Titanocene-Catalyzed Radical Opening of N-Acylated Aziridines

Abstract

Aziridines activated by N-acylation are opened to the higher substituted radical through electron transfer from titanocene(III) complexes in a novel catalytic reaction. This reaction is applicable in conjugate additions, reductions, and cyclizations and suited for the construction of quaternary carbon centers. The concerted mechanism of the ring opening is indicated by DFT calculations.

Keywords: aziridines; conjugate addition; radical ring opening; reduction; titanocenes.