Microwave-assisted nickel(II) acetylacetonate-catalyzed arylation of aldehydes with arylboronic acids

Applying sealed vessel microwave heating at 180 °C in toluene the arylation of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes with arylboronic acids using 1-2 mol % of Ni(acac)₂ as a catalyst can be performed efficiently within 10-30 min providing the desired diarylmethanols or benzyl alcohols in good yields.     

Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of ethyl (arylimino)acetate with methyl vinyl ketone and ethyl vinyl ketone

Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (aza-MBH) reaction of ethyl (arylimino)acetate with methyl vinyl ketone and ethyl vinyl ketone has been investigated. We found that aza-MBH adducts 1 could be formed in the presence of DABCO (30 mol %) and the corresponding adducts 2 could be obtained in the presence of PPh₃ (30 mol %) in moderate to good yields in acetonitrile under mild conditions, respectively.     

Palladium-catalyzed coupling of vinyl tosylates with arylsulfinate salts

The first palladium-catalyzed coupling of vinyl tosylates with arylsulfinate salts is described. A variety of cyclic and acyclic vinyl tosylates were coupled with aryl sulfinate salts using 2.5 mol % Pd₂(dba)₃/5.0 mol % XantPhos to give vinyl aryl sulfone products in good yields. The coupling was extended to the preparation of a cyclopropyl vinyl sulfone.     

Aerobic oxidation of trimethylbenzenes catalyzed by N,N′,N″-trihydroxyisocyanuric acid (THICA) as a key catalyst

The oxidation of trimethylbenzenes was examined with air or O₂ using N,N′,N″-trihydroxyisocyanuric acid (THICA) as a key catalyst. Thus, 1,2,3-, 1,2,4-, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzenes under air (20 atm) in the presence of THICA (5 mol %), Co(OAc)₂ (0.5 mol %), Mn(OAc)₂, and ZrO(OAc)₂ at 150 °C were oxidized to the corresponding benzenetricarboxylic acids in good yields (81-97%). In the aerobic oxidation of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene by the THICA/Co(II)/Mn(II) system, remarkable acceleration was observed by adding a very small amount of ZrO(OAc)₂ to the reaction system to form 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid in excellent yield (97%). In contrast, no considerable addition effect was observed in the oxidation of 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene. This aerobic oxidation by the present catalytic system provides an economical and environmentally benign direct method to benzenetricarboxylic acids, which are very important polymer materials.     

Ring opening of epoxides with alcohols using Fe(Cp)2BF4 as catalyst

Fe(Cp)₂BF₄ is an efficient catalyst for the alcoholysis of aromatic, aliphatic, and cyclic epoxides giving excellent yields of the corresponding β-alkoxy alcohols under ambient conditions. The methanolysis of styrene oxide using Fe(Cp)₂BF₄ as a catalyst (5 mol %) gave excellent yield of 2-methoxy-2-phenylethanol with complete regio-selectivity. The ring opening of cyclic epoxides gave 77–97% yields of trans-β-methoxy alcohols, in 0.5–6 h. The use of 1,2-epoxyhexane and 1,2-epoxydodecane as substrates gave both regioisomers in excellent yields. The first order rate of reaction with respect to catalyst was observed for the kinetics of ring opening of 1,2-epoxyhexane with methanol.     

Synthesis of α-aryl nitriles through B(C6F5)3-catalyzed direct cyanation of α-aryl alcohols and thiols

Various α-aryl nitriles have been prepared in excellent yield from the corresponding α-aryl alcohols employing 3 mol % of B(C₆F₅)₃ (1) as Lewis acid catalyst and (CH₃)₃SiCN (TMSCN) as cyanide source. Cyano transfer from TMSCN to alcohol proceeds within short reaction time at rt. α-Aryl thiols also produce corresponding nitriles in good to excellent yield at reflux condition.     

Facile preparation of optically pure diamines and their applications in asymmetric aldol reactions

A family of optically pure diamines with tertiary-primary amine motif has been synthesized from optically pure binaphthol and amino acids. The catalysts are highly tunable in structure and has demonstrated high efficiency in direct aldol reactions. Thus, a variety of aldehydes or methyl 2-oxoacetates reacted with acetone in the presence of 10 mol % of catalyst and 20 mol % TFA, furnishing the desired alcohols in up to 99% yield with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee).     

Cupric sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O): a mild and efficient catalyst for tetrahydropyranylation/depyranylation of alcohols and phenols

Various alcohols and phenols can be smoothly converted to the corresponding THP ethers using 20 mol % CuSO₄·5H₂O under mild reaction conditions at room temperature. Some of the major advantages of this procedure are nonaqueous work-up, very good yields, less expensive catalyst and compatibility with other protecting groups.     

A highly efficient and recyclable silica-supported palladium catalyst for alcohol oxidation reaction

A silica supported palladium catalyst (SiO₂@APTES-Pd) showed excellent activity and reusability for selective oxidation of alcohols to corresponding carbonyl compounds with H₂O₂ as oxidant under base free environment. A wide range of alcohols including aliphatic alcohols are tolerated as substrates with a low loading of palladium (0.1 mol %).     

Silica gel supported InBr3 and InCl3: new catalysts for the facile and rapid oxidation of 2′-hydroxychalcones and flavanones to their corresponding flavones under solvent free conditions

Silica gel supported InBr₃ or InCl₃ (15-20 mol %) were explored as a new solid-support catalysts for the facile and efficient oxidation, under solvent free conditions, of 2′-hydroxychalcones and flavanones to yield the corresponding flavones in >80% yield. The catalysts are easily prepared, stable, and efficient under mild reaction conditions.     

Direct reductive amination and selective 1,2-reduction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones by NaBH4 using H3PW12O40 as catalyst

A simple and convenient procedure for direct reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones with sodium borohydride is described. The reaction has been carried out in methanol in the presence of a catalytic amount of H₃PW₁₂O₄₀ (0.5 mol %). α,β-Unsaturated aldehydes and ketones can be easily converted into the corresponding allyl alcohols by reaction with H₃PW₁₂O₄₀ (0.5 mol %)/NaBH₄.     

Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed C-H activation of indoles: a facile synthesis of 3-cyanoindoles

Indoles undergo smooth cyanation with CuCN in the presence of 20 mol % Pd(OAc)₂ and 40 mol % CuBr₂ in DMF to produce a wide range of the corresponding 3-cyanoindoles in good yields with high regioselectivity.     

Iridium-catalyzed oxidative esterification reaction of aliphatic aldehydes and olefinic alcohols with precoordination of the double bond of alcohols to iridium

A novel iridium-catalyzed oxidative esterification reaction of aliphatic aldehydes and olefinic alcohols in toluene was found under mild conditions of [IrCl(cod)]₂ (5 mol %) in combination with K₂CO₃ (10 mol %) at rt.     

Achiral β-amino alcohols as efficient ligands for the ruthenium-catalysed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of sulfinylimines

Some achiral β-amino alcohols have been shown as efficient ligands for the ruthenium-catalysed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)imines in isopropanol. The ruthenium complex prepared from [RuCl₂(p-cymene)]₂ (2.5 mol %) and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (5 mol %) leads to α-branched chiral primary amines with very high optical purities (up to 98% ee) by the diastereoselective reduction of the imines followed by removal of the sulfinyl group under mild acidic conditions. Short reaction times (2-3 h) were needed to complete the reduction reactions when they were performed at 50 °C.     

Tuning the oxidation properties of vanadium(V) through ligand stoichiometry

Vanadium(V) (5 mol %) and hydroxamic acid ligand (45 mol %) were found to promote the selective tert-butyl hydroperoxide-mediated oxidation of allylic and propargylic alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones.     

Pd-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to 2-nitroacrylates: a facile route to β-homophenylglycines

Asymmetric conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to 2-nitroacrylamide in the presence of cationic palladium–Chiraphos complex proceeds with high yield and enantioselectivity (73–89% ee) using as low as 0.05–0.25 mol % of the catalyst. The adducts can be smoothly transformed into the corresponding β²-homophenylglycines in two simple steps.     

Lewis and Brönsted acid catalyzed Friedel-Crafts hydroxyalkylation of mucohalic acids: a facile synthesis of functionalized γ-aryl γ-butenolides

A catalytic, green and practical method for Friedel-Crafts hydroxyalkylation of mucohalic acid has been accomplished. Reaction of mucohalic acids with various electron-rich aromatic compounds in the presence of catalytic (1 mol % to 10 mol %) In(OTf)₃ or Brönsted acid, such as H₂SO₄ in acetic acid provides γ-aryl γ-butenolides in moderate to excellent yield.     

Palladium/di-1-adamantyl-n-butylphosphine-catalyzed reductive carbonylation of aryl and vinyl halides

A general and efficient palladium-catalyzed reductive carbonylation with low catalyst loadings (0.5 mol % Pd or below) has been developed. The formylation of aryl and heteroaryl bromides proceeds smoothly in the presence of palladium/di-1-adamantyl-n-butylphosphine at ambient pressure of synthesis gas to afford the corresponding aromatic aldehydes in good yields and excellent selectivity. In addition, vinyl halides react under similar conditions to form α,β-unsaturated aldehydes in good yield.     

Gold-catalyzed consecutive [1,2] alkyl migration-oxygen transfer reaction of 2-alkynyl-1-tetralones

Gold-catalyzed isomerization of 2-alkynyl-1-tetralones afforded the corresponding 2-naphthylmethyl ketones in good to high yields. For example, the reaction of 2-{4-(methoxyphenyl)methyl}-2-(phenylethynyl)-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one and 2-benzyl-2-(phenylethynyl)-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one in the presence of 5 mol % of (Ph₃P)AuCl and 5 mol % of AgOTf in THF at 50 °C gave 2-{1-(4-methoxyphenylmethyl)naphthalen-2-yl}-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone and 2-(1-benzylnaphthalen-2-yl)-1-phenylethanone in 85% and 96% yields, respectively. The present reaction proceeds through [1,2] alkyl migration followed by oxygen transfer.     

Efficient tetrahydropyranyl and tetrahydrofuranyl protection/deprotection of alcohols and phenols with Al(OTf)3 as catalyst

A simple and efficient method for the conversion of alcohols and phenols into their corresponding THP and THF ethers at room temperature has been developed using 1 mol % aluminium triflate as catalyst. The deprotection reaction in the presence of methanol using Al(OTf)₃ was equally successful and could be performed at ambient temperature in high yields.