tBu)₂o‐binaphthyl}Au(η²‐4,5‐nonadiene) ]⁺SbF₆^? ( 5 ), which contains elements of chirality in both the phosphine and allene ligands, revealed no epimerization of the allene ligand below the threshold for intermolecular allene exchange (ΔG^≠_298K=17.4 kcal mol^?1), which ruled out the participation of a η¹‐allylic cation species in the low‐energy π‐face exchange process for this complex.     

Supramolecular Binding Thermodynamics by Dispersion‐Corrected Density Functional Theory

The equilibrium association free enthalpies ΔG_a for typical supramolecular complexes in solution are calculated by ab initio quantum chemical methods. Ten neutral and three positively charged complexes with experimental ΔG_a values in the range 0 to ?21 kcal mol^?1 (on average ?6 kcal mol^?1) are investigated. The theoretical approach employs a (nondynamic) single‐structure model, but computes the various energy terms accurately without any special empirical adjustments. Dispersion corrected density functional theory (DFT‐D3) with extended basis sets (triple‐ζ and quadruple‐ζ quality) is used to determine structures and gas‐phase interaction energies (ΔE), the COSMO‐RS continuum solvation model (based on DFT data) provides solvation free enthalpies and the remaining ro‐vibrational enthalpic/entropic contributions are obtained from harmonic frequency calculations. Low‐lying vibrational modes are treated by a free‐rotor approximation. The accurate account of London dispersion interactions is mandatory with contributions in the range ?5 to ?60 kcal mol^?1 (up to 200 % of ΔE). Inclusion of three‐body dispersion effects improves the results considerably. A semilocal (TPSS) and a hybrid density functional (PW6B95) have been tested. Although the ΔG_a values result as a sum of individually large terms with opposite sign (ΔE vs. solvation and entropy change), the approach provides unprecedented accuracy for ΔG_a values with errors of only 2 kcal mol^?1 on average. Relative affinities for different guests inside the same host are always obtained correctly. The procedure is suggested as a predictive tool in supramolecular chemistry and can be applied routinely to semirigid systems with 300–400 atoms. The various contributions to binding and enthalpy–entropy compensations are discussed.     

Iron‐Promoted ortho‐ and/or ipso‐Hydroxylation of Benzoic Acids with H2O2

Regioselective hydroxylation of aromatic acids with hydrogen peroxide proceeds readily in the presence of iron(II) complexes with tetradentate aminopyridine ligands [Fe^II(BPMEN)(CH₃CN)₂](ClO₄)₂ ( 1 ) and [Fe^II(TPA)(CH₃CN)₂](OTf)₂ ( 2 ), where BPMEN=N,N′‐dimethyl‐N,N′‐bis(2‐pyridylmethyl)‐1,2‐ethylenediamine, TPA=tris‐(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine. Two cis‐sites, which are occupied by labile acetonitrile molecules in 1 and 2 , are available for coordination of H₂O₂ and substituted benzoic acids. The hydroxylation of the aromatic ring occurs exclusively in the vicinity of the anchoring carboxylate functional group: ortho‐hydroxylation affords salicylates, whereas ipso‐hydroxylation with concomitant decarboxylation yields phenolates. The outcome of the substituent‐directed hydroxylation depends on the electronic properties and the position of substituents in the molecules of substrates: 3‐substituted benzoic acids are preferentially ortho‐hydroxylated, whereas 2‐ and, to a lesser extent, 4‐substituted substrates tend to undergo ipso‐hydroxylation/decarboxylation. These two pathways are not mutually exclusive and likely proceed via a common intermediate. Electron‐withdrawing substituents on the aromatic ring of the carboxylic acids disfavor hydroxylation, indicating an electrophilic nature for the active oxidant. Complexes 1 and 2 exhibit similar reactivity patterns, but 1 generates a more powerful oxidant than 2 . Spectroscopic and labeling studies exclude acylperoxoiron(III) and Fe^IV?O species as potential reaction intermediates, but strongly indicate the involvement of an Fe^III? OOH intermediate that undergoes intramolecular acid‐promoted heterolytic O? O bond cleavage, producing a transient iron(V) oxidant.     

Synthesis and asymmetric anionic polymerization of substituted 7‐aryl‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides

Substituted 7‐aryl‐2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone methides which have an electron‐donating methoxy substituent at the para‐position (p‐OMe, 2a ) or an electron‐withdrawing chloro one at the para‐ (p‐Cl, 2b ), meta‐ (m‐Cl, 2c ) , and ortho‐positions (o‐Cl, 2d ) of the benzene ring were synthesized, and their asymmetric anionic polymerizations using the complex of lithium 4‐isopropylphenoxide with (?)‐sparteine were carried out in toluene at 0 °C. The polymers with negative specific rotation were obtained for all of four monomers, and the polymer obtained from 2a showed smaller specific rotation value than that of polymer having no substituent (p‐H, 1 ) on the phenyl group and the polymers obtained from 2b–d showed larger ones. It was found that the kind of a substituent and its substitution position on the phenyl group affect significantly the optical activity of polymers. The largest specific rotation value of [α]₄₃₅= ?153.2° was obtained in the polymerization of 2d with an ortho‐chloro substituent. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 437–444     

Density Functional Theory Study of the Mechanisms of Iron‐Catalyzed Regioselective Anti‐Markovnikov Addition of C‐H Bonds in Aromatic Ketones to Alkenes

The mechanisms of iron‐catalyzed regioselective anti‐Markovnikov addition of C‐H bonds in the aromatic ketones to alkenes are studied using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations with the B3LYP‐D3 method. Our results show that the overall catalytic cycle includes the initial generation of aromatic ketone C‐H activation, the coordination and insertion of a styrene, and finally C‐C reductive elimination. Two different alkylation products are obtained through the linear or branched formation via several different paths. The formation of the linear product is energetically favorable over that of the branched product, which is in agreement with the experimental observation. The rate‐limiting step for the whole catalytic cycle to obtain the main linear product is the reductive elimination step where the Gibbs free energy in solvent THF ΔG_sol is 13.5 kcal/mol computed using the SMD method.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of a novel prochiral ketoimine: (E)‐acetophenone O‐diphenylphosphoryl oxime

A novel activated prochiral ketoimine, (E)‐acetophenone O‐diphenylphosphoryl oxime, C₂₀H₁₈NO₂P, with an electron‐withdrawing substituent on the imine N atom similar to other prochiral ketoimines, has been synthesized and the X‐ray crystal stucture determined. The molecules pack together in the solid state via weak intermolecular C—H...O interactions and both face‐to‐face and edge‐to‐face π‐stacking interactions.     

Structure-activity relationship in the case of intramolecular ortho-cyclization of aromatic nitroso oxides: Inverted steric effect of substituent in the 2-R-C6H4NOO transformation

A systematic theoretical study at the M06L/6-311+G(d, p) level of theory was carried out to calculate the activation barriers ΔH^≠ for the intramolecular ortho-cyclization of aromatic nitroso oxides 2-R-C₆H₄NOO and to reveal the effect of substituent nature and position in the benzene ring on the nitroso oxides reactivity. A set of 24 substituents with widely differing spatial and electronic properties (inductive, resonant, steric effects of R) was studied. The para-substituent was shown to have little effect on the ΔH^≠ value. The full set of effects of the R substituent contributes to the reactivity of ArNOO for 3-substituted aromatic nitroso oxides. In the case of 5-substituted ArNOO the Hammett-type relationship was obtain to describe inductive and resonant effects of R on the ortho-cyclization reactivity. The ortho-cyclization for 2-substituted nitroso oxides is a nontrivial example of the existence of an “inverted” steric effect, when an increase in substituent size accelerates intramolecular transformation. The substituent in position 6 also exhibits an “inverted” steric effect, but it is noticeably weaker than that for 2-R-C₆H₄NOO.     

Rhodium‐catalyzed ortho‐C‐H olefination of aromatic aldehydes employing transient directing strategy

A Rhodium(III)‐catalyzed ortho‐C‐H olefination of aromatic aldehydes in the presence of catalytic amount of TsNH₂ has been developed. The in situ generated imine intermediate from aldehyde and TsNH₂ worked as a transient directing group. Both electron‐rich and electron‐deficient aromatic aldehydes were tolerated, affording the corresponding products in moderate to good yields. Importantly, the present protocol provides a straightforward access to olefinated aromatic aldehydes with aldehydes as the simple starting materials.     

Nature of the water/aromatic parallel alignment interactions

The water/aromatic parallel alignment interactions are interactions where the water molecule or one of its O? H bonds is parallel to the aromatic ring plane. The calculated energies of the interactions are significant, up to ΔE_{CCSD(T)(limit)} = ?2.45 kcal mol^?1 at large horizontal displacement, out of benzene ring and CH bond region. These interactions are stronger than CH···O water/benzene interactions, but weaker than OH···π interactions. To investigate the nature of water/aromatic parallel alignment interactions, energy decomposition methods, symmetry‐adapted perturbation theory, and extended transition state‐natural orbitals for chemical valence (NOCV), were used. The calculations have shown that, for the complexes at large horizontal displacements, major contribution to interaction energy comes from electrostatic interactions between monomers, and for the complexes at small horizontal displacements, dispersion interactions are dominant binding force. The NOCV‐based analysis has shown that in structures with strong interaction energies charge transfer of the type π → σ*(O? H) between the monomers also exists. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Functionalization of Hexa‐peri‐hexabenzocoronenes: Investigation of the Substituent Effects on a Superbenzene

We have demonstrated that the iridium‐catalyzed direct borylation of hexa‐peri‐hexabenzocoronene (HBC) enables regioselective introduction of boryl groups to the para‐, ortho‐, and meta‐substituted HBCs in high yields. The boryl groups have been transformed into various functionalities such as hydroxy, cyano, ethynyl, and amino groups. We have elucidated that the substituents significantly influence the photophysical properties of HBCs to enhance fluorescence quantum yields. DFT calculations revealed that the origin of the substituent effect is the lift in degeneracy in the frontier orbitals by an interaction with electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing substituents at the para‐ and ortho‐positions. The change in molecular orbitals results in an increase of the transition probability from the S₀→S₁ states. In addition, the two‐photon absorption cross‐section values of para‐substituted HBCs are significantly larger than those of ortho‐ and meta‐substituted HBCs.