Inter- and intramolecular hydroacylation of alkenes employing a bifunctional catalyst system

Based on a conceptually innovative bifunctional P,N ligand, an efficient protocol for the rhodium-catalyzed inter- and intramolecular hydroacylation of alkenes has been developed.     

Organocatalytic hydroacylation of unactivated alkenes

N-Heterocyclic carbenes interact with aldehydes to generate the Breslow intermediate, a rendering of the prototypical electrophile into a nucleophile (umpolung). Recent work has indicated that these intermediates may also add to simple, unpolarized alkenes. The use of a chiral precatalyst leads to the generation of the derived adducts with high yields and very high selectivities.     

Rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular hydroacylation of 1,2-disubstituted alkenes for the synthesis of 2-substituted indanones

The intramolecular hydroacylation of 1,2-disubstituted alkenes was considered to be a challenging task due to the side reactions resulted from the lack of additional substituent at 1-position and the low activity caused by the steric hindrance of substituent at 2-position, and an asymmetric version has not been considered possible due to problems associated with the racemization of the products. We have partially solved these problems. Catalyzed by an activated diphosphine-Rh complex and reacted in a selected dihalogenated solvent, the intramolecular hydroacylation of o-(2-arylvinyl)benzaldehydes provided the corresponding 2-aryl-1-indanones in high yields, and its asymmetric variant using o-(2-alkylvinyl)benzaldehydes afforded chiral 2-alkyl-1-indanones in high yields and with moderate enantioselectivities.     

Non-stabilized transition metal carbenes as intermediates in intramolecular reactions of alkynes with alkenes

In this tutorial review we summarize the two major pathways followed in the reaction of alkenes with alkynes catalysed by electrophilic transition metals. If the metal coordinates simultaneously to the alkyne and the alkene, an oxidative cyclometallation can ensue to give a metallacyclopentene, which usually evolves by [small beta]-hydrogen elimination to give Alder-ene cycloisomerisation derivatives. On the other hand, coordination of the metal to the alkyne promotes the attack of the alkene to give metal cyclopropyl carbenes.     

Cooperative catalysis approach to intramolecular hydroacylation

Prior examples of hydroacylation to form six- and seven-membered ring ketones require either embedded chelating groups or other substrate design strategies to circumvent competitive aldehyde decarbonylation. A cooperative catalysis strategy enabled intramolecular hydroacylation of disubstituted alkenes to form seven- and six-membered rings without requiring substrate-embedded chelating groups.     

Palladium-catalyzed hydrophosphinylation of alkenes and alkynes

Various palladium catalysts promote the addition of hypophosphorous derivatives ROP(O)H(2) to alkenes and alkynes in good yields and under mild conditions. Particularly, Cl(2)Pd(PPh(3))(2)/2 MeLi, and Pd(2)dba(3)/xantphos allow for phosphorus-carbon bond formation instead of transfer hydrogenation. Commercial aqueous solutions of hypophosphorous acid can be employed successfully at ambient temperature. With styrene and terminal alkynes, the regioselectivity (linear versus branched products) can be controlled to some extent with the catalytic system employed. The methodology considerably extends upon previous routes for the preparation of H-phosphinic acids and other organophosphorus compounds.     

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular chloroamination of alkenes

A mild and facile Pd-catalyzed intramolecular chloroamination of unactivated alkenes has been described. This reaction takes place at room temperature and is tolerant of synthetically useful acid-sensitive functional groups. Generally high exo-selectivities are observed in the formation of a variety of 5- and 6-membered rings. This system is unique in its ability to tolerate multidentate ligands on palladium, which opens up the possibility of controlling the absolute sense of induction using a chiral ligand.     

Catalytic activity of gold nanoclusters in intramolecular hydroamination of alkenes and alkynes with toluenesulfonamide under aerobic and basic conditions

Gold nanoclusters stabilized by a hydrophilic polymer, poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (Au:PVP), catalyzed the intramolecular hydroamination of toluenesulfonamides to unactivated alkenes/alkynes in EtOH under aerobic and basic conditions. The reaction proceeds via anti-addition of toluenesulfonamide to the alkenes assisted by π-activation of the gold clusters.     

Recent advances in diphosphination of alkynes and alkenes

1,2-Bis(diphenylphosphino)ethenes and -ethanes (DPPEs) are among representative supporting ligands in transition metal catalysts, which can promote otherwise challenging organic transformations with high efficiency and selectivity. Such bidentately coordinating ligands are conventionally prepared by nucleophilic substitution reactions of halogenated carbon electrophiles with nucleophilic metal phosphides. However, they suffer from poor functional group compatibility and/or tedious preparation of highly functionalized starting substrates. In this context, additions of phosphines to readily available and simple alkynes and alkenes have recently received significant attention. This digest paper focuses on recent developments of diphosphination of alkynes and alkenes for the synthesis of DPPE-type ligands. The reported approaches are categorized into several types of reactions, and their scope, limitation, and mechanism are briefly summarized.     

FeBr_3-catalyzed dibromination of alkenes and alkynes

The dibromination of alkenes and alkynes with bromosuccinimide and sodium bromide catalyzed by FeBr₃ under mild conditions has been developed.The trans-dibromo compounds were exclusively obtained with excellent yields.     

Catalytic and metal-free intramolecular hydroalkoxylation of alkynes

Benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide act as an efficient metal-free catalyst for the intramolecular hydroalkoxylation of alkynes. Notably, the use of microwave irradiation allowed reaction to operate in only two minutes. Under optimized reaction conditions, linear alkynes bearing aryl and heteroaryl substituents were successfully cyclized with good level of stereoselectivity.     

Palladium- and nickel-catalyzed intramolecular cyanoboration of alkynes

Intramolecular addition of a boron-cyano bond across a carbon-carbon triple bond was achieved using palladium and nickel catalysts. Cyano(diisopropylamino)boryl homopropargyl ethers underwent regio- and stereoselective 5-exo cyclization, forming five-membered cyclic boryl ethers in high yields. The cyanoboration products thus obtained served as new precursors for the synthesis of highly substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles via transition-metal-catalyzed transformations.     

Disulfidation of alkynes and alkenes with gallium trichloride

[reaction: see text] Treatment of diphenyl disulfide and terminal alkynes with gallium trichloride afforded (E)-1,2-diphenylthio-1-alkenes selectively (E/Z > 20/1). Alkenes also underwent this reaction to form trans adducts.     

Fluoride-mediated phosphination of alkenes and alkynes by silylphosphines

Regioselective phosphination of carbon-carbon unsaturated bonds by a fluoride-mediated reaction of silylphosphines is described. Alkenes and alkynes having a directing group, such as an aromatic or a carbonyl group, reacted to form a carbon-phosphorus bond under mild conditions. When an anhydrous fluoride source was applied in the presence of an electrophile, the corresponding three-component coupling product was obtained.     

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular asymmetric hydroamination of alkynes

The Pd-catalyzed reaction of internal alkynes with tethered amino groups in the presence of PhCO2H and RENORPHOS as chiral phosphine ligand is reported. Various five- and six-membered nitrogen-containing heterocycles were obtained in good to high yield with moderate to high ee.