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Upstream product

• 151513-33-6 3-(Trifluoromethyl)benzyl phenyl sulfide 
• 705-29-3 3-Trifluoromethylbenzyl chloride 
• 75-65-0 tert-butyl alcohol 
• 128732-38-7 m-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl diethyl phosphate 
• 402-23-3 1-bromomethyl-3-trifluoromethylbenzene 

Relevant academic research and scientific papers

Photochemical Reductive C–C Coupling with a Guanidine Electron Donor

The metal-free photoinduced reductive C–C coupling reactions of a number of substituted benzyl halides (15 examples) with the organic electron-donor 2,3,5,6-tetrakis(tetramethylguanidino)pyridine are evaluated. Depending on the substituents at the benzyl group, a C–C coupling product yield in the range 50–95 % is achieved. The photochemical benzyl-radical formation by homolytic N–C bond cleavage of the initially formed benzyl-pyridinium salts is the rate-determining step of these reactions. Electron-withdrawing as well as -donating substituents at the phenyl group increase the reaction rate. Quantum chemical computations did not reveal any correlation between either the enthalpy or Gibbs free energy of the N–C bond cleavage step and the experimentally determined first-order rate constants. Instead, the structural difference between the excited state generated by irradiation and the electronic ground state of the pyridinium ions could be used to rationalize the differences in the reaction rates.

Reversed electron apportionment in mesolytic cleavage: The reduction of benzyl halides by SmI2

The paradigm that the cleavage of the radical anion of benzyl halides occurs in such a way that the negative charge ends up on the departing halide leaving behind a benzyl radical is well rooted in chemistry. By studying the kinetics of the reaction of substituted benzylbromides and chlorides with SmI2 in THF it was found that substrates para-substituted with electron-withdrawing groups (CN and CO2Me), which are capable of forming hydrogen bonds with a proton donor and coordinating to samarium cation, react in a reversed electron apportionment mode. Namely, the halide departs as a radical. This conclusion is based on the found convex Hammett plots, element effects, proton donor effects, and the effect of tosylate (OTs) as a leaving group. The latter does not tend to tolerate radical character on the oxygen atom. In the presence of a proton donor, the tolyl derivatives were the sole product, whereas in its absence, the coupling dimer was obtained by a SN2 reaction of the benzyl anion on the neutral substrate. The data also suggest that for the para-CN and CO2Me derivatives in the presence of a proton donor, the first electron transfer is coupled with the proton transfer. Reverse breakup: In the mesolytic cleavage of the radical anions of benzyl halides that are para-substituted by CN or CO2Me groups, the halogen departs, counterintuitively, as a radical and the benzyl system carries the negative charge (see figure).

Ultrasound-promoted dimerization of benzylic halides

Simple and straightforward coupling of benzylic compounds was achieved by sonicating benzylic halides in the presence of magnesium.

Iron-catalysed reduction of olefins using a borohydride reagent

The iron-catalysed reduction of olefins has been achieved using a simple iron salt and sodium triethylborohydride. A wide range of mono- and trans-1,2-disubstituted alkenes have been reduced (91-100%) using 25 mol% iron(II) triflate, 1 mol% N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and 4 equivalents of sodium triethylborohydride. The reduction of alkynes to alkanes is also reported (up to 84%). Significantly, the reduction of trisubstituted alkenes has also been achieved (60-86%). Copyright

Iron nanoparticle-promoted Cu (I)-catalysed homocoupling of arylmethyl halides for the synthesis of 1,2-diarylethanes

Carbon-carbon bond formation is important in organic synthesis for the preparation of natural products, organic materials and polymers and so on. An efficient and mild reductive homocoupling of arylmethyl halides is now described. Treatment of various benzylic halides in the presence of zero valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) and a catalytic amount of CuBr in air and water at room temperature afforded 1,2-diarylethanes in excellent yields.

Substituent effects on the photocleavage of benzyl-sulfur bonds. Observation of the "Meta effect"

Benzyl phenyl sulfide has been used to investigate the photocleavage mechanism for benzyl-sulfur bonds. Four experiments have shown that the reaction goes through a radical intermediate. First, the photoproducts observed can all be justified by radical mechanisms. Second, the radical intermediate was trapped with a five hexenyl tether. Third, UV analysis of analogs for the 4-NO2 derivative indicate no exciplex or electron transfer pathway. Fourth, no strong correlation is observed between a values and the quatum yields for loss of substituted benzyl phenyl sulide. The effect of oxygen on quantum yields is best observed after samples are thoroughly outgassed with consecutive freeze-pump-thaw cycles. It is shown that oxygen diminishes the substituent effect. Upon photolysis of the outgassed samples, the meta-substituted derivatives showed more significant variances than the para derivatives. The meta derivatives are most efficiently cleaved in the following order: 3-CN > 3-NO2 > 3-CF3 > 3-CH3 > 3-OCH3. These findings are justified by an increase in electron density of the radical ipso to the forming benzyl radical for the 3-OCH3 derivative and a decrease in the electron density of the radical ipso to the forming benzyl radical for the 3-CN derivative.

Photocleavage of Benzyl-Sulfide Bonds

The nucleoside transport inhibitor 6--9-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)purine, NBMPR, has been used successfully in photoaffinity labeling.We have studied the mechanism for photocleavage of the benzyl-sulfur bond by using substituted benzyl phenyl sulfides as analogues of NBMPR.This has enabled us to enhance the photoreactivity of the benzyl-sulfur bond.We have also performed "radical clock" studies with a hexenyl side chain to trap reactive intermediates.The mechanistic interpretation from the substituent and side chain studies is that the benzyl-sulfur moiety is photocleaved via a homolytic pathway.

Photochemistry of phosphate esters: An efficient method for the generation of electrophiles

The photochemical cleavage of benzyl diethyl phosphates, 1a-g, has been examined in tert-butyl alcohol, which produces the corresponding benzyl tert-butyl ether as the major solvolysis product upon direct irradiation. The multiplicity of the reactive excited state has been established as the singlet state. Evidence favoring an intermediate benzyl cation-phosphate ion pair formed from photofragmentation includes oxygen-18 scrambling, racemization of chiral benzyl phosphates, and substituent effects on the rate of reaction. The existence of an electrophilic intermediate is further supported by a linear free energy relationship for the rate of disappearance of 1, kdis, with Hammett σ, which gave a ρ value of -0.90 and for the rate of appearance of 2, kapp, a Hammett ρ value of -0.97. Possible mechanisms including an electron transfer either before or after homolysis or simple heterolysis of the ester bond are evaluated.

Le composes d'insertion du graphite comme precurseurs de metaux finement divises I. Couplage d'halogenures benzyliques

The reduction of a nickel salt by the intercalation compound KC8, results in highly dispersed nickel on graphite, which has been used as a coupling reagent for benzyl chloride.The yield and the selectivity of the reaction were slightly improved when nickel-copper bimetallic clusters were used.The properties of these mixtures are illustrated by the coupling of various substituted benzyl halides.Functional groups such as methoxy-, chloro-, bromo-, nitro-, cyano-, trifluoromethyl- and alkoxy-carbonyl groups, on the aromatic ring, were not affected by the conditions employed.

Highly Reactive Metallic Nickel: Reductive Homocoupling Reagent for Benzylic Mono- and Polyhalides

Metallic nickel, prepared by the reduction of nickel halides with lithium in glyme using naphthalene as an electron carrier, was found to be a useful reagent for the homocoupling of benzylic mono- and polyhalides.Benzyl halides reacted with metallic nickel at room temperature to give the corresponding 1,2-diarylethanes in good to high yields and functional groups on the aromatic ring such as methoxy, chloro, bromo, nitro, cyano, and alkoxycarbonyl groups were not affected under the conditions employed.Benzylic monohalides (1-(chloromethyl)- or 2-(bromomethyl)naphthalene, chlorodiphenylmethane, and 9-bromofluorene) also underwent coupling reactions with metallic nickel at room temperature to give the corresponding ethane derivatives.On the other hand, benzylic di- and trihalides such as α,α-dibromotoluene and α,α,α-trichlorotoluene yielded mixtures of cis and trans isomers of substituted ethenes.The intermediate of the reaction, benzylnickel complex, was trapped with electron deficient olefins such as methyl acrylate and acrylonitrile.