Rhodium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of unactivated primary alkyl chlorides with diboron reagents have been developed as practical methods for the synthesis of alkylboronic esters. These reactions expand the concept and utility of Rh(I)-catalyzed cross-coupling of aliphatic electrophiles.

Recently the Chatani group reported the Rh(I)-catalyzed borylation of nitriles, which provided an efficient protocol for transformation of the C−CN bond to the C−B bond (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 115). Although an unconventional β- carbon elimination mechanism was proposed in their study, the other previously proposed mechanisms, i.e., oxidative addition, deinsertion, and initial C−H bond activation, cannot be excluded. To clarify the dominant mechanism of this reaction, a density functional theory study on borylation of PhCN and BnCN catalyzed by [Rh(XantPhos)(B(nep))] (nep = neopentylglycolate, XantPhos = 4,5-Bis- (diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene) was conducted. The computational results indicated that the deinsertion mechanism (2,1-insertion of the Rh−B bond into the C−N bond occurs first, followed by the insertion of the metal center into C−CN bond) is favored over oxidative addition, β-carbon elimination, and the initial C−H bond activation mechanism within all the inve

Cellulose is an important material for production of biofuel and refined chemicals. Pyrolysis is one of the most promising approaches for cellulose de-polymerization. Understanding the mechanism of cellulose pyrolysis is essential for development of efficient biomass conversion technologies. In this study, the thermodynamic energy change of cellulose pyrolysis through homolytic bond cleavage was studied with the aid of density functional theory method by using cellulose dimer as a model compound. The free energy changes of various homolytic bond dissociation of cellulose dimer were studied by the method of M06-2x at the temperature of 800 ℃ . To compare with experiment results of cellulose pyrolysis reported recently by Huber et al., the free energy changes of reaction pathways studied by Auerbach group via Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics calculations were also studied. Calculated results show that the free energy changes of homolytic dissociation of glucosidic bond varies in the ran

Ni-catalyzed addition of electron-deficient arenes and heteroarenes to olefin substrates through C−H activation provides an important method for the synthesis of diarylalkanes. This reaction usually generates Markovnikov adducts for aryl olefins, whereas anti-Markovnikov adducts are obtained for alkyl-substituted alkenes. To understand the mechanistic origin of this interesting regioselectivity, we conducted density functional theory calculations using the reactions of benzoxazole with styrene and 1-hexene as models. The calculation results are consistent with experimental observations, showing that the reaction proceeds through a mechanism involving Ar−H oxidative addition, hydronickelation, and C−C reductive elimination. Further calculations indicate that a better antiMarkovnikov regioselectivity can be obtained for olefins substituted with more bulky alkyl groups, whereas a better Markovnikov regioselectivity can be achieved for more electron-deficient para-substituted styrenes. Fur

Cu-catalyzed aerobic epoxidation offers cost-effective access to epoxides, a class of versatile chemical building blocks. Herein, a computational mechanistic study was performed to investigate Cu-catalyzed aerobic epoxidation of tertiary allylic alcohols and ethers. In contrast to the previously proposed solvent−O2 cascade activation and the O2-activation mechanisms, a substrate− O2−solvent cascade activation mechanism was revealed for not only high-strained substrates but also low- and nonstrained substrates tested herein. Specifically, it involves an induction period for the in situ generation of the actual catalyst, a Cu(II)- alkylperoxide complex derived from solvent 1,4-dioxane. Three substrate-activation pathways, depending on the substrate strain and the presence or absence of an allylic hydroxyl group, were found to be operative in this period. For the actual catalytic epoxidation, the mononuclear Cu(II) pathway was found to be favored over the dinuclear Cu(III)-oxo pathway and

1,4-Dicarbonyl motifs are notoriously difficult to synthesize, yet the mechanistic underpinnings of conventional electron donor– acceptor (EDA) strategies remain contentious. Here, we unambiguously resolve this debate and disprove the hydrogenbonding EDA (H-EDA) mechanism for decarboxylative acylation of activated alkenes with α-keto acids, establishing a concerted proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) pathway as the exclusive operative mechanism. A combination of spectroscopic, electrochemical, photophysical, and computational studies provides definitive evidence against EDA/H-EDA formation and electron transfer, while DFT calculations revealed an exceptionally low activation barrier for concerted PCET (ΔG‡/ΔE‡ = 5.1–11.6 kcal mol-1), consistent with high efficiency under mild conditions. This photocatalyst- and base-free visible-light protocol enables rapid assembly of diverse 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds, with broad substrate scope, exceptional functional group compatibility, and reli

Here, an unpresented non-C1 synthon function of CO2 is reported to facilitate electrochemical defluorination. The introduction of CO2 modulates the electron distribution of the radical anion intermediate generated through one-electron reduction, thereby weakening the reduction potential and facilitating reduction and defluorination. CO2 is released subsequently via spontaneous decarboxylation to complete its promotion role. The presented results shed light on a distinctive utilization of CO2, which may stimulate interest in developing non-C1 synthon functions of CO2.

A KOtBu-mediated C2-benzylation of quinoline N-oxides with benzylboronates under mild reaction conditions has been developed. The reaction shows broad scope for both of the quinoline N-oxides and benzylboronates, especially, secondary and tertiary benzylboronates are also compatible with this reaction. DFT calculations indicate that the reaction is promoted by the nucleophilic addition of KOtBu to boronate rather than the deprotonation of benzylic C−H bond with KOtBu.

Cu-catalyzed aerobic epoxidation offers cost-effective access to epoxides, a class of versatile chemical building blocks. Herein, a computational mechanistic study was performed to investigate Cu-catalyzed aerobic epoxidation of tertiary allylic alcohols and ethers. In contrast to the previously proposed solvent−O2 cascade activation and the O2-activation mechanisms, a substrate− O2−solvent cascade activation mechanism was revealed for not only high-strained substrates but also low- and nonstrained substrates tested herein. Specifically, it involves an induction period for the in situ generation of the actual catalyst, a Cu(II)- alkylperoxide complex derived from solvent 1,4-dioxane. Three substrate-activation pathways, depending on the substrate strain and the presence or absence of an allylic hydroxyl group, were found to be operative in this period. For the actual catalytic epoxidation, the mononuclear Cu(II) pathway was found to be favored over the dinuclear Cu(III)-oxo pathway and

1,4-Dicarbonyl motifs are notoriously difficult to synthesize, yet the mechanistic underpinnings of conventional electron donor– acceptor (EDA) strategies remain contentious. Here, we unambiguously resolve this debate and disprove the hydrogenbonding EDA (H-EDA) mechanism for decarboxylative acylation of activated alkenes with α-keto acids, establishing a concerted proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) pathway as the exclusive operative mechanism. A combination of spectroscopic, electrochemical, photophysical, and computational studies provides definitive evidence against EDA/H-EDA formation and electron transfer, while DFT calculations revealed an exceptionally low activation barrier for concerted PCET (ΔG‡/ΔE‡ = 5.1–11.6 kcal mol-1), consistent with high efficiency under mild conditions. This photocatalyst- and base-free visible-light protocol enables rapid assembly of diverse 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds, with broad substrate scope, exceptional functional group compatibility, and reli

Here, an unpresented non-C1 synthon function of CO2 is reported to facilitate electrochemical defluorination. The introduction of CO2 modulates the electron distribution of the radical anion intermediate generated through one-electron reduction, thereby weakening the reduction potential and facilitating reduction and defluorination. CO2 is released subsequently via spontaneous decarboxylation to complete its promotion role. The presented results shed light on a distinctive utilization of CO2, which may stimulate interest in developing non-C1 synthon functions of CO2.

A KOtBu-mediated C2-benzylation of quinoline N-oxides with benzylboronates under mild reaction conditions has been developed. The reaction shows broad scope for both of the quinoline N-oxides and benzylboronates, especially, secondary and tertiary benzylboronates are also compatible with this reaction. DFT calculations indicate that the reaction is promoted by the nucleophilic addition of KOtBu to boronate rather than the deprotonation of benzylic C−H bond with KOtBu.