η3-Allylpalladium Compounds

The use of transition-metal complexes as homogeneous catalysts for the production of organic chemicals is of considerable industrial significance. Although palladium complexes have not attained the same importance as, for example, those of rhodium or cobalt, palladium is nonetheless one of the most versatile metals for synthetic organic purposes. An understanding of the role played by the metal in these reactions is essential for their optimal utilization. This necessarily entails a detailed study of the chemistry of the palladium-carbon bond. In this article we concentrate on η³-allylpalladium complexes, which are frequently involved as intermediates in the Pd-catalyzed transformations of dienes. The study of their behavior gives a deeper insight into the individual steps of a catalytic cycle.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Arylation of β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Ketoamides for the Construction of Nonracemic γ,γ‐Diarylcarbonyl Compounds

A highly regio‐ and enantioselective rhodium‐catalyzed 1,4‐addition of arylboronic acids to β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoamides using a simple new chiral sulfinylphosphine ligand is described. This transformation provides an attractive approach to construct chiral nonracemic γ,γ‐diarylsubstituted carbonyl compounds, as exemplified in the concise syntheses of sertraline and tetrahydroquinoline‐2‐carboxylamide.     

Reactions of α,β‐Unsaturated Thioamides with Diazo Compounds

Several reactions of the α,β‐unsaturated thioamide 8 with diazo compounds 1a – 1d were investigated. The reactions with CH₂N₂ ( 1a ), diazocyclohexane ( 1b ), and phenyldiazomethane ( 1c ) proceeded via a 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of the diazo dipole at the C?C bond to give the corresponding 4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carbothioamides 12a – 12c , i.e., the regioisomer which arose from the bond formation between the N‐terminus of the diazo compound and the C(α)‐atom of 8 . In the reaction of 1a with 8 , the initially formed cycloadduct, the 4,5‐dihydro‐3H‐pyrazole‐3‐carbothioamide 11a , was obtained after a short reaction time. In the case of 1c , two tautomers 12c and 12c ′ were formed, which, by derivatization with 2‐chlorobenzoyl chloride 14 , led to the crystalline products 15 and 15 ′. Their structures were established by X‐ray crystallography. From the reaction of 8 and ethyl diazoacetate ( 1d ), the opposite regioisomer 13 was formed. The monosubstituted thioamide 16 reacted with 1a to give the unstable 4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carbothioamide 17 .     

Reactions of α,β‐Enones with Diazo Compounds,Part 3

Carbonyl ylides arising from ethyl acetodiazoacetate/dimethyl diazomalonate and α,β‐enones with mainly s‐cis conformations underwent disrotatory cyclization to produce dihydrofuran derivatives. This process proved to be sensitive to steric effects. The corresponding ylides arising from rather s‐trans α,β‐enals yielded dioxole derivatives. The mechanisms of the reactions are discussed.     

Synthesis and Conformation of Fluorinated β‐Peptidic Compounds

Experimental and theoretical data indicate that, for α‐fluoroamides, the F? C? C(O)? N(H) moiety adopts an antiperiplanar conformation. In addition, a gauche conformation is favoured between the vicinal C? F and C? N(CO) bonds in N‐β‐fluoroethylamides. This study details the synthesis of a series of fluorinated β‐peptides ( 1 – 8 ) designed to use these stereoelectronic effects to control the conformation of β‐peptide bonds. X‐ray crystal structures of these compounds revealed the expected conformations: with fluorine β to a nitrogen adopting a gauche conformation, and fluorine α to a C?O group adopting an antiperiplanar conformation. Thus, the strategic placement of fluorine can control the conformation of a β‐peptide bond, with the possibility of directing the secondary structures of β‐peptides.     

Cu‐Catalyzed Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Reactions of γ,γ‐Disubstituted Allyldiboron Compounds with Ketones

A catalytic diastereo‐ and enantioselective method for the preparation of complex tertiary homoallylic alcohols containing a vicinal quaternary carbon stereogenic center and a versatile alkenylboronic ester is disclosed. Transformations are promoted by 5 mol % of a readily available copper catalyst bearing a bulky monodentate phosphoramidite ligand, which is essential for attaining both high dr and er. Reactions proceed with a wide variety of ketones and allylic 1,1‐diboronate reagents, which enables the efficient preparation of diverse array of molecular scaffolds.     

Enamination of β‐Dicarbonyl Compounds with Amines

Enamination of a wide variety of primary amines was successfully described with excellent chemo‐selectivity in the presence of catalytic amounts of β‐cyclodextrin in water under mild conditions. Aliphatic amines also reacted efficiently to produce the corresponding enaminones.     

Synthesis of Phenanthrene Derivatives through the Reaction of an α,α‐Dicyanoolefin with α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

Phenanthrene derivatives were prepared by reacting an α,α‐dicyanoolefin with different α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds resulting from Wittig reaction of ninhydrin and phosphanylidene or condensation of barbituric acid and an aldehyde. The easy procedure, mild and metal‐catalyst free, reaction conditions, good yields, and no need for chromatographic purifications are important features of this protocol. The structures of the product of type 3 and 5 were corroborated spectroscopically (IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, and EI‐MS). A plausible mechanism for this type of reaction is proposed (Scheme 1).     

Reactions of α,β‐Enones with Diazo Compounds. Part 4

In this study, (E)‐ and (Z)‐enones carrying only a phenyl substituent at their C(β) atom were treaced with dimethyl diazomalonate in the presence of (acetylacetonato)copper(II). According to the configuration of the starting enones, the products were dioxole or dihydrofuran derivatives, significant heterocycles in natural products.