Mechanistic Studies on the Generation and Properties of Superelectrophilic Singlet Carbenes from Bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl)bromonium Ylides.

Pyrolysis of bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl)bromonium ylides in various olefins results in highly stereospecific formation of cyclopropanes via unimolecular decomposition. Product analysis, kinetic study, substituent effects, and theoretical study revealed the generation of singlet bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl)carbenes stabilized by intramolecular coordination of sulfonyl oxygen.

Direct transfer of the sulfonylimino group of imino-lambda3-bromane to N-heterocycles and trialkylamines: synthesis of N-iminoammonium ylides under metal-free conditions.

Exposure of N-heterocycles and aliphatic trialkylamines to trifluoromethanesulfonylimino-lambda(3)-bromane at room temperature results in direct transfer of the sulfonylimino group to the nitrogen atoms and affords a variety of iminoammonium ylides under transition-metal-free conditions. The imino-lambda(3)-bromane probably serves as an active nitrenoid species without any activation and produces the ammonium ylides via a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution process.