Access to Vinyl Ethers and Ketones with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents as Oxy-Allyl Cation Synthetic Equivalents

We report an Umpolung strategy of enol ethers to generate oxy-allyl cation equivalents based on the use of hypervalent iodine reagents. Under mild basic conditions, the addition of nucleophiles to aryloxy-substituted vinylbenziodoxolone (VBX) reagents, easily available in two steps from silyl alkynes, resulted in the stereoselective formation of substituted aryl enol ethers. The reaction was most efficient with phenols as nucleophiles, but preliminary results were also achieved for C- and N- nucleophiles. In absence of external nucleophiles, the 2-iodobenzoate group of the reagent was transferred. The obtained aryl enol ethers could then be transformed into α-difunctionalized ketones by oxidation. The described “allyl cation”-like reactivity contrast with the well-established “vinyl-cation” behavior of alkenyl iodonium salts.     

Mechanistical insight into ‘electrophilic’ trifluoromethylation with S-(trifluoromethyl)dibenzothiophenium salts

Trifluoromethyl sulfonium salts are widely used for the introduction of a trifluoromethyl group through reaction with a wide range of nucleophiles. Nevertheless, the reaction mechanism is far from obvious and has been the subject of various literature discussions. In this Letter, we show, through trapping experiments with a radical probe that, at least in the case of nucleophiles such as enol silyl ethers, the reaction proceeds by SET.     

Access to Vinyl Ethers and Ketones with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents as Oxy‐Allyl Cation Synthetic Equivalents

We report an Umpolung strategy of enol ethers to generate oxy‐allyl cation equivalents based on the use of hypervalent iodine reagents. Under mild basic conditions, the addition of nucleophiles to aryloxy‐substituted vinylbenziodoxolone (VBX) reagents, easily available in two steps from silyl alkynes, resulted in the stereoselective formation of substituted aryl enol ethers. The reaction was most efficient with phenols as nucleophiles, but preliminary results were also achieved for C‐ and N‐ nucleophiles. In absence of external nucleophiles, the 2‐iodobenzoate group of the reagent was transferred. The obtained aryl enol ethers could then be transformed into α‐difunctionalized ketones by oxidation. The described “allyl cation”‐like reactivity contrast with the well‐established “vinyl‐cation” behavior of alkenyl iodonium salts.     

Regiochemical aspects in the reaction of 2,3,5-tri-o-benzoyl-d-ribofuranosyl : Acetate with silyl enol ethers catalyzed by stannic chloride

In the reaction with silyl enol ethers catalyzed by stannic chloride, 2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-D-ribofuranosyl acetate behaves as an ambident electrophile; silyl enol ethers of ketones having α-hetero substituents afford C-1 adducts, whereas those of usual acyclic ketones give products arising from attack on C-2 benzoxyl group.     

Alkyl Enol Ethers: Development in Intermolecular Organic Transformation

Alkyl enol ethers (AEE) are versatile synthetic intermediates with a unique reactivity pattern. This review article summarizes the synthesis of AEE as well as its reactivity and how enol ether undergoes intermolecular reactions for various bond formation, leading to the construction of several useful organic molecules. The synthetic applications of alkyl enol ethers towards intermolecular bond-forming reactions include metal-catalyzed reactions, cycloaddition and heterocycle formation as well as rwactions in the field of natural products synthesis. The achievement of these impressive transformations prove the countless synthetic potential of AEE. The main objective of this review is to bring attentiveness among synthetic chemists to show how AEE extensively can be used to react with both electrophiles as well as nucleophiles, thereby behaving as an ambiphilic reactant. We trust that the unique reactivity pattern of alkyl enol ethers and the fundamental mechanistic idea can attract chemists in AEE chemistry. Exclusively, intermolecular reactions of AEE with other functionalized moieties have not been reviewed to the best of our knowledge.     

Molecular structure of 3-trifluoroacetamidobenzoyltrifluoroacetone enol form

3-Trifluoroacetamidobenzoyltrifluoroacetone formed in the reaction of 3-aminoacetophenone with an excess of methyl trifluoroacetate crystallizes in the cis-enol form with a hydroxy group located at the carbon atom bound with the trifluoromethyl substituent. Analysis of geometric characteristics indicate the presence of both intramolecular hydrogen bond in the enol fragment and intermolecular H...O contacts in the crystal of the compound.     

Flexible Stereoselective Functionalizations of Ketones through Umpolung with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents

The functionalization of carbonyl compounds in the α‐position has gathered much attention as a synthetic route because of the wide biological importance of such products. Through polarity reversal, or “umpolung”, we show here that typical nucleophiles, such as oxygen, nitrogen, and even carbon nucleophiles, can be used for addition reactions after tethering them to enol ethers. Our findings allow novel retrosynthetic planning and rapid assembly of structures previously accessible only by multistep sequences.     

Silicon-induced ene-type reaction in the thermal conversion of enolates to beta-silyl enones with molecular dioxygen

Reaction of alkyl, acetoxy, and silyl enol ethers of 3-(organosilyl)cyclohexanone with molecular dioxygen in toluene at 110 degrees C produced the corresponding conjugated enones in yields up to 88% yield. The reaction of the same type failed on replacement of the silyl group at the C-3 position with an isopropyl group. These results indicate the existence of an unprecedented silicon-induced ene-type reaction. Its reaction mechanism, generality, limitations, and exceptions are discussed.     

The ortho‐Difluoroalkylation of Aryliodanes with Enol Silyl Ethers: Rearrangement Enabled by a Fluorine Effect

Presented herein is an intriguing effect of fluorine, and it allows difluoroenol silyl ethers to couple with aryliodanes in a redox‐neutral manner to afford ortho‐iodo difluoroalkylated arenes. The remaining iodide group provides a versatile platform for converting the products into various valuable difluoroalkylated arenes. The reaction shows excellent functional‐group compatibility and broad substrate scope. A DFT mechanistic study suggests that the fluorine effect facilitates a subtle nucleophilic attack of the oxygen atom of enol silyl ethers onto aryliodanes, therefore leading to a rearrangement.     

Preparation and reactivity of imino glycals: stereocontrolled,divergent approach to imino sugars

The synthesis of 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl imino D-glucal 2 from D-glucal is reported. This imino glycal participates in a variety of Lewis acid mediated carbon-carbon bond forming reactions by allylic displacement of the C-3 acetate group by added nucleophiles. Allyl silanes, trimethylsilyl enol ethers, alkenes and dialkyl zinc reagents serve as suitable reaction partners. In all the cases studied, the beta-anomer is predominant. Using imino glycal 8, epimeric at C-5, it is established that the configuration at C-5 of the piperidine ring plays a major role in controlling the stereochemical outcome. These results are rationalised by invoking the intermediacy of a conjugated N-acyliminium ion. A short stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-deoxoprosophylline is achieved using this chemistry. Additionally, imino glucal 2 is transformed into bromo piperidine 16, whose X-ray crystal structure is determined. Bromide 16 participates in palladium catalysed Stille and Suzuki cross-couplings allowing access to C-2 substituted imino sugars 17 and 18. In other studies, imino sugar C-glycosides 21 and 22 are made by combining the Lewis acid mediated carbon-carbon bond forming reactions with stereospecific dihydroxylations.     

Diastereoselective additions of nucleophiles to alpha-acetoxy ethers using the alpha-(trimethylsilyl)benzyl auxiliary

We report the diastereoselective addition of a variety of nucleophiles to alpha-(trimethylsilyl)benzyl-substituted oxocarbenium ions. The oxocarbenium ions are generated from alpha-acetoxy ethers, which are easily prepared via reductive acetylation of esters. The alpha-(trimethylsilyl)benzyl auxiliary produces good to excellent facial selectivity with a variety of nucleophiles, including silyl enol ethers, silyl ketene acetals, allylsilanes, and crotylsilanes. The utility of this auxiliary is further demonstrated in a complex ketone aldol coupling reaction. [reaction: see text]     

Chameleon reactivity of the allene bond of 4-vinylidene-2-oxazolidinone: novel through-space conjugative nucleophilic addition of electron-rich alkenes and hetero-nucleophiles

The Calpha==Cbeta double bond of allene carbamates 1 serves as an electron acceptor similar to the double bond of conjugated enones by means of a through-space interaction with the N--SO2 bond; the carbamate double bond is thus subject to nucleophilic addition for a wide variety of nucleophiles, which proceeds under mild conditions by heating at 70-100 degrees C. Depending on the kind of nucleophiles, 1 displays three different reaction modes: 1) Typically enol ethers and allylsilanes promote 1,3-sulfonyl migration of 1 and undergo the inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction with the 1-aza-1,3-butadiene intermediates II thus formed to furnish bicyclic 2-alkoxy-5-sulfonyltetrahydropyridines 2 and 2-silylmethyl-5-sulfonyltetrahydropyridines 3, respectively, with high regio- and stereoselectivity and retention of configuration of the double bonds of these electron-rich alkenes; 2) silanes (RnSiH4-n, n=1-3) and thiols deliver the hydride and the thiolate at the Cbeta carbon and promote the 1,3-sulfonyl migration, followed by protonation of the thus-formed carbamate anion (Z)-III to provide, for example, (Z)-4 a and (Z)-4 j, respectively; 3) alcohols simply add to the Calpha==Cbeta double bond and provide (E)-6. Usually, the reaction with alcohols is accompanied by the second pathway, giving rise to, for example, (Z)-4 b in addition to (E)-6 b. Phenol engages in the third pathway and provides (E)-6 g exclusively. Heteroaromatics, such as furans and benzofurans follow the first pathway, however, in a different regioselectivity from enol ethers and allylsilanes, delivering the oxygen atom at the 3-position of 5-sulfonyltetrahydropyridines (2 g and 2 h). Indoles, on the other hand, show a dichotomy, equally enjoying the first and the third pathways and provide mixtures of (E)-7 and (E)-8, respectively.     

Gold-catalyzed ketene dual functionalization and mechanistic insights: divergent synthesis of indenes and benzo[d]oxepines

An unprecedented gold-catalyzed ketene C=O/C=C bifunctionalization method has been developed. Mechanistic studies and density function theory(DFT) calculations indicate that the reaction is initiated by gold-catalyzed Wolff rearrangement of diazoketone to form the ketene intermediate, followed by intermolecular nucleophilic addition and terminated with two divergent cyclization processes via enol intermediates. In the case with alcohols as the nucleophiles, the reaction goes through a C-5-endodig carbocyclization to give the indene products; whereas, O-7-endo-dig cyclization occurs dominantly when indoles/pyrroles are used as the nucleophiles, delivering the 7-membered benzo[d]oxepines. In comparison with the well-documented cycloaddition and nucleophilic addition reactions, this cascade reaction features a novel reaction pattern for the ketene dual functionalization through addition with nucleophile and electrophile in sequence.     

Scope and limitations of chiral B-

A new chiral oxazaborolidine catalyst was prepared in situ from 3, 5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenylboron dichloride and N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-(S)-tryptophan. This catalyst is much more active than Corey's original catalyst for the Mukaiyama aldol reaction of aldehydes with silyl enol ethers. The observed syn selectivities and re-face attack of silyl enol ethers on carbonyl carbon of aldehydes imply that the extended-transition state model is applicable.     

Synthesis of 2-arylacrylic esters from aryl methyl ketones via Wittig reaction/singlet oxygen ene reaction

An efficient synthetic method has been developed for the synthesis of 2-arylacrylic esters from the corresponding aryl methyl ketones via Wittig reaction and singlet oxygen ene reaction. Wittig reaction to aryl methyl ketones with (methoxymethyl)triphenylphosphonium chloride in basic condition afforded the methyl enol ethers, and then 2-arylacrylic esters were obtained by singlet oxygen ene reaction, followed by tosylation and elimination in one-pot to the methyl enol ethers in good yields.     

Novel synthesis of 2-(trifluoromethyl)- and 2-(perfluoroalkyl)-2-hydroxy-2H-chromenes and their regiospecific reaction with silyl enol ethers

The synthesis of substituted 2-(trifluoromethyl)- and 2-(perfluoroalkyl)-2-hydroxy-2H-chromenes 2a-o was achieved in good yields by intramolecular cyclization of 3-(perfluoroalkyl)-3-phenoxypropenals 1 in the presence of aluminum chloride. Then a Lewis acid mediated nucleophilic reaction with silyl enol ethers 3 proceeded with complete regiospecificity to afford 4-functional 2-(trifluoromethyl)- and 2-(perfluoroalkyl)-4H-chromenes 4a-p with high yields.     

Electrochemical studies of biologically active indolizines

The electrochemical behavior of indolizine ethers, esters, tosylates, sulfonates and other indolizine and azaindolizine derivatives has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and preparative electrolysis. The cyclic voltammetric data show that the E° values, taken as the midpoints between the anodic and cathodic peak potentials, are sensitive to the identities of the substituents at C-1, C-2 and C-7 positions. The E° values have been correlated with the Hammett substituent parameters. As expected, low E° values are seen for electron donating substituents and higher E° values are seen for electron withdrawing substituents. The cyclic voltammograms of indolizine derivatives with an oxygen atom connected to the C-1 position exhibit a one-electron reversible oxidation and a further, less well-defined, one-electron irreversible oxidation at higher E° values. The cyclic voltammograms of indolizines with hydrogen atom or thienyl substituents connected to the C-1 position exhibit only a one-electron irreversible oxidation. Electrochemical bulk oxidations of indolizines with an oxygen atom at the C-1 position afforded oxoindolizinium salts in decent yields, whereas indolizines with a hydrogen atom at C-1 afforded 1,1′ dimers of indolizines as products in good yields. Bulk oxidation of 1-(α-hydroxybenzyl)-2,3-diphenylindolizine-7-carbonitrile afforded an unexpected ketone product in which the carbonyl group of the indolizine is connected at C-8 instead of at the C-1 position of the starting material. The findings described herein support our hypothesis that certain indolizine derivatives may inhibit lipid peroxidation by an electron transfer mechanism.     

Gold(I)-Catalyzed Intermolecular Formal [4+2] Cycloaddition of O-Aryl Ynol Ethers and Enol Ethers: Synthesis of Chromene Derivatives

Gold(I)-catalyzed formal [4+2] cycloaddition of O-aryl ynol ethers 1 and enol ethers 2 is described. This intermolecular reaction between two electron-rich unsaturated systems takes place, under mild conditions, in the presence of 5 mol% [IPrAu(CH₃CN)]SbF₆ as catalyst giving chromene derivatives with good yields. The cycloaddition is completely regio- and stereoselective, as well as versatile for both reactives. Silyl enol ethers can also react in the same way and under the same reaction conditions with quantitative yields. A plausible mechanism through a selective addition of the enol ether to the alkyne gold activated complex followed by an intramolecular aromatic electrophilic substitution is proposed. Several experimental results support the presence of a cationic oxonium intermediate prior to the aromatic substitution. The reaction represents a new entry to the chromene core.     

An olefin metathesis route for the preparation of (1-->6)-linked C-disaccharide glycals. A convergent and flexible approach to C-saccharide synthesis

A convergent route to a variety of C-1-disaccharide glycals based on the olefin metathesis reaction of enol ethers and alkenes is described. The DCC-mediated coupling reaction of a variety of pentose enitols (1a-c) with a number of C-5- and C-6-monosaccharide carboxylic acids (2a-e) gave the corresponding esters 3a-l in good yield. Methylenation of these compounds was followed by ring-closing metathesis, mediated by the Schrock molybdenum catalyst 8 in warm toluene, to provide the target C-disaccharide glycals 5a-l. The formed enol ether double bond in 5a was then transformed, via standard manipulations, into a variety of C-disaccharide derivatives 21-25.     

Synthetic Studies on and Mechanistic Insight into [W(CO)5(L)]‐Catalyzed Stereoselective Construction of Functionalized Bicyclo[5.3.0]decane Frameworks

Stereoselective preparation of a variety of synthetically useful functionalized bicyclo[5.3.0]decane derivatives was achieved by tandem cyclization of 3‐siloxy‐1,3,9‐triene‐7‐yne derivatives based on the electrophilic activation of alkynes catalyzed by [W(CO)₅(L)]. The reaction proceeded smoothly under photoirradiation, and various substrates were cyclized to give the corresponding bicyclic compounds with up to four chiral centers stereospecifically. Reactions of siloxydienes with a silyl substituent as an equivalent of a hydroxyl group also proceeded with wide generality to afford silyl‐substituted bicyclo[5.3.0]decanes, which were highly useful as synthetic intermediates. Stereochemical studies concerning the silyl enol ether moiety suggested that two types of reaction pathway for the formation of seven‐membered rings were present. The reaction of (Z)‐enol silyl ethers proceeded through Cope rearrangement of cis‐divinylcyclopropane intermediates, and that of (E)‐enol silyl ethers by 1,4‐addition of the dienyl tungsten species at the position δ to the metal atom. In the reactions of siloxydiene derivatives with silyl substituents, all possible diastereomers could be synthesized stereoselectively by changing the geometry of the silyl enol ether and enyne moieties.