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Published on: November 30, 2022
Reactivity of gold and copper acetylide with a secondary borane
Ragene A Thornton1, Kirk French1, Kevin Shuford1
1Baylor University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, One Bear Place #97348, Waco, TX 76798, USA. caleb_d_martin@baylor.edu.
Abstract:
Gold(I) triphenylphosphine phenylacetylide reacts with bis(1-methyl-ortho-carboranyl)borane to give a hydroboration product that is best described as an η2-1-borataallene gold complex. Contrarily, the analogous reaction with the copper acetylide undergoes transmetalation to furnish an alkynylborate with the CuPPh3+ moiety bound to the alkyne and a hydride bridging boron to copper. The compounds were analyzed by single crystal X-ray diffraction and DFT computations that rationalize the unusual bonding arrangements.
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Alkynes to Aldehydes and Ketones: Hydroboration-Oxidation
One of the convenient methods for the preparation of aldehydes and ketones is via hydration of alkynes. Hydroboration-oxidation of alkynes is an indirect hydration reaction in which an alkyne is treated with borane followed by oxidation with alkaline peroxide to form an enol that rapidly converts into an aldehyde or a ketone. Terminal alkynes form aldehydes, whereas internal alkynes give ketones as the final product.
Hydroboration-Oxidation of Alkenes
Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Hydroboration
Hydroboration proceeds in a concerted fashion with the attack of borane on the π bond, giving a cyclic four-centered transition state. The –BH2 group is bonded to the less substituted carbon and –H to the more substituted carbon. The concerted nature requires the simultaneous addition of –H and –BH2 across the same face of the alkene giving syn stereochemistry.
Preparation of Alkynes: Alkylation Reaction
Alkylation of terminal alkynes with primary alkyl halides in the presence of a strong base like sodium amide is one of the common methods for the synthesis of longer carbon-chain alkynes. For example, treatment of 1-propyne with sodium amide followed by reaction with ethyl bromide yields 2-pentyne.
Electrophilic 1,2- and 1,4-Addition of X2 to 1,3-Butadiene
Electrophilic Addition to Alkynes: Halogenation
Halogenation is another class of electrophilic addition reactions where a halogen molecule gets added across a π bond. In alkynes, the presence of two π bonds allows for the addition of two equivalents of halogens (bromine or chlorine). The addition of the first halogen molecule forms a trans-dihaloalkene as the major product and the cis isomer as the minor product. Subsequent addition of the second equivalent yields the tetrahalide.
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