Accessing Unusual Reactivity through Chelation-Promoted Bond Weakening.

ABSTRACT: Highly reducing Sm(II) reductants and protic ligands were used as a platform to ascertain the relationship between low-valent metal-protic ligand affinity and degree of ligand X-H bond weakening with the goal of forming potent proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reductants. Among the Sm(II)-protic ligand reductant systems investigated, the samarium dibromide N-methylethanolamine (SmBr₂-NMEA) reagent system displayed the best combination of metal-ligand affinity and stability against H₂ evolution. The use of SmBr₂-NMEA afforded the reduction of a range of substrates that are typically recalcitrant to single-electron reduction including alkynes, lactones, and arenes as stable as biphenyl. Moreover, the unique role of NMEA as a chelating ligand for

SUBMITTER: Boekell NG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10249415 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature