Coordination Chemistry of Diiodine and Implications for the Oxidation Capacity of the Synergistic Ag+/X2 (X=Cl,Br, I) System

The synergistic Ag⁺/X₂ system (X=Cl, Br, I) is a very strong, but ill‐defined oxidant—more powerful than X₂ or Ag⁺ alone. Intermediates for its action may include [Ag_m(X₂)_n]^m+ complexes. Here, we report on an unexpectedly variable coordination chemistry of diiodine towards this direction: ( A )Ag‐I₂‐Ag( A ), [Ag₂(I₂)₄]²⁺( A ^?)₂ and [Ag₂(I₂)₆]²⁺( A ^?)₂?(I₂)_x≈0.65 form by reaction of Ag( A ) ( A =Al(OR^F)₄; R^F=C(CF₃)₃) with diiodine (single crystal/powder XRD, Raman spectra and quantum‐mechanical calculations). The molecular ( A )Ag‐I₂‐Ag( A ) is ideally set up to act as a 2 e^? oxidant with stoichiometric formation of 2 AgI and 2 A ^?. Preliminary reactivity tests proved this ( A )Ag‐I₂‐Ag( A ) starting material to oxidize n‐C₅H₁₂, C₃H₈, CH₂Cl₂, P₄ or S₈ at room temperature. A rough estimate of its electron affinity places it amongst very strong oxidizers like MF₆ (M=4d metals). This suggests that ( A )Ag‐I₂‐Ag( A ) will serve as an easily in bulk accessible, well‐defined, and very potent oxidant with multiple applications.     

Sequential Oxidation and C−H Bond Activation at a Gallium(I) Center

In situ oxidation of the Ga^I compound NacNacGa by either N₂O or pyridine oxide results in the generation of a labile monomeric oxide, NacNacGa(O), which can easily cleave the C?H bonds of aliphatic and aromatic substrates featuring good donor sites. The products of this reaction are gallium organyl hydroxides. DFT calculations show that these reactions start with the formation of NacNac‐Ga(O)(L) adducts, the oxo ligand of which can easily abstract protons from nearby C?H bonds, even for sp²‐hybridized carbon centers. Aliphatic amines do not enter this reaction for kinetic reasons, presumably because of the unfavorable sterics.     

Propargylsilanes as Reagents for Synergistic Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Propargylation of Carbonyl Compounds: Isolation and Characterization of σ‐Gold(I) Allenyl Intermediates

Reported herein is the isolation and characterization, for the first time, of a σ‐gold allenyl complex as an intermediate in gold catalysis. This intermediate was captured during the study of a novel gold(I)‐catalyzed propargylation of carbonyl compounds with propargylsilanes. Notably, the gold‐catalyzed propargylation reaction, which proceeds with aldehydes and ketones, can be driven to the formation of either homopropargyl silyl ethers or the in situ synthesis of corresponding 2‐silyl‐4,5‐dihydrofurans.