The Stille reaction is a
chemical reaction
A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the chemical transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Classically, chemical reactions encompass changes that only involve the positions of electrons in the forming and break ...
widely used in
organic synthesis
Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the intentional construction of organic compounds. Organic molecules are often more complex than inorganic compounds, and their synthesis has developed into one o ...
. The reaction involves the coupling of two organic groups, one of which is carried as an
organotin compound
Organotin compounds or stannanes are chemical compounds based on tin with hydrocarbon substituents. Organotin chemistry is part of the wider field of organometallic chemistry. The first organotin compound was diethyltin diiodide (), discovered ...
(also known as organostannanes). A variety of organic electrophiles provide the other
coupling partner In cross-coupling reactions, the component reagents are called cross-coupling partners or simply coupling partners. These reagents can be further classified according to their nucleophilic vs electrophilic character:
:R-X + R'-Y → R-R' + X ...
. The Stille reaction is one of many
palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction
In organic chemistry, a cross-coupling reaction is a reaction where two fragments are joined together with the aid of a metal catalyst. In one important reaction type, a main group organometallic compound of the type R-M (R = organic fragment, M = ...
s.
[Hartwig, J. F. ''Organotransition Metal Chemistry, from Bonding to Catalysis''; University Science Books: New York, 2010. ][Stille, J. K. '']Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl.
''Angewandte Chemie'' (, meaning "Applied Chemistry") is a weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal that is published by Wiley-VCH on behalf of the German Chemical Society (Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker). Publishing formats include feature-length ...
'' 1986, ''25'', 508–524.
Review
[Farina, V.; Krishnamurthy, V.; Scott, W. J. ''Org. React.'' 1998, ''50'', 1–652.]
Review
:
:*
: Allyl, alkenyl, aryl, benzyl,acyl
:*
: halides (Cl, Br, I), pseudohalides (,
OPO(OR)2), OAc
The R
1 group attached to the trialkyltin is normally sp
2-hybridized, including
vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from viny ...
, and
aryl
In organic chemistry, an aryl is any functional group or substituent derived from an aromatic ring, usually an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as phenyl and naphthyl. "Aryl" is used for the sake of abbreviation or generalization, and "Ar" is used as ...
groups.
These organostannanes are also stable to both air and moisture, and many of these reagents either are commercially available or can be synthesized from literature precedent. However, these tin reagents tend to be highly toxic. X is typically a
halide
In chemistry, a halide (rarely halogenide) is a binary chemical compound, of which one part is a halogen atom and the other part is an element or radical that is less electronegative (or more electropositive) than the halogen, to make a f ...
, such as
Cl,
Br, or
I, yet pseudohalides such as
triflate
In organic chemistry, triflate ( systematic name: trifluoromethanesulfonate), is a functional group with the formula and structure . The triflate group is often represented by , as opposed to −Tf, which is the triflyl group, . For example, ...
s and
sulfonate
In organosulfur chemistry, a sulfonate is a salt or ester of a sulfonic acid. It contains the functional group , where R is an organic group. Sulfonates are the conjugate bases of sulfonic acids. Sulfonates are generally stable in water, non- ...
s and
phosphate
In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphoric acid .
The phosphate or orthophosphate ion is derived from phosph ...
s can also be used.
[Scott, W. J.; Crisp, G. T.; Stille, J. K. '']Organic Syntheses
''Organic Syntheses'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1921. It publishes detailed and checked procedures for the synthesis of organic compounds. A unique feature of the review process is that all of the data and exper ...
'', Coll. Vol. 8, p. 97 (1993); Vol. 68, p. 116 (1990).
Article
[Stille, J. K.; Echavarren, A. M.; Williams, R. M.; Hendrix, J. A. '']Organic Syntheses
''Organic Syntheses'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1921. It publishes detailed and checked procedures for the synthesis of organic compounds. A unique feature of the review process is that all of the data and exper ...
'', Coll. Vol. 9, p.553 (1998); Vol. 71, p.97 (1993).
Article
Several reviews have been published.
[Kurti, L.; Czako, B. ''Strategic Applications of Named Reactions in Organic Synthesis''; Elsevier: Burlington, 2005.][Mitchell, T. N. ''J. Organomet. Chem.'', 1986, ''304'', 1-16.][Mitchell, T. N. ''Synthesis'', 1992, 803-815. ()][Farina, V. ''Pure Appl. Chem.'', 1996, ''68'', 73–78. ().][Farina, V.; Krishnamurthy, V.; Scott, W. J. ''The Stille Reaction''; Wiley: Online, 2004. ().][Espinet, P.; Echavarren, A. M. ''Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.'', 2004, ''43'', 4704–4734.()][Pattenden, G.; Sinclair, D. J. ''J.Organomet. Chem.'', 2002, 653, 261-268.][Kosugi, M.; Fugami, K. ''J. Organomet. Chem.'', 2002, 19, 10-16.][Pierre Genet, J.; Savignac, M. ''J. Organomet. Chem.'', 1999, 576, 305-317.][Cordova, C.; Bartolomé, C.; Martínez-Ilarduya, J.M..; Espinet, P. ''ACS Catal.'', 2015, ''5'', 3040–3053.().]
History
The first example of a
palladium catalyzed coupling of aryl halides with
organotin reagents was reported by
Colin Eaborn in 1976.
[Azarian, D.; Dua, S. S.; Eaborn, C.; Walton, D. R. M. ''J. Organomet. Chem.'', 1976, ''117'', C55-C57. ()] This reaction yielded from 7% to 53% of diaryl product. This process was expanded to the coupling of
acyl chlorides
In organic chemistry, an acyl chloride (or acid chloride) is an organic compound with the functional group . Their formula is usually written , where R is a side chain. They are reactive derivatives of carboxylic acids (). A specific example ...
with alkyl-tin reagents in 1977 by Toshihiko Migita, yielding 53% to 87%
ketone
In organic chemistry, a ketone is a functional group with the structure R–C(=O)–R', where R and R' can be a variety of carbon-containing substituents. Ketones contain a carbonyl group –C(=O)– (which contains a carbon-oxygen double bon ...
product.
[Kosugi, M.; Shimizu, Y.; Migita, T. ''Chem. Lett.'', 1977, ''6'', 1423-1424. ()]

In 1977, Migita published further work on the coupling of
allyl
In organic chemistry, an allyl group is a substituent with the structural formula , where R is the rest of the molecule. It consists of a methylene bridge () attached to a vinyl group (). The name is derived from the scientific name for garlic, ...
-tin reagents with both
aryl
In organic chemistry, an aryl is any functional group or substituent derived from an aromatic ring, usually an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as phenyl and naphthyl. "Aryl" is used for the sake of abbreviation or generalization, and "Ar" is used as ...
(C) and
acyl
In chemistry, an acyl group is a moiety derived by the removal of one or more hydroxyl groups from an oxoacid, including inorganic acids. It contains a double-bonded oxygen atom and an alkyl group (). In organic chemistry, the acyl group ( I ...
(D) halides. The greater ability of allyl groups to migrate to the
palladium catalyst allowed the reactions to be performed at lower temperatures. Yields for aryl halides ranged from 4% to 100%, and for acyl halides from 27% to 86%.
[Kosugi, M.; Sasazawa, K.; Shikizu, Y.; Migita, T. ''Chem. Lett.'', 1977, ''6'', 301-302. ()][Kosugi, M.; Shimizu, Y.; Migita, T. ''J. Organomet. Chem.'', 1977, ''129'', C36-C38. ()] Reflecting the early contributions of Migita and Kosugi, the Stille reaction is sometimes called the Migita–Kosugi–Stille coupling.
John Kenneth Stille
John Kenneth Stille (May 8, 1930 – July 19, 1989) was an American chemist who discovered the Stille reaction. He received B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Arizona before serving in the Navy during the Korean War. He received his P ...
subsequently reported the coupling of a variety of alkyl tin reagents in 1978 with numerous aryl and acyl halides under mild reaction conditions with much better yields (76%-99%).
[Milstein, D.; Stille, J. K. '']Journal of the American Chemical Society
The ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'' is a weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1879 by the American Chemical Society. The journal has absorbed two other publications in its history, the ''Journal of Analytica ...
'', 1978, ''100'', 3636-3638. () Stille continued his work in the 1980s on the synthesis of a multitude of ketones using this broad and mild process and elucidated a mechanism for this transformation.[Milstein, D.; Stille, J. K. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1979, ''101'', 4992-4998. ()][Milstein, D.; Stille, J. K. ''J. Org. Chem.'', 1979, ''44'', 1613-1618. ()]
By the mid-1980s, over 65 papers on the topic of coupling reactions involving tin had been published, continuing to explore the substrate scope of this reaction. While initial research in the field focused on the coupling of alkyl groups, most future work involved the much more synthetically useful coupling of vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from viny ...
, alkenyl
In organic chemistry, an alkene is a hydrocarbon containing a carbon–carbon double bond.
Alkene is often used as synonym of olefin, that is, any hydrocarbon containing one or more double bonds.H. Stephen Stoker (2015): General, Organic, an ...
, aryl, and allyl organostannanes to halides. Due to these organotin reagent's stability to air and their ease of synthesis, the Stille reaction became common in organic synthesis.
Mechanism
The mechanism of the Stille reaction has been extensively studied.[Casado, A. L.; Espinet, P.; Gallego, A. M. ''J. Am, Chem. Soc.'', 2000, ''122'', 11771-11782. ()] The catalytic cycle
In chemistry, a catalytic cycle is a multistep reaction mechanism that involves a catalyst. The catalytic cycle is the main method for describing the role of catalysts in biochemistry, organometallic chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, material ...
involves an oxidative addition
Oxidative addition and reductive elimination are two important and related classes of reactions in organometallic chemistry. Oxidative addition is a process that increases both the oxidation state and coordination number of a metal centre. Oxid ...
of a halide
In chemistry, a halide (rarely halogenide) is a binary chemical compound, of which one part is a halogen atom and the other part is an element or radical that is less electronegative (or more electropositive) than the halogen, to make a f ...
or pseudohalide (2) to a palladium catalyst (1), transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
of 3 with an organotin reagent (4), and reductive elimination
Reductive elimination is an elementary step in organometallic chemistry in which the oxidation state of the metal center decreases while forming a new covalent bond between two ligands. It is the microscopic reverse of oxidative addition, and ...
of 5 to yield the coupled product (7) and the regenerated palladium catalyst (1).[Crabtree, R. H. ''The Organometallic Chemistry of the Transition Metals'', 5th ed.; Wiley: New York, 2009.]
However, the detailed mechanism of the Stille coupling is extremely complex and can occur via numerous reaction pathways. Like other palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions
In organic chemistry, a cross-coupling reaction is a reaction where two fragments are joined together with the aid of a metal catalyst. In one important reaction type, a main group organometallic compound of the type R-M (R = organic fragment, M = ...
, the active palladium catalyst is believed to be a 14-electron Pd(0) complex, which can be generated in a variety of ways. Use of an 18- or 16- electron Pd(0) source , can undergo ligand
In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule ( functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's ele ...
dissociation to form the active species. Second, phosphines
Phosphine (IUPAC name: phosphane) is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic compound with the chemical formula , classed as a pnictogen hydride. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like rotting ...
can be added to ligandless palladium(0). Finally, as pictured, reduction of a Pd(II) source (8) , , , , etc.) by added phosphine ligands or organotin reagents is also common
Oxidative addition
Oxidative addition to the 14-electron Pd(0) complex is proposed. This process gives a 16-electron Pd(II) species. It has been suggested that anionic ligands, such as OAc, accelerate this step by the formation of 3)n">d(OAc)(PR3)nsup>−, making the palladium species more nucleophillic.[Perez-Temprano, M. H.; Gallego, A. M.; Casares, J. A.; Espinet, P. ''Organometallics'', 2011, ''30'', 611-617. ().]
In some cases, especially when an sp3-hybridized organohalide
Halocarbon compounds are chemicals in which one or more carbon atoms are linked by covalent bonds with one or more halogen atoms ( fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine – ) resulting in the formation of organofluorine compounds, organochlo ...
is used, an SN2 type mechanism tends to prevail, yet this is not as commonly seen in the literature.
However, despite normally forming a ''cis''-intermediate after a concerted oxidative addition, this product is in rapid equilibrium with its ''trans''-isomer.[Minniti, D. ''Inorg. Chem'', 1994, ''33'', 2631-2634.().][Casado, A. L.; Espinet, P. ''Organometallics'', 1998, ''17'', 954-959. ().]
There are multiple reasons why isomerization
In chemistry, isomerization or isomerisation is the process in which a molecule, polyatomic ion or molecular fragment is transformed into an isomer with a different chemical structure. Enolization is an example of isomerization, as is tautome ...
is favored here. First, a bulky ligand set is usually used in these processes, such as phosphines
Phosphine (IUPAC name: phosphane) is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic compound with the chemical formula , classed as a pnictogen hydride. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like rotting ...
, and it is highly unfavorable for them to adopt a ''cis'' orientation relative to each other, resulting in isomerization
In chemistry, isomerization or isomerisation is the process in which a molecule, polyatomic ion or molecular fragment is transformed into an isomer with a different chemical structure. Enolization is an example of isomerization, as is tautome ...
to the more favorable trans product. An alternative explanation for this phenomenon, dubbed antisymbiosis or transphobia, is by invocation of the sdn model.[Landis, C. R.; Firman, T. K.' Root, D. M.; Cleveland, T. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1998, ''120'', 1842-1854. ().] Under this theory, palladium is a hypervalent species. Hence R1 and the trans ligand, being trans to each other, will compete with one palladium orbital for bonding. This 4-electron 3-center bond is weakest when two strong donating groups are present, which heavily compete for the palladium orbital. Relative to any ligand
In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule ( functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's ele ...
normally used, the C-donor R1 ligand has a much higher trans effect In inorganic chemistry, the trans effect is the increased lability of ligands that are trans to certain other ligands, which can thus be regarded as trans-directing ligands. It is attributed to electronic effects and it is most notable in square p ...
. This trans influence is a measure of how competitive ligands trans to each other will compete for palladium's orbital. The usual ligand set, phosphines, and C-donors (R1) are both soft ligands, meaning that they will form strong bonds to palladium
Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself nam ...
, and heavily compete with each other for bonding.[Vicente, J.; Arcas, A.; Bautista, D. ''Organometallics'', 1997, ''16'', 2127-2138. ().][Pearson, R. G. ''Inorg. Chem'', 1973, ''12'', 712-713.().] Since halides
In chemistry, a halide (rarely halogenide) is a binary chemical compound, of which one part is a halogen atom and the other part is an element or radical that is less electronegative (or more electropositive) than the halogen, to make a fl ...
or pseudohalides are significantly more electronegative
Electronegativity, symbolized as , is the tendency for an atom of a given chemical element to attract shared electrons (or electron density) when forming a chemical bond. An atom's electronegativity is affected by both its atomic number and the d ...
, their bonding with palladium will be highly polarized, with most of the electron density
In quantum chemistry, electron density or electronic density is the measure of the probability of an electron being present at an infinitesimal element of space surrounding any given point. It is a scalar quantity depending upon three spatial ...
on the X group, making them low trans effect In inorganic chemistry, the trans effect is the increased lability of ligands that are trans to certain other ligands, which can thus be regarded as trans-directing ligands. It is attributed to electronic effects and it is most notable in square p ...
ligands. Hence, it will be highly favorable for R1 to be trans to X, since the R1 group will be able to form a stronger bond to the palladium.
Transmetalation
The transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
of the ''trans'' intermediate from the oxidative addition
Oxidative addition and reductive elimination are two important and related classes of reactions in organometallic chemistry. Oxidative addition is a process that increases both the oxidation state and coordination number of a metal centre. Oxid ...
step is believed to proceed via a variety of mechanisms depending on the substrates and conditions. The most common type of transmetalation for the Stille coupling involves an associative mechanism
Associative substitution describes a pathway by which compounds interchange ligands. The terminology is typically applied to organometallic and coordination complexes, but resembles the Sn2 mechanism in organic chemistry. The opposite pathway is ...
. This pathway implies that the organostannane, normally a tin atom bonded to an allyl, alkenyl, or aryl group, can coordinate
In geometry, a coordinate system is a system that uses one or more numbers, or coordinates, to uniquely determine the position of the points or other geometric elements on a manifold such as Euclidean space. The order of the coordinates is si ...
to the palladium via one of these double bonds. This produces a fleeting pentavalent, 18-electron species, which can then undergo ligand detachment to form a square planar
The square planar molecular geometry in chemistry describes the stereochemistry (spatial arrangement of atoms) that is adopted by certain chemical compounds. As the name suggests, molecules of this geometry have their atoms positioned at the corn ...
complex again. Despite the organostannane being coordinated to the palladium through the R2 group, R2 must be formally transferred to the palladium
Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself nam ...
(the R2-Sn bond must be broken), and the X group must leave with the tin, completing the transmetalation. This is believed to occur through two mechanisms.[Garcia-Melchor, M.; Braga, A. A. C.; Lledos, A.; Ujaque, G.; Maseras, F. ''Acc. Chem. Res.'', 2013, ''46'', 2626-2634. ()]
First, when the organostannane initially adds to the trans metal complex, the X group can coordinate
In geometry, a coordinate system is a system that uses one or more numbers, or coordinates, to uniquely determine the position of the points or other geometric elements on a manifold such as Euclidean space. The order of the coordinates is si ...
to the tin, in addition to the palladium, producing a cyclic transition state
In chemistry, the transition state of a chemical reaction is a particular configuration along the reaction coordinate. It is defined as the state corresponding to the highest potential energy along this reaction coordinate. It is often marked ...
. Breakdown of this adduct results in the loss of R3Sn-X and a trivalent palladium
Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself nam ...
complex with R1 and R2 present in a ''cis'' relationship. Another commonly seen mechanism involves the same initial addition of the organostannane to the ''trans'' palladium complex as seen above; however, in this case, the X group does not coordinate to the tin, producing an open transition state
In chemistry, the transition state of a chemical reaction is a particular configuration along the reaction coordinate. It is defined as the state corresponding to the highest potential energy along this reaction coordinate. It is often marked ...
. After the α-carbon
In the nomenclature of organic chemistry, a locant is a term to indicate the position of a functional group or substituent within a molecule.
Numeric locants
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommends the use of n ...
relative to tin attacks the palladium, the tin complex will leave with a net positive charge. In the scheme below, please note that the double bond coordinating to tin denotes R2, so any alkenyl
In organic chemistry, an alkene is a hydrocarbon containing a carbon–carbon double bond.
Alkene is often used as synonym of olefin, that is, any hydrocarbon containing one or more double bonds.H. Stephen Stoker (2015): General, Organic, an ...
, allyl
In organic chemistry, an allyl group is a substituent with the structural formula , where R is the rest of the molecule. It consists of a methylene bridge () attached to a vinyl group (). The name is derived from the scientific name for garlic, ...
, or aryl
In organic chemistry, an aryl is any functional group or substituent derived from an aromatic ring, usually an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as phenyl and naphthyl. "Aryl" is used for the sake of abbreviation or generalization, and "Ar" is used as ...
group. Furthermore, the X group can dissociate at any time during the mechanism and bind to the Sn+ complex at the end. Density functional theory
Density-functional theory (DFT) is a computational quantum mechanical modelling method used in physics, chemistry and materials science to investigate the electronic structure (or nuclear structure) (principally the ground state) of many-bo ...
calculations predict that an open mechanism will prevail if the 2 ligands remain attached to the palladium and the X group leaves, while the cyclic mechanism is more probable if a ligand dissociates prior to the transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
. Hence, good leaving groups such as triflates in polar solvents favor the former, while bulky phosphine ligands will favor the latter.
A less common pathway for transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
is through a dissociative or solvent assisted mechanism. Here, a ligand from the tetravalent palladium species dissociates, and a coordinating solvent can add onto the palladium. When the solvent
A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for ...
detaches, to form a 14-electron trivalent intermediate, the organostannane can add to the palladium
Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself nam ...
, undergoing an open or cyclic type process as above.
Reductive elimination step
In order for R1-R2 to reductively eliminate, these groups must occupy mutually ''cis'' coordination sites. Any ''trans''-adducts must therefore isomerize to the ''cis'' intermediate or the coupling will be frustrated. A variety of mechanisms exist for reductive elimination and these are usually considered to be concerted.[Gillie, A.; Stille, J. K. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1980, ''102'', 4933-4941. ().][Brown, J. M.; Cooley, N. A. ''Chem. Rev.'', 1988, ''88'', 1031-1046. ().]
First, the 16-electron tetravalent intermediate from the transmetalation step can undergo unassisted reductive elimination from a square planar
The square planar molecular geometry in chemistry describes the stereochemistry (spatial arrangement of atoms) that is adopted by certain chemical compounds. As the name suggests, molecules of this geometry have their atoms positioned at the corn ...
complex. This reaction occurs in two steps: first, the reductive elimination is followed by coordination of the newly formed sigma bond between R1 and R2 to the metal, with ultimate dissociation yielding the coupled product.
The previous process, however, is sometimes slow and can be greatly accelerated by dissociation of a ligand to yield a 14-electron T shaped intermediate. This intermediate can then rearrange to form a Y-shaped adduct, which can undergo faster reductive elimination.
Finally, an extra ligand can associate to the palladium to form an 18-electron trigonal bipyramidal structure, with R1 and R2 cis to each other in equatorial positions. The geometry of this intermediate makes it similar to the Y-shaped above.
The presence of bulky ligands can also increase the rate of elimination. Ligands such as phosphines
Phosphine (IUPAC name: phosphane) is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic compound with the chemical formula , classed as a pnictogen hydride. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like rotting ...
with large bite angles
In coordination chemistry the bite angle is the ligand–metal–ligand bond angle of coordination complex containing a bidentate ligand. This geometric parameter is used to classify chelating ligands, including those in organometallic complexes. ...
cause steric repulsion between L and R1 and R2, resulting in the angle between L and the R groups to increase and the angle between R1 and R2 to hence decrease, allowing for quicker reductive elimination
Reductive elimination is an elementary step in organometallic chemistry in which the oxidation state of the metal center decreases while forming a new covalent bond between two ligands. It is the microscopic reverse of oxidative addition, and ...
.
Kinetics
The rate at which organostannanes transmetalate with palladium catalysts is shown below. Sp2-hybridized carbon groups attached to tin are the most commonly used coupling partners, and sp3-hybridized carbons require harsher conditions and terminal alkynes may be coupled via a C-H bond through the Sonogashira reaction.
As the organic tin compound, a trimethylstannyl or tributylstannyl compound is normally used. Although trimethylstannyl compounds show higher reactivity compared with tributylstannyl compounds and have much simpler 1H-NMR spectra, the toxicity of the former is much larger.
Optimizing which ligands are best at carrying out the reaction with high yield and turnover rate can be difficult. This is because the oxidative addition
Oxidative addition and reductive elimination are two important and related classes of reactions in organometallic chemistry. Oxidative addition is a process that increases both the oxidation state and coordination number of a metal centre. Oxid ...
requires an electron rich metal, hence favoring electron donating ligands. However, an electron deficient metal is more favorable for the transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
and reductive elimination
Reductive elimination is an elementary step in organometallic chemistry in which the oxidation state of the metal center decreases while forming a new covalent bond between two ligands. It is the microscopic reverse of oxidative addition, and ...
steps, making electron withdrawing ligands the best here. Therefore, the optimal ligand set heavily depends on the individual substrates and conditions used. These can change the rate determining step, as well as the mechanism for the transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
step.[Farina, V.; ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1991, ''113'', 9585-9595. ().]
Normally, ligands of intermediate donicity, such as phosphines, are utilized. Rate enhancements can be seen when moderately electron-poor ligands, such as tri-2-furylphosphine or triphenylarsenine are used. Likewise, ligands of high donor number can slow down or inhibit coupling reactions.
These observations imply that normally, the rate-determining step for the Stille reaction is transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
.
Additives
The most common additive to the Stille reaction is stoichiometric
Stoichiometry refers to the relationship between the quantities of reactants and products before, during, and following chemical reactions.
Stoichiometry is founded on the law of conservation of mass where the total mass of the reactants equ ...
or co-catalytic copper(I), specifically copper iodide, which can enhance rates
Rate or rates may refer to:
Finance
* Rates (tax), a type of taxation system in the United Kingdom used to fund local government
* Exchange rate, rate at which one currency will be exchanged for another
Mathematics and science
* Rate (mathem ...
up by >103 fold. It has been theorized that in polar solvents
A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for ...
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish ...
transmetalate with the organostannane. The resulting organocuprate reagent could then transmetalate with the palladium catalyst. Furthermore, in ethereal solvents, the copper could also facilitate the removal of a phosphine ligand, activating the Pd center.[Liebeskind, L. S.; Fengl, R. W. ''J. Org. Chem.'', 1990, ''55'', 5359-5364. ().][Farina, V.; Kapadia, S.; Brishnan, B.; Wang, C.; Liebeskind, L. S. ''J, Org. Chem'', 1994, ''59'', 5905-5911. ().][Mee, S. P. H.; Lee, V.; Baldwin, J. E. ''Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.'', 2004, ''43'', 1132-1136.][Liebeskind, L. S.; Peña-Cabrera, E. '']Organic Syntheses
''Organic Syntheses'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1921. It publishes detailed and checked procedures for the synthesis of organic compounds. A unique feature of the review process is that all of the data and exper ...
'', Coll. Vol. 10, p.9 (2004); Vol. 77, p.135 (2000).
Article
Lithium chloride
Lithium chloride is a chemical compound with the formula Li Cl. The salt is a typical ionic compound (with certain covalent characteristics), although the small size of the Li+ ion gives rise to properties not seen for other alkali metal chlori ...
has been found to be a powerful rate accelerant in cases where the X group dissociates from palladium (i.e. the open mechanism). The chloride
The chloride ion is the anion (negatively charged ion) Cl−. It is formed when the element chlorine (a halogen) gains an electron or when a compound such as hydrogen chloride is dissolved in water or other polar solvents. Chloride s ...
ion is believed to either displace the X group on the palladium making the catalyst more active for transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
or by coordination to the Pd(0) adduct to accelerate the oxidative addition
Oxidative addition and reductive elimination are two important and related classes of reactions in organometallic chemistry. Oxidative addition is a process that increases both the oxidation state and coordination number of a metal centre. Oxid ...
. Also, LiCl salt enhances the polarity
Polarity may refer to:
Science
* Electrical polarity, direction of electrical current
* Polarity (mutual inductance), the relationship between components such as transformer windings
* Polarity (projective geometry), in mathematics, a duality of o ...
of the solvent, making it easier for this normally anionic ligand
In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule ( functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's ele ...
(– Cl, – Br, – OTf, etc.) to leave. This additive is necessary when a solvent like THF is used; however, utilization of a more polar solvent, such as NMP, can replace the need for this salt additive. However, when the coupling's transmetalation step proceeds via the cyclic mechanism, addition of lithium chloride can actually decrease the rate. As in the cyclic mechanism, a neutral ligand, such as phosphine, must dissociate instead of the anionic X group.[Scott, W. J.; Stille, J. K. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1986, ''108'', 3033-3040. ().]
Finally, sources of fluoride ions
Fluoride (). According to this source, is a possible pronunciation in British English. is an inorganic, monatomic anion of fluorine, with the chemical formula (also written ), whose salts are typically white or colorless. Fluoride salts typ ...
, such as cesium fluoride, also effect on the catalytic cycle
In chemistry, a catalytic cycle is a multistep reaction mechanism that involves a catalyst. The catalytic cycle is the main method for describing the role of catalysts in biochemistry, organometallic chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, material ...
. First, fluoride can increase the rates of reactions of organotriflates, possibly by the same effect as lithium chloride
Lithium chloride is a chemical compound with the formula Li Cl. The salt is a typical ionic compound (with certain covalent characteristics), although the small size of the Li+ ion gives rise to properties not seen for other alkali metal chlori ...
. Furthermore, fluoride ions can act as scavengers
Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding b ...
for tin byproducts, making them easier to remove via filtration
Filtration is a physical separation process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture using a ''filter medium'' that has a complex structure through which only the fluid can pass. Solid particles that cannot pass through the filte ...
.
Competing side reactions
The most common side reactivity associated with the Stille reaction is homocoupling of the stannane reagents to form an R2-R2 dimer. It is believed to proceed through two possible mechanisms. First, reaction of two equivalents of organostannane with the Pd(II) precatalyst will yield the homocoupled product after reductive elimination
Reductive elimination is an elementary step in organometallic chemistry in which the oxidation state of the metal center decreases while forming a new covalent bond between two ligands. It is the microscopic reverse of oxidative addition, and ...
. Second, the Pd(0) catalyst can undergo a radical process to yield the dimer. The organostannane reagent used is traditionally tetravalent at tin, normally consisting of the sp2-hybridized group to be transferred and three "non-transferable" alkyl
In organic chemistry, an alkyl group is an alkane missing one hydrogen.
The term ''alkyl'' is intentionally unspecific to include many possible substitutions.
An acyclic alkyl has the general formula of . A cycloalkyl is derived from a cycloal ...
groups. As seen above, alkyl groups are normally the slowest at migrating onto the palladium catalyst.
It has also been found that at temperatures as low as 50 °C, aryl
In organic chemistry, an aryl is any functional group or substituent derived from an aromatic ring, usually an aromatic hydrocarbon, such as phenyl and naphthyl. "Aryl" is used for the sake of abbreviation or generalization, and "Ar" is used as ...
groups on both palladium
Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself nam ...
and a coordinated phosphine
Phosphine ( IUPAC name: phosphane) is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic compound with the chemical formula , classed as a pnictogen hydride. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like rotti ...
can exchange. While normally not detected, they can be a potential minor product in many cases.
Finally, a rather rare and exotic side reaction is known as cine substitution. Here, after initial oxidative addition
Oxidative addition and reductive elimination are two important and related classes of reactions in organometallic chemistry. Oxidative addition is a process that increases both the oxidation state and coordination number of a metal centre. Oxid ...
of an aryl halide In organic chemistry, an aryl halide (also known as haloarene) is an aromatic compound in which one or more hydrogen atoms, directly bonded to an aromatic ring are replaced by a halide. The haloarene are different from haloalkanes because they exhi ...
, this Pd-Ar species can insert across a vinyl tin double bond. After β-hydride elimination, migratory insertion
In organometallic chemistry, a migratory insertion is a type of reaction wherein two ligands on a metal complex combine. It is a subset of reactions that very closely resembles the insertion reactions, and both are differentiated by the mecha ...
, and protodestannylation, a 1,2-disubstituted olefin can be synthesized.
Numerous other side reactions can occur, and these include E/Z isomerization, which can potentially be a problem when an alkenylstannane is utilized. The mechanism of this transformation is currently unknown. Normally, organostannanes are quite stable to hydrolysis
Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water is the nucleophile.
Biological hydrolysis ...
, yet when very electron-rich aryl stannanes are used, this can become a significant side reaction.
Scope
Electrophile
Vinyl halide
In organic chemistry, a vinyl halide is a compound with the formula CH2=CHX (X = halide). The term vinyl is often used to describe any alkenyl group. For this reason, alkenyl halides with the formula RCH=CHX are sometimes called vinyl halides. Fro ...
s are common coupling partners in the Stille reaction, and reactions of this type are found in numerous natural product
A natural product is a natural compound or substance produced by a living organism—that is, found in nature. In the broadest sense, natural products include any substance produced by life. Natural products can also be prepared by chemical sy ...
total syntheses. Normally, vinyl iodides and bromides are used. Vinyl chlorides are insufficiently reactive toward oxidative addition
Oxidative addition and reductive elimination are two important and related classes of reactions in organometallic chemistry. Oxidative addition is a process that increases both the oxidation state and coordination number of a metal centre. Oxid ...
to Pd(0). Iodide
An iodide ion is the ion I−. Compounds with iodine in formal oxidation state −1 are called iodides. In everyday life, iodide is most commonly encountered as a component of iodized salt, which many governments mandate. Worldwide, iodine def ...
s are normally preferred: they will typically react faster and under milder conditions than will bromide
A bromide ion is the negatively charged form (Br−) of the element bromine, a member of the halogens group on the periodic table. Most bromides are colorless. Bromides have many practical roles, being found in anticonvulsants, flame-retardan ...
s. This difference is demonstrated below by the selective coupling
A coupling is a device used to connect two shafts together at their ends for the purpose of transmitting power. The primary purpose of couplings is to join two pieces of rotating equipment while permitting some degree of misalignment or end mov ...
of a vinyl iodide in the presence of a vinyl bromide.
Normally, the stereochemistry
Stereochemistry, a subdiscipline of chemistry, involves the study of the relative spatial arrangement of atoms that form the structure of molecules and their manipulation. The study of stereochemistry focuses on the relationships between stereo ...
of the alkene
In organic chemistry, an alkene is a hydrocarbon containing a carbon–carbon double bond.
Alkene is often used as synonym of olefin, that is, any hydrocarbon containing one or more double bonds.H. Stephen Stoker (2015): General, Organic, an ...
is retained throughout the reaction, except under harsh reaction conditions. A variety of alkenes may be used, and these include both α- and β-halo-α,β unsaturated ketone
In organic chemistry, a ketone is a functional group with the structure R–C(=O)–R', where R and R' can be a variety of carbon-containing substituents. Ketones contain a carbonyl group –C(=O)– (which contains a carbon-oxygen double bon ...
s, ester
In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides ...
s, and sulfoxide
In organic chemistry, a sulfoxide, also called a sulphoxide, is an organosulfur compound containing a sulfinyl () functional group attached to two carbon atoms. It is a polar functional group. Sulfoxides are oxidized derivatives of sulfides. E ...
s (which normally need a copper (I) additive to proceed), and more (see example below).[Johnson, C. R.; Adams, J. P.; Braun, M.P.; Senanayake, C. B. W. ''Tetrahedron Lett.'', 1992, ''33'', 919-922. ()] Vinyl triflates are also sometimes used. Some reactions require the addition of LiCl and others are slowed down, implying that two mechanistic pathways are present.
Another class of common electrophiles are aryl and heterocyclic
A heterocyclic compound or ring structure is a cyclic compound that has atoms of at least two different elements as members of its ring(s). Heterocyclic chemistry is the branch of organic chemistry dealing with the synthesis, properties, and ...
halides. As for the vinyl substrates, bromides and iodides are more common despite their greater expense. A multitude of aryl groups can be chosen, including rings substituted with electron donating substituents, biaryl
Biphenyl (also known as diphenyl, phenylbenzene, 1,1′-biphenyl, lemonene or BP) is an organic compound that forms colorless crystals. Particularly in older literature, compounds containing the functional group consisting of biphenyl less one ...
rings, and more. Halogen-substituted heterocycle
A heterocyclic compound or ring structure is a cyclic compound that has atoms of at least two different elements as members of its ring(s). Heterocyclic chemistry is the branch of organic chemistry dealing with the synthesis, properties, and ...
s have also been used as coupling partners, including pyridines
Pyridine is a basic heterocyclic organic compound with the chemical formula . It is structurally related to benzene, with one methine group replaced by a nitrogen atom. It is a highly flammable, weakly alkaline, water-miscible liquid with a ...
, furans
Furan is a heterocyclic organic compound, consisting of a five-membered aromatic ring with four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Chemical compounds containing such rings are also referred to as furans.
Furan is a colorless, flammable, highly ...
, thiophenes, thiazoles, indoles
Indole is an aromatic heterocyclic organic compound with the formula C8 H7 N. It has a bicyclic structure, consisting of a six-membered benzene ring fused to a five-membered pyrrole ring. Indole is widely distributed in the natural environme ...
, imidazoles
Imidazole (ImH) is an organic compound with the formula C3N2H4. It is a white or colourless solid that is soluble in water, producing a mildly alkaline solution. In chemistry, it is an aromatic heterocycle, classified as a diazole, and has non- ...
, purines
Purine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound that consists of two rings ( pyrimidine and imidazole) fused together. It is water-soluble. Purine also gives its name to the wider class of molecules, purines, which include substituted purines ...
, uracil
Uracil () (symbol U or Ura) is one of the four nucleobases in the nucleic acid RNA. The others are adenine (A), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). In RNA, uracil binds to adenine via two hydrogen bonds. In DNA, the uracil nucleobase is replaced ...
, cytosine
Cytosine () (symbol C or Cyt) is one of the four nucleobases found in DNA and RNA, along with adenine, guanine, and thymine ( uracil in RNA). It is a pyrimidine derivative, with a heterocyclic aromatic ring and two substituents attached ...
s, pyrimidines
Pyrimidine (; ) is an aromatic, heterocyclic, organic compound similar to pyridine (). One of the three diazines (six-membered heterocyclics with two nitrogen atoms in the ring), it has nitrogen atoms at positions 1 and 3 in the ring. The othe ...
, and more (See below for table of heterocycles; halogens can be substituted at a variety of positions on each).
Below is an example of the use of Stille coupling to build complexity on heterocycle
A heterocyclic compound or ring structure is a cyclic compound that has atoms of at least two different elements as members of its ring(s). Heterocyclic chemistry is the branch of organic chemistry dealing with the synthesis, properties, and ...
s of nucleosides
Nucleosides are glycosylamines that can be thought of as nucleotides without a phosphate group. A nucleoside consists simply of a nucleobase (also termed a nitrogenous base) and a five-carbon sugar (ribose or 2'-deoxyribose) whereas a nucleotid ...
, such as purines
Purine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound that consists of two rings ( pyrimidine and imidazole) fused together. It is water-soluble. Purine also gives its name to the wider class of molecules, purines, which include substituted purines ...
.[Nair, V.; Turner, G. A.; Chamberlain, S. D. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1987, ''109'', 7223-7224. ().]
Aryl triflates
In organic chemistry, triflate (systematic name: trifluoromethanesulfonate), is a functional group with the formula and structure . The triflate group is often represented by , as opposed to −Tf, which is the triflyl group, . For example, ...
and sulfonates are also couple to a wide variety of organostannane reagents. Triflates tend to react comparably to bromides in the Stille reaction.
Acyl chlorides
In organic chemistry, an acyl chloride (or acid chloride) is an organic compound with the functional group . Their formula is usually written , where R is a side chain. They are reactive derivatives of carboxylic acids (). A specific example ...
are also used as coupling partners and can be used with a large range of organostannane, even alkyl-tin reagents, to produce ketones
In organic chemistry, a ketone is a functional group with the structure R–C(=O)–R', where R and R' can be a variety of carbon-containing substituents. Ketones contain a carbonyl group –C(=O)– (which contains a carbon-oxygen double bon ...
(see example below).[Jousseaume, B.; Kwon, W.; Verlhac, J. B.; Denat, F.; Dubac, J. ''Synlett'', 1993, 117-118. ()] However, it is sometimes difficult to introduce acyl chloride functional groups
In organic chemistry, a functional group is a substituent or moiety in a molecule that causes the molecule's characteristic chemical reactions. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reactions regardless of the rest ...
into large molecules with sensitive functional groups. An alternative developed to this process is the Stille-carbonylative cross-coupling reaction, which introduces the carbonyl
In organic chemistry, a carbonyl group is a functional group composed of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom: C=O. It is common to several classes of organic compounds, as part of many larger functional groups. A compound containin ...
group via carbon monoxide insertion.
Allylic
In organic chemistry, an allyl group is a substituent with the structural formula , where R is the rest of the molecule. It consists of a methylene bridge () attached to a vinyl group (). The name is derived from the scientific name for garlic, . ...
, benzylic
In organic chemistry, benzyl is the substituent or molecular fragment possessing the structure . Benzyl features a benzene ring () attached to a methylene group () group.
Nomenclature
In IUPAC nomenclature, the prefix benzyl refers to a substi ...
, and propargylic halides can also be coupled. While commonly employed, allylic halides proceed via an η3 transition state, allowing for coupling with the organostannane at either the α or γ position, occurring predominantly at the least substituted carbon (see example below).[Sheffy, F. K.; Godschalx, J. P.; Stille, J. K. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1984, ''106'', 4833-4840. ()] Alkenyl epoxides (adjacent epoxides
In organic chemistry, an epoxide is a cyclic ether () with a three-atom ring. This ring approximates an equilateral triangle, which makes it strained, and hence highly reactive, more so than other ethers. They are produced on a large scale f ...
and alkenes
In organic chemistry, an alkene is a hydrocarbon containing a carbon–carbon double bond.
Alkene is often used as synonym of olefin, that is, any hydrocarbon containing one or more double bonds.H. Stephen Stoker (2015): General, Organic, an ...
) can also undergo this same coupling through an η3 transition state
In chemistry, the transition state of a chemical reaction is a particular configuration along the reaction coordinate. It is defined as the state corresponding to the highest potential energy along this reaction coordinate. It is often marked ...
as, opening the epoxide to an alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
. While allylic and benzylic acetates
An acetate is a salt formed by the combination of acetic acid with a base (e.g. alkaline, earthy, metallic, nonmetallic or radical base). "Acetate" also describes the conjugate base or ion (specifically, the negatively charged ion called an a ...
are commonly used, propargylic acetates are unreactive with organostannanes.
Stannane
Organostannane reagents are common. Several are commercially available. Stannane reagents can be synthesized by the reaction of a Grignard or organolithium reagent
In organometallic chemistry, organolithium reagents are chemical compounds that contain carbon–lithium (C–Li) bonds. These reagents are important in organic synthesis, and are frequently used to transfer the organic group or the lithium atom ...
with trialkyltin chlorides. For example, vinyltributyltin
Vinyl tributyltin is an organotin compound with the formula Bu3SnCH=CH2 (Bu = butyl). It is a white, air-stable solid. It is used as a source of vinyl anion equivalent in Stille coupling reactions. As a source of vinyltin reagents, early work u ...
is prepared by the reaction of vinylmagnesium bromide with tributyltin chloride
Tributyltin chloride is an organotin compound with the formula ( C4H9)3SnCl. It is a colorless liquid that is soluble in organic solvents.
Preparation and reactions
The compound is prepared by a redistribution reaction by combining stannic chl ...
. Hydrostannylation In chemistry, hydrostannylation is the insertion of unsaturated substrates into an Sn-H bond. The reaction occurs under free-radical conditions, but the stereochemistry and regiochemistry are often complex. The reaction gained synthetic importanc ...
of alkynes
\ce
\ce
Acetylene
\ce
\ce
\ce
Propyne
\ce
\ce
\ce
\ce
1-Butyne
In organic chemistry, an alkyne is an unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon—carbon triple bond. The simplest acyclic alkynes with only one triple bond and no ...
or alkenes
In organic chemistry, an alkene is a hydrocarbon containing a carbon–carbon double bond.
Alkene is often used as synonym of olefin, that is, any hydrocarbon containing one or more double bonds.H. Stephen Stoker (2015): General, Organic, an ...
provides many derivatives. Organotin reagents are air and moisture stable. Some reactions can even take place in water.[Wolf, C.; Lerebours, R. ''J. Org. Chem.'', 2003,''68'' 7551-7554. ().] They can be purified by chromatography
In chemical analysis, chromatography is a laboratory technique for the separation of a mixture into its components. The mixture is dissolved in a fluid solvent (gas or liquid) called the ''mobile phase'', which carries it through a system ( ...
. They are tolerant to most functional groups. Some organotin compounds are heavily toxic
Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...
, especially trimethylstannyl derivatives.
The use of vinylstannane, or alkenylstannane reagents is widespread. In regards to limitations, both very bulky stannane reagents and stannanes with substitution on the α-carbon
In the nomenclature of organic chemistry, a locant is a term to indicate the position of a functional group or substituent within a molecule.
Numeric locants
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) recommends the use of n ...
tend to react sluggishly or require optimization. For example, in the case below, the α-substituted vinylstannane only reacts with a terminal iodide due to steric hindrance
Steric effects arise from the spatial arrangement of atoms. When atoms come close together there is a rise in the energy of the molecule. Steric effects are nonbonding interactions that influence the shape ( conformation) and reactivity of ions ...
.[Crisp, G.T.; Glink, P. T. ''Tetrahedron'', 1994, ''50'', 2623. ()]
Arylstannane reagents are also common and both electron donating and electron withdrawing
In chemistry, an electron-withdrawing group (EWG) is a substituent that has some of the following kinetic and thermodynamic implications:
*with regards to electron transfer, electron-withdrawing groups enhance the oxidizing power tendency of th ...
groups actually increase the rate of the transmetalation. This again implies that two mechanisms of transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
can occur. The only limitation to these reagents are substituents at the ortho-position as small as methyl groups can decrease the rate of reaction. A wide variety of heterocycle
A heterocyclic compound or ring structure is a cyclic compound that has atoms of at least two different elements as members of its ring(s). Heterocyclic chemistry is the branch of organic chemistry dealing with the synthesis, properties, and ...
s (see Electrophile section) can also be used as coupling partners (see example with a thiazole
Thiazole, or 1,3-thiazole, is a heterocyclic compound that contains both sulfur and nitrogen. The term 'thiazole' also refers to a large family of derivatives. Thiazole itself is a pale yellow liquid with a pyridine-like odor and the molecular fo ...
ring below).[Bailey, T. R. ''Tetrahedron Lett.'', 1986, ''27'', 4407. ().]
Alkynylstannanes, the most reactive of stannanes, have also been used in Stille couplings. They are not usually needed as terminal alkynes can couple directly to palladium catalysts through their C-H bond via Sonogashira coupling. Allylstannanes have been reported to have worked, yet difficulties arise, like with allylic halides, with the difficulty in control regioselectivity
In chemistry, regioselectivity is the preference of chemical bonding or breaking in one direction over all other possible directions. It can often apply to which of many possible positions a reagent will affect, such as which proton a strong base ...
for α and γ addition. Distannane and acyl stannane reagents have also been used in Stille couplings.
Applications
The Stille reaction has been used in the synthesis of a variety of polymers.[Bao, Z.; Chan, W.; Yu, L. ''Chem. Mater.'', 1993, ''5'', 2-3. ().][Bao, Z.; Chan, W. K.; Yu, L. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1995, ''117'', 12426-12435. ().][Sun, S. S.; Lewis, J. E.; Zhang, J.; Jiang, X.; Zhang, C.; Matos, T.; Li, R.; ''Polym. Chem.'', 2010, ''1'', 663-669. ()] However, the most widespread use of the Stille reaction is its use in organic syntheses
''Organic Syntheses'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1921. It publishes detailed and checked procedures for the synthesis of organic compounds. A unique feature of the review process is that all of the data and exper ...
, and specifically, in the synthesis of natural products
A natural product is a natural compound or substance produced by a living organism—that is, found in nature. In the broadest sense, natural products include any substance produced by life. Natural products can also be prepared by chemical sy ...
.
Natural product total synthesis
Larry Overman's 19-step enantioselective total synthesis
Total synthesis is the complete chemical synthesis of a complex molecule, often a natural product, from simple, commercially-available precursors. It usually refers to a process not involving the aid of biological processes, which distinguishes i ...
of quadrigemine C involves a double Stille cross metathesis
Olefin metathesis is an organic reaction that entails the redistribution of fragments of alkenes (olefins) by the scission and regeneration of carbon-carbon double bonds. Because of the relative simplicity of olefin metathesis, it often create ...
reaction.[Lebsack, A. D.; Link, J. T.; Overman, L. E.; Stearns, B. A. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 2002, ''124'', 9008-9009. ()] The complex organostannane is coupled onto two aryl iodide groups. After a double Heck Heck may refer to:
* HECK (band), a British rock band
* Heck (surname)
* Heck, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
* Heck, North Yorkshire, England
* Heck cattle
* Heck horse
* Heck reaction, a chemical reaction that forms a substituted alkene
* ...
cyclization, the product is achieved.
Panek's 32 step enantioselective total synthesis
Total synthesis is the complete chemical synthesis of a complex molecule, often a natural product, from simple, commercially-available precursors. It usually refers to a process not involving the aid of biological processes, which distinguishes i ...
of ansamycin
Ansamycins is a family of bacterial secondary metabolites that show antimicrobial activity against many Gram-positive and some Gram-negative bacteria, and includes various compounds, including streptovaricins and rifamycins. In addition, these c ...
antibiotic
An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting pathogenic bacteria, bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the therapy, ...
(+)-mycotrienol makes use of a late stage tandem Stille type macrocycle coupling. Here, the organostannane has two terminal tributyl tin groups attacked to an alkene. This organostannane "stiches" the two ends of the linear starting material into a macrocycle, adding the missing two methylene units in the process. After oxidation of the aromatic core with ceric ammonium nitrate
Ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) is the inorganic compound with the formula . This orange-red, water-soluble cerium salt is a specialised oxidizing agent in organic synthesis and a standard oxidant in quantitative analysis.
Preparation, properties, a ...
(CAN) and deprotection with hydrofluoric acid
Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride (HF) in water. Solutions of HF are colourless, acidic and highly corrosive. It is used to make most fluorine-containing compounds; examples include the commonly used pharmaceutical antidepr ...
yields the natural product in 54% yield for the 3 steps.[Masse, C. E.; Yang, M.; Solomon, J.; Panek, J. S. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1998, ''120'', 4123-4134. ()]
Stephen F. Martin
Stephen F. Martin is an American chemist and professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin. He is the M. June and J. Virgil Waggoner Regents Chair in Chemistry.
Martin is a native of New Mexico, and received his B.S. degree in che ...
and coworkers' 21 step enantioselective total synthesis of the manzamine antitumor alkaloid Ircinal A makes use of a tandem one-pot Stille/Diels-Alder reaction. An alkene group is added to vinyl bromide, followed by an ''in situ'' Diels-Alder cycloaddition
In organic chemistry, a cycloaddition is a chemical reaction in which "two or more unsaturated molecules (or parts of the same molecule) combine with the formation of a cyclic adduct in which there is a net reduction of the bond multiplicity". ...
between the added alkene and the alkene in the pyrrolidine
Pyrrolidine, also known as tetrahydropyrrole, is an organic compound with the molecular formula (CH2)4NH. It is a cyclic secondary amine, also classified as a saturated heterocycle. It is a colourless liquid that is miscible with water and most ...
ring.[Martin, S. F.; Humphrey, J. M.; Ali, A.; Hillier, M. C. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1999, ''121'', 866-867. ()]
Numerous other total syntheses utilize the Stille reaction, including those of oxazolomycin,[Kende, A. S.; Kawamura, K.; DeVita, R. J. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1990, ''112'' 4070-4072. ().] lankacidin C,[Kende, A. S., Koch, K.; Dorey, G.; Kaldor, I.; Liu, K. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1993, ''115'', 9842-9843. ().] onamide A,[Hong, C. Y, Kishi, Y. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1991, ''113'', 9693-9694. ().] calyculin A,[Tanimoto, N.; Gerritz, S. W.; Sawabe, A.; Noda, T.; Filla, S. A.; Masamune, S. ''Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.'', 2003, ''33'', 673-675. ().] lepicidin A,[Evans, D. A.; Black, W. C. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1993, ''115'', 4497-4513. ().] ripostatin A,[Tang, W.; Prusov, E. V. ''Org. Lett.'', 2012, ''14'' 4690-4693. ().] and lucilactaene.[Coleman, R. S.; Walczak, M. C.; Campbell, E. L. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 2005, ''127'', 16036-16039. ().] The image below displays the final natural product
A natural product is a natural compound or substance produced by a living organism—that is, found in nature. In the broadest sense, natural products include any substance produced by life. Natural products can also be prepared by chemical sy ...
, the organohalide (blue), the organostannane (red), and the bond being formed (green and circled). From these examples, it is clear that the Stille reaction can be used both at the early stages of the synthesis (oxazolomycin and calyculin A), at the end of a convergent route (onamide A, lankacidin C, ripostatin A), or in the middle (lepicidin A and lucilactaene). The synthesis of ripostatin A features two concurrent Stille couplings followed by a ring-closing metathesis. The synthesis of lucilactaene features a middle subunit, having a borane on one side and a stannane on the other, allowing for Stille reactionfollowed by a subsequent Suzuki coupling.
Variations
In addition to performing the reaction in a variety of organic solvents, conditions have been devised which allow for a broad range of Stille couplings in aqueous solvent.
In the presence of Cu(I) salts, palladium-on-carbon
Palladium on carbon, often referred to as Pd/C, is a form of palladium used as a catalyst. The metal is supported on activated carbon to maximize its surface area and activity.
Uses Hydrogenation
Palladium on carbon is used for catalytic hydrog ...
has been shown to be an effective catalyst.[Roth, G. P.; Farina, V.; Liebeskind, L. S.; Peña-Cabrera, E. '' Tetrahedron Lett.'' 1995, ''36'', 2191.][Renaldo, A. F.; Labadie, J. W.; Stille, J. K. '']Organic Syntheses
''Organic Syntheses'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1921. It publishes detailed and checked procedures for the synthesis of organic compounds. A unique feature of the review process is that all of the data and exper ...
'', Coll. Vol. 8, p. 268 (1993); Vol. 67, p.86 (1989).
Article
In the realm of green chemistry
Green chemistry, also called sustainable chemistry, is an area of chemistry and chemical engineering focused on the design of products and processes that minimize or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. While environmental ch ...
a Stille reaction is reported taking place in a low melting and highly polar mixture of a sugar such as mannitol
Mannitol is a type of sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and medication. It is used as a low calorie sweetener as it is poorly absorbed by the intestines. As a medication, it is used to decrease pressure in the eyes, as in glaucoma, and to low ...
, a urea
Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula . This amide has two amino groups (–) joined by a carbonyl functional group (–C(=O)–). It is thus the simplest amide of carbamic acid.
Urea serves an important ...
such as dimethylurea and a salt such as ammonium chloride[''Stille Reactions with Tetraalkylstannanes and Phenyltrialkylstannanes in Low Melting Sugar-Urea-Salt Mixtures''Giovanni Imperato, Rudolf Vasold, Burkhard König Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis Volume 348, Issue 15 , Pages 2243–47 2006 ]
. The catalyst system is with triphenylarsine:
Stille–carbonylative cross-coupling
A common alteration to the Stille coupling is the incorporation of a carbonyl
In organic chemistry, a carbonyl group is a functional group composed of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom: C=O. It is common to several classes of organic compounds, as part of many larger functional groups. A compound containin ...
group between R1 and R2, serving as an efficient method to form ketone
In organic chemistry, a ketone is a functional group with the structure R–C(=O)–R', where R and R' can be a variety of carbon-containing substituents. Ketones contain a carbonyl group –C(=O)– (which contains a carbon-oxygen double bon ...
s. This process is extremely similar to the initial exploration by Migita and Stille (see History) of coupling organostannane to acyl chlorides
In organic chemistry, an acyl chloride (or acid chloride) is an organic compound with the functional group . Their formula is usually written , where R is a side chain. They are reactive derivatives of carboxylic acids (). A specific example ...
. However, these moieties are not always readily available and can be difficult to form, especially in the presence of sensitive functional groups
In organic chemistry, a functional group is a substituent or moiety in a molecule that causes the molecule's characteristic chemical reactions. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reactions regardless of the rest ...
. Furthermore, controlling their high reactivity can be challenging. The Stille-carbonylative cross-coupling employs the same conditions as the Stille coupling, except with an atmosphere of carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide ( chemical formula CO) is a colorless, poisonous, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...
(CO) being used. The CO can coordinate to the palladium catalyst (9) after initial oxidative addition, followed by CO insertion into the Pd-R1 bond (10), resulting in subsequent reductive elimination
Reductive elimination is an elementary step in organometallic chemistry in which the oxidation state of the metal center decreases while forming a new covalent bond between two ligands. It is the microscopic reverse of oxidative addition, and ...
to the ketone (12). The transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
step is normally the rate-determining step
In chemical kinetics, the overall rate of a reaction is often approximately determined by the slowest step, known as the rate-determining step (RDS or RD-step or r/d step) or rate-limiting step. For a given reaction mechanism, the prediction of the ...
.
Larry Overman and coworkers make use of the Stille-carbonylative cross-coupling in their 20-step enantioselective total synthesis
Total synthesis is the complete chemical synthesis of a complex molecule, often a natural product, from simple, commercially-available precursors. It usually refers to a process not involving the aid of biological processes, which distinguishes i ...
of strychnine
Strychnine (, , US chiefly ) is a highly toxic, colorless, bitter, crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine, when inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the ey ...
. The added carbonyl is later converted to a terminal alkene via a Wittig reaction
The Wittig reaction or Wittig olefination is a chemical reaction of an aldehyde or ketone with a triphenyl phosphonium ylide called a Wittig reagent. Wittig reactions are most commonly used to convert aldehydes and ketones to alkenes. Most ...
, allowing for the key tertiary nitrogen and the pentacyclic core to be formed via an aza-Cope
The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colours, litu ...
-Mannich reaction
In organic chemistry, the Mannich reaction is a three-component organic reaction that involves the amino alkylation of an acidic proton next to a carbonyl () functional group by formaldehyde () and a primary or secondary amine () or ammonia (). ...
.[Knight, S. D.; Overman, L. E.; Pairaudeau, G. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1993, ''115'', 9293-9294. ()]
Giorgio Ortar et al. explored how the Stille-carbonylative cross-coupling could be used to synthesize benzophenone
Benzophenone is the organic compound with the formula (C6H5)2CO, generally abbreviated Ph2CO. It is a white solid that is soluble in organic solvents. Benzophenone is a widely used building block in organic chemistry, being the parent diarylke ...
phosphores. These were embedded into 4-benzoyl-L-phenylalanine peptides
Peptides (, ) are short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Long chains of amino acids are called proteins. Chains of fewer than twenty amino acids are called oligopeptides, and include dipeptides, tripeptides, and tetrapeptides. ...
and used for their photoaffinity labelling properties to explore various peptide-protein interactions.[Monera, E.; Ortar, G. ''Biorg. Med. Chem. Lett.'', 2000, ''10'', 1815-1818. ().]
Louis Hegedus' 16-step racemic
In chemistry, a racemic mixture, or racemate (), is one that has equal amounts of left- and right-handed enantiomers of a chiral molecule or salt. Racemic mixtures are rare in nature, but many compounds are produced industrially as racemates. ...
total synthesis
Total synthesis is the complete chemical synthesis of a complex molecule, often a natural product, from simple, commercially-available precursors. It usually refers to a process not involving the aid of biological processes, which distinguishes i ...
of Jatraphone involved a Stille-carbonylative cross-coupling as its final step to form the 11-membered macrocycle
Macrocycles are often described as molecules and ions containing a ring of twelve or more atoms. Classical examples include the crown ethers, calixarenes, porphyrins, and cyclodextrins. Macrocycles describe a large, mature area of chemistry.
...
. Instead of a halide, a vinyl triflate is used there as the coupling partner.[Gyorkos, A. C.; Stille, J. K.; Hegedus, L. S. ''Journal of the American Chemical Society'', 1990, ''112'', 8465-8472. ().]
Stille–Kelly coupling
Using the seminal publication by Eaborn in 1976, which forms arylstannanes from arylhalides and distannanes, T. Ross Kelly applied this process to the intramolecular coupling of arylhalides. This tandem stannylation/aryl halide coupling was used for the syntheses of a variety of dihydrophenanthrenes. Most of the internal rings formed are limited to 5 or 6 members, however some cases of macrocyclization have been reported. Unlike a normal Stille coupling, chlorine does not work as a halogen, possibly due to its lower reactivity in the halogen sequence (its shorter bond length and stronger bond dissociation energy makes it more difficult to break via oxidative addition
Oxidative addition and reductive elimination are two important and related classes of reactions in organometallic chemistry. Oxidative addition is a process that increases both the oxidation state and coordination number of a metal centre. Oxid ...
). Starting in the middle of the scheme below and going clockwise, the palladium catalyst (1) oxidatively adds to the most reactive C-X bond (13) to form 14, followed by transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
with distannane (15) to yield 16 and reductive elimination
Reductive elimination is an elementary step in organometallic chemistry in which the oxidation state of the metal center decreases while forming a new covalent bond between two ligands. It is the microscopic reverse of oxidative addition, and ...
to yield an arylstannane (18). The regenerated palladium catalyst (1) can oxidative add to the second C-X bond of 18 to form 19, followed by intramolecular transmetalation Transmetalation (alt. spelling: transmetallation) is a type of organometallic reaction that involves the transfer of ligands from one metal to another. It has the general form:
:M1–R + M2–R′ → M1–R′ + M2–R
where R and R′ can be, but ...
to yield 20, followed by reductive elimination
Reductive elimination is an elementary step in organometallic chemistry in which the oxidation state of the metal center decreases while forming a new covalent bond between two ligands. It is the microscopic reverse of oxidative addition, and ...
to yield the coupled product (22).
Jie Jack Lie et al. made use of the Stille-Kelly coupling in their synthesis of a variety of benzo ,5uropyridines ring systems. They invoke a three-step process, involving a Buchwald-Hartwig amination, another palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction
In organic chemistry, a cross-coupling reaction is a reaction where two fragments are joined together with the aid of a metal catalyst. In one important reaction type, a main group organometallic compound of the type R-M (R = organic fragment, M = ...
, followed by an intramolecular Stille-Kelly coupling. Note that the aryl-iodide bond will oxidatively add to the palladium
Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself nam ...
faster than either of the aryl-bromide bonds.[Yue, W. S.; Li, J. J. ''Org. Lett.'', 2002, ''4'', 2201-2203. ()]
See also
*Organotin chemistry
Organotin compounds or stannanes are chemical compounds based on tin with hydrocarbon substituents. Organotin chemistry is part of the wider field of organometallic chemistry. The first organotin compound was diethyltin diiodide (), discovered ...
* Organostannane addition
*Palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions
In organic chemistry, a cross-coupling reaction is a reaction where two fragments are joined together with the aid of a metal catalyst. In one important reaction type, a main group organometallic compound of the type R-M (R = organic fragment, M = ...
*Suzuki reaction
The Suzuki reaction is an organic reaction, classified as a cross-coupling reaction, where the coupling partners are a boronic acid and an organohalide and the catalyst is a palladium(0) complex. It was first published in 1979 by Akira Suzuki, ...
* Negishi coupling
*Heck reaction
The Heck reaction (also called the Mizoroki–Heck reaction) is the chemical reaction of an unsaturated halide (or triflate) with an alkene in the presence of a base and a palladium catalyst (or palladium nanomaterial-based catalyst) to form a sub ...
* Hiyama coupling
References
{{reflist, 20em
External links
Stille reaction handout
from the Myers group.
Stille reaction
at organic-chemistry.org
Carbon-carbon bond forming reactions
Palladium
Name reactions