Article

New Insights into the Mechanism of Palladium-Catalyzed Allylic Amination

Contribution from the Davenport Research Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, The University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Canada, M5S 3H6
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2005, 127 (49), pp 17516–17529
DOI: 10.1021/ja055288c
Publication Date (Web): November 15, 2005
Copyright © 2005 American Chemical Society

Abstract

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A comparative investigation into palladium-catalyzed allylic amination of unsubstituted aziridines and secondary amines has been carried out. The use of NH aziridines as nucleophiles favors formation of valuable branched products in the case of aliphatic allyl acetates. The regioselectivity of this reaction is opposite to that observed when other amines are used as nucleophiles. Our study provides evidence for the palladium-catalyzed isomerization of the branched (kinetic) product formed with common secondary amines into the thermodynamic (linear) product. In contrast, the branched allyl products obtained from unsubstituted aziridines do not undergo the isomerization process. Crossover experiments indicate that the isomerization of branched allylamines is bimolecular and is catalyzed by Pd0. The reaction has significant solvent effect, giving the highest branched-to-linear ratios in THF. This finding can be explained by invoking the intermediacy of σ-complexes, which is consistent with NMR data. The apparent stability of branched allyl aziridines towards palladium-catalyzed isomerization is attributed to a combination of factors that stem from a higher degree of s-character of the aziridine nitrogen compared to other amines. The reaction allows for regio- and enantioselective incorporation of aziridine rings into appropriately functionalized building blocks. The resulting methodology addresses an important issue of forming quaternary carbon centers next to nitrogen. The new insights into the mechanism of palladium-catalyzed allylic amination obtained in this study should facilitate synthesis of complex heterocycles, design of new ligands to control branched-to-linear ratio, as well as absolute stereochemistry of allylamines.

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Article Views: 3,853 Times
Received 12 August 2005
Published online 15 November 2005
Published in print 1 December 2005
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