Selective Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling of Furan and Thiophene Derivatives

A hot couple: An unprecedented rhodium(III)-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) of various furan and thiophene derivatives leads to valuable 2,2'-bi(heteroaryl) products in good yields and selectivities. In addition, pyrroles and indoles can also be used as coupling partners, giving C3-arylated products.     

Synergistic Catalysis for the Umpolung Trifluoromethylthiolation of Tertiary Ethers

The first transition‐metal‐free, site‐specific umpolung trifluoromethylthiolation of tertiary alkyl ethers has been developed, achieving the challenging tertiary C(sp³)–SCF₃ coupling under redox‐neutral conditions. The synergism of organophotocatalyst 4CzIPN and BINOL‐based phosphorothiols can site‐selectively cleave tertiary sp³ C(sp³)–O ether bonds in complex molecules initiated by a polarity‐matching hydrogen‐atom‐transfer (HAT) event. The incorporation of several competing benzylic and methine C(sp³)?H bonds in alkyl ethers has little influence on the regioselectivity. Selective difluoromethylthiolation of C?O bonds has also been achieved. This represents not only an important step forward in trifluoromethylthiolation but also a promising means for site‐selective C?O bond functionalization of unsymmetrical tertiary alkyl ethers.     

Synthesis of fused imidazoles, pyrroles, and indoles with a defined stereocenter α to nitrogen utilizing Mitsunobu alkylation followed by palladium-catalyzed cyclization

Nitrogen-containing fused heterocycles comprise many compounds that demonstrate interesting biological activities. A new synthetic approach involving Mitsunobu alkylation of imidazoles, pyrroles, and indoles followed by palladium-catalyzed cyclization has been developed providing access to fused heterocycles with a defined stereochemistry α to nitrogen. While ethyl imidazole or indole carboxylates are good substrates for Mitsunobu alkylation with optically pure secondary benzylic alcohols, the corresponding pyrroles are poor substrates presumably due to the increased pK(a) of the NH. The presence of a synthetically versatile trichloroacetyl functional group on the pyrroles significantly reduces the pK(a) and thereby facilitates Mitsunobu alkylation. Subsequent cyclization of the alkylated products mediated by palladium in the presence or absence of a ligand gave fused heterocycles in good to excellent yields.     

Copper(II) catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling of cyclic benzylic ethers with simple carbonyl compounds by Na2S2O8

Copper(II) catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling of cyclic benzylic ethers with a variety of simple carbonyl compounds mediated by Na₂S₂O₈ is developed. The scope of carbonyl components is broad, including simple aldehydes as well as ketones. The use of Na₂S₂O₈ as the oxidant for the CDC reaction is attractive based on economical and environmental factors.     

Direct oxidative C(sp3) -H cyanation of secondary benzylic ethers

A practical and efficient oxidative CH cyanation of secondary benzylic ethers with TMSCN in the presence of DDQ is described for the first time. The metal-free process is well tolerated with a wide variety of electronically varied α-monosubstituted isochromans for the synthesis of isochromans bearing α-aryl α-cyano substituent patterns.     

Silicon–Nitrogen Bond Formation via Heterodehydrocoupling and Catalytic N-Silylation

Silicon–nitrogen bond formation is an important subfield in main group chemistry, and catalysis is an attractive route for efficient, selective formation of these bonds. Indeed, heterodehydrocoupling and N-silylation offer facile methods for the synthesis of small molecules through the coupling of primary, secondary, and tertiary silanes with N-containing substrates such as amines, carbazoles, indoles, and pyrroles. However, the reactivity of these catalytic systems is far from uniform, and critical issues are often encountered with product selectivity, conversions, substrate scope, catalyst activation, and in some instances, competing side reactions. Herein, a catalogue of catalysts and their reactivity for Si−N heterodehydrocoupling and N-silylation are reported.     

A novel B(C(6)F(5))(3)-catalyzed reduction of alcohols and cleavage of aryl and alkyl ethers with hydrosilanes

The primary alcohols 1a-e and ethers 4a-d were effectively reduced to the corresponding hydrocarbons 2 by HSiEt(3) in the presence of catalytic amounts of B(C(6)F(5))(3). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of catalytic use of Lewis acid in the reduction of alcohols and ethers with hydrosilanes. The secondary alkyl ethers 4j,k enabled cleavage and/or reduction under similar reaction conditions to produce either the silyl ethers 3m-n or the corresponding alcohol 5a upon subsequent deprotection with TBAF. It was found that the secondary alcohols 1g-i and tertiary alcohol 1j, as well as the tertiary alkyl ether 4l, did not react with HSiEt(3)/(B(C(6)F(5))(3) reducing reagent at all. The following relative reactivity order of substrates was found: primary > secondary > tertiary. A plausible mechanism for this nontraditional Lewis acid catalyzed reaction is proposed.     

Efficient O-trimethylsilylation of alcohols and phenols with trimethylsilyl azide catalyzed by tetrabutylammonium bromide under neat conditions

A very efficient procedure for the trimethylsilylation of a wide variety of alcohols, including primary, allylic, benzylic, secondary, hindered secondary, tertiary, and phenols is reported. The reactions were carried out under neat conditions with trimethylsilyl azide (TMSN(3)) and, when necessary, in the presence of a catalytic amount (20 mol %) of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBABr) at 30 or 70 degrees C. Under catalytic conditions, the yields of the corresponding trimethylsilyl ethers were greater than 91%. This procedure also allows the selective protection of primary and secondary alcohols in the presence of tertiary ones.     

Cross-dehydrogenative coupling between enamino esters and ketones: synthesis of tetrasubstituted pyrroles

Tetrasubstituted pyrroles have been synthesized via the cross-dehydrogenative coupling between enamino esters and acetone. Silver carbonate proved to be an effective oxidant, and no transition metal catalyst is necessary.     

Fe-Catalyzed Intramolecular Cross-Dehydrogenative Arylation (CDA), Efficient Synthesis of 1-Arylnaphthalenes and 4-Arylcoumarins

Direct cross-dehydrogenative coupling of different inert C−H bonds is the most straightforward and environmentally benign method to construct C−C bonds. In this paper, we developed an iron-catalyzed intramolecular cross-dehydrogenative arylation (CDA) between benzylic C(sp³)H bond and aromatic C(sp²)H bond. From the readily available linear substrates, 1-arylnaphthalenes and 4-arylcoumarins can be quickly constructed with moderate to good yield (18 examples, up to 73 % yield) in one step. Both symmetrical and unsymmetrical substrates with different functional groups could tolerate this system well to form the anticipated products. A radical initiated dehydrogenative cyclization-dehydrogenation tandem process was proposed.     

Yttrium triflate-catalyzed efficient chemoselective S-benzylation of indoline-2-thiones using benzyl alcohols

A highly efficient yttrium triflate-catalyzed chemoselective S-benzylation of indolin-2-thiones using variously substituted benzyl alcohols has been developed for the synthesis of indole-based sulfides. This procedure presents a greener approach for the synthesis of S-alkylated indoles. The reaction condition is amenable to primary, secondary, and tertiary benzylic alcohols as the benzyl group donors.     

Chemoselective and Direct Functionalization of Methyl Benzyl Ethers and Unsymmetrical Dibenzyl Ethers by Using Iron Trichloride

Methyl and benzyl ethers are widely utilized as protected alcohols due to their chemical stability, such as the low reactivity of the methoxy and benzyloxy groups as leaving groups under nucleophilic conditions. We have established the direct azidation of chemically stable methyl and benzyl ethers derived from secondary and tertiary benzyl alcohols. The present azidation chemoselectively proceeds at the secondary or tertiary benzylic positions of methyl benzyl ethers or unsymmetrical dibenzyl ethers and is also applicable to direct allylation, alkynylation, and cyanation reactions, as well as the azidation. The present methodologies provide not only a novel chemoselectivity but also the advantage of shortened synthetic steps, due to the direct process without the deprotection of the methyl and benzyl ethers.     

Water compatible gold(III)-catalysed synthesis of unsymmetrical ethers from alcohols

An efficient and broad-scoped method for the preparation of unsymmetrical ethers from alcohols catalysed by the simplest and least expensive gold catalyst, NaAuCl(4), is described for the first time. The procedure enables the etherification of benzylic and tertiary alcohols with moderate to good yields under mild conditions with low catalyst loading. Symmetrical ethers, the usual side products in the etherification of alcohols, were not detected in this case. The formation of the racemic ether from a chiral benzyl alcohol suggests the intermediacy of a carbocation, which has not previously been postulated for gold-catalysed reactions involving alcohols.     

Solvent-free cross-dehydrogenative coupling reactions under high speed ball-milling conditions applied to the synthesis of functionalized tetrahydroisoquinolines

Solvent-free reaction using a high-speed ball milling technique has been first applied to cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reactions between tetrahydroisoquinolines and three types of pronucleophiles such as nitroalkanes, alkynes, and indoles. All coupling products were obtained in good yields at short reaction times (no more than 40 min). When alkynes and indoles were used as pronucleophile, the reactions can be catalyzed efficiently by recoverable copper balls without any additional metal catalyst.     

Enantioselective synthesis of tertiary alcohols through a zirconium-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation of pyrroles with α-ketoesters

Chiral complexes of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol-based ligands with zirconium tert-butoxide catalyze the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of pyrroles with α-ketoesters to afford tertiary alcohols in good yields and ee up to 98%. The reaction is also of application to 4,7-dihydroindole to give C2-alkylated indoles after oxidation with p-benzoquinone.     

Regio- and stereoselective ring-opening reactions of epoxides with indoles and pyrroles in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol

Aliphatic and aromatic epoxides react regio- and stereoselectively with indoles and pyrroles in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol without the use of a catalyst or any other additive. While aromatic epoxides are selectively attacked at the benzylic position, aliphatic epoxides react at the less-substituted position. Chiral epoxides react with >99 % ee (ee=enantiomeric excess).     

Silver-catalyzed benzylation and allylation reactions of tertiary and secondary alkyl halides with grignard reagents

Treatment of alkyl halides, including tertiary alkyl bromides, with benzylic or allylic Grignard reagent in the presence of a catalytic amount of silver nitrate in ether yielded the corresponding cross-coupling products in high yields. The coupling reactions of tertiary alkyl halides provide efficient access to quaternary carbon centers.     

Regioselective synthesis of 3-alkylindoles mediated by zinc triflate

Zinc triflate was found to be an effective reagent for the C3-alkylation of indoles by alkyl halides in the presence of Hünig's base and tetrabutylammonium iodide. This new method for indole alkylation proceeds by a S(N)1-like pathway, and is general for allylic, benzylic, and tertiary halides.     

Direct C(sp2)?C(sp3) Cross‐Coupling of Diaryl Zinc Reagents with Benzylic,Primary, Secondary,and Tertiary Alkyl Halides

The direct C(sp²) C(sp³) cross‐coupling of diaryl zinc reagents with benzylic, primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl halides proceeded in the absence of coordinating ethereal solvents at ambient temperature without the addition of a catalyst. The C(sp²) C(sp³) cross‐coupling showed excellent functional‐group tolerance, and products were isolated in high yields, generally without the requirement for purification by chromatography. This process represents an expedient, operationally simple method for the construction of new C(sp²) C(sp³) bonds.     

Direct C(sp2)C(sp3) Cross‐Coupling of Diaryl Zinc Reagents with Benzylic,Primary, Secondary,and Tertiary Alkyl Halides

The direct C(sp²)? C(sp³) cross‐coupling of diaryl zinc reagents with benzylic, primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl halides proceeded in the absence of coordinating ethereal solvents at ambient temperature without the addition of a catalyst. The C(sp²)? C(sp³) cross‐coupling showed excellent functional‐group tolerance, and products were isolated in high yields, generally without the requirement for purification by chromatography. This process represents an expedient, operationally simple method for the construction of new C(sp²)? C(sp³) bonds.