Kinetic Resolution of 1,1′‐Biaryl‐2,2′‐Diols and Amino Alcohols through NHC‐Catalyzed Atroposelective Acylation

We present here a highly efficient NHC‐catalyzed kinetic resolution of a wide range of 1,1′‐biaryl‐2,2′‐diols and amino alcohols to provide them in uniformly ≥99 % ee. This represents the first highly enantioselective catalytic acylation of axially chiral alcohols. The aldehyde backbone that is incorporated into the chiral acyl azolium intermediate was found to have a significant effect on the enantioselectivity of the process.     

Oxidation and β‐Alkylation of Alcohols Catalysed by Iridium(I) Complexes with Functionalised N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands

The borrowing hydrogen methodology allows for the use of alcohols as alkylating agents for C?C bond forming processes offering significant environmental benefits over traditional approaches. Iridium(I)‐cyclooctadiene complexes having a NHC ligand with a O‐ or N‐functionalised wingtip efficiently catalysed the oxidation and β‐alkylation of secondary alcohols with primary alcohols in the presence of a base. The cationic complex [Ir(NCCH₃)(cod)(MeIm(2‐ methoxybenzyl))][BF₄] (cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene, MeIm=1‐methylimidazolyl) having a rigid O‐functionalised wingtip, shows the best catalyst performance in the dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol in acetone, with an initial turnover frequency (TOF₀) of 1283 h^?1, and also in the β‐alkylation of 2‐propanol with butan‐1‐ol, which gives a conversion of 94 % in 10 h with a selectivity of 99 % for heptan‐2‐ol. We have investigated the full reaction mechanism including the dehydrogenation, the cross‐aldol condensation and the hydrogenation step by DFT calculations. Interestingly, these studies revealed the participation of the iridium catalyst in the key step leading to the formation of the new C?C bond that involves the reaction of an O‐bound enolate generated in the basic medium with the electrophilic aldehyde.     

Tandem Benzylic Oxidation/Dihydroxylation of α‐Vinyl‐ and α‐Alkenylbenzyl Alcohols

A de novo tandem benzylic oxidative dihydroxylation of α‐vinyl‐ and α‐alkenylbenzyl alcohols has been developed to give α,β‐dihydroxypropiophenones (=2,3‐dihydroxy‐1‐phenylpropan‐1‐ones) and α,β‐dihydroxyalkyl phenones. This method was shown to be substrate‐selective and specific for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols.     

Enzyme‐ and Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Transformation of α‐Allenic Alcohols into 2,3‐Dihydrofurans

An efficient one‐pot method for the enzyme‐ and ruthenium‐catalyzed enantioselective transformation of α‐allenic alcohols into 2,3‐dihydrofurans has been developed. The method involves an enzymatic kinetic resolution and a subsequent ruthenium‐catalyzed cycloisomerization, which provides 2,3‐dihydrofurans with excellent enantioselectivity (up to >99 % ee). A ruthenium carbene species was proposed as a key intermediate in the cycloisomerization.     

Tertiary α‐Silyl Alcohols by Diastereoselective Coupling of 1,3‐Dienes and Acylsilanes Initiated by Enantioselective Copper‐Catalyzed Borylation

An efficient synthesis of functionalized tertiary α‐silyl alcohols by an enantio‐ and diastereoselective copper‐catalyzed three‐component coupling of 1,3‐dienes, bis(pinacolato)diboron, and acylsilanes is reported. The reaction proceeds well with different 1,3‐dienes and a broad range of aryl‐ as well as alkenyl‐ but also alkyl‐substituted acylsilanes. The target compounds are formed with high regio‐, diastereo‐, and enantioselectivity (up to 99 % ee and d.r. >20:1) and are highly versatile synthetic building blocks.     

Multicomponent Synthesis of Chiral Bidentate Unsymmetrical Unsaturated N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes: Copper‐Catalyzed Asymmetric CC Bond Formation

A multicomponent strategy was applied to the synthesis of chiral bidentate unsaturated hydroxyalkyl‐ and carboxyalkyl‐N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors. The newly developed low‐cost chiral ligands derived from amino alcohols and amino acids were evaluated in copper‐catalyzed asymmetric conjugated addition and asymmetric allylic alkylation, which afforded the desired tertiary and quaternary carbon stereocenters with excellent regio‐ and enantioselectivities (up to 99:1 e.r.).     

Rh‐Catalyzed Reaction of Propargylic Alcohols with Aryl Boronic Acids–Switch from β‐OH Elimination to Protodemetalation

It is known that Rh‐catalyzed reaction of propargylic alcohols with aryl metallic reagents undergoes S_N2’‐type reaction affording allenes via a sequential arylmetalation and β‐OH elimination process. Here we report a Rh/Ag‐cocatalyzed reaction of propargylic alcohols with organoboronic acids affording stereo‐defined (E)‐3‐arylallylic alcohols via arylmetalation and protodemetalation with a high regio‐ and stereoselectivity under very mild conditions. The reaction exhibits a good substrate scope and the compatibility with synthetically useful functional groups with no racemization for optically active propargylic alcohols. Such a reaction may also be extended to homopropargylic alcohols with a remarkable regioselectivity and exclusive E‐stereoselectivity.     

Versatile Homoallylic Boronates by Chemo‐, SN2′‐, Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Catalytic Sequence of Cu−H Addition to Vinyl‐B(pin)/Allylic Substitution

A highly chemo‐, diastereo‐ and enantioselective catalytic method that efficiently combines a silyl hydride, vinyl‐B(pin) (pin=pinacolato) and (E)‐1,2‐disubstituted allylic phosphates is introduced. Reactions, best promoted by a Cu‐based complex with a chiral sulfonate‐containing N‐heterocyclic carbene, are broadly applicable. Aryl‐, heteroaryl‐, alkenyl‐, alkynyl‐ and alkyl‐substituted allylic phosphates may thus be converted to the corresponding homoallylic boronates and then alcohols (after C−B bond oxidation) in 46–91 % yield and in up to >98 % S_N2′:S_N2 ratio, 96:4 diastereomeric ratio and 98:2 enantiomeric ratio. The reasons why an NHC−Cu catalyst is uniquely effective (vs. the corresponding phosphine systems) and the basis for different trends in stereoselectivity are provided with the aid of DFT calculations.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Stereoselective Intramolecular Oxidative Amidation of Alkenes in the Synthesis of 1,3‐ and 1,4‐Amino Alcohols and 1,3‐Diamines

An efficient and practical Pd‐catalyzed intramolecular oxidative allylic amidation provides facile access to derivatives of 1,3‐ and 1,4‐amino alcohols and 1,3‐diamines. The method operates under mild reaction conditions (RT) with molecular oxygen (1 atm) as the sole reoxidant of Pd. Excellent diastereoselectivities were attained with substrates bearing a secondary stereogenic center     

Kinetic Resolution of Tertiary 2‐Alkoxycarboxamido‐Substituted Allylic Alcohols by Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Intramolecular Transesterification

A highly enantioselective kinetic resolution of tertiary 2‐alkoxycarboxamido allylic alcohols has been achieved through a chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed intramolecular transesterification reaction. Both alkyl,aryl‐ and dialkyl‐substituted tertiary allylic alcohols were resolved with excellent efficiencies, affording both the recovered tertiary alcohols and the carbamate products with high enantioselectivities (with s factors up to 164.6). A gram‐scale reaction with 1 mol % catalyst loading and the facile conversion of the enantioenriched products into useful chiral building blocks, such as chiral oxazolidinones and β‐amino alcohols, demonstrate the value of this reaction.     

Reactivity of B‐Xanthyl N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Boranes

The synthesis and reactivity of mono‐ and bis‐S‐xanthyl NHC‐boranes is reported. The new NHC‐boranes are prepared through nucleophilic exchange at boron from either mono‐ or bis‐triflyl NHC‐boranes, themselves obtained by protolysis of the NHC‐BH₃ starting compounds. The B?H bond of the S‐xanthyl NHC‐boranes can be cleaved both homolytically and heterolytically, albeit the latter is more synthetically useful. The S‐xanthyl NHC‐boranes can reduce both aldehydes and imines. The B?S bond can also be cleaved homolytically. Under UV irradiation, the S‐xanthyl NHC‐boranes generate NHC‐boryl radicals that can initiate radical polymerizations of acrylates.     

Synergistic N‐Heterocyclic Carbene/Palladium‐Catalyzed Umpolung 1,4‐Addition of Aryl Iodides to Enals

An umpolung 1,4‐addition of aryl iodides to enals promoted by cooperative (terpy)Pd/NHC catalysis was developed that generates various bioactive β,β‐diaryl propanoate derivatives. This system is not only the first reported palladium‐catalyzed arylation of NHC‐bound homoenolates but also expands the scope of NHC‐induced umpolung transformations. A diverse array of functional groups such as esters, nitriles, alcohols, and heterocycles are tolerated under the mild conditions. This method also circumvents the use of moisture‐sensitive organometallic reagents.     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Synthesis of (E)‐δ‐Boryl‐Substituted anti‐Homoallylic Alcohols in Two Steps from Terminal Alkynes

We report the highly diastereo‐ and enantioselective preparation of (E)‐δ‐boryl‐substituted anti‐homoallylic alcohols in two steps from terminal alkynes. This method consists of a cobalt(II)‐catalyzed 1,1‐diboration reaction of terminal alkynes with B₂pin₂ and a palladium(I)‐mediated asymmetric allylation reaction of the resulting 1,1‐di(boryl)alk‐1‐enes with aldehydes in the presence of a chiral phosphoric acid. Propyne, which is produced as the byproduct during petroleum refining, could be used as the starting material to construct homoallylic alcohols that are otherwise difficult to synthesize with high stereocontrol.     

Rhodium(I) and Silver(I) Complexes of 4, 5‐Dicyano‐1, 3‐dimesityl‐ and 4, 5‐Dicyano‐1, 3‐dineopentylimidazol‐2‐ylidene

The new N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors 4, ‐dicyano‐1, ‐dimesityl‐ ( 9 ) and 4, 5‐dicyano‐1, 3‐dineopentyl‐2‐(pentafluorophenyl)imidazoline ( 14 ) were synthesized. The structure of 9 could be determined by X‐ray crystallography. With the 2‐pentafluorophenyl‐substituted imidazolines 9 and 14 , the [AgCl(NHC)], [RhCl(COD)(NHC)], and [RhCl(CO)₂(NHC)] complexes [NHC = 4, 5‐dicyano‐1, 3‐dimesitylimidazol‐2‐ylidene ( 3 ) and 4, 5‐dicyano‐1, 3‐dineopentylimidazol‐2‐ylidene ( 4 )] were obtained. Crystal structures of [AgCl( 3 )] ( 15 ), [RhCl(COD)( 3 )] ( 17 ), [RhCl(COD)( 4 )] ( 18 ), and [RhCl(CO)₂( 3 )] ( 19 ) were solved and with the crystal data of 19 , the percent buried volume ( %V_bur) of 31.8(±0.1) % was determined for NHC 3 . Infrared spectra of the imidazolines 9 and 14 and of the complexes 15 – 20 were recorded and the CO stretching frequencies of complexes 19 and 20 were used to determine the Tolman electronic parameters of the newly obtained NHCs 3 (TEP: 2060 cm^–1) and 4 (TEP: 2061 cm^–1), thus proving that 1, 3‐substitution of maleonitrile‐NHCs does not have a significant effect for the high π‐acceptor strength of these carbenes.     

Chiral‐Organotin‐Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution of Vicinal Amino Alcohols

A highly efficient kinetic resolution of racemic amino alcohols has been achieved for the first time with a chiral tin catalyst. A chiral organotin compound with 3,4,5‐trifluorophenyl groups at the 3,3′‐positions of the binaphthyl framework enabled this transformation with excellent yield and high enantioselectivity. The process tolerates aryl‐ and alkyl‐substituted amino alcohols and a variety of other substrates, affording the corresponding products in high enantioselectivity and with s factors up to >500.     

Efficient Regio‐ and Stereoselective Conversions of Oxiranes and Aziridines into β‐(Nitrooxy)‐Substituted Alcohols and Amines by Using Bismuth Nitrate

Oxiranes and aziridines efficiently undergo ring opening with bismuth nitrate at room temperature to furnish the corresponding β‐(nitrooxy)‐substituted alcohols and amines respectively. The conversions are highly regio‐ and stereoselective and afford the nitrooxy‐compounds in excellent yields within a short period of time.     

Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Allylation–Cyclization Reactions of Cyclic 1,3‐Dicarbonyl Compounds with 1‐Vinyl Propargyl Alcohols

Ruthenium‐catalyzed allylation–cyclization reactions of cyclic 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds with 1‐vinyl propargyl alcohols that lead to diverse carbo‐ or heterocyclic products in a one‐pot cascade process are reported. These mechanistically distinct reactions are catalyzed by a single ruthenium(0) complex that contains a redox‐coupled dienone ligand. The reaction pathway strongly depends on the substrate substitution pattern, which determines the mode of activation of the 1‐vinyl propargyl alcohol. The environmentally benign process, which generates water as the only waste product, is of wide scope and allows the atom‐economic synthesis of highly functionalized furans, pyrans, and spirocarbocycles.     

(NHC)NiH‐Catalyzed Regiodivergent Cross‐Hydroalkenylation of Vinyl Ethers with α‐Olefins: Syntheses of 1,2‐ and 1,3‐Disubstituted Allyl Ethers

Cross‐hydroalkenylation of a vinyl ether ( 1 ) with an α‐olefin ( 2 ) was first achieved by a set of [NHC‐Ni(allyl)]BAr^F (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene) catalysts. Both 1,2‐ and 1,3‐disubstituted allyl ethers were obtained, highly selectively, by using NHCs of different sizes. In contrast, the chemoselectivity (i.e., 1 as acceptor and 2 as donor) was controlled mostly by electronic effects through the catalyst–substrate interaction. Sterically bulkier alkenes ( 2 ) were used as preferred donors compared to smaller alkenes. This electronic effect also served as a basis for the first tail‐to‐head cross‐hydroalkenylations of 1 with either a vinyl silane or boronic ester.     

Analogues of α‐Campholenal (= (1R)‐2,2,3‐Trimethylcyclopent‐3‐ene‐1‐acetaldehyde) as Building Blocks for (+)‐β‐Necrodol (= (1S,3S)‐2,2,3‐Trimethyl‐4‐methylenecyclopentanemethanol) and Sandalwood‐like Alcohols

To complete our panorama in structure–activity relationships (SARs) of sandalwood‐like alcohols derived from analogues of α‐campholenal (= (1R)‐2,2,3‐trimethylcyclopent‐3‐ene‐1‐acetaldehyde), we isomerized the epoxy‐isopropyl‐apopinene (?)‐ 2d to the corresponding unreported α‐campholenal analogue (+)‐ 4d (Scheme 1). Derived from the known 3‐demethyl‐α‐campholenal (+)‐ 4a , we prepared the saturated analogue (+)‐ 5a by hydrogenation, while the heterocyclic aldehyde (+)‐ 5b was obtained via a Bayer‐Villiger reaction from the known methyl ketone (+)‐ 6 . Oxidative hydroboration of the known α‐campholenal acetal (?)‐ 8b allowed, after subsequent oxidation of alcohol (+)‐ 9b to ketone (+)‐ 10 , and appropriate alkyl Grignard reaction, access to the 3,4‐disubstituted analogues (+)‐ 4f,g following dehydration and deprotection. (Scheme 2). Epoxidation of either (+)‐ 4b or its methyl ketone (+)‐ 4h , afforded stereoselectively the trans‐epoxy derivatives 11a,b , while the minor cis‐stereoisomer (+)‐ 12a was isolated by chromatography (trans/cis of the epoxy moiety relative to the C₂ or C₃ side chain). Alternatively, the corresponding trans‐epoxy alcohol or acetate 13a,b was obtained either by reduction/esterification from trans‐epoxy aldehyde (+)‐ 11a or by stereoselective epoxidation of the α‐campholenol (+)‐ 15a or of its acetate (?)‐ 15b , respectively. Their cis‐analogues were prepared starting from (+)‐ 12a . Either (+)‐ 4h or (?)‐ 11b , was submitted to a Bayer‐Villiger oxidation to afford acetate (?)‐ 16a . Since isomerizations of (?)‐ 16 lead preferentially to β‐campholene isomers, we followed a known procedure for the isomerization of (?)‐epoxyverbenone (?)‐ 2e to the norcampholenal analogue (+)‐ 19a . Reduction and subsequent protection afforded the silyl ether (?)‐ 19c , which was stereoselectively hydroborated under oxidative condition to afford the secondary alcohol (+)‐ 20c . Further oxidation and epimerization furnished the trans‐ketone (?)‐ 17a , a known intermediate of either (+)‐β‐necrodol (= (+)‐(1S,3S)‐2,2,3‐trimethyl‐4‐methylenecyclopentanemethanol; 17c ) or (+)‐(Z)‐lancifolol (= (1S,3R,4Z)‐2,2,3‐trimethyl‐4‐(4‐methylpent‐3‐enylidene)cyclopentanemethanol). Finally, hydrogenation of (+)‐ 4b gave the saturated cis‐aldehyde (+)‐ 21 , readily reduced to its corresponding alcohol (+)‐ 22a . Similarly, hydrogenation of β‐campholenol (= 2,3,3‐trimethylcyclopent‐1‐ene‐1‐ethanol) gave access via the cis‐alcohol rac‐ 23a , to the cis‐aldehyde rac‐ 24 .     

A Reusable Unsupported Rhenium Nanocrystalline Catalyst for Acceptorless Dehydrogenation of Alcohols through γ‐C–H Activation

Rhenium nanocrystalline particles (Re NPs), of 2 nm size, were prepared from NH₄ReO₄ under mild conditions in neat alcohol. The unsupported Re NPs convert secondary and benzylic alcohols to ketones and aldehydes, respectively, through catalytic acceptorless dehydrogenation (AD). The oxidant‐ and acceptor‐free neat dehydrogenation of alcohols to obtain dihydrogen gas is a green and atom‐economical process for making carbonyl compounds. Secondary aliphatic alcohols give quantitative conversion and yield. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Re K‐edge X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES), and X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data confirmed the characterization of the Re NPs as metallic rhenium with surface oxidation to rhenium(IV) oxide (ReO₂). Isotope labeling experiments revealed a novel γ‐CH activation mechanism for AD of alcohols.