A simple, efficient and versatile synthesis of primary gem-dihydroperoxides from aldehydes and hydrogen peroxide

Aldehydes were efficiently converted directly into the corresponding gem-dihydroperoxides (DHPs) on treatment with aqueous 70% H₂O₂ in a biphasic system with ether catalyzed by camphorsulfonic acid. The synthesis represents the most versatile access to this class of compounds.     

A simple and efficient synthesis of gem-dihydroperoxides from ketones using aqueous hydrogen peroxide and catalytic ceric ammonium nitrate

Ketones were efficiently converted into the corresponding gem-dihydroperoxides in high yields within a short period of time on treatment with aqueous H₂O₂ (50%) in the presence of a catalytic amount of CAN in acetonitrile at room temperature.     

gem-Difluoromethylation of α- and γ-ketoesters: preparation of gem-difluorinated α-hydroxyesters and γ-butyrolactones

PhSCF₂SiMe₃ has been demonstrated as difluoromethyl carbanion synthon (⁻CF₂H). It reacts chemoselectively with α- and γ-ketoesters at the keto group in the presence of a catalytic amount of TBAF in THF to give the corresponding α-hydroxy ester adducts as well as γ-gem-difluorophenylsulfanylmethylated-γ-butyrolactones in good yields. Reductive cleavage of the phenylsulfanyl group of these products employing Bu₃SnH/AIBN gives the corresponding gem-difluoromethylated α-hydroxyesters and γ-butyrolactones in good yields.     

Synthesis of gem-dihaloenynes and butatrienes from gem-dihalovinyl derivatives

gem-Dihaloenynes were synthesized in high yields from 1,1,4,4-tetrahalo-1,3-butadienes through the Fritsch-Buttenberg-Wiechell (FBW) rearrangement mediated by an organolithium compound. Butatriene derivatives could be obtained efficiently via an organolithium-mediated reaction of o-halo-(2,2-dihalovinyl)benzenes.     

Synthesis of gem-difluorides from aldehydes using DFMBA

Synthesis of gem-difluorides from aldehydes was effectively achieved using DFMBA and Et₃N-3HF under microwave irradiation or conventional thermal heating. Both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes could be converted to the corresponding gem-difluorides in good yields.     

One-pot synthesis of benzimidazoles from gem-dibromomethylarenes using o-diaminoarenes

A one-pot synthesis of benzimidazoles from gem-dibromomethylarenes is described. The reaction shows the method to prepare a variety of benzimidazole analogues with excellent yield.     

A versatile method for the hydrolysis of gem-dibromomethylarenes bearing carboxylate or boronate group into aldehydes

Hydrolysis of gem-dibromomethylarenes bearing carboxylate or boronate group to corresponding aldehydes without affecting the ester group was successfully accomplished in high yields by subjecting them to refluxing pyridine. Both aromatic and heteroaromatic substrates gave the corresponding aldehydes in good yields. This method was efficiently adapted for the large scale synthesis of 2d and 2f.     

Carbenoid rearrangement of gem-dihalogenospiropentanes

A skeletal rearrangement of dihalogenospiropentanes in the presence of alkyllithium reagents has been systematically studied using a number of gem-dibromospiropentanes. The scope and limitations of this carbenoid rearrangement are outlined and its mechanism is discussed.     

Enantioselective epoxidation of 2-substituted 1,4-naphthoquinones using gem-dihydroperoxides

New gem-dihydroperoxides were successfully used for DBU-promoted enantioselective epoxidation of 2-substituted 1,4-naphthoquinones. The corresponding 1,4-naphthoquinone epoxides were obtained in yields up to 97% and ee’s up to 82%.     

ZnCl2-catalyzed hydrodefluorination of gem-difluoromethylene derivatives with lithium aluminum hydride

Hydrodefluorination of gem-difluoromethylene derivatives with lithium aluminum hydride in the presence of a catalytic amount of ZnCl₂ in good to high yields was described. A possible mechanism is also suggested.     

Synthesis of gem-diamino derivatives on solid support

Anchoring of an α-amino-acid amide residue by its amine function to a carbamate resin followed by primary amide Hofmann rearrangement led to a gem-diamino residue linked to the resin. The generated primary amine could be acylated with various carboxylic compounds offering a large variety of molecules. Furthermore, this new solid-phase strategy allowed a reliable synthesis of a gem-diamino monomeric residue which could not be easily obtained in solution due to the limited stability of monocarbamate-protected gem-diaminoalkyl derivatives.     

Practical synthesis of gem-difluorides from cyclohexanone: Synthesis of gem-bistrifluoroacetates and their reactions with fluoride nucleophiles

Formation of ketone acylals bearing trihaloacetoxy groups and their nucleophilic geminal disubstitution by fluoride ions were investigated. Cyclohexanone reacted with trifluoroacetic anhydride without catalyst to give gem-bistrifluoroacetates via a concerted bimolecular reaction. Treatment with hydrogen fluoride under mild conditions efficiently yielded the corresponding gem-difluorides. In this reaction process, trifluoroacetic acid was recovered and converted to trifluoroacetic anhydride using P₂O₅. Since gem-difluorides were derived from ketones, HF and P₂O₅, this constitutes a practical synthesis of gem-difluorides.     

Synthesis of gem-difluoromethylenated biflavonoid via the Suzuki coupling reaction

gem-Difluoromethylenated biflavonoid 1 was synthesized via the Suzuki coupling reaction. The key intermediate 6-iodonated flavone 4 was regioselectively synthesized by the use of AgOAc/I₂ under mild conditions without handling of a strongly toxic reagent. The key step was the formation of a flavone 3′-boronate 3 using a palladium-catalyzed exchange of the corresponding 3′-iodonated flavone with a diboron reagent.     

Mg(0)-promoted debromometalation of gem-difluoropropargyl bromides

Mg(0)/Me₃SiCl was found to be effective for the preparation of difluoropropargylsilanes. This method, using Me₃SnCl, produced the corresponding propargylstannane.     

A new flexible strategy for the synthesis of gem-difluoro-bisarylic derivatives and heterocyclic analogues

A new strategy has been designed for the preparation of gem-difluoro-bisarylic derivatives. It starts from easily accessible and reactive gem-difluoro-propargylic intermediates and elaborates the aromatic rings by a Diels-Alder-aromatization sequence. Heterocyclic systems can be also obtained by 1,3 dipolar cycloadditions, affording mixed aromatic/heteroaromatic derivatives with CF₂ as a linker. Since this motif is a bioisostere of O and CO, corresponding bisarylic scaffolds could be of use to prepare chemical libraries of fluorinated analogues of bioactive natural products and/or drugs.     

Synthesis of gem-difluoromethylenated massoialactone by ring-closing metathesis

4,4-Difluoromassoialactone has been synthesized for the first time via a very short sequence, where the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) was employed as a key step. The efficient procedure can easily be extended to the synthesis of other gem-difluoromethylenated α,β-unsaturated-δ-lactone moiety. In addition, the viability of RCM of high electron-deficient olefins has been demonstrated.     

Synthesis of optically active gem-difluorocyclopropanes through a chemo-enzymatic reaction strategy

The synthesis of a chiral difluorocyclopropane building block has been accomplished using lipase-catalyzed reaction; the prochiral diacetate of cis-1,3-bishydroxymethyl-2,2-difluorocyclopropane was converted to the corresponding chiral monoacetate by the Alcaligenes lipase (lipase QL)-catalyzed hydrolysis with >99% enantiomeric excess. Enantiomerically pure trans-1,3-bishydroxymethyl-2,2-difluorocyclopropane was also obtained through the Pseudomonas cepacia SL-25 lipase (lipase SL)-catalyzed reaction. The synthesis of the chiral trans,trans-bis-gem-difluorocyclopropane derivatives has been accomplished using the same lipase technology; trans,trans-1,6-bishydroxymethyl-2,2,5,5-tetrafluorobicyclopropane was obtained in optically active form using the lipase SL-catalyzed hydrolysis of the corresponding diacetate.     

Synthesis of gem-difluoromethylenated analogues of anamarine

Practical synthesis of two gem-difluoromethylenated analogues of anamarine was described. The important synthetic steps included the preparation of the key intermediates 20-21 through the indium-mediated gem-difluoropropargylation of aldehyde 18 with the fluorine-containing building block 19 and efficient construction of α,β-unsaturated-δ-lactone scaffold via BAIB/TEMPO procedure.     

Fritsch-Buttenberg-Wiechell rearrangement to alkynes from gem-dihaloalkenes with lanthanum metal

The first example of the FBW rearrangement using of lanthanum metal and a catalytic amount of iodine was disclosed. When gem-diiodo- and gem-dibromoalkenes were treated with lanthanum metal in the presence of a catalytic amount of iodine, the reductive dehalogenation of these compounds smoothly proceeded to produce the corresponding alkynes in moderate to good yields.     

α,α-Difluoro-α-phenylsulfanylmethyl carbanion equivalent: a novel gem-difluoromethylenation of carbonyl compounds

α,α-Difluoro-α-phenylsulfanyl-α-trimethylsilylmethane (PhSCF₂SiMe₃) has been demonstrated as an α,α-difluoro-α-phenylsulfanylmethyl carbanion equivalent. gem-Difluorophenylsulfanylmethylation of carbonyl compounds has been successfully achieved by using PhSCF₂SiMe₃ in the presence of TBAF in THF. The adducts have been converted to the corresponding gem-difluoroalkenes by a novel pyrolytic and/or FVP elimination of the β-hydroxy-α-phenylsufinyl derivatives under reduced pressure.