Organic Letters
Letter
a
Table 1. Optimization of the Reaction Conditions
Scheme 2. Investigation of the Substrate Scope
b
entry
solvent
yield (%)
c
1
DCE
DCE
d
2
13
61
3
DCE
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
DMSO
MeOH
CHCl3
acetone
MeCN
THF
toluene
DMF
DCM
DCM
trace
n.d.
89
20
68
trace
n.d.
trace
90
e
f
13
99 (89)
a
Reaction conditionsare as follows: 2a (0.20 mmol), 3a (0.20 mmol),
b
1
and solvent (3 mL) in air for 24 h. As determined by HNMR
spectroscopy with dibromomethane as the internal standard; n.d. =
not determined. In the dark. In light generated by an incandescent
c
d
e
f
light bulb. Used 1.5 equiv of 2a (0.3 mmol). Yield after column
chromatography.
product 1aa in a 13% yield (as determined by NMR
spectroscopy using an internal standard; Table 1, entry 2).
This result could be improved by applying a 24 W LED as the
light source, which gave 1aa in a 61% yield (Table 1, entry 3).
In a solvent screen (Table 1, entries 3−12), DCE, chloroform,
and DCM were identified as superior over other solvents, with
the latter being the best and providing 1aa in a 90% yield
(Table 1, entry 12). Finally, changing the ratio of 2a and 3a
from the previously used 1:1 to 1.5:1 led to 1aa in a 99%
(NMR) yield. After column chromatography, 89% of 1aa was
obtained (Table 1, entry 13).
Scheme 2. First, substrates with S-aryl-S-methyl cores were
applied. All yields of the resulting products 1ba−ga were good
(73−89%), revealing a high structural tolerance of the process.
Neither steric nor electronic effects were apparent. The yields
for products 1ha−ka ranged from 73 to 92%, showing that also
S,S-diaryl and S-alkylated derivatives of 2 could be successfully
applied. Finally, combinations of an aryl alkyne containing 4-
tert-butyl 3f and hypervalent iodine reagents 2m and 2l with 3-
methoxy and 3-methyl substituents, respectively, were tested,
and in those cases products 1mf (85%) and 1lf (89%) were
also isolated in high yields.
To evaluate the generality of the process, various
combinations of hypervalent iodine reagents 2 and aryl alkynes
3 were studied under the previously identified optimal reaction
conditions (Table 1, entry 13). The results are shown in
Scheme 2. First, 2a was reacted with a range of aryl alkynes. In
general, all reactions proceeded well, affording the correspond-
ing products 1aa-ao in yields ranging from 60 to 95%. The
lowest yield in this series was observed for product 1ah with an
electron-withdrawing 4-cyano group, which suggested that
electronic effects induced by substituents on the alkyne arene
were relevant. This assumption was supported by the yields of
1ae and 1af with electron-donating 4-methyl and 4-tert-butyl
groups, respectively, which were both obtained in a 90% yield.
Steric effects appeared to play a minor role, as revealed by a
comparison of the results of 4-, 3-, and 2-bromo-substituted
products 1ad (81%), 1aj (79%), and 1al (78%), respectively,
all of which were obtained in about the same yield.
Additionally, 2-naphthyl- and 2-thiofuryl-substituted alkynes
3n and 3o, respectively, reacted well with 2a, leading to the
corresponding products 1an and 1ao in 95% and 83% yields,
respectively.16
With the goal to elucidate the relevant mechanistic steps of
the newly found process, a number of test reactions were
carried out (Scheme 3). Again, iodine reagent 2a and
phenylacetylene (3a) were used as representative substrates.
First, the presence of 3 equiv of TEMPO (2,2,6,6-
tetramethylpiperidinooxy) or BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methyl-
phenol) inhibited the formation of 1aa, suggesting that those
radical scavengers intercepted a pathway involving relevant
radicals.17 Second, also under argon, product 1aa was not
formed, revealing the central role of air in the process. Third,
Scheme 3. Control Experiments
For assessing the influence of the hypervalent iodine reagent
structure, reactions of a range of compounds 2 with phenyl
acetylene (3a) were studied. Those results are shown in
B
Org. Lett. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX