Closer insight into the reactivity of TMP-dialkyl zincates in directed ortho-zincation of anisole: experimental evidence of amido basicity and structural elucidation of key reaction intermediates

W. Clegg, B. Conway, E. Hevia, M.D. McCall, L. Russo, R.E. Mulvey

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

85 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The new dialkyl(aryl) lithium zincates [(THF)2Li(C6H4−OMe)MeZnMe] (4), [(TMEDA)Li(C6H4−OMe)MeZnMe] (6), [(THF)3Li(C6H4−OMe)tBuZntBu] (7), and [(PMDETA)Li(C6H4−OMe)tBuZntBu] (8) have been prepared by co-complexation reactions of lithiated anisole with the relevant dialkylzinc compound and the relevant Lewis base. These new heterobimetallic compounds have been characterized in solution using 1H, 13C{H}, and 7Li NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular structures of 6 and 8 have been elucidated by X-ray crystallography. In 6 the distinct metals are connected through the anisole ligand which binds in an ambidentate fashion (through carbon−zinc and oxygen−lithium contacts) and also through one of the methyl groups, to close a [LiOCCZnC] six-membered ring; whereas 8 displays an open structure where anisole connects the two metals (in the same mode as in 6) but with the tert-butyl groups exclusively bonded terminally to zinc. Reactivity studies of zincates 4 and 7 with the amine TMP(H) supply experimental evidence that these heterobimetallic compounds are intermediates in the two-step deprotonation reaction of anisole by TMP−dialkyl zincates and show the relevance of the alkyl groups in the efficiency of TMP−dialkyl zincate bases. In addition, important solvent effects have also been evaluated. When hexane is added to THF solutions of compounds 4 or 7, the homoleptic tetraorganozincate [(THF)2Li2Zn(C6H4−OMe)4] (5) is obtained as the result of a disproportionation process. This lithium-rich zincate has also been spectroscopically and crystallographically characterized.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2375-2384
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume131
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Jan 2009

Keywords

  • spectroscopy
  • crystallography
  • solvent effects
  • mollecular structures

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