Control of the regioselectivity in catalytic transformations involving amphiphilic bis-allylpalladium intermediates: mechanism and synthetic applications

Various dialkyl-substituted allyl chloride derivatives (2d-i) undergo regioselective palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions with allylstannanes (1a,b) and benzylidenemalonitrile (4), providing functionalized 1,7-octadienes in good yield. The catalytic reaction proceeds through an unsymmetrical amphiphilic bis-allylpalladium intermediate. An introductory electrophilic attack on the terminal position of the unsubstituted allyl moiety is followed by a nucleophilic attack on the alkyl-substituted allyl ligand. A theoretical analysis was performed by applying density functional theory at the B3PW91/DZ+P level to study the substituent effects on the electrophilic attack. According to the theoretical results, the high regioselectivity can be ascribed to the electronic effects of the alkyl substituents: The terminal alkyl groups destabilize the eta(1),eta(3)-bis-allylpalladium intermediate of the reaction; in addition, the alkyl substitution increases the activation barrier for the electrophilic attack.     

Palladium-catalyzed electrophilic substitution of allyl chlorides and acetates via bis-allylpalladium intermediates

Palladium-catalyzed electrophilic allylic substitution of functionalized allyl chlorides and allyl acetates can be achieved in the presence of hexamethylditin under mild and neutral reaction conditions. This efficient one-pot procedure involves palladium-catalyzed formation of transient allylstannanes followed by generation of a bis-allylpalladium intermediate, which subsequently reacts with electrophiles. Using this catalytic transformation, various aldehydes and imines can be allylated providing highly functionalized homoallyl alcohols and amines. Furthermore, tandem bis-allylation reactions could be performed by employing tosyl isocyanate and benzylidenemalonitrile as substrates. A particularly interesting mechanistic feature of this reaction is that palladium catalyzes up to three different transformations in each catalytic cycle. Various allylic functionalities, including COOEt, CONH(2), COCH(3), CN, Ph, and CH(3), are tolerated in the catalytic reactions due to the application of neutral and mild reaction conditions. The substitution reaction occurs with very high regioselectivity at the branched allylic terminus. Moreover, in several reactions, a high stereoselectivity was observed indicating that this new catalytic process has a high potential for stereoselective synthesis. The regioselectivity of the reaction can be explained on the basis of DFT calculations. These studies indicate that the allylic substituent prefers the gamma-position of the eta(1)-allyl moiety of the reaction intermediate.     

Umpolung of the allylpalladium reactivity: mechanism and regioselectivity of the electrophilic attack on bis-allylpalladium complexes formed in palladium-catalyzed transformations

The structure and reactivity of various bis-allylpalladium complexes occurring as catalytic intermediates in important synthetic transformations have been studied by applying density functional theory at the B3PW91(DZ + P) level. It was found that n1,n3 coordinated bis-allylpalladium complexes are readily formed from the corresponding n3,n3 complexes, especially in the presence of pi-acceptor phosphine ligands. The theoretical calculations indicate dsigma-->pi type hyperconjugative interactions occurring in the n1-coordinated allyl moiety of the n3,n3 coordinated complexes. These hyperconjugative interactions influence the structure of the complexes and dramatically increase the reactivity of the double bond in the n1-moiety. The DFT results indicate a remarkably low activation barrier for the electrophilic attack on the n1-allyl functionality. In bridged n1,n3 complexes, the electrophilic attack occurs with a very high regioselectivity, which can be explained on the basis of d-pi type hyperconjugative interactions.     

Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization Reactions of Allenynes for the Synthesis of Fused Cyclopropanes and Acenaphthenes

A gold‐catalyzed reaction of phenylene‐tethered allenynes with benzofurans gave 1‐(naphth‐1‐yl)cyclopropa[b]benzofuran derivatives, whereas the reaction of 1‐allenyl‐2‐ethynyl‐3‐methylbenzene derivatives in the absence of benzofurans gave acenaphthenes in good yields. These results can be rationalized by nucleophilic attack of the alkyne moiety on an activated allene to form a vinyl cation intermediate.     

Mechanistic implications in the Morita-Baylis-Hillman alkylation: isolation and characterization of an intermediate

An intermediate phosphonium salt has never been isolated from the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction. Due to the weakly basic counterion produced in the MBH alkylation and allylation reactions, the reaction can be stopped after electrophilic attack on the zwitterionic enolate and an intermediate isolated. Upon analysis of the crystal structure, a trans geometry is observed, suggesting that there is no electrostatic interaction between phosphorus and oxygen in the zwitterionic enolate that undergoes alkylation, thus giving new mechanistic insight into the MBH reaction.     

Mechanistic study on gold(I)‐catalyzed crosscoupling of diazo compounds: A DFT study

The reaction mechanisms of the gold(I)‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reaction of aryldiazoacetate R1 with vinyldiazoacetate R2 leading to N‐substituted pyrazoles have been theoretically investigated using density functional theory calculations. Two possible reaction mechanisms were examined and discussed. The preferred reaction mechanism (mechanism A) can be characterized by five steps: the formation of the gold carbenoid A2 via the attack of catalyst to R1 (step I), nucleophilic addition of another reactant R2 to generate intermediate A3 (step II), intramolecular cyclization of A3 to form intermediate A4 (step III), hydrogen migration to give intermediate A5 (step IV), and catalyst elimination affording the final product P1 (step V). Step IV is found to be the rate‐determining step with an overall free energy barrier of 28.3 kcal/mol. Our calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental observations. The present study may provide a useful guide for understanding these kinds of gold(I)‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions of diazo compounds.     

Mechanistic Insights into the Pd‐Catalyzed Direct Amination of Allyl Alcohols: Evidence for an Outer‐Sphere Mechanism Involving a Palladium Hydride Intermediate

The mechanism of direct amination of allyl alcohol by a palladium triphenylphosphite complex has been explored. Labelling studies show that the reaction proceeds through a π‐allylpalladium intermediate. A second‐order dependence of reaction rate on allyl alcohol concentration was observed. Kinetic isotope effect studies and ESI‐MS studies are in agreement with a reaction proceeding through a palladium hydride intermediate in which both O–H bond and C–O bond cleavages are involved in rate‐determining steps. A stereochemical study supports an outer‐sphere nucleophilic attack of the π‐allylpalladium intermediate giving complete chiral transfer from starting material to product.     

Theoretical study of the ruthenium-catalyzed cyclocotrimerization of alkynes with isocyanates and iothiocyanates: cemoselective formation of pyridine-2-one and thiopyrane-2-imine

The cyclocotrimerization of acetylene with isocyanate HNCO and isothiocyanate HNCS, mediated by CpRuCl, is theoretically investigated on the basis of DFT/B3LYP calculations. By these means, the experimental result can be rationalized as to why, with HNCO, a nitrogen-heterocycle is formed, but with HNCS a sulfur-heterocycle is formed. According to the proposed mechanism, the key reaction step is the addition of a double bond to a metallacyclopentatriene formed by oxidative coupling of two acetylene ligands coordinated to CpRuCl, giving a bicyclic carbene intermediate. This double-bond-addition is initiated by eta1 attack at the ruthenium center, and it is just the attacking atom that is going to be incorporated into the cycle. Thus, the chemoselectivity originates from the fact that, for HNCO, N attack is preferred over O, but for HNCS, S attack is preferred over N. The onward reaction is a reductive elimination to give a coordinatively unsaturated metallaheteronorbornene intermediate finally rearranging to a ligated heterocycle. Completion of the cycles is achieved by an exothermic displacement of the respective heterocyclic product by two acetylene molecules which regenerates the bisacetylene complex.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed cyclopropanation of alkenes using propargylic carboxylates as precursors of vinylcarbenoids

Intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions of various alkenes with propargylic carboxylates 1 are catalyzed by [RuCl2(CO)3]2 to give vinylcyclopropanes 2 in good yields. The key intermediate of the reaction is a vinylcarbene complex generated in situ by nucleophilic attack of a carbonyl oxygen of the carboxylates to an internal carbon of the alkyne activated by the ruthenium complex. A variety of transition-metal compounds other than the Ru compound can also be employed in this system. Similar cyclopropanation proceeds with conjugated dienes as well to give trans-vic-divinylcyclopropane derivatives and cycloheptadiene derivatives 5, the latter being thermally derived from the initially formed cis-vic-isomers via Cope-type rearrangement. The present reaction is chemically equivalent to the transition metal-catalyzed cyclopropanation reaction using alpha-diazoketones as carbenoid precursors.     

Synthesis of light alkenes on manganese promoted iron and iron-cobalt Fischer-Tropsch catalysts

The Perkin reaction is accompanied by competitive transformations of the intermediate carbanions. These transformations are found to be inhibited by the reacting aldehydes. The limiting stage of the Perkin reaction is NACC attack (nucleophilic attack at carbonyl carbon) of amines on the anhydride.     

Kinetics of Pindolol Oxidation by Peroxodisulfate

The kinetics of oxidation of pindolol by peroxodisulfate (PDS) in sulfuric acid and 40%(v/v) methanol + water solvent has been investigated. The pH profile of the rate constant was also investigated. It has been found that the reaction proceeds only in the pH range 0 to 4. A mechanism was proposed for the oxidation reaction; the reaction starts by the attack of peroxodisulfate (PDS) to form an indoleninic species that can rearrange into an indoxyl species. Once the indoxyl intermediate is formed, it can follow different paths leading to different products, depending on the acidity and PDS concentration. At low acid concentration, oxipindolol is formed whereas at high acid concentration dioxipindolol forms instead. Dioxipindolol can dimerize to form the indigo form of pindolol. A polar mechanism was proposed for the oxidation reaction, and the thermodynamic parameters were determined.     

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of 2,3-dihydro-2-ylidene-1,4-benzodioxins

Palladium-catalyzed condensation of benzene-1,2-diol with various propargylic carbonates afforded regio- and stereoselectively 2,3-dihydro-2-ylidene-1,4-benzodioxins. The reaction is suggested to proceed by the formation of a (sigma-allenyl)palladium complex, followed by the intermolecular attack of the phenoxide ion on this complex to generate a new (sigma-allyl)palladium complex in equilibrium with the corresponding (eta(3)-allyl)palladium complex. Intramolecular attack of the phenoxide ion afforded the corresponding benzodioxan compound. This last attack occurs predominantly at the more electrophilic end of the (eta(3)-allyl)palladium intermediate. The Z- or E-stereochemistry of the products was established by (1)H NMR and proton NOE measurements and also by X-ray analysis on an example. The Z-stereochemistry generally observed is in agreement with the formation of this (eta(3)-allyl)palladium intermediate. However, in the case of tertiary propargylic carbonates, the E-stereochemistry generally observed could be explained by an intramolecular attack of the phenoxide ion on the intermediate (sigma-allyl)palladium complex, in slow equilibrium with the (eta(3)-allyl)palladium complex.     

Insights into the Mechanism of the Reaction between Tetrachloro‐p‐Benzoquinone and Hydrogen Peroxide and their Implications in the Catalytic Role of Water Molecules in Producing the Hydroxyl Radial

Detailed mechanisms for the formation of hydroxyl or alkoxyl radicals in the reactions between tetrachloro‐p‐benzoquinone (TCBQ) and organic hydroperoxides are crucial for better understanding the potential carcinogenicity of polyhalogenated quinones. Herein, the mechanism of the reaction between TCBQ and H₂O₂ has been systematically investigated at the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory in the presence of different numbers of water molecules. We report that the whole reaction can easily take place with the assistance of explicit water molecules. Namely, an initial intermediate is formed first. After that, a nucleophilic attack of H₂O₂ onto TCBQ occurs, which results in the formation of a second intermediate that contains an OOH group. Subsequently, this second intermediate decomposes homolytically through cleavage of the O? O bond to produce a hydroxyl radical. Energy analyses suggest that the nucleophilic attack is the rate‐determining step in the whole reaction. The participation of explicit water molecules promotes the reaction significantly, which can be used to explain the experimental phenomena. In addition, the effects of F, Br, and CH₃ substituents on this reaction have also been studied.     

Mechanisms of nucleophilic and electrophilic attack on carbon bonded palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes

A systematic mechanistic study is reported for the formation of palladium(II) carbene complexes by nucleophilic attack of aromatic amines on isocyanide derivatives. The most prominent step of the reaction involves direct attack of the amine nitroge on the isocyanide carbon to give an intermediate which then is converted to the final carbene species by the agency of the entering amine itself which behaves as a bifunctional catalyst. The rate of the primary step is affected by the donor ability of the entering amine, by the electrophilic character of the isocyanide carbon, and by steric crowdiness around the reacting centers, with the solvent also playing an important role. The reaction system displays a high versatility through a proper choice of the substituents on the amine and isocyanide aromatic rings and of the ancillary ligands in the metal complex.A mechanistic study is also described of the cleavage of the platinum-carbon σ-bond by electrophilic attack by the proton on organoplatinum(II) complexes. The particular mechanism which is operative, viz. direct electrophilic attack at the metalcarbon bond or oxidative addition/reductive elimination, appears to be the result of many factors. These include electronic and steric properties of the cleaved group and of ancillary ligands, steric configuration of the substrate, nature of the electrophile and solvating ability of the medium.     

Palladium-catalyzed coupling of allyl acetates with aldehyde and imine electrophiles in the presence of Bis(pinacolato)diboron

[reaction: see text] An efficient one-pot procedure was developed for palladium-catalyzed electrophilic substitution of allyl acetates (2a-h) in the presence of bis(pinacolato)diboron (1). These reactions proceed with an excellent regioselectivity and with a remarkably high stereoselectivity. The catalytic transformations take place via palladium-catalyzed formation of allyl boronates, which subsequently react with aldehyde (3) and sulfon-imine (4) electrophiles to afford homoallylic alcohols (5a-h) and amines (6a-d), respectively. A particularly interesting mechanistic feature is that the allylic substitution of the transient allyl boronate with sulfon-imine requires palladium catalysis. This finding indicates that the formation of the homoallylic amine derivatives (6a-d) involves bis-allylpalladium intermediates.     

Copper-catalyzed solvent-free redox condensation of benzothiazoles with aldehydes or benzylic alcohols

An efficient and practical method for the construction of 2-aryl- and 2-alkyl-substituted benzothiazoles via a copper-catalyzed redox condensation process between benzothiazoles and aldehydes or benzylic alcohols has been developed. The reaction proceeded under mild reaction conditions using environmentally benign tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxidant. A reaction mechanism involving the ring-opening of benzothiazoles initiated by the attack of acyl radical on the thiazole ring and intramolecular condensation is proposed based on the isolation of an anilide disulfide intermediate.     

A conserved asparagine in a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme positions the substrate for nucleophilic attack

The mechanism used by the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, Ubc13, to catalyze ubiquitination is probed with three computational techniques: Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, single point quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics energies, and classical molecular dynamics. These simulations support a long-held hypothesis and show that Ubc13-catalyzed ubiquitination uses a stepwise, nucleophilic attack mechanism. Furthermore, they show that the first step—the formation of a tetrahedral, zwitterionic intermediate—is rate limiting. However, these simulations contradict another popular hypothesis that supposes that the negative charge on the intermediate is stabilized by a highly conserved asparagine (Asn79 in Ubc13). Instead, calculated reaction profiles of the N79A mutant illustrate how charge stabilization actually increases the barrier to product formation. Finally, an alternate role for Asn79 is suggested by simulations of wild-type, N79A, N79D, and H77A Ubc13: it stabilizes the motion of the electrophile prior to the reaction, positioning it for nucleophilic attack. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Remarkable behaviour in acid hydrolysis of the cycloadducts formed between allyl bromide and 1,2,4-trichloro-3,5,5-trimethoxycyclopentadiene

Two isomeric compounds (2a and 2b) are formed on addition of allyl bromide to 1,2,4-trichloro-3,5,5-trimethoxycyclopentadiene (1). The striking difference in behaviour of these two isomers on acid catalysed solvent addition can be explained by assuming a stabilization of the intermediate carbenium ion by the near endo-CH₂Br group in 2a. The stabilization of this cation from the endo-side forces subsequent nucleophiles to attack from the exo-direction, resulting in an overall cis-exo addition to 2a. trans-Additions on the contrary are observed for 2b. Screening by the bromomethyl grouping of the intermediate cation formed from 2a gives a satisfactory explanation for the formation of the observed reaction products and for the sigmatropic rearrangement observed in poorly nucleophilic media. The structures of parent compounds 2a and 2b are confirmed from the different reaction products. The structure 4a, as previously reported⁴ to be formed under similar reaction circumstances, is revised and an alternative structure 4'a is proposed.     

Stereoselective palladium-catalyzed carbocyclization of allenic allylic carboxylates

Palladium(0)-catalyzed reaction of allene-substituted allylic carboxylates 3-8 employing 2-5 mol % of Pd(dba)(2) in refluxing toluene leads to the carbocyclization and elimination of carboxylic acid to give bicyclo[4.3.0]nonadiene and bicyclo[5.3.0]decadiene derivatives (12-17). The carbon-carbon bond formation is stereospecific, occurring syn with respect to the leaving group. Addition of maleic anhydride as a ligand to the above-mentioned procedures changed the outcome of the reaction, and under these conditions 3-5 afforded cycloisomerized products 21-23. The experimental results are consistent with a mechanism involving oxidative addition of the allylic carboxylate to Pd(0) to give an electron-deficient (pi-allyl)palladium intermediate, followed by nucleophilic attack by the allene on the face of the pi-allyl opposite to that of the palladium atom. Furthermore, it was found that the Pd(dba)(2)-catalyzed cyclization of the trans-cycloheptene derivative (trans-8) can be directed to give either the trans-fused (trans-17) or the cis-fused (cis-17) ring system by altering the solvent. The former reaction proceeds via a nucleophilic trans-allene attack on the (pi-allyl)palladium intermediate, whereas the latter involves a syn-allene insertion into the allyl-Pd bond of the same intermediate. The products from the carbocylization undergo stereoselective Diels-Alder reactions to give stereodefined polycyclic systems in high yields.