Carbenes abstraction

Correlated or geminate radical pairs are produced in unimolecular decomposition processes (e.g. peroxide decomposition) or bimolecular reactions of reactive precursors (e.g., carbene abstraction reactions). Radical pairs formed by the random encounter of freely diffusing radicals are referred to as uncorrelated or encounter (P) pairs. Once formed, the radical pairs can either collapse, to give combination or disproportionation products, or diffuse apart into free radicals (doublet states). The free radicals escaping may then either form new radical pairs with other radicals or react with some diamagnetic scavenger... 

A complicating factor associated with experimental application of the Skell Hypothesis is that triplet carbenes abstract hydrogen atoms from many olefins more rapidly than they add to them. Also, in general, the two cyclopropanes that can be formed are diastereomers, and thus there is no reason to expect that they will be formed from an intermediate with equal efficiency. To allay these problems, stereospecifically deuteriated a-methyl-styrene has been employed as a probe for the multiplicity of the reacting carbene. In this case, one bond formation from the triplet carbene is expected to be rapid since it generates a particularly well-stabilized 1,3-biradical. Also, the two cyclopropane isomers differ only in isotopic substitution and this is anticipated to have only a small effect on the efficiencies of their formation. The expected non-stereospecific reaction of the triplet carbene is shown in (15) and its stereospecific counterpart in (16). 

The mechanism proposed for carbene-abstraction and carbene-insertion reactions is based on the calculations of Dewar (MINDO/2) and Hoffmann (extended Hiickel) Hoffmann dealt only with the concerted reactions of singlet carbenes, whereas Dewar discussed both singlet and triplet carbene reactions. The calculations of Dewar s ) for the reaction of triplet methylene with methane gave the following results ... 

It is not easy to explain why the triplet reactions that are energetically much less favored than those of the singlets become dominant at low temperature. Based on Ea and log A measured for triplet carbene abstraction (see Section 5.3), one can estimate the rate constant at 77 K to be <10 M s, suggesting that triplet carbene reactions in matrices at 77 K should not occur. Obviously, reactions of carbenes within matrices are controlled by factors that are not operating in solution phase, as one might expect from dramatic changes in reaction conditions. 

Laser flash-photolysis investigations have been carried out for benzylchloro-carbene, phenylchlorocarbene, methoxyphenylcarbene and fluorenylidene, and some other carbenes, generated from diazirine, diazo and other precursors, in the presence of oxiranes and thiiranes. These carbenes abstract oxygen or sulfur atoms with bimolecular rate constants in the range 10 to 10 s ... 

The first absolute rate constant of a carbene reaction in solution was reported by Closs and Rabinow in 1976. [16] Upon photolysis of diphenyldiazomethane 1 in benzene with a conventional flash lamp, a transient spectrum with X 300 nm was detected. This absorption was assigned to triplet diphenylcarbene 3 because of the correspondence of this spectrum with that previously obtained for this carbene in a low temperature matrix." Upon flash photolysis of diphenyldiazomethane in cyclohexane the transient spectrum of the known spectrum of benzhydryl radical 9 334 nm) was produced. Carbene abstraction... 

Transition metal-catalysed carbene abstraction has been reported once, whereby a-oxo Au carbenes generated on oxidation of terminal alkynes are prone to abstract halogen from solvents such as 1,2-dichloroethane and 1,2-dibromoethane. This method constitutes an attractive approach for preparing chloro- or bromo-methyl ketones in one step starting from terminal alkynes. 

A novel route to 2-fluoropyridines involved the base-induced decomposition of substituted N-fluoropyridinium salts. Abstraction of the 2-H produces a singlet carbene (11) that removes F from a counterion. This is in contrast to the reaction with C nucleophiles, which are fluorinated, and is attributed to the high stability of C—F compared to O—F and N—F (89JOC1726). 

Abstract The photoinduced reactions of metal carbene complexes, particularly Group 6 Fischer carbenes, are comprehensively presented in this chapter with a complete listing of published examples. A majority of these processes involve CO insertion to produce species that have ketene-like reactivity. Cyclo addition reactions presented include reaction with imines to form /1-lactams, with alkenes to form cyclobutanones, with aldehydes to form /1-lactones, and with azoarenes to form diazetidinones. Photoinduced benzannulation processes are included. Reactions involving nucleophilic attack to form esters, amino acids, peptides, allenes, acylated arenes, and aza-Cope rearrangement products are detailed. A number of photoinduced reactions of carbenes do not involve CO insertion. These include reactions with sulfur ylides and sulfilimines, cyclopropanation, 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions, and acyl migrations. 

Abstract The dirhodium(II) core is a template onto which both achiral and chiral ligands are placed so that four exist in a paddle wheel fashion around the core. The resulting structures are effective electrophilic catalysts for diazo decomposition in reactions that involve metal carbene intermediates. High selectivities are achieved in transformations ranging from addition to insertion and association. The syntheses of natural products and compounds of biological interest have employed these catalysts and methods with increasing frequency. 

Abstract For many years after its discovery, olefin metathesis was hardly used as a synthetic tool. This situation changed when well-defined and stable carbene complexes of molybdenum and ruthenium were discovered as efficient precatalysts in the early 1990s. In particular, the high activity and selectivity in ring-closure reactions stimulated further research in this area and led to numerous applications in organic synthesis. Today, olefin metathesis is one of the... 

This is not surprising, since triplet carbenes are free radicals. But singlet carbenes can also give this reaction, though in this case only halogen atoms are abstracted, not hydrogen. 

A free-radical process in which the carbene directly abstracts a hydrogen from the substrate to generate a pair of free radicals ... 

That this mechanism can take place under suitable conditions has been demonstrated by isotopic labeling and by other means. However, the formation of disproportionation and dimerization products does not always mean that the free-radical abstraction process takes place. In some cases these products arise in a different manner.We have seen that the product of the reaction between a carbene and a molecule may have excess energy (p. 247). Therefore it is possible for the substrate and the carbene to react by mechanism 1 (the direct-insertion process) and for the excess energy to cause the compound thus formed to cleave to free radicals. When this pathway is in operation, the free radicals are formed after the actual insertion reaction. 

Abstract The use of A-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes as homogeneous catalysts in addition reactions across carbon-carbon double and triple bonds and carbon-heteroatom double bonds is described. The discussion is focused on the description of the catalytic systems, their current mechanistic understanding and occasionally the relevant organometallic chemistry. The reaction types covered include hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, hydrosilylation, hydroboration and diboration, hydroamination, hydrothiolation, hydration, hydroarylation, allylic substitution, addition, chloroesterification and chloroacylation. 

Abstract This chapter highlights the use of iV-heterocyclic carbenes as supporting ligands in arylation reactions different than the more common cross-coupling reactions, including C-F bond activation, catalytic arylation, homocoupling, direct arylation and oxidative Heck reactions. 

Abstract This chapter focuses on carbon monoxide as a reagent in M-NHC catalysed reactions. The most important and popular of these reactions is hydro-formylation. Unfortunately, uncertainty exists as to the identity of the active catalyst and whether the NHC is bound to the catalyst in a number of the reported reactions. Mixed bidentate NHC complexes and cobalt-based complexes provide for better stability of the catalyst. Catalysts used for hydroaminomethylation and carbonyla-tion reactions show promise to rival traditional phosphine-based catalysts. Reports of decarbonylation are scarce, but the potential strength of the M-NHC bond is conducive to the harsh conditions required. This report will highlight, where appropriate, the potential benefits of exchanging traditional phosphorous ligands with iV-heterocyclic carbenes as well as cases where the role of the NHC might need re-evaluation. A review by the author on this topic has recently appeared [1]. 

Abstract A -Heterocyclic carbene complexes produced on industrial scale are presented in this chapter along with a discussion about their production. Details of processes employing NHC complexes on pilot to industrial scales are discussed. These are frequently oriented towards the synthesis of biologically active molecules, however, examples are given for rubber formation and for 1-octene synthesis, a comonomer for polyethylene synthesis. 

Different methods have been developed for the generation of carbene and diradical negative ions. One of the most commonly used approaches involves the reaction of an organic substrate with atomic oxygen ion, O , to form water by H2 abstraction (Eq. 5.7). "... 

This reaction can proceed by 1,1-proton abstraction to form a carbene radical anion, but can also occur by l,n-abstraction to form the negative ion of a diradical. Thus, reaction of O with methylene chloride results in the formation of CCI2 (Eq. S.Sa), reaction with ethylene gives vinylidene radical anion, H2CC (Eq. 5.8b), and the reaction with acetonitrile gives the radical anion of cyanomethylene, HCCN (Eq. 5.8c) Investigations of these ions have been used to determine the thermochemical properties of dichlorocarbene, CCI2, vinylidene, and cyanomethylene. ... 

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