Cation Bridge Mediating Homo- and Cross-Coupling in Copper-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Benzaldehyde and Benzophenone

Inorg Chem. 2022 Nov 14;61(45):18033-18043. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c02392. Epub 2022 Oct 31.

Abstract

A novel mechanism of organobase-mediated Brook rearrangement and C-C coupling in the copper-catalyzed reductive coupling of benzaldehyde and benzophenone is proposed. The results demonstrate that this reaction proceeds mainly through five sequential elementary steps: transmetalation, carbonyl addition, σ-bond metathesis, Brook rearrangement, and C-C coupling. The organobases played a significant role not only in forming the active catalyst but also in mediating the Brook rearrangement and chemoselectivity in homo- and cross-coupling. Brook rearrangement mediated by organobases is more favored than that without organobases. In the C-C coupling step, the cation bridge combines two O atoms with the same electronegativity to form a pre-reaction complex. Moreover, a significant charge difference is a major factor in the selectivity of carbonyl addition and C-C coupling.

MeSH terms

  • Benzaldehydes*
  • Benzophenones
  • Catalysis
  • Cations
  • Copper*

Substances

  • Copper
  • benzaldehyde
  • Benzaldehydes
  • Benzophenones
  • Cations