Gold‐Catalyzed 1,2‐/1,2‐Bis‐acetoxy Migration of 1,4‐Bis‐propargyl Acetates: A Mechanistic Study

The late transition metal catalyzed rearrangement of propargyl acetates offers an interesting platform for the development of synthetically useful transformations. We have recently shown that gold complexes can catalyze a highly selective tandem 1,2‐/1,2‐bis‐acetoxy migration in 1,4‐bis‐propargyl acetates to form 2,3‐bis‐acetoxy‐1,3‐dienes. In this way, (1Z,3Z)‐ or (1Z,3E)‐ and (1E,3Z)‐1,3‐dienes could be obtained in a stereocontrolled manner depending on the electronic and steric features of the ancillary ligand bound to gold and the substituents at the propargylic positions. In this work, we report an experimental study on the scope of this transformation, plus a detailed theoretical examination of the reaction mechanism, which has revealed the key features responsible for the reaction stereoselectivity. Synthetic applications towards the one‐pot synthesis of quinoxaline heterocycles and tandem Diels–Alder processes have also been devised.     

Unprecedented Cobalt‐Catalyzed Isomerization Reactions to Single Skipped 2,4,7‐Trienes Applied in the Synthesis of Urushiol

The cobalt‐catalyzed isomerization of 1,3‐dienes to 2Z,4E‐dienes was realized for the very challenging substrates with an additional double bond in the side chain. An isomerization to the conjugated 3,5,7‐triene derivative was not observed, which is in stark contrast to observations with many other isomerization catalysts. Accordingly, the synthesis of the natural product urushiol, which has a sensitive 2Z,4E,7Z‐triene subunit in the side chain, was investigated. The O‐protected urushiol derivative was generated selectively without isomerization to the conjugated 3,5,7‐triene or Z/E‐isomerization of the double bond at position 7.     

Substituent Effect on the Competition between Hetero‐Diels‐Alder and Cheletropic Additions of Sulfur Dioxide to 1‐Substituted Buta‐1,3‐dienes

The reactivity of sulfur dioxide toward variously substituted butadienes was explored in an effort to define the factors affecting the competition between the hetero‐Diels‐Alder and cheletropic additions. At low temperature (<−70°), 1‐alkyl‐substituted 1,3‐dienes 1 that can adopt s‐cis‐conformations add to SO₂ in the hetero‐Diels‐Alder mode in the presence of CF₃COOH as promoter. In the case of (E)‐1‐ethylidene‐2‐methylidenecyclohexane ((E)‐ 4a ), the [4+2] cycloaddition of SO₂ is fast at −90° without acid catalyst. (E)‐1‐(Acyloxy)buta‐1,3‐dienes (E)‐ 1c , (E)‐ 1y , and (E)‐ 1z with AcO, BzO, and naphthalene‐2‐(carbonyloxy) substituents, respectively also undergo the hetero‐Diels‐Alder addition with SO₂+CF₃COOH at low temperatures, giving a 1 : 10 mixture of the corresponding cis‐ and trans‐6‐(acyloxy)sultines c‐ 2c,y,z and t‐ 2c,y,z , respectively). Above −50°, the sultines undergo complete cycloreversion to the corresponding dienes and SO₂, which that add in the cheletropic mode at higher temperature to give the corresponding 2‐substituted sulfolenes (=2,5‐dihydrothiophene 1,1‐dioxides) 3 . The hetero‐Diels‐Alder additions of SO₂ follow the Alder endo rule, giving first the 6‐substituted cis‐sultines that equilibrate then with the more stable trans‐isomers. This statement is based on the assumption that the S=O group in the sultine prefers a pseudo‐axial rather than a pseudo‐equatorial position, as predicted by quantum calculations. The most striking observation is that electron‐rich dienes such as 1‐cyclopropyl‐, 1‐phenyl‐, 1‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐, 1‐(trimethylsilyl)‐, 1‐phenoxy‐, 1‐(4‐chlorophenoxy)‐, 1‐(4‐methoxyphenoxy)‐, 1‐(4‐nitrophenoxy)‐, 1‐(naphthalen‐2‐yloxy)‐, 1‐(methylthio)‐, 1‐(phenylthio)‐, 1‐[(4‐chlorophenyl)thio]‐, 1‐[(4‐methoxyphenyl)thio]‐, 1‐[(4‐nitrophenyl)thio]‐, and 1‐(phenylseleno)buta‐1,3‐diene, as well as 1‐(methoxymethylidene)‐2‐methylidenecyclohexane ( 4f ) do not equilibrate with the corresponding sultines between −100 and −10°, in the presence of a large excess of SO₂, with or without acidic promoter. The hetero‐Diels‐Alder additions of SO₂ to 1‐substituted (E)‐buta‐1,3‐dienes are highly regioselective, giving exclusively the corresponding 6‐substituted sultines. The 1‐substituted (Z)‐buta‐1,3‐dienes do not undergo the hetero‐Diels‐Alder additions with sulfur dioxide.     

A highly selective synthesis of 1‐substituted (E)‐buta‐1,3‐dienes with 4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐2‐vinyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolane as building block

Highly selective synthesis of 1‐substituted (E)‐buta‐1,3‐dienes via palladium‐catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling of (E)‐alkenyl iodides with 4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐2‐vinyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolane ( 1 ) is reported. The vinylboronate pinacol ester ( 1 ) acts as a vinyl building block to show high chemoselectivity for the Suzuki–Miyaura pathway versus Heck coupling in the presence of biphasic conditions (Pd(PPh₃)₄, aqueous K₂CO₃, toluene and ethanol). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一种经(E)-α-碘代烯基砜的钯催化交叉偶联反应立体选择合成(1Z,3E)-2-芳砜基取代的1,3-二烯的新方法

（E）-α-Stannylvinyl phenyl（or p-tolyl）sulfones underwent an iododestannylation reaction to afford （E）-α-iodovinyl phenyl（or p-tolyl）sulfones 1, which reacted with （E）-alkenylzirconium（IV） complexes 2 produced in situ by hydrozirconation of terminal alkynes in the presence of a Pd（PPh3）4 catalyst to afford stereoselectively （1Z,3E）-2- phenyl（or p-tolyl）sulfonyl-substituted 1,3-dienes 3 in good yields.     

A New Monomer for π‐Conjugated Polymers — Synthesis and Characterization of Bis((Z)‐5‐phenyl‐2‐phenylmethylidene‐1, 3‐dithiole‐4‐yl)monosulfane

Bis((Z)‐5‐phenyl‐2‐phenylmethylidene‐1, 3‐dithiole‐4‐yl)monosulfane ( 6 ), a molecule consisting of two diphenyldithiafulvene units connected by a sulfur bridge, was synthesized by the selective lithiation of (Z)‐4‐phenyl‐2‐phenylmethylidene‐1, 3‐dithiole ( 7a ) at the endocyclic double bond and by subsequent reaction of the lithiated intermediate with bis(phenylsulfonyl)sulfane. Since this reaction sequence proceeded with retention of configuration, of three possible isomers (E, E, Z, E, and Z, Z) only the Z, Z form was obtained. On the basis of the X‐ray structure analysis and the NMR‐spectroscopic characterization of 6 supplemented by the NMR parameters of (E)‐ and (Z)‐4‐phenyl‐2‐phenylmethylidene‐1, 3‐dithiole, it was demonstrated that two characteristic ⁵J coupling constants of the proton at the exocyclic double bond indicate the configuration (Z or E) of disubstituted dithiafuvene derivatives.     

Electrophilic Reactivities of 1,2‐Diaza‐1,3‐dienes

The kinetics of the reactions of 1,2‐diaza‐1,3‐dienes 1 with acceptor‐substituted carbanions 2 have been studied at 20 °C. The reactions follow a second‐order rate law, and can be described by the linear free energy relationship log k(20 °C)=s(N+E) [Eq. (1)]. With Equation (1) and the known nucleophile‐specific parameters N and s for the carbanions, the electrophilicity parameters E of the 1,2‐diaza‐1,3‐dienes 1 were determined. With E parameters in the range of ?13.3 to ?15.4, the electrophilic reactivities of 1 a–d are comparable to those of benzylidenemalononitriles, 2‐benzylideneindan‐1,3‐diones, and benzylidenebarbituric acids. The experimental second‐order rate constants for the reactions of 1 a – d with amines 3 and triarylphosphines 4 agreed with those calculated from E, N, and s, indicating the applicability of the linear free energy relationship [Eq. (1)] for predicting potential nucleophilic reaction partners of 1,2‐diaza‐1,3‐dienes 1 . Enamines 5 react up to 10² to 10³ times faster with compounds 1 than predicted by Equation (1), indicating a change of mechanism, which becomes obvious in the reactions of 1 with enol ethers.     

Novel Intramolecular Cyclization of 2‐(Buta‐1,3‐dienyl)benzyl Anions to 6,7(9)‐Dihydro‐5H‐benzocycloheptenyl Anions Leading to Successive Formation of 1,2‐Dihydrocyclopropa[a]naphthalenes

When treated with LiNⁱPr₂ (LDA) at ?78°, 1‐[(methylsulfanyl)methyl]‐2‐[(1Z,3E)‐4‐phenylbuta‐1,3‐dien‐1‐yl]benzene easily cyclized to form benzocycloheptenyl anion, which successively underwent intramolecular nucleophilic substitution to give a cyclopropanaphthalene. Similar LDA‐mediated cyclization also occurred for 4‐phenyl‐ or 4‐methyl‐substituted 1‐[2‐(methoxymethyl)phenyl]buta‐1,3‐dienes to furnish the corresponding benzocycloheptenes and cyclopropanaphthalenes. A 4‐tert‐butyl analog also underwent LDA‐mediated cyclization to give a benzocycloheptene, but not a cyclopropanaphthalene.     

The Interrupted Pummerer Reaction in a Sulfoxide‐Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of 2‐Naphthols

A benzothiophene S‐oxide catalyst, generated in situ by sulfur oxidation with H₂O₂, mediates the oxidative coupling of 2‐naphthols. Key to the catalytic process is the capture and inversion of reactivity of a 2‐naphthol partner, using an interrupted Pummerer reaction of an unusual benzothiophene S‐oxide, followed by subsequent coupling with a second partner. The new catalytic manifold has been showcased in the synthesis of the bioactive natural products, (±)‐nigerone and (±)‐isonigerone. Although Pummerer reactions are used widely, their application in catalysis is rare, and our approach represents a new catalytic manifold for metal‐free C?C bond formation.     

Synthesis of C2 Substituted Benzothiophenes via an Interrupted Pummerer/[3,3]‐Sigmatropic/1,2‐Migration Cascade of Benzothiophene S‐Oxides

Functionalized benzothiophenes are important scaffolds found in molecules with wide ranging biological activity and in organic materials. We describe an efficient, metal‐free synthesis of C2 arylated, allylated, and propargylated benzothiophenes. The reaction utilizes synthetically unexplored yet readily accessible benzothiophene S‐oxides and phenols, allyl‐, or propargyl silanes in a unique cascade sequence. An interrupted Pummerer reaction between benzothiophene S‐oxides and the coupling partners yields sulfonium salts that lack aromaticity and therefore allow facile [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement. The subsequently generated benzothiophenium salts undergo a previously unexplored 1,2‐migration to access C2 functionalized benzothiophenes.     

Z‐Selective Hydrothiolation of Racemic 1,3‐Disubstituted Allenes: An Atom‐Economic Rhodium‐Catalyzed Dynamic Kinetic Resolution

A Z‐selective rhodium‐catalyzed hydrothiolation of 1,3‐disubstituted allenes and subsequent oxidation towards the corresponding allylic sulfones is described. Using the bidentate 1,4‐bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb) ligand, Z/E‐selectivities up to >99:1 were obtained. The highly atom‐economic desymmetrization reaction tolerates functionalized aromatic and aliphatic thiols. Additionally, a variety of symmetric internal allenes, as well as unsymmetrically disubstituted substrates were well tolerated, thus resulting in high regioselectivities. Starting from chiral but racemic 1,3‐disubstituted allenes a dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) could be achieved by applying (S,S)‐Me‐DuPhos as the chiral ligand. The desired Z‐allylic sulfones were obtained in high yields and enantioselectivities up to 96 % ee.     

Quinolone Analogs 13: Synthesis of Novel 1,1′‐(2‐Methylenepropane‐1,3‐diyl)di(4‐quinolone‐3‐carboxylate) and Related Compounds

The reaction of the 4‐hydroxyquinoline‐3‐carboxylate 6 with pentaerythritol tribromide gave the 1,1′‐(2‐methylenepropane‐1,3‐diyl)di(4‐quinolone‐3‐carboxylate) 11 , whose reaction with bromine afforded the 1,1′‐(2‐bromo‐2‐bromomethylpropane‐1,3‐diyl)di(4‐quinolone‐3‐carboxylate) 12 . Compound 12 was transformed into the (Z)‐1,1′‐(2‐acetoxymethylpropene‐1,3‐diyl)di(4‐quinolone‐3‐carboxylate) 13 or (E)‐1,1′‐[2‐(imidazol‐1‐ylmethyl)propene‐1,3‐diyl]di(4‐quinolone‐3‐carboxylate) 14 . Hydrolysis of the dimer (Z)‐ 13 or (E)‐ 14 with potassium hydroxide provided the (E)‐1,1′‐(2‐hydroxymethylpropene‐1,3‐diyl)di(4‐quinolone‐3‐carboxylic acid) 15 or (Z)‐1,1′‐[2‐(imidazol‐1‐ylmethyl)propene‐1,3‐diyl]di(4‐quinolone‐3‐carboxylic acid) 16 , respectively. The nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) spectral data supported that those hydrolysis resulted in the geometrical conversion of (Z)‐ 13 into (E)‐ 15 or (E)‐ 14 into (Z)‐ 16 .     

Stereospecific synthesis of a family of novel (E)‐2‐aryl‐1‐silylalka‐1,4‐dienes or (E)‐4‐aryl‐5‐silylpenta‐1,2,4‐trienes via a cross‐coupling of (Z)‐silyl(stannyl)ethenes with allyl halides or propargyl bromide

Stereospecific synthesis of a family of novel (E)‐2‐aryl‐1‐silylalka‐1,4‐dienes or (E)‐4‐aryl‐5‐silylpenta‐1,2,4‐trienes via a cross‐coupling of (Z)‐silyl(stannyl)ethenes with allyl halides or propargyl bromide is described. In the reaction with allyl bromide, either a Pd(dba)₂? CuI combination (dba, dibenzylideneacetone) in DMF or copper(I) iodide in DMSO–THF readily catalyzes or mediates the coupling reaction of (Z)‐silyl(stannyl)ethenes at room temperature, producing novel vinylsilanes bearing an allyl group β to silicon with cis ‐disposition in good yields. Allyl chlorides as halides can be used in the CuI‐mediated reaction. CuI alone much more effectively mediates the cross‐coupling reaction with propargyl bromide in DMSO–THF at room temperature compared with a Pd(dba)₂? CuI combination catalysis in DMF, providing novel stereodefined vinylsilanes bearing an allenyl group β to silicon with cis ‐disposition in good yields. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reaction of 1,6‐Dioxo‐2,4‐Diene with Aziridine and Secondary Amine

The (2E,4E)‐ and (2E,4Z)‐1‐phenyl‐1,6‐dioxo‐hepta‐2,4‐diene reacts with aziridine to give aziridinecyclopentenol 3. This product arises from an intermolecular Michael addition of a nitrogen lone pair to the less reactive enone, followed by an intramolecular aldol reaction of the enol with ketone. Furthermore, the initially formed enol did not undergo nucleophilic attack onto the aziridine ring to form heterocycles. Interestingly, the reaction with secondary amine did not give the cyclopentenol adduct, and this only leads to the isomerization of (2E,4Z)‐1‐phenyl‐1,6‐dioxo‐hepta‐2,4‐diene to the more stable (2E,4E)‐1‐phenyl‐1,6‐dioxo‐hepta‐2,4‐diene by addition to the more reactive enone.     

Visible‐Light‐Enabled Stereodivergent Synthesis of E‐ and Z‐Configured 1,4‐Dienes by Photoredox/Nickel Dual Catalysis

A stereodivergent reductive coupling reaction between allylic carbonates and vinyl triflates to furnish both E‐ and Z‐configured 1,4‐dienes has been achieved by visible‐light‐induced photoredox/nickel dual catalysis. The mild reaction conditions allow good compatibility of both vinyl triflates and allylic carbonates. Notably, the stereoselectivity of this synergistic cross‐electrophile coupling can be tuned by an appropriate photocatalyst with a suitable triplet‐state energy, providing a practical and stereodivergent means to alkene synthesis. Preliminary mechanistic studies shed some light on the coupling step as well as the control of the stereoselectivity step.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of 4,5‐Diethylidene‐Oxazolidinones as New Dienes in Diels‐Alder Reactions

The N‐substituted isomeric (4Z,5Z)‐ and (4E,5Z)‐4,5‐diethylideneoxazolidin‐2‐ones 5 and 6 were synthesized, the latter being favored during the one‐step process from the α‐diketone 1c and different isocyanates. The steric interaction between the N‐substituent and the Me group attached to the exocyclic diene moiety plays a decisive role in controlling the observed stereoselectivity, as suggested by the calculated free energies of the two isomers. Both dienes undergo efficient additions to symmetric dienophiles in thermal Diels‐Alder reactions to yield the adducts 11 and 13 , respectively. These molecules displayed interesting C−H⋅⋅⋅π, and C−H⋅⋅⋅X (X=O, Cl) interactions according to their X‐ray crystal structures. Isomers 6 suffered highly stereo‐ and regioselective additions with nonsymmetrical dienophiles such as methyl vinyl ketone or methyl propiolate. Steric interactions, promoted by the inward‐pointing Me group in 6 , seem to explain such selectivity. These results have also been rationalized by ab initio calculations in terms of the FMO theory.     

(1E,3E,5E)‐1,2,3,4,5,6‐Hexa­fluoro‐1,6‐di­phenyl­hexatriene

The title triene, C₁₈H₁₀F₆, was prepared via the Pd⁰ coupling reaction of (E)‐(1,2‐di­fluoro‐1,2‐ethenediyl)­bis­(tri­butyl­stan­nane) with (Z)‐β‐iodo‐α,β‐di­fluoro­styrene in N,N′‐dimethylformamide/tetrahydrofuran. The crystal structure shows the product to be the 1E,3E,5E isomer. Due to steric interactions between F atoms, the double bonds are not coplanar. The planes defined by the two terminal double bonds are almost perpendicular.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Mannich‐Type Reaction Enabled by Efficient Dienolization of α,β‐Unsaturated Pyrazoleamides†

(E)‐α,β‐Unsaturated pyrazoleamides undergo facile dienolization to furnish copper(I)‐(1Z,3Z)‐dienolates as the major in the presence of a copper(I)‐(R)‐DTBM‐SEGPHOS catalyst and Et₃N, which react with aldimines to afford syn‐vinylogous products as the major diastereoisomers in high regio‐ and enantioselectivities. In some cases, the diastereoselectivity is low, possibly due to the low ratio of copper(I)‐(1Z,3Z)‐dienolates to copper(I)‐(1Z,3E)‐dienolates. (Z)‐Allylcopper(I) species is proposed as effective intermediates, which may form an equilibrium with copper(I)‐(1Z,3Z)‐dienolates. Interestingly, the present methodology is a nice complement to our previous report, in which (E)‐β,γ‐unsaturated pyrazoleamides were employed as the prenucleophiles in the copper(I)‐catalyzed asymmetric vinylogous Mannich‐Type reaction and anti‐vinylogous products were obtained. In the previous reaction, copper(I)‐ (1Z,3E)‐dienolates were generated through α‐deprotonation, which might form an equilibrium with (E)‐allylcopper(I) species. Therefore, it is realized in the presence of a copper(I) catalyst that (E)‐α,β‐unsaturated pyrazoleamides lead to syn‐products and (E)‐β,γ‐unsaturated pyrazoleamides lead to anti‐products. Finally, by use of (E)‐β,γ‐unsaturated pyrazoleamide, (E)‐α,β‐unsaturated pyrazoleamide, (R)‐DTBM‐SEGPHOS, and (S)‐DTBM‐SEGPHOS, the stereodivergent synthesis of all four stereoisomers is successfully carried out. Then by following a three‐step reaction sequence, all four stereoisomers of N‐Boc‐2‐Ph‐3‐Me‐piperidine are synthesized in good yields, which potentially serve as common structure units in pharmaceutically active compounds.     

A facile stereoselective synthesis of (E)‐α‐silylvinyl sulfides via hydromagnesiation of alkynylsilanes

Hydromagnesiation of alkynylsilanes 1 in diethyl ether gave (Z)‐α‐silylvinyl Grignard reagents 2 , which reacted with arylsulfenyl chlorides 3 to afford stereoselectively (E)‐α‐silylvinyl sulfides 4 in good yields. (E)‐α‐Silylvinyl sulfides 4 could undergo the cross‐coupling reactions with Grignard reagents in the presence of NiCl₂(PPh₃)₂ to give stereoselectively (Z)‐1,2‐disubstituted vinylsilanes 5 . © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 16:644–647, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20165     

Broadly Applicable Z‐ and Diastereoselective Ring‐Opening/Cross‐Metathesis Catalyzed by a Dithiolate Ru Complex

A broadly applicable Ru‐catalyzed protocol for Z‐selective ring‐opening/cross‐metathesis (ROCM) is disclosed. In addition to reactions relating to terminal alkenes of different sizes, the first examples of Z‐selective ROCM processes involving heteroaryl olefins, 1,3‐dienes, and O‐ and S‐substituted alkenes as well as allylic and homoallylic alcohols are reported. Z‐Selective transformations with an α‐substituted allylic alcohol are shown to afford congested Z alkenes with high diastereoselectivity. Transformations are performed in the presence of 2.0–5.0 mol % of a recently disclosed Ru‐based dithiolate complex that can be easily prepared in a single step from commercially available starting materials. Typically, transformations proceed at ambient temperature and are complete within eight hours; products are obtained in up to 97 % yield, >98:2 Z/E, and >98:2 diastereomeric ratio. The present investigations reveal a mechanistically significant attribute of the Ru‐based dithiolates that arises from electrostatic interactions with anionic S‐based ligands.