Zn/CuI-mediated coupling of alkyl halides with vinyl sulfones, vinyl sulfonates, and vinyl sulfonamides

A novel high-yielding Zn/CuI-mediated coupling method of alkyl halides with vinyl sulfones, vinyl sulfonates, and vinyl sulfonamides is described. This protocol is applicable for primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl iodides and bromides. Alkyl chlorides and aryl and vinyl halides were unreactive under the reaction conditions. Formamide was found to be a superior solvent for obtaining high yields.     

Aryl vinyl cyclopropane Cope rearrangements

While the divinyl cyclopropane Cope rearrangement is well-known, and has been broadly applied in synthesis, examples of the aryl vinyl cyclopropane Cope rearrangement are less common and generally limited in scope or reaction yield. The aryl vinyl cyclopropane Cope rearrangement gives access to the benzocycloheptene scaffold, which is present in a variety of naturally occurring and medicinally relevant products. Herein we report a method to obtain either of two regioisomeric benzocycloheptene products via an aryl vinyl cyclopropane Cope rearrangement, featuring additive-controlled regioselectivity. Mechanistic studies indicate a dynamic equilibration of cyclopropane stereoisomers, followed by rearrangement of the cis diastereomer.     

An improved palladium-catalyzed conversion of aryl and vinyl triflates to bromides and chlorides

A facile Pd-catalyzed conversion of aryl and vinyl triflates to aryl and vinyl halides (bromides and chlorides) is described. This method allows convenient access to a variety of aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl halides in good to excellent yields and with greatly simplified conditions relative to our previous report.     

Vinyl aryl ethers from copper-catalyzed coupling of vinyl halides and phenols

A general procedure for vinyl aryl ether bond formation by direct coupling of vinyl halides and phenols under mild Ullmann-type reaction conditions has been developed. Using copper chloride as the catalyst and cesium carbonate as the base, vinyl bromides or iodides were reacted with phenols in refluxing toluene to produce vinyl aryl ethers in good to excellent yields.     

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.     

Unsymmetrical diaryl sulfones and aryl vinyl sulfones through palladium-catalyzed coupling of aryl and vinyl halides or triflates with sulfinic acid salts

The palladium-catalyzed reaction of sulfinic acid salts with a wide variety of aryl and vinyl halides or triflates provides unsymmetrical diaryl sulfones and aryl vinyl sulfones in good to excellent yields. The reaction is strongly influenced by the presence of nBu4NCl, and the use of Xantphos, a rigid bidentate ligand with a wide natural bite angle, was found to be crucial for the success of the reaction. With neutral, electron-rich, and electron-poor aryl iodides best results were obtained by using Pd2(dba)3, Xantphos, Cs2CO3, and nBu4NCl, in toluene at 80 degrees C. Two general procedures were employed with aryl bromides and triflates: sodium p-toluenesulfinate, Pd2(dba)3, Xantphos, Cs2CO3, 120 degrees C, in toluene with nBu4NCl (procedure A: neutral, electron-rich, and slightly electron-poor aryl bromides or triflates) and without nBu4NCl (procedure B: electron-poor aryl bromides or triflates). With vinyl triflates best results were obtained at 60 degrees C omitting nBu4NCl.     

Synthesis of aryl azides and vinyl azides via proline-promoted CuI-catalyzed coupling reactions

The coupling reaction of aryl halides or vinyl iodide with sodium azide under catalysis of CuI/L-proline works at relatively low temperature to provide aryl azides or vinyl azides in good to excellent yields.     

Negishi coupling between alpha-alkyl(aryl)thio vinyl zinc chloride and alpha-bromo vinyl ether: a convergent synthesis of 2-alkoxy-3-alkyl(aryl)thiobuta-1,3-dienes

[reaction: see text] A convergent approach for the stereoselective synthesis of 2-alkoxy-3-alkyl(aryl)thiobuta-1,3-dienes has been developed. It was found that Negishi coupling between alpha-alkyl(aryl)thio vinyl zinc chloride and alpha-bromo vinyl ether or Negishi coupling between alpha-bromo vinyl sulfide and alpha-alkoxy vinyl zinc chloride provided the best yield and stereoselectivity.     

Copper-mediated difluoromethylation of aryl and vinyl iodides

Selectively fluorinated molecules are important as materials, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals, but their synthesis by simple, mild, laboratory methods is challenging. We report a straightforward method for the cross-coupling of aryl and vinyl iodides with a difluoromethyl group generated from readily available reagents to form difluoromethylarenes and difluoromethyl-substituted alkenes. The reaction of electron-neutral, electron-rich, and sterically hindered aryl and vinyl iodides with the combination of CuI, CsF and TMSCF(2)H leads to the formation of difluoromethyl-substituted products in high yield with good functional group compatibility. This transformation is surprising, in part, because of the prior observation of the instability of CuCF(2)H.     

Efficient copper-catalyzed S-vinylation of thiols with vinyl halides

The synthesis of vinyl sulfides through the coupling reaction of thiols with vinyl iodides, bromides, and chlorides is described. The thiols can couple with aryl iodides in the presence of only 0.5 mol % Cu(2)O without the need for an ancillary ligand. In the presence of 5 mol % of Cu(2)O and 10 mol % 1,10-phenanthroline as the ligand, the more challenging alkyl vinyl bromides can also be coupled with thiols, giving the vinyl sulfides in good to excellent yields.     

Radical-mediated silyl- and germyldesulfonylation of vinyl and (alpha-fluoro)vinyl sulfones: application of tris(trimethylsilyl)silanes and tris(trimethylsilyl)germanes in Pd-catalyzed couplings

[reaction: see text] Radical-mediated silyl- and germyldesulfonylations of various vinyl and (alpha-fluoro)vinyl sulfones with tris(trimethylsilyl)silane and germanium hydrides provide access to vinyl and (alpha-fluoro)vinyl silanes and germanes. Upon oxidative treatment with hydrogen peroxide in basic aqueous solution, the vinyl tris(trimethylsilyl)silanes and -germanes undergo Pd-catalyzed cross-couplings with aryl halides.     

Nickel-catalyzed carboxylation of aryl and vinyl chlorides employing carbon dioxide

Nickel-catalyzed carboxylation of aryl and vinyl chlorides employing carbon dioxide has been developed. The reactions proceeded under a CO(2) pressure of 1 atm at room temperature in the presence of nickel catalysts and Mn powder as a reducing agent. Various aryl chlorides could be converted to the corresponding carboxylic acid in good to high yields. Furthermore, vinyl chlorides were successfully carboxylated with CO(2). Mechanistic study suggests that Ni(I) species is involved in the catalytic cycle.     

Aryl versus alkyl and vinyl migration in the mass spectra of sulphone derivatives

The 2-acetoxyethyl aryl sulphones were found to be unsuitable for a comparative study with the corresponding chlorides and alcohols as their predominant fragmentation involved cleavage of the aliphatic carbon-sulphur bond with charge retention on the aliphatic part of the molecule The expected McLafferty rearrangement to yield an intermediate vinyl species was only a minor fragmentation path. Indirect evidence for alkyl migration in the molecular ion was found in the spectrum of 2-acetoxyethyl 1-paranitro phenyl sulphone. The spectra of the aryl vinyl sulphones revealed intense [Aryl SO]+ ions resulting from preferred migration of the vinyl group from sulphur to oxygen.     

Highly regioselective internal heck arylation of hydroxyalkyl vinyl ethers by aryl halides in water

Highly regioselective and fast Pd(0)-catalyzed internal alpha-arylation of ethylene glycol vinyl ether with aryl halides was shown to be possible in water without the need for any halide scavengers or ionic liquid additives. This presents, to our knowledge, the first case of water being utilized in the selective arylation of electron-rich olefins. Resulting alpha-products were hydrolyzed and isolated as corresponding acetophenones in good to excellent yields when using aryl bromides and with good to moderate yields in the case of aryl iodides. Microwave irradiation was shown to be beneficial in activation of aryl chlorides toward the internal Heck arylation. The scope of the protocol was further increased to include different hydroxyalkyl vinyl ethers, these all giving selectively only branched alpha-products. Finally, the active role of the hydroxy group in directing the regioselectivity toward internal arylation of electron-rich olefins, even in nonpolar toluene, was revealed.     

A convenient synthesis of chiral nonracemic vinyl aziridines

[reaction: see text] The preparation of a range of alkyl and aryl chiral vinyl aziridines was achieved in high yield and stereoselectivity, and with excellent diastereoselectivity, by reaction of tert-butylsulfinylimines with the ylide derived from S-allyl tetrahydrothiophenium bromide.     

Intra- and intermolecular Fe-catalyzed dicarbofunctionalization of vinyl cyclopropanes

Design and implementation of the first (asymmetric) Fe-catalyzed intra- and intermolecular difunctionalization of vinyl cyclopropanes (VCPs) with alkyl halides and aryl Grignard reagents has been realized via a mechanistically driven approach. Mechanistic studies support the diffusion of alkyl radical intermediates out of the solvent cage to participate in an intra- or intermolecular radical cascade with a range of VCPs followed by re-entering the Fe radical cross-coupling cycle to undergo (stereo)selective C(sp²)–C(sp³) bond formation. This work provides a proof-of-concept of the use of vinyl cyclopropanes as synthetically useful 1,5-synthons in Fe-catalyzed conjunctive cross-couplings with alkyl halides and aryl/vinyl Grignard reagents. Overall, we provide new design principles for Fe-mediated radical processes and underscore the potential of using combined computations and experiments to accelerate the development of challenging transformations.

Design and implementation of the first (asymmetric) Fe-catalyzed intra- and intermolecular difunctionalization of vinyl cyclopropanes (VCPs) with alkyl halides and aryl Grignard reagents has been realized via a mechanistically driven approach.     

Sigma-delocalization versus pi-resonance in alpha-aryl-substituted vinyl cations

The synthesis and isolation of 12 alpha-aryl, beta, beta'-disilyl-substituted vinyl cations 1b-l, 7, and 8 with the tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate counteranion is reported. The vinyl cations are characterized by NMR spectroscopy and are identified by their specific NMR chemical shifts (delta13C(C(+)) = 178.1-194.5; delta13C (Cbeta) = 83.3-89.9; delta13C (Cipso)) = 113.6-115.2; delta (29)Si = 25.0-12.0), supported by density functional calculations at the B3LYP/6-311G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. All cations are found to be stable at room temperature in solution and in the solid state. The NMR chemical shifts as well as J-coupling data indicate for vinyl cations, 1b-l, 7, and 8, the occurrence of substantial stabilization through pi-resonance via the aryl substituents and through sigma-delocalization via the beta-silyl groups. For vinyl cation 8, the free enthalpy of stabilization via pi-resonance by the alpha-ferrocenyl substituent is determined by temperature-dependent (29)Si NMR spectroscopy to be DeltaG++ = (48.9 +/- 4.2) kJ mol(-1). A Hammett-type analysis, which relates the (1)J(SiC(beta)) coupling constant and the low-field shift of the (29)Si NMR signal upon ionization, Deltadelta (29)Si, with the electron-donating ability of the aryl group, indicates an inverse relation between the extent of Si-C hyperconjugation and pi-donation. The computed structures (at B3LYP/6-31G(d)) of the vinyl cations 1a-l, 7, and 8 reveal the consequences of Si-C hyperconjugation and of pi-resonance interactions with the aryl groups. The structures, however, fail to express the interplay between sigma-delocalization and pi-conjugation in that the calculated Si-C bond lengths and the C+-C(ipso) bond lengths do not vary as a function of the substituent.     

Fast microwave-assisted preparation of aryl and vinyl nitriles and the corresponding tetrazoles from organo-halides

Aryl and vinyl nitriles have been prepared in very high yields from the corresponding bromides using palladium-catalyzed reactions with microwave irradiation employed as the energy source. Furthermore, flash heating was used successfully for the conversion of these nitriles into aryl and vinyl tetrazoles by cycloaddition reactions. One-pot transformation of aryl halides directly to the aryl tetrazoles could be accomplished both in solution and on solid support. All reactions were completed in minutes rather than in hours or days as previously reported with the standard thermal heating technique. A very potent HIV-1 protease inhibitor (K(i) = 0. 56 nM), comprising two tetrazole heterocycles as carboxyl group bioisosteres, was prepared in one pot by microwave-promoted cyanation of a bromo precursor and a subsequent cycloaddition reaction. The temperature-time profiles at 13, 20, and 60 W magnetron input power in DMF are presented.     

Kumada coupling of aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl chlorides catalyzed by amido pincer nickel complexes

A series of amido pincer complexes of nickel were examined for their catalysis in the Kumada cross-coupling reaction. The P,N,O-pincer nickel complexes tested are active catalysts for the cross-coupling of aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl chlorides with aryl Grignard reagents. The reactions can proceed at room temperature and tolerate functional groups in aryl chlorides with the aid of LiCl and ZnCl(2) additives.     

Efficient cyclopropanation of aryl/heteroaryl acetates and acetonitriles with vinyl diphenyl sulfonium triflate

A convenient method was developed for the cyclopropanation of aryl acetates and aryl acetonitrile using vinyl diphenyl sulfonium triflate salt. The newly developed conditions are simple, mild, and compatible with a wide range of functional groups, without the need to apply an inert atmosphere, or alkali bases.