Homolytic C−H Bond Activation by Phosphine−Quinone-Based Radical Ion Pairs

Abstract

Herein, we present the formation of transient radical ion pairs (RIPs) by single-electron transfer (SET) in phosphine−quinone systems and explore their potential for the activation of C−H bonds. PMes3 (Mes=2,4,6-Me3C6H2) reacts with DDQ (2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone) with formation of the P−O bonded zwitterionic adduct Mes3P−DDQ (1), while the reaction with the sterically more crowded PTip3 (Tip=2,4,6-iPr3C6H2) afforded C−H bond activation product Tip2P(H)(2-[CMe2(DDQ)]-4,6-iPr2-C6H2) (2). UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopic studies showed that the latter reaction proceeds via initial SET, forming RIP [PTip3]⋅+[DDQ]⋅−, and subsequent homolytic C−H bond activation, which was supported by DFT calculations. The isolation of analogous products, Tip2P(H)(2-[CMe2{TCQ−B(C6F5)3}]-4,6-iPr2-C6H2) (4, TCQ=tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone) and Tip2P(H)(2-[CMe2{oQtBu−B(C6F5)3}]-4,6-iPr2-C6H2) (8, oQtBu=3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone), from reactions of PTip3 with Lewis-acid activated quinones, TCQ−B(C6F5)3 and oQtBu−B(C6F5)3, respectively, further supports the proposed radical mechanism. As such, this study presents key mechanistic insights into the homolytic C−H bond activation by the synergistic action of radical ion pairs.