Walley, J. E.; Breiner, G.; Wang, G.; Dickie, D. A.; Molino, A.; Dutton, J. L.; Wilson, D. J. D.; Gilliard Jr., R. J. s-Block carbodicarbene chemistry: C(sp3)–H activation and cyclization mediated by a beryllium center. Chemical Communications 2019, 55, 1967-1970.
Abstract
The first examples of carbodicarbene (CDC)-s-block complexes have been synthesized. The addition of base or reducing agent to a CDC–beryllium (chloride)(hexamethyldisilazide) adduct results in the unprecedented activation of a pendant C(sp3)–H bond and cyclization of the CDC to form a five-membered beryllium metallacycle. This also represents the first example of chemical activation of a CDC which transforms the ligand from monodentate neutral to chelating anionic.