Synthesis of heterocycles by means of intramolecular radical-addition reactions (Review)

Methods for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds based on intramolecular reactions with the formation of free radicals with an unpaired electron on the heteroatom as intermediate particles — photochemical cyclization of unsaturated nitrites, mercaptans, and sulfides and the photochemical and catalytic cyclization of unsaturated N-chloroamines — are examined.Paper presented at the conference on the chemistry of heterocyclic compounds in La Grande Motte, France, May, 1973.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 579–593, May, 1975.     

A concept of an electron transfer stopped-flow method

A new concept of an electron transfer stopped-flow (ETSF) method is proposed. In the ETSF method, unstable cation radicals are formed via the electron transfer reactions with stable cation radicals whose oxidation potential is positive to that of unstable ones. Thus, by combining the electron transfer reactions with the stopped-flow operation, absorption spectroscopic measurements for short-lived cation radical become possible with a reduced dead time from the point of the generation of cation radicals to the point of the optical measurement, in particular, with a help of a rapid-scan spectrophotometer. By mixing an acetonitrile (AN) solution of tris(p-bromophenyl)amine cation radical (TBPA^⋅+) with an AN solution of methyldiphenylamine (MDPA) or diphenylamine (HDPA), the kinetic analyses could be carried out successfully for the dimerization reactions of MDPA^⋅+ and HDPA^⋅+ as well as the observations of their absorption spectra. It was found that fast reactions whose second order rate constants are around 10⁷ M⁻¹s⁻¹ can be analyzed using the ETSF method.     

Reaction between Azidyl Radicals and Alkynes: A Straightforward Approach to NH‐1,2,3‐Triazoles

Reaction between nitrogen‐centered radicals and unsaturated C?C bonds is an effective synthetic strategy for the construction of nitrogen‐containing molecules. Although the reactions between nitrogen‐centered radicals and alkenes have been studied extensively, their counterpart reactions with alkynes are extremely rare. Herein, the first example of reactions between azidyl radicals and alkynes is described. This reaction initiated an efficient cascade reaction involving inter‐/intramolecular radical homolytic addition toward a C?C triple bond and a hydrogen‐atom transfer step to offer a straightforward approach to NH‐1,2,3‐triazoles under mild reaction conditions. Both the internal and terminal alkynes work well for this transformation and some heterocyclic substituents on alkynes are compatible. This mechanistically distinct strategy overcomes the inherent limitations associated with azide anion chemistry and represents a rare example of reactions between a nitrogen‐centered radicals and alkynes.     

FLASH PHOTOLYTIC INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ELECTRON TRANSFER BETWEEN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON RADICALS AND TRYPTOPHAN IN MICELLAR SOLUTIONS

Abstract— Electron transfer reactions between tryptophan and cation radicals of various polycyclic hydrocarbons which are known to differ with respect to their carcinogenic and photodynamic activity have been investigated by flash spectroscopy. The hydrocarbons were solubilized in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles. Their cation radicals were produced by photoionization probably via the excited singlet states. In the case of benz[a]anthracene, benzo[ghi]perylene, pyrene, benzo[rst]pentaphene, dibenz[a, h]-anthracene and anthracene, the electron transfer takes place in the Stern layer of the micelles and leads to neutral tryptophan radicals. It is assumed that tryptophan forms charge transfer complexes with the cation radicals of 3-methylcholanthrene and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene. With perylene tryptophan only reduces the radical yield. New species could not be detected in this case. No correlation exists between the carcinogenic or the photodynamic activity of the hydrocarbons and the electron transfer behaviour of their cation radicals.     

Influence of Electronic Effects on the Reactivity of Triazolylidene‐Boryl Radicals: Consequences for the use of N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Boranes in Organic and Polymer Synthesis

A small library of triazolylidene‐boranes that differ only in the nature of the aryl group on the external nitrogen atom was prepared. Their reactivity as hydrogen‐atom donors, as well as that of the corresponding N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐boryl radicals toward methyl acrylate and oxygen, was investigated by laser flash photolysis, molecular orbital calculations, and ESR spin‐trapping experiments, and benchmarked relative to the already known dimethyltriazolylidene‐borane. The new NHC‐boranes were also used as co‐initiators for the Type I photopolymerization of acrylates. This allowed a structure–reactivity relationship with regard to the substitution pattern of the NHC to be established and the role of electronic effects in the reactivity of NHC‐boryl radicals to be probed. Although their rate of addition to methyl acrylate depends on their electronegativity, the radicals are all nucleophilic and good initiators for photopolymerization reactions.     

Photoredox-catalyzed aminofluorosulfonylation of unactivated olefins

The development of efficient approaches to access sulfonyl fluorides is of great significance because of the widespread applications of these structural motifs in many areas, among which the emerging sulfur(vi) fluoride exchange (SuFEx) click chemistry is the most prominent. Here, we report the first three-component aminofluorosulfonylation of unactivated olefins by merging photoredox-catalyzed proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) activation with radical relay processes. Various aliphatic sulfonyl fluorides featuring a privileged 5-membered heterocyclic core have been efficiently afforded under mild conditions with good functional group tolerance. The synthetic potential of the sulfonyl fluoride products has been examined by diverse transformations including SuFEx reactions and transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that amidyl radicals, alkyl radicals and sulfonyl radicals are involved in this difunctionalization transformation.

A three-component aminofluorosulfonylation of unactivated alkenes has been developed by merging photocatalytic PCET with radical relay processes, affording various aliphatic sulfonyl fluorides featuring medicinally privileged heterocyclic scaffolds.     

Cation radicals — intermediates in the vilsmeier-haack reaction

It was observed that cation radicals are intermediate particles in the formylation of N,N'-alkyl- or -aryldihydrophenazines with dimethyIformamide in the presence of POC1₃. The observed instantaneous cation-radical concentrations in the investigated reactions depend substantially on the concentrations and ratios of the starting reagents and may reach 50–90% based on the substrate undergoing formylation.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 835–839, June, 1984.     

PHOTOCHEMISTRY IN A CYCLODEXTRIN CAVITY. PRIMARY PROCESSES IN THE PHOTOREDUCTION OF 3- and 4-BENZOYLPYRIDINE STUDIED BY LASER FLASH-PHOTOLYSIS*

The photochemistry of 3- and 4-benzoylpyridine-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes (BPyCDx) was examined by nanosecond laser flash-photolysis and stationary techniques. The lifetimes of the triplet complex and of the triplet radical pair, formed by H-abstraction from a glucose unit of the CDx, have been measured in β-CDx complexes. The reactivity of the heterocyclic ketones with CDx is higher than that of benzophenone, but the lower binding ability of the macrocycle toward these more hydrophylic molecules induces faster separation of the geminate radicals. The quantum yields of the escaped radicals and their decay kinetics have been determined. The β-CDx cage favours geminate recombination reactions, while α- and -γ-CDx tend to release the guest molecule. Cage products have been spectroscopically characterized in the case of the 3-BPy-β-CDx system.     

Effect of the counterion on the steric and electronic structure of pyrylium cation

The effect of counterions on the stabilization of aromatic pyrylium cation, a heterocyclic analog of benzene, was examined by ab initio [MP2(full)/6-311++G**] method and density functional theory [B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)(6d,10f)]. Structures of the charge-transfer molecular complexes formed by interaction of pyrylium cation with counterion are predicted. The principal role of the counterion in the stabilization of the pyrylium cation aromatic system is demonstrated. The stabilization results from both electron density transfer and covalent bonding.     

Geometric factor in prototropic reactions of neutral and charged radicals

Conclusions The difference between the rate constants of thermodynamically favorable proton-transfer reactions between NH- and OH-containing radicals and heterocyclic bases and those diffusion-controlled reactions is due to the reactivity anisotropy of the reagents.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 31–34, January, 1989.     

Enhanced Reactivities of Iron(IV)‐Oxo Porphyrin π‐Cation Radicals in Oxygenation Reactions by Electron‐Donating Axial Ligands

The proximal axial ligand in heme iron enzymes plays an important role in tuning the reactivities of iron(IV)‐oxo porphyrin π‐cation radicals in oxidation reactions. The present study reports the effects of axial ligands in olefin epoxidation, aromatic hydroxylation, alcohol oxidation, and alkane hydroxylation, by [(tmp)^+. Fe^IV(O)(p‐Y‐PyO)]⁺ ( 1 ‐Y) (tmp=meso‐tetramesitylporphyrin, p‐Y‐PyO=para‐substituted pyridine N‐oxides, and Y=OCH₃, CH₃, H, Cl). In all of the oxidation reactions, the reactivities of 1 ‐Y are found to follow the order 1 ‐OCH₃ > 1 ‐CH₃ > 1 ‐H > 1 ‐Cl; negative Hammett ρ values of ?1.4 to ?2.7 were obtained by plotting the reaction rates against the σ_p values of the substituents of p‐Y‐PyO. These results, as well as previous ones on the effect of anionic nucleophiles, show that iron(IV)‐oxo porphyrin π‐cation radicals bearing electron‐donating axial ligands are more reactive in oxo‐transfer and hydrogen‐atom abstraction reactions. These results are counterintuitive since iron(IV)‐oxo porphyrin π‐cation radicals are electrophilic species. Theoretical calculations of anionic and neutral ligands reproduced the counterintuitive experimental findings and elucidated the root cause of the axial ligand effects. Thus, in the case of anionic ligands, as the ligand becomes a better electron donor, it strengthens the FeO? H bond and thereby enhances its H‐abstraction activity. In addition, it weakens the Fe?O bond and encourages oxo‐transfer reactivity. Both are Bell–Evans–Polanyi effects, however, in a series of neutral ligands like p‐Y‐PyO, there is a relatively weak trend that appears to originate in two‐state reactivity (TSR). This combination of experiment and theory enabled us to elucidate the factors that control the reactivity patterns of iron(IV)‐oxo porphyrin π‐cation radicals in oxidation reactions and to resolve an enigmatic and fundamental problem.     

Alpha- and beta-thujone radical rearrangements and isomerizations. A new radical clock

Radical clocks have been extensively used in chemical and biochemical mechanistic studies. The C4 radicals of alpha- and beta-thujone can undergo two distinct rearrangement reactions that could, in principle, serve as simultaneous but independent radical clocks. We have therefore generated these C4 radicals by photolysis of the corresponding N-hydroxypyridine-2-thione ester precursors and have investigated their fates and lifetimes. Photolysis of either alpha- or beta-thujone generates the same 6:100 mixture of alpha- and beta-thujone when the radicals are quenched by thiophenol. Hydrogen atom transfer from thiophenol to the radical thus occurs preferentially from the less sterically hindered alpha-face to give beta-thujone. The third product formed in the photolysis via opening of the cyclopropyl ring is 2-methyl-5-isopropylcyclopent-2-enone. The ratio of ring opened to unopened products gives very similar values of kralpha = 4.4 x 10(7) s(-1) and krbeta = 1.0 x 10(8) s(-1) for ring opening of the radicals generated from alpha- and beta-thujone, respectively. If the C4 cation rather than radical is generated, it is converted to carvacrol, a phenol that is not obtained in the radical reactions. Thujone therefore differentiates between radical and cation pathways and provides a measure of the radical lifetime.     

Radiation-thermal decomposition of lignin: Products and the mechanism of their formation (Review)

The mechanism of the radiation-thermal conversion of lignin including the formation of aromatic radical cations and their fragmentation resulting in the appearance of phenoxyl radicals is considered. The multipath formation of phenoxyl radicals occurs with the participation of the reactions of molecules with electrons and small radicals (^?Н and ^?СН₃) and electronic excitation relaxation processes. Phenoxyl radicals are characterized by smaller thermal stability in comparison with that of parent macromolecules. The further thermally stimulated decomposition of these radicals results in the release of monohydric and dihydric phenols from a polymeric chain. The most effective liberation of phenols takes place on the surface of lignin particles, whereas the formation of wood charcoal with the participation of unsaturated products dominates in the bulk. The formation of dihydric phenols is intensified in the presence of alkanes in the irradiated sample; this fact is indicative of an important role of ^?Н and ^?СН₃ radicals in the formation of monomeric phenol products.     

One-electron redox reactions of trifluoperazine in aqueous solutions

Absolute rate constants have been measured for the reactions of the primary and specific one-electron oxidant radicals with the protonated form of trifluoperazine (TFP). The primary radicals, e^- _aq and OH·, react with TFP at diffusion controlled rates. The transients thus produced have been characterized. Halogenated aliphatic peroxyl radicals oxidize TFP with rate constants between 10⁷ and 10⁸ dm³ mol^-1 s^-1, depending on the structure of the peroxyl radical. The reactivity of peroxyl radicals has been found to vary with Taft's inductive parameter. Oxidation of TFP at acidic pH has been studied using stopped-flow technique. The reaction between TFP radical cation and ascorbic acid has also been examined using pulse radiolysis technique. The results indicate that TFP radical cation is repaired by ascorbate. One-electron reduction potential of TFP · + /TFP at pH 3.5 has been calculated to be 0.964 V vs. NHE.     

Highly diastereoselective ionic/radical domino reactions: single electron transfer induced cyclization of bis-sulfoxides

SET oxidation of bis-sulfinyl anions has enabled the uses of bis-sulfinyl radical as a synthetic equivalent of chiral acyl and methylene radicals involved in tandem reactions leading to the enantioselective construction of various carbo- and heterocyclic derivatives.     

Ion/molecule reactions of cation radicals formed from protonated polypeptides via gas-phase ion/ion electron transfer

Cation radicals formed via gas-phase electron transfer to multiply protonated polypeptides have been found to react with molecular oxygen. Such cation radicals are of interest within the context of electron transfer dissociation, a phenomenon with high utility for the characterization of peptide and protein primary structures. Most of the cation radicals show the attachment of O(2) under room temperature storage conditions in an electrodynamic ion trap. At higher temperatures and under conditions of collisional activation, the oxygen adduct species lose O(2), HO(*), or HO(2)(*), depending upon the identity of the side chain at the radical site. The fragments containing the C-terminus, the so-called z-ions, which are predominantly radical species, engage in reactions with molecular oxygen. This allows for the facile distinction between z-ions and their complementary even-electron c-ion counterparts. Such a capability has utility in protein identification and characterization via mass spectrometry. Intact electron transfer products also show oxygen attachment. Subsequent activation of such adducts show dissociation behavior very similar to that noted for z-ion adducts. These observations indicate that ion/radical reactions can be used to probe the locations of radical sites in the undissociated electron transfer products as well as distinguish between c- and z-type ions.     

Regioselectivity of enzymatic and photochemical single electron transfer promoted carbon-carbon bond fragmentation reactions of tetrameric lignin model compounds

New types of tetrameric lignin model compounds, which contain the common β-O-4 and β-1 structural subunits found in natural lignins, have been prepared and carbon-carbon bond fragmentation reactions of their cation radicals, formed by photochemical (9,10-dicyanoanthracene) and enzymatic (lignin peroxidase) SET-promoted methods, have been explored. The results show that cation radical intermediates generated from the tetrameric model compounds undergo highly regioselective C-C bond cleavage in their β-1 subunits. The outcomes of these processes suggest that, independent of positive charge and odd-electron distributions, cation radicals of lignins formed by SET to excited states of sensitizers or heme-iron centers in enzymes degrade selectively through bond cleavage reactions in β-1 vs β-O-4 moieties. In addition, the findings made in the enzymatic studies demonstrate that the sterically large tetrameric lignin model compounds undergo lignin peroxidase-catalyzed cleavage via a mechanism involving preliminary formation of an enzyme-substrate complex.     

Substitutions by nucleophilic free radicals: A new general reaction of heteroaromatic bases

The substitution of protonated heteroaromatic bases by nucleophilic carbon-centered radicals has been developed as one of the most general reactions in the heterocyclic series; its great interest results from the fact that it reproduces most of the numerous aspects of the Friedel-Crafts aromatic substitution, but with opposite reactivity and selectivity. The most recent developments, concerning the generation of free radicals by iodine and hydrogen abstraction and decarboxylation of carboxylic acids are particularly discussed. Some processes of high synthetic value were designed on the basis of the kinetic and thermodynamic features of all the elementary steps involved in complex but selective chain processes. New general procedures for the monosubstitution in the homolytic alkylation and acylation are reported and discussed.     

Photochemistry in Interstellar Space and Reactions Generating Interstellar Molecules

Over 20 different molecules and radicals have so far been detected in interstellar space. The number of such molecules and radicals and their frequently complicated structure raise the question of the processes leading to their formation. Diatomic molecules and radicals could arise in gas-phase reactions. Formation of polyatomic molecules can be explained in terms of reactions proceeding on the surface dust particles and possibly involving interstellar radiation. The author demonstrates, with the aid of a model, that the molecular abundances and distributions within dust clouds in certain regions can be explained by photocatalytic reactions.