Solvent-Equilibrated Ion Pairs from Carbene Fragmentation Reactions

Abstract

[R(+) OC Cl(-)] ion pairs were generated in methanol/dichloroethane solutions, with R(+) as the 1-bicyclo[2.2.2]octyl, 1-adamantyl, or 3-homoadamantyl cation. Ion pairs were produced either by the direct fragmentation of alkoxychlorocarbenes (ROCCl), with R = 1-bicyclo[2.2.2]octyl, 1-adamantyl, or 3-homoadamantyl, or by the ring expansion-fragmentation of R'CH(2)OCCl, with R' = 1-norbornyl, 3-noradamantyl, or 1-adamantyl. Correlations of the [ROMe]/[RCl] product ratios as a function of the mole fraction of MeOH in dichloroethane showed that the homoadamantyl chloride ion pairs, produced by either the direct or ring expansion-fragmentations, were identical, solvent- and anion-equilibrated, and precursor independent. Laser flash photolysis experiments gave 20-30 ps as the time required for solvent equilibration and precursor independence. Methanol/chloride selectivities of the (less-stable) 1-adamantyl chloride and 1-bicyclo[2.2.2]octyl chloride ion pairs were not independent of their ROCCl or R'CH(2)OCCl precursors. Computational studies provided transition states for the fragmentations and for the structures of the ion pairs.