Selective aerobic oxidation of allylic and benzylic alcohols catalyzed by N-hydroxyindole and copper(I) chloride

In the presence of copper(I) chloride, tert-butyl 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-1H-indole-3-carboxylate acted as a catalyst for the chemoselective aerobic oxidation of allylic and benzylic alcohols. A variety of primary and secondary allylic and benzylic alcohols were oxidized into the corresponding α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in good yields without affecting non-allylic alcohols.     

InBr3-Et3N promoted alkynylation of aldehydes and N,O-acetals under mild conditions: facile and simple preparation of propargylic alcohols and amines

The use of a novel InBr₃-Et₃N reagent system to promote addition reactions of 1-alkynes not only with a variety of aromatic or bulky aliphatic aldehydes but also with N,O-acetals is described. The corresponding propargylic alcohols or amines are produced in good to excellent yields.     

Copper fluorapatite catalyzed N-arylation of heterocycles with bromo and iodoarenes

Copper exchanged fluorapatite (CuFAP) is an effective heterogeneous catalyst for N-arylation of heterocycles with bromo- or iodoarenes using K₂CO₃ as base. N-Arylated products were isolated in good to excellent yields, demonstrating the versatility of the reaction.     

Efficient iodine catalyzed chemoselective synthesis of aminals—an access to N,N-acetals by the addition of lactams to N-acyl imines

A highly efficient protocol has been developed for the synthesis of aminals from γ-butyrolactam and benzaldehyde using iodine as Lewis acid catalyst. The attack of γ-butyrolactam nucleophile to intermediate N-acyliminium ion was more favorable, when aryl aldehyde bears the electron donating group (EDG). Iodine plays a key role in these reaction transformations. This current mild protocol is environmentally benign and cost-effective method for the synthesis of industrially and pharmaceutically useful scaffolds.     

Copper-free Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction catalyzed by polymer-supported N-heterocyclic carbene palladium complex

A core-shell type of polymer-supported N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) palladium catalyst was applied to Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions without copper cocatalyst under ambient atmosphere. This supported NHC-palladium complex efficiently catalyzed the copper-free Sonogashira reaction of various aryl iodides and bromides with terminal alkynes; the reaction exhibited high dependency on the temperature and the amount of base as well as its nature. In addition, this heterogeneous catalyst exhibited good reusability for the copper-free Sonogashira reaction.     

N-(Diethoxyphosphoryl)-O-benzylhydroxylamine—a convenient substrate for the synthesis of N-substituted O-benzylhydroxylamines

Easily available N-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-O-benzylhydroxylamine was shown to be convenient, orthogonally protected substrate for regioselective N-alkylation by means of diverse halides under basic conditions (sodium hydride/tetrabutylammonium bromide). An efficient procedure for dephosphorylation of N-substituted N-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-O-benzylhydroxylamine to provide N-substituted O-benzylhydroxylamines was also established.     

Enantioselective aldol reactions of trichlorosilyl enol ethers catalyzed by chiral N,N-dioxides and monodentate N-oxides

Chiral N,N^′-dioxides and monodentate N-oxides were employed as catalysts in catalytic, enantioselective aldol reactions of trichlorosilyl enol ethers. The reactions of acyclic enol ethers using N,N^′-dioxides resulted in the anti-adducts from (E)-enol ethers and the syn-adducts from (Z)-enol ethers. The reactions of cyclic (E)-enol ethers using N,N^′-dioxides gave the anti-adducts, whereas monodentate N-oxides predominantly gave the syn-adducts.     

Alkylation of cyclic amines with alcohols catalyzed by Ru(II) complexes bearing N-Heterocyclic carbenes

This paper includes the synthesis of 2-(1,3-dioxane-2-yl)ethyl substituted benzimidazole substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes precursors and their ruthenium complexes. Synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and NMR spectroscopy. All complexes have been tested in the alkylation of pyrrolidine and morpholine with alcohols, showing an excellent activity in this reaction.     

Synthesis of N,N-dialkylaminobenzonitriles and halo-(N,N-dialkyl)benzamidines by reaction of halobenzonitriles with lithium amides

3- and 4-N,N-Dialkylaminobenzonitriles and 4-chloro-(N,N-dialkyl)benzamidines were isolated by reacting 4-chlorobenzonitrile with hindered lithium amides under thermodynamic (0 °C) and kinetic control conditions (−78 °C), respectively. As previously reported, a benzyne mechanism seems to be confirmed since N,N-dialkylaminobenzonitriles are formed. Only benzamidines were isolated in fair to high yields at both 0 °C and −78 °C with non-hindered lithium amides. Exploitation and mechanistic rationale of the reaction of different halobenzonitriles are also reported.     

Kinetic resolution of vic-amino alcohols catalyzed by a chiral Cu(II) complex

Kinetic resolution of N-benzoylated vic-amino alcohols was achieved by benzoylation in the presence of copper triflate and (R,R)-Ph-BOX as catalysts. The observed enantioselectivity was moderate to high. The method was applied to a kinetic resolution of racemic prolinol and piperidinemethanol derivatives as well as an asymmetric desymmetrization of 2-amino-1,3-diol derivatives.     

Solvent-free oxidation of alcohols by t-butyl hydroperoxide catalyzed by water-soluble copper complex

The catalytic system composed of CuCl₂ and 2,2′-biquinoline-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid dipotassium salt (BQC), was found to be highly efficient for the selective oxidation of secondary benzylic, allylic and propargylic alcohols to the corresponding ketones, with aqueous t-butyl hydroperoxide under phase-transfer catalysis conditions. The catalytic system is stable and can be recycled and reused several times without loss of activity.     

N,N′-Dioxide-scandium(III) complex catalyzed highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indole to alkylidene malonates

A highly efficient enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with alkylidene malonates has been developed using chiral N,N′-dioxide L4-scandium(III) complex as the catalyst, giving the corresponding products in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield and 95% ee). The product 3a was facilely converted into several interesting compounds, such as tryptamines, indolepropionic acids and β-carbolines. It is noteworthy that the seven-membered β-carboline-like compound has been synthesized for the first time. Based on the crystal structure of the chiral N,N′-dioxide L10-scandium(III) complex, the proposed transition state and possible catalytic cycle were presented to elucidate the reaction mechanism.     

Convenient and efficient Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions catalyzed by palladium complexes containing N,N,O-tridentate ligands

N,N,O-Tridentate ligands 1-9 were prepared from the condensation of amines with nine aromatic aldehydes or ketones. These ligands are thermally stable and neither air- nor moisture-sensitive. Combination of either 2-methoxy-6-[(pyridine-2-ylmethylimino)-methyl]-phenol, 1 or 2-(benzothiazol-2-yl-hydrazonomethyl)-4,6-di-tert-butyl-phenol, 6 with Pd(OAc)₂ furnished an excellent catalyst precursor for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of various aryl bromides with arylboronic acids. The effects of varying solvents, bases, and ligand/palladium ratios on the performance of the coupling reaction were investigated. The molecular structures of both free ligand 1 and its palladium acetate complex 10 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The DFT studies revealed that the catalytic performance of palladium complexes involving this type of a ligand may differ greatly upon a small variation in its structure.     

Indium triflate-catalyzed allylation reactions of N-sulfonyl aldimines or N-alkoxycarbonylamino p-tolylsulfones with allyltrimethylsilane: synthesis of protected homoallylic amines

Indium triflate-catalyzed allylation reactions of N-sulfonyl aldimines or N-alkoxyloxycarbonylamino p-tolylsulfone with allyltrimethylsilane have been successfully developed to produce protected homoallylic amines.     

Cyanosilylation of aldehydes catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

N-Heterocyclic carbenes produced in situ from salts of imidazolium, benzimidazolium, pyrido[1,2-c]imidazolium, imidazolinium, thiazolium, and triazolium catalyze the addition of trimethylsilylcyanide to aldehydes to yield cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers. The use of C₂-symmetric imidazolidenyl carbene derived from (R,R)-1,3-bis[(1-naphthyl)ethyl]imidazolium chloride led to enantioselective cyanosilylation.     

Highly efficient trialkylsilylcyanation of aldehydes, ketones and imines catalyzed by a nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbene

The synthetic utility of N-heterocyclic carbenes was demonstrated by the trialkylsilylcyanation of aldehydes, ketones and imines. In the presence of a catalytic amount of 3a, the reactions with Me₃SiCN proceeded smoothly to give the corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers or amino nitrile derivatives in good to excellent yields.     

Synthesis of oxa-aza spirobicycles by intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer promoted by N-radicals in carbohydrate systems

The nitrogen-centred radical generated by reaction of an N-phosphoramidate or N-cyanamide, attached to a tri- or tetramethylene tether extended from the C-1 of a carbohydrate, with (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (DIB) and iodine can undergo a regio- and stereoselective intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reaction to furnish four different oxa-azaspirobicyclic systems: 1-oxa-6-azaspiro[4.4]nonane, 1-oxa-6-azaspiro[4.5]decane, 6-oxa-1-azaspiro[4.5]decane and 1-oxa-7-azaspiro[5.5]undecane. A tandem 1,5- or 1,6-HAT-oxidation-nucleophilic cyclisation mechanism is proposed.     

Electrochemical fluorination of N,N-dimethylperfluoroacylamides

The electrochemical fluorination (ECF) of N,N-dimethylperfluoroacylamides gives the corresponding perfluoro-N,N-dimethylacylamides in low yield. With increase of the number of carbon atoms in the perfluoroacyl radical the yield of the required perfluoro-N,N-dimethylacylamides is slightly increased.     

Enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones catalyzed by double-activation catalysts with N-oxides

Enantioselective addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to ketones by a catalytic double-activation method is described. By combinatorially using 2.0 mol% of a chiral salen-titanium complex and 1.0 mol% of an achiral tertiary amine N-oxide, aromatic, aliphatic and α,β-unsaturated ketones are converted into corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers with 50-93% yield and 59-86% ee. The effects of ligand structure, catalyst loading and substrate concentration, solvents, the nature of Lewis base, counter ion and other additives, temperature, and substrate structure on the enantioselectivity are discussed. Three possible paths to achieve the asymmetric version of double-activation catalysis and two independent examples of it are proposed.