Solvolytic rearrangement studies with (E)- and (Z)-2-anisyl-1,2-ditolyl[2-13C]vinyl bromides

Abstract

Reaction of (E,Z)-or (E)-2-anisyl-1,2-ditolyl[2-13C]vinyl bromides ((E,Z)- or (E)-6-Br-2-13C) with HOAc–AgOAc gave a 1:1 mixture of (E)- and (Z)-2-anisyl-1,2-ditolyl[1,2-13C]vinyl acetates ((E,Z)-6-OAc-1,2-13C), with about 37.4% scrambling of the label from C-2 to C-1 arising from degenerate 1,2-anisyl shifts in the 2-anisyl-1,2-ditolyl[2-13C]vinyl cation (6-2-13C). No detectable amount of 1-anisyl-2,2-ditolylvinyl acetate was formed, indicating no nondegenerate 1,2-tolyl shift in cation 6 to give the more stable 1 -anisyl-2,2-ditolylvinyl cation (10) in the reaction with HOAc–AgOAc. Reaction of (E)-6-Br-2-13C with 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) in the presence of 2,6-lutidine gave as major product 1-anisyl-2,2-ditolyl[1,2-13C]vinyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl ether (10-OTFE-1,2-13C) and a 1:1 mixture of (E)- and (Z)-2-anisyl-1,2-ditolyl[1,2-13C]vinyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl ethers ((E,Z)-6-OTFE-1,2-13C) as minor products, the ratio of 10-OTFE to (E,Z)-6-OTFE being about 80:20. Scrambling on the 13C label in the major product, 10-OTFE-1,2-13C, was 48.8 ± 0.9% and scrambling in the minor products, (E,Z)-6-OTFE-1,2-13C, was 47.2 ± 1.4%. The present work with cation 6 completes the series of nine possible triarylvinyl cations, with various combinations of phenyl (Ph), p-tolyl (Tol), and (or) p-anisyl (An) as the three aryl groups, that can give rise to degenerate 1,2-aryl shifts across the double bond, and the present results are discussed in conjunction with data from previous work on the other eight triarylvinyl cationic systems.