Facile preparation of aromatic ketones from aromatic bromides and arenes with aldehydes

Aromatic ketones were efficiently prepared in good yields by the reactions of aryl bromides with n-BuLi, followed by the reactions with aromatic aldehydes or aliphatic aldehydes and the subsequent treatment with molecular iodine and K₂CO₃, in a one-pot method. The same treatment of arenes, instead of aromatic bromides, also provided the corresponding aromatic ketones in good yields. Using these methods, various diaryl ketones and alkyl aryl ketones bearing electron-rich aromatics and electron-deficient aromatics could be prepared efficiently by a simple, transition-metal-free, and therefore environmentally benign experimental procedure.     

Practical one-pot conversion of aryl bromides and β-bromostyrenes into aromatic nitriles and cinnamonitriles

Various aryl bromides were efficiently converted into the corresponding aromatic nitriles in good yields by the treatment with Mg turnings and subsequently DMF, followed by treatment with molecular iodine and aq NH₃. The same treatment of aryl bromides, which are weakly reactive to Mg turnings, with ⁱPrMgCl·LiCl and subsequently DMF, followed by the treatment with molecular iodine and aq NH₃ also afforded the corresponding aromatic nitriles in good yields. On the other hand, when N-formylpiperidine was used instead of DMF, p-substituted β-bromostyrenes were converted into the corresponding p-substituted cinnamonitriles, i.e., α,β-unsaturated nitriles, in good to moderate yields by the same procedure. The reactions were carried out by means of a simple experimental procedure and did not require any toxic metal cyanides or expensive rare metals. Therefore, the present reactions are practical and environmentally benign one-pot methods for the preparation of aromatic nitriles, cinnamonitriles, and aliphatic nitriles from aryl bromides, β-bromostyrenes, and alkyl bromides, respectively, through the formation of Grignard reagents and their DMF or N-formylpiperidine adducts.     

Supported Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Synthesis of Diaryl Ketones from Aryl Bromides and Arylboronic Acids

A palladium supported on graphitic carbon nitride (Pd/g-C₃N₄) catalyzed carbonylative reaction of aryl bromides and arylboronic acids by has been developed for the construction of diaryl ketones. Using benzene-1,3,5-triyl triformate (TFBen) as the CO source, the reaction proceeded well to give various diaryl ketones in moderate to good yields.     

An efficient intermolecular C(aryl)-S bond forming reaction catalyzed by BINAM-copper(II) complex

A wide range of diaryl thioethers and aryl alkyl thioethers are synthesized from the corresponding aryl iodides and aromatic/aliphatic thiols through Ullmann type intermolecular coupling reactions in the presence of a catalytic amount of easily available BINAM-Cu(OTf)₂ complex. Less reactive aryl bromides have also been shown to react with thiols under identical reaction conditions to give good yields of the thioethers without increasing the reaction temperature and time.     

trans-Pd(OAc)2(Cy2NH)2 catalyzed Suzuki coupling reactions and its temperature-dependent activities toward aryl bromides

A new catalytic system based on Pd-simple amines for Suzuki coupling reactions of aryl bromides is described. A well-defined air-stable complex, trans-Pd(OAc)₂(Cy₂NH)₂ effectively promotes Suzuki couplings of aryl bromides with a range of aryl boronic acids to give diaryl products in high yields. It also exhibits temperature-dependent activity toward aryl bromides bearing different electronic substituents under reaction conditions.     

The remarkable role of water during the chemoselective reduction of ketones mediated by metallic aluminium

Diaryl ketones are reduced selectively to the corresponding benzhydrols in good yield by aluminium powder in the presence of sodium hydroxide in the solvent system MeOH:H₂O=2:1 whereas dialkyl ketones, α-tetralone, aryl alkyl ketones and cycloalkanones remain mostly unaffected. Interestingly, diaryl ketones remain totally unchanged by the present reagent combination in the absence of water, that is in anhydrous methanol.     

Mild and Efficient Deoxygenation of Sulfoxides with MoCl5/Indium System

It has been demonstrated that dialkyl, diaryl, and aryl alkyl sulfoxides can be efficiently converted into the corresponding sulfides by the reaction with a MoCl₅/In system in good to excellent yields under mild conditions.     

An atom-efficient palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of triarylbismuths with acid chlorides: synthesis of diaryl and alkyl aryl ketones

The cross-coupling reaction of triarylbismuths with acid chlorides using a catalytic amount of PdCl₂/PPh₃ afforded the corresponding ketones in high yields. The reactions of aromatic and aliphatic acid chlorides occurred with atom efficiency, as 3 equiv of acid chlorides coupled effectively with 1 equiv of triarylbismuths to yield 3 equiv of the corresponding diaryl and alkyl aryl ketones.     

Conversion of organic halides to disulfanes using KCN and CS2

A sulfur transfer reagent was produced in situ upon stirring a mixture of KCN and CS₂ in DMF at r.t. for 15 min, which after heating with an alkyl halide or aryl halide and CuI gave the corresponding symmetric dialkyl or diaryl disulfide, respectively, in high to excellent yields.     

Selective and Efficient Deoxygenation of Sulfoxides with NbCl5/Indium System

It has been found that dialkyl, diaryl, and aryl alkyl sulfoxides can be selectively converted to the corresponding sulfides with a NbCl₅/In system in good to excellent yields under mild conditions. Several functional groups (bromo, chloro, methoxy, aldehyde, and vinyl) were tolerated under the reaction conditions.

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Glycerol as a promoting medium for cross-coupling reactions of diaryl diselenides with vinyl bromides

We described herein the use of glycerol as a novel solvent in the cross-coupling reaction of diaryl diselenides with vinyl bromides catalyzed by CuI. This cross-coupling reaction was performed with diaryl diselenides and (Z)- or (E)-vinyl bromides bearing electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups, affording the corresponding vinyl selenides in good to excellent yields. The mixture glycerol/catalyst can be directly reused for further cross-coupling reactions.     

Convenient Stille carbonylative cross-couplings using molybdenum hexacarbonyl

Palladium catalysis was used in Stille-type carbonylative cross-couplings employing Mo(CO)₆ as the carbon monoxide source. Robust and convenient transformations were carried out in closed vessels at 100 °C, providing a set of diaryl ketones in good yields. Aryl triflates and bromides were used as coupling partners with aryl stannanes. Inclusion of the Mo(CO)₆ destabilizing agent DBU made this protocol operationally simple and suppressed side-product formation.     

Methenamine as an Efficient Ligand for Copper‐catalyzed Coupling of Phenols with Aryl Halides

Employing methenamine as a new supporting ligand, the copper‐catalyzed coupling reactions of aryl bromides or aryl iodides with various phenols successfully proceeded in good yields under mild conditions. A series of diaryl ethers were obtained with excellent yields in the presence of K₃PO₄ and copper(I) salt.     

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of aryl ketones by coupling of aryl bromides with an acyl anion equivalent

Palladium-catalyzed couplings of aryl bromides with N-tert-butylhydrazones as acyl anion equivalents to form aryl ketones are reported. The coupling process occurs at the C-position of hydrazones to form N-tert-butyl azo compounds. Isomerization of these azo compounds to the corresponding hydrazones, followed by hydrolysis, gave the desired mixed alkyl aryl ketones. The selectivity of C- versus N-arylation was strongly influenced by the substituent on nitrogen. Arylation at carbon occurred with N-tert-butylhydrazones, whereas N-arylation occurred with N-arylhydrazones. The arylation of hydrazones containing primary and secondary alkyl groups, as well as aryl groups, gave the desired ketones in good yields after hydrolysis. Functional groups on the aromatic ring, such as alkoxy, cyano, trifluoromethyl, carboalkoxy, carbamoyl, and keto groups, were tolerated. This reaction likely occurs by C-C bond-forming reductive elimination from an intermediate containing an eta1-diazaallyl ligand.     

Solvent-free chemoselective protection of aldehydes on the surface of alumina-sulfuric acid

Abstract

Chemoselective protection of alkyl and aryl aldehydes has been accomplished through the formation of dioxolane on the surface of alumina-sulfuric acid under solvent-free conditions where dialkyl ketones, aryl alkyl ketones, and diaryl ketones remain intact.     

Palladium‐catalyzed direct arylation of polyfluoroarene and facile synthesis of liquid crystal compounds

A convenient approach has been developed to prepare polyfluorobiphenyl by Pd(OAc)₂/PCy₃‐catalyzed direct arylation of polyfluoroarenes with aromatic halides in the presence of Cs₂CO₃ as base and toluene as solvent. In most cases, the desired arylated products of aromatic bromides were obtained in good to excellent yield at 80°C, and aryl chlorides also gave modest to good yields of arylated products at 110°C. According to this efficient C―C bondforming method, polyfluorobiphenyl liquid crystal compounds were prepared by Pd‐catalyzed direct arylation reactions of polyfluoroarenes with long alkyl chain substituted aryl bromides in 62–96% yield. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

One-pot conversion of aromatic bromides and aromatics into aromatic nitriles via aryllithiums and their DMF adduct

Various aromatic bromides and iodides were smoothly converted into the corresponding aromatic nitriles in good to moderate yields by the treatment with n-butyllithium and subsequently DMF, followed by treatment with molecular iodine in aq NH₃. The same treatment of typical aromatics and heteroaromatics with n-butyllithium and subsequently DMF, followed by treatment with molecular iodine in aq NH₃ also provided the corresponding aromatic nitriles in good yields. Moreover, the same treatment of aromatic bromides and aromatics with half amount of DIH (1,3-diiodo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin) instead of molecular iodine worked effectively to give the corresponding aromatic nitriles, respectively, in good yields. These reactions are novel and environmentally benign one-pot methods for the preparation of aromatic nitriles from aromatic bromides and aromatics, respectively, through the formation of aryllithiums and their DMF adducts.     

Formation of Dioxolane on the Surface of Silica–Sulphuric Acid in Dry Media—Chemoselective Protection of Aryl Aldehydes

Chemoselective protection of aryl aldehydes can be accomplished through the formation of dioxolane on the surface of silica–sulphuric acid under solvent‐free conditions where aliphatic aldehydes, dialkyl ketones, aryl alkyl ketones, and diaryl ketones remain intact.     

Rhizopus arrhizus-mediated asymmetric reduction of arylalkanones: unusual anti-Prelong products with benzyl alkyl ketones

Rhizopus arrhizus-mediated microbial reduction of various aryl alkyl ketones afforded chiral carbinols in good yields and high enantiomeric purity. The most striking feature was the formation of the anti-Prelog (R)-alcohols with the benzyl alkyl ketones, while the other ketones ArXCOR (X = (CH₂)_n, n = 0 or 2, OCH₂ or SCH₂ and R = Me/Et/n-Bu) furnished (S)-alcohols.     

Tetraphosphine/palladium catalysed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of aryl halides with alkylboronic acids

Through the use of [PdCl(C₃H₅)]₂/cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclopentane as a catalyst, a range of aryl bromides and chlorides undergoes Suzuki cross-coupling with alkylboronic acids in good yields. Several alkyl substituents such as ethyl, n-butyl, n-octyl, isobutyl or 2,2-dimethylpropyl on the alkylboronic acids have been successfully used. The functional group tolerance on the aryl halide is remarkable; substituents such as fluoro, methyl, methoxy, acetyl, formyl, benzoyl, nitro or nitrile are tolerated. Furthermore, this catalyst can be used at low loading, even for reactions of sterically hindered aryl bromides.