Name: preparation and use of carbonyl-decorated carbenes in the activation of white phosphorus
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Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Preparation and Use of Carbonyl-decorated Carbenes in the Activation of White Phosphorus at JoVE.com

We are grateful to the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (20092), the National Science Foundation (CHE-1362140), and Texas State University for their generous support.

1. Synthesis of Diamidocarbene (Compound 1)
<ol>
	<li>Connect an oven-dried 100 ml Schlenk flask to a high performance vacuum manifold, evacuate it and flush with nitrogen. Add a stir bar to the flask and cap with a rubber septum. Weigh out N,N&#8217;-dimesitylformamidine12 (1.5 g, 5.35 mmol) and add it to the flask while flushing with nitrogen.
	<ol>
		<li>Add (via dry, deoxygenated syringes) 30 ml of dry, degassed dichloromethane (DCM) followed by triethylamine (1.1 ml, 8.0 mmol, 1.5 equiv.). Cool the resu...

<ol>
	<li>Di&#769;ez-Gonza&#769;lez, S., Marion, N., Nolan, S. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=N-Heterocyclic+Carbenes+in+Late+Transition+Metal+Catalysis.">N-Heterocyclic Carbenes in Late Transition Metal Catalysis.</a> Chem. Rev. 109, 3612-3676 (2009).</li><li>Enders, D., Niemeier, O., Henseler, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organocatalysis+by+N-Heterocyclic+Carbenes.">Organocatalysis by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes.</a> Chem. Rev. 107, 5606-5655 (2007).</li><li>Boydston, A. J., Williams, K. A., Bielawski, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Modular+Approach+to+Main-Chain+Organometallic+Polymers.">A Modular Approach to Main-Chain Organometallic Polymers.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 12496-12497 (2005).</li><li>Kamplain, J. W., Bielawski, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dynamic+covalent+polymers+based+upon+carbene+dimerization.">Dynamic covalent polymers based upon carbene dimerization.</a> Chem. Commun. , 1727-1729 (2006).</li><li>Back, O., Kuchenbeiser, G., Donnadieu, B., Bertrand, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Nonmetal-Mediated Fragmentation of P4: Isolation of P1and P2Bis(carbene). 48, 5530-5533 (2009).</li><li>Masuda, J. D., Schoeller, W. W., Donnadieu, B., Bertrand, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Carbene Activation of P4 and Subsequent Derivatization. 46, 7052-7055 (2007).</li><li>Masuda, J. D., Schoeller, W. W., Donnadieu, B., Bertrand, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=NHC-Mediated+Aggregation+of+P4:+Isolation+of+a+P12+Cluster..">NHC-Mediated Aggregation of P4: Isolation of a P12 Cluster..</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 14180-14181 (2007).</li><li>Wang, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Carbene-Stabilized+Diphosphorus.">Carbene-Stabilized Diphosphorus.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130, 14970-14971 (1021).</li><li>Wang, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Carbene-Stabilized+Parent+Phosphinidene+Organometallics.">Carbene-Stabilized Parent Phosphinidene Organometallics.</a> 29, 4778-4780 (2010).</li><li>Back, O., Donnadieu, B., Parameswaran, P., Frenking, G., Bertrand, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+of+crystalline+carbene-stabilized+P2-radical+cations+and+P2-dications.">Isolation of crystalline carbene-stabilized P2-radical cations and P2-dications.</a> Nature Chemistry. 2, 369-373 (2010).</li><li>Dorsey, C. L., Squires, B. M., Hudnall, T. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Isolation of a Neutral P8 Cluster by [2+2] Cycloaddition of a Diphosphene Facilitated by Carbene Activation of White Phosphorus. 52, 4462-4465 (2013).</li><li>Kuhn, K. M., Grubbs, R. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Facile+Preparation+of+Imidazolinium+Chlorides.">A Facile Preparation of Imidazolinium Chlorides.</a> Org. Lett. 10, 2075-2077 (2008).</li><li>Hudnall, T. W., Moerdyk, J. P., Bielawski, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ammonia+N-H+activation+by+a+N,N'-diamidocarbene.">Ammonia N-H activation by a N,N'-diamidocarbene.</a> Chem. Commun. 46, 4288-4290 (2010).</li><li>Lugan, N., Lavigne, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reprogramming+of+a+Malonic+N-Heterocyclic+Carbene:+A+Simple+Backbone+Modification+with+Dramatic+Consequences+on+the+Ligand's+Donor+Properties.">Reprogramming of a Malonic N-Heterocyclic Carbene: A Simple Backbone Modification with Dramatic Consequences on the Ligand's Donor Properties.</a> Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 3, 361-365 (2010).</li><li>Blake, G. A., Moerdyk, J. P., Bielawski, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tuning+the+Electronic+Properties+of+Carbenes:+A+Systematic+Comparison+of+Neighboring+Amino+versus+Amido+Groups.">Tuning the Electronic Properties of Carbenes: A Systematic Comparison of Neighboring Amino versus Amido Groups.</a> Organometallics. 31, 3373-3378 (2012).</li><li>Martin, C. D., Weinstein, C. M., Moore, C. E., Rheingold, A. L., Bertrand, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Exploring+the+reactivity+of+white+phosphorus+with+electrophilic+carbenes:+synthesis+of+a+P4+cage+and+P8+clusters.">Exploring the reactivity of white phosphorus with electrophilic carbenes: synthesis of a P4 cage and P8 clusters.</a> Chem. Commun. 49, 4486-4488 (2013).</li></ol>

A straightforward procedure for generating carbonyl-decorated carbenes and their application in the activation of white phosphorus is presented here. The critical steps in the protocol for synthesizing the carbenes are: (a) make sure all solvents are properly dried before use, (b) make sure the addition of acid chlorides to the formamidine is done very slowly, (c) if the Celite is not oven-dried for a minimum of 12 hr&#160;at 180 &#176;C, hydrolysis of the 1-HCl as well as carbenes 1&#160;</stron...

Stable carbenes have emerged as ubiquitous reagents in homogeneous catalysis1, organocatalysis2,&#160;materials science3,4, and more recently main group chemistry5-9.&#160;In the context of the latter, stable carbenes have recently been used in the activation and functionalization of white phosphorus (P4)5-9.&#160;The ability to directly convert P4&#160;into organophosphorus compounds has become a topical research objective in an effort to develop &#8220;greener&#8221; methods that circumvent the use of chlorinated or oxychlorinated phosphorus precursors. Despite their widespread use, the preparation and handling of carbenes and reactive compounds such as P4 can be a daunting task. For this reason, we have written this manuscript to provide a clear and concise protocol that will allow synthetic chemists of all skill levels to synthesize and manipulate two very unique stable carbenes. Additionally, the activation of P4&#160;using the described carbenes is detailed.
Herein we detail a protocol for the synthesis of two electron-deficient carbonyl decorated carbenes. We have chosen these carbenes because they differ only in their electrophilic properties, and not their steric parameters, making them ideal for studying the effects of carbene electronics on reactivity. The importance of carbene electronics with regard reactivity is exemplified by two similar compounds of the general formula carbene-P2-carbene that have been reported by Bertrand and Robinson5,8.&#160;Bertrand&#8217;s P2&#160;derivative is supported by two cyclic alkyl amino carbene (CAAC) ligands, and is structurally, photophysically, and electrochemically different than Robinson&#8217;s compound which is a P2 fragment supported by two N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs)5,8. Indeed, Bertrand&#8217;s P2&#160;complex is characterized as a yellow solid that features carbene-to-phosphorus double bonds in the solid state, whereas the derivative reported by Robinson is a dark red solid that contains NHC&#8594;P dative bonds. This structural difference also manifests itself electrochemically such that Robinson&#8217;s compound contains more electron-rich phosphorus centers that can undergo reversible 1- or 2-electron oxidations in contrast to Bertrand&#8217;s compound which can only undergo a single reversible oxidation10.
Based on the studies described above, we became interested in studying the activation of P4 using the highly electrophilic diamido- and monoamidoamino carbenes to determine if novel carbene-stabilized allotropes of phosphorus could be prepared. We focused on diamidocarbene (DAC) 1, and monoamidoamino carbene (MAAC) 2 which differ only in their respective electrophilicities to interrogate what role carbene electronics play in P4 activation. Interestingly when the more electrophilic DAC is used, a tris(phosphaalkenyl)phosphane (3) could be isolated as the exclusive product, whereas when a MAAC is used, a carbene-stabilized P8 allotrope (4) can be obtained11. We also interrogated the mechanism for the formation (4), and found that it is formed via a [2+2] cylcoaddition dimerization reaction of a transient diphosphene. The existence of this diphosphene was confirmed by trapping it with 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene to furnish the [4+2] cycloaddition adduct 5. The protocol for synthesizing these carbonyl-decorated carbenes and their corresponding P4 activated compounds is described herein.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="580">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:171px;">2,4,6-trimethylaniline</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">AAA13049-0E</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">98%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:171px;">Triethylorthoformate</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">AAA13587</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">98%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:171px;">Dimethylmalonyl dichloride</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">TCI</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">D2723</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">&#62;98%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:171px;">3-chloro-pivaloyl chloride</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">225703-25G</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">98%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:171px;">Triethylamine</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">AAA12646</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">Stored over dried, activated 3 &#197; molecular sieves</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:171px;">Celite&#8482; 545</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">EMD</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">CX0574-3D</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">Oven-dried at 180 &#176;C for a minimum of 12 hrs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:171px;">Sodium hexamethyldisilazide</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Across</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">200014-462</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">95+%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:171px;">2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">AAAL04207-09</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">98%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="64">
			<td height="64" style="height:64px;width:171px;">dichloromethane</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">EMD</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">DX0835-5</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">Purified through solvent purification system, or standard methods</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="64">
			<td height="64" style="height:64px;width:171px;">tetrahydrofuran</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Mallinckrodt</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">8498-09</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">Purified through solvent purification system, or standard methods</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="64">
			<td height="64" style="height:64px;width:171px;">Hexanes</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">EMD</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">HX0299-3</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">Purified through solvent purification system, or standard methods</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="64">
			<td height="64" style="height:64px;width:171px;">Benzene</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">EMD</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">BX0220-5</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">Purified through solvent purification system, or standard methods</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="64">
			<td height="64" style="height:64px;width:171px;">Toluene</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">BDH</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">1151-19L</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">Purified through solvent purification system, or standard methods</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="127">
			<td height="127" style="height:127px;width:171px;">white phosphorus</td>
			<td style="width:92px;">Generously donated from the Texas A&#38;M chemistry store room.</td>
			<td style="width:123px;">NA</td>
			<td style="width:195px;">Purified through sublimation and transferred directly into a glovebox while under vacuum in the sublimator</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

preparation and use of carbonyl-decorated carbenes in the activation of white phosphorus

Here we present a protocol for the synthesis of two distinct carbonyl-decorated carbenes. Both carbenes can be prepared using nearly identical procedures in multi-gram scale quantities. The goal of this manuscript is to clearly detail how to handle and prepare these unique carbenes such that a synthetic chemist of any skill level can work with them. The two carbenes described are a diamidocarbene (DAC, carbene 1) and a monoamidoaminocarbene (MAAC 2). These carbenes are highly electron-deficient and as such display reactivity profiles that are atypical of more traditional N-heterocyclic carbenes. Additionally, these two carbenes only differ in their electrophilic character and not their steric parameters, making them ideal for studying how carbene electronics influence reactivity. To demonstrate this phenomenon, we are also describing the activation of white phosphorus (P4) using these carbenes. Depending on the carbene used, two very different phosphorus-containing compounds can be isolated. When the DAC 1 is used, a tris(phosphaalkenyl)phosphane can be isolated as the exclusive product. Remarkably however, when MAAC 2 is added to P4 under identical reaction conditions, an unexpected carbene-supported P8&#160;allotrope of phosphorus is isolated exclusively. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that this carbene-supported P8allotrope forms via a [2+2] cycloaddition dimerization of a transient diphosphene which has been trapped by treatment with 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene.

The ability to isolate a tris(phosphaalkenyl)phosphane such as 3&#160;or the P8-allotrope (4) from white phosphorus relies on the use of an electrophilic carbene to activate the P4&#160;tetrahedron11,16.&#160;Therefore, it is critical to prepare carbenes with enhanced &#960;-acidity, and by extension electrophilicity. Figure 2&#160;illustrates the synthesis of carbene precursor 1-HCl and its subsequent deprotonation to af...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Preparation and Use of Carbonyl-decorated Carbenes in the Activation of White Phosphorus at JoVE.com

Preparation and Use of Carbonyl-decorated Carbenes in the Activation of White Phosphorus

Here, we present a protocol for the synthesis of two carbonyl-decorated carbenes. The protocol makes these interesting compounds readily available to chemists of all skill levels. In addition to the synthesis of these two carbenes, their use in the activation of white phosphorus is also described.

Here we present a protocol for the synthesis of two distinct carbonyl-decorated carbenes. Both carbenes can be prepared using nearly identical procedures ...

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