C-N Bond Formation at Discrete CuIII-Aryl Complexes

Copper(III) aryl species are widely proposed as intermediates in Cu-catalyzed C-C and C-heteroatom bond formation reactions. Despite their wide utility, mechanistic aspects of C-heteroatom formation at CuIII centers as well as factors that lead to byproducts, e.g., Ar-H, Ar-Ar, remain elusive due to the rarity of discrete CuIII-Ar complexes. Herein, we report the synthesis and reactivity of a series of CuII and CuIII aryl complexes that closely mimic the intermediates in Cu-catalyzed C-N coupling reactions. Copper(II) aryl complexes [TBA][LCuII-ArR] were synthesized via the treatment of CuII with a range of aryl donors, such as ZnAr2R, TMS-ArR, and ArR-Bpin. Oxidation of [TBA][LCuII-ArR] produces formal copper(III) aryl complexes LCuIII-ArR. Treatment of copper(III) aryl complexes with neutral nitrogen nucleophiles produces the C-N coupling product in up to 64% yield, along with commonly observed byproducts, such as Ar-H and Ar-Ar. Hammett analysis of the C-N bond formation performed with various N-nucleophiles shows a ρ value of -1.66, consistent with the electrophilic character of LCuIII-ArR. We propose mechanisms for common side reactions in Cu-catalyzed coupling reactions that lead to the formation of Ar-Ar and Ar-H.

C(sp3)-H cyanation by a formal copper(iii) cyanide complex

High-valent metal oxo complexes are prototypical intermediates for the activation and hydroxylation of alkyl C-H bonds. Substituting the oxo ligand with other functional groups offers the opportunity for additional C-H functionalization beyond C-O bond formation. However, few species aside from metal oxo complexes have been reported to both activate and functionalize alkyl C-H bonds. We herein report the first example of an isolated copper(iii) cyanide complex (LCu^IIICN) and its C-H cyanation reactivity. We found that the redox potential (E _ox) of substrates, instead of C-H bond dissociation energy, is a key determinant of the rate of PCET, suggesting an oxidative asynchronous CPET or ETPT mechanism. Among substrates with the same BDEs, those with low redox potentials transfer H atoms up to a million-fold faster. Capitalizing on this mechanistic insight, we found that LCu^IIICN is highly selective for cyanation of amines, which is predisposed to oxidative asynchronous or stepwise transfer of H⁺/e^-. Our study demonstrates that the asynchronous effect of PCET is an appealing tool for controlling the selectivity of C-H functionalization.

C(sp3)-H Fluorination with a Copper(II)/(III) Redox Couple

Despite the growing interest in the synthesis of fluorinated organic compounds, few reactions are able to incorporate fluoride ions directly into alkyl C-H bonds. Here, we report the C(sp³)-H fluorination reactivity of a formally copper(III) fluoride complex. The C-H fluorination intermediate, LCuF, along with its chloride and bromide analogues, LCuCl and LCuBr, were prepared directly from halide sources with a chemical oxidant and fully characterized with single-crystal X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Quantum chemical calculations reveal significant halide radical character for all complexes, suggesting their ability to initiate and terminate a C(sp³)-H halogenation sequence by sequential hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) and radical capture. The capability of HAA by the formally copper(III) halide complexes was explored with 9,10-dihydroanthracene, revealing that LCuF exhibits rates 2 orders of magnitude higher than LCuCl and LCuBr. In contrast, all three complexes efficiently capture carbon radicals to afford C(sp³)-halogen bonds. Mechanistic investigation of radical capture with a triphenylmethyl radical revealed that LCuF proceeds through a concerted mechanism, while LCuCl and LCuBr follow a stepwise electron transfer-halide transfer pathway. The capability of LCuF to perform both hydrogen atom abstraction and radical capture was leveraged to enable fluorination of allylic and benzylic C-H bonds and α-C-H bonds of ethers at room temperature.

Dynamic Adsorption of CO2/N2 on Cation-Exchanged Chabazite SSZ-13: A Breakthrough Analysis

Alkali-exchanged SSZ-13 adsorbents were investigated for their applicability in separating N₂ from CO₂ in flue gas streams using a dynamic breakthrough method. In contrast to IAST calculations based on equilibrium isotherms, K⁺ exchanged SSZ-13 was found to yield the best N₂ productivity, comparable to Ni-MOF-74, under dynamic conditions where diffusion properties play a significant role. This was attributed to the selective, partial blockage of access to the chabazite cavities, enhancing the separation potential in a 15/85 CO₂/N₂ binary gas mixture.