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Oxidative addition of organotransition metal complexes to the C-H bonds in organic molecules

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5490403

Early in 1982 the first examples of direct intermolecular oxidative addition of a transition metal into the C-H bonds of alkanes were reported. Cp*(L)IrH/sub 2/ (Cp* = eta/sup 5/-C/sub 5/Me/sub 5/; L = PMe/sub 3/) was irradiated with ultraviolet light, extruding H/sub 2/ and leading to an intermediate which we formulated as the reactive, coordinatively unsaturated species Cp*Ir(L). This transient species reacts rapidly with all solvents (R-H) to which it has so far been exposed, leading to oxidative addition products Cp*(L)Ir(R)(H). Mechanistic studies suggest a concerted, three-center transition state for the oxidative addition, rather than a more complicated stepwise process (e.g., one involving free radicals). In support of this mechanism, crossover experiments have been used to demonstrate that the R and H groups connected in the substrate molecule remain associated with one another in the final product. In addition, the C-H oxidative addition proceeds with a small but finite isotope effect (k/sub H//k/sub D/ = 1.4), similar to that observed for carbene insertion into C-H bonds.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
5490403
Report Number(s):
LBL-19572; CONF-8504148-1; ON: DE85012550
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English