Umpolung reactions formation

Thiazolium and triazolium salt-derived NHC, in particular, are well known catalysts for benzoin- and Stetter-type umpolung reactions. In the course of these reactions, the NHC catalyst adds to the electrophilic aldehyde, resulting in the formation of a nucleophilic enamine species. Subsequently, this enamine can react with a series of different electrophiles such as aldehydes (benzoin condensation) or a, )-unsaturalcd substrates (Stetter reaction) (Scheme 4). 

Enol ether radical cations undergo a variety of reactions, e.g. carbon-carbon bond formation [206,230-235], isomerization [236,237], oxygenation [238-241], cycloaddition [242-245], and they play an important role in the damage to DNA by ionizing radiation [246,247]. According to ESR studies most of the spin density resides at the -carbon (89% for EtO" = CH-CH2 [248]) [234,249,250]. The focus of the present brief section, however, will be conremed with their role as potential intermediates in a formal a-Umpolung reaction of ketones. 

The benzoin reaction dates back to 1832 when Wohler and Liebig reported that cyanide catalyzes the formation of benzoin 6 from benzaldehyde 5, a seminal example in which the normal mode of polarity of a functional group was reversed (Eq. 1) [26], This reversal of polarity, subsequently termed Umpolung [27], effectively changes an electrophilic aldehyde into a nucleophilic acyl anion equivalent. 

Amines are generally prepared by nucleophilic amination, which is a coupling of carbon electrophiles with a nucleophilic amination reagent, NR2, and Ni and Pd catalyzed reaction of aryl halides with arylamines (Hartwig-Buchwald amination) . Thus, the direct C—N bond formation between carbon nucleophiles and electrophilic nitrogen functionality R2N+ constitutes an example of the umpolung methodology. 

Scheme 8.6 Umpolung of allyl acetate for the formation of homoallylic alcohols and reaction of aldehydes with ethyl diazoacetate.

The current density has a dramatic influence on the yield of 52 and reveals that more than one electrode reaction is involved in the sequence. When the current density is in the range of 2.8. 7 mA/cm2, 52 is directly obtained in about 30% yield. The rationale for the formation of 52 starts with the direct or indirect generation of phenoxyl radicals at the BDD anode. Since the used conditions will provide concentrations of oxyl spin centers, which exclude a recombination, the transformation has to follow a different mechanistic course. The anodic treatment will cause an Umpolung effect because the electron rich phenol is oxidized [110-113]. Such phenoxyl species are still electrophilic despite the liberation of a proton [114-119]. The electrophilic attack occurs at the most electron rich position of the reaction partner which provides the observed connectivity in 52 (Scheme 21). 

The bifunctional nature and the presence of a stereocenter make a-hydroxyketones (acyloins) amenable to further synthetic transformations. There are two classical chemical syntheses for these a-hydroxyketones the acyloin condensation and the benzoin condensation. In the acyloin condensation a new carbon-carbon bond is formed by a reduction, for instance with sodium. In the benzoin condensation the new carbon-carbon bond is formed with the help of an umpolung, induced by the formation of a cyanohydrin. A number of enzymes catalyze this type of reaction, and as might be expected, the reaction conditions are considerably milder [2-4, 26, 27]. In addition the enzymes such as benzaldehyde lyase (BAL) catalyze the formation of a new carbon-carbon bond enantioselectively. Transketolases (TK)... 

The dissonant charge pattern for 2,5-hexanedione exhibits a positive (-1-) polarity at one of the a-carbons, as indicated in the acceptor synthon above. Thus, the a-carbon in this synthon requires an inversion of polarity Umpolung in German) from the negative (-) polarity normally associated with a ketone a-carbon. An appropriate substrate (SE) for the acceptor synthon is the electrophilic a-bromo ketone. It should be noted that an enolate ion might act as a base, resulting in deprotonation of an a-halo ketone, a reaction that could lead to the formation of an epoxy ketone Darzens condensation). To circumvent this problem, a weakly basic enamine is used instead of the enolate. 

In a number of reactions thioamides are converted into other thioamides by C—C bond formation (Scheme 6). Examples from Seebach s umpolung chemistry include C-lithiation of HCSNMe2 and subsequent reaction with electrophiles to give (28) and deprotonation of one of the /V-methyl groups in Bu CSNMe2 and again electrophilic addition to yield products (29). ... 

Abstract The possible utilization of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs), instead of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in the electrochemical procedures of organic synthesis has been discussed. The synthesis of p-lactams, the activation of carbon dioxide and its utilization as renewable carbon source and the carbon-carbon bond formation reactions via umpolung of aldehydes (benzoin condensation and Stetter reaction) and via Henry reaction have been selected as typical electrochani-cal methodologies. The results, related to procedures performed in RTILs, have been compared with those performed in VOCs. The double role of RTILs, as green solvents and parents of electrogenerated reactive intermediates or catalysts, has been emphasized. 

---