A general N-alkylation platform via copper metallaphotoredox and silyl radical activation of alkyl halides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/j.chempr.2021.05.005

The catalytic union of amides, sulfonamides, anilines, imines, or N-heterocycles with a broad spectrum of electronically and sterically diverse alkyl bromides has been achieved via a visible-light-induced metallaphotoredox platform. The use of a halogen abstraction-radical capture (HARC) mechanism allows for room temperature coupling of C(sp³)-bromides using simple Cu(II) salts, effectively bypassing the prohibitively high barriers typically associated with thermally induced S_N2 or S_N1 N-alkylation. This regio- and chemoselective protocol is compatible with >10 classes of medicinally relevant N-nucleophiles, including established pharmaceutical agents, in addition to structurally diverse primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl bromides. Furthermore, the capacity of HARC methodologies to engage conventionally inert coupling partners is highlighted via the union of N-nucleophiles with cyclopropyl bromides and unactivated alkyl chlorides, substrates that are incompatible with nucleophilic substitution pathways. Preliminary mechanistic experiments validate the dual catalytic, open-shell nature of this platform, which enables reactivity previously unattainable in traditional halide-based N-alkylation systems.

Full text of DOI:10.1016/j.chempr.2021.05.005

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Article
A general N-alkylation platform via copper
metallaphotoredox and silyl radical activation
of alkyl halides
Nathan W. Dow, Albert Cabre´ ,
David W.C. MacMillan
dmacmill@princeton.edu
Highlights
General, room temperature N-
alkylation via copper
metallaphotoredox catalysis
Broad reactivity across diverse
alkyl bromides, N-heterocycles,
and pharmaceuticals
Convenient approach to N-
cyclopropylation using easily
handled bromocyclopropane
Readily extended to
functionalization of unactivated
secondary alkyl chlorides
Traditional substitution reactions between nitrogen nucleophiles and alkyl halides
feature well-established, substrate-dependent limitations and competing reaction
pathways under thermally induced conditions. Herein, we report that a
metallaphotoredox approach, utilizing a halogen abstraction-radical capture
(HARC) mechanism, provides a valuable alternative to conventional N-alkylation.
This visible-light-induced, copper-catalyzed protocol is successful for coupling
>10 classes of N-nucleophiles with diverse primary, secondary, or tertiary alkyl
bromides. Moreover, this open-shell platform alleviates outstanding N-alkylation
challenges regarding regioselectivity, direct cyclopropylation, and secondary alkyl
chloride functionalization.
Dow et al., Chem 7, 1–16
July 8, 2021 ª 2021 Elsevier Inc.
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Article
A general N-alkylation platform via
copper metallaphotoredox and silyl
radical activation of alkyl halides
Nathan W. Dow,1 Albert Cabre´ ,1 and David W.C. MacMillan1,2,
*
SUMMARY
The bigger picture
Alkylamines and their N-
The catalytic union of amides, sulfonamides, anilines, imines, or N-het-
erocycles with a broad spectrum of electronically and sterically diverse
alkyl bromides has been achieved via a visible-light-induced metalla-
photoredox platform. The use of a halogen abstraction-radical capture
(HARC) mechanism allows for room temperature coupling of C(sp3)-
bromides using simple Cu(II) salts, effectively bypassing the prohibi-
tively high barriers typically associated with thermally induced SN2 or
SN1 N-alkylation. This regio- and chemoselective protocol is compat-
ible with >10 classes of medicinally relevant N-nucleophiles, including
established pharmaceutical agents, in addition to structurally diverse
primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl bromides. Furthermore, the ca-
pacity of HARC methodologies to engage conventionally inert
coupling partners is highlighted via the union of N-nucleophiles with
cyclopropyl bromides and unactivated alkyl chlorides, substrates that
are incompatible with nucleophilic substitution pathways. Preliminary
mechanistic experiments validate the dual catalytic, open-shell nature
of this platform, which enables reactivity previously unattainable in
traditional halide-based N-alkylation systems.
heterocyclic derivatives are key
structural features in molecules
central to the medical,
agroscience, and materials
science industries. Although N-
alkylation using nitrogen
nucleophiles and halides has
historically been accomplished via
nucleophilic substitution, this
process is frequently inefficient
and poorly selective under
thermal activation. We report a
kinetically facile, room
temperature N-alkylation
achieved via underexplored
halogen abstraction-radical
capture pathways mediated by
independent photoredox and
copper catalytic cycles. With a
broad scope and late-stage
applicability, even for traditionally
inert cyclopropane and chloride
electrophiles, this protocol offers
new and efficient strategies for
modern amine synthesis. These
developments can ideally provide
medicinal chemists with single-
step access to valuable sp3-rich
chemical diversity in drug
INTRODUCTION
The societal need to discover and produce pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and
functional materials has long established a demand for new C–N bond-forming re-
actions that are successful across diverse combinations of complex substrates.1–3
Indeed, over the last 2 decades, palladium-, nickel- and copper-catalyzed protocols
such as Buchwald-Hartwig,4,5 Ullmann-Goldberg,6 and Chan-Evans-Lam7 C(sp2)–N
cross-couplings have emerged as mainstay strategies to generically access versatile
N-aryl structural motifs (Scheme 1).8,9 In contrast, transition-metal-mediated cou-
plings affording C(sp3)–N bonds are comparatively underdeveloped as broadly
applicable synthetic technologies,10 despite growing recognition of the importance
of C(sp3)-incorporation when designing new drugs and agrochemicals.11–13 Instead,
practical approaches to forging C(sp3)–N bonds remain generally limited to classical
methods, including Mitsunobu substitution,14 Curtius rearrangements,15 olefin hy-
droamination,16,17 or reductive amination.18
discovery, including alkylamine
motifs unattainable via
conventional N-alkylation
methods.
Among the traditional N-alkylation strategies, direct SN2 or SN1 substitution of alkyl
halides with N-nucleophiles remains the most adopted technology for generating al-
kylamine-bearing biomedical agents19,20 and among the most frequently utilized
transformations across all chemical industries.21,22 Despite the long-standing popu-
larity of this closed-shell N-alkylation pathway, substitution reactions typically
face substantial halide-dependent activation barriers, which renders numerous
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Scheme 1. Catalytic N-alkylation via HARC coupling of alkyl bromides
substrates (in particular strained or hindered halides) inert to functionalization
(Scheme 1).21,22 Even for reactive halides, elevated barriers for substitution result
in high-temperature requirements that impose broad limitations, including low
selectivity for a single constitutional isomer (or regioisomer), non-controlled overal-
kylation events, and competing elimination pathways.21,22 While in some cases,
metal-mediated variants of halide N-alkylation have removed these limitations,23,24
there remains an outstanding need to identify new, robust mechanisms that allow
such couplings across an expansive range of complex halide and N-heterocyclic sys-
tems while employing ambient, low-temperature conditions.
Within the select C(sp3)–N cross-coupling methods already disclosed, copper
catalysis has increasingly been featured as a key component for enhancing effi-
ciency and scope, exploiting the well-precedented capacity for high-valent Cu(III)
states to induce carbon-heteroatom bond formation via reductive elimination.25,26
Buchwald, Hartwig, Konig, Watson, and others have elegantly engaged several
¨
abundant alkyl feedstocks in such protocols, including olefins,27,28 boronic acids
and esters,29–32 hydrocarbons (activated in situ via hydrogen atom transfer),33,34
and carboxylic acids (typically deployed as redox-active electrophiles).35–38 How-
ever, platforms for copper-catalyzed N-alkylation using alkyl halides, which are
readily available, and prototypical SN2 electrophiles, are currently restricted by
limited mechanistic approaches and reduced generality in substrate scope. Within
this area, the groups of Fu and Peters have made notable advances by designing
several distinct organohalide-based N-alkylation platforms, primarily using tran-
siently generated Cu(I)-amido intermediates for aliphatic radical generation via sin-
gle-electron transfer (SET).39–43 In these systems, successful activation of both
coupling partners by a single (often photoactive) copper complex has frequently
enabled N-alkylation using readily reducible electrophiles (i.e., iodides and a-hal-
ocarbonyls), with additional examples demonstrated using aliphatic bromides in
1Merck Center for Catalysis at Princeton
University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
2Lead contact
*Correspondence: dmacmill@princeton.edu
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.2021.05.005
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tandem with amide- or indole-derived nucleophiles.39–43 Ultimately, these reports
from Fu and Peters have conclusively established that merging open-shell and
copper-mediated activation modes can indeed facilitate catalytic C(sp3)–N bond
formation.44
Over the past decade, metallaphotoredox catalysis has emerged as a powerful plat-
form to employ open-shell intermediates in concert with transition-metal-catalyzed
cross-coupling under mild conditions.45,46 This approach has recently been com-
bined with copper catalysis,47 in particular for forging traditionally elusive
and C–N35–37 bonds. In the context of organohalide functionalization,
48–52
C–CF3
such strategies have most notably enabled Ullmann-Goldberg couplings of diverse
(hetero)aryl bromides at room temperature using a previously unreported mecha-
nistic approach.53 This transformation utilizes photoredox-generated silyl radicals,
which rapidly convert aryl bromides to radical intermediates via halogen atom trans-
fer, to facilitate ambient or low-temperature coupling by replacing sluggish Cu(I)
oxidative addition with a kinetically facile halogen abstraction-radical capture
(HARC) sequence.54–56 Based on this new mechanism for C–N coupling, we hypoth-
esized that an underexplored alkyl-HARC regime could generically provide aliphatic
radicals from the corresponding bromides, ultimately enabling low-barrier N-alkyl-
ation via well-established copper-catalyzed C(sp3)–N bond formation (Scheme 1).
Specifically, using these previously unexplored principles for N-alkylation, we antic-
ipated that independent steps for halide activation (by photoredox-mediated
halogen abstraction) and nucleophile activation (by copper ligation) would confer
widespread structural and electronic generality with respect to each coupling part-
ner, thereby addressing key limitations in halide-based catalytic C(sp3)–N coupling.
Herein, we report the successful design and execution of this dual copper/photore-
dox N-alkylation platform, which demonstrates reactivity and selectivity surpassing
that of traditional substitution due to synergistic copper and silyl radical-based acti-
vation modes.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
HARC N-alkylation of 3-chloroindazole using alkyl bromides
Our initial studies began by investigating the alkylation of a medicinally relevant 1H-
indazole model N-nucleophile with bromocyclohexane (Figure 1). Gratifyingly,
following optimization efforts (see Figures S1–S21), 93% yield of product 1 was ob-
tained after 4 h of blue light irradiation (450 nm) using Ir(III) photocatalyst Ir[dF(CF3)
ppy]2[4,40-d(CF3)bpy]PF6 ([Ir-1]), commercial copper precatalyst Cu(TMHD)2, tris(tri-
methylsilyl)silanol (supersilanol) as a silyl radical precursor, and acetonitrile as sol-
vent (entry 1). Several elements proved critical for optimal reactivity, including a
vent needle for air incorporation, the integrated photoreactor (IPR) as a standardized
device for reaction vial irradiation,57 LiOt-Bu as base, and water as an additive.58–60
Anhydrous systems were consistently detrimental (entry 2), even under conditions
closely mimicking the previously reported HARC-Ullmann-Goldberg reaction (i.e.,
1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine as base, entry 3).53 Control reactions verified the
importance of oxygen for catalytic turnover (entry 4), in addition to the superior per-
formance of high-intensity IPR setups, as weaker blue light sources (i.e., Kessil lamps)
were generally inadequate for robust product formation (entry 5). As expected,
base, photocatalyst, copper, and supersilanol were all required for substantial reac-
tivity (entries 6–9), consistent with the desired HARC mechanism that should require
both photocatalytic halogen atom abstraction and copper-mediated bond forma-
tion to achieve coupling (see supplemental information and Figures S26 and S27
for additional control experiments and perturbation studies, which confirm the
robustness of the optimized conditions).
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Figure 1. Control reactions of optimized HARC N-alkylation conditions
Reactions performed with (TMS)3SiOH (2.5 equiv), LiOt-Bu (3.0 equiv), and H2O (10 equiv) in MeCN
(0.1 M), under IPR irradiation, unless otherwise indicated.
aYields determined by 1H NMR analysis. See supplemental information for specific experimental
details. TMHD, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate; IPR, integrated photoreactor; TMG,
1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine.
With optimized conditions in hand, we next sought to examine the scope of bro-
mides amenable to coupling (Figure 2). Strained cyclic bromides, which are often
sluggish SN1 or SN2 partners,21,22 were effective substrates, delivering N-cyclobutyl
and N-azetidinyl products in high yield (2 and 3, 87% and 90% yield, respectively).
Larger cyclic bromides containing pyrrolidine (4, 55% yield), tetrahydropyran
(5, 71% yield), or cycloheptane (6, 60% yield) cores could also be successfully func-
tionalized. Acyclic bromides were also readily implemented in this protocol (7–9,
54%–75% yield), demonstrating complementarity to SN2 methods via reactivity
with neopentyl substrates.21,22 For more complex secondary cases, spirocyclic and
bridged bicyclic frameworks (10–12, 47%–92% yield), an adamantyl system (13,
54% yield), a biologically relevant sterol scaffold (14, 56% yield), and a substrate
bearing heterocyclic functionality (15, 87% yield) were all broadly competent for
alkyl-HARC coupling.
To further illustrate the generality of this platform, we also evaluated a series of ter-
tiary bromide electrophiles, which are typically challenging substrates in both metal-
free and transition-metal-catalyzed N-alkylations.21–24 Although supersilanol was
insufficient for accomplishing these couplings, we were delighted to find that the
recently disclosed aminosilane (TMS)3SiNHAd, which furnishes a more nucleophilic
silyl radical with greater kinetic capacity for halogen atom abstraction,61 was
4
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Figure 2. Alkyl bromide scope for copper-HARC N-alkylation
Isolated yields unless otherwise indicated. r.r. >20:1 in all cases. Reactions generally performed under air with photocatalyst [Ir-1] (0.8 mol %),
Cu(TMHD)2 (20–30 mol %), (TMS)3SiOH (2.5 equiv), LiOt-Bu (3.0 equiv), H2O (10 equiv), N-nucleophile (0.25 mmol, 1.0 equiv), and alkyl bromide (2.5
equiv) in MeCN (0.1 M) under IPR irradiation (450 nm) for 4 h. See supplemental information for specific experimental details.
ad.r. 4:1.
b0.05 mmol scale; toluene/MeCN (7:3, 0.1 M) as solvent; d.r. 1:1; yield determined by 1H NMR analysis.
c(TMS)3SiNHAd as silyl radical source.
d60 mol% Cu(TMHD)2.
eIsolated yield from five combined 0.05 mmol scale reactions (0.25 mmol total) due to reduced yields (>5% loss of yield) on typical 0.25 mmol scale.
fIr[dF(CF3)ppy]2(dtbbpy)PF6 ([Ir-2]) as photocatalyst. g3.5 equiv (TMS)3SiNHAd used. Ad, 1-adamantyl.
competent for accessing such tertiary N-alkyl products. Numerous scaffolds reacted
efficiently under these conditions, including derivatives of adamantane (16 and 17,
63% and 62% yield, respectively), bicyclo[2.2.2]octane (18 and 19, 57% and 51%
yield, respectively), bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (20, 64% yield), and cubane (21, 51%
yield).62 Evidently, this method can be readily applied to the formation of rigid bio-
isosteric alkyamines, structures of high value for medicinal chemistry programs
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Figure 3. N-nucleophile scope for copper-HARC N-alkylation
Isolated yields unless otherwise indicated. See Figure 2 for general conditions and supplemental information for specific experimental details.
aDBN (1.0 equiv) used as additive.
b0.5 equiv LiOt-Bu used.
cYield determined by 1H NMR analysis. DBN, 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene.
which currently suffer from limited (or non-existent) synthetic approaches via
modular cross-coupling techniques.63
Evaluation of N-nucleophile and pharmaceutical agent scope
We then turned our attention to the scope of N-nucleophiles suitable for this trans-
formation (Figure 3). Using a strained model halide substrate, a variety of indazoles
(22–24, 66%–86% yield) and pyrazoles (25–27, 57%–90% yield) were alkylated in
6
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Figure 4. Late-stage N-alkylation of pharmaceutical agents
All yields are isolated. See supplemental information for specific experimental details.
high efficiency. Consistent with previous copper metallaphotoredox studies,35
this method delivers all products as single regioisomers, an elusive selectivity
trend for traditional nucleophilic substitution approaches.21,22,64,65 For hetero-
cycles featuring one reactive site, azaindoles (28–30, 54%–85% yield), indoles
(31–33, 65%–68% yield), pyrrole (34, 64% yield), and carbazoles (35 and 36, 58%
and 75% yield, respectively) were readily functionalized, as were benzamide
N-acyl partners bearing either electron-rich or electron-deficient arene frameworks
(37–39, 49%–78% yield). Furthermore, sulfonamide (40, 74% yield), carbamate (41,
71% yield), aniline (42, 58% yield), oxindole (43, 91% yield), and dihydroquinolone
nucleophiles (44, 56% yield) were also successfully coupled. Remarkably, exquisite
chemoselectivity was observed for bromide abstraction in all cases, leaving aryl or
alkyl chloride functionality intact and available for subsequent synthetic manipula-
tion. Notably, benzophenone imine (45, 82% yield) could also be utilized for access-
ing derivatives of primary amines, motifs typically inaccessible via substitution due to
predominant overalkylation when using nucleophiles (such as ammonia) containing
several labile N–H bonds.21,22,24 In total, 13 diverse nucleophile classes were
amenable to coupling, demonstrating the generality of alkyl-HARC mechanisms
with independent silyl radical and copper-based activation steps (for additional ex-
amples and current limitations, see Figure S30).66
To survey the utility of this method in drug discovery settings, we also employed this
alkyl-HARC protocol to functionalize various commercial N-nucleophilic pharmaceutical
agents (Figure 4). Celebrex (46, 87% yield), Navoban (47, 52% yield), Skelaxin (48, 87%
yield), and Dogmatil (49, 73% yield) were all expediently converted to complex N-alkyl
analogs using various bromide coupling partners, with basic and oxidation-prone67 ter-
tiary amines notably tolerated in several cases.68 Given the prevalence of heterocyclic N-
nucleophiles in drug candidates, this platform should provide medicinal chemists facile
access to diverse pharmaceutical analogs via modular, late-stage N-alkylation.
Extension of HARC methodology to cyclopropyl and chloride electrophiles
Exploiting this complementary N-alkylation protocol, we further sought to couple
halides broadly considered inert within SN1 or SN2 substitution platforms, initially
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Figure 5. Direct cyclopropylation of N-nucleophiles using bromocyclopropane
Isolated yields unless otherwise indicated. See supplemental information for specific experimental details.
ar.r. >20:1.
bYield determined by 1H NMR analysis.
targeting the generation of heterocyclic cyclopropylamine derivatives. These
motifs, although pharmaceutically valuable,69 are challenging to reliably access
late-stage due to the generally inert nature of cyclopropane electrophiles to nucle-
ophilic displacement,35,70–74 instead necessitating the use of preformed organo-
metallic derivatives.75–79 Gratifyingly, alkyl-HARC cyclopropylation employing
commercial and bench-stable bromocyclopropane was indeed achievable for
various N-nucleophiles with good to excellent efficiency (50–59, 48%–85% yield,
Figure 5). Moreover, this approach was applicable to more complex structures,
providing Skelaxin (60, 84% yield) and Celebrex (61, 51% yield) analogs in
expedient fashion. This accomplishment highlights the unique capabilities of
HARC-based N-alkylations, permitting single-step syntheses of elusive drug-like
cyclopropylamines.
Additionally, we anticipated that (TMS)3SiNHAd, originally designed by our
laboratory for organochloride abstraction,61 could activate typically unreactive
non-primary alkyl chlorides toward HARC N-alkylation (Figure 6). We were
pleased to find that, under modified conditions, conversion of secondary alkyl
chlorides to the corresponding radicals using (TMS)3SiNHAd provided facile
N-alkylation reactivity (62 and 1, 52% and 50% yield, respectively). The signifi-
cance of this discovery was further verified via rapid generation of trans-amino
alcohol 63 (40% yield) for which the necessary bromohydrin partner is unavailable
in gram-scale quantities from chemical vendors, thus demonstrating single-step
entry into chemical space unattainable from commercially available bromides
(for control reactions verifying the mechanism that enables the formation of 63,
see Figure S28). The chlorocyclohexanol stereoisomeric mixture employed ulti-
mately furnished 63 in a diastereoconvergent fashion, a notable consequence of
8
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Figure 6. Extension of HARC coupling to unactivated alkyl chlorides
All yields are isolated. r.r. >20:1 in all cases. aInitial alkyl chloride d.r. 1:1. See supplemental information for specific experimental details.
exploiting copper-mediated bond formation as an elementary step to facilitate
N-alkylation. We expect this new metallaphotoredox N-alkylation strategy to
enable a variety of previously unachievable chloride substitution reactions, and
further expansion of this variant of the copper-HARC protocol is currently
underway.
Mechanistic proposal and comparisons to traditional substitution methods
Following our studies on the applicability of this HARC N-alkylation to various syn-
thetic contexts, we also sought to investigate the mechanism of coupling. In partic-
ular, we set out to verify that the achievements of this platform, with respect to the
breadth of scope, are in fact complimentary to those possible within established
substitution conditions and that the HARC design principle is utilized to accom-
plish these advances. We started by identifying products 1, 18, and 50 as repre-
sentative examples for comparing our metallaphotoredox method against proto-
typical substitution approaches. Previous reports indicate that these adducts are
formed in trace or modest yield (with moderate N1-regioselectivity) under tradi-
tional substitution conditions when using 3-chloroindazole and the corresponding
bromide electrophiles (Figure 7),35 presumably due to prohibitively high kinetic
barriers for halide displacement which cannot be overcome using thermal activa-
tion. Consequently, efficient and regioselective generation of 1, 18, and 50 under
HARC N-alkylation conditions (57%–93% yield, see Figures 1, 2, 5, and 7) signifies
that this new platform will indeed enable reactivity not attainable from standard
two-electron processes, implying that alternative reaction pathways must be oper-
ative. Furthermore, when subjecting 3-chloroindazole and bromocyclohexane to
the optimized HARC coupling conditions using only ambient light as a photon
source, product 1 was not detected (Figure 7), eliminating the possibility of back-
ground non-photonic substitution pathways (these trends were consistent across
all 13 classes of nucleophiles subjected to coupling, see Figure S29). Collectively,
these results indicate both that unique mechanisms beyond those of traditional
nucleophilic substitution are responsible for the robust performance observed in
HARC N-alkylation reactions and that such N-alkyl products are otherwise inacces-
sible when using conditions designed to best facilitate classical SN2 or SN1
processes.
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Figure 7. Comparisons with traditional substitution approaches and preliminary mechanistic experiments
All products formed using HARC conditions displayed r.r. >20:1. See Liang et al.,35 indicated main text figures, or Figures S22–S25 and S29 for
additional experimental details. TEMPO, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl.
To validate the hypothesized open-shell nature of this transformation, we further
subjected 3-chloroindazole to coupling conditions designed to indicate the pres-
ence of radical intermediates. When using (bromomethyl)cyclopropane as the
halide coupling partner, no direct coupling was observed, with N-homoallyl inda-
zole 64 instead generated as the primary product in 33% yield (Figure 7). Given
the rapid rate for unimolecular ring-opening of the cyclopropylmethyl radical (k =
7.8 3 107 sꢀ1 at 20ꢁC)80 to generate homoallylic isomers, this outcome is consis-
tent with the intermediacy of alkyl radicals (presumably generated via halogen
atom transfer, as supersilanol is required for detectable product formation, see
Figure 1) in the HARC N-alkylation protocol. However, to further distinguish be-
tween the possibilities of radical ring-opening and copper-mediated b-carbon
elimination (which would not necessarily proceed via open-shell intermediates),81
TEMPO-trapping studies were also conducted. When adding the persistent
radical 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO) to the standard bromocy-
clohexane coupling reaction, product 1 was not detected, and the major species
observed from bromocyclohexane conversion was TEMPO-trapped adduct 65
(Figure 7). Given that adduct 65 is well-established to be forged via radical-
radical coupling of TEMPO with the transient cyclohexyl radical,82 these results,
in tandem with ring-opening studies and control experiments (Figures 1, 7, and
S22–S25), denote the anticipated open-shell pathways needed to enable
HARC-type coupling.
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Scheme 2. Plausible mechanism and summary of conditions for copper-HARC N-alkylation
Based on the above findings and preceding literature regarding the behavior of cop-
per complexes in systems containing open-shell intermediates, a plausible mecha-
nism and summary of optimal conditions for copper-HARC N-alkylation is detailed
in Scheme 2. Initial photoexcitation of Ir(III) photocatalyst [Ir-1] with blue light
from IPR irradiation and subsequent intersystem crossing would generate the
long-lived triplet excited state II (lifetime t = 280 ns), a potent single-electron
oxidant (E1/2red[*IrIII/IrII] = +1.65 V versus SCE in MeCN).83 Consistent with previous
aerobic photocatalytic transformations featuring silyl radical activation of halides,53
ensuing SET between complex II and a silyl radical precursor such as supersilanol (IV;
Epa [IV/IV+ ] = +1.54 V versus SCE in MeCN)48 would afford reduced Ir(II) photoca-
d
talyst III and, upon deprotonation and radical Brook rearrangement, silicon-
centered radical V. This nucleophilic silyl radical can perform facile halogen atom
abstraction, converting alkyl bromide VI to aliphatic radical intermediate VII.84
Concurrently, reduced Ir(II) complex III (E1/2red[IrIII/IrII] = –0.79 V versus SCE in
MeCN)83 can be re-oxidized by molecular oxygen to regenerate ground-state Ir(III)
photocatalyst [Ir-1]. Independently, Cu(I) catalyst VIII, N-nucleophile IX, and base
would combine to produce anionic Cu(I)-amido complex X, eventually affording
neutral Cu(II)-amido intermediate XI following SET with oxygen. Such copper com-
plexes are well-documented to furnish C(sp3)–N bonds upon encountering alkyl rad-
icals,33–36,44 presumably beginning with capture of radical VII (predicted to proceed
at near-diffusion rates)85–87 to afford HARC-generated Cu(III)-alkyl complex XII. Sub-
sequent reductive elimination from XII would deliver N-alkyl product XIII while re-
generating Cu(I) catalyst VIII, ultimately closing both catalytic cycles.88–92 Unique
to this platform is the decoupled nature of halide activation (by photocatalytic
halogen atom transfer) and nucleophile activation (by copper catalysis). This design
principle is evidently responsible for conferring generality (with respect to scope)
across both coupling partners and for offering reactivity and selectivity surpassing
that of previously reported halide-based N-alkylation systems.
Chem 7, 1–16, July 8, 2021
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Conclusion
In summary, an underexplored HARC strategy has been applied to the copper met-
allaphotoredox alkylation of N-nucleophiles using alkyl halides as convenient elec-
trophilic partners. This coupling method requires no substrate preactivation, oper-
ates under mild aerobic conditions, and provides reactivity with a broad range of
alkyl bromides and N-heterocycles, including those typically recalcitrant within ther-
mally induced SN1 or SN2 settings. The demonstrated late-stage utility of this
method, as well as the compatibility of substrates traditionally inert to substitution
(such as bromocyclopropane and various alkyl chlorides), makes this technology
particularly promising for exploring diverse sp3-rich chemical space in medicinal
chemistry settings. We anticipate that HARC coupling mechanisms, including those
demonstrated for N-alkylation, will continue to be developed and deployed for
complex molecule synthesis, ideally providing synthetic chemists access to elusive
alkylamines (or other motifs) that cannot be generated through conventional
approaches.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES
Resource availability
Lead contact
Further information and requests for resources should be directed to and will be ful-
filled by the lead contact, David W. C. MacMillan (dmacmill@princeton.edu).
Materials availability
This study did not involve the design of unique reagents or catalysts for chemical
synthesis.
Data and code availability
There is no dataset or code associated with this publication. All relevant procedures
and experimental data are provided in the supplemental information.
General procedure for HARC N-alkylation of indazoles and pyrazoles
To an oven-dried 40 mL vial equipped with a Teflon stir bar was added indazole or
pyrazole nucleophile (0.25 mmol, 1.0 equiv), Ir[dF(CF3)ppy]2[4,40-d(CF3)bpy]PF6 ([Ir-
1], 2.3 mg, 2.0 mmol, 0.008 equiv), bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)cop-
per(II) (Cu(TMHD)2, 22–32 mg, 0.05–0.075 mmol, 0.2–0.3 equiv), LiOt-Bu (60 mg,
0.75 mmol, 3.0 equiv), MeCN (2.5 mL, 0.1 M), and water (45 mL, 2.5 mmol, 10 equiv).
The resulting solution was stirred for 1–2 min under air to ensure complete ligation of
the nucleophile to the copper precatalyst. Following this complexation period, alkyl
halide (0.625 mmol, 2.5 equiv) and (TMS)3SiOH (165 mg, 0.625 mmol, 2.5 equiv)
were added to the mixture, after which the vial was capped and an 18G vent needle
was inserted through the Teflon-lined septum. The reaction mixture was subse-
quently stirred under air within the integrated photoreactor (450 nm irradiation)
for 4 h. After 4 h, the reaction mixture was diluted with EtOAc (5 mL), followed by
the addition of KF on alumina (40 wt % from Sigma-Aldrich, 1.0 g) and tetrabutylam-
monium bromide (500 mg) to the vial. This suspension was stirred under air for
2–24 h, then filtered into a separatory funnel, using an additional 25 mL EtOAc
wash to ensure complete transfer from the vial. The organic layer was subsequently
washed with saturated Na2CO3 (10 mL), water (10 mL), and brine (10 mL), and the
collected aqueous layer was extracted with EtOAc (10 mL). The combined organics
were dried over MgSO4 and concentrated in vacuo to obtain the crude product. This
residue was then purified by silica gel chromatography to afford the desired N-alky-
lated product.
12
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General procedure for HARC N-alkylation of other N-nucleophiles
To an oven-dried 40 mL vial equipped with a Teflon stir bar was added N-nucleo-
phile (0.25 mmol, 1.0 equiv), Ir[dF(CF3)ppy]2[4,40-d(CF3)bpy]PF6 ([Ir-1], 2.3 mg,
2.0 mmol, 0.008 equiv), MeCN (2.5 mL, 0.1 M), and 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-
ene (DBN, 31 mL, 0.25 mmol, 1.0 equiv). The resulting homogeneous solution
was stirred for 5 min, after which LiOt-Bu (60 mg, 0.75 mmol, 3.0 equiv) and water
(45 mL, 2.5 mmol, 10 equiv) were added to the vial. This suspension was then son-
icated under air for 1 min until the mixture became homogeneous. Cu(TMHD)2
(22–32 mg, 0.05–0.075 mmol, 0.2–0.3 equiv) was then added to the vial, and
the solution was stirred for 1–2 min under air to ensure complete ligation of the
nucleophile to the copper precatalyst. Following this complexation period, alkyl
halide (0.625 mmol, 2.5 equiv) and (TMS)3SiOH (165 mg, 0.625 mmol, 2.5 equiv)
were added to the mixture, after which the vial was capped and an 18G vent nee-
dle was inserted through the Teflon-lined septum. The reaction mixture was sub-
sequently stirred under air within the integrated photoreactor (450 nm irradiation)
for 4 h. After 4 h, the reaction mixture was diluted with EtOAc (5 mL), followed by
the addition of KF on alumina (40 wt %, 1.0 g) and tetrabutylammonium bromide
(500 mg) to the vial. This suspension was stirred under air for 2–24 h, then filtered
into a separatory funnel, using an additional 25 mL EtOAc wash to ensure com-
plete transfer from the vial. The organic layer was subsequently washed with satu-
rated Na2CO3 (10 mL), water (10 mL), and brine (10 mL), and the collected
aqueous layer was extracted with EtOAc (10 mL). The combined organics were
dried over MgSO4 and concentrated in vacuo to obtain the crude product. This
residue was then purified by silica gel chromatography to afford the desired N-al-
kylated product.
Other experimental details and examples (Figures S1–S31), as well as
characterization data (Figures S32–S184), can be found in the supplemental
information.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Supplemental information can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chempr.
2021.05.005.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors are grateful for financial support provided by the National Institute
of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the NIH (under award R35GM134897-
01), the Princeton Catalysis Initiative, and kind gifts from Merck, Janssen,
BMS, Genentech, Celgene, and Pfizer. N.W.D. acknowledges Princeton Univer-
sity, N. Brink, and the Brink Family for a Brink Graduate Fellowship and ac-
knowledges Princeton University, E. Taylor, and the Taylor family for an Edward
C. Taylor Fellowship. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and
does not necessarily represent the official views of NIGMS. The authors thank
M.N. Lavagnino, Y. Liang, W. Liu, H.A. Sakai, and X. Zhang for helpful scientific
discussions.
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
D.W.C.M., N.W.D., and A.C. conceived the research. N.W.D. and A.C. designed the
experiments. N.W.D. and A.C. carried out the experiments and analyzed results un-
der the guidance of D.W.C.M. N.W.D. and D.W.C.M. prepared the manuscript with
input from all authors.
Chem 7, 1–16, July 8, 2021
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Article
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
D.W.C.M. declares a competing financial interest with respect to the integrated
photoreactor.
Received: February 22, 2021
Revised: April 6, 2021
Accepted: May 11, 2021
Published: June 15, 2021
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