Vinyl cations alkyl-substituted

Stabilization of the vinyl cations 8-10 by aryl substituents is important but even substituents without strong resonance effects provide adequate stabilization to allow the synthesis of persistent vinyl cations at ambient temperature. This is demonstrated by the synthesis and isolation of the salts of alkyl-substituted vinyl cations 19 and 20, and their characteristic NMR parameters are summarized in Table 1. 

But-2-en-2-yl Cation and Other Alkyl-substituted Vinyl Cations... 

The generation of a-ferrocenyl-P-silyl substituted vinyl cations of type 28 does not require superacidic conditions, they can be generated by protonation of l-ferrocenyl-2-trialkylsilyl alkynes with trifluoroacetic acid at room temperature. The SiR3-groups with larger alkyl substituents increase the lifetime of this type of carbocations. 

Recent results on the chemistry of persistent vinyl cations are summarized. / , / -Disilyl-substituted vinyl cations were synthesized by intramolecular addition of transient silylium ions to alkynes. The vinyl cations are stable at ambient temperature and were isolated in the form of their tetrakispentafluorophenylborate and hexabromocarboranate salts. The vinyl cations were characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy and by X-ray crystallography. The experimental results for the a-alkyl- and a-aryl-substituted vinyl cations confirm their Y-shape structures, consisting of a linear dicoordinated, formally positively charged a-carbon atom and a trigonal planar coordinated /f-carbon atom. In addition, the spectroscopic data clearly indicate the consequences of, / -silyl hyperconjugation in these vinyl cations. Scope and limitations of the synthetic approach to vinyl cations via addition of silylium ions to C=C triple bonds are discussed. 

In contrast, /1-silyl-substitution is predicted by the calculations to be far more stabilizing than /1-alkyl substitution. Thus, the isodesmic equation 3 predicts for 9 a stabilization by the /1-silyl group of 38 kcalmol-1, while the /1-methyl substitution in 10 gives only a stabilization of 28 kcalmol-1 [MP3/6-31G(d)//3-21G(d)]5. The stabilization by the silyl substituent is markedly orientation-dependent. Thus, the perpendicular conformation of the /1-silylethyl cation 9p is higher in energy by 29.6 kcalmol-1 compared with the bisected conformation 9 [MP3/6-31G(d)//3-21G(d)]5. The open /1-silyl-substituted vinyl cation 11 is lower in energy by 28.6 kcalmol-1 and 20.5 kcalmol-1 [MP3/6-31G(d)//3-21G(d)] compared with the vinyl cation (equation 4, R = H) and the 1-propenyl cation (equation 4, R = Me), respectively5. 

Summary 1-Ary 1-2-trialkyIsilyl-substituted vinyl cations are characterized in solution by NMR spectroscopy. The NMR chemical shift data reveal the stabilization of the positive charge by a (5-silyl substituent. The order of hyperconjugative stabilization of a positive charge by P-substituents is H < alkyl < silyl. The P-silyl effect is dependent on the electron demand of the carbocation and decreases with better electron donating a-substituents. NMR spectroscopy is a suitable tool to investigate the competition between 7i-resonance and CT-hyperconjugation in these type of carbocations. 

The stereochemistry of addition is usually anti for alkyl-substituted alkynes, whereas die addition to aryl-substituted compounds is not stereospecific. This suggests a termo-iecular mechanism in the alkyl case, as opposed to an aryl-stabilized vinyl cation mtermediate in the aryl case. Aryl-substituted alkynes can be shifted toward anti addition by including bromide salts in the reaction medium. Under these conditions, a species preceding the vinyl cation must be intercepted by bromide ion. This species can be presented as a complex of molecular bromine with the alkyne. An overall mechanistic summary is shown in the following scheme. 

This scheme represents an alkyne-bromine complex as an intermediate in all alkyne brominations. This is analogous to the case of alkenes. The complex may dissociate to a inyl cation when the cation is sufficiently stable, as is the case when there is an aryl substituent. It may collapse to a bridged bromonium ion or undergo reaction with a nucleophile. The latta is the dominant reaction for alkyl-substituted alkynes and leads to stereospecific anti addition. Reactions proceeding through vinyl cations are expected to be nonstereospecific. 

Although formation of primary vinyl cation was disproved by the chirality probe approach, a vinyl cationic intermediate can be generated from a primary substrate via participation if a more stable cation could result. Unsymmetrically substituted 2,2-dialkylvinyl iodonium salt 24 gave mainly rearranged products on solvolysis.15 The products involve those of the 1,2-shift of either of the alkyl groups on the p position (Scheme 4). Those formed from migration of the alkyl... 

To be really satisfactory, a Friedel-Crafts alkylation requires one relatively stable secondary or tertiary carbocation to be formed from the alkyl halide by interaction with the Lewis acid, i.e. cases where there is not going to be any chance of rearrangement. Note also that we are unable to generate carboca-tions from an aryl halide - aryl cations (also vinyl cations, see Section 8.1.3) are unfavourable - so that we cannot nse the Friedel-Crafts reaction to join aromatic gronps. There is also one further difficulty, as we shall see below. This is the fact that introduction of an alkyl substitnent on to an aromatic ring activates the ring towards fnrther electrophilic substitution. The result is that the initial product from Friedel-Crafts alkylations is more reactive than the... 

Alkynes, although not as prevalent as alkenes, have a number of important uses in synthesis. In general, alkynes are somewhat less reactive than alkenes toward many electrophiles. A major reason for this difference in reactivity is the substantially higher energy of the vinyl cation intermediate that is formed by an electrophilic attack on an alkyne. It is estimated that vinyl cations are about lOkcal/mol less stable than an alkyl cation with similar substitution. The observed differences in rate of addition in direct comparisons between alkenes and alkynes depend upon the specific electrophile and the reaction conditions.111 112 Table 4.4 summarizes some illustrative rate comparisons. A more complete discussion of the mechanistic aspects of addition to alkynes can be found in Section 6.5 of Part A. 

Alkynes react with bromine via an electrophilic addition mechanism. A bridged bromonium ion intermediate has been postulated for alkyl-substituted acetylenes, while vinyl cations are suggested for aryl-substituted examples.119 1-Phenylpropyne gives mainly the anti addition product in acetic acid, but some of the syn isomer is formed.120 The proportion of dibromide formed and stereoselectivity are enhanced when lithium bromide is added to the reaction mixture. 

An alkyne is less reactive than an alkene. A vinyl cation is less able to accommodate a positive charge, as the hyperconjugation is less effective in stabilizing the positive charge on a vinyl cation than on an alkyl cation. The vinyl cation is more stable with positive charge on the more substituted carbon. Electrophilic addition reactions allow the conversion of alkenes and alkynes into a variety of other functional groups. 

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