Radical and Nitrenoid Reactivity of 3-Halo-3-phenyldiazirines

Org Lett. 2016 Aug 5;18(15):3734-7. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b01753. Epub 2016 Jul 20.

Abstract

3-Halo-3-phenyl-3H-diazirines (halogen = Br or Cl) undergo a dissociative single-electron transfer from alkyllithiums (RLi) in THF-based solvent mixtures. The resulting 3-phenyldiazirinyl radical, observed by EPR spectroscopy, is eventually transformed to benzonitrile. In Et2O, 2 equiv of RLi add to both nitrogens of halodiazirine N═N bond, affording N,N'-dialkylbenzamidines. The nitrenoid reactivity of some N-alkyl-1H-diazirine intermediates is manifested by their insertion into the α-C-H bond of THF or Et2O.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't