Superelectrophilic chemistry activation

Since the concept of superelectrophilic activation was proposed 30 years ago, there have been many varied superelectrophiles reported both in experimental and theoretical studies. Superelectrophiles can be involved in both gas and condensed phase reactions, ranging from interstellar space down to the active sites of certain enzymes. Moreover, synthetic conversions involving superelectrophiles are increasingly used in the synthesis of valuable products. Superelectrophilic activation has also been useful in the development of a number of new catalytic processes. It is our belief that superelectrophilic chemistry will continue to play an increasing role in both synthetic and mechanistic chemistry. 

Extending the concept of superacids to varied superelectrophiles has emerged as a productive new field in recent years (G. A. Olah and D. A. Klumpp, Superelectrophiles and Their Chemistry, Wiley-Interscience, Hoboken, NJ, 2008). Highly reactive and activated protosolvated or multiply charged superelectrophilic intermediates are involved in varied chemical reactions, many of them of substantial practical significance. 

The concept of superelectrophilic activation was first proposed 30 years ago.20 Since these early publications from the Olah group, superelectrophilic activation has been recognized in many organic, inorganic, and biochemical reactions.22 Due to the unusual reactivities observed of superelectrophiles, they have been exploited in varied synthetic reactions and in mechanistic studies. Superelectrophiles have also been the subject of numerous theoretical investigations and some have been directly observed by physical methods (spectroscopic, gas-phase methods, etc.). The results of kinetic studies also support the role of superelectrophilic activation. Because of the importance of electrophilic chemistry in general and super-acidic catalysis in particular, there continues to be substantial interest in the chemistry of these reactive species. It is thus timely to review their chemistry. 

Superelectrophilic activation has also been proposed to be involved, based upon the reactivity of carbocations with molecular hydrogen (a a-donor).16 This chemistry is probably even involved in an enzymatic system that converts CO2 to methane. It was found that A. A -menthyl tetrahy-dromethanopterin (11) undergoes an enzyme-catalyzed reaction with H2 by hydride transfer to the pro-R position and releases a proton to give the reduced product 12 (eq 15). Despite the low nucleophilicity of H2, cations like the tert-butyl cation (13) are sufficiently electrophilic to react with H2 via 2 electron-3 center bond interaction (eq 16). However, due to stabilization (and thus delocalization) by adjacent nitrogen atoms, cations like the guanidinium ion system (14) do not react with H2 (eq 17). 

As noted previously in Chapter 1, the electrophilic reactivities of acetyl salts increase dramatically as the acidity of the reaction medium increases. This was one of the observations that lead Olah and co-workers to first propose the concept of superelectrophilic activation, or protosolvation of the acetyl cation, in 1975.2 This seminal paper described the chemistry of acetyl hexafluoroantimonate (CHsCO+SbFg-) and the reaction with alkanes in various solvents. In aprotic solvents such as SO2, SO2CIF, AsF3, and CH2CI2, there was no reaction. However in HF-BF3, acetyl salts react with Ao-alkanes and efficient hydride abstraction is observed.27 This was interpreted by Olah as evidence for protonation of the acetyl... 

In addition to the discussed Br0nsted or Lewis superacidic activation in solution chemistry, there have been reports to suggest that superelec-trophilic species can be formed with solid acids, and even in biochemical systems. For example, Sommer and co-workers have found several examples in which HUSY zeolite has exhibited catalytic activity similar to liquid superacids (eqs 33-34).12 In the same study, the perfluorinated resinsulfonic acid Nafion-H (SAC-13) was found to give products consistent with the formation of the superelectrophile (36, eq 35). 

Besides carbo-ammonium dicationic systems, there have been studies related to carbo-phosphonium dication systems. Some of the reported chemistry suggests that superelectrophilic activation is involved. Olefinic phosphonium salts are protonated in superacid to generate dications like 140 and these species have been shown to react with benzene in good... 

Olaha G.A., Catalytic chemistry of perfluorinated resinsulfonic acids reactions, mechanistic aspects and superelectrophilic activation , in J. Fraissard, L. Petrkis (Eds), Acidity and Basicity of Solids, 305 (1994)... 

---