Ketyl Radicals Generated from Magnesium(I) Compounds: Useful Reagents for C−C Bond Forming Reactions

Abstract

The aryl ketones, 9‐fluorenone (fluor), 9‐xanthenone (xanth) and 9,10‐anthraquinone (anth), were reacted with β‐diketiminato dimagnesium(I) compounds, [{(ArNacnac)Mg}2] (ArNacnac=[HC(MeCNAr)2]−, Ar=mesityl (Mes) or 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl (Dip)). This gave stable magnesium ketyl complexes which are monomeric, [(ArNacnac)(DMAP)Mg(fluor⋅)] (Ar=Mes or Dip, DMAP=4‐dimethylaminopyridine) and [(MesNacnac)Mg(xanth⋅)(xanth)]; dimeric, [{(MesNacnac)Mg(μ‐fluor⋅)}2], or tetrameric, [{(DipNacnac)Mg(μ‐anth⋅)}4]. In contrast, di‐2‐pyridylketone (OCPy2) is doubly reduced with [{(XylNacnac)Mg}2] (Xyl=xylyl) to give a diamagnetic alkoxy/amido complex, [{(XylNacnac)Mg}2(μ‐OCPy2)]. These complexes have been characterized by X‐ray crystallography, and in three cases, EPR spectroscopy. Regioselective C−C hetero‐coupling reactions between magnesium ketyls and phenanthroline (phen) have yielded the alkoxy compounds, [(MesNacnac)Mg(OCR2‐2‐phen)] (OCR2=xanth, OCPh2 or OC(Ph)(2‐Me−Ph)). In addition, homo‐ C−C couplings of the enones, chalcone (chalc) and dibenziylideneactetone (DBA), using magnesium(I) reducing agents, have afforded dimagnesium enolates, [{(ArNacnac)(THF)Mg}2(μ‐chalc2)] (Ar=Mes or Xyl) and [{(DipNacnac)(THF)Mg}2(μ‐DBA2)]. A pinacol coupling reaction between [{(DipNacnac)Mg}2] and 2‐adamantanone (OAd) yielded [{(DipNacnac)(OAd)Mg}2(μ‐OAd2)], presumably via a ketyl intermediate. This study further highlights the utility magnesium(I) compounds have as selective reducing agents in organic transformations.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Mar 16, 2023
Source ID
10.1002/chem.202300135

Entities

People

  • Cameron Jones
  • Christopher A. Rosengarten
  • K Yuvaraj
  • Li Feng Lim
  • Nicholas Cox

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Australian National University
  • Australian Research Council
  • Monash University

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Chemistry

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