The Nucleophile

Given a particular nucleophile and leaving group, how can we determine whether the equilibrium will favor products in a nucleophilic substitution We can often correctly predict the direction of equilibrium by comparing the basicity of the nucleophile and the leaving group. 

Sample Problem 7.1 illustrates how to apply this general rule. Sample Problem 7.1 win the following substitution reaction favor formation of the products  

Because Cl, the leaving group, is a weaker base than OH, the nucleophile, the reaction favors the products. 

Problem 7.12 Does the equilibrium favor the reactants or products in each substitution reaction  

Vte use the word base to mean Bransted-Lowry base and the word nucleophile to mean a Lewis base that reacts with electrophiles other than protons. 

Sample Problem 7.1 illustrates how to apply this general rule. 

Sample Problem 7.1 Will the following substitution reaction favor formation of the products  

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Example Solvation can have a profound effect on the potential energy profile for a reaction. Jorgensen s research group provided important insights into the role of solvation. Consider the nucleophilic addition of the hydroxide anion to formaldehyde ... 

Fig. 11.37 Free energy profile for the nucleophilic attack of water on CO2 (a) in aqueous solution and (b) in the enzyme carbonic anhydrase. (Graphs redrawn from Aqvist J, M Fothergill and A Warshel 1993. Computer Simulai of the COj/HCOf Interconversion Step in Human Carbonic Anhydrase I. Journal of the American Chemical Society 115 631-635.)...

The mechanism of the aromatic substitution may involve the attack of the dectrophilic NOj" " ion upon the nucleophilic aromatic nucleus to produce the carboniiim ion (I) the latter transfers a proton to the bisulphate ion, the most basic substance in the reaction mixture... 

This, the Darzens reaction, is useful in other circumstances (frames 280-1) but a nuisance here. We must use some means to make the ketone act as the nucleophile in the initial condensation. One effectiye way is to conyert it into an enamine. Draw a mechanism for this reaction. 

The heteroatom is the nucleophile in all these reactions you just haye to choose the right electrophile. 

There are ways to plot data with several pieces of data at each point in space. One example would be an isosurface of electron density that has been colorized to show the electrostatic potential value at each point on the surface (Figure 13.6). The shape of the surface shows one piece of information (i.e., the electron density), whereas the color indicates a different piece of data (i.e., the electrostatic potential). This example is often used to show the nucleophilic and electrophilic regions of a molecule. 

There exist a number of d -synthons, which are stabilized by the delocalization of the electron pair into orbitals of hetero atoms, although the nucleophilic centre remains at the carbon atom. From nitroalkanes anions may be formed in aqueous solutions (e.g. CHjNOj pK, = 10.2). Nitromethane and -ethane anions are particularly useful in synthesis. The cyanide anion is also a classical d -synthon (HCN pK = 9.1). 

After the umpolung of an aldehyde group by conversion to a l,3 dithian-2-ide anion (p. 17) it can be combined with a carbonyl group (D. Seebach, 1969, 1979 B.-T. GrO-bel, 1977 B). Analogous reagents are tosylmethyl isocyanide (TosMIC), which can be applied in the nucleophilic formylation of ketones (O.H. Oldenziel, 1974), and dichloromethyl lithium (G. KObrich, 1969 P. Blumbergs, 1972 H. Taguchi, 1973),... 

A classical reaction leading to 1,4-difunctional compounds is the nucleophilic substitution of the bromine of cf-bromo carbonyl compounds (a -synthons) with enolate type anions (d -synthons). Regio- and stereoselectivities, which can be achieved by an appropiate choice of the enol component, are similar to those described in the previous section. Just one example of a highly functionalized product (W.L. Meyer, 1963) is given. 

A completely different, important type of synthesis, which was developed more recently, takes advantage of the electrophilicity of nitrogen-containing 1,3-dipolar compounds rather than the nucleophilicity of amines or enamines. Such compounds add to multiple bonds, e.g. C—C, C C, C—O, in a [2 + 3 -cycioaddition to form five-membered heterocycles. 

The nucleophilicity of the nitrogen atom survives in many different functional groups, although its basicity may be lost. Reactions of non-basic, but nucleophilic urea nitrogens provide, for example, an easy entry to sleeping-pills (barbiturates) as well as to stimulants (caffeine). The nitrogen atoms of imidazoles and indole anions are also nucleophilic and the NH protons can be easily substituted. 

The nucleophilicity of amine nitrogens is also differentiated by their environments. In 2,4,5,6-tetraaminopyrimidine the most basic 3-amino group can be selectively converted to a Schiff base. It is meta to both pyrimidine nitrogens and does not form a tautomeric imine as do the ortho- and /xira-amino groups. This factor is the basis of the commercial synthesis of triamterene. 

The Pd—C cr-bond can be prepared from simple, unoxidized alkenes and aromatic compounds by the reaction of Pd(II) compounds. The following are typical examples. The first step of the reaction of a simple alkene with Pd(ll) and a nucleophile X or Y to form 19 is called palladation. Depending on the nucleophile, it is called oxypalladation, aminopalladation, carbopalladation, etc. The subsequent elimination of b-hydrogen produces the nucleophilic substitution product 20. The displacement of Pd with another nucleophile (X) affords the nucleophilic addition product 21 (see Chapter 3, Section 2). As an example, the oxypalladation of 4-pentenol with PdXi to afford furan 22 or 23 is shown. 

The most characteristic feature of the Pd—C bonds in these intermediates of both the stoichiometric and catalytic reactions is their reaction with nucleophiles, and Pd(0) is generated by accepting two electrons from the nucleophiles as exemplified for the first time by the reactions of 7r-allylpalladium chloride[2] or PdCl2-COD[3] complex with malonate and acetoacetate. It should be noted... 

TT-Allylpalladium chloride (36) reacts with the nucleophiles, generating Pd(0). whereas tr-allylnickel chloride (37) and allylmagnesium bromide (38) reacts with electrophiles (carbonyl), generating Ni(II) and Mg(II). Therefore, it is understandable that the Grignard reaction cannot be carried out with a catalytic amount of Mg, whereas the catalytic reaction is possible with the regeneration of an active Pd(0) catalyst, Pd is a noble metal and Pd(0) is more stable than Pd(II). The carbon-metal bonds of some transition metals such as Ni and Co react with nucleophiles and their reactions can be carried out catalytic ally, but not always. In this respect, Pd is very unique. 

Pd(II) compounds coordinate to alkenes to form rr-complexes. Roughly, a decrease in the electron density of alkenes by coordination to electrophilic Pd(II) permits attack by various nucleophiles on the coordinated alkenes. In contrast, electrophilic attack is commonly observed with uncomplexed alkenes. The attack of nucleophiles with concomitant formation of a carbon-palladium r-bond 1 is called the palladation of alkenes. This reaction is similar to the mercuration reaction. However, unlike the mercuration products, which are stable and isolable, the product 1 of the palladation is usually unstable and undergoes rapid decomposition. The palladation reaction is followed by two reactions. The elimination of H—Pd—Cl from 1 to form vinyl compounds 2 is one reaction path, resulting in nucleophilic substitution of the olefinic proton. When the displacement of the Pd in 1 with another nucleophile takes place, the nucleophilic addition of alkenes occurs to give 3. Depending on the reactants and conditions, either nucleophilic substitution of alkenes or nucleophilic addition to alkenes takes place. 

Chlorohydrin 61 is formed by the nucleophilic addition to ethylene with PdCl2 and CuCl2[103,104]. Regioselective chlorohydroxylation of the allylic amine 62 is possible by the participation of the heteroatom to give chlorohydrin 63. Allylic sulfides behave similarly[105]. 

With higher alkenes, three kinds of products, namely alkenyl acetates, allylic acetates and dioxygenated products are obtained[142]. The reaction of propylene gives two propenyl acetates (119 and 120) and allyl acetate (121) by the nucleophilic substitution and allylic oxidation. The chemoselective formation of allyl acetate takes place by the gas-phase reaction with the supported Pd(II) and Cu(II) catalyst. Allyl acetate (121) is produced commercially by this method[143]. Methallyl acetate (122) and 2-methylene-1,3-diacetoxypropane (123) are obtained in good yields by the gas-phase oxidation of isobutylene with the supported Pd catalyst[144]. 

TT-Aliylpalladium chloride reacts with a soft carbon nucleophile such as mal-onate and acetoacetate in DMSO as a coordinating solvent, and facile carbon-carbon bond formation takes place[l2,265], This reaction constitutes the basis of both stoichiometric and catalytic 7r-allylpalladium chemistry. Depending on the way in which 7r-allylpalladium complexes are prepared, the reaction becomes stoichiometric or catalytic. Preparation of the 7r-allylpalladium complexes 298 by the oxidative addition of Pd(0) to various allylic compounds (esters, carbonates etc.), and their reactions with nucleophiles, are catalytic, because Pd(0) is regenerated after the reaction with the nucleophile, and reacts again with allylic compounds. These catalytic reactions are treated in Chapter 4, Section 2. On the other hand, the preparation of the 7r-allyl complexes 299 from alkenes requires Pd(II) salts. The subsequent reaction with the nucleophile forms Pd(0). The whole process consumes Pd(ll), and ends as a stoichiometric process, because the in situ reoxidation of Pd(0) is hardly attainable. These stoichiometric reactions are treated in this section. 

When butadiene is treated with PdCU the l-chloromethyl-7r-allylpalladium complex 336 (X = Cl) is formed by the chloropalladation. In the presence of nucleophiles, the substituted 7r-methallylpalladium complex 336 (X = nucleophile) is formed(296-299]. In this way, the nucleophile can be introduced at the terminal carbon of conjugated diene systems. For example, a methoxy group is introduced at the terminal carbon of 3,7-dimethyl-I,3,6-octatriene to give 337 as expected, whereas myrcene (338) is converted into the tr-allyl complex 339 after the cyclization[288]. 

Two monomeric and dimeric 2-substituied 7r-allylic complexes (548 and 549) are obtained by treatment of allene with PdCl2(PhCN)2. They are formed by the nucleophilic attack at the central carbon of allene[493, 494],... 

An efficient carboannulation proceeds by the reaction of vinylcyclopropane (135) or vinylcyclobutane with aryl halides. The multi-step reaction is explained by insertion of alkene, ring opening, diene formation, formation of the TT-allylpalladium 136 by the readdition of H—Pd—I, and its intramolecular reaction with the nucleophile to give the cyclized product 137[I08]. 

Formation of carboxylic acids ami their derivatives. Aryl and alkenyl halides undergo Pd-catalyzed carbonylation under mild conditions, offering useful synthetic methods for carbonyl compounds. The facile CO insertion into aryl- or alkenylpalladium complexes, followed by the nucleophilic attack of alcohol or water affords esters or carboxylic acids. Aromatic and a,/ -unsaturated carboxylic acids or esters are prepared by the carbonylation of aryl and alkenyl halides in water or alcohols[30l-305]. 

No 0-allylation is observed in formation of the six-membered ring compound 79 by intramolecular allylation of the /3-keto ester 78(15,57]. Intramolecular allylation is useful for lactone fonnation. On the other hand, exclusive formation of the eight-membered ring lactone 81 from 80 may be in part derived from the preference for the nucleophile to attack the less substituted terminus of the allyl system[58]. 

The reaction of vinyloxiranes with malonate proceeds regio- and stereose-lectively. The reaction has been utilized for the introduction of a 15-hydroxy group in a steroid related to oogoniol (265)(156]. The oxirane 264 is the J-form and the attack of Pd(0) takes place from the o-side by inversion. Then the nucleophile comes from the /i-side. Thus overall reaction is sT -StM2 type, in the intramolecular reaction, the stereochemical information is transmitted to the newly formed stereogenic center. Thus the formation of the six-membered ring lactone 267 from 266 proceeded with overall retention of the stereochemistry, and was employed to control the stereochemistry of C-15 in the prostaglandin 268[157]. The method has also been employed to create the butenolide... 

An active catalytic species in the dimerization reaction is Pd(0) complex, which forms the bis-7r-allylpalladium complex 3, The formation of 1,3,7-octa-triene (7) is understood by the elimination of/5-hydrogen from the intermediate complex 1 to give 4 and its reductive elimination. In telomer formation, a nucleophile reacts with butadiene to form the dimeric telomers in which the nucleophile is introduced mainly at the terminal position to form the 1-substituted 2,7-octadiene 5. As a minor product, the isomeric 3-substituted 1,7-octadiene 6 is formed[13,14]. The dimerization carried out in MeOD produces l-methoxy-6-deuterio-2,7-octadiene (10) as a main product 15]. This result suggests that the telomers are formed by the 1,6- and 3,6-additions of MeO and D to the intermediate complexes I and 2. 

Another reaction occurs by the attack of a soft nucleophile at the central carbon to form the 7r-allylpalladium complex 7, which undergoes further reaction with the nucleophile typical of rr-allylpalladium complexes to form the alkene 8,... 

An important method for construction of functionalized 3-alkyl substituents involves introduction of a nucleophilic carbon synthon by displacement of an a-substituent. This corresponds to formation of a benzylic bond but the ability of the indole ring to act as an electron donor strongly influences the reaction pattern. Under many conditions displacement takes place by an elimination-addition sequence[l]. Substituents that are normally poor leaving groups, e.g. alkoxy or dialkylamino, exhibit a convenient level of reactivity. Conversely, the 3-(halomethyl)indoles are too reactive to be synthetically useful unless stabilized by a ring EW substituent. 3-(Dimethylaminomethyl)indoles (gramine derivatives) prepared by Mannich reactions or the derived quaternary salts are often the preferred starting material for the nucleophilic substitution reactions. 

Dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) has also been used to catalyse gramine alkylations (see Entry 7). It may function by both activating the dialkylamino leaving group and deprotonating the nucleophile[3]. 

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