Reactivity and Steric Parameters from 2D to 3D Bulky Pyridines : Increasing Steric Demand at Nitrogen with Chiral Azatriptycenes.

Sterically hindered pyridines embedded in a three-dimensional triptycene framework have been synthesized, and their resolution by chiral HPLC enabled access to unprecedented enantiopure pyridines exceeding the known steric limits. The design principles for new axially chiral pyridine derivatives are then described. To rationalize their associations with Lewis acids and transition metals, a comprehensive determination of the steric and electronic parameters for this new class of pyridines was performed. This led to the general parameterization of the steric parameters (percent buried volume %VBur, Tolman cone angle θ, and He8_steric descriptor) for a large set of two- and three-dimensional pyridine derivatives. These parameters are shown to describe quantitatively their interactions with carbon- and boron-centered Lewis acids and were used to predict the ΔG° of association with the prototypical B(C6F5)3 Lewis acid widely used in frustrated Lewis pair catalysis. This first parameterization of pyridine sterics is a fundamental basis for the future development of predictive reactivity models and for guiding new applications of bulky and chiral pyridines in organocatalysis, frustrated Lewis pairs, and transition-metal catalysis.

From Proton to Boron: The Lewis Analogs of Protonated Brønsted Super Acids.

Isolation and characterization of highly reactive intermediates are crucial to understand the nature of chemical reactivity. Accordingly, the reactivity of weakly coordinating anions (WCA), usually used to stabilized cationic super electrophiles are of fundamental interest. When a variety of WCA are known to form stable σ-complexes with a proton, inducing Brønsted super acidity, bis-coordinated weak-coordinated anions are much more elusive and considered as long-sought reactive species. In this work, the chemistry of borylated sulfate, triflimidate and triflate anions were scouted in details with the aim of synthetizing the unique analogs of protonated Brønsted superacids. Those complexes were formed by successive borylation with a 9-boratriptycene derived Lewis super acid paired with a weak coordinated anion, characterized in solution and in the solid state and exhibit unique structures and reactivities.

9-Phosphatriptycene Derivatives: From Their Weak Basicity to Their Application in Frustrated Lewis Pair Chemistry.

The accurate prediction of the basicity of tertiary phosphines in acetonitrile and water is reported by the linear correlation between computed ΔpKa's obtained by density functional theory (DFT) and experimental values extracted from the literature. This method is applied to the prediction of pKa values of 9-phosphatriptycene derivatives and showed that they are weaker Brønsted bases than their triphenylphosphine analogues. This lower reactivity is attributed to their high pyramidalization that increases their lone pair 3s character, stabilizing its energy level. Their potential application in frustrated Lewis pair chemistry is then considered by investigating the hydrogenation of 1,1-diphenylethylene by the tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane/1-chloro-9-phosphatriptycene frustrated Lewis pair.

Regioselective Transition-Metal-Free Arene C-H Borylations: From Directing Groups to Borylation Template Reagents.

The latest developments in the field of electrophilic C-H borylation reactions of arenes and heteroarenes without transition metals are briefly overviewed, with a particular emphasis on the latest advances enabling the highly regioselective C-H borylations of indoles and indolines using borylation template reagents.

Taming the Lewis Superacidity of Non-Planar Boranes: C-H Bond Activation and Non-Classical Binding Modes at Boron.

The rational design of a geometrically constrained boron Lewis superacid featuring exceptional structure and reactivity is disclosed. It enabled the formation of non-classical electron deficient B-H-B type of bonding, which was supported by spectroscopic and structural parameters as well as computational studies. Taming the pyramidal Lewis acid electrophilicity through weak coordinating anion dissociation enabled a series of highly challenging chemical transformations, such as Csp2 -H and Csp3 -H activation under a frustrated Lewis pair regime and the cleavage of Csp3 -Si bonds. The demonstration of such rich chemical behaviour and flexibility on a single molecular compound makes it a unique mediator of chemical transformations generally restricted to transition metals.

Methylene Bridging Effect on the Structures, Lewis Acidities and Optical Properties of Semi-planar Triarylboranes.

Three synthetic methods towards semi-planar triarylboranes with two aryl rings connected by a methylene bridge have been developed. The fine-tuning of their stereoelectronic properties and Lewis acidities was achieved by introducing fluorine, methyl, methoxy, n-butyl and phenyl groups either at their exocyclic or bridged aryl rings. X-ray diffraction analysis and quantum-chemical calculations provided quantitative information on the structural distortion experienced by the near planar hydro-boraanthracene skeleton during the association with Lewis bases such as NH3 and F- . Though the methylene bridge between the ortho-positions of two aryl rings of triarylboranes decreased the Gibbs free energies of complexation with small Lewis bases by less than 5 kJ mol-1 relative to the classical Lewis acid BAr3 , the steric shielding of the CH2 bridge is sufficient to avoid the formation of Lewis adducts with larger Lewis bases such as triarylphosphines. A newly synthesized spirocyclic amino-borane with a long intramolecular B-N bond that could be dissociated under thermal process, UV-irradiation, or acidic conditions might be a potential candidate in Lewis pairs catalysis.

Rational Development of a Metal-Free Bifunctional System for the C-H Activation of Methane: A Density Functional Theory Investigation.

The activation or heterolytic splitting of methane, a challenging substrate usually restricted to transition metals, has so far proven elusive in experimental frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) chemistry. In this article, we demonstrate, using density functional theory (DFT), that 1-aza-9-boratriptycene is a conceptually simple intramolecular FLP for the activation of methane. Systematic comparison with other FLP systems allows to gain insight into their reactivity with methane. The thermodynamics and kinetics of methane activation are interpreted by referring to the analysis of the natural charges and by employing the distortion-interaction/activation strain (DIAS) model. These showed that the nature of the Lewis base influences the selectivity over the reaction pathway, with N Lewis bases favoring the deprotonation mechanism and P bases the hydride abstraction one. The lower barrier of activation for 1-aza-9-boratriptycene and the higher products stability are due to a better interaction energy than its counterparts, itself due to electrostatic interactions with the methane moiety, favorable orbital overlaps allowed by the side-attack, and space proximity between the B and N atoms.

Controlled Generation of 9-Boratriptycene by Lewis Adduct Dissociation: Accessing a Non-Planar Triarylborane.

A highly bent triarylborane, 9-boratriptycene, was generated in solution by selective protodeboronation of the corresponding tetra-aryl boron ate complex with the strong Brønsted acid HNTf2 . The iptycene core confers enhanced Lewis acidity to 9-boratriptycene, making it unique in terms of structure and reactivity. We studied the stereoelectronic properties of 9-boratriptycene by quantifying its association with small N- and O-centered Lewis bases, as well as with sterically hindered phosphines. The resultant Lewis adducts exhibited unique structural, spectroscopic, and photophysical properties. Beyond the high pyramidalization of the 9-boratriptycene scaffold and its low reorganization energy upon Lewis base coordination, quantum chemical calculations revealed that the absence of π donation from the triptycene aryl rings to the boron vacant pz orbital is one of the main reasons for its high Lewis acidity.

Complementary Synthetic Approaches toward 9-Phosphatriptycene and Structure-Reactivity Investigations of Its Association with Sterically Hindered Lewis Acids.

Two practical and high-yielding syntheses of 9-phosphatriptycene are reported. In both approaches, the key step is based on the cyclization of a (tris)lithio-triphenylmethane or a (tris)lithio-triphenylphosphine intermediate on a phosphorus or a carbon electrophile, respectively. The association of 9-phosphatriptycene with representative boron- and carbon-centered Lewis acids was investigated by IR, NMR, and UV-vis titration experiments and by computational methods, shedding light on its steric hindrance, σ-donating ability, and Brønsted and Lewis basicities.

The Halogen-Samarium Exchange Reaction: Synthetic Applications and Kinetics.

Fast I/Sm and Br/Sm exchanges take place when various aromatic or heterocyclic iodides and bromides are treated with nBu2 SmCl⋅4 LiCl and nBu3 Sm⋅5 LiCl, respectively. The resulting organosamarium reagents were efficiently quenched with aldehydes, ketones, and imines. Also, they undergo acylations when treated with N,N-dimethylamides leading to ketones. The rate of the Br/Sm exchange for a typical aryl bromide was determined and found to be 8.5×105 faster than the Br/Mg exchange, indicating that the rate of a metal-exchange is related to the ionic character of the carbon-metal bond and to the metal electronegativity.

Pushing the Lewis Acidity Boundaries of Boron Compounds With Non-Planar Triarylboranes Derived from Triptycenes.

Bending the planar trigonal boron center of triphenylborane by connecting its aryl rings with carbon or phosphorus linkers gave access to a series of 9-boratriptycene derivatives with unprecedented structures and reactivities. NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction of the Lewis adducts of these non-planar boron Lewis acids with weak Lewis base revealed particularly strong covalent bond formation. The first Lewis adduct of a trivalent boron compounds with the Tf2 N- anion illustrates the unrivaled Lewis acidity of these species. Increasing the pyramidalization of the boron center and using a cationic phosphonium linker resulted in an exceptional enhancement of Lewis acidity. Introduction of a phosphorus and a boron atom at each edge of a triptycene framework, allowed access to new bifunctional Lewis acid-base 9-phospha-10-boratriptycenes featuring promising reactivity for the activation of carbon-halogen bonds.

Stereospecific Allylic Functionalization: The Reactions of Allylboronate Complexes with Electrophiles.

Allylboronic esters react readily with carbonyls and imines (π-electrophiles), but are unreactive toward a range of other electrophiles. By addition of an aryllithium, the corresponding allylboronate complexes display enhanced nucleophilicity, enabling addition to a range of electrophiles (tropylium, benzodithiolylium, activated pyridines, Eschenmoser's salt, Togni's reagent, Selectfluor, diisopropyl azodicarboxylate (DIAD), MeSX) in high regio- and stereocontrol. This protocol provides access to key new functionalities, including quaternary stereogenic centers bearing moieties such as fluorine and the trifluoromethyl group. The allylboronate complexes were determined to be 7 to 10 orders of magnitude more reactive than the parent boronic ester.

Structures, Lewis Acidities, Electrophilicities, and Protecting Group Abilities of Phenylfluorenylium and Tritylium Ions.

The isolation, characterization, and the first X-ray structures of a fluorenylium ion and its Lewis adducts with nitrogen- and phosphorus-centered Lewis bases are reported. Kinetics of the reactions of a series of fluorenylium ions with reference π-, σ-, and n-nucleophiles of various sizes and nucleophilicities allowed the interplay between electronic and structural parameters on the electrophilicities of these planarized tertiary carbenium ions to be elucidated. Structure-reactivity correlations and extensive comparisons of their reactivities with those of di- and triarylcarbenium ions are described. Quantitative determination of the electrofugalities of fluorenylium ions revealed to which extent they are complementing tritylium ions as protecting groups and how their tuning is possible. Determination of the equilibrium constants of the Lewis adducts formation between pyridines of calibrated Lewis basicities and phenylfluorenylium and tritylium ions allowed the determination of their Lewis acidities and to showcase the potential of these carbon-centered Lewis acids in catalysis.

Barbier Continuous Flow Preparation and Reactions of Carbamoyllithiums for Nucleophilic Amidation.

An ambient temperature continuous flow method for nucleophilic amidation and thioamidation is described. Deprotonation of formamides by lithium diisopropylamine (LDA) affords carbamoyllithium intermediates that are quenched in situ with various electrophiles such as ketones, allyl bromides, Weinreb and morpholino amides. The nature of the reactive lithium intermediates and the thermodynamics of the metalation were further investigated by ab initio calculations and kinetic experiments.

Reactivity-Tuning in Frustrated Lewis Pairs: Nucleophilicity and Lewis Basicity of Sterically Hindered Phosphines.

The nucleophilicity and Lewis basicity of sterically hindered phosphines, widely used in catalysis and in frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) chemistry, have been quantified by determining the rates and equilibrium constants of their associations with reference systems (benzhydrylium and tritylium ions) of calibrated electrophilicities and Lewis acidities. These structure-reactivity investigations allow a rationalization of the Lewis acid-base interactions all along the way from covalent Lewis adducts to FLPs. Comparisons of the association of phosphines of increasing sizes (Ph3 P, (o-tolyl)3 P, and tBu3 P) with the triarylborane B(C6 F5 )3 and with the isoelectronic tritylium ions Ar3 C+ provide detailed insights for the future fine-tuning of the reactivities of FLPs. As a proof of concept, tritylium-ion-derived FLPs were shown to react with alkynes, as reported for the FLPs derived from the benchmark triarylborane B(C6 F5 )3 .

Mechanistic Studies of Formal Thioboration Reactions of Alkynes.

Several formal heteroborylative cyclization reactions have been recently reported, but little physical-organic and mechanistic data are known. We now investigate the catalyst-free formal thioboration reaction of alkynes to gain mechanistic insight into B-chlorocatecholborane (ClBcat) in its new role as an alkynophilic Lewis acid in electrophilic cyclization/dealkylation reactions. In kinetic studies, the reaction is second-order globally and first-order with respect to both the 2-alkynylthioanisole substrate and the ClBcat electrophile, with activation parameters of ΔG‡ = 27.1 ± 0.1 kcal mol-1 at 90 °C, ΔH‡ = 13.8 ± 1.0 kcal mol-1, and ΔS‡ = -37 ± 3 cal mol-1 K-1, measured over the range 70-90 °C. Carbon kinetic isotope effects supported a rate-determining AdE3 mechanism wherein alkyne activation by neutral ClBcat is concerted with cyclative attack by nucleophilic sulfur. A Hammett study found a ρ+ of -1.7, suggesting cationic charge buildup during the cyclization and supporting rate-determining concerted cyclization. Studies of the reaction with tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (B(C6F5)3), an activating agent capable of cyclization but not dealkylation, resulted in the isolation of a postcyclization zwitterionic intermediate. Kinetic studies via UV-vis spectroscopy with this boron reagent found second-order kinetics, supporting the likely relevancy of intermediates in this system to the ClBcat system. Computational studies comparing ClBcat with BCl3 as an activating agent showed why BCl3, in contrast to ClBcat, failed to mediate the complete the cyclization/demethylation reaction sequence by itself. Overall, the results support a mechanism in which the ClBcat reagent serves a bifunctional role by sequentially activating the alkyne, despite being less electrophilic than other known alkyne-activating reagents and then providing chloride for post-rate-determining demethylation/neutralization of the resulting zwitterionic intermediate.

Preparation of Functionalized Diaryl- and Diheteroaryllanthanum Reagents by Fast Halogen-Lanthanum Exchange.

Aryl and heteroaryl halides (X=Br, I) undergo a fast and convenient halogen-lanthanum exchange with nBu2 LaMe, which leads to functionalized diaryl- and diheteroaryllanthanum derivatives. Subsequent trapping reactions with selected electrophiles, such as ketones, aldehydes, or amides, proceeded smoothly at -50 °C in THF, affording polyfunctionalized alcohols and carbonyl derivatives. Kinetic competition experiments revealed a similar reactivity trend as for Br/Mg exchange, but 106 -times higher rates, making it comparable to Br/Li exchange.

Nucleophilicity of Alkyl Zirconocene and Titanocene Precatalysts, and Kinetics of Activation by Carbenium Ions and by B(C6 F5 )3.

Kinetics of activation of methyl and benzyl metallocene precatalysts by benzhydrylium ions, tritylium ions, and triarylborane B(C6 F5 )3 were measured spectrophotometrically. The rate constants correlate linearly with the electrophilicity parameter E of the benzhydrylium and tritylium ions employed, allowing us to determine the σ-nucleophilicities of the metal-carbon bond of several zirconocenes and titanocenes. Bridging, substitution, metal, and ligand effects on the rates of metal-alkyl bond cleavage (M=Zr, Ti) were studied and structure-reactivity correlations were used to predict the kinetics of generation of metallocenium ions pairs, which are active catalysts in polymerization reactions and are highly electrophilic Lewis acids in frustrated Lewis pair catalysis.

Structure and Reactivity of Indolylmethylium Ions: Scope and Limitations in Synthetic Applications.

Eight substituted aryl(indol-3-yl)methylium tetrafluoroborates 3(a-h)-BF4 and three bis(indol-3-yl)methylium tetrafluoroborates 3(i-k)-BF4 have been synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Their reactions with π-nucleophiles 8(a-j) (silylated enol ethers and ketene acetals) were studied kinetically using photometric monitoring at 20 °C. The resulting second-order rate constants were found to follow the correlation log k(20 °C) = sN(N + E), in which nucleophiles are characterized by the two solvent-dependent parameters N and sN, and electrophiles are characterized by one parameter, E. From the previously reported N and sN parameters of the employed nucleophiles and the measured rate constants, the electrophilicities of the indol-3-ylmethylium ions 3(a-k) were derived and used to predict potential nucleophilic reaction partners. A discrepancy between published rate constants for the reactions of morpholine and piperidine with the (2-methylindol-3-yl)phenylmethylium ion 3h and those calculated from E, N, and sN was analyzed and demonstrated to be due to a mistake of the value reported in the literature.

Scope and Mechanisms of Frustrated Lewis Pair Catalyzed Hydrogenation Reactions of Electron-Deficient C=C Double Bonds.

Several phosphonium and ammonium triarylborohydrides, which are intermediates in hydrogenation reactions catalyzed by frustrated Lewis pairs, were synthesized in high yield under mild conditions from triaryl boranes, ammonium or phosphonium halides, and triethylsilane. The kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions of these hydridoborate salts with benzhydrylium ions, iminium ions, quinone methides, and Michael acceptors were investigated, and their nucleophilicity was determined and compared with that of other hydride donors.