A Next-Generation Air-Stable Palladium(I) Dimer Enables Olefin Migration and Selective C−C Coupling in Air

We report a new air-stable Pd^I dimer, [Pd(μ-I)(PCy₂^tBu)]₂, which triggers E-selective olefin migration to enamides and styrene derivatives in the presence of multiple functional groups and with complete tolerance of air. The same dimer also triggers extremely rapid C−C coupling (alkylation and arylation) at room temperature in a modular and triply selective fashion of aromatic C−Br, C−OTf/OFs, and C−Cl bonds in poly(pseudo)halogenated arenes, displaying superior activity over previous Pd^I dimer generations for substrates that bear substituents ortho to C−OTf.     

Potassium hydrogen diphthalate dihydrate: a new structure and correction to the literature

The title compound, K⁺·[(C₈H₅O₄)₂H]⁻·2H₂O or K⁺·C₁₆H₁₁O₈⁻·2H₂O, was prepared by slow evaporation of an aqueous solution of potassium hydrogen phthalate. The molecular complex consists of a potassium cation coordinated to a proton‐bound hydrogen phthalate dimer and two water mol­ecules. The potassium cation resides on a twofold axis in a distorted square‐antiprism coordination geometry. The compound is isomorphous with the ammonium analogue, previously misidentified. As potassium hydrogen phthalate is frequently used in the manufacture of buffers, organic carbon standards, acidimetric standards and various other products, the crystallization of a compound with a different stoichiom­etery from a solution containing the acidimetric standard has important practical implications.     

Synthesis and hydrogenation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-substituted diborenes via uncatalysed hydrogenative B–C bond cleavage

The classical route to the PMe₃-stabilised polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-substituted diborenes B₂Ar₂(PMe₃)₂ (Ar = 9-phenanthryl 7-Phen; Ar = 1-pyrenyl 7-Pyr) via the corresponding 1,2-diaryl-1,2-dimethoxydiborane(4) precursors, B₂Ar₂(OMe)₂, is marred by the systematic decomposition of the latter to BAr(OMe)₂ during reaction workup. Calculations suggest this results from the absence of a second ortho-substituent on the boron-bound aryl rings, which enables their free rotation and exposes the B–B bond to nucleophilic attack. 7-Phen and 7-Pyr are obtained by the reduction of the corresponding 1,2-diaryl-1,2-dichlorodiborane precursors, B₂Ar₂Cl₂(PMe₃)₂, obtained from the SMe₂ adducts, which are synthesised by direct NMe₂–Cl exchange at B₂Ar₂(NMe₂)₂ with (Me₂S)BCl₃. The low-lying π* molecular orbitals (MOs) located on the PAH substituents of 7-Phen and 7-Pyr intercalate between the B–B-based π and π* MOs, leading to a relatively small HOMO–LUMO gap of 3.20 and 2.72 eV, respectively. Under vacuum or at high temperature 7-Phen and 7-Pyr undergo intramolecular hydroarylation of the B B bond to yield 1,2-dihydronaphtho[1,8-cd][1,2]diborole derivatives. Hydrogenation of 7-Phen, 7-Pyr and their 9-anthryl and mesityl analogues III and II, respectively, results in all cases in splitting of the B–B bond and isolation of the monoboranes (Me₃P)BArH₂. NMR-spectroscopic monitoring of the reactions, solid-state structures of isolated reaction intermediates and computational mechanistic analyses show that the hydrogenation of the three PAH-substituted diborenes proceeds via a different pathway to that of the dimesityldiborene. Rather than occurring exclusively at the B–B bond, hydrogenation of 7-Ar and III proceeds via a hydroarylated intermediate, which undergoes one B–B bond-centered H₂ addition, followed by hydrogenation of the endocyclic B–C bond resulting from hydroarylation, making the latter effectively reversible.

In contrast to classical B–B bond-centred diborene hydrogenation, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-substituted diborenes first undergo thermal intramolecular hydroarylation, followed by hydrogenation of the remaining B–B and endocyclic B–C bonds.     

Fluorinated Analogues to the Pentuloses of the Pentose Phosphate Pathway

Fluorinated carbohydrates are valuable tools for enzymological studies due to their increased metabolic stability compared to their non-fluorinated analogues. Replacing different hydroxyl groups within the same monosaccharide by fluorine allows to influence a wide range of sugar–receptor interactions and enzymatic transformations. In the past, this principle was frequently used to study the metabolism of highly abundant carbohydrates, while the metabolic fate of rare sugars is still poorly studied. Rare sugars, however, are key intermediates of many metabolic routes, such as the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Here we present the design and purely chemical synthesis of a set of three deoxyfluorinated analogues of the rare sugars d -xylulose and d -ribulose: 1-deoxy-1-fluoro-d -ribulose ( 1DFRu ), 3-deoxy-3-fluoro-d -ribulose ( 3DFRu ) and 3-deoxy-3-fluoro-d -xylulose ( 3DFXu ). Together with a designed set of potential late-stage radio-fluorination precursors, they have the potential to become useful tools for studies on the complex equilibria of the non-oxidative PPP.     

ChemInform Abstract: RE10TCd3 (RE: Y,Tb - Tm,Lu; T: Fe,Co, Ni,Ru, Rh,Pd) - Rare Earth-Rich Phases with Ordered anti-Co2Al5 Structure.

The title compounds are synthesized from the elements (flowing Ar, 1500 K for 2 min, 1300 K for 45 min, and 900 K for 2 h) and characterized by powder XRD.