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A Route to Carbasugar Analogues - Jonathan Clayden - The ...

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2.4 – Mechanistic discussion<br />

phenylisobutyrophenone is strongly coordinated by HMPA, weakly by DMPU, and<br />

that PMDTA and TMEDA have no effect. 110<br />

Unfortunately the role of co-solvents in organolithium chemistry is not thoroughly<br />

unders<strong>to</strong>od. <strong>The</strong> most studied co-solvent is hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) since<br />

it is an exceptional ligand for Li + and its interactions can be moni<strong>to</strong>red by IR and 31 P<br />

NMR spectroscopy. Reich recently studied the correlation between 1,2- and 1,4-<br />

addition of dithiane <strong>to</strong> enone systems and its HMPA-induced aggregation state<br />

(Scheme 2.34).<br />

O<br />

Li O<br />

S<br />

S S<br />

−78 °C<br />

HO S<br />

THF<br />

R<br />

S<br />

S<br />

157<br />

100 : 0<br />

+ 2 eq HMPA<br />

5 : 95<br />

Scheme 2.34 – the influence of co-solvent on addition <strong>to</strong> cyclohexenone 111<br />

<strong>The</strong> aggregation state of dithiane 157 was measured in solution and the results<br />

compared these <strong>to</strong> the regioselectivity of parallel reactions. Whilst a direct correlation<br />

was not observed, Reich concludes that the 1,4-addition is performed by trace amounts<br />

of organolithium existing as solvent-separated ion pairs (SIPs). In coming <strong>to</strong> this<br />

conclusion, he invokes a Curtin-Hammett pre-equilibrium between the predominant<br />

contact ion pairs (CIPs) and the lower concentration SIPs. Whether the conclusions of<br />

Reich are wholly valid, his experiments clearly show how an organolithium can switch<br />

its reactivity depending on its solvation.<br />

Coordinating ligands can also have unpredictable effects on the aggregation state of an<br />

organolithium. For example, Reich and co-workers also found that whilst aryllithiums<br />

158 exist as monomers in THF, addition of excess HMPA can cause them <strong>to</strong> redimerise<br />

<strong>to</strong> form bis-chelated triple ions 158-T, with one lithium cation completely<br />

solvated by HMPA. 112 <strong>The</strong> reactivity of these triple anions has not been studied, but<br />

that HMPA is found <strong>to</strong> promote aggregation highlights that many different<br />

organolithium species can exist in solution.<br />

90

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