Molecular oxygen-mediated selective hydroxyalkylation and alkylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with alkylboronic acids

Herein, an efficient molecular oxygen-mediated method for the selective hydroxyalkylation and alkylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with alkylboronic acids under transition-metal free conditions has been developed. This strategy demonstrates a broad scope of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones and alkylboronic acids, giving 3-hydroxyalkylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones and 3-alkylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones in moderate-to-good yield. Control experiments reveal that a radical pathway is involved.     

Efficient Synthesis of Sterically Hindered Arenes Bearing Acyclic Secondary Alkyl Groups by Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Couplings

Bulky P,P?O ligands were designed to inhibit isomerization and reduction side reactions during the cross coupling between sterically hindered aryl halides and alkylboronic acids. Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐couplings between di‐ortho‐substituted aryl bromides and acyclic secondary alkylboronic acids have been achieved with high yields. The method has also enabled the preparation of ortho‐alkoxy di‐ortho‐substituted arenes bearing isopropyl groups in excellent yields. The utility of the synthetic method has been demonstrated in a late‐stage modification of estrone and in the application to a new synthetic route toward gossypol.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Difluoromethylation of Arylboronic Acids with Bromodifluoromethane

Although bromodifluoromethane (BrCF₂H) is a simple and readily available fluorine source, direct formation of difluoromethylated arenes with BrCF₂H has not been reported. Herein, we describe an efficient method to access difluoromethylated arenes through a nickel‐catalyzed difluoromethylation of arylboronic acids with BrCF₂H. The reaction exhibits high efficiency, good functional group tolerance and broad substrate scope, thus providing an efficient route for applications in drug discovery and development. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that a difluoromethyl radical is involved in the reaction.     

Palladium‐catalysed Suzuki cross‐coupling of primary alkylboronic acids with alkenyl halides

The Suzuki reaction of primary alkylboronic acids with alkenyl halides proceeds nicely using the air‐stable catalyst PdCl(C₃H₅)(dppb), Cs₂CO₃ as base and toluene or xylene as solvent. A minor effect of the substituent position of the alkenyl bromide was observed. Quite similar yields were observed in the presence of α‐ or β‐substituted alkenyl bromides such as 2‐bromobut‐1‐ene or 1‐bromo‐2‐methylprop‐1‐ene with this catalyst. This reaction proceeded with a variety of alkylboronic acids such as 2‐phenylethylboronic acid or n‐octylboronic acid. Lower yields of coupling products were obtained in the presence of an alkenyl chloride. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tetraphosphine/palladium catalysed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of aryl halides with alkylboronic acids

Through the use of [PdCl(C₃H₅)]₂/cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4-tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclopentane as a catalyst, a range of aryl bromides and chlorides undergoes Suzuki cross-coupling with alkylboronic acids in good yields. Several alkyl substituents such as ethyl, n-butyl, n-octyl, isobutyl or 2,2-dimethylpropyl on the alkylboronic acids have been successfully used. The functional group tolerance on the aryl halide is remarkable; substituents such as fluoro, methyl, methoxy, acetyl, formyl, benzoyl, nitro or nitrile are tolerated. Furthermore, this catalyst can be used at low loading, even for reactions of sterically hindered aryl bromides.     

Visible-light-induced chemoselective reactions of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with alkylboronic acids under air/N2 atmosphere

A visible-light-induced chemoselective reactions of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with alkylboronic acids in the presence of air (O₂) and N₂ atmosphere was developed under transition-metal free conditions, providing 3-alkylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones and 3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, respectively. The overall strategy accommodates a broad scope of substituted quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones and alkylboronic acids with good to excellent product yields.     

A rapid,highly efficient,and general protocol for the synthesis of functionalized triarylmethanes: a straightforward access for the synthesis of (−)-tatarinoid C

A rapid, efficient, and convenient synthesis of functionalized triarylmethane is described by the Friedel–Crafts alkylation of methoxybenzenes with a variety of aldehydes in the presence of BF₃·OEt₂. The generality of the method is demonstrated by screening a variety of di- or tri-substituted arenes as well as substituted aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic aldehydes. (−)-Tatarinoid C is synthesized in a single step following the same protocol.     

A high hydroarylation activity of K2PtCl4/AgOTf catalyst in the reaction of propiolic acid with unactivated and activated arenes

A mixed catalyst K₂PtCl₄/AgOTf showed the highest activity for hydroarylation of propiolic acid, among palladium and platinum catalysts. This catalyst was effective for hydroarylation with less reactive benzene to give cis-cinnamic acid in good yield. The hydroarylation with toluene gave a higher yield of hydroarylation products than that with benzene and resulted in ortho/para orientation with an almost statistical ratio, suggesting that the result is very close to that of the Friedel-Crafts alkylation with methyl bromide or p-nitrobenzyl chloride. Hydroarylation of propiolic acid with other electron-rich arenes proceeded efficiently in the presence of the K₂PtCl₄/AgOTf catalyst in trifluoroacetic acid forming cis-cinnamic acids in good to high yields. This method was also applied to hydroarylation of ethyl propiolate.     

Directly Bridging Indoles to 3,3′‐Bisindolylmethanes by Using Carboxylic Acids and Hydrosilanes under Mild Conditions

A straightforward Lewis acid‐promoted protocol for 3,3′‐bisindolylmethanes (BIMs) synthesis by reductive alkylation of indoles at the C3 position with carboxylic acids in the presence of hydrosilane was developed for the first time. Instead of aldehydes, more readily available, stable, and easy‐to‐handle carboxylic acids have been employed as alternative alkylating agents. As an efficient organocatalyst, B(C₆F₅)₃ enables the reductive alkylation of various substituted indole derivatives with carboxylic acids with up to 98 % yield at room temperature and under neat conditions. This metal‐free strategy offers an alternative approach for the direct functionalization of indoles to BIMs with carboxylic acids and such protocol allows selective reduction of carboxylic acid to aldehyde in combination with C−C bond formation.     

Pd‐Catalyzed C−H Alkylation of Arenes Using PyrDipSi,a Transformable and Removable Silicon‐Tethered Directing Group

An efficient Pd‐catalyzed ortho‐C?H alkylation reaction of arenes using a transformable and removable Si‐tethered pyridyldiisopropylsilyl (PyrDipSi) directing group has been developed. In addition, the PyrDipSi directing group allows for an efficient sequential double‐fold C?H alkylation/oxygenation of arenes to produce meta‐alkylated phenols. This directing group can easily be removed or converted into valuable functionalities, such as aryl, iodo, boronic ester, or phenol.     

Enantioretentive alkylation of acyclic amino acids

A stereospecific method is described for the alkylation of acyclic amino acids (alanine and phenylalanine) which proceeds with retention of configuration. The method involves a) conversion of the amino acid to the predominantly $\text{cis}$ 2-aryl-3-carbobenzyloxy oxazolidinones (2 and 8), b) alkylation of the potassium enolate with CH₃I or PhCH₂Br, c) Base hydrolysis and hydrogenolysis to afford the alkylated amino acid.     

Fe(ClO4)3·×H2O-Catalyzed direct C-C bond forming reactions between secondary benzylic alcohols with different types of nucleophiles

A mild and efficient Fe(ClO₄)₃·×H₂O-catalyzed direct C-C bond coupling reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, electron-rich arenes and heteroarenes and 4-hydroxycoumarin with secondary benzylic alcohols have been described. The benzylation of electron-rich arenes and heteroarenes leads to the synthesis of bis-symmetrical triarylmethanes. The present method is also applied to synthesis of an anti-coagulant compound, 4-hydroxy-3-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-yl)-2H-chromen-2-one (Coumatetralyl (B)) from commercially available substrates was obtained in 85% yield. The advantages of this protocol are broad scope, mild conditions, use of inexpensive catalyst and simplicity of operation since water is the only side product.     

Calix[4]arenes as molecules for second order nonlinear optics

Abstract

The synthesis of a novel class of molecules for second order nonlinear optics, i.e. calix[4]arenes with extended π-systems, is described. These compounds are obtained via Wittig-Horner reactions of the formylated calix[4]arenes 5 and 6 to give the stilbene derivatives 7–9, or by diazotization of calix[4]arene, 1, followed by alkylation to give the phenylazocalix[4]arenes 11 and 12. The molecular second order nonlinear optical properties (β_z) of these calix[4]arenes have been measured by electric field-induced second harmonic generation. The influence of different acceptors as well as the influence of the different conformations of the calix[4]arenes on β_z values were determined. Surprisingly, the wavelength of the charge-transfer band λ_max is lower when β_z increases upon increasing the number of acceptors.     

Calixarenes grafted with Bu2P(O)CH2O binding groups at the narrow rim: synthesis, structure and extraction of heterometallic Ru/Zn complexes

Calix[n]arenes (n?=?4, 6) existing in the cone, 1,3-alternate or 1,3,5-alternate conformations and functionalized by two, four or six Bu₂P(O)CH₂O groups have been synthesized by the alkylation of hydroxycalix[4,6]arenes with tosylate of dibutylhydroxymethylphosphine oxide. Their molecular and crystal structures as well as binding properties towards of heterometallic Ru/Zn complexes were investigated. Due to the ??calixarene effect?? the phosphine oxides are effective extractants for the Ru/Zn complexes.     

Vanadium Catalyst for C- and S-Alkylation of Benzhydrols in Water: An Experimental Study and Green Metrics Evaluation

A strategy for the vanadium-catalyzed dehydrative C- and S-alkylation by nucleophilic substitution of benzhydrols with arenes and thiols is reported. The alkylation was achieved with the divanadium oxoperoxo complex [K₃(V⁺⁵)₂(O₂²⁻⁾₄(O²⁻)₂(μ-OH)] in water under air. The newly developed transformation could accommodate a broad substrate scope, including (hetero)arenes and thiols (34 examples). Both the symmetrical and unsymmetrical benzhydrols furnished excellent yields of the alkylated product under mild reaction conditions. The scope of this strategy was further extended to synthesize bis-benzylated arenes (poly-arylated products) in high yields and regioselectivities. The green metrics determination of all the alkylated products suggests the technical and environmental benefits of the present protocol. The longevity experiment reveals the catalytic activity was maintained over seven cycles. To understand the mechanism of the present reaction, spectroscopic and kinetic studies were undertaken. This simple protocol, which affords the desired products with water as the by-product, can be achieved under mild conditions without needing a base or other additives.     

Heterogeneous Platinum‐Catalyzed CH Perfluoroalkylation of Arenes and Heteroarenes

Fluorinated organic compounds are gaining increasing interest for life science applications. The replacement of hydrogen in arenes or heteroarenes by a perfluoroalkyl group has a profound influence on the physical and biological properties of such building blocks. Here, an operationally simple protocol for the direct C? H perfluoroalkylation of (hetero)arenes with R_fI or R_fBr has been developed, using a robust supported platinum catalyst. The ready availability of the starting materials, the excellent substrate tolerance, and the reusability of the catalyst make this method attractive for the synthesis of a variety of perfluoroalkyl‐substituted aromatic compounds. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed the formation of radicals to be crucial in the reaction system.     

B(C6F5)3: an efficient catalyst for reductive alkylation of alkoxy benzenes and for synthesis of triarylmethanes using aldehydes

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane [B(C₆F₅)₃] has been used as an efficient catalyst for reductive alkylation of alkoxy benzenes using aldehydes as an alkylating agent in the presence of polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS). Various alkylated trimethoxybenzene derivatives have been prepared in good to high yields. In addition, B(C₆F₅)₃ was also used as a catalyst for the reaction of electron-rich arenes with aldehydes to obtain triarylmethanes. The use of reductive alkylation protocol for the synthesis of an isochroman and tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives has also been demonstrated.     

Synthesis of Polyfunctional Diorganomagnesium and Diorganozinc Reagents through In Situ Trapping Halogen–Lithium Exchange of Highly Functionalized (Hetero)aryl Halides in Continuous Flow

We report a halogen–lithium exchange performed in the presence of various metal salts (ZnCl₂, MgCl₂⋅LiCl) on a broad range of sensitive bromo‐ or iodo(hetero)arenes using BuLi or PhLi as the exchange reagent and a commercially available continuous‐flow setup. The resulting diarylmagnesium or diarylzinc species were trapped with various electrophiles, resulting in the formation of polyfunctional (hetero)arenes in high yields. This method enables the functionalization of (hetero)arenes containing highly sensitive groups such as an isothiocyanate, nitro, azide, or ester. A straightforward scale‐up was possible without further optimization.     

Steric effects in synthesis—steric limits to the alkylation of nitriles and carboxylic acids

The steric limits to the alkylation of aliphatic nitriles and carboxylic acids have been investigated in some detail. For the experimental conditions considered (ionization by i-Pr₂NLi in THF followed by alkylation with RI/THF/HMPA) the most hindered nitriles R-CN and carboxylic acids R-CO₂H have the same secondary alkyi group RtBuPⁱCH-, but different tertiary. i.e. Rt-BuPrⁱEtC- or i-Pr₃C- for RCN and REt₂MeC for RCO₂H. A comparison of the relative merits of alkylation of esters, carboxylic acids, and nitriles is considered.     

Remote Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts Alkylations of Furans through HOMO Activation

Catalytic asymmetric Friedel–Crafts alkylation is a powerful protocol for constructing a chiral C(sp²)? C(sp³) bond. Most previous examples rely on LUMO activation of the electrophiles using chiral catalysts with subsequent attack by electron‐rich arenes. Presented herein is an alternative strategy in which the HOMO of the aromatic π system of 2‐furfuryl ketones is raised through the formation of a formal trienamine species using a chiral primary amine. Exclusive regioselective alkylation at the 5‐position occurred with alkylidenemalononitriles, and high reactivity and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 95 % ee) was obtained by this remote activation.