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Naohiko Yoshikai

Publications and source records attributed to Naohiko Yoshikai.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Aminohydroxyphosphine ligand for the copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of organozinc reagents.

An alanine-derived aminohydroxyphosphine ligand was developed for copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of organozinc reagents to alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. This new tridentate ligand induces consistently high enantioselectivity in reactions of a variety of acyclic substrates. Theoretical mechanistic analysis suggests that the C-C bond formation takes place through a highly ordered transition state by the coordination of the phosphorus and nitrogen atoms to the copper(III) and zinc(II) atoms, respectively, and of the oxygen anion to both the metal centers.

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Nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of aryl fluorides and chlorides with grignard reagents under nickel/magnesium bimetallic cooperation.

Nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of Grignard reagents with aryl (poly)fluorides or (poly)chlorides can be achieved efficiently in the presence of a new triarylphosphine ligand bearing a nearby hydroxy group. The high reactivity and the unique chemoselectivity (ArF > ArOTf > ArSR) of the catalysis have been attributed to synergy of nickel and magnesium atoms preorganized on the ligand, as has been surmised on the basis of theoretical modeling of the reaction mechanism.

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Synergistic dimetallic effects in propargylic substitution reaction catalyzed by thiolate-bridged diruthenium complex.

The origin of unique catalytic activity of a thiolate-bridged diruthenium complex in nucleophilic substitution reactions of propargylic alcohols, which features a diruthenium-allenylidene complex as a key intermediate, was studied with the aid of density functional calculations (B3LYP). Comparison of mono- and diruthenium systems has shown that the rigid but reasonably flexible Ru-Ru core structure plays a critical role in the catalyst turnover step (i.e., dissociative ligand exchange of the product pi-complex with the starting propargyl alcohol that goes through a coordinatively unsaturated Ru complex). In the diruthenium system, the energy loss due to coordinative unsaturation can be compensated by reinforcement of the Ru-Ru bond, while such an effect is unavailable in the monoruthenium counterpart. Weaker back-donation ability of the diruthenium complex is also advantageous for dissociation of the pi-complex. Thus, ligand exchange takes place smoothly in the diruthenium system to regenerate the reactive species, while the monoruthenium reaction stops at a dead-end Ru product pi-complex. The present studies have also shown the important role of protic molecules (e.g., MeOH) that mediate smooth proton transfer in the propargyl alcohol-allenylidene transformation.

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Enantioselective allylic substitution of cinnamyl esters catalyzed by iridium-chiral aryl phosphite complex: conspicuous change in the mechanistic spectrum by a countercation and solvent.

Iridium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of monoaryl substrates 4-6 with chiral phosphites 1-3 has been investigated. Although branched isomers were formed with high regioselectivities, the enantioselectivities of these products were remarkably influenced by solvents, countercations, and additives (ZnCl(2) and LiCl).

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L-shaped three-center two-electron (C-C-C)+ bonding array.

The structures and reactivities of the complexes between carbenium ions (R(+)) and acetylene or propyne have been investigated with the aid of electron-correlated quantum mechanical calculations (hybrid density functional, perturbation theory, and coupled cluster methods). Depending on the R group, the acetylene/carbenium ion interaction can produce either an "open" 3c-2e structure or the conventional vinyl cation structure. The "open" 3c-2e C-C-C bonding geometry exists as a minimum for R = methyl and primary/secondary/tertiary alkyl, and hence is the most notable. The alignment of three carbon centers is neither bridged nor linear, but L-shaped, and represents a new type of "open" 3c-2e bonding that has so far escaped proper attention.

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Mechanism of substitution reaction on sp2-carbon center with lithium organocuprate.

Theory and experiments suggest that the substitution reaction of a lithium dialkylcuprate(I) with an alkenyl bromide takes place through a pi-complex (cuprio(III)cyclopropane) that directly breaks down to the alkenylated product rather than via a conventional three-centered transition state. This mechanism is consistent with the broader mechanistic picture of the organocuprate reactions and accounts for the retentive stereochemistry and the kinetic isotope effect observed in the experiments.

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Mechanism of C[bond]H bond activation/C[bond]C bond formation reaction between diazo compound and alkane catalyzed by dirhodium tetracarboxylate.

The B3LYP density functional studies on the dirhodium tetracarboxylate-catalyzed C-H bond activation/C-C bond formation reaction of a diazo compound with an alkane revealed the energetics and the geometry of important intermediates and transition states in the catalytic cycle. The reaction is initiated by complexation between the rhodium catalyst and the diazo compound. Driven by the back-donation from the Rh 4d(xz) orbital to the C[bond]N sigma*-orbital, nitrogen extrusion takes place to afford a rhodium[bond]carbene complex. The carbene carbon of the complex is strongly electrophilic because of its vacant 2p orbital. The C[bond]H activation/C[bond]C formation proceeds in a single step through a three-centered hydride transfer-like transition state with a small activation energy. Only one of the two rhodium atoms works as a carbene binding site throughout the reaction, and the other rhodium atom assists the C[bond]H insertion reaction. The second Rh atom acts as a mobile ligand for the first one to enhance the electrophilicity of the carbene moiety and to facilitate the cleavage of the rhodium[bond]carbon bond. The calculations reproduce experimental data including the activation enthalpy of the nitrogen extrusion, the kinetic isotope effect of the C[bond]H insertion, and the reactivity order of the C[bond]H bond.

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