Polarity Transduction Enables the Formal Electronically Mismatched Radical Addition to Alkenes

Paul, Subhasis; Filippini, Dario; Silvi, Mattia

Abstract

The formation of carbon-carbon bonds via the intermolecular addition of alkyl radicals to alkenes is a cornerstone of organic chemistry and plays a central role in synthesis. However, unless specific electrophilic radicals are involved, polarity matching requirements restrict the alkene component to be electron deficient. This limits the scope of a fundamentally important carbon-carbon bond forming process that could otherwise be more universally applied. Herein, we introduce a polarity transduction strategy that formally overcomes this electronic limitation. Vinyl sulfonium ions are demonstrated to react with carbon-centered radicals, giving adducts that undergo in situ or sequential nucleophilic displacement to provide products that would be inaccessible via traditional methods. The broad generality of this strategy is demonstrated through the derivatization of unmodified complex bioactive molecules.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 29, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Jan 31, 2023
• Publication Date: Feb 8, 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 13, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 13, 2023
• Journal: Journal of the American Chemical Society
• Print ISSN: 0002-7863
• Electronic ISSN: 1520-5126
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 145
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 2773-2778
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c12699
• Keywords: Colloid and Surface Chemistry; Biochemistry; General Chemistry; Catalysis
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/16802361
• Publisher URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.2c12699