Hydride Reduction by a Sodium Hydride–Iodide Composite

Sodium hydride (NaH) is widely used as a Brønsted base in chemical synthesis and reacts with various Brønsted acids, whereas it rarely behaves as a reducing reagent through delivery of the hydride to polar π electrophiles. This study presents a series of reduction reactions of nitriles, amides, and imines as enabled by NaH in the presence of LiI or NaI. This remarkably simple protocol endows NaH with unprecedented and unique hydride‐donor chemical reactivity.     

Reduction of N,N‐Dimethylcarboxamides to Aldehydes by Sodium Hydride–Iodide Composite

A new and concise protocol for selective reduction of N,N‐dimethylamides into aldehydes was established using sodium hydride (NaH) in the presence of sodium iodide (NaI) under mild reaction conditions. The present protocol with the NaH‐NaI composite allows for reduction of not only aromatic and heteroaromatic but also aliphatic N,N‐dimethylamides with wide substituent compatibility. Retention of α‐chirality in the reduction of α‐enantioriched amides was accomplished. Use of sodium deuteride (NaD) offers a new step‐economical alternative to prepare deuterated aldehydes with high deuterium incorporation rate. The NaH‐NaI composite exhibits unique chemoselectivity for reduction of N,N‐dimethylamides over ketones.     

Understanding the Origins of Nucleophilic Hydride Reactivity of a Sodium Hydride–Iodide Composite

Sodium hydride (NaH) has been commonly used as a Brønsted base in chemical syntheses, while it has rarely been employed to add hydride (H^?) to unsaturated electrophiles. We previously developed a procedure to activate NaH through the addition of a soluble iodide source and found that the new NaH–NaI composite can effect even stereoselective nucleophilic hydride reductions of nitriles, imines, and carbonyl compounds. In this work, we report that mixing NaH with NaI or LiI in tetrahydrofuran (THF) as a solvent provides a new inorganic composite, which consists of NaI interspersed with activated NaH, as revealed by powder X‐ray diffraction, and both solid‐state NMR and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopies. DFT calculations imply that this remarkably simple inorganic composite, which is comprised of NaH and NaI, gains nucleophilic hydridic character similar to covalent hydrides, resulting in unprecedented and unique hydride donor chemical reactivity.     

过渡金属盐促进的纳米氢化钠对硝基的还原反应

研究了在过渡金属盐促进下，纳米尺寸的活性氢化钠对硝基化合物的还原反应．结果表明，过渡金属盐的存在，使纳米氢化钠（ＮａＨ＊）的还原活性进一步增强，硝基苯的转化率在较短时间内就超过９０％．镍盐对生成苯胺的选择性最好（１００％），其次是锰盐．不同纳米碱金属氢化物对硝基苯还原的活性和生成苯胺的选择性顺序为ＮａＨ＊＞ＫＨ＊＞ＬｉＨ＊．几种硝基化合物的反应结果表明，ＮａＨ＊－镍盐是硝基还原生成芳胺有效的复合还原剂     

Hydrodehalogenation of Haloarenes by a Sodium Hydride–Iodide Composite

A simple protocol for hydrodebromination and ‐deiodination of halo(hetero)arenes was enabled by sodium hydride (NaH) in the presence of lithium iodide (LiI). Mechanistic studies showed that an unusual concerted nucleophilic aromatic substitution operates in the present process.     

Calcium Hydride Reduction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

A molecular calcium hydride effects the two electron reduction of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, including naphthalene (E⁰=?3.1 V).     

Reduction of Phosphine Oxide by Using Chlorination Reagents and Dihydrogen: DFT Mechanistic Insights

Extensive DFT calculations provide detailed mechanistic insights into the metal-free reduction of phosphine oxide Ph₃P=O by using chlorination reagents O=CClX (X=COCl, Cl, OCCl₃ and Ph) and H₂. Fast electrophilic attack to the P=O group oxygen atom is favored by exergonic CO₂ release to form phosphonium Ph₃PCl⁺ and chloride Cl⁻, which may slowly cleave H₂ by an unstable HPh₃PCl complex yielding Ph₃PH⁺ and Cl⁻ ions in solution. Moderate heating is required to accelerate the slow H₂-activation step and to eliminate HCl to form phosphine Ph₃P instead of Ph₃PH⁺Cl⁻ salt as the desired product. Though partially quenched by Ph₃P (and reactant Ph₃P=O if present), borane B(2,6-F₂C₆H₃)₃ can be still combined with Cl⁻ and Ph₃P as reactive frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) catalysts.     

Computational Insights on the Hydride and Proton Transfer Mechanisms of D-Arginine Dehydrogenase

D-Arginine dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PaDADH) is an amine oxidase which catalyzes the conversion of D-arginine into iminoarginine. It contains a non-covalent FAD cofactor that is involved in the oxidation mechanism. Based on substrate, solvent, and multiple kinetic isotope effects studies, a stepwise hydride transfer mechanism is proposed. It was shown that D-arginine binds to the active site of enzyme as α-amino group protonated, and it is deprotonated before a hydride ion is transferred from its α-C to FAD. Based on a mutagenesis study, it was concluded that a water molecule is the most likely catalytic base responsible from the deprotonation of α-amino group. In this study, we formulated computational models based on ONIOM method to elucidate the oxidation mechanism of D-arginine into iminoarginine using the crystal structure of enzyme complexed with iminoarginine. The calculations showed that Arg222, Arg305, Tyr249, Glu87, His 48, and two active site water molecules play key roles in binding and catalysis. Model systems showed that the deprotonation step occurs prior to hydride transfer step, and active site water molecule(s) may have participated in the deprotonation process.     

Sodium Butylated Hydroxytoluene (NaBHT) as a New and Efficient Hydride Source for Pd-Catalysed Reduction Reactions

NaBHT (sodium butylated hydroxytoluene), a hindered and soluble base for the efficient arylation of various base-sensitive amines and (hetero)aryl halides has been found to have an unanticipated role as a hydride donor to reduce (hetero)aryl halides and allylic acetates. Mechanistic studies have uncovered that NaBHT, but not BHT, can deliver multiple hydrides through oxidation of the benzylic methyl group in NaBHT to the aldehyde. Further, performing the reduction with NaBHT-d₂₀ has revealed that the redox-active benzylic position is not the only hydride donor site from NaBHT with one hydride in three coming, presumably, from the tert-butyl groups. The reduction works well under mild conditions and, incredibly, only consumes 20 percent of the NaBHT in the process; the remaining 80 percent can be readily recovered in pure form and reused. This, combined with the low cost of the material in ton-scale quantity, makes it practical and attractive for wider use in industry at scale.     

Nucleophilic Amination of Methoxy Arenes Promoted by a Sodium Hydride/Iodide Composite

A method for the nucleophilic amination of methoxy arenes was established by using sodium hydride (NaH) in the presence of lithium iodide (LiI). This method offers an efficient route to benzannulated nitrogen heterocycles. Mechanistic studies showed that the reaction proceeds through an unusual concerted nucleophilic aromatic substitution.     

Radical Hydrodehalogenation of Aryl Bromides and Chlorides with Sodium Hydride and 1,4‐Dioxane

A practical method for radical chain reduction of various aryl bromides and chlorides is introduced. The thermal process uses NaH and 1,4‐dioxane as reagents and 1,10‐phenanthroline as an initiator. Hydrodehalogenation can be combined with typical cyclization reactions, proving the nature of the radical mechanism. These chain reactions proceed by electron catalysis. DFT calculations and mechanistic studies support the suggested mechanism.     

纳米氢化钠的热稳定性和化学反应活性

Nanometric sodium hydride (NaH*) possesses a large specific surface area. Its chemical reactivity is in orders of magnitude higher than that of the conmercial one. After heat treatment at 2ll℃, the specific surface area of NaH* becomes smaller whereas its chemical reactivity is even higher. This fact indicates that the specific surface area of NaH* particles is an important but not the only factor for its high reactivity. NaH treated at (400℃, 6h) still retains a specific surface area of 30m2 g-1 and gives fairly high chemical reactivity.     

茂钛配合物—纳米氢化钠双组分高活性加氢催化剂的研究

提出了带有不同取代基的茂钛配合物与纳米氢化钠（ＮａＨ）组成的高活性加氢催化剂，在常温常压下，取代茂钛配合物ＴｉＣｌ２／ＮａＨ对１－己烯的加氢反应有极高的初始活性，ＴＯＦｍａｘ达到１１０ｍｏｌＨ２／（ｍｏｌＴｉ．ｓ），催化转换数达到２２２００ｍｏｌＨ２／（ｍｏｌＴｉ）。该催化体系对底物有明显的专一选择性，只有端烃才能发生加氢反应，且无民构化副反应发生，纳米氢化钠的助剂作用是该催化体系高活性关键因素。     

Advances in Asymmetric Hydrogenation and Hydride Reduction of Organophosphorus Compounds

Abstract

This article describes the asymmetric synthesis of chiral organophosphorus compounds using methods of enantioselective hydride reduction and hydrogenation of corresponding unsaturated compounds. Many applications in stereoselective synthesis with reference to updated literature findings as well as the author's original research are discussed. The uses of chiral organophosphorus compounds in some asymmetric transformations leading to the formation of phosphorus analogues of important natural compounds were also presented.     

Modular and Selective Arylation of Aryl Germanes (C−GeEt3) over C−Bpin,C−SiR3 and Halogens Enabled by Light‐Activated Gold Catalysis

Selective C –C couplings are powerful strategies for the rapid and programmable construction of bi‐ or multiaryls. To this end, the next frontier of synthetic modularity will likely arise from harnessing the coupling space that is orthogonal to the powerful Pd‐catalyzed coupling regime. This report details the realization of this concept and presents the fully selective arylation of aryl germanes (which are inert under Pd⁰/Pd^II catalysis) in the presence of the valuable functionalities C?BPin, C?SiMe₃, C?I, C?Br, C?Cl, which in turn offer versatile opportunities for diversification. The protocol makes use of visible light activation combined with gold catalysis, which facilitates the selective coupling of C?Ge with aryl diazonium salts. Contrary to previous light‐/gold‐catalyzed couplings of Ar–N₂⁺, which were specialized in Ar–N₂⁺ scope, we present conditions to efficiently couple electron‐rich, electron‐poor, heterocyclic and sterically hindered aryl diazonium salts. Our computational data suggest that while electron‐poor Ar–N₂⁺ salts are readily activated by gold under blue‐light irradiation, there is a competing dissociative deactivation pathway for excited electron‐rich Ar–N₂⁺, which requires an alternative photo‐redox approach to enable productive couplings.     

One-Pot Etherification of Ketones and Aldehydes with Organic Halides Using Sodium Hydride as a Reductant

One-pot etherification reaction of aromatic and some aliphatic carbonyl compounds with organic halides in the presence of sodium hydride as a reducing reagent proceeded smoothly in dioxane, a polar solvent with higher boiling point, to provide desired ethers in moderate to high yields.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed Oxidase C−H/N−H Alkyne Annulation: Mechanistic Insights and Access to Anticancer Agents

Cp*‐free cobalt‐catalyzed alkyne annulations by C?H/N?H functionalizations were accomplished with molecular O₂ as the sole oxidant. The user‐friendly oxidase strategy proved viable with various internal and terminal alkynes through kinetically relevant C?H cobaltation, providing among others step‐economical access to the anticancer topoisomerase‐I inhibitor 21,22‐dimethoxyrosettacin. DFT calculations suggest that electronic effects control the regioselectivity of the alkyne insertion step.