Nucleophilic substitution reaction of benzyl benzenesulfonates with anilines in MeOH-MeCN mixtures-I : Effects of substituent and solvent on the transition-state structure

Kinetic studies on nucleophilic substitution reaction of benzyl tosylates with anilines are reported. The reaction was found to proceed via a dissociative S_N2 mechanism with less than 50 % bond formation and extensive bond breaking at the transition state. It was found that positive charge development at the benzylic carbon is substantial and para-substituent effect on the substrate is predominantly of resonance type. Bond formation is shown to be favored by a better nucleophile, by an electron withdrawing group on the substrate and by the more polar(higher MeCN content) solvent. The substrate, nucleophile and solvent were found to follow the RSP.     

Proton-coupled electron transfer versus hydrogen atom transfer in benzyl/toluene,methoxyl/methanol,and phenoxyl/phenol self-exchange reactions

Degenerate hydrogen atom exchange reactions have been studied using calculations, based on density functional theory (DFT), for (i) benzyl radical plus toluene, (ii) phenoxyl radical plus phenol, and (iii) methoxyl radical plus methanol. The first and third reactions occur via hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) mechanisms. The transition structure (TS) for benzyl/toluene hydrogen exchange has C(2)(h)() symmetry and corresponds to the approach of the 2p-pi orbital on the benzylic carbon of the radical to a benzylic hydrogen of toluene. In this TS, and in the similar C(2) TS for methoxyl/methanol hydrogen exchange, the SOMO has significant density in atomic orbitals that lie along the C-H vectors in the former reaction and nearly along the O-H vectors in the latter. In contrast, the SOMO at the phenoxyl/phenol TS is a pi symmetry orbital within each of the C(6)H(5)O units, involving 2p atomic orbitals on the oxygen atoms that are essentially orthogonal to the O.H.O vector. The transferring hydrogen in this reaction is a proton that is part of a typical hydrogen bond, involving a sigma lone pair on the oxygen of the phenoxyl radical and the O-H bond of phenol. Because the proton is transferred between oxygen sigma orbitals, and the electron is transferred between oxygen pi orbitals, this reaction should be described as a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). The PCET mechanism requires the formation of a hydrogen bond, and so is not available for benzyl/toluene exchange. The preference for phenoxyl/phenol to occur by PCET while methoxyl/methanol exchange occurs by HAT is traced to the greater pi donating ability of phenyl over methyl. This results in greater electron density on the oxygens in the PCET transition structure for phenoxyl/phenol, as compared to the PCET hilltop for methoxyl/methanol, and the greater electron density on the oxygens selectively stabilizes the phenoxyl/phenol TS by providing a larger binding energy of the transferring proton.     

Homo- and hetero-oxidative coupling of benzyl anions

The regioselective benzylic metalation of substituted toluenes using BuLi/KO-t-Bu/TMP(H) (LiNK metalation conditions) with subsequent in situ oxidative C-C coupling has been developed for the facile generation of 1,2-diarylethanes. A range of oxidants can be used for the oxidative coupling step, with 1,2-dibromoethane proving optimal. Heterocouplings can be achieved starting from a mixture of two different toluenes with a bias toward cross coupling achievable by using a 2-fold excess of one toluene starting material. The utility of this approach is illustrated by the synthesis of several biologically active natural products. A distinct advantage is that the synthetic steps typically required to preactivate the coupling substrates are eliminated and no transition metal is required to facilitate the C-C bond formation.     

The role of aromatic radical cations and benzylic cations in the 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate photosensitized oxidation of ring-methoxylated benzyl alcohols in CH2Cl2 solution

A steady-state and laser flash photolysis (LFP) study of the TPPBF(4)-photosensitized oxidation of ring-methoxylated benzyl alcohols has been carried out. Direct evidence on the involvement of intermediate benzyl alcohol radical cations and benzylic cations in these reactions has been provided through LFP experiments. The reactions lead to the formation of products (benzaldehydes, dibenzyl ethers, and diphenylmethanes) whose amounts and distributions are influenced by the number and relative position of the methoxy substituents. This behavior has been rationalized in terms of the interplay between the stabilities of benzyl alcohol radical cations and benzyl cations involved in these processes. A general mechanism for the TPPBF(4)-photosensitized reactions of ring-methoxylated benzyl alcohols has been proposed, where the alpha-OH group of the parent substrate acts as the deprotonating base promoting alpha-C-H deprotonation of the benzyl alcohol radical cation (formed after electron transfer from the benzyl alcohol to TPP) to give a benzyl radical and a protonated benzyl alcohol, precursor of the benzylic cation. This hypothesis is in contrast with previous studies, where formation of the benzyl cation was suggested to occur from the neutral benzyl alcohol through the Lewis acid action of excited TPP(+) (TPP).     

Pd-catalyzed benzylic C-h amidation with benzyl alcohols in water: a strategy to construct quinazolinones

A novel method for the synthesis of 4-phenylquinazolinones via a palladium-catalyzed domino reaction of o-aminobenzamides with benzyl alcohols is developed. This protocol involves N-benzylation, benzylic C-H amidation, and dehydrogenation in water, which may play an important role in the smooth generation of the (η(3)-benzyl)palladium species by activation of the hydroxyl group of the benzyl alcohol.     

Yttrium triflate-catalyzed efficient chemoselective S-benzylation of indoline-2-thiones using benzyl alcohols

A highly efficient yttrium triflate-catalyzed chemoselective S-benzylation of indolin-2-thiones using variously substituted benzyl alcohols has been developed for the synthesis of indole-based sulfides. This procedure presents a greener approach for the synthesis of S-alkylated indoles. The reaction condition is amenable to primary, secondary, and tertiary benzylic alcohols as the benzyl group donors.     

Rearrangements of the carbanions derived from allyl benzyl thioether

The metalation of allyl benzyl thioether involves the benzylic or the allylic hydrogens. The benzylic carbanion undergoes a rapid[2,3] sigmatropic shift whereas the allylic carbanion gives rise to various rearrangements, among them migration of the allylic unit to the para position with allylic inversion. The temperature dependence of the ratio of products arising from the benzylic carbanion vs those from the allylic carbanion shows that the allylic-to-benzylic carbanion transformation occurs only under special conditions: (a) with slow addition of the base; (b) with thioether in excess relative to the base, and (c) on raising the temperature of the reaction medium from ?78° to ?15°. In the last instance, the proton transfer is intramolecular as shown with labeled thioethers. The extent of the different rearrangements depends on the temperature and solvent. A choice of mechanism cannot be made at this time for the para migration 5→9a. A leaving group effect on the reaction regioselectivity of the carbanion from allyl methyl thioether with benzyl halides has been noticed. The presence of dibenzyl indicates that, in addition to S_N2 reactions, some electron transfer process is occurring.     

An unexpected transformation of benzyl carbamates into α-azidobenzeneacetamides

Successive treatment of benzyl carbamates 5 (Z-protected secondary amines) with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA), diphenyl phosphorochloridate (DPPC1), and NaN 3 yielded the corresponding ã-azidobenzeneacetamides 6 in 45–50% yield (Schemes 2 and 3). In the case of Z-protected diisopropylamine 5b , the phosphate 7 was isolated as a minor product. A reaction mechanism for this unexpected transformation is proposed in Scheme 4, the key step being the ring closure of a benzylic anion to give an oxirane intermediate B. In cursory experiments, it was demonstrated that ã-azidobenzeneacetamides 6 can be used as 2-phenylglycine synthons in the formation of dipeptides by using a phosphine-mediated coupling (Scheme 5).     

3,3]-Sigmatropic rearrangement/5-exo-dig cyclization reactions of benzyl alkynyl ethers: synthesis of substituted 2-indanones and indenes

Substituted benzyl alkynyl ethers, prepared from the corresponding α-alkoxy ketones in a two-step sequence involving enol triflate formation and KOtBu-induced E2 elimination, undergo [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement/intramolecular 5-exo-dig cyclization at 60 °C to form substituted 2-indanones in good overall yields. 1,3-cis-Disubstituted-2-indanones are formed preferentially when the benzylic substituent R(1) is bulky. Substituted indenes may be prepared from 2-indanones in high yields by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction.     

Stereoselective conjugate addition of benzyl phenylsulfonyl carbanions to enoates derived from d-mannitol

The conjugate addition of benzylic phenylsulfonyl carbanions (2a'-d') to enoates derived from d-(+)-mannitol (E- or Z-1a-c) was studied using THF and THF/HMPA as solvent. Under kinetic conditions (-78 degrees C), enoate E-1a,b led to a mixture of syn-(R,S) and anti-(S,S) adducts (55/45), and syn-(R,S) adducts were the main product obtained ( approximately 90/10) from enoate Z-1a. Under thermodynamic conditions (-78 degrees C to room temperature) syn-(R,S) adducts were also preferentially formed ( approximately 90/10), despite the geometry at the double bond in the acceptor. Enoate 1c (E/Z = 57/43), bearing an additional benzyl group at the alpha-position, also reacted with carbanions 2'a,b, under thermodynamic conditions, leading to syn-adducts in excellent de (control at the three newly generated stereogenic centers). The adducts were quantitatively transformed into the corresponding beta-gamma-disubstituted gamma-butyrolactones and alpha,beta,gamma-trisubstituted gamma-butyrolactones. (1)H NMR studies (NOE and J-coupling) of these lactones allowed us to determine their configuration at the newly generated chiral centers. The reduction of the C-S bond in adducts syn-(R,S) with Na/Hg, followed by treatment of the resulting products in aqueous acid media, led to enantioenriched beta-benzyl-gamma-hydroxymethyl-gamma-butyrolactones. The conformational equilibrium of enoates E- and Z-1b was evaluated by theoretical calculations (ab initio, MP2/6-31G), and a mechanistic rationale was proposed to explain the observed stereoselectivities.     

Visible light mediated homo- and heterocoupling of benzyl alcohols and benzyl amines on polycrystalline cadmium sulfide

The oxidative coupling of sp(3) hybridized carbon atoms by photocatalysis is a valuable synthetic method as stoichiometric oxidation reagents can be avoided and dihydrogen is the only byproduct of the reaction. Cadmium sulfide, a readily available semiconductor, was used as a visible light heterogeneous photocatalyst for the oxidative coupling of benzyl alcohols and benzyl amines by irradiation with blue light. Depending on the structure of the starting material, good to excellent yields of homocoupling products were obtained as mixtures of diastereomers. Cross-coupling between benzyl alcohols and benzyl amines gave product mixtures, but was selective for the coupling of tetrahydroisoquinolines to nitromethane. The results demonstrate that CdS is a suitable visible light photocatalyst for oxidative bond formation under anaerobic conditions.     

Regioselective bond cleavage in the dissociative electron transfer to benzyl thiocyanates: the role of radical/ion pair formation

Important aspects of the electrochemical reduction of a series of substituted benzyl thiocyanates were investigated. A striking change in the reductive cleavage mechanism as a function of the substituent on the aryl ring of the benzyl thiocyanate was observed, and more importantly, a regioselective bond cleavage was encountered. A reductive alpha-cleavage (CH(2)-S bond) was seen for cyano and nitro-substituted benzyl thiocyanates leading to the formation of the corresponding nitro-substituted dibenzyls. With other substituents (CH(3)O, CH(3), H, Cl, and F), both the alpha (CH(2)-S) and the beta (S-CN) bonds could be cleaved as a result of an electrochemical reduction leading to the formation of the corresponding substituted monosulfides, disulfides, and toluenes. These final products are generated through either a protonation or a nucleophilic reaction of the two-electron reduction-produced anion on the parent molecule. The dissociative electron transfer theory and its extension to the formation/dissociation of radical anions, as well as its extension to the case of strong in-cage interactions between the produced fragments ("sticky" dissociative electron transfer (ET)), along with the theoretical calculation results helped rationalize (i) the observed change in the ET mechanism, (ii) the dissociation of the radical anion intermediates formed during the electrochemical reduction of the nitro-substituted benzyl thiocyanates, and more importantly (iii) the regioselective reductive bond cleavage.     

Copper-catalyzed benzylic C-H oxygenation under an oxygen atmosphere via N-H imines as an intramolecular directing group

Copper-catalyzed benzylic C-H oxygenation under an oxygen atmosphere was developed starting from carbonitriles and Grignard reagents via N-H imine intermediates. The present process is characterized by the following two-step sequence in a one-pot manner: (1) addition of Grignard reagents to carbonitriles to form N-H imines and (2) benzylic C-H oxygenation (C═O bond formation) triggered by 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer with transient iminyl copper species.     

Mechanisms of hydrolysis of phenyl- and benzyl 4-nitrophenyl-sulfamate esters

The kinetics of hydrolysis at medium acid strength (pH interval 2-5) of a series of phenylsulfamate esters 1 have been studied and they have been found to react by an associative S(N)2(S) mechanism with water acting as a nucleophile attacking at sulfur, cleaving the S-O bond with simultaneous formation of a new S-O bond to the oxygen of a water molecule leading to sulfamic acid and phenol as products. In neutral to moderate alkaline solution (pH ≥ ~ 6-9) a dissociative (E1cB) route is followed that involves i) ionization of the amino group followed by ii) unimolecular expulsion of the leaving group from the ionized ester to give N-sulfonylamine [HN=SO(2)] as an intermediate. In more alkaline solution further ionization of the conjugate base of the ester occurs to give a dianionic species which expels the aryloxide leaving group to yield the novel N-sulfonylamine anion [(-)N=SO(2)]; in a final step, rapid attack of hydroxide ion or a water molecule on it leads again to sulfamic acid. A series of substituted benzyl 4-nitrophenylsulfamate esters 4 were hydrolysed in the pH range 6.4-14, giving rise to a Hammett relationship whose reaction constant is shown to be consistent with the E1cB mechanism.     

Reactions of (arene)tricarbonylchromium stabilized carbocations with aromatics and β-dicarbonyl compounds

Primary and secondary benzylic carbocations, stabilized by a tricarbonyl-chromium group, gave coupling products with several aromatics or β-dicarbonyl compounds in good yield and this reaction presents a new synthetic method for carbon-carbon bond formation. The chromium complexes of tertiary benzyl alcohols gave dehydrated products without carbon-carbon coupling products under similar conditions.     

Aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohols catalyzed by aryl substituted N-hydroxyphthalimides. Possible involvement of a charge-transfer complex

A series of aryl-substituted N-hydroxyphthalimides (X-NHPIs) containing either electron-withdrawing groups (4-CH(3)OCO, 3-F) or electron-donating groups (4-CH(3), 4-CH(3)O, 3-CH(3)O, 3,6-(CH(3)O)(2)) have been used as catalysts in the aerobic oxidation of primary and secondary benzylic alcohols. The selective formation of aromatic aldehydes was observed in the oxidation of primary alcohols; aromatic ketones were the exclusive products in the oxidation of secondary alcohols. O-H bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) of X-NHPIs have been determined by using the EPR radical equilibration technique. BDEs increase with increasing the electron-withdrawing properties of the aryl substituent. Kinetic isotope effect studies and the increase of the substrate oxidation rate by increasing the electron-withdrawing power of the NHPI aryl substituent indicate a rate-determining benzylic hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the alcohol to the aryl-substituted phthalimide-N-oxyl radical (X-PINO). Besides enthalpic effects, polar effects also play a role in the HAT process, as shown by the negative rho values of the Hammett correlation with sigma(+) and by the decrease of the rho values (from -0.54 to -0.70) by increasing the electron-withdrawing properties of the NHPI aryl substituent. The relative reactivity of 3-CH(3)O-C(6)H(4)CH(2)OH and 3,4-(CH(3)O)(2)-C(6)H(3)CH(2)OH, which is higher than expected on the basis of the sigma(+) values, the small values of relative reactivity of primary vs secondary benzylic alcohols, and the decrease of the rho values by increasing the electron-withdrawing properties of the NHPI aryl substituent, suggest that the HAT process takes place inside a charge-transfer (CT) complex formed by the X-PINO and the benzylic alcohol.     

Catalytic CN Bond Alkynylation of N‐Benzylic Sulfonamides with Terminal Alkynes

A new cross‐coupling reaction of N‐benzylic sulfonamides with terminal alkynes for the synthesis of internal alkynes is reported. In the presence of 5 mol% of (Tf)₂NH/Bi(OTf)₃ (1:1), a broad range of N‐benzylic sulfonamides react smoothly with arylacetylenes to afford structurally diverse internal alkynes in moderate to excellent yields. We reasoned that vinyl cations could be formed by the regioselective attack of terminal alkynes with benzyl cations generated in situ from N‐benzylic sulfonamides under acidic conditions, which then eliminated to form a carbon‐carbon triple bond.     

Competitive benzyl cation transfer and proton transfer: collision‐induced mass spectrometric fragmentation of protonated N,N‐dibenzylaniline

Collision‐induced dissociation of protonated N ,N ‐dibenzylaniline was investigated by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. Various fragmentation pathways were dominated by benzyl cation and proton transfer. Benzyl cation transfers from the initial site (nitrogen) to benzylic phenyl or aniline phenyl ring. The benzyl cations transfer to the two different sites, and both result in the benzene loss combined with 1,3‐H shift. In addition, after the benzyl cation transfers to the benzylic phenyl ring, 1,2‐H shift and 1,4‐H shift proceed competitively to trigger the diphenylmethane loss and aniline loss, respectively. Deuterium labeling experiments, substituent labeling experiments and density functional theory calculations were performed to support the proposed benzyl cation and proton transfer mechanism. Overall, this study enriches the knowledge of fragmentation mechanisms of protonated N ‐benzyl compounds. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric benzylation of 3-aryl oxindoles

Herein we report palladium-catalyzed asymmetric benzylic alkylation with 3-aryl oxindoles as prochiral nucleophiles. Proceeding analogously to asymmetric allylic alkylation, asymmetric benzylation occurs in high yield and enantioselectivity for a variety of unprotected 3-aryl oxindoles and benzylic methyl carbonates using chiral bisphosphine ligands. This methodology represents a novel asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formation between a benzyl group and a prochiral nucleophile to generate a quaternary center.     

Collision‐induced loss of AgH from Ag+ adducts of alkylamines,aminocarboxylic acids and alkyl benzyl ethers leads exclusively to thermodynamically favored product ions

The loss of AgH from [M + Ag]⁺ precursor ions of tertiary amines, aminocarboxylic acids and aryl alkyl ethers is examined by deuterium labeling combined with collision activation (CA) dissociation experiments. It was possible to demonstrate that the AgH loss process is highly selective toward the hydride abstraction. For tertiary amines and aminocarboxylic acids, hydrogen originates from the α‐methylene group carrying the nitrogen function (formation of an immonium ion). In all cases examined, the most stable, i.e. the thermodynamically favored product ion is formed. In the AgH loss process, a large isotope effect operates discriminating against the loss of D. The [M + Ag]⁺ ion of benzyl methyl ether loses a hydride ion exclusively from the benzylic methylene group supporting the experimental finding that the AgH loss reaction selectively cleaves the weakest C? H bond available. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.