Alkynes, electrophilic addition

We expect the reactions complementary to equations (1) and (2), namely electrophilic attacks, to be faster for alkenes than for alkynes. Thus, reactivity ratios (/-ii and rj2) for corresponding alkynes and alkenes (PhC CH, PhCH=CH and BuC CH, BuCH=CH2) in radical copolymerizations favour the alkene over the alkyne . Electrophilic additions of Br, CI2, ArSCl and H3O+ to alkenes are usually much faster than those to alkynes . However, A (C=C)/A (C=C) can vary from 10 to < 1 for the different electrophilic processes and by 10 for one process (Br2 addition) when the solvent is changed from HjO to HOAc . This unexpected trend in reactivity continues undiminished in the rates of acid-catalysed hydration... 

When formulating a mechanism for the reaction of alkynes with hydrogen halides we could propose a process analogous to that of electrophilic addition to alkenes m which the first step is formation of a carbocation and is rate determining The second step according to such a mechanism would be nucleophilic capture of the carbocation by a halide ion... 

FIGURE 9 5 (a) Curved arrow notation and (b) transition state for electrophilic addition of a hydrogen halide HXto an alkyne... 

For further discussion of this topic see the article The Electrophilic Addition to Alkynes in the November 1993 edition of theVourna/ of Chemical Education (p 873) Additional common tary appeared in the Novem ber 1996 issue... 

Furthermore kinetic studies reveal that electrophilic addition of hydrogen halides to alkynes follows a rate law that is third order overall and second order in hydrogen halide... 

The three basic mechanisms that have been considered to be involved in electrophilic additions to alkynes are shown below. The first involves a discrete vinyl cation. In general, it can lead to either of the two stereoisomeric addition products. The second mechanism is a termolecular process which would be expected to lead to stereospecific anti addition. The... 

Electrophilic additions to allenes represent an interesting reaction type which is related to additions to both alkenes and alkynes. An allene could, for example, conceivably be protonated at either a terminal s[p- carbon or the central sp carbon. 

Evidence from a variety of sources, however, indicates that alkenyl cations (also called vinylic cations) are much less stable than simple alkyl cations, and their- involvement in these additions has been questioned. Eor example, although electrophilic addition of hydrogen halides to alkynes occurs more slowly than the conesponding additions... 

Electrophiles react with alkynes in much the same way as with alkenes. Alkynes are typically much less reactive toward electrophiles than alkenes (see Chapter 7, Problem 14), however, and the initial product from addition to the triple bond usually undergoes further electrophilic addition. 

The chemistry of alkynes is dominated by electrophilic addition reactions, similar to those of alkenes. Alkynes react with HBr and HC1 to yield vinylic halides and with Br2 and Cl2 to yield 1,2-dihalides (vicinal dihalides). Alkynes can be hydrated by reaction with aqueous sulfuric acid in the presence of mercury(ll) catalyst. The reaction leads to an intermediate enol that immediately isomerizes to yield a ketone tautomer. Since the addition reaction occurs with Markovnikov regiochemistry, a methyl ketone is produced from a terminal alkyne. Alternatively, hydroboration/oxidation of a terminal alkyne yields an aldehyde. 

Peterson and co-workers have carried out a careful investigation of the electrophilic addition of trifluoroacetic acid to a series of aliphatic alkynes (38) and alkenes (39,40). Of particular interest is the behavior of 3-hexyne. At. 1 M concentrations of 3-hexyne, nearly equal amounts of the cis- and trans-3-hexen-3-yl trifluoroacetates are formed in 98% yield, together with about 2%... 

The exact behavior and mechanism of electrophilic additions to alkynes is clearly strongly dependent upon the reaction conditions. In a highly polar and strongly acidic but weakly nucleophilic solvent such as trifluoroacetic acid, addition via a vinyl cation intermediate is favored whereas in less polar, more nucleophilic solvents such as acetic acid, a different mechanism prevails. 

For a summary and detailed discussion of the stereochemistry of electrophilic additions to alkenes and alkynes see R. C. Fahey, in Topics in Stereochemistry, Vol. 3,... 

The orientation of addition of an unsymmetrical adduct, HY or XY, to an unsymmetrically substituted alkene will be defined by the preferential formation of the more stabilised carbanion, as seen above (cf. preferential formation of the more stabilised carbocation in electrophilic addition, p. 184). There is little evidence available about stereoselectivity in such nucleophilic additions to acyclic alkenes. Nucleophilic addition also occurs with suitable alkynes, generally more readily than with the corresponding alkenes. 

Alkenes and alkynes react with sulfur dichloride (SC12), giving 2-chloroethyl(or vinyl)sulfenyl chlorides. The reaction is an electrophilic addition to the multiple bond, and consequently the possible intermediacy of thiiranes, or thiiranium ions analogous to bromonium ions, has been... 

Quaternary ammonium tribromides can also be produced in situ from the quaternary ammonium bromide, sodium hypochlorite and sodium bromide and can be used, for example, in electrophilic addition reactions reaction with alkenes and alkynes. 

Terminal alkynes readily react with coordinatively unsaturated transition metal complexes to yield vinylidene complexes. If the vinylidene complex is sufficiently electrophilic, nucleophiles such as amides, alcohols or water can add to the a-carbon atom to yield heteroatom-substituted carbene complexes (Figure 2.10) [129 -135]. If the nucleophile is bound to the alkyne, intramolecular addition to the intermediate vinylidene will lead to the formation of heterocyclic carbene complexes [136-141]. Vinylidene complexes can further undergo [2 -i- 2] cycloadditions with imines, forming azetidin-2-ylidene complexes [142,143]. Cycloaddition to azines leads to the formation of pyrazolidin-3-ylidene complexes [143] (Table 2.7). 

Additional methods for preparing non-heteroatom-substituted carbene complexes include nucleophilic or electrophilic additions to carbyne complexes (Section 3.1.4), electrophilic additions to alkenyl or alkynyl complexes (Section 3.1.5), and the isomerization of alkyne or cyclopropene complexes (Section 3.1.6). 

Predicting the outcome of electrophilic additions to alkynes from an extension of alkene reactivity usually works well, and can be applied to halogenations and hydrations. Hydration of an alkyne has a subtle twist, however the product is a ketone This can still be rationalized quite readily, though. 

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