Frustrated Lewis pair catalyzed hydrodehalogenation of benzyl-halides

10 mol% B(o-C6F2H3)3 in the presence of excess tetramethylpiperidine (TMP) and H2 (or D2) is shown to catalyze the hydrogenative dehalogenation of benzyl-halides to give corresponding toluene derivatives. These reactions...

Ring Contraction Reactions of a Non-Benzenoid Aromatic Cation and a Neutral Homoaromatic System into Benzene Derivatives

Aromaticity is one of the most intriguing concepts in organic chemistry. Simple and extended benzenoid aromatic systems have been very well established in undergraduate textbooks, and there are also mentions of non-benzenoid aromatic structures such as cyclopropenium, cyclopentadienide and cycloheptatrienylium (tropylium) ions. However, the structural relationship and the comparison of stabilization energy of such aromatic ions to benzene ring have been rarely studied and remained an underexplored area of advanced organic chemistry research. To contribute some insights into this topic, we focused on the chemical transformation, namely a ring contraction reaction, of the tropylium ion to benzene ring in this work. With an approach combining computational studies with experimental reactions, we also aim to turn this transformation into a synthetically useful tool. Indeed, this work led to the development of a new synthetic protocol, which involved an oxidative ring-contraction of tropylium ion, to formally introduce the phenyl ring onto a range of organic structures. Furthermore, the homoaromatic cycloheptatrienyl precursors of tropylium salts used in these reactions can also be rearranged to valuable benzhydryl or benzyl halides, enriching the synthetic utility of this ring-contraction protocol.

4-Chlorobenzyl Chloride

The X-ray structure of the title compound has been determined for the first time. Its molecular structure is in good agreement with those previously determined for similar benzyl halides and the angles between the ring–Cl bonds in adjacent molecules show values in good agreement with an early Zeeman quadrupole spectroscopy study.

Efficient Synthesis of a New Family of 2,6-Disulfanyl-9-Selenabicyclo[3.3.1]Nonanes

The efficient synthesis of a new family of 2,6-disulfanyl-9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanes in high yields has been developed based on 9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-2,6-dithiolate anion generated from bis-isothiouronium salt of 2,6-dibromo-9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane. The derivatives of 2,6-disulfanyl-9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane containing alkyl, allyl and benzyl moieties have been prepared in 90–99% yields by nucleophilic substitution of 9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-2,6-dithiolate anion with alkyl, allyl and benzyl halides. The reaction of nucleophilic addition of 9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-2,6-dithiolate anion to alkyl propiolates afforded 2,6-di(vinylsulfanyl)-9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanes. The conditions for regio- and stereoselective addition of 9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-2,6-dithiolate anion to a triple bond of alkyl propiolates have been found. To date, not a single representative of 2,6-disulfanyl-9-selenabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanes has been described in the literature.