Domino rhodium(I)-catalysed reactions for the efficient synthesis of substituted benzofurans and indoles

Rhodium(I) catalysts promote the transformation of o-alkynyl phenols and anilines to the corresponding benzo[b]furans and indoles. The reaction is postulated to proceed via a transient 3-rhodium heterocycle intermediate, which can be trapped with suitable electrophiles to give poly-substituted heterocycles. In the case of mono-substituted electron-withdrawn electrophiles, excellent yield and selectivity for conjugate addition versus Heck-Mizoroki reaction can be achieved. In the case of 2-alkynyl pyridine electrophiles, novel 2-(benzofuran-3-yl)vinylpyridines are formed.     

Stereoselective functionalization of 2-(1-aminoalkyl)aziridines via lithiation of aziridine-borane complexes

Highly selective functionalization of the aziridine ring of (2S,1'S)-2-(1'-aminoalkyl)aziridines 1, through successive formation of aziridine-borane complexes, lithiation, treatment with a variety of electrophiles and final decomplexation is described. The influence of the structure of the starting complexes 2 and of the electrophiles in the stereoselectivity of this process has been studied. Finally, successive double lithiation-electrophile reactions were carried out affording enantiopure 1,2,3,3-tetrasubstituted aziridine-borane complexes with high selectivity.     

Palladium-Catalyzed Catellani Reaction with 1,1-Bis[(pinacolato)boryl]methane as the Nucleophilic Component

We report herein the application of 1,1-bis[(pinacolato)boryl]methane as a new type of terminating reagent to realize three-component coupling reaction with aryl iodide and different electrophiles. A series of ortho-disubstituted benzylboronates can be synthesized and the ortho-substituent can be varied by using bromoacetic esters or O-benzoyl hydroxylamine as electrophiles with slightly modified reaction conditions. The reaction shows good functional group tolerance and the obtained benzyl boronate products can be easily transformed to various synthetically useful compounds.     

Synthesis of functionalized pyridazin-3(2H)-ones via nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (SNH)

Reaction of 2-benzyl-5-halopyridazin-3(2H)-ones (3) with Grignard reagents followed by quenching with electrophiles unexpectedly yielded 4,5-disubstituted pyridazin-3(2H)-ones instead of 5-substituted pyridazin-3(2H)-ones. These reactions represent the first examples of cine substitution in which the anionic σ(H)-adduct is quenched by electrophiles (other than a proton) before elimination takes place. Insight into the reaction mechanism led to the direct transformation of 2-benzylpyridazin-3(2H)-one (7) and 2-benzyl-6-chloropyridazin-3(2H)-one (9) into the corresponding C-4 alkyl and aryl derivatives (when Br(2) was used as the electrophile).     

Palladium-catalyzed electrophilic allylation reactions via bis(allyl)palladium complexes and related intermediates

The synthetic scope of the allyl-palladium chemistry can be extended to involve electrophilic reagents. The greatest challenge in these reactions is the catalytic generation of an allyl-palladium intermediate incorporating a nucleophilic allyl moiety. A vast majority of the published reactions that involve palladium-catalyzed allylation of electrophiles proceed via bis(allyl)palladium intermediates. The eta(1)-moiety of the bis(allyl)palladium intermediates reacts with electrophiles, including aldehydes, imines, or Michael acceptors. Recently, catalytic electrophilic allylations via mono-allylpalladium complexes were also presented by employment of so-called "pincer complex" catalysts.     

Pd-P(t-Bu)(3)-catalyzed consecutive cross-coupling of p-phenylenedizinc compound with two different electrophiles leading to unsymmetrically 1,4-disubstituted benzenes

Pd-P(t-Bu)3 was found to be a chemoselective catalyst for the reaction of p-phenylenedizinc compound with equimolar amounts of carbon electrophiles to afford the single cross-coupling products in good yields, effectively suppressing the formation of double cross-coupling products. The subsequent additions of other electrophiles to the resulting solutions caused the second cross-coupling of the incipient products to take place, achieving a novel and efficient one-pot synthesis of unsymmetrically 1,4-disubstituted benzenes. The origin of the observed high chemoselectivity was speculated.     

Insights into the Mechanism of Gold(I) Oxidation with Aryldiazonium Salts

In the last decade, aryldiazonium salts have attracted interest as coupling partners in cross-coupling reactions mediated by gold. Initially, the presence of a photocatalyst and a light source was needed to achieve gold oxidation with these electrophiles. However, recently, it has been shown that in some instances just heating, light irradiation, or the addition of certain bases and/or nucleophiles is enough. In this review, the transformations developed so far using aryldiazonium salts as electrophiles are summarized with special emphasis on mechanistic studies. The information gained by different authors, indicates that the specific steps of gold oxidation with aryldiazonium salts depends upon the activation mode of the diazonium salt.     

Reactions of a 4-(trifluoromethyl)thiazole dianion

Treatment of 2-trifluoroacetamido-4-(trifluoromethyl)thiazole with two equivalents of n-butyllithium at -78° produced the thiazole dianion 5 in situ, which reacted preferentially at the 5-position with a variety of electrophiles. These electrophiles include: an aldehyde, ketone, chloroformate, acid chloride, phosphorus oxychloride, silicon chloride, and disulfide. Dianion 5 also combined with dibromodifluoromethane at -98° to give the corresponding 5-(bromodifluoromethyl)thiazole 7 , which is an unusual reaction for an aromatic or heteroaromatic system. Compound 7 was converted to a 4,5-bis-(trifluoromethyl)thiazole 8 using tetrabutylammonium fluoride.     

Electroreductive Cross-Electrophile Coupling (eXEC) Reactions

Electrochemistry utilizes electrons as a potent, controllable, and traceless alternative to chemical oxidants or reductants, and typically offers a more sustainable option for achieving selective organic synthesis. Recently, the merger of electrochemistry with readily available electrophiles has been recognized as a viable and increasingly popular methodology for efficiently constructing challenging C−C and C-heteroatom bonds in a sustainable manner for complex organic molecules. In this mini-review, we have systematically summarized the most recent advances in electroreductive cross-electrophile coupling (eXEC) reactions during the last decade. Our focus has been on readily available electrophiles, including aryl and alkyl organic (pseudo)halides, as well as small molecules such as CO₂, SO₂, and D₂O.     

The lithiation of gem-bis (pyrazol-1-yl)alkanes

The title compounds can be lithiated at the inter-ring carbon atom to give carbanions which react with a variety of electrophiles. Lithiation can also be directed to the 5-position of the ring.     

Density functional theory studies of negishi alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling reactions catalyzed by a methylterpyridyl-Ni(I) complex

Density functional theory calculations were done to examine the potential energy surfaces of Ni(I)-catalyzed Negishi alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling reactions by using propyl iodide and isopropyl iodide as model alkyl electrophiles and CH 3ZnI as a model alkyl nucleophile. A four-step catalytic cycle involving iodine transfer, radical addition, reductive elimination, and transmetalation steps were characterized structurally and energetically. The reaction mechanism for this catalytic cycle appears feasible based on the calculated free energy profiles for the reactions. The iodine transfer step is the rate-determining step for the Ni(tpy)-CH 3 (tpy = 2,2'6',2'-terpyridine) reactions with alkyl iodides. For secondary alkyl electrophiles, the oxidative addition intermediate, Ni(III), prefers to undergo decomposition over reductive elimination, whereas for the primary alkyl electrophiles, Ni(III) prefers to undergo reductive elimination over decomposition based on comparison of the relative reaction rates for these two types of steps. In addition, thermodynamic data were employed to help explain why the yield of the coupled product is very low from the Ni(II)-alkyl halide reactions with organozinc reagents.     

A Convenient One-Pot Synthesis of (E)-Silylated Conjugated Enynes from 1,1-bis(trimethylsilyl)-2-propyne and Carbonyl Derivatives

1,1-Bis(trimethylsilyl)-2-propyne, prepared from propargyltrimethylsilane, was reacted, in the presence of a Lewis acid, with electrophiles (aldehydes, acetals) to afford (E)-silylated conjugated enynes.     

Total Synthesis of (-)-Tetrahydropalmatine via Chiral Formamidine Carbanions: Unexpected Behavior with Certain Ortho-Substituted Electrophiles

A method has been developed by alkylation of chiral lithioformamidines to construct protoberberine alkaloids with a C(9) and C(10) D-ring substitution pattern. This ring pattern was established using an ortho-substituted hydroxymethylbenzene electrophile protected as a silyl ether to ultimately provide (-)-tetrahydropalmatine in 88% ee. Additionally, we have discovered limitations with ortho-substituted electrophiles in the asymmetric formamidine alkylation. These electrophiles have the potential to disrupt the lithium formamidine chelate and cause the selectivity in the alkylation to be uncharacteristically low. The total synthesis of (+/-)-canadine and (-)-tetrahydropalmatine along with the limitations to the formamidine alkylation technology are delineated herein.     

Cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN) catalyzed aza-Michael addition of amines to α,β-unsaturated electrophiles

Cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate (CAN) catalyzed facile and efficient aza-Michael addition of aromatic and aliphatic amines with α,β-unsaturated electrophiles in the absence of solvent under ultrasound irradiation.     

Synthesis and reactions of 2-chloro-1,3-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)-1,3-butadienes

The reaction of 2-chloro-1,3-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)-1,3-butadienes with various electrophiles allows a convenient synthesis of chlorinated molecules which are not readily available by other methods.     

Chemoselective synthesis of highly substituted 1,2-allenyl ketones, furans, and 2-alkynyl ketones from reaction of lithium selenolates with 1-(1-alkynyl)cyclopropyl ketones and electrophiles

A homo-Michael addition reaction of lithium selenolates with 1-(1-alkynyl)cyclopropyl ketones and the subsequent reaction with electrophiles such as PhSeBr, NFSI and NCS is reported. Based on the nature of electrophiles, this reaction may afford highly substituted 1,2-allenyl ketones or furans (E(+) = PhSe(+)) and 2-alkynyl ketones (E(+) = F(+), Cl(+), active halides) as the final products, respectively.     

(Diethylphosphinyl)difluoromethyllithium. — Preparation and synthetic application —

The action of lithium diisopropylamide on diethyl difluoromethylphosphonate gives the title reagent which reacts with various electrophiles to introduce difluoromethylene or difluoromethyl unit.     

Nickel (Ⅱ) Catalyzed 1, 4- Addition Reactions of Functionalized Orgnaozinc Reagents with Enones

Organozinc reagent is one of the earliest organometallic compounds prepared. Investigation of its application in organic synthesis had been completed before 1880.However, it was replaced at the turn of the century by the more reactive organomagnesiun reagent except Reformatsky reaction because of its low reactivity toward most organic electrophiles. In 1978, Mukaiyama first reported that Et2Zn reacted with benzaldehyde in the presence of aminoalcohol to give 1, 2-addition product in excellent yield. Pursuant to this report, a lot of papers about the reaction of organozinc reagent with organic electrophiles have been appeared. However, most of the researches focused on dialkylzinc regents, few papers on study of organozinc halides had appeared until 1988.     

α-Selenocyclobutyllithium as a 2-lithio-1,3-diene equivalent. regioselective (100%) synthesis of ipsenol

1-substituted cyclobutenes and 2-substituted dienes are prepared in high yield and regioselectively from a variety of electrophiles and cyclobutanone via α-lithio-α-seleno-cyclobutyllithiums.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Regio‐ and Enantioselective Allylic Substitution of Trisubstituted Allylic Electrophiles

The first Ir‐catalyzed enantioselective allylation of trisubstituted allylic electrophiles has been developed. Through modification of the leaving group of allylic electrophiles, we found that trisubstituted allylic phosphates are suitable electrophiles for asymmetric allylation. The reaction of allylic phosphates with enol silanes derived from dioxinones gave allylated products in good yields with high enantioselectivities.