Table 1 illustrates the steps taken to optimize the conditions for the reaction of phenylacetylene trifluoroborate with benzoyl chloride to form the corresponding ynone product. Initially, catalysts known to convert organotrifluoroborates to organodifluoroboranes were tested. Unfortunately Silica gel,35 silicon tetrachloride,36 and boron trifluoride31,32 did not promote the formation of the desired ynone (Table 1, entries 1-3). The use of chlorinated Lewis acid catalysts proved to be more successful. A low yield of the desired ynone 1a was obtained in the presence of an iron(III) chloride catalyst (Table 1, entry 4). Next, aluminum(III) chloride was investigated as a result of its well-established ability to promote oxocarbenium ion formation in Friedel-Crafts acylations.37-39 The desired product was obtained in 62% yield when an aluminum(III) chloride catalyst was employed.
Further optimization revealed that air and moisture have little effect on the yield of the reaction (Table 1, entries 5-7). As a result, subsequent reactions were performed in non-dried glassware in the presence of air. Attempts to optimize the solvent revealed that dichloromethane (DCM) is particularly well suited to the reaction (Table 1, entries 8-12). Inconsistencies in the results of reactions catalyzed by aluminum(III) chloride prompted the exploration of alternative catalysts. Commercially available aluminum(III) chloride hexahydrate was completely inactive under the reaction conditions (Table 1, entry 13). This is a good indicator that the formation of aluminum(III) chloride hydrate inhibits the reaction. Boron trichloride was found to produce similar yields with better consistency (Table 1, entry 14).
Upon interaction of the potassium alkynyltrifluoroborate with boron trichloride, a more reactive organodichloroborane species is formed.40 This initial step is critical for the reaction with the acyl chloride and formation of the ynone to proceed. Since organotrifluoroborate salts are not soluble in DCM, the reaction takes place as a heterogeneous mixture. After addition of boron trichloride, the solution is sonicated order to facilitate formation of the reactive dichloroborane species by increasing the surface area of the trifluoroborate salt available to react. Application of ultrasound waves to the reaction mixture causes mechanical effects through the generation of cavitation bubbles. During sonication, collapse of cavitation bubbles in the fluid results in localized areas of high temperatures and pressures.41 Shock waves are produced that create microscopic turbulence resulting in an increase in kinetic energy of the solid trifluoroborate salts. The increase in energy of the system during sonication promotes fragmentation of the trifluoroborate salt resulting increased surface area available to interact with boron trichloride. Sonication of the reaction mixture prior to addition of the acyl chloride starting material ensures the efficient formation of the reactive alkynyldichloroborane species without the need for more forcing conditions or longer reaction times.
Figure 2 illustrates the results obtained when phenylacetylene trifluoroborate was reacted with a variety of acyl chlorides under the optimized reaction conditions. Neutral aromatic (1b, 1c) and aliphatic (1j-l) acyl chlorides furnish the corresponding ynones in synthetically useful yields. Those acyl chlorides bearing electron donating groups (1d-g) provide excellent yields while electron withdrawing groups result in comparatively modest yields (1h, 1i, 1m). Interestingly, when the electron withdrawing group is located in the ortho position (1i, 59%), a significant yield increase is observed in comparison to the analogous para substituted acyl chloride (1h, 30%). The steric interaction of the substituent in the ortho- position may force the carbonyl functional group out of the plane, thereby offsetting the electron-withdrawing character of the aromatic ring. It is worth noting that 4-bromobutyryl chloride reacted to afford the desired product 1m in 39% yield. To our knowledge, this is the first protocol for the synthesis of ynones to tolerate an alkyl bromide functional group. Occasionally, when the acyl chloride starting material is neutral or electron deficient, aliphatic impurities appear on the proton NMR. This may necessitate a pentane wash in order to further purify the product. While possible, it is not economical to perform the pentane wash during the first purification stage since pentane is costly in comparison to hexanes. Completing the secondary purification separately on a smaller scale such as a Pasteur pipette column significantly reduces the amount of pentane required.
Figure 3 illustrates the effect of the identity of the alkynyltrifluoroborate salt on the yield of the reaction. In general, derivatives of the phenylacetylene trifluoroborate salt bearing electron-donating substituents on the aromatic ring reacted with aromatic and aliphatic acyl chlorides to produce the desired ynones in good to excellent yields (2a-c, 3a-c). Aliphatic alkynyltrifluoroborate salts proved to be less reactive substrates. Modest yields have been obtained when hexynyl- and cyclopentylethynyltrifluoroborate salts were reacted with electron-rich benzoyl chloride derivatives (4a, 5a).
In conclusion, a novel method for the preparation of ynones from acyl chlorides and potassium alkynyltrifluoroborate salts has been developed. The yields obtained for the synthesis of ynones by this method range from modest to excellent depending on the nature of the acyl chloride and trifluoroborate starting materials. In general those starting materials bearing electron donating substituents undergo the reaction more readily than starting materials bearing neutral and electron withdrawing functional groups. The value of this approach lies in the operational simplicity and functional group tolerance of the method. This straightforward, one-pot reaction proceeds rapidly at ambient temperature in the presence of boron trichloride without exclusion of air and moisture. This convenient method may be employed in the preparation of ynones in modest to excellent yields from a variety of acyl chlorides and alkynyltrifluoroborate salts.