A Concise Total Synthesis of (+)‐Tetrabenazine and (+)‐α‐Dihydrotetrabenazine

Highly concise asymmetric total syntheses of (+)‐tetrabenazine ( 1 ), a drug for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington’s disease, and of (+)‐α‐dihydrotetrabenazine ( 2 ), an active metabolite of 1 , have been accomplished. Our synthetic route features a trans‐selective enol etherification, followed by an unprecedented cation‐dependent aza‐Claisen rearrangement to establish the carbon framework and two stereogenic centers of tetrabenazine. The syntheses consist of seven steps (34 % overall yield) for (+)‐ 2 and eight steps (22 % overall yield) for (+)‐ 1 .     

Syntheses of 4‐Alkoxy‐3‐methoxy‐5H‐benzocycloheptenes and 2‐Alkoxy‐3‐methoxy‐5H‐benzocycloheptenes from Isovanillin via Claisen Rearrangement and Ring‐closing Metathesis

New syntheses of 4‐alkoxy‐3‐methoxy‐5H‐benzocycloheptenes and 2‐alkoxy‐3‐methoxy‐5H‐benzocycloheptenes were studied. Based on Claisen rearrangement, O‐alkylation, nucleophilic addition of allyl magnesium bromide, ring‐closing metathesis, and dehydration, a series of new 4‐alkoxy‐3‐methoxy‐5H‐benzocycloheptenes and 2‐alkoxy‐3‐methoxy‐5H‐benzocycloheptenes were respectively synthesized from isovanillin in good overall yields.     

Blue‐Light‐Induced Carbene‐Transfer Reactions of Diazoalkanes

Carbenes are very important reactive intermediates to access a variety of complex molecules and are applied widely in organic synthesis and drug discovery. Typically, their chemistry is accessed by the use of transition metal catalysts. Herein, we describe the application of low‐energy blue light for the photochemical generation of carbenes from donor–acceptor diazoalkanes. This catalyst‐free and operationally simple approach enables highly efficient cyclopropenation reactions with alkynes and the rearrangement of sulfides under mild reaction conditions, which can be utilized for both batch and continuous‐flow processes.     

New Synthesis of α′‐Hydroxydienones

Herein, attempted oxidation of selected allenols with PCC affording α′‐hydroxydienones rather than simple oxidation products is described. The formation of the products observed is rationalized via a series of sigmatropic shifts, followed by hydrolysis.     

Synthesis of [3,3′‐Di‐sec‐butyl‐4′‐(2‐dimethylaminoethoxy)biphenyl‐4‐yl‐oxy]acetic Acid

A modified synthetic route of [3,3′‐di‐sec‐butyl‐4′‐(2‐dimethylaminoethoxy)biphenyl‐4‐yloxy]acetic acid ( 1 ) with high total yield of 44% from biphenyl‐4,4′‐diol ( 2 ) is described.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization of 2‐Alkynyl‐N‐Propargylanilines by Rearrangement of a Propargyl Group

Gold catalysis enables direct construction of tetracyclic fused indolines through the migration of a propargyl substituent from an aniline nitrogen atom to the C3‐position of an indole from 2‐alkynyl‐N‐propargylanilines. This reaction provides rapid access to fused three‐dimensional indolines in a single operation with the formation of four bonds and three rings.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidations of 3‐N‐Hydoxyaminoprop‐1‐ynes to Form 3‐Substituted 3‐Amino‐2‐en‐1‐ones: Oxidative Mannich Reactions with a Skeletal Rearrangement

Cu‐catalyzed aerobic oxidations of readily available 3‐N‐hydroxyaminopro‐1‐ynes with water, alcohols, or thiols to form diverse 3‐substituted 3‐amino‐2‐en‐1‐ones are described. The utility of this catalysis is manifested by a wide scope of applicable N‐hydroxyl propargylamines and nucleophiles, thus enabling the design of one‐pot cascade or two‐step sequential reactions. Besides synthetic significances, such oxidative Mannich reactions are mechanistically interesting because structurally reorganized products were obtained. Our mechanistic studies reveal that the aerobic oxidations involve initial formation of nitrone intermediates, followed by the attack of nucleophiles. Herein, water and MeOH implement the conversion of nitrone intermediates to reaction products in two distinct pathways.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Fused Pyrroles through a Key Gold‐Catalysis‐Triggered Cascade

A two‐step, one‐pot synthesis of fused pyrroles is realized by firstly condensing an N‐alkynylhydroxammonium salt with a readily enolizable ketone under mild basic conditions and then subjecting the reaction mixture to a gold catalyst, which triggers a cascade reaction involving a facile initial [3.3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement of the gold‐catalysis product, that is, an N,O‐dialkenylhydroxamine. The reaction provides a facile access to polycyclic pyrroles in moderate to good yields.     

Intramolecular Metal‐Free Oxidative Aryl–Aryl Coupling: An Unusual Hypervalent‐Iodine‐Mediated Rearrangement of 2‐Substituted N‐Phenylbenzamides

Hypervalent‐iodine‐mediated oxidative coupling of the two aryl groups in either 2‐acylamino‐N‐phenyl‐benzamides or 2‐hydroxy‐N‐phenylbenzamides, with concomitant insertion of the ortho‐substituted N or O atom into the tether, has been described for the first time. This unusual metal‐free rearrangement reaction involves an oxidative C(sp²)? C(sp²) aryl–aryl bond formation, cleavage of a C(sp²)? C(O) bond, and a lactamization/lactonization. Furthermore, unsymmetrical diaryl compounds can be easily obtained by removing the tether within the cyclized product.     

Photochemical Transformations of Some 2‐(5‐Methylthiophen‐2‐yl)‐3‐[(naphthalen‐2‐yl)methoxy]‐4H‐chromen‐4‐ones Involving Type‐II Process

Photo‐irradiation of 2‐(5‐methylthiophen‐2‐yl)‐3‐[(naphthalen‐2‐yl)methoxy]‐4H‐chromen‐4‐ones yielded the fascinating angular tetracyclic products via cyclization involving both 2‐thienyl ring and naphthylmethoxy group via 1,4‐biradical generated in the Norrish type‐II process. The stereochemical dispositions of the products were determined by MM2 energy minimized programme and spectroscopic analysis.     

Competitive Gold‐Promoted Meyer–Schuster and oxy‐Cope Rearrangements of 3‐Acyloxy‐1,5‐enynes: Selective Catalysis for the Synthesis of (+)‐(S)‐γ‐Ionone and (−)‐(2S,6 R)‐cis‐γ‐Irone

We report a simple, highly stereoselective synthesis of (+)‐(S)‐γ‐ionone and (‐)‐(2S,6R)‐cis‐γ‐irone, two characteristic and precious odorants; the latter compound is a constituent of the essential oil obtained from iris rhizomes. Of general interest in this approach are the photoisomerization of an endo trisubstituted cyclohexene double bond to an exo vinyl group and the installation of the enone side chain through a [(NHC)Au^I]‐catalyzed Meyer–Schuster‐like rearrangement. This required a careful investigation of the mechanism of the gold‐catalyzed reaction and a judicious selection of reaction conditions. In fact, it was found that the Meyer–Schuster reaction may compete with the oxy‐Cope rearrangement. Gold‐based catalytic systems can promote either reaction selectively. In the present system, the mononuclear gold complex [Au(IPr)Cl], in combination with the silver salt AgSbF₆ in 100:1 butan‐2‐one/H₂O, proved to efficiently promote the Meyer–Schuster rearrangement of propargylic benzoates, whereas the digold catalyst [{Au(IPr)}₂(μ‐OH)][BF₄] in anhydrous dichloromethane selectively promoted the oxy‐Cope rearrangement of propargylic alcohols.     

Intramolecular C→N 1,3-Migration of Alkoxycarbonyl or Acetyl Group—Applications, Limitations and Mechanism

A new type of intramolecular electrophilic rearrangements involving the shift of alkoxycarbonyl or acetyl groups from a carbon atom to an N-anionic center is presented.     

A Fused Benzocyclooctene Ring System via an Aromatic Cope Rearrangement: Thermal Reactions of trans‐1‐Aryl‐2‐ethenylcyclobutanecarbonitriles

The results of an aromatic Cope rearrangement of a trans‐1‐aryl‐2‐ethenylcyclobutanecarbonitrile are reported (Scheme). The use of this rearrangement for the construction of the fused benzocyclooctene ring system and a preliminary study of the electronic requirements to favor such a transformation are also described.     

Retro‐Brook Rearrangement of Ferrocene‐Derived Silyl Ethers

An intramolecular Li–Si exchange was observed on various lithiated ferrocenylbenzyl silyl ethers. The thermodynamically more stable C‐silylated isomers were isolated in good yields and fully characterized. The reaction mechanism of the [1,4] retro‐Brook rearrangement was investigated by DFT calculations. Two distinct reaction routes were proposed and a possible stabilization effect of the ferrocenyl fragment on the C‐silylated isomers was described. The diastereoselective rearrangement of the trimethylsilyl group to the ortho position of the ferrocenyl cyclopentadienyl ring was also accomplished and the absolute configuration of the product was determined.