Nitrene formation

Reductive carbonylation of nitro compounds is catalyzed by various Pd catalysts. Phenyl isocyanate (93) is produced by the PdCl2-catalyzed reductive carbonylation (deoxygenation) of nitrobenzene with CO, probably via nitrene formation. Extensive studies have been carried out to develop the phosgene-free commercial process for phenyl isocyanate production from nitroben-zene[76]. Effects of various additives such as phenanthroline have been stu-died[77-79]. The co-catalysts of montmorillonite-bipyridylpalladium acetate and Ru3(CO) 2 are used for the reductive carbonylation oLnitroarenes[80,81]. Extensive studies on the reaction in alcohol to form the A -phenylurethane 94 have also been carried out[82-87]. Reaction of nitrobenzene with CO in the presence of aniline affords diphenylurea (95)[88]. 

As another example of nitrene formation, the reaction of o-nitrostilbene (96) with CO in the presence of SnCU affords 2-phenylindole (97). The reaction is explained by nitrene formation by deoxygenation of the nitro group with CO, followed by the addition of the nitrene to alkene. Similarly, the 2//-indazole derivative 99 was prepared by reductive cyclization of the A-(2-nitrobenzyli-dene)amine 98[89]. 

Figure 4.21 BASED can react with molecules after photoactivation to form crosslinks with nucleophilic groups, primarily amines. Exposure of its phenyl azide groups to UV light causes nitrene formation and ring expansion to the dehydroazepine intermediate. This group is highly reactive with amines. The cross-bridge of BASED is cleavable using a disulfide reducing agent.

Fig. 10. Possible photoactivation pathway of 4 mechanism for nitrene formation and subsequent trapping with dimethylsulfide (DMS) results in C-C bond formation, DMS oxidation, and oxygen evolution.

A series of transformations via nitrene formation similar to the previously discussed case was also found under flash vacuum thermolytic (FVT) conditions by the same team as shown in Scheme 8 <2003JOC1470>. 9-Phenyltetrazolo[l,5- ]quinoline 29 underwent nitrene 30 and cyclic carbodiimide 31 formation, and this intermediate - similar to the previous case - could open up to the isoquinoline nitrene 32 in which, however, proximity of the nitrene to the phenyl substituents allowed the ring closure to the stable tetracyclic ring system 33 which was obtained in 73% yield. 

Several lines of inquiry have been explored to address key mechanistic issues in the rhodium-catalyzed C-H insertion of carbamates and sulfamates (Scheme 17.32) [99]. A pathway involving initial condensation between substrate 96 and PhI(OAc)2 to form iminoiodinane 97 was envisioned in the original design of this chemistry. Coordination of 97 to an axial site on the rhodium dimer would promote nitrene formation and the ensuing C-H insertion event Surprisingly, control experiments with PhI(OAc)2 and sulfamate 96 (or analogous carbamates) give no indication for a reaction between these two components. 

It is likely that on highly reduced materials, like metals, a nitrene intermediate is formed upon reduction of nitrobenzene151. Although direct evidence for nitrene formation has not been obtained in this study, an indirect indication for such an intermediate can be found in the production of azobenzene and azoxybenzene. 

Such a mechanism is also considered to operate in the photochemical reaction of Mo(jt-Cp)(CO)2(NO) with triphenylphosphine. Isolation of the isocyanate complex Mo(NCO)(jt-Cp)CO(PPh3)2 together with Mo(jt-Cp)(CO)NO(PPh3) results from trapping of the metal nitrene by carbon monoxide in an intramolecular process.122 Nitrene formation is also considered to participate in the process of conversion of Mo(NO)2(S2CNR2)2 to Mo(NO)(S2CNR2)3 using triphenylphosphine.119... 

Another attractive method for E ring formation featured an intramolecular [2+3]cycloaddition of an azide moiety, emanating from the indole 3-position via a two-carbon linker, to, now, an electron-rich version of the C15-C16 double bond.19 The cycloaddition precursor 10 was made via 9, in turn assembled by regioselective cocylization of protected methoxyacetylene (Scheme 5). In a puzzling turn of events, thermolysis of the azide product in toluene at moderate temperature (to minimize nitrene formation) and in low concentration (to suppress intermolecular reactions) produced the two oxidized pentacyclic products 11 and 12 in a 2 1 ratio. Performing the reaction in a more polar solvent (DMF, 80 °C, 7 d) altered the ratio to 5 1.20... 

Aminooxindols (11/153) are rearranged to 3-cinnolinols 11/154, if treated with equimolar amounts of /-butyl hypochlorite [106] [107] [108]. Compound 11/153 is known as Neber s lactam , and is formed from 11/154 with zinc and sulfuric acid. The mechanism preferred for the 11/153 —> 11/154 transformation involves nitrene formation [106]. - As already mentioned, the Gabriel synthesis (11/155 11/157) is a method for synthesis of primary amines. But the side product is the ring enlarged hydrazide, compare Chapter IV... 

The easiest reactions are those in which the nucleophile is the gold-activated species. Examples of this are Au(I)-catalyzed carbene and nitrene transfers (equations 142 and 143) that convert olefins into cyclopropanes or aziridines, respectively. In the carbene transfer, ethyl diazoacetate is the source of carbene and the active NHC-gold cationic catalyst is generated by chloride abstraction with sodium tetrakis(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)borate NaBAT4. The cyclopropanation is competitive with other carbene insertions with active C H or N H bonds present in the substrate. For the aziridinations of olefins, nitrene formation is accomplished by the oxidation of sulfonamides with PhI(OAc)2 and the catalyst of choice is a gold-(I) triflate with a terpyridine ligand. 

Simple alkyl azides are quite labile even at room temperature and have a tendency to detonate on rapid heating for these reasons, the majority of kinetic studies have been confined to the solution phase. As with azocompounds, the common nitrogen elimination reaction is the consequence of the relative stability of the resulting, divalent RN radical, called a nitrene, and the high heat of formation of the N2 molecule. In some cases, particularly in the thermolysis of aryl azides, Nj elimination follows a concerted path nevertheless, nitrene formation is of more common occurrence in both the photolytic and thermal decompositions. Decomposition and addition reactions of organic azides have been recently reviewed . 

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