Chiral Propargylic Cations as Intermediates in SN1-Type Reactions: Substitution Pattern, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies, and Origin of the Diastereoselectivity

Computational NMR of charged systems

This review covers NMR computational aspects of charged systems-carbocations, heterocations, and heteroanions, which were extensively studied in a number of laboratories worldwide, first of all, at the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute in California directed for several decades by a distinguished scientist, the Nobel laureate George Andrew Olah. The first part of the review briefly outlines computational background of the modern theoretical methods applied to the calculation of chemical shifts and spin-spin coupling constants at the DFT and the non-empirical levels. The second part of the review deals with the historical results, advances, and perspectives of the computational NMR of classical carbocations like methyl cation, CH₃⁺ , and protonated methane, CH₅⁺ , together with their numerous homologs and derivatives. The third and the forth parts of this survey are focused on the NMR computational aspects of accordingly, heterocations and heteroanions, the organic and inorganic ions with a charge localized mainly on heteroatoms like boron, oxygen, nitrogen, and heavier elements.

FeTPPCl/FeCl3 Co-Catalyzed One-Pot Green Synthesis of α-Diaryl-β-alkynol Derivatives via Propargylic Carbocation Chemistry

A green and highly efficient one-pot method for α-diaryl-β-alkynol derivatives in water at room temperature was developed using the cocatalysis of a Lewis acid and meso-tetraphenylporphyrin iron(III) chloride (FeTPPCl). The unprecedented transformation was promoted by a modulation of the charge properties of propargylic carbocation chemistry and the use of an in situ-generated oxonium ylide as a matching nucleophile. The reaction was performed in water at room temperature with a highly step-economic manipulation in good to excellent yields and with a broad substrate scope. Water also acts as the third reactant for the one-pot transformation. Notably, the FeTPPCl catalyst can be directly reused four times with a slight discount in yields.

Mechanism and reactivity of catalytic propargylic substitution reactions via metal–allenylidene intermediates: a theoretical perspective

The mechanism and reactivity of transition metal-catalyzed propargylic substitution reactions are summarized from a theoretical point of view.

Catalytic Carbocation Generation Enabled by the Mesolytic Cleavage of Alkoxyamine Radical Cations

A new catalytic method is described to access carbocation intermediates via the mesolytic cleavage of alkoxyamine radical cations. In this process, electron transfer between an excited state oxidant and a TEMPO-derived alkoxyamine substrate gives rise to a radical cation with a remarkably weak C-O bond. Spontaneous scission results in the formation of the stable nitroxyl radical TEMPO(.) as well as a reactive carbocation intermediate that can be intercepted by a wide range of nucleophiles. Notably, this process occurs under neutral conditions and at comparatively mild potentials, enabling catalytic cation generation in the presence of both acid sensitive and easily oxidized nucleophilic partners.

The β-Silyl Effect on the Memory of Chirality in Friedel-Crafts Alkylation Using Chiral α-Aryl Alcohols

Iron salt-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation of chiral α-aryl alcohols with a trimethylsilyl group was found to proceed with retention of the configuration of the hydroxyl group as a leaving group. The memory of chirality of this system stems from the β-silyl effect of the trimethylsilyl group on the carbocation intermediate.

Effect of conformational rigidity on the stereoselectivity of nucleophilic additions to five-membered ring bicyclic oxocarbenium ion intermediates

Nucleophilic substitution reactions of five-membered ring acetals bearing fused rings reveal that subtle changes in the structure of the fused ring can exert dramatic influences on selectivity. If the fused ring did not constrain the five-membered ring undergoing substitution, selectivity was comparable to what was observed for an unconstrained system (≥92% diastereoselectivity, favoring the product of inside attack on the oxocarbenium ion). If the ring were more constrained by including at least one oxygen atom in the ring, selectivity dropped considerably (to 60% diastereoselectivity in one case). Transition states of the nucleophilic addition of allyltrimethylsilane to selected oxocarbenium ions were calculated using DFT methods. These computational models reproduced the correlation between additional conformational rigidity and selectivity.

Brønsted acid-catalyzed 1,2-fluorine migration with fluoroepoxides

An efficient 1,2-fluorine migration reaction was realized under Brønsted acid catalysis in the absence of an external fluorinating source. The high fluorine atom economy and very mild conditions make this reaction a promising protocol for the construction of the C–F bond.

In a glycosylation reaction how does a hydroxylic nucleophile find the activated anomeric carbon?

The mechanism by which nucleophilic hydroxyls are attracted to activated glycopyranosyl donors is not known. Besides the intrinsic attraction of oxygen centred negative dipoles towards the developing electron deficiency at the anomeric carbon only a few suggestions have been given in the literature. By studying the effect on Density Functional Theory (DFT) modelled glycosylation reactions on the presence of polar additives as tested with acetonitrile two possible effects have been identified. One was noted in a previous publication (Carbohydr. Res.2012, 356, 180-190) and two further examples discovered here that suggest that a lone pair of a nucleophile approaching a donor with a β-leaving group from the α-face can act as the antiperiplanar lone pair that assists leaving group departure. This interaction starts at just under a nucleophile C-1 separation of 3Å and has an incipient bond angle of O-5-C-1-Nuc(O or N) of very close to 90° which can be at C-1 with the p-type orbital at C-1-O-5 of the incipient oxacarbenium ion, that is, the LUMO of the activated donor. The 2nd interaction is less well studied and is suggested to be a similar bonding interaction which moves β-face nucleophiles to O-Nuc-C-1-leaving groups angles close to 180°.