Cyclization Cascade of Allenyl Azides: Synergy Between Theory and Experiment

Collaborative work between experimentalists and computational chemists have demonstrated a stong synergy which allowed the rationalization of allenyl azide chemistry and permited the development of an efficient synthetic tool aimed at the preparation of several alkaloids. Saturated allenyl azides undergo a reaction cascade involving key diradical intermediates that follow the Curtin-Hammett model whereas unsaturated allenyl azides form indolidene intermediates that furnish the final indole products via electrocyclic ring closure events taking place out of the Curtin-Hammett regime. The regiochemistry of the reaction cascade with the latter substrates can be manipulated by Cu(I) addition to the reaction mixture.     

New organolithium addition methodology to diversely functionalized indoles

A novel synthetic approach to diversely functionalized indoles is described. Boc-protected ortho-aminostyrenes undergo an alkyllithium addition reaction, thereby generating a lithiated intermediate, which upon reaction with specific electrophiles sets up a cascade reaction process between the reacted electrophile and ortho-amino substituent, facilitating an in situ ring closure, followed by dehydration, to generate an indole ring system. This methodology is demonstrated by the synthesis of a range of 3,5-, 1,3,5-, and 2,3,5-substituted indoles.     

Grignard Reagent/CuI/LiCl‐Mediated Stereoselective Cascade Addition/Cyclization of Diynes: A Novel Pathway for the Construction of 1‐Methyleneindene Derivatives

Diynes containing a cyclopropane group smoothly undergo a novel intramolecular and stereoselective cascade addition/cyclization reaction to produce the corresponding 1‐methyleneindene derivatives in moderate to good yields. This interesting transformation is mediated by Grignard reagent/CuI with LiCl as an additive under mild conditions. The obtained product can easily be further functionalized through cyclopropyl ring opening. A plausible reaction mechanism has also been presented on the basis of deuterium labeling and control experiments.     

Cascade assembly of the benzo[a]anthraquinone ring system common to the angucycline antibiotics

A benzo[a]anthraquinone ring system, common to a group of angucycline antibiotics, has been prepared by a unique cascade of reactions. The reaction sequence was initiated by a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling between a bromoquinone and vinyl boronic anhdyride. The reaction product is proposed to undergo a 6π-electron cyclization triggered by reductive activation of the quinone. The reaction process is proposed to be autocatalytic.     

New Fe(III)-mediated radical cascade reactions of cyclopropyl silyl ethers

[reaction: see text] Fe(III)-mediated ring opening of cyclopropyl ethers bearing a phenyl-substituted butenyl side chain leads to the generation of beta-keto radicals that undergo 5-exo cyclization followed by a novel cascade sequence resulting in the formation of tricyclic ethers.     

Synthesis of the tetracyclic framework of the erythrina alkaloids using a [4 + 2]-cycloaddition/Rh(I)-catalyzed cascade of 2-imidofurans

Several 2-imido substituted furans were found to undergo a rapid intramolecular [4 + 2]-cycloaddition to deliver oxabicyclo adducts in good to excellent yields. By using a Rh(I)-catalyzed ring opening of the resulting oxabicyclic adduct, it was possible to prepare several highly functionalized tetrahydro-1H-indol-2(3H)-one derivatives which were then used to prepare several erythrina alkaloids. By taking advantage of the Rh(I)-catalyzed reaction, it was possible to convert tert-butyl 3-oxo-5-carbomethoxy-10-oxa-2-azatricyclo[5.2.1.0(1,5)]dec-8-ene-2-carboxylate into the ring opened boronate by reaction with phenylboronic acid. Treatment of the boronate with pinacol/acetic acid afforded the corresponding diol which was used in a successful synthesis of racemic 3-demethoxyerythratidinone. During the course of these studies, several novel rearrangement reactions were encountered while attempting to induce an acid-initiated Pictet Spengler cyclization of a key lactam intermediate. The IMDAF/Rh(I)-catalyzed ring opening cascade sequence was also applied to the total synthesis of (+/-)-erysotramidine as well as the lycorine type alkaloid (+/-)-epi-zephyranthine.     

Application of a stereospecific RhCl(PPh3)3 decarbonylation reaction for the total synthesis of 7-(±)-deoxypancratistatin

A highly efficient total synthesis of 7-deoxypancratistatin is described. The synthesis features the ready preparation of the phenanthridone skeleton by a Stille-IMDAF cycloaddition cascade. The resulting cycloadduct is converted into a key aldehydic intermediate, which is then induced to undergo a stereospecific decarbonylation reaction using Wilkinson’s catalyst to set the trans B-C ring junction of the target molecule.     

A Stereoselective [3+1] Ring Expansion for the Synthesis of Highly Substituted Methylene Azetidines

The reaction of rhodium‐bound carbenes with strained bicyclic methylene aziridines results in a formal [3+1] ring expansion to yield highly substituted methylene azetidines with excellent regio‐ and stereoselectivity. The reaction appears to proceed through an ylide‐type mechanism, where the unique strain and structure of the methylene aziridine promotes a ring‐opening/ring‐closing cascade that efficiently transfers chirality from substrate to product. The resultant products can be elaborated into new azetidine scaffolds containing vicinal tertiary‐quaternary and even quaternary‐quaternary stereocenters.     

Structural effects in the Pd-induced enantioselective deprotection–decarboxylation of β-ketoesters

Structural effects in the chiral base and the influence of some key reaction parameters (catalyst type and solvent) in the Pd-induced enantioselective decarboxylation (cascade reaction) of three different ,-disubstituted benzyl β-ketoesters were explored. The reaction intermediate after debenzylation (β-keto-carboxylic acid) was synthesized and its decarboxylation studied independently. The highest ee (up to 60%) in the cascade reaction was achieved with those substrates that contained an aromatic ring system and with chiral amino alcohols that possessed an extended aromatic ring (quinine and quinidine). Polar solvents with weak H-bond donor and acceptor properties favor enantioselection.     

Isotope labeling and theoretical study of the formation of a3* ions from protonated tetraglycine

Extensive 13C, 15N, and 2H labeling of tetraglycine was used to investigate the b3+ --> a3* reaction during low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometer. The patterns observed with respect to the retention or elimination of the isotope labels demonstrate that the reaction pathway involves elimination of CO and NH3. The ammonia molecule includes 2 H atoms from amide or amino positions, and one from an alpha-carbon position. The loss of NH3 does not involve elimination of the N-terminal amino group but, instead, the N atom of the presumed oxazolone ring in the b3+ ion. The CO molecule eliminated is the carbonyl group of the same oxazolone ring, and the alpha-carbon H atom is transferred from the amino acid adjacent to the oxazolone ring. Quantum chemical calculations indicate a multistep reaction cascade involving CO loss on the b3 --> a3 pathway and loss of NH=CH2 from the a3 ion to form b2. In the postreaction complex of b2 and NH=CH2, the latter can be attacked by the N-terminal amino group of the former. The product of this attack, an isomerized a3 ion, can eliminate NH3 from its N-terminus to form a3*. Calculations suggest that the ammonia and a3* species can form various ion-molecule complexes, and NH3 can initiate relay-type mobilization of the oxazolone H atoms from alpha-carbon positions to form a new oxazolone isomer. This multiple-step reaction scheme clearly explains the isotope labeling results, including unexpected scrambling of H atoms from alpha-carbon positions.     

Cascade alkenyl amination/Heck reaction promoted by a bifunctional palladium catalyst: a novel one-pot synthesis of indoles from o-haloanilines and alkenyl halides

A novel approach for the synthesis of the important indole ring is described. Indoles are obtained from o-bromoanilines and alkenyl halides in a Pd-catalyzed cascade process that involves an alkenyl amination followed by an intramolecular Heck reaction. The overall process represents the first example of the participation of alkenyl amination reactions in Pd-catalyzed cascade reactions. Initially, the relative reactivity of aryl and alkenyl bromides and chlorides towards Pd-catalyzed amination was investigated. Competition experiments were carried out in the presence of primary and secondary amines, and these revealed the reactivity order alkenyl bromides > aryl bromides > alkenyl chlorides > aryl chlorides, as well as very high chemoselectivity; the more reactive halide was always favored. Thereafter, optimized reaction conditions for the sequential alkenyl amination/Heck cyclization to give indoles were investigated with the model reaction of o-bromoaniline with alpha-bromostyrene. An extensive screening of ligands, bases, and reaction conditions revealed that the [Pd2(dba)3]/DavePhos, NaOtBu, toluene combination at 100 degrees C were the optimized reaction conditions to carry out the cascade process (dba=dibenzylideneacetone, DavePhos=2-dicyclohexylphosphino-2'-N,N-dimethylaminobiphenyl). The reaction proceeds with aryl, alkyl, and functionalized substitutents in both starting reactants. The cyclization was also studied with N-substituted o-bromoanilines (which would give rise to N-substituted indoles); however, in this case, indole formation occurred only with 1-substituted-2-bromoalkenes. Finally, the application of this methodology to o-chloroanilines required further optimization. Although the catalyst based on DavePhos failed to promote the cascade process, a catalytic combination based on [Pd2(dba)3]/X-Phos promoted the formation of the indole ring also from the less reactive chloroanilines.     

Carbolithiation of vinyl pyridines as a route to 7-azaindoles

An effective synthesis of the 7-azaindole ring system has been developed from substituted 2-amino-3-vinyl pyridines. The methodology involves a novel cascade reaction sequence of controlled carbolithiation of the vinyl double bond, subsequent trapping of the intermediate organolithium with a suitable electrophile, followed by ring closure and dehydration.     

1,4-Diazaspiro[2.2]pentanes as a flexible platform for the synthesis of diamine-bearing stereotriads

Nitrogen-containing stereotriads occur in a number of biologically active compounds, but general and flexible methods to access these compounds are limited mainly to the manipulation of chiral olefins. An alternative approach is to employ a highly chemo-, regio-, and stereocontrolled allene oxidation that can install a new carbon-heteroatom bond at each of the three original allene carbons. In this paper, an intramolecular/intermolecular allene bis-aziridination is described that offers the potential to serve as a key step for the construction of stereotriads containing vicinal diaminated motifs. The resultant 1,4-diazaspiro[2.2]pentane (DASP) scaffolds contain two electronically differentiated aziridines that undergo highly regioselective ring openings at C1 with a variety of heteroatom nucleophiles to give chiral N,N-aminals. Alternatively, the same DASP intermediate can be induced to undergo a double ring-opening reaction at both C1 and C3 to yield vicinal diaminated products corresponding to formal ring opening at C3. The chirality of a propargyl alcohol is easily transferred to the DASP with good fidelity, providing a new paradigm for the construction of enantioenriched nitrogen-containing stereotriads.     

trans‐Carbocarbonation of Internal Alkynes through a Formal anti‐Carbopalladation/C−H Activation Cascade

An intramolecular Pd‐catalyzed cascade reaction is presented that consists of a formal anti‐carbopalladation of a C?C triple bond followed by C?H activation. As a result, oligocyclic ring systems with an embedded tetrasubstituted double bond are formed. The key to success in affording the trans geometry of the emerging double bond are alkyne units with residues that must not undergo β‐hydride elimination (e.g., t‐butyl or silyl groups). Silyl groups proved to be a perfect handle to further convert the tetrasubstituted alkenes. The evaluation of kinetic data with a deuterium‐labeled compound and X‐ray analyses of trapped intermediates provided additional insight into the catalytic cycle.     

Domino carbocationic rearrangement of aryl-2-(1-N-methyl/benzyl-3-indolyl)cyclopropyl ketones: a serendipitous route to 1H-cyclopenta[c]carbazole framework

Aryl-2-(N-methyl/benzyl-3-indolyl)cyclopropyl ketones 2a-m are shown to undergo a novel unexpected domino carbocationic rearrangement in the presence of SnCl(4)/CH(3)NO(2) yielding 2-aroyl-3-aryl-1H-cyclopenta[c]carbazoles 3a-m in good yields. The possible mechanistic pathway for this interesting transformation involves a series of cascade events, (a) electrophilic ring opening of cyclopropyl ketone, (b) intermolecular enol capture of the resulting zwitterionic intermediate, (c) electrophilic dimerization of indole moieties to give tetrahydrocarbazole intermediate and its subsequent aromatization by elimination of an indole moiety and dehydrogenation, and (d) intramolecular aldol condensation of the side chain to give a cyclopentene ring. The overall transformation involves formation of three carbon-carbon bonds along with a fused benzene and a substituted cyclopentene ring in one-pot operation from simple indole precursors.     

Intramolecular reactions of benzylic azides with ketones: competition between Schmidt and Mannich pathways.

The Lewis acid-promoted reactions of benzylic azides with ketones can proceed by two major pathways. The azido-Schmidt reaction involves simple addition of azide to the ketone followed by rearrangement and ring expansion. In addition, benzylic azides can undergo prior rearrangement to afford iminium ions that can subsequently participate in a Mannich reaction. A series of ketones containing an alpha CH2(CH2)nCH(N3)Ph substituent (n = 1-3) was prepared to investigate the dependence of products on ketone ring size and tether length. For all ketones examined, good yields of bicyclic lactams arising from intramolecular Schmidt reaction were obtained when a four-carbon linker was used (n = 1 in the above formulation), but Mannich products predominated for the longer tethers examined (n = 2, 3).     

Efficient construction of the oxatricyclo[6.3.1.0(0,0)]dodecane core of komaroviquinone using a cyclization/cycloaddition cascade of a rhodium carbenoid intermediate

The rhodium(II)-catalyzed cyclization/cycloaddition cascade of a o-carbomethoxyaryl diazo dione is described as a potential route to the oxatricyclo[6.3.1.0(0,0)]dodecane substructure of the icetexane diterpene komaroviquinone. The initially formed carbonyl ylide dipole prefers to cyclize to an epoxide at 25 degrees C but can be induced to undergo cycloaddition across the tethered pi-bond at higher temperatures. [reaction: see text]     

One-pot synthesis of 5-(furo[3,4-b]chromenyl)-5-hydroxybarbiturates via a three-component cascade reaction

A three-component domino reaction between a 3-formylchromone, an isocyanide, and 1,3-dimethylalloxan which affords novel 5-(furo[3,4-b]chromenyl)-5-hydroxybarbiturate derivatives is reported. The reaction sequence consists of an initial [4+1] cycloaddition followed by an activated electrophilic heteroaromatic substitution on the furan ring to afford the products. This novel cascade reaction sequence represents an atom-economic route to biologically interesting molecules.     

Synthesis of 3-substituted 8,9-didehydroazepino[4,5-b]indolines via ring expansion reaction of pyrroloindolines

An unexpected ring expansion reaction was observed to give the 3-substituted 8,9-didehydroazepinoindolines when 3-substituted pyrroloindolines reacted with electron-deficient acetylenes in the presence of catalytic amount of CuI. The ring expansion reaction proceeded via a three-step one-pot cascade pathway of aza-Michael-addition/ring-opening/iminium-cyclization.     

Supramolecular chemistry under mechanochemical conditions: a small molecule template generated and integrated into a molecular-to-supramolecular and back-to-molecular cascade reaction

We describe the integration of a small-molecule hydrogen-bond-donor template into a cascade reaction that is comprised of a combination of molecular and supramolecular events. The cascade is performed mechanochemically and in the presence of μL amounts of water. The small-molecule template is generated (molecular) using water-assisted vortex grinding and is then used to assemble an alkene (supramolecular) to undergo an intermolecular [2 + 2] photodimerization reaction (molecular). The chemical cascade results in a cyclobutane photoproduct that we show serves as a building block of a hydrogen-bonded network with a topology that conforms to T-silica. Remarkably, the molecular–supramolecular–molecular chemical cascade occurs stepwise and entirely regioselectively within the continuous mechanochemical conditions employed.

Mechanochemistry is applied to molecular and supramolecular chemistry to support a template-directed photochemical reaction.