Reduction of ketones and alkyl iodides by SmI(2) and Sm(II)-HMPA complexes. Rate and mechanistic studies.

The effect of HMPA on the electron transfer (ET) rate of samarium diiodide reduction reactions in THF was analyzed for a series of ketones (2-butanone, methyl acetoacetate, and N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide) and alkyl iodides (1-iodobutane and 2-iodobutane) with stopped flow spectrophotometric studies. Activation parameters for the ET processes were determined by temperature-dependence studies over a range of 30-50 degrees C. The ET rate constants and the activation parameters obtained for the above systems in the presence of different equivalents of HMPA were compared to understand the mechanism of action of HMPA on various substrates. The results obtained from these studies indicate that coordination or chelation is possible in the transition state geometry for SmI(2)/ketone systems even in the presence of the sterically demanding ligand HMPA. After the addition of 4 equiv of HMPA the ET rate and activation parameters for ketone reduction by Sm is unaffected by further HMPA addition while a linear dependence of ET rate on the equivalents of HMPA was found in the SmI(2)/alkyl iodide system. The results of these studies are consistent with an inner-sphere-type ET for the reduction of ketones by SmI(2) (and SmI(2)[bond]HMPA complexes) and an outer-sphere-type ET for the reduction of alkyl iodides by SmI(2) or SmI(2)[bond]HMPA complexes.