Computational studies oxidation

Finally, metalated epoxides undergo isomerization processes characteristic of traditional carbenoids (Scheme 5.2, Path C). The structure of a metalated epoxide is intermediate in nature between the structures 2a and 2b (Scheme 5.2). The existence of this intermediacy is supported by computational studies, which have shown that the a-C-O bond of oxirane elongates by -12% on a-lithiation [2], Furthermore, experimentally, the a-lithiooxycarbene 4a (Scheme 5.3) returned cydo-pentene oxide 7 among its decomposition products indeed, computational studies of singlet 4a suggest it possesses a structure in the gas phase that is intennediate in nature between an a-lithiocarbene and the lithiated epoxide 4b [3],... 

Palladium(II) complexes provide convenient access into this class of catalysts. Some examples of complexes which have been found to be successful catalysts are shown in Scheme 11. They were able to get reasonable turnover numbers in the Heck reaction of aryl bromides and even aryl chlorides [22,190-195]. Mechanistic studies concentrated on the Heck reaction [195] or separated steps like the oxidative addition and reductive elimination [196-199]. Computational studies by DFT calculations indicated that the mechanism for NHC complexes is most likely the same as that for phosphine ligands [169], but also in this case there is a need for more data before a definitive answer can be given on the mechanism. 

Let us consider the general trends of the reactivity of C-C, C-S, and C-Q (Q = Cl, Br, I) bonds towards oxidative addition and reductive elimination (Scheme 7-25). In many cases, either C-C bond-forming reductive elimination from a metal center (a) or the oxidative addition of a C-Q bond to a low-valent metal center is a thermodynamically favorable process (c). On the other hand, the thermodynamics of the C-S bond oxidative addition and reductive elimination (b) lies in between these two cases. In other words, one could more easily control the reaction course by the modulation of metal, ligand, and reactant Further progress for better understanding of S-X bond activation will be achieved by thorough stoichiometric investigations and computational studies. 

Olefination Reactions Involving Phosphonium Ylides. The synthetic potential of phosphonium ylides was developed initially by G. Wittig and his associates at the University of Heidelberg. The reaction of a phosphonium ylide with an aldehyde or ketone introduces a carbon-carbon double bond in place of the carbonyl bond. The mechanism originally proposed involves an addition of the nucleophilic ylide carbon to the carbonyl group to form a dipolar intermediate (a betaine), followed by elimination of a phosphine oxide. The elimination is presumed to occur after formation of a four-membered oxaphosphetane intermediate. An alternative mechanism proposes direct formation of the oxaphosphetane by a cycloaddition reaction.236 There have been several computational studies that find the oxaphosphetane structure to be an intermediate.237 Oxaphosphetane intermediates have been observed by NMR studies at low temperature.238 Betaine intermediates have been observed only under special conditions that retard the cyclization and elimination steps.239... 

Cationic ruthenium complexes of the type [Cp Ru(MeCN)3]PF6 have been shown to provide unique selectivities for inter- and intramolecular reactions that are difficult to reconcile with previously proposed mechanistic routes.29-31 These observations led to a computational study and a new mechanistic proposal based on concerted oxidative addition and alkyne insertion to a stable ruthenacyclopropene intermediate.32 This proposal seems to best explain the unique selectivities. A similar mechanism in the context of C-H activation has recently been proposed from a computational study of a related ruthenium(ll) catalyst.33... 

Computational studies of alkene oxidation reactions by metal-oxo compounds, 38, 131 Computational studies on the mechanism of orotidine monophosphate decarboxylase,... 

A typical example of energy minimization using interatomic potentials is a study [2] of the ternary fluorides AMF3 (A = Li+-Cs+, M = Mg2+-Ba2+). Not all these compounds have been reported experimentally. The computational study was based on structures adopted by AMO3 oxides, since the oxide and fluoride ions have similar ionic radii. The possible structures, shown in Figure 11.6, fall into two classes ... 

Cycloaddition of pyridine Ar-oxides (see Section 11.13.2) led to careful examination of thermodynamic aspects, though no experimental measurement was provided. Thermodynamic profile for the ring-chain isomerization of [l,2,3]triazolo[l,5- ]pyridines via a ring-opening pathway (Equation 2) was calculated. Based on this computational study, a multistep mechanism was proposed <20050BC3905>. 

The focus of the next four chapters (Chapters 14-17) is mainly on the theoretical/computational aspects. Chapter 14 by T. S. Sorensen and E. C. F. Yang examines the involvement of p-hydrido cation intermediates in the context of the industrially important heptane to toluene dehydrocyclization process. Chapter 15 by P. M. Esteves et al. is devoted to theoretical studies of carbonium ions. Chapter 16 by G. L. Borosky and K. K. Laali presents a computational study on aza-PAH carbocations as models for the oxidized metabolites of Aza-PAHs. Chapter 17 by S. C. Ammal and H. Yamataka examines the borderline Beckmann rearrangement-fragmentation mechanism and explores the influence of carbocation stability on the reaction mechanism. 

The reaction mechanisms of these transition metal mediated oxidations have been the subject of several computational studies, especially in the case of osmium tetraoxide [7-10], where the controversy about the mechanism of the oxidation reaction with olefins could not be solved experimentally [11-20]. Based on the early proposal of Sharpless [12], that metallaoxetanes should be involved in alkene oxidation reactions of metal-oxo compounds like Cr02Cl2, 0s04 and Mn04" the question arose whether the reaction proceeds via a concerted [3+2] route as originally proposed by Criegee [11] or via a stepwise [2+2] process with a metallaoxetane intermediate [12] (Figure 2). 

Zeppieri, S., High Temperature Experimental and Computational Studies of the Pyrolysis and Oxidation of Endothermic Fuels, Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 1999. 

Systematic spectroelectrochemical and computational studies of tetrahalide complexes of the [Tc=N] cores in the +V and +VI oxidation states have been published and comparisons made with the corresponding [Tc=0] + systems. Significant differences in the redox potentials between [Tc=0] + and [Tc=N] + complexes are observed. The 6+/5+ couple for [TcNBr4] is reversible at -I-0.32V vs. SCE, whereas the corresponding couple for [TcOBr4] is irreversible at +1.73 V. 

As seen above, /3-deprotonation implies a six-center transition state. Recent computational studies show an important variation of the H —C—C—O dihedral angle from reactant to transition state . Thus, the ground state geometry of the oxirane cannot be used to predict its reactivity. However, for structural reasons, some oxiranes cannot adopt a suitable conformation for -deprotonation and furnish exclusively a-deprotonation products. This concept is well illustrated by the norbornene oxide 17, which gives exclusively the transannular 1,3 insertion product 18 in the presence of lithium amide (Scheme 5) . 

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