Carbenes intermolecular

Triplet Carbene Intermolecular Hydrogen Abstraction Reactions 434... 

These reactions have very low activation energies when the intermediate is a free carbene. Intermolecular insertion reactions are inherently nonselective. The course of intramolecular reactions is frequently controlled by the proximity of the reacting groups.113 Carbene intermediates can also be involved in rearrangement reactions. In the sections that follow we also consider a number of rearrangement reactions that probably do not involve carbene intermediates, but lead to transformations that correspond to those of carbenes. 

Analysis of the product distributions arising from both sensitized and non-sensitized irradiation of 2-allyloxyphenyldiazo species (8) showed that the C—H insertion product and much of the cyclopropanation arise from the triplet carbene.16 For the singlet carbene, intermolecular 0—H insertion with methanol is about 50 tunes faster than intramolecular addition to the double bond, hi this system, intramolecular reactions and intersystem crossing of the triplet carbene proceed at similar rates, hi the closely related indanyl system (9), the smaller RCR angle stabilizes the singlet state relative to the triplet and the intramolecular reactivity is dominated by the singlet state.17... 

Difluoroaminofluorodiazirine (225) extrudes nitrogen at only 75 °C. Intramolecular stabilization gives trifluoromethylenimine (226) added tetrafluoroethylene is cyclopropa-nated. This type of dichotomy is not often found in carbene chemistry alkylcarbenes undergo intramolecular stabilization as a rule, whereas intermolecular stabilization is observed exclusively with alkoxycarbonylcarbenes and with difluorocarbene. In the latter case CF2 attacks its precursor when no other reaction partner is present. 

The same dichotomy was observed with hexafluorodimethylcarbene (228), formed by thermolysis of diazirine (227) at 150 °C. The carbene (228) can stabilize itself either intramolecularly to perfluoropropene (229), or intermolecularly by addition to multiple bonds. Oxirane (230) is formed with hexafluoroacetone, cyclopropene (231) with 2-butyne (66MI50800). 

An intermolecular carbenoid reaction followed by intramolecular displacement of acetate gives the clavulanic acid derivative (112) in one step from 4-acetoxyazetidin-2-one (91) (80CC1257). Carbene-induced reactions of penicillins and cephalosporins have been reviewed (75S547, 78T1731). 

Acyclic diene molecules are capable of undergoing intramolecular and intermolec-ular reactions in the presence of certain transition metal catalysts molybdenum alkylidene and ruthenium carbene complexes, for example [50, 51]. The intramolecular reaction, called ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM), affords cyclic compounds, while the intermolecular reaction, called acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization, provides oligomers and polymers. Alteration of the dilution of the reaction mixture can to some extent control the intrinsic competition between RCM and ADMET. 

The strained bicyclic carbapenem framework of thienamycin is the host of three contiguous stereocenters and several heteroatoms (Scheme 1). Removal of the cysteamine side chain affixed to C-2 furnishes /J-keto ester 2 as a possible precursor. The intermolecular attack upon the keto function in 2 by a suitable thiol nucleophile could result in the formation of the natural product after dehydration of the initial tetrahedral adduct. In a most interesting and productive retrosynthetic maneuver, intermediate 2 could be traced in one step to a-diazo keto ester 4. It is important to recognize that diazo compounds, such as 4, are viable precursors to electron-deficient carbenes. In the synthetic direction, transition metal catalyzed decomposition of diazo keto ester 4 could conceivably furnish electron-deficient carbene 3 the intermediacy of 3 is expected to be brief, for it should readily insert into the proximal N-H bond to... 

Non-heteroatom-stabilised Fischer carbene complexes also react with alkenes to give mixtures of olefin metathesis products and cyclopropane derivatives which are frequently the minor reaction products [19]. Furthermore, non-heteroatom-stabilised vinylcarbene complexes, generated in situ by reaction of an alkoxy- or aminocarbene complex with an alkyne, are able to react with different types of alkenes in an intramolecular or intermolecular process to produce bicyclic compounds containing a cyclopropane ring [20]. 

Intermolecular [4C+2S] cycloaddition reactions where the diene moiety is contained in the carbene complex are less frequent than the [4S+2C] cycloadditions summarised in the previous section. However, 2-butadienylcarbene complexes, generated by a [2+2]/cyclobutene ring opening sequence, undergo Diels-Alder reactions with typical dienophiles [34,35] (Scheme 59). Also, Wulff et al. have described the application of pyranylidene complexes, obtained by a [3+3] cycloaddition reaction (see Sect. 2.8.1), in the inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction with enol ethers and enamines [87a]. Later, this strategy was applied to the synthesis of steroid-like ring skeletons [87b] (Scheme 59). 

Aryl- and alkenylcarbene complexes are known to react with alkynes through a [3C+2S+1C0] cycloaddition reaction to produce benzannulated compounds. This reaction, known as the Dotz reaction , is widely reviewed in Chap. Chromium-Templated Benzannulation Reactions , p. 123 of this book. However, simple alkyl-substituted carbene complexes react with excess of an alkyne (or with diynes) to produce a different benzannulated product which incorporates in its structure two molecules of the alkyne, a carbon monoxide ligand and the carbene carbon [128]. As referred to before, this [2S+2SH-1C+1C0] cycloaddition reaction can be carried out with diyne derivatives, showing these reactions give better yields than the corresponding intermolecular version (Scheme 80). 

The convergent approach comprises, among other reaction steps, a regio-specific intermolecular benzannulation reaction between the alkyne 88 and the chromium carbene complex 89 for AB ring construction (Scheme 43). It is noteworthy that the regioselectivity of this reaction is attributed to the bulky TBDMS ether in the alkyne a-substituent, that dictates the incorporation of the large substituent ortho to the phenol. Another curiosity is the fact that the reaction failed to provide 90 in the absence of acetic anhydride. 

One of the most dramatic recent developments in metal carbene chemistry catalyzed by dirhodium(II) has been demonstration of the feasibility and usefulness of intermolecular carbon-hydrogen insertion reactions [38, 91]. These were made possible by recognition of the unusual reactivity and selectivity of aryl- and vinyldiazoacetates [12] and the high level of electronic control that is possible in their reactions. Some of the products that have been formed in these reactions, and their selectivities with catalysis by Rh2(S-DOSP)4, are reported in Scheme 10. 

The preference for formation of dihalocarbenes (but not the trihalomethyl radicals) upon thermolysis of trihalomethyl mercury, silicon and germanium derivatives seems to be a result of intermolecular coordination, of type [1], and of a thermodynamic preference for the carbene-forming pathway. The... 

UV photolysis (Chapman et al., 1976 Chedekel et al., 1976) and vacuum pyrolysis (Mal tsev et al., 1980) of trimethylsilyldiazomethane [122]. The silene formation occurred as a result of fast isomerization of the primary reaction product, excited singlet trimethylsilylcarbene [123] (the ground state of this carbene is triplet). When the gas-phase reaction mixture was diluted with inert gas (helium) singlet-triplet conversion took place due to intermolecular collisions and loss of excitation. As a result the final products [124] of formal dimerization of the triplet carbene [123] were obtained. 

Interestingly, [Ee(F20-TPP)C(Ph)CO2Et] and [Fe(p2o-TPP)CPh2] can react with cyclohexene, THF, and cumene, leading to C-H insertion products (Table 3) [22]. The carbenoid insertion reactions were found to occur at allylic C-H bond of cyclohexene, benzylic C-H bond of cumene, and ot C-H bond of THF. This is the first example of isolated iron carbene complex to undergo intermolecular carbenoid insertion to saturated C-H bonds. 

The cyclic carbene complex shown in equation 3.4 was studied by X-ray diffraction [66], it shows a linear complex (angle C—Au—C 178.6(4)°) and the gold aryl bond distance is 1.993(10) A which is in accordance with such bonds in other known pentafluorophenyl complexes. The gold carbene carbon distance is 1.961(9) A, the dihedral angle between the planes formed by the two organic ligands is 5.35° and the shortest intermolecular Au—Au distance is 3.95 A. 

Owing to the high reactivity of the intermediates involved, intermolecular carbene insertion reactions are not very selective. The distribution of products from the photolysis of diazomethane in heptane, for example, is almost exactly that expected on a statistical basis.211... 

There is some increase in selectivity with functionally substituted carbenes, but it is still not high enough to prevent formation of mixtures. Phenylchlorocarbene gives a relative reactivity ratio of 2.1 1 0.09 in insertion reactions with i-propylbenzene, ethylbenzene, and toluene.212 For cycloalkanes, tertiary positions are about 15 times more reactive than secondary positions toward phenylchlorocarbene.213 Carbethoxycarbene inserts at tertiary C—H bonds about three times as fast as at primary C—H bonds in simple alkanes.214 Owing to low selectivity, intermolecular insertion reactions are seldom useful in syntheses. Intramolecular insertion reactions are of considerably more value. Intramolecular insertion reactions usually occur at the C—H bond that is closest to the carbene and good yields can frequently be achieved. Intramolecular insertion reactions can provide routes to highly strained structures that would be difficult to obtain in other ways. 

The most common rearrangement reaction of alkyl carbenes is the shift of hydrogen, generating an alkene. This mode of stabilization predominates to the exclusion of most intermolecular reactions of aliphatic carbenes and often competes with intramolecular insertion reactions. For example, the carbene generated by decomposition of the tosylhydrazone of 2-methylcyclohexanone gives mainly 1- and 3-methylcyclohexene rather than the intramolecular insertion product. 

Chapter 10 considers the role of reactive intermediates—carbocations, carbenes, and radicals—in synthesis. The carbocation reactions covered include the carbonyl-ene reaction, polyolefin cyclization, and carbocation rearrangements. In the carbene section, addition (cyclopropanation) and insertion reactions are emphasized. Recent development of catalysts that provide both selectivity and enantioselectivity are discussed, and both intermolecular and intramolecular (cyclization) addition reactions of radicals are dealt with. The use of atom transfer steps and tandem sequences in synthesis is also illustrated. 

Even after the boron s electrophilicity has been arrested intermolecularly, intramolecular reorganization of the boraethene may still proceed. A remarkable instance is the structure 60 (by XRD) resulting from the oxidation of 57 by SnCl2. Intermediates in this impressive transformation might well be carbene 58 and boraethene 59. The borons in 59 are still sufficiently electrophilic to cause the mesityl group to bridge (Scheme l).61... 

Pd(OAc)2 works well with strained double bonds as well as with styrene and its ring-substituted derivatives. Basic substituents cannot be tolerated, however, as the failures with 4-(dimethylamino)styrene, 4-vinylpyridine and 1 -vinylimidazole show. In contrast to Rh2(OAc)4, Pd(OAe)2 causes preferential cyclopropanation of the terminal or less hindered double bond in intermolecular competition experiments. These facts are in agreement with a mechanism in which olefin coordination to the metal is a determining factor but the reluctance or complete failure of Pd(II)-diene complexes to react with diazoesters sheds some doubt on the hypothesis of Pd-olefin-carbene complexes (see Sect. 11). 

Similar to the intramolecular insertion into an unactivated C—H bond, the intermolecular version of this reaction meets with greatly improved yields when rhodium carbenes are involved. For the insertion of an alkoxycarbonylcarbene fragment into C—H bonds of acyclic alkanes and cycloalkanes, rhodium(II) perfluorocarb-oxylates 286), rhodium(II) pivalate or some other carboxylates 287,288 and rhodium-(III) porphyrins 287 > proved to be well suited (Tables 19 and 20). In the era of copper catalysts, this reaction type ranked as a quite uncommon process 14), mainly because the yields were low, even in the absence of other functional groups in the substrate which would be more susceptible to carbenoid attack. For example, CuS04(CuCl)-catalyzed decomposition of ethyl diazoacetate in a large excess of cyclohexane was reported to give 24% (15%) of C/H insertion, but 40% (61 %) of the two carbene dimers 289). 

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