A R T I C L E S
Tarnopolsky and Hoz
of electron-proton-electron-proton transfer takes place. How-
ever, this process is much slower than the detour mechanism.
How frequently would a detour mechanism, similar to the
one above, be encountered? Our analysis suggests that it may
be encountered in many cases of olefin reduction by SmI2,
although not in carbonyl reductions. The major reason for the
detour mechanism is the sluggishness of the protonation of the
radical anion relative to the coupling (dimerization) route. Let
us first compare protonation of a negatively charged carbon with
that of a negatively charge oxygen. The alcohol derived from
the carbonyl compound will, in most cases, be of acidity similar
to that of the protonating alcohol. According to the Eigen
mechanism,14 proton transfer between two heteroatoms has a
negligible intrinsic barrier, and the protonation rate of the
alkoxide will be nearly diffusion-controlled. The situation is
entirely different with olefins. For an olefin to accept an electron
from SmI2, its corresponding anion has to be relatively stable.
We have found, for example, that activation by a phenyl and a
cyano group, as in R-cyanostilbene, is insufficient to promote
a reaction. Thus, the olefin should be activated by strong
electron-attracting groups such as two cyano groups as in the
present case. This will lead to anions more resistant to
protonation. In the absence of pKa values in THF, we will use
the DMSO values determined by Bordwell et al.15 In DMSO,
the pKa of malononitrile (the model activating group in the
present study) is 11, and that of MeOH is 29. Thus, there is a
huge thermodynamic barrier for protonation on the correspond-
ing carbanion. In addition, it is well known that protonation on
carbon has a significant intrinsic barrier that is absent in proton
transfer between heteroatoms.16 As a consequence of the kinetic
and the thermodynamic barriers, at the closed shell level,
protonation on carbanions will be many orders of magnitude
slower than that on alkoxide. Turning now to the open shell
species, the radical anions, a number of effects must be
considered. We note that a radical at the R position to oxygen
increases its acidity by about 5 pKa units.17 A similar effect is
expected for the double bond system. Therefore, the reactivity
gap between the protonation on the carbonyl and the olefin-
based radical anions will be retained. Finally, we must also
consider the effect of the interaction of the Sm+3 cation with
the various negatively charged species. The trivalent samarium
is known to be very hard, while the delocalized radical anions
are relatively soft. Therefore, they will be somewhat stabilized
by Sm+3 as a gegenion slowing down the protonation rate. On
the other hand, the interaction with the Sm+3 cation may increase
the acidity of the proton donor. Brown18 has shown that
complexation to Eu+3 increases the acidity of MeOH by ca. 10
pKa units. Assuming a similar effect with Sm+3, this will reduce
the pKa of MeOH to 19. This will bring again the protonation
on the radical anion of the carbonyl compound to the vicinity
of the diffusion-controlled rate. However, the protonation rate
on the olefinic radical anion will be many orders of magnitude
below that value.
In conclusion, it is reasonable to assume that the effect of
placing an odd electron at a position R to the negative charge,
on the one hand, and the interaction of the Sm+3 with the radical
anions, on the other, are similar although not necessarily
identical in both cases. Therefore, the aforementioned thermo-
dynamic and kinetic barriers are the origin of the vast reactivity
gap, which greatly favors protonation on the radical anion of
carbonyl over that of an olefin. This sluggishness in protonation
on olefinic radical anions diverts them from reacting in the
normal Birch mechanism to the alternative detour mechanism.
It should be pointed out that the reduction of olefins of lower
activity (such as the R-cyanostilbene mentioned above) could
be achieved by using additives such as HMPA19 that enhance
the electron-transfer rate. In this case, the radical anion formed
may be basic enough to undergo rapid protonation. In addition,
using different solvents may decrease the acidity gap mentioned
above. SmI2 was recently shown to be stable in water.2l Using
water as an example is, therefore, very instructive in this case.
In water, the pKa of malononitrile (which serves as a model for
the activating group in the present system) remains 11.20 Yet,
that of MeOH is reduced from 29 in DMSO to 16, and that of
water itself is 15.5. It is thus possible that a large enough
concentration of additives such as water or alcohol, which were
found to increase the reaction rates, may provide,2k,j in addition
to their other enhancing effects, the micro environment needed
for such proton transfer.
Experimental Section
THF was refluxed over Na wire with benzophenone and distilled
under argon. Water content was determined (K.F. Coulometer 652) to
be 20 ppm. SmI2 was diluted as needed from a 0.1 M commercial THF
solution. The concentration of the SmI2 solution was spectroscopically
determined (λ ) 615 nm; ꢀ ) 635). All of the 1,1-diaryl-2,2-
dicyanoethylenes used in the kinetic studies are known compounds.3a,21,22
The kinetics of the reactions was followed using a stopped flow
spectrophotometer (Hi-Tech SF-61DX2) in a glove box under nitrogen
atmosphere. The reactions were monitored at 430 and/or 550 nm. In
cases where a proton donor was used, the proton donor was mixed
with the substrate solution. The water content in the THF solutions
was determined (ca. 20 ppm) using a K.F. Coulometer-652. Because
of the variable water content, all rate constants reported here were
determined within a series of measurements performed on the same
day using the same stock solutions. At the end of each series, the first
measurement was repeated to ensure reproducibility within a set. The
deviation did not usually exceed 8%. The kinetics were analyzed using
KinetAsyst (v. 2.2 Hi-Tech Ltd.) and the SPECFIT Global Analysis
System (v. 2.11, Spectrum Software Associates).11
Supporting Information Available: Figure S1: Diode array
spectra for the reaction of DP with SmI2. Short phase, 0.4 s
and long phase, 200 s. Figure S2: Reaction of DA (25 mM)
with SmI2 (1.25 mM). Figure S3: Reaction of DA (25 mM)
with SmI2 (6 mM); ethylene glycol (25 nm). Table S1: Effect
of variable concentrations of [SmI2]0 on the second-order rate
constant of MA (25 mM). Table S2: Effect of the added Sm+3
on the second-order rate constants of the first phase for the
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3406 J. AM. CHEM. SOC. VOL. 129, NO. 11, 2007