Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2025

Isolating Free Carbenes, their Mixed Dimers and Organic Radicals
Published on: April 19, 2019
Reductive Elimination From Tetra-Alkyl Cuprates [MenCu(CF3)4-n]- (n=0-4): Beyond Simple Oxidation States
Bastian Zimmer1, Remco W A Havenith2,3,4, Johannes E M N Klein2
1Institut für Organische und Biomolekulare Chemie, Universität Göttingen, Tammannstr. 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
Abstract:
In recent years, the electronic structures of organocuprates in general and the complex [Cu(CF3)4]- in particular have attracted significant interest. A possible key indicator in this context is the reactivity of these species. Nonetheless, this aspect has received only limited attention. Here, we systematically study the series of tetra-alkyl cuprates [MenCu(CF3)4-n]- and their unimolecular reactivity in the gas phase, which includes concerted formal reductive eliminations as well as radical losses. Through computational studies, we characterize the electronic structures of the complexes and show how these are connected to their reactivity. We find that all [MenCu(CF3)4-n]- ions feature inverted ligand fields and that the distinct reactivity patterns of the individual complexes arise from the interplay of different effects.
More Related Videos
10:57Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
09:45Accessing Valuable Ligand Supports for Transition Metals: A Modified, Intermediate Scale Preparation of 1,2,3,4,5-Pentamethylcyclopentadiene
Published on: March 20, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Alkenes via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: McMurry Reaction
Elimination Reactions
Oxidation of Alcohols
The process of oxidation in a chemical reaction is observed in any of the three forms:
Acid Halides to Ketones: Gilman Reagent
As shown below, the mechanism proceeds in two steps. First, one of the alkyl groups of the reagent acts as a nucleophile and attacks the acyl carbon of the acid chloride to form a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by the reformation of the carbon–oxygen...
Properties of Transition Metals
Radical Formation: Elimination