Alkene addition reactions chloronium ions

We may seem to have contradicted ourselves because Equation 10-1 shows a carbocation to be formed in bromine addition, but Equation 10-5 suggests a bromonium ion. Actually, the formulation of intermediates in alkene addition reactions as open ions or as cyclic ions is a controversial matter, even after many years of study. Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine the structure of the intermediate ions by any direct physical method because, under the conditions of the reaction, the ions are so reactive that they form products more rapidly than they can be observed. However, it is possible to generate stable bromonium ions, as well as the corresponding chloronium and iodonium ions. The technique is to use low temperatures in the absence of any strong nucleophiles and to start with a 1,2-dihaloalkane and antimony penta-fluoride in liquid sulfur dioxide ... 

An explanation for the observed stereochemistry of alkene addition came in 1937 with the suggestion that the reaction occurs through an intermediate bromonium ion (R2Br" ), formed hy electrophilic addition of Br" " to the alkene. (Similarly, a chloronium ion contains a positively charged, divalent chlorine, R2C1. ) The bromonium ion is formed in a single step hy interaction of the alkene with Br2 and simultaneous loss of Br (Figure 8.1). 

HC1, HBr, and HI add to alkenes by a two-step electrophilic addition mechanism. Initial reaction of the nucleophilic double bond with H+ gives a carbo-cation intermediate, which then reacts with halide ion. Bromine and chlorine add to alkenes via three-membered-ring bromonium ion or chloronium ion intermediates to give addition products having anti stereochemistry. If water is present during the halogen addition reaction, a halohydrin is formed. 

Anodic regioselective acetamidosulfeny-lation of alkenes is similarly achieved by oxidation of diphenyldisulfide in acetonitrile [81]. Cyclic enamines, which are intermediates in the oxidation of cyclic N-methoxycarbonyl amines, react in aqueous acetonitrile that contains chloride ions to a-hydroxy- 8-chloro compounds via intermediate chloronium ions [82]. Enolethers undergo a regioselective azidomethoxyla-tion to yield acetals of a-azido carbonyl compounds upon electrolysis in methanol containing sodium azide [83]. The reaction proceeds possibly via addition of an anodicaUy generated azide radical. 

The idea that a cyclic bromonium ion was an intermediate was a novel concept at the time of its proposal in 1937. Much additional evidence, including the isolation of a stable cyclic bromonium ion, has been obtained since then to support it. Similarly, cyclic chloronium ions are believed to be involved in the addition of chlorine to alkenes. In the next section we shall see how cyclic chloronium and bromonium ions (halonium ions) are intermediates in a second reaction involving alkenes and halogens. 

This is an example of electrophilic addition of Cl to an alkene. The mechanism of this reaction involves the following steps. In the first step, the ethylene reacts with chlorine to form the cyclic ethylene chloronium ion (intermediate) and chloride ion. Note that in this cyclic intermediate, the chlorine has a positive charge. This step is followed by the nucleophilic attack by chloride ion on the chloronium ion. The reaction is enhanced by electron-donating substituents such as alkyl groups on the carbon-carbon double bond, since such groups can further stabilize the formation of the transition state which results in the formation of the chloronium ion. Halogen addition is usually an anti addition process. 

If two asymmetric centers are created from an addition reaction that forms a bromonium (or chloronium) ion intermediate, only one pair of enantiomers will be formed. For example, the addition of Br2 to the cis alkene forms only the threo enantiomers. 

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