The influence of electron delocalization upon the stability and structure of potential N-heterocyclic carbene precursors with 1,3-diaryl-imidazolidine-4,5-dione skeletons

Targeting N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) with increased π-acceptor character featuring N-fluorophenyl substituents, the molecular 2-chloro-1,3-bis(fluorophenyl)imidazolidine-4,5-diones (1a–c) were isolated from the condensation of the corresponding formamidine with oxalyl chloride. These formal adducts of NHCs with hydrogen chloride demonstrated reactivity akin to that of alkyl halides: 1,3,1′,3′-tetrakis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-[2,2′]diimidazolidinyl-4,5,4′,5′-tetraone (2b) was formed via the reductive coupling of 1b, while 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5-dioxoimidazolidin-2-yl acetate (3c) was formed as the result of a metathesis reaction with mercury(II) acetate. Chloride abstraction resu…