COMMUNICATION
Table 1. Visible-light-induced [CuACTHNUTRGNEUNG
(dap)2Cl]-catalyzed ATRA reactions.[a]
(Table 1, entries 1, 2, and 8–16) with the exception of em-
ploying a-methylstyrene (Table 1, entry 7), for which only
the product resulting from HBr elimination from the initial
ATRA product could be obtained. The reactions also
showed remarkable stereoselectivity when mixtures of dia-
stereomeric ATRA products could have been obtained
(Table 1, entries 8 and 11).
Entry
Alkene
Halide
Product
Yield
[%]
1
88
92
8
4
0
2[b]
3[c]
4[d]
5[e]
6[f]
The products obtained are consistent with a mechanism
CBr4
(Scheme 2) in which the excited [*Cu
fers an electron to the organohalide, generating a radical
(dap)2]+-catalyst trans-
ACHTUNGTRENNUNG
42
7
CBr4
CBr4
38
8
88[g]
9
CBr4
CBr4
55
78
10
11
12
CBr4
CBr4
82[g]
76
Scheme 2. Proposed mechanism of the [Cu
action.
ACHTUNGRTEN(NUNG dap)2Cl]-catalyzed ATRA re-
13[h,i,j]
14[h,i,j]
67
75
that adds under electronic and steric control to the alkene.
The resulting radical combines with the halide with concur-
rent electron transfer back to CuII, thus, regenerating the
catalyst. The alternative mechanism that has been suggested
for the CuCl-catalyzed ATRA reaction under UV irradia-
tion,[9] invoking the oxidative addition of the halide to CuI,
seems to be less likely with complex 4. As can be concluded
from the oxidation potentials[13] of the various species in-
volved, the overall process is thermodynamically favored for
bromides in each step. The oxidation of nonafluorobutylio-
dide seems to approach the limit of copper catalyst 4, but
this halide could nevertheless be employed in the ATRA re-
action with good results (Table 1, entry 16). Neither inacti-
15[h,i,j]
98
63
16
n-C4F9I
[a] Alkene (1 equiv), halide (1 equiv), [CuACTHNUTRGENUN(G dap)2Cl] (0.3 mol%) in di-
chloromethane (1.5 mL), irradiation at 530 nm (green LED) for 20 h
(Ts=tosyl; Boc=tert-butoxycarbonyl). [b] Irradiation by sunlight; [c] No
[Cu
dark. [f] No CuCl, dap (0.6 mol%). [g] A single diastereomer. [h] Reac-
tion time: 24 h. [i] [Cu(dap)2Cl] (1 mol%), halide (2 equiv). [j] LiBr
ACHTUNGTRENNUNG(dap)2Cl]. [d] CuCl, no dap ligand. [e] Reaction carried out in the
ACHTUNGTRENUNG
(2 equiv) was added, solvent DMF/water 1:4.
vation of [CuACHTNUTRGNEUNG(dap)2Cl], even in the presence of a large
normal flask in sunlight with equally good results (Table 1,
entry 2), whereas no conversion is observed when the reac-
tions are run in the dark (Table 1, entry 5). The copper-cata-
lyzed ATRA reaction between alkenes and CBr4 at room
temperature, employing remarkably low concentrations
excess (up to 3000 fold) of CBr4, nor formation of hexabro-
moethane was observed, making a mechanism involving
direct metalation of the ATRA reagents unlikely.
The products of the ATRA reaction with bromo malonate
have already proven to be valuable synthons, for example,
they can be converted into cyclopropanes by 1,3-elimina-
tion.[10] Furthermore, the products obtained from addition of
CBr4 appear to be valuable intermediates. We found that
compounds 5 can be readily transformed with nucleophiles,
such as water, alcohols or amines, into the corresponding
substitution products 6 with concurrent elimination of HBr
(Scheme 3). Further oxidation of 6b gives rise to b,b’-dibro-
mo-a,b-unsaturated ketone 8, representing a class of com-
pounds that have shown to be versatile precursors for the
synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles, such as pyrazoles.[14] Fur-
thermore, these compounds should have considerable poten-
(down to 0.002 mol%) of [CuII
ACTHNUTRGNE(UNG tpma)X][X] (tpma=tris(2-
pyridylmethyl)amine, X=Cl, Br), has been achieved previ-
ously, however, 5 mol% of the radical initiator 2,2’-azobis(4-
methoxy-2,4-dimethyl valeronitrile) (V-70) must be em-
ployed as an additive.[11]
Further control experiments showed that the reactions do
not proceed to a significant extent in the absence of [Cu-
ACHTUNGTRENNUNG
AHCTUNGTRENNUNG
Chem. Eur. J. 2012, 18, 7336 – 7340
ꢂ 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
7337