Fluorescent Orthopalladated Complexes of 4-Aryliden-5(4H)-oxazolones from the Kaede Protein: Synthesis and Characterization

The goal of the work reported here was to amplify the fluorescent properties of 4-aryliden-5(4H)-oxazolones by suppression of the hula-twist non-radiative deactivation pathway. This aim was achieved by simultaneous bonding of a Pd center to the N atom of the heterocycle and the ortho carbon of the arylidene ring. Two different 4-((Z)-arylidene)-2-((E)-styryl)-5(4H)-oxazolones, the structures of which are closely related to the chromophore of the Kaede protein and substituted at the 2- and 4-positions of the arylidene ring (1a OMe; 1b F), were used as starting materials. Oxazolones 1a and 1b were reacted with Pd(OAc)₂ to give the corresponding dinuclear orthometalated palladium derivates 2a and 2b by regioselective C–H activation of the ortho-position of the arylidene ring. Reaction of 2a (2b) with LiCl promoted the metathesis of the bridging carboxylate by chloride ligands to afford dinuclear 3a (3b). Mononuclear complexes containing the orthopalladated oxazolone and a variety of ancillary ligands (acetylacetonate (4a, 4b), hydroxyquinolinate (5a), aminoquinoline (6a), bipyridine (7a), phenanthroline (8a)) were prepared from 3a or 3b through metathesis of anionic ligands or substitution of neutral weakly bonded ligands. All species were fully characterized and the X-ray determination of the molecular structure of 7a was carried out. This structure has strongly distorted ligands due to intramolecular interactions. Fluorescence measurements showed an increase in the quantum yield (QY) by up to one order of magnitude on comparing the free oxazolone (QY < 1%) with the palladated oxazolone (QY = 12% for 6a). This fact shows that the coordination of the oxazolone to the palladium efficiently suppresses the hula-twist deactivation pathway.     

The Exchange of Cyclometalated Ligands

Reactions of cyclometalated compounds are numerous. This account is focused on one of such reactions, the exchange of cyclometalated ligands, a reaction between a cyclometalated compound and an incoming ligand that replaces a previously cyclometalated ligand to form a new metalacycle: + H-C*~Z ⇄ + H-C~Y. Originally discovered for Pd^II complexes with Y/Z = N, P, S, the exchange appeared to be a mechanistically challenging, simple, and convenient routine for the synthesis of cyclopalladated complexes. Over four decades it was expanded to cyclometalated derivatives of platinum, ruthenium, manganese, rhodium, and iridium. The exchange, which is also questionably referred to as transcyclometalation, offers attractive synthetic possibilities and assists in disclosing key mechanistic pathways associated with the C–H bond activation by transition metal complexes and C–M bond cleavage. Both synthetic and mechanistic aspects of the exchange are reviewed and discussed.     

Recent Advances in Rapid Synthesis of Non-proteinogenic Amino Acids from Proteinogenic Amino Acids Derivatives via Direct Photo-Mediated C–H Functionalization

Non-proteinogenic amino acids have attracted tremendous interest for their essential applications in the realm of biology and chemistry. Recently, rising C–H functionalization has been considered an alternative powerful method for the direct synthesis of non-proteinogenic amino acids. Meanwhile, photochemistry has become popular for its predominant advantages of mild conditions and conservation of energy. Therefore, C–H functionalization and photochemistry have been merged to synthesize diverse non-proteinogenic amino acids in a mild and environmentally friendly way. In this review, the recent developments in the photo-mediated C–H functionalization of proteinogenic amino acids derivatives for the rapid synthesis of versatile non-proteinogenic amino acids are presented. Moreover, postulated mechanisms are also described wherever needed.     

Metal‐Catalyzed C−H Bond Activation of 5‐Membered Carbocyclic Rings: A Powerful Access to Azulene,Acenaphthylene and Fulvene Derivatives

Azulene, acenaphthylene and fulvene derivatives exhibit important physical properties useful in materials chemistry as well as valuable biological properties. Since about two decades ago, the metal‐catalyzed functionalization of such compounds, via C?H bond activation of their 5‐membered carbocyclic ring, proved to be a very convenient method for the synthesis of a wide variety of azulene, acenaphthylene and fulvene derivatives. For such reactions, there is no need to prefunctionalize the 5‐membered carbocyclic rings. In this review, the progress in the synthesis of azulene, acenaphthylene and fulvene derivatives via metal‐catalyzed C?H bond activation of their 5‐membered carbocyclic ring are summarized.     

Transamidation of Amides and Amidation of Esters by Selective N–C(O)/O–C(O) Cleavage Mediated by Air- and Moisture-Stable Half-Sandwich Nickel(II)–NHC Complexes

The formation of amide bonds represents one of the most fundamental processes in organic synthesis. Transition-metal-catalyzed activation of acyclic twisted amides has emerged as an increasingly powerful platform in synthesis. Herein, we report the transamidation of N-activated twisted amides by selective N–C(O) cleavage mediated by air- and moisture-stable half-sandwich Ni(II)–NHC (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbenes) complexes. We demonstrate that the readily available cyclopentadienyl complex, [CpNi(IPr)Cl] (IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene), promotes highly selective transamidation of the N–C(O) bond in twisted N-Boc amides with non-nucleophilic anilines. The reaction provides access to secondary anilides via the non-conventional amide bond-forming pathway. Furthermore, the amidation of activated phenolic and unactivated methyl esters mediated by [CpNi(IPr)Cl] is reported. This study sets the stage for the broad utilization of well-defined, air- and moisture-stable Ni(II)–NHC complexes in catalytic amide bond-forming protocols by unconventional C(acyl)–N and C(acyl)–O bond cleavage reactions.     

Palladium-Catalyzed C–H Arylation of Benzofurans with Triarylantimony Difluorides for the Synthesis of 2-Arylbenzofurans

Pd-catalyzed regioselective C–H arylation is a useful tool for the chemical modification of aromatic heterocycles and 2-arylbenzofuran derivatives are of interest as biologically active substances. Herein, the reaction of triarylantimony difluorides with benzofurans under aerobic conditions in 1,2-DCE, using 5 mol% Pd (OAc)₂ and 2 eq. of CuCl₂ at 80 °C, produced a variety of 2-arylbenzofurans in moderate-to-high yields. The reaction is sensitive to the electronic nature of the substituents on the benzene ring of the triarylantimony difluorides: an electron-donating group showed higher reactivity than an electron-withdrawing group. Single crystal X-ray analysis of tri(p-methylphenyl) antimony difluoride revealed that the central antimony atom exhibits trigonal bipyramidal geometry.     

Iron-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions of Alkyl Grignards with Aryl Chlorobenzenesulfonates

Aryl sulfonate esters are versatile synthetic intermediates in organic chemistry as well as attractive architectures due to their bioactive properties. Herein, we report the synthesis of alkyl-substituted benzenesulfonate esters by iron-catalyzed C(sp²)–C(sp³) cross-coupling of Grignard reagents with aryl chlorides. The method operates using an environmentally benign and sustainable iron catalytic system, employing benign urea ligands. A broad range of chlorobenzenesulfonates as well as challenging alkyl organometallics containing β-hydrogens are compatible with these conditions, affording alkylated products in high to excellent yields. The study reveals that aryl sulfonate esters are the most reactive activating groups for iron-catalyzed alkylative C(sp²)–C(sp³) cross-coupling of aryl chlorides with Grignard reagents.     

Homocoupling Reactions of Azoles and Their Applications in Coordination Chemistry

Pyrazole, a member of the structural class of azoles, exhibits molecular properties of interest in pharmaceuticals and materials chemistry, owing to the two adjacent nitrogen atoms in the five-membered ring system. The weakly basic nitrogen atoms of deprotonated pyrazoles have been applied in coordination chemistry, particularly to access coordination polymers and metal-organic frameworks, and homocoupling reactions can in principle provide facile access to bipyrazole ligands. In this context, we summarize recent advances in homocoupling reactions of pyrazoles and other types of azoles (imidazoles, triazoles and tetrazoles) to highlight the utility of homocoupling reactions in synthesizing symmetric bi-heteroaryl systems compared with traditional synthesis. Metal-free reactions and transition-metal catalyzed homocoupling reactions are discussed with reaction mechanisms in detail.     

Rapid Construction of a Benzo‐Fused Indoxamycin Core Enabled by Site‐Selective C−H Functionalizations

Methods for functionalizing carbon–hydrogen bonds are featured in a new synthesis of the tricyclic core architecture that characterizes the indoxamycin family of secondary metabolites. A unique collaboration between three laboratories has engendered a design for synthesis featuring two sequential C?H functionalization reactions, namely a diastereoselective dirhodium carbene insertion followed by an ester‐directed oxidative Heck cyclization, to rapidly assemble the congested tricyclic core of the indoxamycins. This project exemplifies how multi‐laboratory collaborations can foster conceptually novel approaches to challenging problems in chemical synthesis.     

Synthesis of Stable Diarylpalladium(II) Complexes: Detailed Study of the Aryl–Aryl Bond‐Forming Reductive Elimination

The synthesis of diarylpalladium(II) complexes by twofold aryl C?H bond activation was developed. These intermediates of oxidative cyclization reactions are stabilized by chelation with acetyl groups while still maintaining sufficient reactivity to study their reductive elimination. Four distinct triggers were found for the reductive elimination of these complexes to dibenzofurans and carbazoles. Thermal elimination occurs at very high temperatures, whereas ligand‐promoted and oxidatively induced reductive eliminations proceed readily at room temperature. Under these conditions, no isomerization occurs. In contrast, weak Brønsted acids, such as acetic acid, lead to a sequence of proto‐demetalation, isomerization to a κ³‐diarylpalladium(II) complex, and reductive elimination to non‐symmetrical cyclization products.     

Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Gem-Bromofluoroalkenes with Alkylboronic Acids for the Synthesis of Alkylated Monofluoroalkenes

Monofluoroalkenes are versatile fluorinated synthons in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry and materials science. In light of the importance of alkyl-substituted monofluoroalkenes efficient synthesis of these moieties still represents a synthetic challenge. Herein, we described a mild and efficient methodology to obtain monofluoroalkenes through a stereospecific palladium-catalyzed alkylation of gem-bromofluoroalkenes with primary and strained secondary alkylboronic acids under mild conditions. This novel strategy gives access to a wide range of functionalized tri- and tetrasubstituted monofluoroalkenes in high yield, with good functional group tolerance, independently from the gem-bromofluoroalkenes geometry.     

Synthesis of Methylene‐Bridged Biscarbazole Alkaloids by using an Ullmann‐type Coupling: First Total Synthesis of Murrastifoline‐C and Murrafoline‐E

We describe the total synthesis of methylene‐bridged biscarbazole alkaloids by using a late‐stage Ullmann‐type coupling of fully functionalised carbazole subunits. The carbazole derivatives were synthesised via a sequence of palladium(0)‐ and palladium(II)‐catalysed coupling reactions. Our approach has provided bismurrayafoline‐A, bismurrayafolinol, chrestifolines B–D, and the first total synthesis of murrastifoline‐C and murrafoline‐E.     

Synthesis of (Het)aryl 2-(2-hydroxyaryl)cyclopropyl Ketones

A simple general method for the synthesis of 1-acyl-2-(ortho-hydroxyaryl)cyclopropanes, which belong to the donor–acceptor cyclopropane family, has been developed. This method, based on the Corey–Chaykovsky cyclopropanation of 2-hydroxychalcones, allows for the preparation of a large diversity of hydroxy-substituted cyclopropanes, which can serve as promising building blocks for the synthesis of various bioactive compounds.     

Synthesis of the [11]Cyclacene Framework by Repetitive Diels–Alder Cycloadditions

The Diels–Alder cycloaddition between bisdienes and bisdienophile incorporating the 7-oxa-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane unit are well known to show high diastereoselectivity that can be exploited for the synthesis of molecular belts. The related bisdiene 5,6,7,8-tetramethylidene-2-bicyclo[2.2.2]octene is a valuable building block for the synthesis of photoprecursors for acenes, but it has not been employed for the synthesis of molecular belts. The present work investigates by computational means the Diels–Alder reaction between these bisdiene building blocks with syn-1,4,5,8-tetrahydro-1,4:5,8-diepoxyanthracene, which shows that the diastereoselectivity of the Diels–Alder reaction of the etheno-bridged bisdiene is lower than that of the epoxy-bridged bisdiene. The reaction of the etheno-bridged bisdiene and syn-1,4,5,8-tetrahydro-1,4:5,8-diepoxyanthracene in 2:1 ratio yields two diastereomers that differ in the orientation of the oxa and etheno bridges based on NMR and X-ray crystallography. The all-syn diastereomer can be transformed into a molecular belt by inter- and intramolecular Diels–Alder reactions with a bifunctional building block. The molecular belt could function as a synthetic intermediate en route to a [11]cyclacene photoprecursor.     

NiFe2O4 as a magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst for odourless C–S bond formation via the cleavage of C–O bond in the presence of S8 under mild and green conditions

We present green methodologies for one‐pot and odourless syntheses of unsymmetric and symmetric diaryl sulfides via C─O bond activation using NiFe₂O₄ magnetic nanoparticles as a reusable heterogeneous nanocatalyst. The synthesis of unsymmetric sulfides is performed using the cross‐coupling reaction of phenolic esters such as acetates, triflates and tosylates with arylboronic acid/S₈ or triphenyltin chloride/S₈ as thiolating agents in the presence of base and NiFe₂O₄ magnetic nanoparticles as a catalyst in poly(ethylene glycol) as solvent at 60–85°C. Also, the synthesis of symmetric diaryl sulfides from phenolic compounds using S₈ as the sulfur source and NiFe₂O₄ as catalyst in dimethylformamide at 120°C is described. Using these protocols, the syntheses of various unsymmetric and symmetric sulfides become easier than using the available protocols due to the use of a magnetically reusable bimetallic nanocatalyst and avoiding the use of thiols and aryl halides.     

Synthesis of phenanthridine and phenanthridinone derivatives based on Pd‐catalyzed C–H activation

This review article provides an overview of the most recent and exciting developments in palladium‐catalyzed C–H activation and mechanistic aspects of these catalytic reactions as the fast‐growing field for the synthesis of phenanthridine derivatives.     

Partial Degradation of a CF3 Group by Silylene Attack [1]

The reactions of the 4,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3,2-diazasilole derivative 1 with the sterically encumbered silylenes R₂Si, R = tBu, 2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂, proceed by partial degradation of one of the CF₃ groups to furnish the N-di-tert-butylfluorosilyl ( 3 a ) or N-fluorodimesitylsilyl ( 3 b ) substituted 4-difluoromethylene-5-trifluoromethyl-1,3-diaza-2-silacyclopent-5-enes. The structure of 3 a was determined by X-ray crystallography.     

Copper‐Catalyzed N−F Bond Activation for Uniform Intramolecular C−H Amination Yielding Pyrrolidines and Piperidines

The dual function of the N?F bond as an effective oxidant and subsequent nitrogen source in intramolecular aliphatic C?H functionalization reactions is explored. Copper catalysis is demonstrated to exercise full regio‐ and chemoselectivity control, which opens new synthetic avenues to nitrogenated heterocycles with predictable ring sizes. For the first time, a uniform catalysis manifold has been identified for the construction of both pyrrolidine and piperidine cores. The individual steps of this new copper oxidation catalysis were elucidated by control experiments and computational studies, clarifying the singularity of the N?F function and characterizing the catalytic cycle to be based on a copper(I/II) manifold.