Mechanistic characterization of aerobic alcohol oxidation catalyzed by Pd(OAc)(2)/pyridine including identification of the catalyst resting state and the origin of nonlinear [catalyst] dependence

The Pd(OAc)(2)/pyridine catalyst system is one of the most convenient and versatile catalyst systems for selective aerobic oxidation of organic substrates. This report describes the catalytic mechanism of Pd(OAc)(2)/pyridine-mediated oxidation of benzyl alcohol, which has been studied by gas-uptake kinetic methods and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The data reveal that turnover-limiting substrate oxidation by palladium(II) proceeds by a four-step pathway involving (1) formation of an adduct between the alcohol substrate and the square-planar palladium(II) complex, (2) proton-coupled ligand substitution to generate a palladium-alkoxide species, (3) reversible dissociation of pyridine from palladium(II) to create a three-coordinate intermediate, and (4) irreversible beta-hydride elimination to produce benzaldehyde. The catalyst resting state, characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, consists of an equilibrium mixture of (py)(2)Pd(OAc)(2), 1, and the alcohol adduct of this complex, 1xRCH(2)OH. These in situ spectroscopic data provide direct support for the mechanism proposed from kinetic studies. The catalyst displays higher turnover frequency at lower catalyst loading, as revealed by a nonlinear dependence of the rate on [catalyst]. This phenomenon arises from a competition between forward and reverse reaction steps that exhibit unimolecular and bimolecular dependences on [catalyst]. Finally, overoxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzoic acid, even at low levels, contributes to catalyst deactivation by formation of a less active palladium benzoate complex.     

Pentacoordinate spirosilicate anion, bis(2,2′-biphenyldiyl)methylsilicate, synthesized by the lithium cleavage of dimethoxyethane

The reaction of spirobisilafluorene (1) with lithium in dimethoxyethane produces lithium 1-methyl-spirobisilafluorenide (2), a stable pentacoordinate silicon compound with five carbon ligands, and lithium 2-methoxyethoxide, which was identified by trapping with Ph₃SiCl to give Ph₃Si-OCH2CH2OCH3 (4). The X-ray crystal structure of 2 shows that the geometry at silicon is an idealized trigonal bipyramid, slightly distorted toward a square pyramid. Methanolysis of 2 cleaves a Si-aryl bond producing a methyl biphenylsilafluorene, 3. Crystal structures are reported for 3 and 4.     

Unexpected synthesis of a naphthylsilole

The reaction of 1,4-dilithiotetraphenylbutadiene (2) with 1,1′-dichloro-2,3,4,5-tetraphenyl-1-silole (3) leads to 2,3,4,5-tetraphenyl-1-(1,2,3-triphenylnaphthalen-4-yl)-1H-silole (5) instead of the expected octaphenyl-1,1′-spirobisilole (1). The reaction of 2 with SiC1₄ in dioxane produced 1 in low yield, confirming results reported earlier.     

Hydrogen atom and hydride transfer in the reactions of chromium(IV) and chromium(V) complexes with rhodium hydrides. Crystal structure of a superoxorhodium(III) product

The aquachromyl ion, Cr(IV)aqO2+, reacts with the hydrides L(H2O)RhH2+ (L = L1 = [14]aneN4 and L2 = meso-Me6-[14]aneN4) in aqueous solutions in the presence of molecular oxygen to yield Cr(aq)3+ and the superoxo complexes L(H2O)RhOO2+. At 25 degrees C, the rate constants are approximately 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) (L = L1) and 1.12 x 10(3) M(-1) s(-1) (L = L2). Both reactions exhibit a moderate deuterium isotope effect, kRhH/kRhD = approximately 3 (L1) and 3.3 (L2), but no solvent isotope effect, kH2O/kD2O = 1. The proposed mechanism involves hydrogen atom abstraction followed by the capture of LRh(H2O)2+ with molecular oxygen. There is no evidence for the formation of L(H2O)Rh2+ in the reaction between L(H2O)RhH2+ and (salen)CrVO+. The proposed hydride transfer is supported by the magnitude of the rate constants (L = L1, k = 8,800 M(-1) s(-1); (NH3)4, 2,500; L2, 1,000) and isotope effects (L = L1, kie = 5.4; L2, 6.2). The superoxo complex [L1(CH3CN)RhOO](CF3SO3)2.H2O crystallizes with discrete anions, cations, and solvate water molecules in the lattice. All moieties are linked by a network of hydrogen bonds of nine different types. The complex crystallized in the triclinic space group P1 with a = 9.4257(5) A, b = 13.4119(7) A, c = 13.6140(7) A, alpha = 72.842(1)degrees, beta = 82.082(1) degrees, gamma = 75.414(1) degrees, V = 1587.69(14) A3, and Z = 2.     

Constructor graph description of hydrogen bonding in a supramolecular assembly of (3,5‐dimethyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐ylmethyl)isopropylammonium chloride monohydrate

Five distinct strong hydrogen‐bonding interactions of four kinds (N—H...Cl, N—H...O, O—H...N, and O—H...Cl) connect molecules of the title compound, C₉H₁₈N₃⁺·Cl⁻·H₂O, in the crystal structure into corrugated sheets stacked along the a axis. The intermolecular interactions are efficiently described in terms of the first‐ through fifth‐level graph sets. A two‐dimensional constructor graph helps visualize the supramolecular assembly.     

Halophilic reactions of a stable silylene with chloro and bromocarbons

A number of disilanes have been synthesized from a stable silylene, 1 (N,N'-di-tert-butyl-1,3-diaza-2-silacyclopent-4-en-2-ylidene), and a variety of halocarbons. It is proposed that disilane formation is a result of an initial halophilic interaction between the silylene and halocarbon. Formation of disilanes from 1 and CCl4, 2a, CHCl3, 2b, CH2Cl2, 2c, benzyl chloride, 2d, and bromobenzene, 5, are described here. An X-ray crystal structure of 2b was determined.     

A new cryptand: synthesis and complexation with paraquat

[formula: see text] Inspired by folded, nonpseudorotaxane complexes of bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10 systems, we synthesized a new bicyclic crown ether containing two 1,3,5-phenylene units linked by three tetra(ethyleneoxy) units. The new cryptand forms a "pseudorotaxane-like" inclusion complex with N,N'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium bis(hexafluorophosphate) with association constant Ka = 6.1 x 10(4) M-1, 100-fold greater than that of an analogous simple crown ether.     

Unique "cradled barbell" complex between a secondary diammonium ion and bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10

[formula: see text] The complexation between N,N'-dibenzyl(m-xylylene)diammonium bis(hexafluorophosphate) (2) and bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10 (5) was shown to occur in solution by nuclear magnetic resonance with 1:1 stoichiometry and a Ka value of 189 +/- 19 M-1. A crystal structure of 2:5 revealed a unique 1:1 "exo" or "cradled barbell" complex, instead of the expected pseudorotaxane. This unexpected result illustrates that caution be used in interpreting the results from these types of complexes in the solution and "gas" phases on the basis of crystal structures.     

An investigation of Staudinger reactions involving cis-1,3,5-triazidocyclohexane and tri(alkylamino)phosphines

The reaction of 1,3,5-cis-triazidocyclohexane with the electron-rich tris(dialkylamino)phosphines P(NMe(2))(3) (1) and N(CH(2)CH(2)NMe)(3)P (2b) in acetonitrile for 3 h furnished the corresponding tris-phosphazides 1,3,5-cis-(R(3)PN(3))(3)C(6)H(9), 3a (R(3)P = 1) and 3b (R(3)P = 2b), in 90% and 92% yields, respectively. The same reaction with the relatively electron-poor tris(dialkylamino)phosphine MeC(CH(2)NMe)(3)P (4) for 2 days gave the tris-iminophosphorane, 1,3,5-cis-(R(3)PN)(3)C(6)H(9), 5a (R(3)P = 4), in 60% yield. Compound 3b is a thermally stable solid that did not lose dinitrogen when refluxed in toluene for 24 h or when heated as a neat sample at 100 degrees C /0.5 Torr for 10 h. By contrast, tris-phosphazide 3a decomposed to the tris-iminophosphorane 1,3,5-cis-(R(3)PN)(3)C(6)H(9), 5b (R(3)P = 1), in 3 h in quantitative yield upon heating to 100 degrees C in toluene. Factors influencing the formation of the phosphazides or the iminophosphoranes in these reactions are discussed. The reaction of 3b with 4 equiv of benzoic acid gave [N(CH(2)CH(2)NMe)(3)P=NH(2)]PhCO(2) ([6bH]PhCO(2)) in quantitative yield along with benzene (56% yield) and dinitrogen. The same reaction with 3a gave [(Me(2)N)(3)P=NH(2)]PhCO(2) ([7aH]PhCO(2)) (quantitative yield), benzene (15% yield), and dinitrogen(.) Treatment of [6bH]PhCO(2) with KO(t)Bu afforded N(CH(2)CH(2)NMe)(3)P=NH (6b) in 40% overall yield. Compound 6b upon treatment with PhCH(2)CH(2)Br produced [6bH]Br in 90% yield along with styrene. The new compounds were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods, and selected compounds (3b, 5a, and [6bH]Br) were structured by X-ray crystallography. A special feature of 3b is its capability to function as a starting material for 6b, which was not accessible by other synthetic routes.