Enolonium Species—Umpoled Enolates

Enolonium species/iodo(III)enolates of carbonyl compounds have been suggested to be intermediates in a wide variety of hypervalent iodine induced chemical transformations of ketones, including α‐C−O, α‐C−N, α‐C−C, and α‐carbon–halide bond formation, but they have never been characterized. We report that these elusive umpoled enolates may be made as discrete species that are stable for several minutes at −78 °C, and report the first spectroscopic identification of such species. It is shown that enolonium species are direct intermediates in C−O, C−N, C−Cl, and C−C bond forming reactions. Our results open up chemical space for designing a variety of new transformations. We showcase the ability of enolonium species to react with prenyl, crotyl, cinnamyl, and allyl silanes with absolute regioselectivity in up to 92 % yield.     

The Fascinating Chemistry of α-Haloamides

The aim of this review is to highlight the rich chemistry of α-haloamides originally mainly used to discover new C−N, C−O and C−S bond forming reactions, and later widely employed in C−C cross-coupling reactions with C(sp³), C(sp²) and C(sp) coupling partners. Radical-mediated transformations of α-haloamides bearing a suitable located unsaturated bond has proven to be a straightforward alternative to access diverse cyclic compounds by means of either radical initiators, transition metal redox catalysis or visible light photoredox catalysis. On the other hand, cycloadditions with α-halohydroxamate-based azaoxyallyl cations have garnered significant attention. Moreover, in view of the important role in life and materials science of difluoroalkylated compounds, a wide range of catalysts has been developed for the efficient incorporation of difluoroacetamido moieties into activated as well as unactivated substrates.     

Intermediates of N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Dimerization Probed in the Gas Phase by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry: C−H⋅⋅⋅:C Hydrogen Bonding Versus Covalent Dimer Formation

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs, :C ) can interact with azolium salts ( C−H⁺ ) by either forming a hydrogen-bonded aggregate ( CHC⁺ ) or a covalent C−C bond ( CCH⁺ ). In this study, the intramolecular NHC–azolium salt interactions of aromatic imidazolin-2-ylidenes and saturated imidazolidin-2-ylidenes have been investigated in the gas phase by traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry (TW IMS) and DFT calculations. The TW IMS experiments provided evidence for the formation of these important intermediates in the gas phase, and they identified the predominant aggregation mode (hydrogen bond vs. covalent C−C) as a function of the nature of the interacting carbene–azolium pairs.     

Low-Temperature Isolation of a Labile Silylated Hydrazinium-yl Radical Cation, [(Me3Si)2N−N(H)SiMe3].+

The oxidation of silylated hydrazine, (Me₃Si)₂N−N(H)SiMe₃, with silver salts led to the formation of a highly labile hydrazinium-yl radical cation, [(Me₃Si)₂N−N(H)SiMe₃]^.+, at very low temperatures (decomposition > −40 °C). EPR, NMR, DFT and Raman studies revealed the formation of a nitrogen-centered radical cation along the N−N unit of the hydrazine. In the presence of the weakly coordinating anion [Al{OCH(CF₃)₂}₄]⁻, crystallization and structural characterization in the solid state were achieved. The hydrazinium-yl radical cation has a significantly shortened N−N bond and a nearly planar N₂Si₃ framework, in contrast to the starting material. According to DFT calculations, the shortened N−N bond has a total bond order of 1.5 with a π-bond order of 0.5. The π bond can be regarded as a three-π-electron, two-center bond.     

Directed C−H Activation and Tandem Cross-Coupling Reactions Using Palladium Nanocatalysts with Controlled Oxidation

Controlled oxidation of palladium nanoparticles provided high-valent Pd^IV oxo-clusters which efficiently promote directed C−H halogenation reactions. In addition, palladium nanoparticles can undergo changes in oxidation states to provide both high-valent Pd^IV and low-valent Pd⁰ species within one system, and thus a tandem reaction of C−H halogenation and cross-coupling (C−N, C−C, and C−S bond formation) was successfully established.     

Directed C−H Activation and Tandem Cross‐Coupling Reactions Using Palladium Nanocatalysts with Controlled Oxidation

Controlled oxidation of palladium nanoparticles provided high‐valent Pd^IV oxo‐clusters which efficiently promote directed C−H halogenation reactions. In addition, palladium nanoparticles can undergo changes in oxidation states to provide both high‐valent Pd^IV and low‐valent Pd⁰ species within one system, and thus a tandem reaction of C−H halogenation and cross‐coupling (C−N, C−C, and C−S bond formation) was successfully established.     

Exploring The Sequence of Electron Density Along The Chemical Reactions Between Carbonyl Oxides And Ammonia/Water Using Bond Evolution Theory

The molecular mechanism of the reactions between four carbonyl oxides and ammonia/water are investigated using the M06-2X functional together with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The analysis of activation and reaction enthalpy shows that the exothermicity of each process increased with the substitution of electron donating substituents (methyl and ethenyl). Along each reaction pathway, two new chemical bonds C−N/C−O and O−H are expected to form. A detailed analysis of the flow of the electron density during their formation have been characterized from the perspective of bonding evolution theory (BET). For all reaction pathways, BET revealed that the process of C−N and O−H bond formation takes place within four structural stability domains (SSD), which can be summarized as follows: the depopulation of V(N) basin with the formation of first C−N bond (appearance of V(C,N) basin), cleavage of N−H bond with the creation of V(N) and V(H) monosynaptic basin, and finally the V(H,O) disynaptic basin related to O−H bond. On the other hand, in the case of water, the cleavage of O−H bond with the formation of V(O) and V(H) basins is the first stage, followed by the formation of the O−H bond as a second stage, and finally the creation of C−O bond.     

Tritopic NHC Precursors: Unusual Nickel Reactivity and Ethylene Insertion into a C(sp3)–H Bond

The imidazolium chloride [C₃H₃N(C₃H₆NMe₂)N{C(Me)(=NDipp)}]Cl ( 1 ; Dipp=2,6‐diisopropyl phenyl), a potential precursor to a tritopic N^imineC^NHCN^amine pincer‐type ligand, reacted with [Ni(cod)₂] to give the Ni^I‐Ni^I complex 2 , which contains a rare cod‐derived η³‐allyl‐type bridging ligand. The implied intermediate formation of a nickel hydride through oxidative addition of the imidazolium C−H bond did not occur with the symmetrical imidazolium chloride [C₃H₃N₂{C(Me)(=NDipp)}₂]Cl ( 3 ). Instead, a Ni−C(sp³) bond was formed, leading to the neutral N^imineCHN^imine pincer‐type complex Ni[C₃H₃N₂{C(Me)(=NDipp)}₂]Cl ( 4 ). Theoretical studies showed that this highly unusual feature in nickel NHC chemistry is due to steric constraints induced by the N substituents, which prevent Ni−H bond formation. Remarkably, ethylene inserted into the C(sp³)−H bond of 4 without nickel hydride formation, thus suggesting new pathways for the alkylation of non‐activated C−H bonds.     

A DFT Study on the Binuclear Copper(I)-Catalyzed Synthesis Mechanism of 1,2,3-Triazolo[1,5-c]Pyrimidine via Interrupted Click and Ketenimine Rearrangement

In this paper, the mechanism of the full catalytic cycle for binuclear Cu(I)-catalyzed sulfonyl azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction for the synthesis of triazolopyrimidines was rationalized by density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations. The computed reaction route consists of: (a) formation of dicopper intermediates, including C−H activation of terminal alkyne, 3+2 ring cycloaddition and ring-reducing reaction and transmetalation, (b) interrupted CuAAC reaction, including di-copper catalyzed ring-opening of 2H-azirines and C−C bond formation to generate the copper-triazoles and -ketenimines, (c) two-step C−N cross-coupling and following (d) multi-step hydrogen transfer by the hydrogen bonding chain of water to promote the C−N formation and another C−N cleavage through the removal of p-tolyl sulfonamides. Our DFT results indicate that the multi-step hydrogen transfer process is the rate-determining step along the potential energy surface profile. The explicit water model was used for systematic determination of barrier for C−C cross-coupling, C−N bond formation and cleavage, and p-tolylsulfonamide removal. A critical insight in the interrupted CuAAC reaction was proposed. Further prediction interprets H₂O hydrogen bond chain plays an important role in C−N bond formation and cleavage, and the removal of p-tolylsulfonamide. This may have fundamental guidance on the design of 1, 5-herterocyclic functionalized triazolopyrimidines via interrupted CuAAC rearrangement reaction, as well as hydrogen bond chain of water.     

Exploring Superacid-Promoted Skeletal Reorganization of Aliphatic Nitrogen-Containing Compounds

Here we report a method to reorganize the core structure of aliphatic unsaturated nitrogen-containing substrates exploiting polyprotonation in superacid solutions. The superelectrophilic activation of N-isopropyl systems allows for the selective formal C_sp3−H activation/cyclization or homologation / functionalization of nitrogen-containing substrates. This study also reveals that this skeletal reorganization can be controlled through protonation interplay. The mechanism of this process involves an original sequence of C−N bond cleavage, isopropyl cation generation and subsequent C−N bond and C−C bond formation. This was demonstrated through in situ NMR analysis and labelling experiments, also confirmed by DFT calculations.     

Synthesis of Substituted 2‐Amino‐1,3‐oxazoles via Copper‐Catalyzed Oxidative Cyclization of Enamines and N,N‐Dialkyl Formamides

A facile synthesis of 2‐amino‐1,3‐oxazoles via Cu^I‐catalyzed oxidative cyclization of enamines and N ,N ‐dialkyl formamides has been developed. The reaction proceeds through an oxidative C−N bond formation, followed by an intramolecular C(sp²)−H bond functionalization/C−O cyclization in one pot. This protocol provides direct access to useful 2‐amino‐1,3‐oxazoles and features protecting‐group‐free nitrogen sources, readily available starting materials, a broad substrate scope and mild reaction conditions.     

What Is the Catalytic Mechanism of Enzymatic Histone N-Methyl Arginine Demethylation and Can It Be Influenced by an External Electric Field?

Arginine methylation is an important mechanism of epigenetic regulation. Some Fe(II) and 2-oxoglutarate dependent Jumonji-C (JmjC) Nϵ-methyl lysine histone demethylases also have N-methyl arginine demethylase activity. We report combined molecular dynamic (MD) and Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanical (QM/MM) studies on the mechanism of N-methyl arginine demethylation by human KDM4E and compare the results with those reported for N-methyl lysine demethylation by KDM4A. At the KDM4E active site, Glu191, Asn291, and Ser197 form a conserved scaffold that restricts substrate dynamics; substrate binding is also mediated by an out of active site hydrogen-bond between the substrate Ser1 and Tyr178. The calculations imply that in either C−H or N−H potential bond cleaving pathways for hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) during N-methyl arginine demethylation, electron transfer occurs via a σ-channel; the transition state for the N−H pathway is ∼10 kcal/mol higher than for the C−H pathway due to the higher bond dissociation energy of the N−H bond. The results of applying external electric fields (EEFs) reveal EEFs with positive field strengths parallel to the Fe=O bond have a significant barrier-lowering effect on the C−H pathway, by contrast, such EEFs inhibit the N−H activation rate. The overall results imply that KDM4 catalyzed N-methyl arginine demethylation and N-methyl lysine demethylation occur via similar C−H abstraction and rebound mechanisms leading to methyl group hydroxylation, though there are differences in the interactions leading to productive binding of intermediates.     

Radical-Pair Formation in Hydrocarbon (Aut)Oxidation

The reaction profiles for the uni- and bimolecular decomposition of benzyl hydroperoxide have been studied in the context of initiation reactions for the (aut)oxidation of hydrocarbons. The unimolecular dissociation of benzyl hydroperoxide was found to proceed through the formation of a hydrogen-bonded radical-pair minimum located +181 kJ mol⁻¹ above the hydroperoxide substrate and around 15 kJ mol⁻¹ below the separated radical products. The reaction of toluene with benzyl hydroperoxide proceeds such that O−O bond homolysis is coupled with a C−H bond abstraction event in a single kinetic step. The enthalpic barrier of this molecule-induced radical formation (MIRF) process is significantly lower than that of the unimolecular O−O bond cleavage. The same type of reaction is also possible in the self-reaction between two benzyl hydroperoxide molecules forming benzyloxyl and hydroxyl radical pairs along with benzaldehyde and water as co-products. In the product complexes formed in these MIRF reactions, both radicals connect to a centrally placed water molecule through hydrogen-bonding interactions.     

Diaryl Dihydrophenazine-Based Porous Organic Polymers Enhance Synergistic Catalysis in Visible-Light-Driven Organic Transformations

Porous organic polymers (POPs) have emerged as a novel class of porous materials that are synthesized by the polymerization of various organic monomers with different geometries and topologies. The molecular tunability of organic building blocks allows the incorporation of functional units for photocatalytic organic transformations. Here, we report the synthesis of two POP-based photocatalysts via homopolymerization of vinyl-functionalized diaryl dihydrophenazine (DADHP) monomer ( POP1 ) and copolymerization of vinyl-functionalized DADHP and 2,2′-bipyridine monomers ( POP2 ). The fluorescence lifetimes of DADHP units in the POPs significantly increased, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic performances over homogeneous controls. POP1 is highly effective in catalysing visible-light-driven C−N bond forming cross-coupling reactions. Upon coordination with Ni²⁺ ions, POP2-Ni shows strong synergy between photocatalytic and Ni catalytic cycles due to the confinement effect within the POP framework, leading to high efficiency in energy, electron, and organic radical transfer. POP2-Ni displays excellent activity in catalysing C−P bond forming reactions between diarylphosphine oxides and aryl iodides. They increased the photocatalytic activities by more than 30-fold in C−N and C−P cross-coupling reactions. These POP catalysts were readily recovered via centrifugal separation and reused in six catalytic cycles without loss of activities. Thus, photosensitizer-based POPs provide a promising platform for heterogeneous photocatalytic organic transformations.     

Plasma-Assisted Coupling Reactions of Dinitrogen and Carbon Dioxide Mediated by Monometallic YB1–4−⋅Anions: Carbon−Nitrogen Bond Formation

Transition-metal catalyzed coupling to form C−N bonds is significant in chemical science. However, the inert nature of N₂ and CO₂ renders their coupling quite challenging. Herein, we report the activation of dinitrogen in the mild plasma atmosphere by the gas-phase monometallic YB_1–4⁻ anions and further coupling of CO₂ to form C−N bonds by using mass spectrometry and theoretical calculation. The observed product anions are NCNBO⁻ and N(BO)₂⁻, accompanied by the formation of neutral products YO and YB_0–2NC, respectively. We can tune the reactivity and the type of products by manipulating the number of B atoms. The B atoms in YB_1–4N₂⁻ act as electron donors in CO₂ reduction reactions, and the carbon atom originating from CO₂ serves as an electron reservoir. This is the first example of gas-phase monometallic anions, which are capable to realize the functionalization of N₂ with CO₂ through C−N bond formation and N−N and C−O bond cleavage.     

Fragmentation Mechanism of White Phosphorus: A Theoretical Insight into Multiple Cleavage/Formation of P−P and P−C Bonds

Molecular-level understanding of metal-mediated white phosphorus (P₄) activation is meaningful but challenging because of its direct relevance to the conversion of P₄ into useful organophosphorus compounds as well as the complicated and unforeseeable cleavage process of P−P bonds. The related study, however, has still rarely been achieved to date. Here, a theoretical insight into the step-by-step process of three P−P bond cleavage/four P−C bond formation for [P₃+P₁]-fragmentation of P₄ mediated by lutetacyclopentadienes is reported. The unique charge-separated intermediate and the intermolecular cooperation between two lutetacyclopentadienes play a vital role in the subsequent P−P/P−C bond breaking/forming. It is found that, although the first P−C formation is involved in the assembly of the cyclo-P₃ [R₄C₄P₃]⁻ unit, the construction of the aromatic five-membered P₁ heterocycle [R₄C₄P]⁻ is completed prior to the cyclo-P₃ formation. The reaction mechanism has been carefully elucidated by analyses of the geometric structure, frontier molecular orbitals, bond index, and natural charge, which greatly broaden and enrich the general knowledge of the direct functionalization of P₄.     

σ-Silane Platinum(II) Complexes as Intermediates in C−Si Bond-Coupling Processes

Platinum complexes [Pt(NHC′)(NHC)][BAr^F] (in which NHC′ denotes a cyclometalated N-heterocyclic carbene ligand, NHC) react with primary silanes RSiH₃ to afford the cyclometalated platinum(II) silyl complexes [Pt(NHC-SiHR′)(NHC)][BAr^F] through a process that involves the formation of C−Si and Pt−Si bonds with concomitant extrusion of H₂. Low-temperature NMR studies indicate that the process proceeds through initial formation of the σ-SiH complexes [Pt(NHC′)(NHC)(HSiH₂R)][BAr^F], which are stable at temperatures below −10 °C. At higher temperatures, activation of one Si−H bond followed by a C−Si coupling reaction generates an agostic SiH platinum hydride derivative [Pt(H)(NHC′-SiH₂R)(NHC)][BAr^F], which undergoes a second Si−H bond activation to afford the final products. Computational modeling of the reaction mechanism indicates that the stereochemistry of the silyl/hydride ligands after the first Si−H bond cleavage dictates the nature of the products, favoring the formation of a C−Si bond over a C−H bond, in contrast to previous results obtained for tertiary silanes. Furthermore, the process involves a trans-to-cis isomerization of the NHC ligand before the second Si−H bond cleavage.     

Regiodivergent Synthesis of 11H-Indolo[3,2-c]quinolines and Neocryptolepine from a Common Starting Material

A large number of diversely functionalized analogs of the bioactive natural products neocryptolepine and isocryptolepine have been prepared from a series of 3-bromoquinoline derivatives. The neocryptolepines were obtained by a Pd⁰-catalyzed C−C bond coupling followed by C−N bond formation in yields up to 80 %, whereas the indoloquinolines were prepared by a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling followed by azidation-photochemical cyclization in yields ranging from traces to 95 % yield.     

Iodine(I) and Silver(I) Complexes of Benzoimidazole and Pyridylcarbazole Derivatives

The synthesis of iodine(I) complexes with either benzoimidazole or carbazole-derived sp² N-containing Lewis bases is described, as well as their corresponding silver(I) complexes. The addition of elemental iodine to the linear two-coordinate Ag(I) complexes produces iodine(I) complexes with a three-center four-electron (3c–4e) [N−I−N]⁺ bond. The ¹H and ¹H-¹⁵N HMBC NMR studies unambiguously confirm the formation of the complexes in all cases via the [N−Ag−N]⁺→[N−I−N]⁺ cation exchange, with the ¹⁵N NMR chemical shift change between 94 to 111 ppm when compared to the free ligand. The single crystal X-ray crystallographic studies on eight I⁺ complexes revealed highly symmetrical [N−I−N]⁺ bonds with I−N bond distances of 2.21–2.26 Å and N−I−N angles of 177–180°, whilst some of the corresponding Ag⁺ complexes showed a clear deviation from linearity with N−Ag−N angles of ca. 150° and Ag−N bond distances of 2.09–2.18 Å.     

Bond dissociations in hypervalent ammonium radicals prepared by collisional neutralization of protonated six-membered nitrogen heterocycles

Hypervalent organic ammonium radicals were generated by collisional neutralization with dimethyl disulfide of protonated 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (1H⁺), N,N′-dimethylpiperazine (2H⁺) and N-methylpiperazine (3H⁺). The radicals dissociated completely on the 5.1 μs time-scale. Radical 1H^• underwent competitive N−H and N−C bond dissociations producing 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and small ring fragments. Dissociations of radical 2H^• proceeded by N−H bond dissociation and ring cleavage, whereas N−CH₃ bond cleavage was less frequent. Radical 3H^• underwent N−H, N−CH₃ and N−C_ring bond cleavages followed by post-reionization dissociations of the formed cations. The pattern of bond dissociations in the hypervalent ammonium radicals derived from six-membered nitrogen heterocycles is similar to those of aliphatic ammonium radicals. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.