On the control of secondary carbanion structure utilising ligand effects during directed metallation

• Andrew E. H. Wheatley,
• Jonathan Clayden,
• Ian H. Hillier,
• Alison Campbell Smith,
• Mark A. Vincent,
• Laurence J. Taylor and
• Joanna Haywood

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 50–60, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.5

• 10.3762/bjoc.8.5 Abstract N,N-Diisopropyl-2-propylbenzamide 6-H undergoes lateral deprotonation by t-BuLi in the presence of the Lewis base PMDTA (N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) to give a benzyllithium 6-Lil·PMDTA that incorporates a trigonal planar secondary carbanion. In the solid state

• observation of two structure-types for the carbanion in solution is explained theoretically and by NMR spectroscopy in terms of cis and trans isomerism imparted by partial double bond character in the arene–(α-C) bond. Keywords: directed metallation; Lewis base; ligand effects; lithium; secondary carbanion

• crystallographic data for 6-Lil·L relative to that achievable for 3-Lil·PMDTA reveals significant structural parameters that are not available from the previously characterised secondary carbanion [23]. Results and Discussion Solid-state structural studies Based on our knowledge of the ability of Lewis base