Heteroleptic Tin(II) Initiators for the Ring‐Opening (Co)Polymerization of Lactide and Trimethylene Carbonate: Mechanistic Insights from Experiments and Computations

The tin(II) complexes {LO^x}Sn(X) ({LO^x}^?=aminophenolate ancillary) containing amido ( 1 – 4 ), chloro ( 5 ), or lactyl ( 6 ) coligands (X) promote the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic esters. Complex 6 , which models the first insertion of L ‐lactide, initiates the living ROP of L ‐LA on its own, but the amido derivatives 1 – 4 require the addition of alcohol to do so. Upon addition of one to ten equivalents of iPrOH, precatalysts 1 – 4 promote the ROP of trimethylene carbonate (TMC); yet, hardly any activity is observed if tert‐butyl (R)‐lactate is used instead of iPrOH. Strong inhibition of the reactivity of TMC is also detected for the simultaneous copolymerization of L ‐LA and TMC, or for the block copolymerization of TMC after that of L ‐LA. Experimental and computational data for the {LO^x}Sn(OR) complexes (OR=lactyl or lactidyl) replicating the active species during the tin(II)‐mediated ROP of L ‐LA demonstrate that the formation of a five‐membered chelate is largely favored over that of an eight‐membered one, and that it constitutes the resting state of the catalyst during this (co)polymerization. Comprehensive DFT calculations show that, out of the four possible monomer insertion sequences during simultaneous copolymerization of L ‐LA and TMC: 1) TMC then TMC, 2) TMC then L ‐LA, 3) L ‐LA then L ‐LA, and 4) L ‐LA then TMC, the first three are possible. By contrast, insertion of L ‐LA followed by that of TMC (i.e., insertion sequence 4) is endothermic by +1.1 kcal mol^?1, which compares unfavorably with consecutive insertions of two L ‐LA units (i.e., insertion sequence 3) (?10.2 kcal mol^?1). The copolymerization of L ‐LA and TMC thus proceeds under thermodynamic control.     

Reactivity of Dialumane and “Dialumene” Compounds toward Alkenes

The reactions of dialumane [L(thf)Al? Al(thf)L] ( 1 , L=[{(2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃)NC(Me)}₂]^2?) with stilbene and styrene afforded the oxidation/insertion products [L(thf)Al(CH(Ph)? CH(Ph))AlL] ( 2 ) and [L(thf)Al(CH(Ph)? CH₂)Al(thf)L] ( 3 ), respectively. In the presence of Na metal, precursor 1 reacted with butadienes, possibly through the reduced “dialumene” or the “carbene‐like” :AlL species, to yield aluminacyclopentenes [LAl(CH₂C(Me)?C(Me)CH₂)Na]_n ( 4 a ) and [Na(dme)₃][LAl(CH₂C(Me)?CHCH₂)] ( 4 b , dme=dimethoxyethane) as [1+4] cycloaddition products, as well as the [2+4] cycloaddition product 1,6‐dialumina‐3,8‐cyclodecadiene, [{Na(dme)}₂][LAl(CH₂C(Me)?C(Me)CH₂)₂AlL] ( 5 ). The possible mechanisms of the cycloaddition reactions were studied by using DFT computations.     

CHOLESTERYL PHOSPHITE AND RELATED COMPOUNDS

Abstract

The preparation of cholesteryl phosphorodichloridite (2) is described; this compound with aniline (2 mol. equiv.) gave the N-phenylphosphoramidochloridite (5) and the latter by condensation with water afforded the N-phenyl-amidophosphite (6).

Similarly the N-phenylphosphoramidochloridite (5) with morpholine gave the morpholidite (7); phenylhydrazine gave the hydrazinophosphite (8) and ethanol the amidoethyl phosphite (9). Cholesteryl phosphorodichloridite (2) by reaction with aniline (4 mol. equiv.) gave the N,N ¹?diphenylphosphorodiamidite (10).

The reaction of cholesteryl phosphorodichloridite (2) with methanol and ethanol are discussed in relation to the analogous reactions with cholesteryl phosphorodichloridate. Boiling ethanol gave cholesterol as the only isolatable product but at room temperature a low yield of the diethylphosphite (11; R=Et) was obtained. The yield of the phosphite was greatly increased in the presence of base. Similarly the dichloridite 2 with boiling water gave cholesterol (1), but at room temperature cholesteryl phosphite 3 was isolated: the mechanistic basis for these different results is briefly discussed.

trans-4-t-Butylcyclohexanol with phosphorus trichloride gave the phosphorodichloridite, which was characterised by conversion to the corresponding N,N ¹?diphenylphosphorodiamidite.     

前处理时间对Co3O4形貌及光催化性能的影响

以CoCl₂、Na₂CO₃为原料, 以油酸钠(SOA)为表面活性剂, 采用水热-热分解法合成了纯相尖晶石结构的Co₃O₄粉体。利用TG-DTA, XRD和SEM等手段跟踪反应过程, 研究了不同水热时间对产物形貌和结构的影响, 并根据实验结果分析了可能的反应机理及结构对光催化性能的影响。实验结果表明:制备前驱体的水热时间是影响产物形貌的关键因素, 并且终产物的结构形貌很大程度上决定了其光催化性能。     

Mechanism of Palladium‐Catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura Reactions: Multiple and Antagonistic Roles of Anionic “Bases” and Their Countercations

In Suzuki–Miyaura reactions, anionic bases F^? and OH^? (used as is or generated from CO₃^2? in water) play multiple antagonistic roles. Two are positive: 1) formation of trans‐[Pd(Ar)F(L)₂] or trans‐[Pd(Ar)‐ (L)₂(OH)] (L=PPh₃) that react with Ar′B(OH)₂ in the rate‐determining step (rds) transmetallation and 2) catalysis of the reductive elimination from intermediate trans‐[Pd(Ar)(Ar′)(L)₂]. Two roles are negative: 1) formation of unreactive arylborates (or fluoroborates) and 2) complexation of the OH group of [Pd(Ar)(L)₂(OH)] by the countercation of the base (Na⁺, Cs⁺, K⁺).     

Synthesis of 2‐Hydroxy‐1,4‐oxazin‐3‐ones through Ring Transformation of 3‐Hydroxy‐4‐(1,2‐dihydroxyethyl)‐β‐lactams and a Study of Their Reactivity

The reactivity of 3‐hydroxy‐4‐(1,2‐dihydroxyethyl)‐β‐lactams with regard to the oxidant sodium periodate was evaluated, unexpectedly resulting in the exclusive formation of new 2‐hydroxy‐1,4‐oxazin‐3‐ones through a C3? C4 bond cleavage of the intermediate 4‐formyl‐3‐hydroxy‐β‐lactams followed by a ring expansion. This peculiar transformation stands in sharp contrast with the known NaIO₄‐mediated oxidation of 3‐alkoxy‐ and 3‐phenoxy‐4‐(1,2‐dihydroxyethyl)‐β‐lactams, which exclusively leads to the corresponding 4‐formyl‐β‐lactams without a subsequent ring enlargement. In addition, this new class of functionalized oxazin‐3‐ones was further evaluated for its potential use as building blocks in the synthesis of a variety of differently substituted oxazin‐3‐ones, morpholin‐3‐ones and pyrazinones. Furthermore, additional insights into the mechanism and the factors governing this new ring‐expansion reaction were provided by means of density functional theory calculations.     

Inner Workings of a Cinchona Alkaloid Catalyzed Oxa‐Michael Cyclization: Evidence for a Concerted Hydrogen‐Bond‐Network Mechanism

Cinchona alkaloids catalyze the oxa‐Michael cyclization of 4‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐2‐butenoates to benzo‐2,3‐dihydrofuran‐2‐yl acetates and related substrates in up to 99 % yield and 91 % ee (ee=enantiomeric excess). Catalyst and substrate variation studies reveal an important role of the alkaloid hydroxy group in the reaction mechanism, but not in the sense of a hydrogen‐bonding activation of the carbonyl group of the substrate as assumed by the Hiemstra–Wynberg mechanism of bifunctional catalysis. Deuterium labeling at C‐2 of the substrate shows that addition of RO? H to the alkenoate occurs with syn diastereoselectivity of ≥99:1, suggesting a mechanism‐based specificity. A concerted hydrogen‐bond network mechanism is proposed, in which the alkaloid hydroxy group acts as a general acid in the protonation of the α‐carbanionic center of the product enolate. The importance of concerted hydrogen‐bond network mechanisms in organocatalytic reactions is discussed. The relative stereochemistry of protonation is proposed as analytical tool for detecting concerted addition mechanisms, as opposed to ionic 1,4‐additions.     

Regioselectivity and Competition of the Paternò–Büchi Reaction and Triplet–Triplet Energy Transfer between Triplet Benzophenones and Pyrimidines: Control by Triplet Energy Levels

The photochemical reaction of a pyrimidine and a ketone occurs either as a Paternò–Büchi (PB) reaction or as energy transfer (ET) from the triplet ketone to the pyrimidine. It is rare for the two types of reactions to occur concurrently, and their competitive mechanism remains unknown. In this work, two classes of products, regioisomeric oxetane(s) ( 2 , 3 ) from a PB reaction and three isomeric dimers of 5‐fluoro‐1,3‐dimethyl uracil (FDMU) ( 4 – 6 ) from a photosensitized dimerization of FDMU, are obtained through the UV irradiation of FDMU with various benzophenones (BPs). The ratio of the two products (oxetanes to dimers) reveals that the two competitive reactions depend strongly on the triplet energy levels (E_T) of the BPs. The BPs with higher E_T values lead to higher proportions of dimers, whereas those with lower E_T values give higher proportions of oxetane(s), with the generation of just two regioisomeric oxetanes for the BP with the lowest E_T of the eight BPs investigated. The ratio of the two oxetanes ( 2 : 3 ) decreases with the BP E_T value. The competitive mechanism for the two types of photochemical reactions is demonstrated through quenching experiments and investigation of temperature effects. Kinetic analysis shows that the rate constants of the two [2+2] photocycloadditions are comparable. Furthermore, in combination with the results of previous studies, we have gained insight into the dependence of the photochemical type and the regioselectivity in the PB reaction on the triplet energy gaps (ΔE) between the pyrimidines and ketones. For ketones with higher E_T values than the pyrimidines, the photochemical reaction is a photosensitized dimerization of the pyrimidine. In the opposite case, a PB reaction occurs, and the lower the E_T of the ketones, the lower the ratio of oxetanes ( 2 : 3 ). When the E_T of values of the ketones are close to those of the pyrimidines, the two reactions occur concurrently, and the higher the E_T of the ketones, the higher the proportion of the dimers. The ratio of oxetanes ( 2 : 3 ) decreases with the E_T value of the BPs.     

Reactivity of Yttrium Carboxylates Toward Alkylaluminum Hydrides

Yttrocene‐carboxylate complex [Cp*₂Y(OOCAr^Me)] (Cp*=C₅Me₅, Ar^Me=C₆H₂Me₃‐2,4,6) was synthesized as a spectroscopically versatile model system for investigating the reactivity of alkylaluminum hydrides towards rare‐earth‐metal carboxylates. Equimolar reactions with bis‐neosilylaluminum hydride and dimethylaluminum hydride gave adduct complexes of the general formula [Cp*₂Y(μ‐OOCAr^Me)(μ‐H)AlR₂] (R=CH₂SiMe₃, Me). The use of an excess of the respective aluminum hydride led to the formation of product mixtures, from which the yttrium‐aluminum‐hydride complex [{Cp*₂Y(μ‐H)AlMe₂(μ‐H)AlMe₂(μ‐CH₃)}₂] could be isolated, which features a 12‐membered‐ring structure. The adduct complexes [Cp*₂Y(μ‐OOCAr^Me)(μ‐H)AlR₂] display identical ¹J(Y,H) coupling constants of 24.5 Hz for the bridging hydrido ligands and similar ⁸⁹Y NMR shifts of δ=?88.1 ppm (R=CH₂SiMe₃) and δ=?86.3 ppm (R=Me) in the ⁸⁹Y DEPT45 NMR experiments.     

Hydroxypalladation Precedes the Rate‐Determining Step in the Wacker Oxidation of Ethene

The complete reaction mechanism and kinetics of the Wacker oxidation of ethene in water under low [Cl^?], [Pd^II], and [Cu^II] conditions are investigated in this work by using ab initio molecular dynamics. These extensive simulations shed light on the molecular details of the associated individual steps, along two different reaction routes, starting from a series of ligand‐exchange processes in the catalyst precursor PdCl₄^2? to the final aldehyde‐formation step and the reduction of Pd^II. Herein, we report that hydroxylpalladation is not the rate‐determining step and is, in fact, in equilibrium. The newly proposed rate‐determining step involves isomerization and follows the hydroxypalladation step. The mechanism proposed herein is shown to be in excellent agreement with the experimentally observed rate law and rate. Moreover, this mechanism is in consensus with the observed kinetic isotope effects. This report further confirms the outer‐sphere (anti) hydroxypalladation mechanism. Our calculations also ratify that the final product formation proceeds through a reductive elimination, assisted by solvent molecules, rather than through β‐hydride elimination.