New synthetic methods for α,β -unsaturated ketones,aldehydes, esters and lactones by the palladium-catalyzed reactions of silyl enol ethers,ketene silyl acetals,and enol acetates with allyl carbonates

Silyl enol ethers and ketene silyl acetals derived from ketones, aldehydes, esters and lactones are converted into α,β-unsaturated ketones, aldehydes, esters and lactones by treatment with allyl carbonates in high yields using the palladium—bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) complex as catalyst. Phosphine-free palladium catalyst instead of the palladium—phosphine complex gives a higher selectivity for the preparation of cyclopentenone, cyclooctenone, dienones, α,β-unsaturated esters and lactones. As a solvent, the use of nitriles such as acetonitrile is essential. In other solvents, allylation takes place. Enol acetates derived from ketones are converted into α,β-unsaturated ketones by reaction with allyl carbonate in acetonitrile using the palladium complex and tributyltin methoxide as bimetallic catalysts.     

One-pot synthesis of α-alkylated nitriles with carbonyl compounds through consecutive aldol reaction/hydrogenation using a hydrotalcite-supported palladium nanoparticle as a multifunctional heterogeneous catalyst

α-Alkylation of various nitriles with carbonyl compounds successfully proceeded using a hydrotalcite-supported palladium nanoparticle as a multifunctional catalyst. The alkylated nitriles were formed through aldol reaction at base sites on the hydrotalcite surface followed by hydrogenation by molecular hydrogen on the palladium nanoparticle.     

Synthesis,characterization, and reactivity of arylpalladium cyanoalkyl complexes: selection of catalysts for the alpha-arylation of nitriles

A new coupling process, the palladium-catalyzed alpha-arylation of nitriles, was developed by exploring the structure and reactivity of arylpalladium cyanoalkyl complexes. Complexes of 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene (DPPBz), 1,1'-bis(di-i-propylphosphino)ferrocene (D(i)()PrPF), racemic-2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl (BINAP), and diphenylethylphosphine (PPh(2)Et) were prepared. Coordination to palladium through the alpha-carbon was observed for DPPBz-ligated complexes and for complexes of primary and benzylic nitrile anions. However, the anion of isobutyronitrile was coordinated to palladium through the cyano-nitrogen when the complex was ligated by D(i)()PrPF. The isobutyronitrile anion displaced a phosphine ligand to form a C,N-bridged dimer when generated from PPh(2)Et-ligated palladium. These results suggest that the nitrile anion preferentially coordinates to palladium through the carbon atom in the absence of steric effects. Thermolysis of the arylpalladium cyanoalkyl complexes led to reductive elimination that formed alpha-aryl nitriles. The high yields and short reaction times observed for BINAP-ligated complexes suggested that BINAP-ligated palladium catalysts might be appropriate for the arylation of nitriles. Initial results on a palladium-catalyzed process for the direct coupling of aryl bromides and primary, benzylic, and secondary nitrile anions to form alpha-aryl nitriles in good yields are reported.     

Diastereoselective and enantiospecific synthesis of gamma-substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles from O-protected allylic cyanohydrins

gamma-Functionalized alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles are prepared diastereoselectively and enantiospecifically from enantioenriched cyanohydrin-O-phosphates and carbonates derived from alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes, either by palladium or iridium-catalyzed nucleophilic allylic substitution reactions with different nucleophiles. Appropriate reaction conditions for dibenzylamine, benzylamine, sodium azide, NaOAc, tetra-n-butylammonium acetate (TBAA), the corresponding sodium salts of phenol and N-hydroxysuccinimide and the carbonucleophile sodium dimethyl malonate are described. Different substituted O-protected cyanohydrins, such as carbonates and phosphates, derived from crotonaldehyde, (E)-hex-2-enal, oct-2-enal, 2-methylbut-2-enal, and cinnamaldehyde are used as allylic substrates. The substitution takes place with total retention of the configuration for the (E)-gamma-functionalized nitriles and with inversion of the configuration for the Z-isomers. In general, cyanohydrin-O-phosphates are the materials of choice to get the highest E-diastereoselectivity. Dibenzylamine is the best nucleophile for the synthesis of gamma-nitrogenated alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles in the presence of either palladium or iridium catalysts when aliphatic compounds and cinnamaldehyde derivative are used (up to 98% dr). For the synthesis of gamma-oxygenated alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles sodium or TBAA the reagents are selected to avoid epimerizations in up to 76% dr. Finally, the Tsuji-Trost reaction with sodium malonate works only under palladium catalysis in up to 70% dr.     

Palladium(II)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acid to nitriles

The addition of arylboronic acid to nitriles catalyzed by palladium(II) species in the presence of bipyridine as the ligand was developed. The use of bipyridine is crucial for changing the properties of arylpalladium species from more electrophilic to more nucleophilic making the reaction possible.     

Application of Polymer‐Supported Triphenylphosphine and Microwave Irradiation to the Palladium‐Catalyzed Cyanation of Aryl Triflates

A variety of aryl nitriles were prepared in excellent yield from the palladium(II) acetate–catalyzed cross‐coupling of aryl triflates and zinc cyanide under microwave irradiation conditions. To facilitate purification, polymer‐supported triphenylphosphine was used as the palladium ligand. Comparison to the corresponding thermal conditions revealed much shorter reaction times with comparable yields.     

Palladium-pincer complex catalyzed C-C coupling of allyl nitriles with tosyl imines via regioselective allylic C-H bond functionalization

A mechanistically new palladium-pincer complex catalyzed allylation of sulfonimines is presented. This reaction involves C-H bond functionalization of allyl nitriles under mild conditions. The reaction proceeds with a high regioselectivity, without allyl rearrangement of the product. Modeling studies indicate that the carbon-carbon bond formation process proceeds via (eta (1)-allyl)palladium pincer complex intermediates.     

An improved palladium(II)-catalyzed method for the synthesis of aryl ketones from aryl carboxylic acids and organonitriles

A palladium(II)-catalyzed decarboxylative protocol for the synthesis of aryl ketones has been developed. The addition of TFA was shown to improve the reaction yield and employing THF as solvent enabled the use of solid nitriles and in only a small excess. Using this method, five different benzoic acids reacted with a wide range of nitriles to produce 29 diverse (hetero)aryl ketone derivatives in up to 94% yield.     

Palladium-catalyzed oxidation of lower aliphatic alcohols with oxygen in the presence of aromatic nitriles in aqueous medium

The kinetics of oxidation of lower aliphatic alcohols (C₁–C₄) to the corresponding carbonyl compounds with oxygen in the presence of palladium(II) tetraaqua complex and aromatic nitriles (benzonitrile, phenylacetonitrile, and o-tolunitrile) in aqueous medium (c = 0.01 M) at 65°C under atmospheric pressure were studied. A probable reaction mechanism and kinetic equation were proposed. Aromatic nitriles were found to stabilize decomposition of low-valence palladium species, ensuring activation of molecular oxygen and subsequent oxidation of alcohols.     

Palladium-catalyzed preparation of α-allyl esters and α,β-unsaturated esters from saturated esters via their silyl acetals

Reaction of ketene silyl acetals with allylic carbonates in the presence of palladium-phosphine catalyst in dioxane gives α-allyl esters in high yields. When the reaction is carried out with phosphine-free palladium catalyst in nitriles, α,β-unsaturated esters are obtained in good yields.     

Synthesis of benzylic boronates via palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of bis(pinacolato)diboron with benzylic halides

The palladium cross-coupling reaction of benzyl halides with diboron 1 yielded structurally diverse pinacol benzylic boronates. Under these reaction conditions, sensitive functionalities such as esters and nitriles are tolerated and the benzylic boronates are obtained in good to high yields.     

Stereoselective Pincer-complex catalyzed C-H functionalization of benzyl nitriles under mild conditions. An efficient route to beta-aminonitriles

An efficient palladium pincer-complex catalyzed reaction has been developed for alpha-C-H bond functionalization of benzyl nitriles. The studied coupling reaction with sulfonylimines affords beta-aminonitriles with usually high levels of stereoselectivity. The stereoselectivity of the process is highly dependent on the electronic effects of the ortho substituents of the benzyl moiety. Promising levels of enantiomeric excess are obtained using chiral pincer complexes as catalysts.     

Reaction of silyldihalomethyllithiums with nitriles: formation of alpha-keto acylsilanes via azirines and 1,3-rearrangement of silyl group from C to N

A synthesis of alpha-keto acylsilanes, where 2-bromo-2H-azirine participates as a key intermediate, is reported. The reaction of silyldibromomethyllithium with aryl nitriles provides alpha-keto acylsilanes in good yields. Interestingly, silyldichloromethyllithium induces aza-1,3-Brook rearrangement of the silyl group in th reaction with nitriles. The rearrangement enables a three-component coupling reaction in a one-pot operation.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Desymmetrization of Silacyclobutanes with Alkynes to Silicon‐Stereogenic Silanes: A Density Functional Theory Study

The palladium‐catalyzed desymmetrization of silacyclobutanes using electron‐deficient alkynes proceeds with high enantioselectivity in the presence of a chiral P ligand; this provides a facile approach for the synthesis of novel silicon‐stereogenic silanes. In this work, we used hybrid density functional theory (DFT) to elucidate the mechanism of the palladium‐catalyzed desymmetrization of silacyclobutanes with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. Full catalytic cycle including two different initiation modes that were proposed to be a possible initial step to the formation of the 1‐pallada‐2‐silacyclopentane/alkyne intermediate—the oxidative addition of the palladium complex to the silacyclobutane Si?C bond (cycle MA) or coordination of the Pd⁰ complex with the alkyne C≡C bond (cycle MB)—have been studied. It was found that the ring‐expansion reaction began with cycle MB is energetically more favorable. The formation of a seven‐membered metallocyclic Pd^II intermediate was found to be the rate‐determining step, whereas the enantioselectivity‐determining step, oxidative addition of silacyclobutane to the three‐membered metallocyclic Pd^II intermediate, was found to be quite sensitive to the steric repulsion between the chiral ligand and silacyclobutane.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Cyanations of Aromatic Bromides with Benzoyl Cyanide

Aromatic nitriles were synthesized through copper‐catalyzed cyanations of aromatic bromides using benzoyl cyanide as the cyanide source. A series of functional groups were tolerated under the reaction conditions to provide the products in good yields. Moreover, this protocol avoids using of highly toxic alkali cyanides and expensive palladium catalysts.     

Facile One‐Pot Synthesis of 2‐Aryl‐substituted Nitriles and 2‐Aryl‐3‐keto Nitriles via Benzyne Reaction

2‐Aryl‐substituted nitriles were prepared in good to excellent yields in a one‐pot reaction by the reaction of benzyne, generated using neutral conditions from (phenyl)[o‐(trimethylsilyl)‐phenyl]iodonium triflate, and 2‐lithionitriles. 3‐Keto nitriles substituted at the 2‐position were obtained in good yields when these reactions were trapped with acid chlorides. The mechanism of the benzyne reaction in terms of a N‐lithiobenzocyclobutanimine intermediate is discussed.     

gamma-hydroxy unsaturated nitriles: chelation-controlled conjugate additions

[reaction--see text] Chelation between gamma-hydroxy unsaturated nitriles and Grignard reagents promotes an otherwise difficult anionic conjugate addition reaction. The intermediate chelate is readily generated by deprotonation with t-BuMgCl followed by the addition of a second Grignard reagent that triggers an intramolecular conjugate addition. Structurally diverse Grignard reagents add with equal efficiency, providing an intermediate anion that stereoselectively alkylates BnBr in an overall addition-alkylation reaction.     

Palladium‐catalyzed cyanation reaction of aryl halides using K4[Fe(CN)6] as non‐toxic source of cyanide under microwave irradiation

An efficient method for preparation of aryl nitriles—using [Pd{C₆H₂(CH₂CH₂ NH₂)‐(OMe)₂,3,4} (µ‐Br)]₂ complex as an efficient catalyst and K₄[Fe(CN)₆] as a green cyanide source—from aryl bromides, aryl iodides and aryl chlorides under microwave irradiation has been reported. This complex has been demonstrated to be an active and efficient catalyst for this reaction. Using a catalytic amount of this synthesized palladium complex in DMF at 130 °C led to production of the cyanoarenes in excellent yields in short reaction times. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Catalytic Oxidation of Iron(II) Aqua Complex by Oxygen in the Presence of Palladium(II) Tetraaqua Complex

The catalytic oxidation of iron(II) with oxygen occurs along with an autocatalytic reaction between palladium(II) tetraaqua complex and iron(II) aqua complex in an oxygen atmosphere. The reaction is catalyzed by a compound of palladium in an intermediate oxidation state, presumably by a small palladium cluster formed in the course of the reduction of palladium(II) tetraaqua complex with iron(II) aqua complex.     

Palladium catalyzed addition of arylboronic acid or indole to nitriles: synthesis of aryl ketones

Aryl ketones can be synthesized conveniently by a palladium catalyzed addition of arylboronic acid to nitriles in aqueous triflic acid. This catalytic system was extended to the addition of unprotected indoles to nitriles under a slightly modified condition to produce 3-acyl indoles in good yields.