DDQ-mediated oxidative cross-coupling between propargylic sp and indoles sp carbons

DDQ-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling reaction between indoles and propargyl compounds is reported for the first time. The reaction involves direct carbon-carbon bond formation between sp² carbons of indoles and sp³ carbons of propargylates to yield the corresponding propargyl indoles in good yields with high selectivity.     

Palladium-catalyzed direct cross-coupling reaction between indenes and electron-deficient alkenes

An efficient methodology for oxidative cross-coupling of indene and derivatives with electron-deficient olefins catalyzed by palladium was developed. The corresponding diene products were obtained in moderate to good yields.     

Palladium-catalyzed direct and regioselective C-H bond functionalization/oxidative acetoxylation of indoles

The first general examples of palladium-catalyzed direct and selective oxidative C3-acetoxylation of indoles are presented. The mild reaction conditions (70 °C and with weak base, KOAc) in this indole C-H-acetoxylation are notable.     

Palladium-catalyzed C-H functionalization of pyridine N-oxides: highly selective alkenylation and direct arylation with unactivated arenes

Two catalytic protocols of the oxidative C-C bond formation have been developed on the basis of the C-H bond activation of pyridine N-oxides. Pd-catalyzed alkenylation of the N-oxides proceeds with excellent regio-, stereo-, and chemoselectivity, and the corresponding ortho-alkenylated N-oxide derivatives are obtained in good to excellent yields. Direct cross-coupling reaction of pyridine N-oxides with unactivated arene was also developed in the presence of Pd catalyst and Ag oxidant, which affords ortho-arylated pyridine N-oxide products with high site-selectivity.     

Rhodium-catalyzed direct oxidative cross-coupling of 2-aryl pyridine with benzothiazoles

A rhodium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of 2-aryl pyridine and benzothiazoles via dual C–H bond functionalization has been developed in the presence of copper salts. The reaction system provides a new approach to heterobiaryl species, which are ubiquitous in pharmaceuticals and nature products.     

Preparation of chiral bipyridine bis-N-oxides by oxidative dimerization of chiral pyridine N-oxides

The direct preparation of chiral 2,2′-bipyridine bis-N-oxides has been developed. The method involves two stages, first, the deprotonation of substituted chiral pyridine N-oxides and second, the oxidative dimerization of the resulting 2-lithiopyridine N-oxides. Optimization of the reaction conditions led to the selection of LiTMP in THF for the deprotonation and molecular iodine as the oxidant. The corresponding 2-iodopyridine N-oxide is invariably formed as a by-product. A series of 11 chiral pyridine N-oxides was prepared that bear substituents at the C(2) and C(5) positions. Oxidative dimerization of these mono-N-oxides proceeded in 33–77% yield. In all cases, the dimerization was highly diastereoselective for the formation of the P-configuration of the chiral axis.     

Identical acyl transfer reactions between pyridine N-oxides and their N-acylonium salts

28 identical acyl exchange reactions R-CO-Nu⁺, X^? + Nu between pyridine N-oxides in acetonitrile were studied. Here, X^? = BPh ₄ ^? and R = methyl, N,N-dimethylamino, N,N-diethylamino, 4-morpholino, 1-piperidino, N-methyl, N-phenylamino, or N,N-diphenylamino group. The IR and NMR spectroscopic characteristics of acyloxypyridinium salts were determined, and the quantum-chemical parameters of all reagents calculated. The results were subjected to correlation analysis. It was found that the rate of identical acyl transfer reactions was controlled by the interaction of frontier orbitals in the transition state.     

Equilibrium of acyl transfer between pyridine N-oxides and their acylonium salts

Transfer of acyl groups from N-acyloxypyridinium salts to pyridine N-oxides in acetonitrile was studied. The equilibrium constants of acyl exchange were determined. These quantities vary in the range covering eight orders of magnitude, depending on the structure of the reagents, and are independent of the structure of the acyl group.     

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of N-vinyl pyrroles and indoles

A stereospecific palladium-catalyzed N-vinylation of azaheterocycles with vinyl triflates is described. Cyclic and acyclic vinyl triflates along with nonnucleophilic azaheterocycles were found to be substrates for this palladium-catalyzed synthesis of N-vinyl pyrrole and indole derivatives.     

Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of 3-alkoxysubstituted indoles

Indoles having an electron-donating alkoxy-group in the 3-position were prepared from 1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1-alkoxyalkene derivatives via a palladium-catalyzed reductive N-heteroannulation using carbon monoxide as the ultimate reducing agent. The required starting materials were prepared by a Stille coupling of 2-halonitroarenes with tributyl(1-ethoxyethenyl)stannane or tributyl(3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-6-yl)stannane.     

Palladium-catalyzed beta-allylation of 2,3-disubstituted indoles

Given the prevalence of the indole nucleus in biologically active compounds, the direct C3-functionalization of 2,3-disubstituted indoles represents an important problem. Described is a general, high-yielding method for the palladium-catalyzed beta-allylation of carba- and heterocycle fused indoles, including complex natural product substrates.     

Palladium-catalyzed substitution and cross-coupling of benzylic fluorides

Benzylic fluorides are suitable substrates for Pd(0)-catalyzed Tsuji-Trost substitution using carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur nucleophiles and for cross-coupling with phenylboronic acid. For the bifunctional substrate 4-chlorobenzyl fluoride, fine-tuning of the reaction conditions allows for the regioselective displacement of either the chlorine or fluorine substituent. The leaving group ability of fluoride vs other groups displaced in substitution is CF(3)CO(2) ≈ p-NO(2)C(6)H(4)CO(2) ≈ OCO(2)CH(3) > F > CH(3)CO(2), a ranking similar to allylic fluorides under Pd catalysis.     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in total synthesis

In studying the evolution of organic chemistry and grasping its essence, one comes quickly to the conclusion that no other type of reaction plays as large a role in shaping this domain of science than carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions. The Grignard, Diels-Alder, and Wittig reactions are but three prominent examples of such processes, and are among those which have undeniably exercised decisive roles in the last century in the emergence of chemical synthesis as we know it today. In the last quarter of the 20th century, a new family of carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions based on transition-metal catalysts evolved as powerful tools in synthesis. Among them, the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions are the most prominent. In this Review, highlights of a number of selected syntheses are discussed. The examples chosen demonstrate the enormous power of these processes in the art of total synthesis and underscore their future potential in chemical synthesis.     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of resin-bound chlorotriazines

To introduce the biaryl structure as a triazine functionality, we have developed a new synthetic route via the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of resin-bound chlorotriazines. The Suzuki cross-coupling reaction was achieved using various arylboronic acids, Pd(PPh₃)₄, Cs₂CO₃, and dioxane. With the integration of this chemistry and our previous orthogonal methodology, the triazine library is greatly expanded to a biaryl scaffold.     

A solution to the 2-pyridyl organometallic cross-coupling problem: regioselective catalytic direct arylation of pyridine N-oxides

Direct arylation reactions of pyridine N-oxides occur in excellent yield with complete selectivity for the 2-position with a wide range of aryl bromides. This reactivity permits the use of inexpensive, commercially available, and bench-stable pyridine N-oxides as replacements for problematic 2-metallapyridines in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.