Gold‐ and Silver‐Catalyzed Reactions of Propargylic Alcohols in the Presence of Protic Additives

A wide range of primary, secondary and tertiary propargylic alcohols undergo a Meyer–Schuster rearrangement to give enones at room temperature in the presence of a gold(I) catalyst and small quantities of MeOH or 4‐methoxyphenylboronic acid. The syntheses of the enone natural products isoegomaketone and daphenone were achieved using this reaction as the key step. The rearrangement of primary propargylic alcohols can readily be combined in a one‐pot procedure with the addition of a nucleophile to the resulting terminal enone, to give β‐aryl, β‐alkoxy, β‐amino or β‐sulfido ketones. Propargylic alcohols bearing an adjacent electron‐rich aryl group can also undergo silver‐catalyzed substitution of the alcohol with oxygen, nitrogen and carbon nucleophiles. This latter reaction was initially observed with a batch of gold catalyst that was probably contaminated with small quantities of silver salt.     

Active role of hydrogen bond and ambient water in Meyer–Schuster rearrangements in high‐temperature water

Meyer–Schuster rearrangements of 2‐phenyl‐3‐butyn‐2‐ol with H₃O⁺ and (H₂O)₆ model in high‐temperature water (HTW) have been investigated by the use of density functional theory calculations. In the substrate 2‐phenyl‐3‐butyn‐2‐ol catalyzed by H₃O⁺ and (H₂O)₆, the Meyer–Schuster rearrangements were predicted by the frontier molecular orbital theory. The results show that the rearrangement does not involve the carbonium ion intermediates, but the first transition state is carboniumion like. Dehydration and hydration may occur via the intermolecular proton relay along the hydrogen‐bond chains and the second step of reaction path is a total acid–base catalytic process. Based on the results, a model considered both HTW ambient and water molecules are proposed to represent mechanisms of other reactions in HTW. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Rhodium Fluoroapatite Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of Arylboronic Acids to α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

Rhodium fluoroapatite (RhFAP) is an efficient catalyst for conjugate addition of organoboron reagents to α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds. A variety of arylboronic acids and α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds were converted to the corresponding conjugate‐addition products, demonstrating the versatility of the reaction. The reaction is highly selective. RhFAP was recovered quantitatively by simple filtration, and reused for four cycles.     

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).     

A Versatile Methodology for the Synthesis of α,β‐Unsaturated 3‐Iminophosphines

Phorteen phine phosphines : Fourteen new α,β‐unsaturated β‐chloroimines were synthesized from inexpensive ketones by using the Vilsmeier–Haack reagent followed by Schiff‐base condensation. Each imine was subsequently converted to an α,β‐unsaturated 3‐iminophosphine through either late‐metal‐catalyzed phosphorus–carbon cross‐coupling or through an addition–elimination sequence (see scheme). This high‐yield protocol serves as a general means to produce α,β‐unsaturated 3‐iminophosphines.

     

The Wolff Rearrangement of α-Diazo Carbonyl Compounds

The readily accessible α-diazo carbonyl compounds are distinguished by their high reactivity, which opens up a variety of preparative applications under modified conditions. Wolff rearrangements of these compounds, induced thermally, photochemically, or catalytically, afford ketenes. Free and complexed carbenes, 1,3-dipoles, 1,3-diradicals, and the antiaromatic oxirenes have been considered as intermediates or transition states. The present progress report attempts to integrate preparative and theoretical aspects.     

Tandem Pd/Au‐Catalyzed Route to α‐Sulfenylated Carbonyl Compounds from Terminal Propargylic Alcohols and Thiols

An efficient and highly atom‐economical tandem Pd/Au‐catalyzed route to α‐sulfenylated carbonyl compounds from terminal propargylic alcohols and thiols has been developed. This one‐step procedure has a wide substrate scope with respect to substituents at the α‐position of the alcohol. Both aromatic and aliphatic thiols generated the α‐sulfenylated carbonyl products in good to excellent yields. A mechanism is proposed in which the reaction proceeds through a Pd‐catalyzed regioselective hydrothiolation at the terminal triple bond of the propargyl alcohol followed by an Au‐catalyzed 1,2‐hydride migration.     

Direct Conjugate Addition of Alkynes with α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds Catalyzed by NCN‐Pincer Ru Complexes

NCN‐pincer Ru‐complexes containing bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl ligands serve as suitable catalysts in the direct conjugate additions of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds, including ketones, esters, and amides, as well as vinylphosphonates, giving various β‐alkynyl carbonyl and phosphonate compounds. A bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl (phebox)–Ru complex also catalyzes the asymmetric conjugate addition of an alkyne with a β‐substituted, α,β‐unsaturated ketone to produce a chiral β‐alkynyl ketone.     

[3+2] Cycloaddition of Propargylic Alcohols and α‐Oxo Ketene Dithioacetals: Synthesis of Functionalized Cyclopentadienes and Further Application in a Diels–Alder Reaction

Cyclopentadienes are valuable intermediates in organic synthesis and also ubiquitous as the Cp ligands in organometallic chemistry. As part of ongoing efforts to develop novel organic reactions that employ functionalized alkynes, a [3+2] cycloaddition of propargylic alcohols and ketene dithioacetals has been developed, which leads to fully substituted 2,5‐dialkylthio cyclopentadienes in good to excellent yields. In an unusual dethiolating Diels–Alder reaction, the cyclopentadienes were further reacted with maleimides to afford a family of novel fluorescent polycyclic compounds.     

4‐Benzamido‐TEMPO Catalyzed Oxidation of a Broad Range of Alcohols to the Carbonyl Compounds with NaBrO3 under Mild Conditions

4‐Benzamido‐TEMPO catalyzed oxidation system for conversion of a wide range of alcohols to the aldehydes or ketones with NaBrO₃ under room temperature conditions has been developed. The credible, operationally convenient and economical, and condition mild oxidation protocol is particularly of interest in laboratory and in fine chemicals manufacture.     

Novel and Efficient One Pot Condensation Reactions between Ketones and Aromatic Alcohols in the Presence of CrO3 Producing α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

We report a new, effective and simple method for preparing α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds by reacting ketones and aromatic alcohols at 56°C in the presence of CrO₃ (CrO₃ acts as an oxidant and also a catalyst) for around 10 h. The condensation reactions occurred effectively among a wide combination of ketones and alcohols. The procedure is simple and the yields can be high up to 98%. And a probable mechanism is proposed.