Copper‐Catalyzed 1,2‐Addition of α‐Carbonyl Iodides to Alkynes

β,γ‐Unsaturated ketones are an important class of organic molecules. Herein, copper catalysis has been developed for the synthesis of β‐γ‐unsaturated ketones through 1,2‐addition of α‐carbonyl iodides to alkynes. The reactions exhibit wide substrate scope and high functional group tolerance. The reaction products are versatile synthetic intermediates to complex small molecules. The method was applied for the formal synthesis of (±)‐trichostatin A, a histone deacetylase inhibitor.     

Microwave‐Assisted Convenient Synthesis of α,β‐Unsaturated Esters and Ketones via Aldol‐Adduct Elimination

Various fluorinated 3‐oxo ester/1,3‐diketones were reacted with carbonyl compounds, in presence of piperidine and under microwave irradiation, to afford (E)‐α,β‐unsaturated esters and ketones in good yields. The systematic study reveals that the reaction proceeded through the formation of aldol adduct. The method provides a new and simple way for C,C bond formations.     

Mechanistic Insights on the Iodine(III)‐Mediated α‐Oxidation of Ketones

The synthesis of α‐substituted carbonyl compounds is of great importance due to their ubiquity in both natural and man‐made biologically active compounds. The field of hypervalent iodine chemistry has been a great contributor to access these molecules. For example, the α‐oxidation of carbonyl compounds has been one of the most investigated iodine(III)‐mediated stereoselective transformations. Yet, it is also the transformation that has met the most challenge in terms of achieving high stereoselectivities. The different mechanistic pathways of the iodine(III)‐mediated α‐tosyloxylation of ketones have been investigated. The calculations suggest an unprecedented iodine(III)‐promoted enolization process. Indications that iodonium intermediates could serve as proficient Lewis acids are reported. This concept could have broad impact and foster new developments in the field of hypervalent iodine chemistry.     

Direct Conjugate Addition of Alkynes with α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds Catalyzed by NCN‐Pincer Ru Complexes

NCN‐pincer Ru‐complexes containing bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl ligands serve as suitable catalysts in the direct conjugate additions of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds, including ketones, esters, and amides, as well as vinylphosphonates, giving various β‐alkynyl carbonyl and phosphonate compounds. A bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl (phebox)–Ru complex also catalyzes the asymmetric conjugate addition of an alkyne with a β‐substituted, α,β‐unsaturated ketone to produce a chiral β‐alkynyl ketone.     

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.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Oxidative Difunctionalization of Alkenes with α‐Carbonyl Alkyl Bromides Initiated through a Heck‐type Insertion: A Route to Indolin‐2‐ones

The oxidative interception of various σ‐alkyl palladium(II) intermediates with additional reagents for the difunctionalization of alkenes is an important research area. A new palladium‐catalyzed oxidative difunctionalization reaction of alkenes with α‐carbonyl alkyl bromides is described, in which the σ‐alkyl palladium(II) intermediate is generated through a Heck insertion and trapped using an aryl C(sp²)? H bond. This method can be applied to various α‐carbonyl alkyl bromides, including primary, secondary, and tertiary α‐bromoalkyl esters, ketones, and amides.     

An Efficient One-pot Synthesis of β-Amino/β-Acetamido Carbonyl Compounds via ZrCl4-catalyzed Mannich-type Reaction

Zirconium(IV) chloride catalyzed efficient one-pot synthesis of β-amino/β-acetamido carbonyl compounds at room temperature is described. In the presence of ZrCl4, the three-component Mannich-type reaction via a variety of in situ generated aldimines, with various ketones, aromatic aldehydes and aromatic amines in ethanol, led to the formation of β-amino carbonyl compounds and the four-component Mannich-type reaction of aromatic aldehydes with various ketones, acetonitrile and acetyl chloride resulted in the corresponding β-acetamido carbonyl compounds in high to excellent yields. This methodology has also been applied towards the synthesis of dimeric β-amino/β-acetamido carbonyl compounds.     

Base‐Catalyzed NN Bond Cleavage of Hydrazones: Synthesis of α‐Amino Ketones

An efficient Cs₂CO₃‐promoted synthesis of α‐amino ketones using hydrazines, aldehydes, and α‐haloketones as starting materials through a cascade condensation/nucleophilic substitution/N? N bond cleavage route is developed. The carbonyl group plays a key role in this novel N? N bond cleavage process.     

Interception of Cobalt‐Based Carbene Radicals with α‐Aminoalkyl Radicals: A Tandem Reaction for the Construction of β‐Ester‐γ‐amino Ketones

The interception of cobalt‐based carbene radicals with α‐aminoalkyl radicals was combined with the Kornblum–DeLaMare reaction and provides β‐ester‐γ‐amino ketones, which are otherwise difficult to obtain in high chemoselectivity. Mechanistically, this transformation is an interplay of cobalt‐based carbene radicals, organoradicals, and ionic intermediates and involves the construction of two C? C bonds and one C?O bond in a one‐pot process. The reaction also features a wide substrate scope and is highly efficient and insensitive to moisture and air.     

SmI2－Mediated Addition Reaction of α－Halomethylsulfones to Carbonyl Compounds. A Convenient Synthesis of β－Hydroxysulfones

Due to the chemoselective dehalogenation by SmI2, the addition of a-halomethylsulfones to carbonyl compounds afforded ,β-hydroxysulfones. Those reactions with α-bromomethylsulfones gave the products in moderate to good yields. The SmI2-mediated addition of gem-dihalomethylsulfones to ketones also afforded α-halo-β-hydroxysulfones in moderate yields.     

The Synthesis of α‐Azidoesters and Geminal Triazides

Three simple methods for the synthesis of geminal triazides are described: Starting from 1) 3‐oxocarboxylic acids, 2) iodomethyl ketones, or 3) terminal olefins, a range of triazidomethyl ketones can be constructed under mild oxidative reaction conditions by the use of IBX‐SO₃K, a sulfonylated derivative of 2‐iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX), and NaN₃ as an azide source. This is the first report of representatives of this novel class of triazide compounds: Despite their high nitrogen content, the geminal triazides are easy to handle, even when preparative‐scale syntheses are performed. (Caution: These procedures still require protective measures!) The triazides are now broadly available for further studies regarding their properties and reactivity. Furthermore, we show how the method can be used to provide α‐azidoesters, which are potential building blocks for amino acids.     

Stereoretentive Addition of N‐tert‐Butylsulfonyl‐α‐Amido Silanes to Aldehydes,Ketones, α,β‐Unsaturated Esters,and Imines

Enantioenriched N‐tert‐butylsulfonyl‐α‐amido silanes were successfully reacted with aldehydes, ketones, imines, and α,β‐unsaturated esters in the presence of a sub‐stoichiometric amount of CsF (0.5 equiv) in 1,2‐dimethoxyethane (DME) at ?20 °C to afford the corresponding coupling products with up to 89 % enantiospecificity in a retentive manner.     

Photolysis of α,β‐Epoxyketones: A Green Synthesis of β‐Hydroxyenones through Tandem H‐Abstraction,Ring Cleavage and Isomerisation

The photochemical behavior of various substituted epoxycarbonyl compounds consisting of more than one possible photo‐labile site (i.e. δ‐hydrogen, β‐hydrogen and epoxide ring) has been investigated. These compounds on photo‐irradiation produced the β‐hydroxyenones in an eco‐friendly green approach. Mechanistically, these photo‐transformations have been envisaged to occur via an intramolecular β‐hydrogen abstraction by the carbonyl group of benzoyl moiety to generate the 1,3‐biradical followed by epoxide ring opening that isomerizes into the photoproducts. The photolysis of the probed epoxy ketones didn’t furnish any photoproduct through δ‐hydrogen abstraction, whatsoever. This exclusive preference for β‐H abstraction over δ‐H abstraction by carbonyl group has been vindicated by the MM2 energy mini‐ mized program for the investigated photochemical substrates. The structures of these photoproducts were established from the analysis of their spectral parameters (IR, ¹H/¹³C NMR and Mass) and single crystal X‐ray crystallography data.     

Asymmetric Conjugate Alkynylation of Cyclic α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds with a Chiral Diene Rhodium Catalyst

Asymmetric conjugate alkynylation of cyclic α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds (ketones, esters, and amides) was realized by use of diphenyl[(triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl]methanol as an alkynylating reagent in the presence of a rhodium catalyst coordinated with a new chiral diene ligand (Fc‐bod; bod=bicyclo[2.2.2]octa‐2,5‐diene, Fc=ferrocenyl) to give high yields of the corresponding β‐alkynyl‐substituted carbonyl compounds with 95–98 % ee.     

Oxaphospholes and Bisphospholes from Phosphinophosphonates and α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

The reaction of a {W(CO)₅}‐stabilized phosphinophosphonate 1 , (CO)₅WPH(Ph)? P(O)(OEt)₂, with ethynyl‐ ( 2 a – f ) and diethynylketones ( 7 – 11 , 18 , and 19 ) in the presence of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) is examined. Lithiated 1 undergoes nucleophilic attack in the Michael position of the acetylenic ketones, as long as this position is not sterically encumbered by bulky (iPr)₃Si substituents. Reaction of all other monoacetylenic ketones with lithiated 1 results in the formation of 2,5‐dihydro‐1,2‐oxaphospholes 3 and 4 . When diacetylenic ketones are employed in the reaction, two very different product types can be isolated. If at least one (Me)₃Si or (Et)₃Si acetylene terminus is present, as in 7 , 8 , and 19 , an anionic oxaphosphole intermediate can react further with a second equivalent of ketone to give cumulene‐decorated oxaphospholes 14 , 15 , 24 , and 25 . Diacetylenic ketones 10 and 11 , with two aromatic acetylene substituents, react with lithitated 1 to form exclusively ethenyl‐bridged bisphospholes 16 and 17 . Mechanisms that rationalize the formation of all heterocycles are presented and are supported by DFT calculations. Computational studies suggest that thermodynamic, as well as kinetic, considerations dictate the observed reactivity. The calculated reaction pathways reveal a number of almost isoenergetic intermediates that follow after ring opening of the initially formed oxadiphosphetane. Bisphosphole formation through a carbene intermediate G is greatly favored in the presence of phenyl substituents, whereas the formation of cumulene‐decorated oxaphospholes is more exothermic for the trimethylsilyl‐containing substrates. The pathway to the latter compounds contains a 1,3‐shift of the group that stems from the acetylene terminus of the ketone substrates. For silyl substituents, the 1,3‐shift proceeds along a smooth potential energy surface through a transition state that is characterized by a pentacoordinated silicon center. In contrast, a high‐lying transition state TS(E′–F′)_R=Ph of 37 kcal mol^?1 is found when the substituent is a phenyl group, thus explaining the experimental observation that aryl‐terminated diethynylketones 10 and 11 exclusively form bisphospholes 16 and 17 .     

Enantioselective Catalytic Aldehyde α‐Alkylation/Semipinacol Rearrangement: Construction of α‐Quaternary‐δ‐Carbonyl Cycloketones and Total Synthesis of (+)‐Cerapicol

An enantioselective aldehyde α‐alkylation/semipinacol rearrangement was achieved through organo‐SOMO catalysis. The catalytically generated enamine radical cation serves as a carbon radical electrophile that can stereoselectively add to the alkene of an allylic alcohol and initiate ensuing ring‐expansion of cyclopropanol or cyclobutanol. This tandem reaction enables the production of a wide range of nonracemic functionalizable α‐quaternary‐δ‐carbonyl cycloketones in high yields and excellent enantioselectivity from simple aldehydes and allylic alcohols. As a key step, the intramolecular reaction was also successfully applied in the asymmetric total synthesis of (+)‐cerapicol.     

Efficient One‐Pot Synthesis of β‐Acetamido Carbonyl Compounds Using Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

A new, one‐pot condensation of aldehydes, enolizable ketones and esters, AcCl, and MeCN, in the presence of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (nano‐Fe₃O₄) as an efficient catalyst, for the preparation of β‐acetamido carbonyl compounds at room temperature is described.     

Synthesis of Polyethylene with In‐Chain α,β‐Unsaturated Ketone and Isolated Ketone Units: Pd‐Catalyzed Ring‐Opening Copolymerization of Cyclopropenone with Ethylene

Although various functionalized units can be incorporated into polyolefins by transition metal catalyzed coordination copolymerizations of nonfunctionalized olefins with polar functional monomers, the incorporated functional units are largely limited to a C1 unit from either CO or C2 units from vinyl monomers. Reported here is the Pd‐catalyzed copolymerization of ethylene with cyclopropenone, leading to incorporation of C3 units with functional groups, α,β‐unsaturated ketones, in the chain. Coordination‐insertion of the carbonyl group and ring opening of the strained three‐membered ring are proposed as the key steps in the mechanism. Under different reaction conditions an isolated ketone structure was afforded as the major carbonyl unit, and could be generated by the copolymerization of ethylene with CO formed in situ from cyclopropenone.     

1,4‐Addition of Bis(iodozincio)methane to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones: Chemical and Theoretical/Computational Studies

1,4‐Addition of bis(iodozincio)methane to simple α,β‐unsaturated ketones does not proceed well; the reaction is slightly endothermic according to DFT calculations. In the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane, the reaction proceeded efficiently to afford a silyl enol ether of β‐zinciomethyl ketone. The C? Zn bond of the silyl enol ether could be used in a cross‐coupling reaction to form another C? C bond in a one‐pot reaction. In contrast, 1,4‐addition of the dizinc reagent to enones carrying an acyloxy group proceeded very efficiently without any additive. In this case, the product was a 1,3‐diketone, which was generated in a novel tandem reaction. A theoretical/computational study indicates that the whole reaction pathway is exothermic, and that two zinc atoms of bis(iodozincio)methane accelerate each step cooperatively as effective Lewis acids.