Cationic nitrogen, enhancing cations

Cobalt trifluoride fluorination corresponds to the electron-transfer mechanism via a radical cation. RF groups attached to the ring enhance the stability of intermediate dienes and monoenes. Perfluoroalkyl pyridines, pyrazines, and pyrimidines were successfully fluorinated but pyridazines eliminated nitrogen. The lack of certain dienes was attributed to the difference in stability of FC=C and RFC=C and steric effects [81JCS(P1)2059]. 

A group with a more powerful (electron-withdrawing) inductive effect, e.g. NOa, is found to have rather more influence. Electron-withdrawal is intensified when the nitro group is in the o- or p-position, for the interaction of the unshared pair of the amino nitrogen with the delocalised it orbital system of the benzene nucleus is then enhanced. The neutral molecule is thus stabilised even further with respect to the cation, resulting in further weakening as a base. Thus the nitro-anilines are found to have related p a values ... 

Only Cram (36) has published a rationale for the very high (99%) enantiomeric excess achieved in the reaction of methyl vinyl ketone and the hydrindanone in the presence of the chiral crown ether. This mechanism envisions a bimolecular complex comprising the potassium cation and chiral host as one entity and the enolate anion of the hydrindanone as the counterion. Methyl vinyl ketone lies outside this complex. The quinine-catalyzed reaction appears to have a termo-lecular character, since the hydroxyl of the alkaloid probably hydrogen bonds with the methyl vinyl ketone—enhancing its acceptor properties—while the quin-uclidine nitrogen functions as the base forming the hydrindanone—alkaloid ion pair. 

The nature of the donor atom also plays an important role in stabilizing complexation. Substituting one or more sulfur atoms for oxygen in [18]crown-6 (1) causes a decrease in Kt for K+ complexation and an enhanced binding of soft cations such as Ag+. A similar substitution by nitrogen atoms results in a smaller reduction in K+ binding but an increased Ks for transition metal complexation. 

Macropolycyclic ligands containing intramolecular cavities of a three-dimensional nature are referred to as cryptands. The bicyclic cryptands (73) exist in three conformations with respect to the terminal nitrogen atoms, exo-exo, endo-exo and endo-endo 6 these forms can rapidly interconvert via nitrogen inversion but only the endo-endo form has been found in the crystal structures of a variety of complexes372 and for the free ligand ([2.2.2], 73, m = n = / = l).449 In their complexes with alkali and alkaline earth cations, the cryptands exhibit an enhanced stability over the crown ethers and coronands dufe to the macrobicyclic, or cryptate, effect.33 202... 

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