N2 Extrusion Research Articles

The Azobis(isobutyronitrile)-Promoted Oxidative Radical α-Cyanation of Imine under Atmospheric O2.

Herein, we report an azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN)-promoted radical α-cyanation of in situ formed imine under atmospheric O2. This oxidative radical addition (ORA) procedure proceeds with the sequential homocleavage of AIBN, extrusion of N2, and capture of O2 toward an O-centered radical, which is converted to a cyano radical by β-scission. Then, the insertion of the cyano radical into the imine C═N bond forms an aminyl radical, leading to α-cyano imine after 1,2-hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and H abstraction. Such a transition-metal-free procedure features mild reaction conditions and a broad substrate scope, employing molecular O2 as a clean terminal oxidant.

Continuous Flow Spirocyclization Reactions: Towards Efficient Synthesis of Chiral Spiropenicillanates

Herein, we describe the development of a continuous flow approach to chiral spiropenicillanates with remarkable bioactive properties from 6‐alkylidenepenicillanates via phosphine‐catalyzed [3+2] annulation of allenoates or via 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition with diphenyldiazomethane. Model reactions were carried out using simple alkenes, such as methyl vinyl ketone and N‐substituted maleimides, leading to the corresponding products in excellent yields (up to 96%). The [3+2] annulation reaction was subsequently extended to the reactivity of 6‐alkylidenepenicillanates, a more complex 2π‐component with an exocyclic carbon‐carbon double bond, allowing the synthesis of spirocyclic compounds. Two regioisomeric chiral spirocyclopentene‐β‐lactams were obtained, in moderate to good overall yields (31‐84%). The 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition reactions between 6‐alkylidenepenicillanates and diphenyldiazomethane under continuous flow conditions gave the corresponding spiro‐1‐pyrazolinepenicillanates in high yields (up to 81%). Thermal ring contraction, via N2 extrusion, of spiro‐1‐pyrazolinepenicillanates under continuous flow conditions led to spirocyclopropanepenicillanates in quantitative yields. The continuous flow proved to be an efficient methodology for the synthesis of spiropenicillanates and represents a more sustainable approach for the scale‐up synthesis of spiropenicillanates with relevant biological activity.

Experimental Observation of a Terminal Borylene-Dinitrogen Adduct via Cleavage of a 1,2,3,4,5-Diboratriazoline.

While azides do not react with simple alkenes except under harsh conditions, a diboron alkene analogue, the doubly cyclic alkyl(amino)carbene (CAAC)-stabilized dicyanodiborene 1, reacts spontaneously with organic azides (7-10 equiv.) at room temperature to yield two equivalents of stable CAAC-stabilized imino(cyano)boranes (2-R). NMR-spectroscopic monitoring of the reaction mixtures shows the initial formation of a 1:1 mixture of 2-R and a relatively long-lived intermediate (Int), which in the presence of excess azide is converted into a second equivalent of 2-R. In the absence of excess azide, however, Int decomposes to 3, the product of an intramolecular C‒H activation by a putative dicoordinate borylene intermediate "(CAAC)B(CN)". Mechanistic insights from trapping experiments, NMR-spectroscopic and high-resolution mass spectrometry data, as well as DFT computations reveal that Int is the terminal borylene end-on-dinitrogen adduct [(CAAC)B(CN)(η1-N2)]. The formation of the iminoboranes 2-R from diborene 1 and RN3 proceeds via an azide-diborene Huisgen-type [3+2] cycloaddition reaction, followed by a retro-[3+2] cycloaddition, yielding 2-R and [(CAAC)B(CN)(η1-N2)]. The latter then undergoes either N2 extrusion and intramolecular C‒H activationto generate 3, or a Staudinger-type reaction with a second equivalent of azide to generate a second equivalent of the iminoborane 2-R.

α-Cleavage of 2,2-Diazido-2,3-dihydroinden-1-one in Solution and Cryogenic Matrices.

The Norrish type I (α-cleavage) reaction is an excellent photochemical method for radical-pair formation in solution. However, in cryogenic matrices, the starting material typically re-forms before the radical pair diffuses apart. This study focused on N2 extrusion from an azido alkyl radical to prevent radical-pair recombination. Irradiation of 2,2-diazido-2,3-dihydroinden-1-one (1) in methanol mainly yielded methyl 2-cyanomethylbenzoate (2) and 2-cyanomethylbenzoic acid (3) via α-cleavage. Laser flash photolysis of 1 in argon-saturated acetonitrile resulted in α-cleavage to form triplet biradical 31Br1 (λmax ∼ 410 nm, τ ∼ 400 ns). In contrast, upon irradiation in glassy 2-methyltetrahydrofuran matrices, triplet alkylnitrene 31N was directly detected using electron spin resonance (D/hc = 1.5646 cm-1, E/hc = 0.00161 cm-1) and absorption spectroscopy (λmax = 276 and 341 nm). Irradiation of 1 in argon matrices generated 31N, benzoyl azide 4, singlet benzoylnitrene 14N, and isocyanide 5, as revealed by IR spectroscopy. The experimental results supported by density functional theory calculations [B3PW91/6-311++G(d,p)] suggest that irradiation of 1 in matrices results in α-cleavage to form biradical 31Br1, which extrudes N2 to yield 31Br2. Rearrangement of 31Br2 into 31N competes with cleavage of a N3 radical to form radical 1Ra3. The N3/1Ra3 radical pair combines to form 4, which upon irradiation yields 14N and 5.

Expanding the Potential of 3‐Hydroxyindolinones: Synthesis of Quinoxalin‐2(1H)‐ones through Acid‐Promoted Azidation and Ring‐Expansion

AbstractWe report herein a synthesis of quinoxalin‐2(1H)‐ones from 3‐hydroxyindolin‐2‐one derivatives, which can be synthesized from commercially available isatins in one or two steps. The reaction proceeded through a CF3CO2H‐mediated azidation via a carbocation, followed by acid‐induced N2 extrusion and ring‐expansion. Both CF3CO2H and the solvent 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol were found to be crucial for this rearrangement. The axial chirality in 3‐hydroxyindolin‐2‐one skeleton was fully preserved in the products.

Two‐Step Synthesis of Trisubstituted Trifluoromethyl Cyclopropanes Using in situ Generated CF3CHN2

AbstractA metal‐free two‐step approach for the synthesis of trisubstituted CF3‐cyclopropanes is reported. The method involves [3+2] cycloaddition of electron‐poor alkenes and in situ generated 2,2,2‐trifluorodiazoethane, followed by N2 extrusion from intermediate pyrazolines. The protocol offers good yields of 39–90 %, is compatible with a range of functional groups, and enables multigram preparation on a scale of up to 30 grams. The method is limited by 1,1‐disubstituted alkene partners, and both cycloaddition and N2 extrusion steps are not stereoselective, resulting in ca. 1 : 1 mixtures of diastereomers. Nevertheless, the stereoisomeric mixtures can be separated at further steps by column chromatography or crystallization, thus allowing to produce diverse diastereopure (poly)functionalized CF3‐cyclopropane building blocks relevant to drug discovery.

Glycine Imine-The Elusive α-Imino Acid Intermediate in the Reductive Amination of Glyoxylic Acid.

Simple unhindered aldimines tend to hydrolyze or oligomerize and are therefore spectroscopically not well characterized. Herein we report the formation and spectroscopic characterization of the simplest imino acid, namely glycine imine, by cryogenic matrix isolation IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Glycine imine forms after UV irradiation of 2-azidoacetic acid by N2 extrusion in anti-(E,E)- and anti-(Z,Z)-conformation that can be photochemically interconverted. In matrix isolation pyrolysis experiments with 2-azidoacetic acid, glycine imine cannot be trapped as it further decarboxylates to aminomethylene. In aqueous solution glycine imine is hydrolyzed to hydroxy glycine and hydrated glyoxylic acid. At higher concentrations or in the presence of FeII SO4 as a reducing agent glycine imine undergoes self-reduction by oxidative decarboxylation chemistry. Glycine imine may be seen as one of the key reaction intermediates connecting prebiotic amino acid and sugar formation chemistry.

Substituent-Dependent Azide Addition to Isocyanides Generates Strongly Luminescent Iridium Complexes.

Ligand-centered functionalization reactions offer diverse strategies to prepare luminescent organometallic compounds. These compounds can have unique structures that are not accessible via traditional coordination chemistry and can possess enhanced or unusual photophysical properties. Here we show that bis-cyclometalated iridium bis-isocyanide complexes (1) react with azide (N3-) to form novel luminescent structures. The fate of the reaction with azide is determined primarily by the substituent on the aryl isocyanide. Those with electron-withdrawing substituents (CF3 or NO2) react with 1 equiv of azide followed by N2 extrusion, forming aryl cyanamido products (2). With electron-donating groups on the aryl isocyanide the reactivity is more diverse, and three outcomes are possible. In two cases, the isocyanide and azide undergo a [3 + 2] cycloaddition to form a C-bound tetrazolato structure (3). In three other cases, 2 equiv of azide are involved in the formation of a previously unobserved structure, where a tetrazolato and aryl cyanamido couple and rearrange to form a chelating ligand comprised of an N-bound tetrazolato and an acyclic diaminocarbene (4). Finally, a bimetallic aryl cyanamido complex (5) is isolated in one case. All compounds are luminescent, some with exceptional photoluminescence quantum yields as high as 0.81 in solution for sky-blue emission, and 0.87 for yellow emission and 0.65 for orange-red emission in polymer films.

A theoretical study on the photochemical generation of phenylborylene from phenyldiazidoborane.

Organic borylenes are a kind of highly reactive species, which play important roles in a lot of reactions as vigorous intermediates. In this work, we investigated the photochemical generation mechanisms of phenylborylene (PhB) together with the side product N-phenylnitrenoiminoborane (PhNBN) from phenyldiazidoborane (PhBN6) by extrusion of dinitrogen in the two lowest electronic singlet states (S0 and S1) based on the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and its second-order perturbation (CASPT2) methods combined with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. Our results show that the reaction PhBN6 → PhB + 3N2 involves stepwise N2 extrusion three times and the azido region rearrangement. Moreover, we found that the studied photo-induced processes are kinetically feasible because the highest energy barrier is only 0.36 eV and excitation with light of wavelength 254 nm can provide enough excess energy to overcome these energy barriers. Importantly, we revealed that several conical intersections between S1 and S0 states participate and facilitate the studied photochemical processes. Our results not only clarify the experimental observations, (H. F. Bettinger, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 2534), but also provide valuable insights into borylene chemistry.

A Borane Lewis Acid in the Secondary Coordination Sphere of a Ni(II) Imido Imparts Distinct C-H Activation Selectivity.

Two borane-functionalized bidentate phosphine ligands that vary in tether length have been prepared to examine cooperative metal-substrate interactions. Ni(0) complexes react with aryl azides at low temperatures to form structurally unusual κ2-(N,N)-N3Ar adducts. Warming these adducts affords products of N2 extrusion and in one case, a Ni-imido compound that is capped by the appended borane. Reactions with 1-azidoadamantane (AdN3) provide a distinct outcome, where a proposed nickel imido intermediate activates the sp2 C-H bonds of arenes, even in the presence of benzylic C-H sites. Combined experimental and computational mechanistic studies demonstrate that the unique reactivity is a consequence of Lewis-acid-induced polarization of the Ni-NR bond, potentially providing a synthetic strategy for chemoselective reaction engineering.

Copper-catalyzed Z-selective synthesis of acrylamides and polyacrylamides via alkylidene ketenimines

It remains very important to discover and study new fundamental intermediates consisting of carbon and nitrogen as the abundant elements of organic molecules. The unique alkylidene ketenimine could be formed in situ under mild conditions by an unexpected copper-catalyzed three-component reaction of alkyne, azide and water involving a successive cycloaddition, N2 extrusion and carbene-assisted rearrangement. Only Z-α,β-unsaturated amides instead of E-α,β-unsaturated amides or triazoles were acquired from alkylidene ketenimines with excellent selectivities and stereospecificities. In addition, a series of “approximate” alternating copolymers (poly (triazole-alt-Z-acrylamides)) with high Mns and yields were efficiently afforded by multicomponent polymerization through a very simple operation basing on this multicomponent reaction.

Machine learning analysis of dynamic‐dependent bond formation in trajectories with consecutive transition states

AbstractDynamic motion often controls selectivity in reactions featuring two consecutive potential‐energy transition states. Here we report density functional theory (DFT)‐based direct dynamics trajectories and machine learning classification analysis for cyclopentadienone dimerization and a N2 extrusion reaction leading to semibullvalene. These reactions have consecutive transition states, and there is dynamic selectivity that determines which of two possible C‐C bonds is formed after the first transition state. For cyclopentadienone dimerization with a bispericyclic first transition state, machine learning analysis using transition‐state based features provided >90% trajectory classification accuracy, but only using AdaBoost and random forest algorithms. Many other relatively sophisticated machine learning algorithms showed poor accuracy despite the obvious motion responsible for selectivity. Feature importance analysis confirmed that the sigmatropic rearrangement vibrational motion in the bispericyclic transition state provides prediction of which of the second C‐C bonds is dynamically formed. For the reaction leading to semibullvalene, machine learning analysis provides solid accuracy for classifying trajectories and predicting which C‐C bond is formed and which C‐C bond is broken immediately after N2 ejection. Like the cyclopentadienone dimerization reaction, machine learning feature importance analysis showed that the sigmatropic rearrangement vibrational motion in the N2 extrusion transition state determines which C‐C bond is formed and which is broken. Surprisingly, machine learning struggles to predict which trajectories undergo a subsequent [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement process, which isomerizes equivalent forms of semibullvalene.

Azide-alkyne cycloadditions with an electronically activated alkyne: indole formation via 1-aryl-1,2,3-triazole-derived imino carbenes.

We report that the use of a diaminoalkyne in the azide-alkyne cycloaddition with aryl azides leads to 3H-indoles under mild, uncatalysed conditions. Computations reveal that N2 extrusion from, in one case, isolable triazoles is facile, generating imino carbenes, which undergo intramolecular aryl C-H bond activation and give 3H-indoles as products.

Spectroscopic evidence for 1,2-diiminoethane - a key intermediate in imidazole synthesis.

Simple imines and diimines are common building blocks in organic synthesis, but the compound class is spectroscopically not well characterized. Herein we report the formation of the simplest diimine, namely 1,2-diiminoethane, as well as spectroscopic characterization by cryogenic matrix isolation IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Three conformers of 1,2-diiminoethane form after UV irradiation of 1,2-diazidoethane by N2 extrusion at 3 K in solid argon and can be photochemically interconverted. In a matrix isolation pyrolysis experiment at 600 °C with 1,2-diazidoethane as the starting material we observe hydrogen cyanide and formaldimine as the main decomposition products. All experimental findings are supported by deuterium labeling experiments and B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) calculations. Irradiation of 1,2-diazidoethane in aqueous solution leads to the formation of imidazoles as indicated by NMR spectroscopy and GC-MS analysis. Our results underline the key role of diimines as building blocks in N-heterocyclic chemistry.

α-Vinyl azide–cysteine click coupling reaction enabled bioorthogonal peptide/protein modification

α-Alkyl and α-aryl vinyl azides were found to be able to couple with cysteine-derived alkyl thiols chemoselectively under mild conditions, providing the corresponding β-ketosulfides with simultaneous extrusion of N2 and ammonia.

Mechanistic and selectivity investigations into Fe-catalyzed 2, 3-disubstituted azaindole formation from β,β-disubstituted tetrazole

Computational studies at the B3LYP-D3(BJ) level were performed to explore the mechanism and migratorial selectivity of Fe-catalyzed 2,3-disubstituted azaindole formation from β, β-disubstituted tetrazole and mechanistic details of key steps in this reaction are compared to those in Rh2-catalyzed indole formation. The calculated results show: Fe-catalyzed spirocyclization proceeds via a radical pathway, which is contrary to Rh2-catalyzed spirocyclization that occurs via a carbocation pathway; the migration of C→C significantly prefers to that of C→N due to far lower breakage extents of Fe-N and CC bonds. In addition, the comparisons of uncatalyzed vs. catalyzed N2 extrusion and C→C migration show that iron porphyrin catalyst can lower activation energies of these two steps.

Skeletal Editing-Nitrogen Deletion of Secondary Amines by Anomeric Amide Reagents.

Late‐stage modification is highly desirable for the diversification and modification of biologically active compounds. Peripheral editing (e.g., C−H activation) has been the predominant methodology, whereas skeletal editing is in its infancy. The single‐atom N‐deletion using anomeric amide reagents constitutes a powerful tool to modify the underlying molecular skeletons of secondary amines. N‐pivaloyloxy‐N‐alkoxyamide is easily prepared on a large scale and promotes C−C bond formation in good yields under the extrusion of N2 for a variety of (cyclic) aliphatic amines. The exploitation of widely available amines allows the use of existing amine synthesis protocols to translate into the construction of new C−C bonds, enabling ring contraction and the potential for structure optimization of biologically active compounds.

O-Heterocycle Synthesis via Intramolecular C-H Alkoxylation Catalyzed by Iron Acetylacetonate.

Intramolecular alkoxylation of C-H bonds can rapidly introduce structural and functional group complexities into seemingly simple or inert precursors. The transformation is particularly important due to the ubiquitous presence of tetrahydrofuran (THF) motifs as fundamental building blocks in a wide range of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and natural products. Despite the various synthetic methodologies known for generating functionalized THFs, most show limited functional group tolerance and lack demonstration for the preparation of spiro or fused bi- and tricyclic ether units prevalent in molecules for pharmacological purposes. Herein we report an intramolecular C-H alkoxylation to furnish oxacycles from easily prepared α-diazo-β-ketoesters using commercially available iron acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)2) as a catalyst. The reaction is proposed to proceed through the formation of a vinylic carboradical arising from N2 extrusion, which mediates a proximal H-atom abstraction followed by a rapid C-O bond forming radical recombination step. The radical mechanism is probed using an isotopic labeling study (vinyl C-D incorporation), ring opening of a radical clock substrate, and Hammett analysis and is further corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Heightened reactivity is observed for electron-rich C-H bonds (tertiary, ethereal), while greater catalyst loadings or elevated reaction temperatures are required to fully convert substrates with benzylic, secondary, and primary C-H bonds. The transformation is highly functional group tolerant and operates under mild reaction conditions to provide rapid access to complex structures such as spiro and fused bi-/tricyclic O-heterocycles from readily available precursors.

A Theoretical Stereoselectivity Model of Photochemical Denitrogenations of Diazoalkanes Toward Strained 1,3-Dihalogenated Bicyclobutanes.

Photochemical reactions exemplify "green" chemistry and are an essential tool for synthesizing highly strained molecules under mild conditions with light. The light-promoted denitrogenation of bicyclic azoalkanes affords functionalized, stereoenriched bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes. These reactions were revisited with multireference calculations and non-adiabatic molecular dynamics (NAMD) simulations to provide a detailed analysis of the photophysics, reactivities, and unexplained stereoselectivity of a series of diazabicyclo[2.1.1]hexenes. We used complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations with an (8,8) active space and ANO-S-VDZP basis set; the CASSCF energies were corrected with CASPT2 (8,8)/ANO-S-VDZP. The nature of the electronic excitation is n → π* and ranges from 3.77 to 3.91 eV for the diazabicyclo[2.1.1]hexenes reported here. Minimum energy path calculations showed stepwise C-N bond breaking and led directly to a minimum energy crossing point, corresponding to a stereochemical "double inversion" product. Wigner sampling of diazabicyclo[2.1.1]hexene provided initial conditions for 692 NAMD trajectories. We identified competing complete stereoselective and stereochemical scrambling pathways. The stereoselective pathways feature concerted bicyclobutane inversion and N2 extrusion. The stereochemical scrambling pathways involve N2 extrusion followed by bicyclobutane planarization, leading to stereochemical scrambling. The predicted diastereomeric excess (d.e.) almost exactly matches the experiment (calc.d.e. = 46% vs exp.d.e. = 47%). Our NAMD simulations with 672, 568, and 596 trajectories for 1-F, 1-Cl, and 1-Br predicted a d.e. of 94-97% for the double inversion products. Halogenation significantly perturbs the potential energy surface (PES) toward the retention products due to hyperconjugative interactions. The nC → σ*C-X,X=F,Cl,Br hyperconjugative effect leads to a broader shoulder region on the PES for double inversion.

DFT Study on the Mechanism of Iron-Catalyzed Diazocarbonylation.

The mechanism of the carbonylation of diazomethane in the presence of iron–carbonyl–phosphine catalysts has been investigated by means of DFT calculations at the M06/def-TZVP//B97D3/def2-TZVP level of theory, in combination with the SMD solvation method. The reaction rate is determined by the formation of the coordinatively unsaturated doublet-state Fe(CO)3(P) precursor followed by the diazoalkane coordination and the N2 extrusion. The free energy of activation is predicted to be 18.5 and 28.2 kcal/mol for the PF3 and PPh3 containing systems, respectively. Thus, in the presence of less basic P-donor ligands with stronger -acceptor properties, a significant increase in the reaction rate can be expected. According to energy decomposition analysis combined with natural orbitals of chemical valence (EDA–NOCV) calculations, diazomethane in the Fe(CO)3(phosphine)(η1-CH2N2) adduct reveals a -donor–-acceptor type of coordination.