One‐Pot Synthesis of Polysubstituted Benzenes through a N,N‐dimethyl‐4‐aminopyridine (DMAP)‐Catalyzed [4+2] Benzannulation of 1,3‐Bis(sulfonyl)butadienes and γ‐Substituted Allenoates

A new strategy for the one‐pot synthesis of polysubstituted benzenes through a N,N‐dimethyl‐4‐aminopyridine (DMAP)‐catalyzed [4+2] benzannulation from readily prepared 1,3‐bis(sulfonyl)butadienes and γ‐substituted allenoates is described. This method provides a facile, metal‐free and general route to highly substituted benzenes under mild conditions in moderate‐to‐good yields with complete regioselectivity.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Axially Chiral 2‐Aminobiaryls by Rhodium‐Catalyzed Benzannulation of 1‐Arylalkynes with 2‐(Cyanomethyl)phenylboronates

Asymmetric benzannulation of 1‐arylalkynes, where the aryl group is an ortho‐substituted aromatic group, with 2‐(cyanomethyl)phenylboronate was catalyzed by a rhodium complex coordinated with a chiral diene ligand to give high yields of axially chiral 2‐aminobiaryls with greater than 90 % ee.     

Investigation of Alkyne Regioselectivity in the Ni‐Catalyzed Benzannulation of Cyclobutenones

A Ni‐catalyzed benzannulation reaction of cyclobutenones and alkynes provides a rapid synthesis of heavily substituted phenols. The regioselectivity of this reaction can be modulated by variation of substituents on the alkyne. Though the incorporation of Lewis basic donors provides modest selectivities, the use of aryl substituents can provide high levels of regiocontrol. Finally, alkynylboronates derived from alkyl‐substituted acetylenes provide both high yields and regioselectivities. This study suggests that alkynes bearing one sp²‐ and one sp³‐based substituent can undergo benzannulation with high levels of regiocontrol whereby the sp³‐based group is incorporated ortho‐to the phenolic OH.     

Catalytic,Cascade Ring‐Opening Benzannulations of 2,3‐Dihydrofuran O,O‐ and N,O‐Acetals

An Al(OTf)₃‐catalyzed intramolecular cascade ring‐opening benzannulation of 2,3‐dihydrofuran O,O‐ and N,O‐acetals is described. The cascade sequence involves the dihydrofuran ring‐opening by acetal hydrolysis, an intramolecular Prins‐type cyclization, and aromatization to generate an array of benzo‐fused (hetero)aromatic systems in up to 95 % yield. This method represents the first example of dihydrofuran acetal usage in benzannulation reactions. The approach provides excellent regiocontrol based on the choice of alkenes used to form the requisite dihydrofuran acetals.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Reductive [5+1] Cycloaddition of 3‐Acetoxy‐1,4‐enynes with CO: Access to Phenols Enabled by Hydrosilanes

A new palladium‐catalyzed reductive [5+1] cycloaddition of 3‐acetoxy‐1,4‐enynes with CO, enabled by hydrosilanes, has been developed for delivering valuable functionalized phenols. This methodology employs hydrosilanes as the external reagent to facilitate the [5+1] carbonylative benzannulation. The reaction is a conceptually and mechanistically novel carbonylative cycloaddition route for the construction of substituted phenols, through the formation of four new chemical bonds, with excellent functional‐group tolerance.     

Photoredox Catalysis of Aromatic β‐Ketoesters for in Situ Production of Transient and Persistent Radicals for Organic Transformation

Radical formation is the initial step for conventional radical chemistry. Reported herein is a unified strategy to generate radicals in situ from aromatic β‐ketoesters by using a photocatalyst. Under visible‐light irradiation, a small amount of photocatalyst fac‐Ir(ppy)₃ generates a transient α‐carbonyl radical and persistent ketyl radical in situ. In contrast to the well‐established approaches, neither stoichiometric external oxidant nor reductant is required for this reaction. The synthetic utility is demonstrated by pinacol coupling of ketyl radicals and benzannulation of α‐carbonyl radicals with alkynes to give a series of highly substituted 1‐naphthols in good to excellent yields. The readily available photocatalyst, mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope, and high functional‐group tolerance make this reaction a useful synthetic tool.     

Dimedone‐catalyzed Addition of Amines into Cyano Group: Facile Synthesis of Thiazol‐2‐yl Substituted E‐Acrylonitriles

An efficient dimedone‐catalyzed synthesis of highly functionalized thiazol‐2‐yl substituted E‐acrylonitrile derivatives has been established through two‐step reaction of α‐thiocyanate ketones with malononitrile and amines. The α‐thiocyanate ketones were subjected with malononitrile to provide thiazol‐2‐ylidenemalononitrile derivatives, followed with various amines in the present of dimedone to yield the final thiazol‐2‐yl substituted acrylonitrile derivatives.     

Hypervalent Iodine(III)‐Mediated Benzannulation of Enamines with Alkynes: an Efficient Synthesis of Substituted Aminonaphthoic Acid Derivatives

An intermolecular two C? C bond formation procedure for the synthesis of carbocycles mediated by hypervalent iodine(III) reagents was developed. This metal free protocol provided a new approach for the synthesis of useful substituted 1‐amino‐2‐naphthoic acid derivatives via benzannulation reactions. Various N‐unsubstituted and N‐alkyl substituted aromatic enamines with terminal alkynes and non‐terminal alkynes can be converted into corresponding 1‐amino‐2‐naphthoic acid derivatives under mild reaction conditions. When meta‐substituted phenyl enamines were employed in the reaction, two cyclization paths were detected in the reaction and ortho‐cyclization products were the only or major products. Good functional group tolerance, readily available material and high atom utilization efficiency make this method a potential procedure which may find broad application in organic synthesis.     

Synthesis and Reactivity Comparisons of 1‐Methyl‐3‐Substituted Cyclopropene Mini‐tags for Tetrazine Bioorthogonal Reactions

Substituted cyclopropenes have recently attracted attention as stable “mini‐tags” that are highly reactive dienophiles with the bioorthogonal tetrazine functional group. Despite this interest, the synthesis of stable cyclopropenes is not trivial and their reactivity patterns are poorly understood. Here, the synthesis and comparison of the reactivity of a series of 1‐methyl‐3‐substituted cyclopropenes with different functional handles is described. The rates at which the various substituted cyclopropenes undergo Diels–Alder cycloadditions with 1,2,4,5‐tetrazines were measured. Depending on the substituents, the rates of cycloadditions vary by over two orders of magnitude. The substituents also have a dramatic effect on aqueous stability. An outcome of these studies is the discovery of a novel 3‐amidomethyl substituted methylcyclopropene tag that reacts twice as fast as the fastest previously disclosed 1‐methyl‐3‐substituted cyclopropene while retaining excellent aqueous stability. Furthermore, this new cyclopropene is better suited for bioconjugation applications and this is demonstrated through using DNA templated tetrazine ligations. The effect of tetrazine structure on cyclopropene reaction rate was also studied. Surprisingly, 3‐amidomethyl substituted methylcyclopropene reacts faster than trans‐cyclooctenol with a sterically hindered and extremely stable tert‐butyl substituted tetrazine. Density functional theory calculations and the distortion/interaction analysis of activation energies provide insights into the origins of these reactivity differences and a guide to the development of future tetrazine coupling partners. The newly disclosed cyclopropenes have kinetic and stability advantages compared to previously reported dienophiles and will be highly useful for applications in organic synthesis, bioorthogonal reactions, and materials science.     

One‐Pot Sequential Propargylation/Cycloisomerization: A Facile [4+2]‐Benzannulation Approach to Carbazoles

A novel one‐pot [4+2]‐benzannulation approach to substituted carbazoles is accomplished by acid‐catalyzed C3‐propargylation of 2‐alkenyl/aryl indoles with 1‐aryl propargylic alcohols, followed by cycloisomerization. A variety of 2‐alkenylated indoles and 2‐aryl/heteroaryl indoles successfully participated in this tandem reaction with 1‐aryl/heteroaryl propargylic alcohols to provide diversely substituted and annulated carbazoles, as well as an aza[5]helicene.     

Regio‐ and Enantioselective Synthesis of N‐Allylindoles by Iridium‐Catalyzed Allylic Amination/Transition‐Metal‐Catalyzed Cyclization Reactions

Regio‐ and enantioselective synthesis of N‐allylindoles was realized through an iridium‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic amination reaction with 2‐alkynylanilines and subsequent transition‐metal‐catalyzed cyclization reactions. The highly enantioenriched allylic amines prepared from Ir‐catalysis were treated with catalytic amount of NaAuCl₄ ? 2 H₂O or PdCl₂ providing various substituted N‐allylindoles in excellent yields and enantioselectivities.     

Structural Features of Certain p‐substituted Phenyl 2‐nitrovinyl Sulfones

The structure of p‐substituted phenyl 2‐nitrovinyl sulfones was studied through different spectral methods. It has been found that the nucleophilic substitution reactions of sodium phenylsulfinates with 1‐chloro‐2‐nitroethene occur stereospecifically. The formation of E‐isomers of this type of substituted phenyl vinyl sulfones was confirmed by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. It was suggested that the E‐isomers formation was determined by the more stable conformation of the carbanionic intermediate as a result of intramolecular rotation around single Cα‐Cβ bond. This appears to be the product‐determining pathway during the interaction of sodium phenyl sulfinates with the highly activated substrate 1‐chloro‐2‐nitroethene.     

Rhodium Enalcarbenoids: Direct Synthesis of Indoles by Rhodium(II)‐Catalyzed [4+2] Benzannulation of Pyrroles

Disclosed herein is the design of an unprecedented electrophilic rhodium enalcarbenoid which results from rhodium(II)‐catalyzed decomposition of a new class of enaldiazo compounds. The synthetic utility of these enalcarbenoids has been successfully demonstrated in the first transition‐metal‐catalyzed [4+2] benzannulation of pyrroles, thus leading to substituted indoles. The new benzannulation has been applied to the efficient synthesis of the natural product leiocarpone as well as a potent adipocyte fatty‐acid binding protein inhibitor.     

Pd‐Catalyzed Cyclocarbonylation of 2‐(2‐Bromoaryl)indoles with CO as a C1 Source: Selective Access to 6 H‐Isoindolo[2,1‐a]indol‐6‐ones and Indeno[1,2‐b]indol‐10(5 H)‐ones

A highly efficient and regioselective synthetic route to 6 H‐isoindolo[2,1‐a]indol‐6‐ones and indeno[1,2‐b]indol‐10(5 H)‐ones through the Pd‐catalyzed cyclocarbonylation of 2‐(2‐bromoaryl)indoles under atmospheric CO pressure has been achieved. Notably, the regioselectivity of the reaction was exclusively dependent on the structural characteristics of the indole substrates. With N‐unsubstituted indoles as the starting materials, the reaction afforded 6H‐isoindolo[2,1‐a]indol‐6‐ones in good‐to‐excellent yields. On the other hand, with N‐substituted indoles as the substrates, the reaction gave indeno[1,2‐b]indol‐10(5 H)‐ones in a highly regioselective manner.     

Synthesis of 2,3‐dihydro‐6H‐1‐oxa‐3a‐aza‐phenalene and its benzo/hetero‐fused analog

A simple and efficient method for the synthesis of highly substituted benzo‐ and hetero‐fused analog of 2, 3‐dihydro‐6H‐oxa‐3a‐aza‐phenalene was developed using 2H‐1, 4‐benzoxazine and α‐oxoketene dithio‐acetals. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).     

A novel route to 4‐oxy/thio substituted‐1H‐pyrazol‐5(4H)‐ones via efficient cross‐Claisen condensation

α‐Oxy/thio substituted β‐keto esters were synthesized through an efficient cross‐Claisen condensation of oxy/thio substituted acetic acid ethyl esters with acid chlorides, which in turn converted in situ into 4‐oxy/thio substituted‐1H‐pyrazol‐5(4H)‐ones by the addition of hydrazine and its derivatives. This method has been found to be extremely fast, general, and useful toward the synthesis of inaccessible pyrazolones and synthetically demanding 4‐oxy/thio substituted pyrazolones. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).     

Importance of a Fluorine Substituent for the Preparation of meta‐ and para‐Pentafluoro‐λ6‐sulfanyl‐Substituted Pyridines

Although there are ways to synthesize ortho‐pentafluoro‐λ⁶‐sulfanyl (SF₅) pyridines, meta‐ and para‐SF₅‐substituted pyridines are rare. We disclose herein a general route for their synthesis. The fundamental synthetic approach is the same as reported methods for ortho‐SF₅‐substituted pyridines and SF₅‐substituted arenes, that is, oxidative chlorotetrafluorination of the corresponding disulfides to give pyridylsulfur chlorotetrafluorides (SF₄Cl‐pyridines), followed by chloride/fluoride exchange with fluorides. However, the trick in this case is the presence on the pyridine ring of at least one fluorine atom, which is essential for the successful transformation of the disulfides into m‐and p‐SF₅‐pyridines. After enabling the synthesis of an SF₅‐substituted pyridine, ortho‐F groups can be efficiently substituted by C, N, S, and O nucleophiles through an S_NAr pathway. This methodology provides access to a variety of previously unavailable SF₅‐substituted pyridine building blocks.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Highly Substituted Polyheteroaromatic Compounds by Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Multiple CH Activation and Annulation

A new method for the synthesis of highly substituted naphthyridine‐based polyheteroaromatic compounds in high yields proceeds through rhodium(III)‐catalyzed multiple C? H bond cleavage and C? C and C? N bond formation in a one‐pot process. Such highly substituted polyheteroaromatic compounds have attracted much attention because of their unique π‐conjugation, which make them suitable materials for organic semiconductors and luminescent materials. Furthermore, a possible mechanism, which involves multiple chelation‐assisted ortho C? H activation, alkyne insertion, and reductive elimination, is proposed for this transformation.     

Rhodium(I)‐Catalyzed [4 + 2] Cycloaddition Reactions of 2‐Alkylenecyclo‐butanols with Alkynes and (E)‐2‐Nitroethenylbenzene through C(sp2)—C(sp3) Bond Cleavage

An intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition was realized through C—C bond cleavage in the presence of Rh(I) catalyst. The selective ring opening of 2‐alkylenecyclobutanols enables the generation of active alkenylrhodium species, which underwent smooth cross addition over alkynes and (E)‐2‐nitroethenylbenzene, leading to highly substituted all‐carbon six‐membered rings in a single step and in a complete atom economy.     

Cu‐Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Cyclizations of 3‐N‐Hydroxyamino‐1,2‐propadienes with Alcohols,Thiols, and Amines To Form α‐O‐, S‐, and N‐Substituted 4‐Methylquinoline Derivatives

A one‐pot, two‐step synthesis of α‐O‐, S‐, and N‐substituted 4‐methylquinoline derivatives through Cu‐catalyzed aerobic oxidations of N‐hydroxyaminoallenes with alcohols, thiols, and amines is described. This reaction sequence involves an initial oxidation of N‐hydroxyaminoallenes with NuH (Nu=OH, OR, NHR, and SR) to form 3‐substituted 2‐en‐1‐ones, followed by Brønsted acid catalyzed intramolecular cyclizations of the resulting products. Our mechanistic analysis suggests that the reactions proceed through a radical‐type mechanism rather than a typical nitrone‐intermediate route. The utility of this new Cu‐catalyzed reaction is shown by its applicability to the synthesis of several 2‐amino‐4‐methylquinoline derivatives, which are known to be key precursors to several bioactive molecules.