Pyridines dimerisation

The equilibrium between radical-anion and dimer for pyridine and quinoline has been examined in a number of aprotic solvents. Radical-anions of pyridine dimer-ise rapidly in liquid ammonia in tire presence of alkali metal ions [15] In hex-amethylphosphoramide with alkali metal counter ions, the monomer is detectable in an equlibrium concentration [16], The monomeric species can be stabilised by substituents and 2- or 4-cyanopyridines give radical-anions which persist in liquid ammonia while 3-cyanopyridine radical-anion dimerises with a rate constant of 2 x 10 [17], Quinoline radical-anion is stable in hexamelhylphosphoramide [16] but in liquid ammonia it dimerises irreversibly [18]. 

Another interesting example of C-C bond formation can be found in reports from Li and co-workers who, in 2004, described the preparation of an MIP with peroxidase-like activity capable of dimerising the homovanillic acid (HVA) (73) [49]. In this case a polymer was prepared by using the HVA substrate, instead of a TSA, as a template and a haemin unit as catalytic centre (74). The polymerisation was carried out in the presence of acrylamide and vinyl-pyridine in order to add extra functionalities aiding substrate recognition. The imprinted polymer showed an enzyme-like activity, as confirmed by adherence to the Michaelis-Menten saturation model, and it was inhibited by ferulic acid (75), a structural analogue of the substrate, which is also capable of inhibiting the natural peroxidase. 

Bipyridyl can be prepared from pyridine, forming first with sodium dispersed in liquid ammonia a transient pyridine radical, which is dimerised in the reaction mixture to 4,4 -tetrahydrobipyridyl. Its oxidation with air yields an end-product of about 90% purity. 

Phenyl isocyanate dimerises at high pressure in the presence of pyridine to give (38) in high yield (94NKK146). 

The mechanism of trimerisation of butadiene by a mixed cobalt(ii) chloride-aluminium triethyl catalyst has been inferred from the natures of the three products characterised. The determination of the enthalpy of dimerisation of aluminium triethyl provides a useful piece of thermochemical data for quantitative discussion of the role and energetics of aluminium triethyl in this type of reaction. Polymerisation of isoprene in the presence of Fe(acac)3-aluminium triethyl-pyridine derivatives mixtures has a negative apparent activation enthalpy, which can be attributed to the instability of the catalytic complex at elevated temperatures. Bis-cyclo-octatetraeneiron(o) is an effective oligomerisation catalyst. The composition of products accessible only by hydrogen migration indicates an oxidative addition-reductive elimination mechanism rather than insertion. 

Treatment of [Ru(Ti6-cymene)(Cl)2]2 with bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine replaces the arene ligand with the tris-chelate ligand. This product reacts with Me3SiCHN2 between 0°C and 15°C yielding a monomeric trimethylsilylcarbene complex which cyclopropanates styrene. The complex also catalyses the dimerisation of ethyl diazoacetate.205... 

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