摘要:
The chiral lithium amide Li-1, prepared from (S)-N-[(R)-2-methoxy-1-phenylethyl]-alpha-methylbenzylamine 1, is known to form a mixed complex with BuLi, i.e., Li-1/BuLi. When this complex is kept at room temperature for 3 - 5 h, a regioselective lithiation of one of the ortho-C-atoms in the amide occurs. Kinetic studies indicate that this reaction proceeds within the mixed aggregate with a first-order rate constant for the rate-limiting step k(2) = 9.4 x 10(-4) s(-1) (DeltaG(273K)(not equal) = 21 kcal mol(-1)). Molecular modeling (semi-empirical PM3) suggests that the observed selectivity and reactivity are a consequence of the solvation and structure of the mixed complex, i. e., an example of a complex induced proximity effect (CIPE).