Recent advances in transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric reactions of diazo compounds with electron-rich (hetero-) arenes

The transition-metal-catalyzed reaction of diazo compounds with arenes or heteroarenes is an efficient and straightforward approach to functionalize aromatic compounds. This digest summarizes recent progresses on transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric reactions of diazo compounds with electron-rich (hetero-) arenes, including C–H functionalization, cascade reaction, cyclopropanation, cycloaddition, Buchner reaction and intramolecular dearomatization.     

Cu(I)-catalyzed reaction of diazo compounds with terminal alkynes: a direct synthesis of trisubstituted furans

A method for the synthesis of tri-substituted furans has been developed based on Cu(I)-catalyzed reaction of terminal alkynes with β-keto α-diazoesters. This method for the synthesis of 2,3,5-trisubstituted furans is operationally simple and applicable to wide substrate scope. Moreover, this synthesis employs cheap Cu(MeCN)₄PF₆ as the catalyst and no additional ligand is needed. Similar reaction has also been applied to ethyl (E)-2-diazo-3-(methoxyimino)butanoate for the synthesis of 2,3,5-trisubstituted N-methoxypyrroles with limited success.     

BF3-promoted reactions between aryl aldehydes and 3-diazoindolin-2-imines: Access to 2-amino-3-arylindoles

An efficient and highly regioselective synthesis of 2-amino-3-arylindoles via the BF₃-promoted reaction of 3-diazoindolin-2-imines with aryl aldehydes is described. This reaction could be carried out under mild reaction conditions with a broad scope of substrates. Moreover, the operation is of practical usage and could be scaled up.     

Efficient one-pot synthesis of biologically interesting diverse furo[2,3-b]pyran-6-ones by rhodium(II)-catalyzed cascade reactions of diazo compound with ethynyl compounds

Rhodium(II)-catalyzed reactions of diazo compound and a variety of ethynyl compounds were carried out. These reactions provide a rapid route for preparing a variety of furo[2,3-b]pyran-6-one derivatives in one-pot via cascade reactions of metal carbenoid reaction/ketene formation/[2+2]cycloaddition/ring expansion.     

Palladium-catalyzed cyclopropanation of electron-deficient olefins with aryldiazocarbonyl compounds

A concise and efficient protocol for the preparation of cyclopropanes from various aryldiazocarbonyl compounds and electron-deficient olefins catalyzed by Pd(OAc)₂ is reported.     

Rhodium-catalyzed NH-indole-directed ortho CH coupling of 2-arylindoles with diazo compounds via metal carbene migratory insertion

A high regioselective rhodium-catalyzed ortho CH coupling of 2-arylindoles with diazo compounds via NH-indole-directed CH bond activation has been developed. The catalytic reaction features mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope and good functional group tolerability.     

Efficient and regioselective chromium(0)-catalyzed reaction of 2-substituted furans with diazo compounds: stereoselective synthesis of (2E,4Z)-2-aryl-hexadienedioic acid diesters

Pentacarbonyl(η²-cis-cyclooctene)chromium(0) (1) catalyzes efficiently reactions of diazo compounds with electron-rich furans. The reaction of 2-methoxyfuran (2) with alkyl α-diazoarylacetate (3a-g) furnishes the (2E,4Z)-2-aryl-hexadienedioic acid diesters (4a-g) in excellent yields. These reactions are highly regioselective. The cyclopropanation intermediates formed from 1 and diazo compounds 3a-g always arise from a carbene addition to the less substituted CC bond of 2. The resulting cyclopropanation product undergoes a ring opening reaction to form the corresponding (2E,4Z)-2-aryl-hexadienedioic acid diesters (4a-g). The pentacarbonylchromium(0)-catalyzed reactions of 2-alkylfuran (5a-b) with ethyl α-diazophenylacetate (3a) and 9-diazo-9H-fluorene (3h) produce the 1(E),3(E)-butadienes (6a-d) in very good yields.     

Metal-free imination of sulfoxides and sulfides

Using a nitrogen transfer agent obtained in situ by mixing of NsNH₂ and PhI(OAc)₂, various N-nosyl sulfoximines and N-nosyl sulfilimines have been prepared under metal-free conditions starting from the corresponding sulfoxides and sulfides, respectively.     

Hydrogenated Graphene as Metal-free Catalyst for Fenton-like Reaction

Carbonaceous catalysts are potential alternatives to metal catalysts. Graphene has been paid much attention for its high surface area and light weight. Here, hydrogenated graphene has been prepared by a simple gamma ray irradiation of graphene oxide aqueous suspension at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopic, element analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectrophotometer studies verified the hydrogenation of graphene. The as-prepared hydrogenated graphene can be used as a metal-free carbonaceous catalyst for the Fenton-like degradation of organic dye in water.     

Metal-free reduction of tertiary phosphine oxides with Hantzsch ester简

The （COCl）2/Hantzsch ester is found to be an effective system for the metal-free reduction of tertiary phosphine oxides. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions, and is applicable to triarylphosphine oxides and alkyldiarylphosphine oxides to produce the corresponding tertiary phosphines in good to excellent yields. This new finding provides a practical, convenient and metal-free method for the reduction of tertiary phosphine oxides to tertiary phosphines, and shows potential application in organic synthesis.     

Oxidation of diazo compounds by triphenyl phosphite ozonide. Quenching of singlet oxygen by diazo compounds

The reaction of triphenyl phosphite ozonide with various types of diazo compounds results in their oxidation, which is accomplished by singlet oxygen (¹O₂) evolved during thermal decomposition of the ozonide. A decrease in the ionization potential of the substrate results in an increase in the overall rate constant of quenching of¹O₂. In the case of 9-diazofluorene, the main channel of¹O₂ quenching is physical quenching.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1567–1571, September, 1994.The work was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project No. 93-03-5231).     

Metal-free chemo- and regioselective acylation of pyridine derivatives with alcohols in water

A straightforward acylaltion of pyridine derivatives has been developed using K₂S₂O₈ as the oxidant and water as a green solvent. The corresponding 2-acylpyridines were synthesized with high chemo- and regioselectivity in good to high yields. This efficient and practical method could serve as a new tool for the convenient synthesis of 2-benzoylpyridines of interest for future pharmaceutical and chemical applications.     

Application of carbene chemistry in the synthesis of organofluorine compounds

The methods for the synthesis of fluorine-containing organic compounds are highly demanded due to the importance of those compounds in various fields. On the other hand, carbenes are in general highly reactive species, though which various transformations are possible. Carbene chemistry has been recently explored in the development of new methodologies for the synthesis of organofluorine compounds. This short report summarizes the recent advances in this area.     

Metal-free electrophilic fluorination of alkyl trifluoroborates and boronic acids

Secondary alkyl trifluoroborates undergo facile electrophilic fluorination under mild conditions to afford the corresponding benzylic fluorinated adducts in excellent yield.     

Metal-free synthesis of benzimidazo[1,2-c]quinazolin-6-ones with indole and benzenediamine oxidized by I2/TBHP

A variety of benzimidazo[1,2-c]quinazolin-6-ones derivatives can be accessed in moderate to good yields under simple and metal-free reaction conditions using indoles and o-benzenediamines oxidized by iodine and TBHP. This procedure works in reasonable yields for different indoles as well as o-benzenediamines thus may provide a good synthesis of quinazolinones. A TBHP oxidized ring expansion reaction mechanism that explains the synthesis of benzimidazo[1,2-c]quinazolin-6-ones were reported.     

Organometallic Syntheses with Diazoalkanes

In recent years, aliphatic diazo compounds have proved to be more and more versatile as reagents in the preparative chemistry of organometallic complexes. As readily accessible compounds, they are not only suitable for the synthesis of known kinds of metal complexes but also open fresh routes to novel complex systems. The comparatively new field of diazoalkane complex chemistry exhibits numerous unexpected and novel reactions, and introduces interesting and promising aspects into the chemistry of carbonylmetal compounds.     

CuSO4-catalyzed diazo decomposition in water: a practical synthesis of β-keto esters

CuSO₄ was found to be an efficient catalyst for the diazo decomposition of β-hydroxy α-diazoesters in water. 1,2-H shift occurred efficiently to give β-keto esters in high yields. No O-H bond insertion products were identified.     

Metal-free S-methylation of diaryl disulfides with di-tert-butyl peroxide

An efficient approach for S-methylation of diaryl disulfides with di-tert-butyl peroxide under metal-free and neutral conditions was established. The present protocol shows good functional group tolerance to afford aryl methyl sulfides in moderate to good yields.