Redox‐Neutral α‐Allylation of Amines by Combining Palladium Catalysis and Visible‐Light Photoredox Catalysis

An unprecedented α‐allylation of amines was achieved by combining palladium catalysis and visible‐light photoredox catalysis. In this dual catalysis process, the catalytic generation of allyl radical from the corresponding π‐allylpalladium intermediate was achieved without additional metal reducing reagents (redox‐neutral). Various allylation products of amines were obtained in high yields through radical cross‐coupling under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, the transformation was applied to the formal synthesis of 8‐oxoprotoberberine derivatives which show potential anticancer properties.     

Generation and reaction of heteroaromatic zirconocene: synthetic application to polycyclic heterocycles

Heteroaromatic zirconocene intermediates were generated by the reaction of ‘Cp₂Zr’ with alkoxymethyl-(TMS-ethynyl)-indole, -benzofuran or -benzothiophene derivatives under mild conditions in moderate to good yields. Copper-catalyzed C-C bond formation of the zirconocene intermediate with allylic halides gave allylation products, which were transformed into heterocyclic dienes through enyne metathesis. Preliminary Diels-Alder reaction of the dienes with DMAD showed notable site selectivity.     

Zinc or indium-mediated Barbier-type allylation of aldehydes with 3-bromomethyl-5H-furan-2-one in aqueous media: an efficient synthesis method for α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone

A zinc or indium-mediated Barbier-type allylation of aldehydes with 3-bromomethyl-5H-furan-2-one in aqueous solvents was developed to provide an efficient route to α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone, which is synthetically very useful. The desired products were obtained in moderate to high yields in aqueous solvents. Excellent drs were achieved, among which the best diastereomeric ratios of products were found when water was used in the indium-mediated reaction, and THF-NH(4)Cl (sat, aq) (2 : 1) mixture in the zinc-mediated reaction. Furthermore, the allylation can be induced by chiral centers, especially those in the α-position, as a substrate-controlled reaction to obtain the enantioselective homoallylation alcohols.     

Solvent-dependent chemoselectivities in additions of beta-carbonyl imines to allyltrimethylsilane with CTAN

The oxidative coupling of beta-carbonyl imines and allyltrimethylsilane with CTAN were investigated in CH(3)CN and CH(2)Cl(2). In CH(3)CN allylation products were obtained predominantly, while in CH(2)Cl(2), dihydropyrrole products were obtained exclusively. Solvent-assisted nucleophilic cleavage of the intermediate beta-silyl cation is proposed to play a role in the solvent-dependent chemoselectivity.     

Efficient allylation of aldehydes promoted by carboxylic acids

A variety of carboxylic acids have been screened for mediating the allylation of aldehydes with allytributyltin in different solvents. A novel, general, and practical method of allylation of aldehydes promoted by carboxylic acids under mild reaction conditions has been developed. Among them, p-nitrobenzoic acid afforded high to quantitative yields of the homoallylic alcohol products, and can be easily recovered after workup by aqueous HCl. Glyoxylic acid self-catalyzed the allylation without adding any other promoter or catalyst to give the corresponding allylation product in good yield. The regioselectivity of the crotylation of aldehydes is tunable by controlling the acidity of the carboxylic acids. The crotylation of aldehydes produced the alpha-adduct as major products in moderate to good yields with CF(3)CO(2)H as a promoter. A possible mechanism for the allylation is also discussed.     

Allylation Reactions of Aldehydes with Allylboronates in Aqueous Media: Unique Reactivity and Selectivity that are Only Observed in the Presence of Water

Zn(OH)₂‐catalyzed allylation reactions of aldehydes with allylboronates in aqueous media have been developed. In contrast to conventional allylboration reactions of aldehydes in organic solvents, the α‐addition products were obtained exclusively. A catalytic cycle in which the allylzinc species was generated through a B‐to‐Zn exchange process is proposed and kinetic studies were performed. The key intermediate, an allylzinc species, was detected by HRMS (ESI) analysis and by online continuous MS (ESI) analysis. This analysis revealed that, in aqueous media, the allylzinc species competitively reacted with the aldehydes and water. An investigation of the reactivity and selectivity of the allylzinc species by using several typical allylboronates ( 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d ) clarified several important roles of water in this allylation reaction. The allylation reactions of aldehydes with allylboronic acid 2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐propanediol esters proceeded smoothly in the presence of catalytic amounts of Zn(OH)₂ and achiral ligand 4d in aqueous media to afford the corresponding syn‐adducts in high yields with high diastereoselectivities. In all cases, the α‐addition products were obtained and a wide substrate scope was tolerated. Furthermore, this reaction was applied to asymmetric catalysis by using chiral ligand 9 . Based on the X‐ray structure of the Zn‐ 9 complex, several nonsymmetrical chiral ligands were also found to be effective. This reaction was further applied to catalytic asymmetric alkylallylation, chloroallylation, and alkoxyallylation processes and the synthetic utility of these reactions has been demonstrated.     

Enantioselective iridium-catalyzed carbonyl allylation from the alcohol or aldehyde oxidation level via transfer hydrogenative coupling of allyl acetate: departure from chirally modified allyl metal reagents in carbonyl addition

Under the conditions of transfer hydrogenation employing an iridium catalyst generated in situ from [Ir(cod)Cl]2, chiral phosphine ligand (R)-BINAP or (R)-Cl,MeO-BIPHEP, and m-nitrobenzoic acid, allyl acetate couples to allylic alcohols 1a-c, aliphatic alcohols 1d-l, and benzylic alcohols 1m-u to furnish products of carbonyl allylation 3a-u with exceptional levels of asymmetric induction. The very same set of optically enriched carbonyl allylation products 3a-u are accessible from enals 2a-c, aliphatic aldehydes 2d-l, and aryl aldehydes 2m-u, using iridium catalysts ligated by (-)-TMBTP or (R)-Cl,MeO-BIPHEP under identical conditions, but employing isopropanol as a hydrogen donor. A catalytically active cyclometallated complex V, which arises upon ortho-C-H insertion of iridium onto m-nitrobenzoic acid, was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The results of isotopic labeling are consistent with intervention of symmetric iridium pi-allyl intermediates or rapid interconversion of sigma-allyl haptomers through the agency of a symmetric pi-allyl. Competition experiments demonstrate rapid and reversible hydrogenation-dehydrogenation of the carbonyl partner in advance of C-C coupling. However, the coupling products, which are homoallylic alcohols, experience very little erosion of optical purity by way of redox equilibration under the coupling conditions, although isopropanol, a secondary alcohol, may serve as terminal reductant. A plausible catalytic mechanism accounting for these observations is proposed, along with a stereochemical model that accounts for the observed sense of absolute stereoinduction. This protocol for asymmetric carbonyl allylation transcends the barriers imposed by oxidation level and the use of preformed allyl metal reagents.     

Double Regioselective Asymmetric C‐Allylation of Isoxazolinones: Iridium‐Catalyzed N‐Allylation Followed by an Aza‐Cope Rearrangement

Isoxazolinones are biologically and synthetically interesting densely functionalized heterocycles, which for a long time were not accessible in enantioenriched form by asymmetric catalysis. Next to the deficit of enantioselective methods, the functionalization of isoxazolinones is often plagued by regioselectivity issues due to the competition of various nucleophilic centers within the heterocycles. We report the first regio‐ and enantioselective C‐allylations of isoxazolinones. These occur with high regioselectivity in favor of the linear allylation products, although Ir phosphoramidite catalysts were used, which commonly results in branched isomers. Our studies suggest that this outcome is the result of a reaction cascade via an initial regio‐ and enantioselective N‐allylation to provide a branched allyl intermediate, followed by a spontaneous [3,3]‐rearrangement resulting in chirality transfer.     

Palladium-catalyzed allylation of α-isocyanocarboxylates

α-Isocyanocarboxylates underwent palladium-catalyzed allylation with allylic acetates, in which π-allylpalladium(II) intermediate was involved. The catalytic allylation of methyl α-isocyano(phenyl)acetate using an optically active ferrocenylphosphine ligand caused an asymmetric induction of up to 39% ee.     

Platinum-catalyzed tandem diboration/asymmetric allylboration: access to nonracemic functionalized 1,3-diols

[reaction: see text] A single-pot tandem catalytic diene diboration/carbonyl allylation reaction is described that uses a commercially available chiral diboron reagent. The chirality of the intermediate diboration adduct is transferred to the product in the carbonyl allylation reaction, thereby providing access to enantioenriched chiral products. Notably, the reaction allows for construction of a quaternary stereocenter and furnishes a synthetically versatile C-B bond in the reaction product.     

Novel synthesis of conjugated dienes attached to a quaternary carbon center via Pd(0)-catalyzed deconjugative allylation of alkenylidenemalonates

Palladium(0)-catalyzed deconjugative allylation of alkenylidenemalonates and alkylidenemalonates was achieved for the first time. Reactions of dimethyl 2-((E)-but-2-enylidene)malonate with various allylic acetates using LHMDS as a base in DMF in the presence of Pd(2)dba(3) (2.5 mol %) and PPh(3) (10 mol %) proceeded at room temperature to give the corresponding alpha-allylation products in good yields in a regio- and stereoselective manner. This reaction can also be used for allylation of dimethyl ethylidenemalonate or dimethyl 2-((E)-pent-2-enylidene)malonate and give the desired alpha-allylation products in good yields.     

Synthesis of syn-vicinal diamines via the stereoselective allylation of acyclic chiral α-amino aldimines

The stereoselective allylation of acyclic chiral α-amino aldimines affording vicinal diamines, mediated by various Lewis acids (TiCl₄, SnCl₄, MgBr₂·OEt₂, BF₃·OEt₂, ZnCl₂), is described. The TiCl₄-mediated allylation of an α-N-Boc aldimine afforded the allylation product with syn-selectivity, which in turn was used for the synthesis of an intermediate of an oseltamivir derivative.     

Diastereoselective In and Zn-mediated allylation of pyrazol-4-yl derived (R)-tert-butanesulfinyl imines: synthesis of enantiomerically pure 6-(pyrazol-4-yl)-piperidin-2,4-diones

The In and Zn-mediated allylation of substituted pyrazol-4-yl derived (R)-N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines proceeds with high diastereoselectivity depending on the conditions and additives (up to 99.4% de). Thus, the synthesized diastereomeric homoallylsulfinamides were isolated and characterized as pure diastereomers, which were then converted into the corresponding pyrazol-4-yl-derived N-Boc-homoallylamines via consecutive treatment with HCl and Boc₂O. The latter were then subjected to a sequence of reactions: cyclobromocarbamation with NBS and enolate–isocyanate rearrangement with tBuOK to give novel enantiomerically pure (S)-6-(pyrazol-4-yl)-piperidine-2,4-diones in 88–96% yield. The absolute configurations of the allylation products were assigned by X-ray single crystal analysis of the intermediate bromomethylurethanes.     

A possible way to control the course of hydride transfer in allylation of norbornadiene in the presence of palladium phosphine catalysts

Features of allylation of norbornadiene (NBD) with allyl formate were investigated in the presence of Pd catalysts. In addition to the products of single or double allylation and hydroallylation of NBD, the products of secondary transformations, hydration and hydroformylation, have been found. An effect of triphenylphosphine on the reaction direction was studied.     

A concise synthetic route to the conduritols from pentoses

A short synthetic strategy for preparation of the conduritols is described. The key step employs a zinc-mediated fragmentation of protected methyl 5-deoxy-5-iodo-d-pentofuranosides followed by an allylation of the intermediate aldehyde in the same pot. The allylation is performed with 3-bromopropenyl benzoate and occurs with good diastereoselectivity. An amino group can be introduced in the product by trapping the intermediate aldehyde as the imine prior to the allylation. The functionalised 1,7-octadienes, thus obtained, are converted into protected conduritols by ring-closing olefin metathesis.     

A convenient and efficient route for the allylation of aromatic amines and alpha-aryl aldehydes with alkynes in the presence of a Pd(0)/PhCOOH combined catalyst system

The allylation of aromatic amines with alkynes proceeded smoothly in the presence of catalytic amounts of Pd(PPh(3))(4) and benzoic acid. The allylation products were obtained in high yields in a regio- and stereoselective manner. The effect of various groups on the nitrogen atom of anilines was studied. Regardless of the substituent (electron withdrawing or electron donating) on the aromatic ring, the reaction proceeded well. Various functionalities, including -CH(3), -OMe, -Cl, -CN, -COOMe, -NO(2) and -COCH(3) were tolerated under the reaction conditions. Similarly, the allylation of alpha-aryl aldehydes proceeded well with the same level of regio- and stereoselectivity as the allylation of aromatic amines. This reaction provides the second example of the transition metal catalyzed direct alpha-allylation of aldehydes.     

Use of allyl, 2-tetrahydrofuryl, and 2-tetrahydropyranyl ethers as useful C3-, C4-, and C5-carbon sources: palladium-catalyzed allylation of aldehydes

Palladium-diethylzinc or palladium-triethylborane catalytically promotes self-allylation of 2-(allyloxy)tetrahydrofurans, 2-(allyloxy)tetrahydropyrans, and their hydroxy derivatives on the rings (ribose, glucose, mannose, deoxyribose, deoxyglucose). All the reactions proceed at room temperature and provide polyhydroxyl products, sharing a structural motif of a homoallyl alcohol, in good to excellent yields with high levels of stereoselectivity. Useful C3-unit elongation, which makes the best use of an allyl ether as a protecting group and a nucleophilic allylation agent, is demonstrated. Mechanisms for the umpolung reaction (of an allyl ether into an allylic anion) and stereoselectivity associated with allylation of aldehydes are discussed.     

Counterintuitive kinetics in Tsuji-Trost allylation: ion-pair partitioning and implications for asymmetric catalysis

The kinetics of Pd-catalyzed Tsuji-Trost allylation employing simple phosphine ligands (L = Ar3P, etc.) are consistent with turnover-limiting nucleophilic attack of an electrophilic [L2Pd(allyl)]+ catalytic intermediate. Counter-intuitively, when L is made more electron donating, which renders [L2Pd(allyl)]+ less electrophilic (by up to an order of magnitude), higher rates of turnover are observed. In the presence of catalytic NaBAr'F, large rate differentials arise by attenuation of ion-pair return (via generation of [L2Pd(allyl)]+ [BAr'F]-) a process that also increases the asymmetric induction from 28 to 78% ee in an archetypal asymmetric allylation employing BINAP (L*) as ligand. There is substantial potential for analogous application of [M]n+([BAr'F]-)n cocatalysis in other transition metal catalyzed processes involving an ionic reactant or reagent and an ionogenic catalytic cycle.     

Concatenated catalytic asymmetric allene diboration/allylation/functionalization

[reaction: see text] Palladium-catalyzed enantioselective diboration of prochiral allenes generates a reactive chiral allylboron intermediate which is a versatile reagent for the allylation of carbonyls. Experiments that improve the enantioselectivity of this process, examine the substrate scope, and are directed toward functionalization of the allylation intermediate are described.     

The first catalytic asymmetric allylation of imines with the tetraallylsilane-TBAF-MeOH system, using the chiral bis-pi-allylpalladium complex

The asymmetric allylation of imines with use of catalytic transition metals with chiral ligands should be a new frontier of the enantioselective C-C bond formation. So far allyltrimethylsilane, allyltrichlorosilane, and allyltrimethoxysilane have been commonly employed with use of either silane activators or dual silane-imine activators. However, tetraallylsilane is untouched in the allylation of aldimines. The first allylation of aldimines with the tetraallylsilane-TBAF-MeOH system with use of the bis-pi-allylpalladium catalyst under catalytic, non-Lewis acid, essentially neutral and very mild reaction conditions has been achieved. The reaction is triggered by dual activation/promotion by TBAF and MeOH in which the fluoride anion activates the C-Si bond cleavage and MeOH promotes the facile protonation of intermediate palladium amide. Thus, the synthesis of chiral homoallylamines is achieved in a shorter reaction time and higher yields and enantioselectivities through an efficient, general, and reproducible allylation protocol for imines.