Stable and Persistent Acyclic Diaminocarbenes with Cycloalkyl Substituents and Their Transformation to β-Lactams by Uncatalysed Carbonylation with CO

Four new acyclic diaminocarbenes (ADACs), viz. (cyclo-C_nH_2n−1)₂N]₂C (n=5–7) and iPr₂N-C-N(cyclo-C₆H₁₁)₂, were synthesised by reacting the corresponding formamidinium hexafluorophosphates with NaN(SiMe₃)₂. Their nucleophilicities and electrophilicities were respectively judged from the ¹J_CH values determined for the N₂CH unit of the corresponding formamidinium cations and from the ⁷⁷Se NMR chemical shifts of the selenourea derivatives obtained from the reaction of elemental selenium with the corresponding ADACs. An ambiphilic profile essentially identical to that of the “Alder carbene” (iPr₂N)₂C was found in each case. Similar to the latter carbene, the new ADACs undergo a well-defined thermal decomposition by β-fragmentation, affording an alkene and a formamidine. The stabilities of (cyclo-C_nH_2n−1)₂N]₂C depend strongly on the value of n, following the order 6>5>7, with the latter congener being too unstable for isolation. (cyclo-C₆H₁₁)₂N]₂C shows no thermal decomposition at room temperature in solution and is thus significantly more stable than (iPr₂N)₂C. The stability of iPr₂N-C-N(cyclo-C₆H₁₁)₂ is intermediate between that of (iPr₂N)₂C and (cyclo-C₆H₁₁)₂N]₂C, its β-fragmentation selectively affording propene and iPrN=CH-N(cyclo-C₆H₁₁)₂. (cyclo-C_nH_2n−1)₂N]₂C (n=5–7) react readily with CO under mild conditions, selectively affording trisubstituted spirocyclic β-lactam derivatives with an antimicrobial activity spectrum similar to that of penicillin G.