Nitrone complexes with metal ions

The presence of /3-hydrogen in the nitroxide radical may lead to disproportionation reactions. In spin-trapping experiments, N-t-butyl-a-phenyl nitrone yields rather unstable spin adducts. This type of radical can be stabilized by coordination to Nin. The Ni11 complex with N-oxy-A-r-butyl-(2-pyridyl)phenylmethanamine (923) reveals a distorted octahedral geometry with antiferromagnetic interactions between the unpaired electrons of the metal ion and the radical spins.00... 

The electron-donor N -oxide oxygen atom of a nitrone makes it suitable for com-plexation and protonation. Such properties of nitrones have been widely used to influence their reactivity, using Lewis acids and protonation in nucleophilic addition reactions (see Section 2.6.6). In this chapter, the chemistry of nitrones with various metal ions [Zn (II), Cu(II), Mn (II), Ni (II), Fe (II), Fe (III), Ru (II), Os (II), Rh (I), UO2 2 ] (375, 382, 442-445), and diarylboron chelates is described (234—237, 446). Accurate descriptions of the structures of all complexes have been established by X-ray analysis. 

Recent advances have been made in the enantioselective cycloaddition of nitrones and alkenes. By using a chiral auxiliary attached to the nitrone or the alkene, moderate to good levels of asymmetric induction have been reported. A number of metal complexes with chiral ligands catalyse the cycloaddition reaction of nitrones, particularly for dipolarophiles containing two carbonyl groups for biden-tate co-ordination to the metal. An alternative approach, using a,p-unsaturated aldehydes and chiral secondary amines has been successful (3.138). The endo product is the major stereoisomer in these cycloaddition reactions and the catalysis is thought to proceed via the reactive intermediate iminium ion 210, with addition of the nitrone to the face of the alkene opposite the benzyl substituent. 

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