Reexamination of the traditional Baylis-Hillman reaction

In the Baylis-Hillman reaction of arylaldehydes with methyl vinyl ketone (MVK), we found that, besides the normal Baylis-Hillman adduct 1, the diadduct 2 can also be formed at the same time and the yield of 2 can reach to 55% if increasing the amount of methyl vinyl ketone. But for ethyl vinyl ketone (EVK), methyl acrylate or acrylonitrile, only the normal Baylis-Hillman adduct 4, 7 or 8 was obtained, respectively. The substituent's effects and Lewis base effects were also examined and a plausible reaction mechanism was proposed for the formation of 2.     

The synthesis of 2,4-dienyl fluoroalkyl ketones by a tandem three-stage sequence of propargyl 2-fluoroalkylvinyl ether formation, Claisen rearrangement, and allene-to-conjugated diene isomerization

A tandem three stages process to a series of trifluoromethyl and halodifluoromethyl 2,4-unsaturated ketones 4a-c is described. This process started with the preparation of 2-fluoroalkyl substituted propargyl vinyl ether 3a-d by treatment of a mixture of individual ethyl α-per(poly)fluoroalkyl acetates 1a-d and propargyl alcohol 2 in CH₂Cl₂ with the mixed base (Na₂CO₃/TEA) at ambient temperature. When heated in toluene at 80°C, these ethers readily underwent a tandem propargyl-allenyl Claisen rearrangement and isomerization of the resultant 3,4-dienone to give 2,4-unsaturated fluoroalkyl ketones 4a-c (Z/E mixture). The reaction of ethyl α-per(poly)fluoroalkyl acetate 1 with 1-phenyl propargyl alcohol 5 in refluxing CH₂Cl₂ in the presence of the mixed base (Na₂CO₃/TEA) directly afforded the corresponding unsaturated fluoroalkyl ketone 6a-c in one pot. In the presence of NaH, the reaction of ethyl 3-halo-3-fluoroalkylacrylates 8a-b with 1,1-dimethyl propargyl alcohol 9 at −50°C to 0°C also gave the unsaturated fluoroalkyl ketones 10a-b in one pot. The difluorovinyl propargyl ether 11 produced by reduction of 2-bromodifluoromethyl substituted propargyl vinyl ether 3b rearranged in hot benzene to give the corresponding allene 12 bearing a gem-difluoromethylene group in the middle of the aliphatic chain.     

An unexpected highly diastereoselective double Baylis-Hillman reaction of per- (or poly)fluorophenyl aromatic aldimines with methyl vinyl ketone

Aza-Baylis-Hillman reaction of per- (or poly)fluorophenyl aromatic aldimines 1 with methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) was studied. It was found that both the used Lewis base and solvent can significantly affect the reaction. Using triphenylphosphine as a Lewis base, the reaction of 1 with MVK proceeded smoothly to give the normal Baylis-Hillman adduct 2 along with the double Baylis-Hillman adduct 3 as by-product in THF. When 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane was used as a Lewis base in DMF, the aza-Baylis-Hillman reaction of 1 with MVK gave the double aza-Baylis-Hillman adduct 3 exclusively in moderate to good yields with excellent diastereoselectivities. The double Baylis-Hillman adduct 3 was conveniently converted to fluorine-containing 4-alkylidene-2-cyclohexen-1-ones under mild reaction conditions in good yields.     

Synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzofurans and indoles by π-Lewis acidic transition metal-catalyzed cyclization of ortho-alkynylphenyl O,O- and N,O-acetals

The PtCl₂-catalyzed cyclization reaction of ortho-alkynylphenyl acetals 1 in the presence of COD (1,5-cyclooctadiene) produces 3-(α-alkoxyalkyl)benzofurans 2 in good to high yields. For example, the reaction of acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(1-octynyl)phenyl acetal (1a), acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(cyclohexylethynyl)phenyl acetal (1c), and acetaldehyde ethyl 2-(phenylethynyl)phenyl acetal (1f) in the presence of 2 mol % of platinum(II) chloride and 8 mol % of 1,5-cycloocatadiene in toluene at 30 °C gave the corresponding 2,3-disubstituted benzofurans 2a, 2c, and 2f in 91, 94, and 88% yields, respectively. Moreover, the reaction of N-methoxymethyl-2-alkynylanilines 3 was catalyzed by PdBr₂, affording the corresponding 2,3-disubstituted indoles 4 in moderate yields. For example, the reaction of N-methoxymethyl-2-(1-pentynyl)-N-tosylaniline (3a) and N-methoxymethyl-2-(phenylethynyl)-N-tosylaniline (3b) in the presence of 10 mol % of PdBr₂ in toluene at 80 °C gave 3-methoxymethyl-2-propyl-1-tosylindole (4a) and 3-methoxymethyl-2-phenyl-1-tosylindole (4b) in 33 and 33% yields, respectively.     

A highly stereoselective preparation of CF3-substituted 1-aryl-1,2-diphenylethenes: application to the synthesis of panomifene

β-CF₃-α,β-diphenylvinyl sulfide 3a was prepared stereoselectively in 77% yield from the reaction of 2 with phenyllithium at room temperature for 5 h. Oxidation of 3a with MCPBA afforded the corresponding vinyl sulfone 4a, in which (E)-4a can be crystallized in a mixture of CH₂Cl₂ and hexane. The addition-elimination reaction of (E)-4a with phenyllithium having substituents on the benzene ring provided 5a-j in 51-82% yields stereospecifically. Similarly, the treatment of (E)-4a with p-chloroethoxyphenyllithium in the presence of 12-crown-4 (20 mol %) at −10 °C, followed by slowly warming to room temperature, resulted in the formation of the corresponding panomifene precursor 6 in 82% yield.     

Preparation of 2,2-difluoro-1-trialkylsilylethenylstannanes and their cross-coupling reactions

Reaction of 2 with bis(tributyltin) in the presence of 3 mol % Pd₂(dba)₃, 6 mol % XPhos, and 30 equiv of LiBr in wet and air bubbled THF at reflux for 8 h afforded the desired products 3 in 73–74% yields. The cross-coupling reaction of 3a with aryl iodides in the presence of 10 mol % Pd(PPh₃)₄ and 10 mol % CuI afforded the coupled products 4a–p in 47–90% yields. The coupling reaction of 3b with various alkynyl bromides having aryl-, alkyl, or trialkylsilyl group also afforded the corresponding 1,3-enynes 5a–g in 61–77% yields.     

Structural and spectral investigations on some new Ni(II) complexes of di-2-pyridyl ketone N(4)-phenylthiosemicarbazone

Ni(II) complexes (1–5) of di-2-pyridyl ketone N(4)-phenylthiosemicarbazone (HL) have been synthesized and spectrochemically characterized. Elemental analyses revealed a NiL₂ · 2H₂O stoichiometry for compound 1. However, the single crystals isolated revealed a composition NiL₂ · 0.5(H₂O)0.5(DMF). The compound crystallizes into a monoclinic lattice with the space group P2₁/n. Complexes 2, 3 and 4 are observed to show a 1:1:1 ratio of metal:thiosemicarbazone:gegenion, with the general formula NiLX · yH₂O [X = NCS, y = 2 for 2; X = Cl, y = 3 for 3 and X = N₃, y = 4.5 for 4]. Compound 5 is a dimer with a metal:thiosemicarbazone:gegenion ratio of 2:2:1, with the formula [Ni₂L₂(SO₄)] · 4H₂O.     

Synthesis of 2-amino-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans and fully substituted furans from modified Baylis-Hillman adducts

Syntheses of 2-amino-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran derivatives 3a-g and fully substituted furans 5a-f were achieved starting from the Baylis-Hillman adducts. We prepared 2-amino-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans from the Baylis-Hillman adducts of methyl and ethyl acrylates and fully substituted furans from the Baylis-Hillman adducts of alkyl vinyl ketones.     

Bis-paracyclophane N-heterocyclic carbene-ruthenium catalyzed asymmetric ketone hydrosilylation

New chiral bis-paracyclophane N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands 1-3 have been explored for ruthenium catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation of ketones using diphenylsilane to give enantioenriched alcohols. These ligands provide for efficient asymmetric reduction in the presence of silver(I) triflate (1 mol %) at room temperature with high reactivity and selectivity. Acetophenone 4 was reduced with 1 mol % catalyst in 96% isolated yield, 97% ee. Following removal of the silyl ether, various alcohols 5 were obtained from aromatic ketones in high yield and selectivity.     

Synthesis and spectral studies of cadmium(II) complexes derived from di-2-pyridyl ketone and N-phenylsemicarbazide: First structural report of a cadmium(II) complex of semicarbazone

A new semicarbazone (HL) based on di-2-pyridyl ketone and its three cadmium(II) complexes [CdL(CH₃COO)]₂ · 2CH₃OH (1), Cd(HL)Br₂ (2) and [Cd₂L₂N₃]₂ · H₂O (3) were synthesized and characterized by different physicochemical techniques. The complex, [CdL(CH₃COO)]₂ · 2CH₃OH (1) is having a dimeric structure. In complexes 1 and 3, the ligand moieties are coordinated as monoanionic (L⁻) forms and in complex 2, the ligand is coordinated as neutral (HL) one. The coordination geometry around cadmium(II) in 1 is distorted octahedral, as obtained by X-ray diffraction studies.     

Control of molecular weight distribution in polycondensation polymers 2. Poly(ether ketone) synthesis

Synthesis of aromatic poly(ether ketone) (3) with a narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n) was investigated via polycondensation. M_ns of 3 could be controlled varying the feed ratio of monomer (1) and initiator (2) maintaining relatively narrow M_w/M_ns (<1.3). The kinetics of polycondensation obeyed a first-order relationship between polycondensation time and -(1/[2]₀) ln([1]/[1]₀), and the rate of polycondensation was estimated as 2.57 mol⁻¹ L h⁻¹. MALDI-TOF mass analysis of 3 indicated that polycondensation should proceed via chain growth manner to give 3 having an initiator unit in each chain end.     

Novel diaminoaluminum halides and a diaminoaluminum hydride: 1,3,2-Diazaalumina-[3]ferrocenophanes

The dilithiated derivative 2 of 1,1′-bis(trimethylsilylamino)ferrocene (1) reacts with the pyridine adducts of the aluminum trihalides AlX₃ (X = Cl, Br, I) to give the respective 1,3,2-diazaalumina-[3]ferrocenophanes (4b, c, d) as pyridine adducts. The fluoride 4a could not be obtained in this way. The reaction of 1,1′-bis(trimethylsilylamino)ferrocene (1) with the dimethyl(ethyl)amine- or pyridine adduct of aluminium trihydride gave the 1,3,2-diazaalumina-[3]ferrocenophanes (5) and (6) as the amine and pyridine adducts, respectively. Treatment of 5 with trimethyltin fluoride afforded the adduct 7 with an Al–F function. Addition of pyridine converted 7 into the desired pyridine adduct of the fluoride (4a). The molecular structures of the pyridine adducts 4a, 4b, 4c and 6 were determined by X-ray analysis. The pyridine is in the trans-position relative to the N–Si bond vectors, and temperature dependent solution-state NMR spectra prove that prominent structural features are retained in solution.     

Study on the reactions of ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-oxobutanoate with arylidenemalononitriles

In the presence of a catalytic amount of NEt₃, ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-oxobutanoate 1 reacted readily with arylidenemalononitriles 2 in ethanol at room temperature. It gave two products 2-trifluoromethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran derivatives 3 and 2-(trifluoromethyl)piperidine derivatives 4, the ratio of 3 and 4 was depended on the substrates 2 and reaction solvents. Reflux of the ethanol solution of 4 with a catalytic amount of NEt₃ afforded 2-trifluoromethyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine derivatives 5 in moderate to good yields. The structures of new compounds 3, 4 and 5 were determined by spectral methods, microanalysis and X-ray diffraction analysis. A possible reaction mechanism for the formation of 3, 4 and 5 was presented.     

Synthesis of diversely functionalized pyrrolizidines and indolizidines using olefin ring-closing metathesis

Various nitrogen-fused tricyclic compounds, having benzoindolizidine and benzopyrrolizidines ring systems were synthesized via ene-ene metathesis using the first and second-generation Grubbs catalyst. The ene-ene metathesis proceeded smoothly in refluxing CH₂Cl₂ with 3.0 mol % of G₁, giving good yields (78-86%) of the benzoindolizidine products 12a,b. The benzopyrrolizidine 6 was prepared after optimization in 64% yield by using 5.0+5.0 mol % of G₂. The resulting olefin moiety of the indolizidine framework is a suitable precursor for polyhydroxy structures via the Sharpless process. The structures of the polyhydroxylated adducts were determined by ¹H NMR spectra and single-crystal X-ray analysis.     

Zinc(II) complexes derived from di-2-pyridyl ketone N-phenyl-3-semicarbazone: Crystal structures and spectral studies

Six zinc(II) complexes, Zn(HL)Br₂ (1), Zn(HL)Cl₂ (2), ZnL(OAc) (3), ZnLN₃ (4), ZnL₂ (5) and ZnL₂ · H₂O (6), have been synthesized and characterized by different physicochemical techniques. Complex 1 is five coordinated and has a distorted square pyramidal geometry. Complexes 5 and 6 are six coordinated and have distorted octahedral geometries. In complexes 1 and 2, the ligand moieties are coordinated in the neutral form (HL), and in the other complexes they are monoanionic (L⁻).     

Indium trichloride catalyzed three component one-pot route to 1-hydroxymethyl-3-aminomethyl indoles

A one-pot synthesis of 1-hydroxymethyl-3-aminomethyl indoles 3 could be achieved in excellent yield by reacting indoles 1 with formaldehyde and secondary amines 2 in the presence of molecular sieves (3 Å) and catalytic amount of InCl₃ (10 mol %) in 1,4-dioxane at room temperature for 3-5 h.     

A direct synthesis of α-(hydroxymethyl) and α-alkyl-vinyl alkyl ketones

Reaction of 2,4-diketoesters 3a-c with aqueous formaldehyde using potassium carbonate solution as base affords the corresponding α-methylene-β-hydroxyalkanones 4a-c which provide a route to α,β-unsaturated alkyl ketones 6a-e via coupling of α-acetoxymethyl alkyl vinyl ketone 5a with Grignard reagents in the presence of a catalytic amount of LiCuBr₂ at low temperature.     

Surprising 1,7-cyclization of vinyl carbonyl ylides generated from reaction of indanetrione with vinyl diazo compounds

Reactions of tricarbonyl compounds with vinyl diazo compounds 2 were carried out. Reaction of 1,2,3-indanetrione with 2a,b,c gave the spiroindan-1,3-dione-2,2′-benzodihydrooxepin 7a,b,c, but not normal products oxirane and dihydrofuran derivatives expected from intermediate vinyl carbonyl ylides 4. Formation of 7 requires isomerization of vinyl carbonyl ylides 4 bearing a (Z)-cyanostyryl group to unstable (E)-form 5 and subsequent cyclization to oxepin 6 followed by a 1,5-hydrogen shift. However, reaction of 2 with six-membered cyclic tricarbonyl compounds 1,2,3-trioxo-2,3-dihydrophenalene 11 and dimethylalloxane 13 gave the dioxole 12 and the dihydrofuran 14, respectively, typical products expected from vinyl carbonyl ylides.     

Novel non-chelated cobalt(II) benzimidazole complex catalysts: Synthesis, crystal structures and cocatalyst effect in vinyl polymerization of norbornene

The novel non-chelated monodentate benzimidazole (BI) complexes CoCl₂(BI)₂ (1)-(3), where BI = 1-(2-methoxybenzyl)- 2-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1H-benzimidazole (1), BI = 2-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazole (2) and 2-methyl-1H-benzimidazole (3) were synthesized and characterized by single X-ray crystallography. Unexpectedly, in solid state these complexes show similar coordination behavior to their analogue nickel(II) benzimidazole complexes such as inter-molecular H-bonding pattern and presence of acetonitrile solvent molecules per unit of complex molecule. Moreover, among these cobalt catalysts 1-3, similar trend to that of nickel catalysts is observed for metal-to-nitrogen (M-X) coordination bond length and halogen-metal-halogen (X-M-X) bond angle. But unlike nickel(II) benzimidazole complexes, these catalysts show very low activity for vinyl polymerization of norbornene (NB) upon activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO); however, the activity abruptly increased in modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO). The presence of a small amount of toluene strongly hampered the activity, and the use of dry methylaluminoxane (dMAO) as a cocatalyst did not result in a high activity. The use of toluene-free solid modified methylaluminoxane (sMMAO) is found to be the best cocatalyst, where the highest activity of value 3.9 × 10⁷ g of PNB mol_Co⁻¹ h⁻¹ was achieved for 3/sMMAO at 30 °C.     

Sodium carbonate as a solid-phase reagent for the generation of acetylketene

Reaction of a toluene solution of 3-oxobutanoyl chloride (14) with Na₂CO₃ in the presence of a catalytic amount of triethylamine at −78 °C generates a solution of acetylketene (2), the dimer of which was isolated. Acetylketene (2) was trapped with 2-propanone, 2-propanol, and ethyl vinyl ether.