Heteroatomic coupling mechanisms

V. Mechanisms for the Functionalization Sequence Carbon-Heteroatom Coupling to Release the Product... 

The transition-metal-catalysed exchange of halogen atoms may also be viewed as a heteroatom coupling reaction. It is particularly useful for the conversion of the cheaper and more available chloro compounds to the more reactive iodo compounds. Nickel catalysis may be used (Scheme 2.185). Cyanide can also be coupled (Scheme 2.186). The use of hydride sources, such as formate or tri-n-butyltinhydride is a method of removing functionality (Scheme 2.187). The mechanism of formate reduction is illustrated in Scheme 5.50. 

Cross-coupling to form carbon heteroatom bonds occurs by oxidative addition of an organic halide, generation of an aryl- or vinylpalladium amido, alkoxo, tholato, phosphido, silyl, stannyl, germyl, or boryl complex, and reductive elimination (Scheme 2). The relative rates and thermodynamics of the individual steps and the precise structure of the intermediates depend on the substrate and catalyst. A full discussion of the mechanism for each type of substrate and each catalyst is beyond the scope of this review. However, a series of reviews and primary literature has begun to provide information on the overall catalytic process.18,19,22,23,77,186... 

Examples of catalytic formation of C-C bonds from sp C-H bonds are even more scarce than from sp C-H bonds and, in general, are limited to C-H bonds adjacent to heteroatoms. A remarkable iridium-catalyzed example was reported by the group of Lin [116] the intermolecular oxidative coupling of methyl ethers with TBE to form olefin complexes in the presence of (P Pr3)2lrH5 (29). In their proposed mechanism, the reactive 14e species 38 undergoes oxidative addition of the methyl C-H bond in methyl ethers followed by olefin insertion to generate the intermediate 39. p-hydride elimination affords 35, which can isomerize to products 36 and 37 (Scheme 10). The reaction proceeds under mild condition (50°C) but suffers from poor selectivity as well as low yield (TON of 12 after 24 h). 

Alkenylations of heteroatom nucleophiles with alkenyl(aryl)iodonium salts occur by a variety of mechanisms, including SN1, SN2, alkylidenecarbene, and addition-elimination pathways [ 126,127]. Reactions that occur with retention of configuration at vinylic carbon are sometimes attributed to a ligand-coupling... 

K. Osakada, T. Yamamoto, Mechanism and Relevance of Transmetalation to Metal Promoted Coupling Reactions, Rev. Heteroatom Chem. 1999, 21, 163-178. 

Because of the radical mechanism for SET reactions, introduction of both a perfluoroalkyl group and a heteroatom moiety to the carbon-carbon double [17-20] and even triple [21] bonds is possible. The initially generated perfluoroalkyl radicals add first to olefins to form a new radical intermediate (23), which then couples with anions (22) to form new anion radicals (24). The formation of the product (25) and the chain propagation via electron transfer from anion radicals (24) to perfluoroalkyl halides constitutes a chain reaction as shown in Scheme 2.38. Sulfur [19], selenium [20], tellurium [21], and phosphorus [22] anions (22) have been employed for these reactions [23]. 

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