10143-23-4Relevant articles and documents
Alkane Functionalization on a Preparative Scale by Mercury-Photosensitized Cross-Dehydrodimerization
Brown, Stephen H.,Crabtree, Robert H.
, p. 2946 - 2953 (2007/10/02)
Alkanes can be functionalized with high conversions and in high chemical and quantum yields on a multigram scale by mercury-photosensitized reaction between an alkane and alcohols, ethers, or silanes to give homodimers and cross-dehydrodimers.The separation of the product mixtures is often particulary easy because of a great difference in polarity of the homodimers and cross-dimers.It is also possible to bias the product composition when the ratio of the components in the vapor phase is adjusted by altering the liquid composition.This is useful either to maximize chemical yield or to ease separation by favoring the formation of the most easily separated pair of compounds.The mechanistic basis of the reaction is discussed and a number of specific types of syntheses, for example of 2,2-disubstituted carbinols, are described in detail.The selectivity of cross-dimerization is shown to exceed that for homodimerization and reasons are discussed.Relative reactivities of different compounds and classes of compound are MeOHp-dioxanecyclohexane1,3,5-trioxacyclohexaneethanolisobutaneTHFEt3SiH.The observed selectivities generally parallel those for homodimerization, reported in the preceding paper, but certain differences are noted, and reasons for the differences are proposed.The bond-dissociation energy of Et3SiH is estimated from the reactivity data to be 90 kcal/mol.Eleven new carbinols are synthesized.
