Hydroxylated HMPA enhances both reduction potential and proton donation in SmI₂ reactions
Sandipan Halder1, Shmaryahu Hoz
1Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University , Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel.
Abstract:
HMPA is known to increase the reduction potential of SmI2. However, in many cases, the transferred electron returns from the radical anion of the substrate back to the Sm(3+). This could be avoided by an efficient trapping of the radical anion: e.g., by protonation. However, bimolecular protonation by a proton donor from the bulk may be too slow to compete with the back electron transfer process. An efficient unimolecular protonation could be achieved by using a proton donor which complexes to SmI2, in which case the proton is unimolecularly transferred within the ion pair. A derivative of HMPA in which one of the methyl groups was substituted by a CH2CH2OH unit was synthesized. Cyclic voltammetry studies have shown that it resembles HMPA in its ability to enhance the reduction potential of SmI2, and reactivity studies show that it has also efficient proton shift capabilities. The various aspects of this additive were examined in the reactions of SmI2 with three substrates: benzyl chloride, methyl cinnamate, and anthracene.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Osmium Tetraoxide
Acid Halides to Alcohols: LiAlH4 Reduction
The mechanism proceeds in three steps. First, the nucleophilic hydride ion attacks the carbonyl carbon of the acid halide to form a tetrahedral intermediate. Next, the carbonyl group is re-formed, and the halide ion departs as a leaving group, generating an aldehyde. A second nucleophilic attack by the hydride yields an alkoxide ion, which, upon protonation, gives a primary alcohol as...
Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Potassium Permanganate
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Amides to Amines: LiAlH4 Reduction
Amide reduction requires two equivalents of the reducing agent, acting as a source of hydride ions. As shown in the figure, the reaction is initiated with a nucleophilic attack by the hydride ion at the carbonyl carbon to form a tetrahedral intermediate.


