Cyclopropyl C-H bonds

Under the right experimental conditions it is possible to form a C-C bond to a cyclopropane ring by cleaving an almost unactivated cyclopropyl C-H bond. 

Abstract The present work describes a comprehensive review of the functionalization of cyclopropyl C-H bonds via transition-metal catalysis. Compared to the enormous number of publications related to direct sp and sp bond transformations in the last two decades, the first full account of direct cyclopropyl C(sp )-H bond functionalization was only disclosed in 2011. Both intra- and intermolecular transformations are detailed in the review, including asymmetric reactions. In addition, mechanistic aspects of various Pd-catalyzed cyclopropane functionalizations are discussed. 

A further example of the importance of this type of stereoelectronic effect is seen in the reactions of /-butoxy radicals with spiro[2,n]alkanes (22) where it is found that hydrogens from the position a- to the cyclopropyl ring arc specifically abstracted. This can be attributed to the favorable overlap of the breaking C-H bond with the cyclopropyl cr bonds.120131 No such specificity is seen with bicyclo[n, 1,0]alkanes (23) where geometric constraints prevent overlap. 

The allyl radical [115] trapped in an argon matrix can be photolytically (A = 410 nm) converted into the cyclopropyl radical [116] (Holtzhauer er a/., 1990). Dicyclopropane and cyclopropane were formed when the photolysed matrix was warmed from 18 to 35 K. The intermediate [116] was shown to be a cr-type (Cs symmetry) and not a rr-type symmetry) radical. Normal coordinate analysis of the radical [116] has been carried out and the IR band at 3118 cm has been assigned to the stretching vibration of the C—H bond at the radical centre. 

As discussed in Section 4.3.2, when, in propane-1,3-diyls, the bonds to the sub-stiments at C2 are hyperconjugative electron donors there is a long-range, bonding interaction between the pseudo-7i combination of methyl C H bonds on one terminal carbon and the 2p-n AO on the other terminal carbon. The cyclopropyl bonds in 15 are such strong electron donors that this effect results in the transoid, cisoid conformer (15b) being computed to be lower in energy than the transoid, transoid conformer (15a). 

In its relative reactivity toward toluene, ethylbenzene and cumene the more highly substituted 1-methyl-2,2-diphenylcyclopropyl radicaP , derived from the decomposition of the precursor diacyl peroxide, resembles the chlorine radical more than it does the phenyl radical (Table 3). Similarly, comparison of the relative reactivities of primary, secondary and tertiary aliphatic hydrogens toward chlorine atoms (1.0 3.6 4.2) and phenyl radicals (1.0 9.3 44) with the relative reactivities of the C-H bond in the methanol/ethanol/2-propanol series toward the 1-methyl-2,2-diphenylcyclopropyl radical (1.0 2.4 15) further confirms the low selectivity of the cyclopropyl radical. Again, this radical resembles the chlorine atom in its reactivity more than it does the phenyl radical. 

In so far as the rate of formation of radicals reflects their stability or reactivity the findings of Hart and Wyman are instructive. In carbon tetrachloride the rate of decomposition of benzoyl peroxide was twice as fast as that of biscyclopropanoyl peroxide. Ingold and coworkers have found that in the photodecomposition of benzoyl and biscyclopropanoyl peroxides, in carbon tetrachloride at 298 K, the phenyl radicals produced reacted faster (7.8 x 10 M s ) than the cyclopropyl radicals (1.5 X 10 M s ). These results are consistent with C-H bond dissociation energies for benzene (llOkcalmol) and cyclopropane (106kcal mol ) which implies that the cyclopropyl radical should be less reactive than the phenyl radical. In subsequent work they also showed that at ambient temperatures radical reactivities decreased along the series /c = Ph > (Me)2 C=CH > cyclopropyl > Me. Table 4 records the absolute rate constants for the reaction of these radicals with tri-n-butylgermane. 

Assuming that the reactivities of the five C-H bonds in cyclopropyl bromide are equivalent and considering also the isomerization products, the relative yield of T for Br versus T for H exchange in cyclopropyl bromide is 4.2. This might be due to the weaker C-Br bond as was suggested by Tang. ... 

A review has discussed the photochemical cyclization of a variety of aryl- and heteroaryl-prop-2-enoic acids. Irradiation (A,>340nm) of the cyclohexenone (119) in argon purged benzene solution affords the cyclized derivatives (120) as a 3 1 mixture of diastereoisomers. The formation of the cyclopropyl group arises via the carbene (121) and insertion into a C-H bond of a neighbouring methyl group. This carbene is formed, presumably, from the biradical (122) which arises by addition of the alkene to the excited state of the enone. Further evidence for the carbene intermediate comes from a reaction in methanol when the diastereo-isomeric mixture of the ethers (123) and (124) is obtained." ... 

Bergman et al. presented an important mechanistic study of the oxidative addition of cyclopropane [14]. The reaction of cyclopropane with coordinatively unsaturated rhodium complex 3 at -60°C results in C-H insertion. No C-C bond cleavage was observed at that temperature. Upon raising the temperature to -20°C, (cyclopropyl)(hydride)rhodium complex 4 undergoes direct rearrangement to rhodacyclobutane 5. The C-H insertion product is kinetically favored, and the C-C insertion product is thermodynamically favored. The kinetic preference for C-H insertion clearly demonstrates the greater steric accessibility of the C-H bond compared with the C-C bond, as mentioned above. Evidence sug-... 

Many cyclopropyl chlorides and bromides have been converted to alkoxycyclopropanes by treatment with a strong base, in most cases potassium rerf-butoxide, in an appropriate organic solvent (Table 13). Under such conditions, hydrogen halide elimination takes place, yielding strained cyclopropene intermediates, which are trapped by nucleophilic attack of the alkoxide. Overall, a simple substitution occurs when a bond is formed between the alkoxide group and the carbon atom to which the halide was attached. This is the case when l-chloro-5-methyl-exo-6-phenyl-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-one (1) was reacted with potassium /ert-butoxide l-/er/-butoxy-5-methyl-ent/o-6-phenyl-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-one (2) was isolated in 94% yield.If a C-O bond is established at the other olefinic carbon atom, a C H bond is concomitantly formed at the carbon atom, to which the halide was attached. The result is a double substitution which is discussed elsewhere (see Section 5.2.1.3 ). When the substrate contains more than one halogen atom, several elimination reactions usually take place. Thus, treatment of 1 -bromo-2-chloro-2-methylcyclopropane (3) with an excess of potassium /er/-butoxide gave l-ter/-butoxy-2-methylenecyclopropane (4) in 30% yield. 

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