Stereo- and regioselective alkyne hydrometallation with gold(III) hydrides

Pintus, Anna

Primo

;Rocchigiani, Luca;Fernandez-Cestau, Julio;Budzelaar, Peter H. M.;Bochmann, Manfred

2016-01-01

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Abstract

The hydroauration of internal and terminal alkynes by gold(III) hydride complexes [(C^N^C)AuH] was found to be mediated by radicals and proceeds by an unexpected binuclear outer-sphere mechanism to cleanly form trans-insertion products. Radical precursors such as azobisisobutyronitrile lead to a drastic rate enhancement. DFT calculations support the proposed radical mechanism, with very low activation barriers, and rule out mononuclear mechanistic alternatives. These alkyne hydroaurations are highly regio- and stereospecific for the formation of Z-vinyl isomers, with Z/E ratios of >99:1 in most cases.