Aryl, hetaryl, and ferrocenyl thioketones as versatile building blocks for exploration in the organic chemistry of sulfur

Theoretical insights into the spectroscopic properties of ferrocenyl hetaryl ketones

Quantum chemical calculations have been carried out to elucidate the electronic structure as well as to draw structure-property relationships for a series of ferrocenyl hetaryl ketones by means of simulated NMR, IR and UV-vis spectra. In this series, the list of hetaryl groups included furan-2-yl, thiophen-2-yl, selenophen-2-yl, 1H-pyrrol-2-yl and N-methylpyrrol-2-yl. Density functional theory was employed to determine the ground-state properties of the five ketones while their excited-state properties were modeled using a broad range of theoretical methods, namely from time-dependent density functional theory to multiconfigurational and multireference ab initio approaches. The patterns in the ¹³C and ¹⁷O chemical shifts of the carbonyl group were explained by the geometrical twist of hetaryl rings and by the electronic parameters corresponding to π-bonds conjugation and group hardness. Furthermore, the corresponding ¹³C and ¹⁷O shielding constants were analyzed in terms of both their dia/paramagnetic and Lewis/non-Lewis contributions within the framework of natural chemical shielding theory. The pattern in the vibrational frequency of the carbonyl bond was connected with changes in its bond length and bond order. It was established that the electronic absorption spectra of the studied ketones are largely characterized by low-intensity d → π* transitions in the visible region and the dominant high-intensity π → π* transition in the UV region. Finally, the theoretical methods best suited for modeling the excited-state properties of such ketones were designated.

Electrochemical, Regioselective, and Stereoselective Synthesis of Allylic Thioethers and Selenoethers under Transition-Metal-Free and Oxidant-Free Conditions

We disclose a mild, scalable, electricity-promoted cross coupling protocol between allylic iodides and disulfides/diselenides for the formation of C-S/Se bonds in the absence of transition metals, bases, and oxidants. The stereochemically different densely functionalized allylic iodides gave regio- and stereoselective diverse thioethers in good yields. This strategy demonstrates a sustainable promising approach for the synthesis of allylic thioethers in 38-80% yields. This protocol also provides a synthetic platform for the synthesis of allylic selenoethers. A single-electron transfer radical pathway was also validated with radical scavenger experiments and cyclic voltammetry data.

Novel [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Mimics: Unexpected Course of the Reaction of Ferrocenyl α-Thienyl Thioketone with Fe3(CO)12

The influence of the substitution pattern in ferrocenyl α-thienyl thioketone used as a proligand in complexation reactions with Fe₃(CO)₁₂ was investigated. As a result, two new sulfur–iron complexes, considered [FeFe]-hydrogenase mimics, were obtained and characterized by spectroscopic techniques (¹H, ¹³C{¹H} NMR, IR, MS), as well as by elemental analysis and X-ray single crystal diffraction methods. The electrochemical properties of both complexes were studied and compared using cyclic voltammetry in the absence and in presence of acetic acid as a proton source. The performed measurements demonstrated that both complexes can catalyze the reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen H₂. Moreover, the obtained results showed that the presence of the ferrocene moiety at the backbone of the linker of both complexes improved the stability of the reduced species.

Metal–ligand bonding in tricarbonyliron(0) complexes bearing thiochalcone ligands

Bonding interactions between iron and thiochalcones in a series of recently synthesized complexes were analyzed using various theoretical methods.

Hetero-Diels-Alder Reactions of In Situ-Generated Azoalkenes with Thioketones; Experimental and Theoretical Studies

The hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of in situ-generated azoalkenes with thioketones were shown to offer a straightforward method for an efficient and regioselective synthesis of scarcely known N-substituted 1,3,4-thiadiazine derivatives. The scope of the method was fairly broad, allowing the use of a series of aryl-, ferrocenyl-, and alkyl-substituted thioketones. However, in the case of N-tosyl-substituted cycloadducts derived from 1-thioxo-2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutan-3-one and the structurally analogous 1,3-dithione, a more complicated pathway was observed. By elimination of toluene sulfinic acid, the initially formed cycloadducts afforded 2H-1,3,4-thiadiazines as final products. Advanced DFT calculations revealed that the observed high regioselectivity was due to kinetic reaction control and that the (4 + 2)-cycloadditions of sterically less unhindered thiones occurred via highly unsymmetric transition states with shorter C..S-distances (2.27-2.58 Å) and longer N..C-distances (3.02-3.57 Å). In the extreme case of the sterically very hindered 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutan-1,3-dione-derived thioketones, a zwitterionic intermediate with a fully formed C‒S bond was detected, which underwent ring closure to the 1,3,4-thiadiazine derivative in a second step. For the hypothetical formation of the regioisomeric 1,2,3-thiadiazine derivatives, the DFT calculations proposed more symmetric transition states with considerably higher energies.

Superseding β-Diketiminato Ligands: An Amido Imidazoline-2-Imine Ligand Stabilizes the Exhaustive Series of B=X Boranes (X=O, S, Se, Te)

Boron reluctantly forms B=X (X=O, S, Se, Te) moieties, which has stimulated the quest for such species in the past few years. Based on the N,N'-chelating β-diketiminato ligand (HNacNac), a new amido imidazoline-2-imine ligand system (HAmIm) is presented, giving rise to the isolation of an exhaustive series of Lewis acid free, monomeric chalcogen B=X boranes with documented π-bond character between boron and the chalcogen. The chalcogenoboranes are isoelectronic and isolobal to the respective ketones. The chemical behavior of the oxoborane (B=O) strongly resembles the classical carbonyl reactivity in C=O bonds. The improved stability provided by HAmIm arises from the formation of more-stable five-membered boron chelates versus the six-membered NacNac analogues and from the imidazoline-2-imine moiety providing enhanced σ- and π-donation. The HAmIm ligand class may supersede the widely employed NacNac system in certain applications.

Unveiling the molecular mechanisms of the cycloaddition reactions of aryl hetaryl thioketones and C,N-disubstituted nitrilimines

Many synthetic routes to constructing biologically active heterocyclic compounds are made feasible through the (3 + 2) cycloaddition (32CA) reactions. Due to a large number of possible combinations of several heteroatoms from either the three-atom components (TACs) or the ethylene derivatives, the potential of the 32CA reactions in heterocyclic syntheses is versatile. Herein, the cycloaddition reaction of thiophene-2-carbothialdehyde derivatives and C,N-disubstituted nitrilimines have been studied through density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. In the present study, a one-step 32CA and two-step (4 + 3) cycloaddition (43CA) reaction mechanisms involved in TACs reactions and ethylene derivative have been investigated. In all reactions considered, the one-step 32CA cycloaddition is preferred over the two-step 43CA. The TAC chemoselectively adds across the thiocarbonyl group present in the ethylene derivative in a 32CA fashion to form the corresponding cycloadduct. Analysis of the electrophilic [Formula: see text] and nucleophilic [Formula: see text] Parr functions at the various reaction centers in the ethylene derivative show that the TAC adds across the atomic centers with the largest Parr functions, which is in total agreement with the experimental observation. The selectivities observed in the titled reactions are kinetically controlled.

Iron(0)-Mediated Stereoselective (3+2)-Cycloaddition of Thiochalcones via a Diradical Intermediate

Reactions of α,β-unsaturated aromatic thioketones 1 (thiochalcones) with Fe3 (CO)12 leading to η4 -1-thia-1,3-diene iron tricarbonyl complexes 2, [FeFe] hydrogenase mimics 3, and the thiopyrane adduct 4 are described. Obtained products have been characterized by X-ray crystallography and by computational methods. Completely regio- and diastereoselective formation of the five-membered ring system in products 3, containing four stereogenic centers, can be explained by an unprecedented, stepwise (3+2)-cycloaddition of two thiochalcone molecules mediated by Fe3 (CO)12 . Quantum chemical calculations aimed at elucidation of the reaction mechanism, suggest that the formal (3+2)-cycloaddition proceeds via sequential intramolecular radical transfer events upon homolytic cleavage of one carbon-sulfur bond leading to a diradical intermediate.

The [4+2]-Cycloaddition of α-Nitrosoalkenes with Thiochalcones as a Prototype of Periselective Hetero-Diels-Alder Reactions-Experimental and Computational Studies

The [4+2]-cycloadditions of α-nitrosoalkenes with thiochalcones occur with high selectivity at the thioketone moiety of the dienophile providing styryl-substituted 4H-1,5,2-oxathiazines in moderate to good yields. Of the eight conceivable hetero-Diels-Alder adducts only this isomer was observed, thus a prototype of a highly periselective and regioselective cycloaddition has been identified. Analysis of crude product mixtures revealed that the α-nitrosoalkene also adds competitively to the thioketone moiety of the thiochalcone dimer affording bis-heterocyclic [4+2]-cycloadducts. The experiments are supported by high-level DFT calculations that were also extended to related hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of other nitroso compounds and thioketones. These calculations reveal that the title cycloadditions are kinetically controlled processes confirming the role of thioketones as superdienophiles. The computational study was also applied to the experimentally studied thiochalcone dimerization, and showed that the 1,2-dithiin and 2H-thiopyran isomers are in equilibrium with the monomer. Again, the DFT calculations indicate kinetic control of this process.

Structure of Diferrocenyl Thioketone: From Molecule to Crystal

Ferrocenyl-functionalized thioketones have recently been recognized as useful building blocks for sulfur-containing compounds with potential applications in materials chemistry. This work is devoted to a single representative of such thioketones, namely diferrocenyl thioketone (Fc₂CS), whose structure has been determined here for the first time. Both X-ray crystallography and a wide variety of quantum-chemical methods were used to explore the structure of Fc₂CS. In addition to the X-ray structure determination, intermolecular interactions occurring in the crystal structure of Fc₂CS were examined in detail by quantum-chemical methods. These methods were also an invaluable tool in studying the molecular structure of Fc₂CS, from the gas phase to solutions and to its crystal. Intramolecular interactions governing the conformational behavior of an isolated Fc₂CS molecule were deduced from quantum-chemical analyses carried out in orbital space and real space. Our experimental and theoretical results indicate that the main structural features of an isolated Fc₂CS molecule in its lowest-energy geometry are retained both upon solvation and in the crystal. The tilt of ferrocenyl groups is only slightly affected by crystal packing forces that are dominated by dispersion. Nonetheless, a network of intermolecular interactions, such as H···H, C···H and S···H, was detected in the Fc₂CS crystal but each of them is fairly weak.

Diferrocenyl Thioketone: Reactions with (Bisphosphane)Pt(0) Complexes-Electrochemical and Computational Studies

Diferrocenyl thioketone reacts smoothly with (bisphosphane)Pt(0) complexes in toluene solution at room temperature yielding 1:1 adducts identified as ferrocenyl (Fc) functionalized platinathiiranes. Their structures were unambiguously confirmed by means of spectroscopic methods as well as by X-ray diffraction analysis. A unique, ferrocene-rich platinathiirane, bearing three Fc-units, was prepared starting with [bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene] Pt(0(η²-norbornene). For comparison, a similar platinathiirane with one Fc-unit was obtained from the reaction of the latter complex with thiobenzophenone. Quantum-chemical calculations were carried out to describe the bonding pattern and frontier molecular orbitals of the ferrocene-rich platinathiirane complexes. These calculations confirmed that the C=S bond loses its formally double-bond character upon complexation (bisphosphane)Pt(0). Cyclic voltammetry measurements were performed to characterize the obtained platinathiiranes in CH₂Cl₂ solutions. For comparison, the cyclic voltammogram for diferrocenyl thioketoneas a mixed-valent (Fe^II-Fe^III) compound was also recorded and analyzed. The results point out to a diffusion controlled electrode process in case of differocenyl thioketone and mixed diffusion and adsorption controlled electrode process in the case of the studied platinathiiranes.

A novel application of 2-silylated 1,3-dithiolanes for the synthesis of aryl/hetaryl-substituted ethenes and dibenzofulvenes

Trimethylsilyldiazomethane (TMS-CHN₂) reacts readily with hetaryl thioketones to give sterically crowded 2-trimethylsilyl-4,4,5,5-tetrahetaryl-1,3-dithiolanes with complete regioselectivity at −75 °C as well as at rt. Thiofluorenone, a relatively stable and highly reactive aryl thioketone, yields upon treatment with TMS-CHN₂ at −60 °C the corresponding 1,3,4-thiadiazoline. This unstable cycloadduct undergoes decomposition at ca. −45 °C and the silylated thiocarbonyl S-methanide generated thereby is trapped with complete regioselectivity by aryl or hetaryl thioketones forming also sterically crowded 2-trimethylsilyl-1,3-dithiolanes. The obtained 1,3-dithiolanes, by treatment with an equimolar amount of TBAF in a one-pot procedure, are converted in high yields into hetaryl/aryl-substituted ethenes or dibenzofulvenes, respectively, via a cycloreversion reaction of the intermediate 1,3-dithiolane carbanion. The presented protocol offers a new, highly efficient approach to tetrasubstituted ethenes and dibenzofulvenes bearing aryl and/or hetaryl substituents.