Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.116, No.7, 2889-2901, 1994
Mechanistic Aspects of the Reaction of Anionic Iron(0)-Olefin Complexes with Organic Halides - Detection and Characterization of Paramagnetic Organometallic Intermediates
The scope and the mechanism of the reactions of [CpFe(COD)][Li(TMEDA) (Cp = C5H5-; COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene; TMEDA = Me(2)NCH(2)CH(2)NMe(2)), 1, with a number of organic monohalides and geminal dihalides were investigated. With monohalides organic coupling products were observed, and, in:particular, the coupling and cross-coupling of benzyl and allyl halides were studied in detail. The addition of 1 equiv of benzyl halide to 1 in benzene resulted in the initial formation of [CpFe(COD)(CH(2)Ph)], 7. The predominant pathway involved an initial one-electron transfer from [CpFe(COD)](-) to PhCH(2)X to form PhCH(2)X*(-) and [CpFe(COD)]*. PhCH(2)X*(-) quickly disproportionated to form PhCH(2)* and X(-). The benzyl radical then added to [CpFe(COD)]*. Once formed [CpFe(COD)(CH(2)Ph)] reacted with TMEDA in a disproportionation reaction to form 0.5 equiv of the paramagnetic compound, [(TMEDA)Fe(CH(2)Ph)(2)], 3, and 0.5 equiv of FeCp(2). When additional benzyl (or allyl) halide was added, it reacted with [(TMEDA)Fe(CH(2)Ph)(2)] to form the coupled (or cross-coupled) product. This coupling reaction involved the intermediacy of benzyl (and allyl) radicals, and the experimental results were consistent with the product being formed by the coupling of two radicals in solution.
Keywords:LITHIUM ALUMINUM-HYDRIDE;ALKYL-HALIDES;OXIDATIVE ADDITION;CARBON-MONOXIDE;SODIUM TETRACARBONYLFERRATE(-II);INSERTION REACTIONS;SIGMA-BONDS;BENZYL;STEREOCHEMISTRY;BROMIDES