Synlett 2006(18): 2908-2913  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-951538
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

A Mixed Naphthyl-Phenyl Phosphine Ligand Motif for Suzuki, Heck, and Hydrodehalogenation Reactions

Oleg M. Demchuk*, Bilge Yoruk, Tom Blackburn, Victor Snieckus*
Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University, 90 Bader Lane, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
Fax: +1(613)5336089; e-Mail: snieckus@chem.queensu.ca;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 25 September 2006
Publication Date:
25 October 2006 (online)

Abstract

Nap-Phos, representing a new naphthyl-phenyl biaryl-type phosphine ligand class and available by a short synthesis (4 steps, 71% overall yield), effectively catalyzes the Suzuki-Miyaura (including highly hindered cases), hydrodehalogenation, and Heck reactions.

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As established by X-ray single crystal (Figure [2] ) and NMR analysis, compound 4 shows strong intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the solid state and in solution. The (C1)O-H-O=P intramolecular bond distances are 1.079 Å and 1.533 Å, respectively, while intermolecular (C4′)O-H-O=P bond distances are 1.046 Å and 1.794 Å, respectively. The 31P NMR spectrum reveals a low field shifted phosphorus signal at δ = 67.9 ppm and the 1H NMR spectrum (anhyd DMSO-d 6) exhibits two widely separated signals for the hydroxyl hydrogens at δ = 13.66 ppm and δ = 7.95 ppm confirming the presence of only one intramolecular (C1)OH-O=P hydrogen bond. A similar phenomenon was observed in benzene-d 6 solution.
Crystallographic data (excluding structure factors) for the structure of 4 have been deposited with the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre as supplementary publication no. CCDC-609270. Copies of the data can be obtained free of charge on application to CCDC, 12 Union Road, Cambridge CB21EZ, UK [fax: +44(1223)336033; e-mail: deposit@ccdc.cam.ac.uk).

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Use of an equimolar ligand 7:Pd(OAc)2 ratio produced a very active catalyst, leading to 50% product formation in 15 min in DMF or MeOH at 40 °C (Table [1] , entry 1).

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For hindered examples, Table [1] , entry 2: S-phos (93%), [6a] Nap-Phos: (98%); entry 3: S-phos (82%), [6a] Nap-Phos: (76%); entry 4: S-phos (86%), [6a] Nap-Phos (70%).

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A preliminary PM3 modeling study shows a low racemization barrier (20 kcal/mol) for Nap-Phos which precludes its use as a chiral ligand in cross coupling reactions under conditions described herein. Few chiral non-racemic atropisomeric ligand motifs are known. For discussion, see ref. 14c.