Angewandte
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Chemie
1,4-Rhodium(I) migration involving tandem oxidative
carboxylation observed in the reaction conditions. The high-
À
addition and reductive elimination of C H bonds via a five-
est activation energy for the 1,4-rhodium shift (TS 2:
25.2 kcalmolÀ1) is comparable to that for the successive 1,2-
rhodium shift (TS 8: 28.6 kcalmolÀ1), which agrees with the
results of the KIE studies (see the SI) suggesting the both
steps can be the rate-determining step of this reaction.
Moreover, the calculated relatively high energy barriers for
the tandem rhodium shift are consistent with the high
temperature required for the meta-carboxylation. We have
also computed the 1,2-rhodium shift-meta-carboxylation
pathway and the ortho-carboxylation pathway using less
bulky dcype as a ligand to get insight on the role of the dippf
ligand in this reaction (Figure S9). In contrast to dippf, the
ortho-carboxylation is calculated to be 2.7 kcalmolÀ1 more
favorable than the 1,2-rhodium shift with dcype. This is in
agreement with the experimental ortho-selectivity with dcype
(Table 1, entry 2), and suggests the importance of the bulky
dippf ligand in realizing the 1,2-rhodium migration-meta-
carboxylation over the ortho-carboxylation selectively.
membered rhodacycle intermediate has been investigated
and utilized for various catalytic reactions.[29–35] On the other
hand, direct 1,2-rhodium(I) shift on aromatic rings has not
been reported so far.[36,37] Therefore, we investigated this
uncommon 1,2-rhodium migration in more detail.
A possible pathway for the direct 1,2-rhodium shift would
be tandem carboxylation and decarboxylation sequence.
Satoh, Miura, and Larrosa reported carboxylic group-directed
formal meta-selective olefination and arylation,[38–41] where
the carboxyl group behaves as a temporary directing group in
the reaction.[42] In order to confirm whether the 1,2-rhodium
shift proceeds via ortho-carboxylic acid, ortho-carboxylate
2a’-Na was subjected to the reaction conditions (Scheme 4). It
was found that 2a’ was recovered in 83% NMR yield without
formation of the meta-carboxylic acid 2a or the decarboxy-
lated compound, suggesting the carboxylate-directed carbox-
ylation might not be operative in this reaction.
To support the above observation, time course analysis
was conducted to examine meta-/ortho-carboxylation ratios
using 1a as the substrate (Table S7). Longer reaction times
increased TONs of both meta- and ortho-carboxylic acids 2a
and 2a’, but did not change the meta/ortho ratios. These
constant meta/ortho ratios independent of the reaction time
do not agree with the possible tandem carboxylate-directed
carboxylation and decarboxylation pathway, where 2a’ would
be generated faster than 2a.
We conducted density functional theory (DFT) calcula-
tions of the postulated reaction pathway starting from RhH-
(dippf) complex SM and 1a for evaluating the validity of the
unprecedented tandem rhodium shift (Figure 1). First, the
initial hydrorhodation-1,4- or 1,3-rhodium migration pathway
is calculated (Figure 1a). Hydrorhodation of SM to 1a
proceeds with low activation barriers (TS 1: 9.3 kcal for
terminal C-Rh bond formation; TS 4: 13.5 kcalmolÀ1 for
internal C-Rh bond formation) to give s-alkyl rhodium INT 2
or p-benzyl rhodium INT 9. The following alkyl-to-aryl
rhodium migration involves two steps: oxidative addition of
A plausible mechanism based on the experimental and
computational results is summarized in Scheme 5. First,
rhodium hydride C is generated from rhodium chloride A
and NaOiPr via transmetalation and b-hydride elimination.
À
The alkene inserts into the Rh H bond of C, and the 1,4-
À
rhodium shift (major) or 1,3-rhodium shift (minor) with C H
activation afforded ortho-aryl rhodium species F. F can
undergo carboxylation to give ortho-carboxylate G. At high
temperature 1,2-rhodium shift proceeds to give meta-aryl
rhodium derivative H, which undergoes carboxylation with
CO2 to afford rhodium meta-carboxylate I. Finally, trans-
metalation with NaOiPr gives the product and regenerates
rhodium isopropoxide B. The steric repulsion between the
ligand on the rhodium and the ortho-phenethyl substituent
seems to promote this unprecedent 1,2-rhodium shift.
À
the arene C H bond to alkyl rhodium(I) to give cyclic
rhodium(III) hydride and reductive elimination of the alkyl
[43]
À
C H bond to afford ortho-aryl rhodium(I).
The highest
activation energy for the 1,4-rhodium shift (TS 2: 25.2 kcal
molÀ1 for the oxidative addition) was lower than that for the
1,3-rhodium shift (TS 6: 29.8 kcalmolÀ1 for the reductive
elimination). This result agrees with the result of deuterium
labeling experiments (Scheme 3), which shows the 1,4-rho-
dium shift is dominant. Next we compare the 1,2-rhodium
migration-meta-carboxylation pathway with the ortho-car-
boxylation pathway (Figure 1b). The 1,2-rhodium(I) shift
proceeds via h2-benzyne hydride rhodium(III) intermedi-
ate[44] INT 12 with a relatively high activation barrier of
28.6 kcalmolÀ1 (TS 8), and the following meta-carboxylation
requires less activation energy (TS 9: 26.1 kcalmolÀ1) to give
stable rhodium(I) carboxylate PD 2 (À8.9 kcalmolÀ1). In
contrast, the activation energy for the ortho-carboxylation
pathway is calculated to be 30.9 kcalmolÀ1 (TS 10), which is
2.3 kcalmolÀ1 higher than that for the 1,2-rhodium shift-meta-
carboxylation pathway, explaining the meta-selectivity of the
Scheme 5. Proposed reaction mechanism.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 2 – 10
ꢀ 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH
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