Carbenes with Reduced Heteroatom Stabilization: A Computational Approach

Expedient Synthesis of Thermally Stable Acyclic Amino(haloaryl)carbenes: Experimental and Theoretical Evidence of "Push-Pull" Stabilized Carbenes

A library of novel structurally related singlet carbenes, namely, acyclic amino(haloaryl)carbenes, was designed by a high-yielding two-step procedure, and their chemical stability explored both experimentally and theoretically. Thanks to a careful selection of both the amino and the aryl substitution pattern, these carbenes exhibit a wide range of stability and reactivity, spanning from rapid self-dimerization for carbenes featuring ortho-F substituents to very high chemical stability as bare carbenes, up to 60 °C for several hours for compounds carrying ortho-Br substituents. Their structure was determined through NMR and X-ray diffraction studies, and their reactivity evaluated in benchmark reactions, highlighting the ambiphilic character of this novel class of singlet carbenes. In contrast with previously reported aryl substituents incorporating o-CF3 and t-Bu groups, which were considered "spectator", the high chemical stability of some of these carbenes relates to the stabilization of the σ-orbital of the carbene center by the π-accepting haloaryl substituent through delocalization. Kinetic protection of the carbene center is also provided by the ortho-halogen atoms, as demonstrated computationally. This push-pull stabilization effect makes acyclic amino(haloaryl) carbenes among the most ambiphilic stable carbenes reported to date, holding promise for a variety of applications.

Terminal methylene phosphonium ions: precursors for transient monosubstituted phosphinocarbenes

Isolable singlet carbenes are among the most important tools in chemistry, but generally require the interaction of two substituents with the electron deficient carbon atom. We herein report a synthetic approach to monosubstituted phosphinocarbenes via deprotonation of hitherto unknown diprotic terminal methylene phosphonium ions. Two methylene phosphonium salts bearing bulky N-heterocyclic imine substituents at the phosphorus atom were isolated and fully characterized. Deprotonation studies indicate the formation of transient monosubstituted carbenes that undergo intermolecular cycloadditions or intramolecular Buchner ring expansion to afford a cycloheptatriene derivative. The reaction mechanism of the latter transformation was elucidated using DFT calculations, which reveal the ambiphilic nature of the phosphinocarbene enabling the insertion into the aromatic C-C bond. Additional computational studies on the role of substituent effects are presented.

Manipulation of N-heterocyclic carbene reactivity with practical oriented electric fields

Electric fields can be used to tune the nucleophilicity and electrophilicity of N-heterocyclic carbenes and enhance their catalytic activity.

Quantification of σ-Acceptor and π-Donor Stabilization in O, S and Hal Analogues of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (NHCs) on the Magnetic Criterion

The spatial magnetic properties, through-space NMR shieldings (TSNMRSs), of stable O, S and Hal analogues of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been calculated using the GIAO perturbation method employing the nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) concept and the results visualized as iso-chemical-shielding surfaces (ICSSs) of various sizes and directions. The TSNMRS values (actually the anisotropy effects measurable in ¹H NMR spectroscopy) are employed to qualify and quantify the position of the present mesomeric equilibria (carbenes ↔ ylides). The results are confirmed by geometry (bond angles and bond lengths), IR spectra, UV spectra, and ¹³C chemical shifts of the electron-deficient carbon centers.

A theoretical investigation into novel germylenes: effects of nitrogen substitution on stability and multiplicity

The effects of substituting nitrogen atoms on the stability of novel singlet (s) and triplet (t) forms of germylenes (1-20) are compared and contrasted, at B3LYP/AUG-cc-pVTZ level of theory. Every one of the 40 new divalents scrutinized appears as a minimum on its energy surface, for showing no negative force constant. Also, every singlet (1_s-20_s) appears more stable than its corresponding triplet (1_t-20_t). The highest stability (ΔE_s-t) is achieved by germylene (11) where all the three nitrogens are bonded to the central boron atom. The E_HOMO slightly decreases when the number of electronegative, σ-acceptor nitrogen atoms increases, and also causes it to be less electron-rich. Germylene 16_s with low stability (ΔE_s-t = 17.19 kcal/mol), bond gap (ΔE_HOMO-LUMO = 57.46 kcal/mol^-1), and atomic charge on -G̈e- (+ 0.9012), has high electrophilicity (ω = 3.78 eV) and nucleophilicity (N = 3.87 eV). Germylenes 8_s, 14_s, and 19_s with coordinate covalent bond between nitrogen (N(Y)) and germylene center have low ω and high ΔE_HOMO-LUMO. The purpose of the present work was, therefore, to assess the influence of nitrogen substituents on the stability (ΔΕ_s-t), band gaps (ΔΕ_HOMO-LUMO), N, ω, and heat of hydrogenation (ΔE_H). This investigation is aimed to introduce novel germylenes that can be applied as cumulated multi-dentate NHG̈e ligands.

Computational investigations of NHC-backbone configurations for applications in organocatalytic umpolung reactions

Density functional theory (DFT) and multiconfigurational self-consistent field theory (MCSCF) methods are employed to investigate variation of the electronic properties of various N-heterocyclic carbenes. Alterations to the backbone by increased or decreased conjugation, heteroatom substitution in the NHC ring, and electron-donating or -withdrawing backbone substituents are modeled. The MCSCF calculations show extensive delocalization of both the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals for NHCs with polymerizable backbone substituents. The free energies of the intermediates and transition structures for benzoin condensation are also shown to be sensitive to substitution of the NHC backbone. Taken together, these results imply great sensitivity of the reactivity of poly(NHC) catalysts to backbone modification at this moiety. Implications with respect to enhancement of poly(NHC)s employed in umpolung catalysis are discussed.

Novel triplet germylenes in focus: normal vs. abnormal triplet exocyclic tetrazol-5-vinylidene germylenes at DFT

Substituent effects on stability (assumed as the singlet and triplet energy gaps, ΔΕ_S-T) of novel 1,4-disubstituted-tetrazole-5-vinylidene germylenes (normal, 1_R) and their corresponding 1,3-disubstituted-tetrazole-5-vinylidene germylenes (abnormal, 2_R) are computed and compared, at B3LYP/6-311++G** and M06/6-311++G**, where R = H, CN, CF₃, F, SH, C₆H₆, OMe, and OH. Interestingly, every triplet vinylidene germylene shows more stability than its corresponding singlet. Also, every triplet abnormal isomer (2_R) emerges to be more stable than its corresponding normal (1_R). All abnormal 2_R isomers show broader band gaps (ΔE_HOMO-LUMO) and higher nucleophilicity (N), but less electrophilicity (ω) than their corresponding normal 1_R isomers. The NICS (nuclear-independent chemical shift) results indicate that every 1_R (except singlet 2_Ph) emerges more aromatic than its corresponding 2_R. Our Hammet studies indicate that 1_R is more sensitive to the electronic effects of substituents, R, than 2_R. Electron-donating species increase N in both 1_R and 2_R, while electron-withdrawing groups increase stability.

Quantifying N-heterocyclic carbenes as umpolung catalysts in the benzoin reaction: balance between nucleophilicity and electrophilicity

Different types of N-heterocyclic carbenes, i.e. normal, reduced heteroatom stabilized, remote and abnormal carbenes, are computationally assessed (THF-CPCM-B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d)) in the benzoin reaction to study their characteristics as umpolung catalysts.

On the organocatalytic activity of N-heterocyclic carbenes: role of sulfur in thiamine

The reaction energy profiles of the benzoin condensation from three aldehydes catalyzed by imidazol-2-ylidene, triazol-3-ylidene, and thiazol-2-ylidene have been investigated computationally. The barriers for all steps of all investigated reactions have been found to be low enough to indicate the viability of the mechanism proposed by Breslow in the 1950s. The most remarkable difference in the catalytic cycles has been the increased stability of the Breslow intermediate in case of thiazol-2-ylidene (by ca. 10 kcal/mol) compared to the other two carbenes, which results in lower energy for the coupling of the second aldehyde molecule, thus, increasing the reversibility of the reaction. Since the analogous transketolase reaction, being involved in the carbohydrate metabolism of many organisms, requires an initial decoupling-a reverse benzoin condensation-this difference provides a reasonable explanation for the presence of a thiazolium ring in thiamine instead of the otherwise generally more available imidazole derivatives. The "resting intermediate" found by Berkessel and co-workers for a triazole-based catalyst was found more stable than the Breslow intermediate for all of the systems investigated. The (gas phase) proton affinities of several carbenes were compared, the relative trends being in agreement with the available (in aqueous solution) data. The hydrolytic ring-opening reaction of the thiazole-based carbene was shown to be different from that of imidazole-2-ylidenes.