Elena Buñuel

Understanding the Exceptional Hydrogen-Atom Donor Characteristics of Water in TiIII-Mediated Free-Radical Chemistry

In recent years solid evidence of HAT reactions involving water as hydrogen atom source have been presented. In this work we demonstrate that the efficiency of titanocene(III) aqua complexes as an unique class of HAT reagents is based on two key features: (a) excellent binding capabilities of water toward titanocene(III) complexes and (b) a low activation energy for the HAT step. The theory has predictive capabilities fitting well with the experimental results and may aid to find more examples of this remarkable radical reaction.

Nickel‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling of Alkyl Zinc Halides for the Formation of C(sp2)C(sp3) Bonds: Scope and Mechanism

Optimal conditions for a general Ni-catalysed Negishi cross-coupling of alkyl zinc halides with aryl, heteroaryl and alkenyl halides have been determined. These conditions allow the reaction to take place smoothly, with low catalyst loading, and in the presence of a wide variety of functional groups to afford products in good yields at room temperature. DFT studies on the mechanism support the occurrence of a catalytic cycle involving transmetalation of the alkyl zinc halide to Ni(I) followed by oxidative addition of the haloarene and C-C reductive elimination.

Fe-catalysed Kumada-type alkyl–alkyl cross-coupling. Evidence for the intermediacy of Fe(I) complexes

A novel Fe–NHC catalytic system allows the alkyl–alkyl cross-coupling reaction of alkyl halides and alkylmagnesium reagents has been developed. To our knowledge, this is the first Fe-catalysed Kumada-type coupling for the formation of C(sp3)–C(sp3) bonds in the presence of functional groups. The process takes place under mild conditions, avoiding the formation of β-elimination products. Mechanistic studies suggest the intermediacy of Fe(I) complexes, formed by reduction with the Grignard reagent, as the active species.

Pd-Catalyzed Borylative Cyclization of Allenynes and Enallenes

Pd-catalyzed cyclization of 1,5- and 1,6-allenynes and 1,5-enallenes with bis(pinacolato)diboron affords synthetically useful allylboronates and alkylboronates under smooth conditions in a formal hydroborylative carbocyclization reaction. One C-C and one C-B bond are formed in a single operation. The reaction outcome implies that different mechanisms operate for the reactions of allenynes and enallenes, respectively, the actual pathway depending on the relative reactivity of the alkyne or the alkene versus the allene moiety. The cyclized boronates obtained can be functionalized by oxidation or allylation reaction with aldehydes.

Pd-catalyzed borylative polycyclization of enediynes to allylboronates.

Pd-catalyzed dicyclization of 6-ene-1,11-diynes with bis(pinacolato)diboron affords synthetically useful allylboronates under smooth conditions. Two new C-C and one C-B bonds are stereospecifically formed in a single operation. The stereochemical outcome depends on the starting alkene configuration. The reaction is general and has been applied to differently substituted enediynes. Isolation of intermediate 1,3-dienes suggests a regioselective beta-hydrogen elimination along the reaction pathway.

Pd-catalyzed borylative cyclisation of 1,7-enynes

Reaction of a variety of 1,7-enynes with bis(pinacolato) diboron catalysed by Pd bis(trifluoroacetate) affords homoallylic and allylic boronates containing a six membered carbo- or heterocycle, by formation of C-C and C-B bonds.

Pd‐Catalyzed Borylative Polycyclization of Enediynes to Alkylboronates

Pd-catalyzed bicyclization of 1-ene-6,11-diynes with bis(pinacolato)diboron smoothly affords synthetically useful homoallylic alkylboronates under mild conditions, avoiding the use of highly nucleophilic or basic reagents. One C-B bond and two new C-C bonds are created, and two new stereogenic centers are stereospecifically formed in a single tandem operation. The obtained products suggest a cascade reaction in which the last step is the transmetalation of bis(pinacolato)diboron, this being faster than a possible β-hydride elimination process. The reaction is general and has been applied to enediynes with different substituents on the alkene unit, the bridging groups, and the alkyne moiety. The bicyclized alkylboronates thus obtained can be functionalized by oxidation to alcohols, formation of trifluoroborate salts, or by Suzuki coupling reactions.

Stabilisation of the type I β-turn conformation by a bicyclic analogue of proline

Abstract A highly constrained analogue of l -proline, (1 S ,2 S ,4 R )-2-phenyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylic acid, has been incorporated into a model dipeptide. X-Ray diffraction analysis has shown that, in the solid state, this constrained peptide adopts a type I β-turn whereas the analogous dipeptide sequence incorporating l -proline has been shown to accommodate a βII-turn disposition. Attractive interactions involving the middle NH group and either the aromatic rings or the pyramidalised bicycle nitrogen seem to play a role in the stabilisation of the βI-turn conformation observed.

Influence of the number of anchoring groups on the electronic and mechanical properties of benzene-, anthracene- and pentacene-based molecular devices.

One of the central issues of molecular electronics (ME) is the study of the molecule-metal electrode contacts, and their implications for the conductivity, charge-transport mechanism, and mechanical stability. In fact, stochastic on/off switching (blinking) reported in STM experiments is a major problem of single-molecule devices, and challenges the stability and reliability of these systems. Surprisingly, the ambiguous STM results all originate from devices that bind to the metallic electrode through a one-atom connection. In the present work, DFT is employed to study and compare the properties of a set of simple acenes that bind to metallic electrodes with an increasing number of connections, in order to determine whether the increasing numbers of anchoring groups have a direct repercussion on the stability of these systems. The conductivities of the three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are calculated, as well as their transmission spectra and current profiles. The thermal and mechanical stability of these systems is studied by pulling and pushing the metal-molecule connection. The results show that molecules with more than one connection per electrode exhibit greater electrical efficiency and current stability.

NiI Catalyzes the Regioselective Cross-Coupling of Alkylzinc Halides and Propargyl Bromides to Allenes

We describe the unprecedented formation of allenes by Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling of propargyl bromides with alkylzinc halides. The reaction regioselectivity is complementary to the previously reported formation of propargyl-coupled compounds. Experiments support the formation of NiI complexes as the active species and the participation of radical intermediates. Kinetic studies showed that the reaction is first order with respect to the electrophile, zero-order with respect to the nucleophile (fast transmetalation), and one-half order with respect to the metal catalyst. Mechanistic studies support a bimetallic NiI -based pathway that involves fast homolytic cleavage of the C-Br bond by an alkyl-NiI complex, followed by radical coordination to NiI that determines the observed regioselectivity.