Synthesis of Halogenated α,β‐Unsaturated γ‐Butyrolactone Derivatives by Triphenylphosphine‐Catalyzed Cyclization of α‐Halogeno Ketones with Dialkyl Acetylenedicarboxylates (=Dialkyl But‐2‐ynedioates)

A Ph₃P‐catalyzed cyclization of α‐halogeno ketones 2 with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates (=dialkyl but‐2‐ynedioates) 3 produced halogenated α,β‐unsaturated γ‐butyrolactone derivatives 4 in good yields (Scheme 1, Table). The presence of electron‐withdrawing groups such as halogen atoms at the α‐position of the ketones was necessary in this reaction. Cyclization of α‐chloro ketones resulted in higher yields than that of the corresponding α‐bromo ketones. Dihalogeno ketones similarly afforded the expected γ‐butyrolactone derivatives in high yields.     

A Mild Isomerization Reaction for β,γ‐Unsaturated Ketone to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketone

A series of β,γ‐unsaturated ketones were isomerized to their corresponding α,β‐unsaturated ketones by the introduction of DABCO in iPrOH at room temperature. The endo‐cyclic double bond (β,γ‐position) on ketone was rearranged to exo‐cyclic double bond (α,β‐position) under the reaction conditions.     

Rhodium‐catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of α‐Dehydroamino Ketones: A General Approach to Chiral α‐amino Ketones

Rhodium/DuanPhos‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of aliphatic α‐dehydroamino ketones has been achieved and afforded chiral α‐amino ketones in high yields and excellent enantioselectives (up to 99 % ee), which could be reduced further to chiral β‐amino alcohols by LiAlH(tBuO)₃ with good yields_. This protocol provides a readily accessible route for the synthesis of chiral α‐amino ketones and chiral β‐amino alcohols.     

Novel and Efficient One Pot Condensation Reactions between Ketones and Aromatic Alcohols in the Presence of CrO3 Producing α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

We report a new, effective and simple method for preparing α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds by reacting ketones and aromatic alcohols at 56°C in the presence of CrO₃ (CrO₃ acts as an oxidant and also a catalyst) for around 10 h. The condensation reactions occurred effectively among a wide combination of ketones and alcohols. The procedure is simple and the yields can be high up to 98%. And a probable mechanism is proposed.     

无金属和未催化的Hantzsch酯还原 a, b-不饱和酮反应

Hantzsch酯和 a, b-不饱和酮在氩气保护下,直接在二甲苯中回流可以得到相应的饱和酮,整个过程不需要加入任何金属或有机催化剂。     

Synthesis of β‐Haloketones by β‐Addition Reactions of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones with BX3 (X = Br,Cl) as Halide Source

A series of β‐bromoketones and β‐chloroketones were synthesized by the addition reactions of α,β‐unsaturated ketones under BX₃ (X = Br, Cl) and ethylene glycol reaction system. The α,β‐unsaturated ester also was successfully converted to its corresponding β‐bromoester under the reaction condition.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Allylic Substitution of Unstabilized Enolates Derived from α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

We report Ir‐catalyzed, enantioselective allylic substitution reactions of unstabilized silyl enolates derived from α,β‐unsaturated ketones. Asymmetric allylic substitution of a variety of allylic carbonates with silyl enolates gave allylated products in 62–94 % yield with 90–98 % ee and >20:1 branched‐to‐linear selectivity. The synthetic utility of this method was illustrated by the short synthesis of an anticancer agent, TEI‐9826.     

Benzylamine as Hydrogen Transfer Agent: Cobalt‐Catalyzed Chemoselective C=C Bond Reduction of β‐Trifluoromethylated α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones via 1,5‐Hydrogen Transfer

An efficient cobalt‐catalyzed chemoselective reduction of β‐CF₃‐α,β‐unsaturated ketones using benzylamine as hydrogen transfer agent involving intramolecular 1,5‐hydrogen transfer is reported. The reaction proceeded smoothly with a relatively wide range of substrates including those bearing aromatic heterocycles such as a furyl ring system in high yields (74–92 %). This provides an efficient method for the synthesis of β‐CF₃ saturated ketones in one‐pot. This methodology was also applied to the selective C=C reduction of other enone substrates bearing no β‐CF₃‐substituent, of which β‐substituted or β,β‐disubstituted enones are tolerated, giving the desired products in good yields (72–75 %). Mechanistic studies indicate that the reaction involves 1,5‐hydrogen transfer.     

Efficient Synthesis of β‐Acetamido Ketones and Esters Using Aluminum Chloride as an Inexpensive and Green Catalyst

Aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) efficiently catalyzes one‐pot multicomponent condensation of enolizable ketones or alkyl acetoacetates with aldehydes, acetonitrile and acetyl chloride to afford β‐acetamido ketone or ester derivatives in high to excellent yields and in relatively short reaction times. Moreover, by this synthetic method, some novel β‐acetamido ketones and esters (i.e. one complex structure) are prepared.     

Copper‐Catalysed Decarboxylative Trifluoromethylation of β‐Ketoacids

An efficient method for Cu‐catalyzed decarboxylative trifluoromethylation of β ‐ketoacids to achieve α ‐trifluoromethyl ketones was developed. A wide variety of synthetically useful α ‐trifluoromethyl ketones were obtained in modest to good yields under mild reaction conditions. The present method also exhibits good functional‐group compatibility.     

Reductive Cyclodimerization of α, β‐ Unsaturated Ketones Promoted by AlCl3/Sm System: A Facile Synthesis of 2‐Aroyl‐1,3,4‐triaryl Cyclopentanol Derivatives

Promoted by AlCl₃/Sm bimetallic system, α, β‐unsaturated ketones underwent reductive cyclodimerization to afford cyclopentanol derivatives under mild conditions. The reaction is stereocontrolled and regioselective over the competitive carbon‐carbon double bond reduction.     

Enantioselective Syntheses of Substituted γ‐Butyrolactones

The previously described chiral 2‐acyloxathianes 5 (Scheme I) are used in two different enantioselective syntheses of γ‐butyrolactones. In one synthesis, Grignard addition, cleavage and reduction to carbinols RR'C(OH)CH₂OH is followed by tosylation, malonate homologation, lactonization, and removal of the carbomethoxy group to give optically active γ‐lactones. A modification of this synthesis (Scheme I) leads to optically active α‐methylene‐γ‐lactones. In the second synthesis, reaction of a bromomagnesium enolate with ketones 5 leads to β‐hydroxyesters, which, by appropriate sequences of reduction and cleavage (Scheme II) are converted to optically active α‐ or β‐hydroxy‐γ‐lactones.     

Toward the Synthesis of Modified Carbohydrates by Conjugate Addition of Propane‐1,3‐dithiol to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

Selected 5‐substituted derivatives 4 of 1,1‐diethoxy‐5‐hydroxypent‐3‐yn‐2‐one were treated with propane‐1,3‐dithiol under various conditions. The unprotected hydroxy ketones underwent cyclization during the dithiol addition and gave the corresponding 3‐(diethoxymethyl)‐2‐oxa‐6,10‐dithiaspiro[4.5]decan‐3‐ols 5 in 80–90% yield as the only products (Scheme 3 and Table 1). These products can be regarded as partly modified carbohydrates in the furanose form. When the benzyl‐protected analogues 10‐Bn of the 1,1‐diethoxy‐5‐hydroxypent‐3‐yn‐2‐one derivatives were treated with the same dithiol, however, no cyclization occurred; instead the corresponding 3‐{2‐[(benzyloxy)methyl]‐1,3‐dithian‐2‐yl}‐1,1‐diethoxypropan‐2‐one derivatives 11‐Bn were formed in good yield (up to 99%; Table 4). These 1,3‐dithianes were and are in the process of being converted to a number of new carbohydrate analogues, and here are reported high‐yield syntheses of functionalized molecules 17 belonging to the 5,5‐diethoxy‐1,4‐dihydroxypentan‐2‐one family of compounds (Table 7), via 15‐Bn (Table 5) and 16‐Bn (Table 6 and Scheme 8).     

Palladium‐catalyzed cyclization of β‐bromo‐α,β‐unsaturated ketones with arylhydrazines leading to 3‐substituted 1‐aryl‐1 H‐pyrazoles

β‐Bromo‐α,β‐unsaturated ketones are condensed with arylhydrazines to form hydrazones, which are in situ intramolecularly cyclized into 3‐substituted 1‐aryl‐1 H‐pyrazoles under a catalytic system of Pd(OAc)₂/1,3‐bis(diphenylhosphino)propane (dppp)/NaO^tBu. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enantioselective NiH/Pmrox‐Catalyzed 1,2‐Reduction of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

The enantioselective 1,2‐reduction of α,β‐unsaturated ketones was achieved using a NiH catalyst in the presence of pinacolborane. This mild process represents a general method to access a wide variety of structurally diverse α‐chiral allylic alcohols in excellent yields and enantioselectivity, as well as very high levels of ambidoselectivity for 1,2‐ over 1,4‐reduction. Furthermore, for reactions on a 10 mmol scale, catalyst loadings as low as 0.5 mol % could be employed to deliver product without any detrimental effect on the yield, enantio‐, or ambidoselectivity.     

α-Peroxyamines

α-Peroxyamines contain the group , which may also be incorporated into a ring. Numerous compounds of this type are accessible, inter alia, from ketones, hydrogen peroxide, or alkyl hydroperoxides and ammonia, as well as by autoxidation or photo-oxidation of amines or imines. Apart from decomposition reactions, the chemistry of these compounds is characterized by interesting cyclizations to give lactams, imides, oxaziridines, tetroxanes, etc.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Intramolecular Homologation of Ketones with α‐Diazoesters: Synthesis of Cyclic α‐Aryl/Alkyl β‐Ketoesters

A catalytic asymmetric intramolecular homologation of simple ketones with α‐diazoesters was firstly accomplished with a chiral N,N′‐dioxide–Sc(OTf)₃ complex. This method provides an efficient access to chiral cyclic α‐aryl/alkyl β‐ketoesters containing an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter. Under mild conditions, a variety of aryl‐ and alkyl‐substituted ketone groups reacted with α‐diazoester groups smoothly through an intramolecular addition/rearrangement process, producing the β‐ketoesters in high yield and enantiomeric excess.     

Titanyl Acetylacetonate as an Efficient Catalyst for Regioselective 1,2‐Reduction of α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds and Conversion of α‐Diketones & Acyloins to Vicinal Diols with Sodium Borohydride

α,β‐Unsaturated aldehydes and ketones were reduced readily and exclusively to their corresponding allylic alcohols with NaBH₄ and catalytic amounts of titanyl acetylacetonate at room temperature. Reduction reactions were carried out in CH₃CN or THF. This reducing system was also efficient for the reduction of α‐diketones and acyloins to their corresponding vicinal diols in CH₃CN.     

Synthesis of Aryl α,α-Difluoroalkyl Ketones as Potent Inhibitors of Cholesterol Esterase

Aryl α,α-difluoroalkyl ketones were synthesized from the reaction of ethyl α,α-difluoroacylate with aryl lithium at ?78°C or from the coupling of aryl iododifluoromethyl ketone with 1-alkene in the presence of tetcrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0). These compounds were potent inhibitors of pancreatic cholesterol esterase with K_i values in the range 15 μM-20 nM.     

Capturing the Monomeric (L)CuH in NHC‐Capped Cyclodextrin: Cavity‐Controlled Chemoselective Hydrosilylation of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

The encapsulation of copper inside a cyclodextrin capped with an N‐heterocyclic carbene (ICyD) allowed both to catch the elusive monomeric (L)CuH and a cavity‐controlled chemoselective copper‐catalyzed hydrosilylation of α,β‐unsaturated ketones. Remarkably, (α‐ICyD)CuCl promoted the 1,2‐addition exclusively, while (β‐ICyD)CuCl produced the fully reduced product. The chemoselectivity is controlled by the size of the cavity and weak interactions between the substrate and internal C?H bonds of the cyclodextrin.