Regioselective access to substituted oxindoles via rhodium-catalyzed carbene C-H insertion

Rhodium-catalyzed decomposition of diazoamides followed by insertion of the resulting carbenes into an aromatic C-H bond gives access to substituted oxindoles. The reaction takes place with aromatic rings substituted by either electron-donating or -withdrawing groups at ortho, meta or para positions and the regioselectivity can be controlled by a substitution α to the diazo functionality. In the presence of an ester, the reaction leads to the formation of 2-silyloxyindole-3-carboxylates in 40-85% yields and regioselectivities up to 80% are observed in the case of meta-substituted substrates. This selectivity mainly relies on steric factors and use of a more bulky N,N-diethylamide then affords 2-silyloxyindole-3-carboxamides in 42-91% yields with complete regioselectivity.     

Versatile method for introduction of bulky substituents to alkoxychlorosilanes

The reactions of various alkoxytrichlorosilanes prepared in situ from tetrachlorosilane and alcohols, with Grignard reagents bearing a bulky substituent such as the isopropyl, sec-butyl, and cyclohexyl group afforded triisopropyl-, tri(sec-butyl)-, and tricyclohexylalkoxysilane in high yields. The reactions of n-butoxytrichlorosilane with these Grignard reagents produced triisopropyl-, tri(sec-butyl)-, and tricyclohexyl(n-butoxy)silane in 94%, 96%, and 92% yields, respectively. Methoxymethyldichlorosilane reacted with the same Grignard reagents to give diisopropyl-, di(sec-butyl)-, and dicyclohexylmethoxymethylsilane in 84%, 83%, and 83% yields. Treatment of methoxydimethylchlorosilane with the Grignard reagents readily afforded isopropyl-, sec-butyl-, and cyclohexylmethoxydimethylsilane in excellent yields. Similar treatment of methoxydimethylchlorosilane with tert-butylmagnesium chloride gave tert-butylmethoxydimethylsilane in 62% yield.     

A versatile and convenient route to ketone C-pyranosides and ketone C-furanosides from unprotected sugars

Both ketone C-pyranosides (in up to 97% yields) and C-furanosides (in 83–97% yields) could be prepared, respectively, from the condensations of pentane-2,4-dione and various unprotected sugars in sodium carbonate aqueous media by adjusting the reaction conditions.     

A facile approach to spirocyclic butenolides through cascade cyclization/oxidative cleavage reactions of (Z)-enynols catalyzed by gold under dioxygen atmosphere

A facile approach for the syntheses of spirocyclic butenolides through cascade cyclization/oxidative cleavage reactions of (Z)-enynols bearing cyclic substituents at the C-1 position catalyzed by gold under dioxygen atmosphere has been developed. A variety of substituted butenolides was constructed in a regioselective manner from suitably substituted (Z)-2-en-4-yn-1-ols. (Z)-Enynols substituted both at C2 and C3-position afforded the spirocyclic butenolides in moderate to good yields, C-2 unsubstituted (Z)-enynols afforded the products in moderate yields, and the C-3 unsubstituted (Z)-enynols afforded the desired products in low yields.     

A different route to 3-aryl-4-hydroxycoumarins

We herein report the simple and direct arylation of 4-hydroxycoumarins by photoinduced reaction with aryl halides (iodobenzene, iodonaphthalene, 4-iodoanisole, 2-iodoanisole). Good yields of 3,4-disubstituted coumarins were obtained in these reactions (>60%). Extension of the procedure to the reaction with o-dihalobenzenes leads to the synthesis of ring closure products which bear a tetracyclic aromatic-condensed ring system, although in lower overall yields (≈45%).     

Indium-mediated one-pot reductive conversion of nitroarenes to N-arylacetamides

N-Arylacetamides were prepared in excellent yields from nitroarenes in the presence of acetic anhydride, acetic acid and indium by a one-pot procedure.     

Photo-Fries rearrangement of N-arylsulfonamides to aminoaryl sulfone derivatives

Photochemical reaction of variously substituted p-toluenesulfonanilides was studied. The reaction gives rearranged products, o- and p-amino-substituted diaryl sulfones with the combined yields of 38-72%: the p-isomer is more favored over the o-isomer with the selectivity ratio of 1.1-4.3 depending on the substituents. N-Alkylation of the sulfonanilides increases the yields of the rearranged products, and e-withdrawing substituents on the N-phenyl ring does not lower the yields drastically. This study provides simple methodology for the synthesis of o- and p-aminoaryl sulfones which are otherwise not easily accessible.     

A novel route to fully substituted cyanoallenes from three components, ketones, chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, and nitriles, via α-bromocyclopropyl p-tolyl sulfoxides

Treatment of 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides, which were derived from ketones and chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide in high yields, with lithium α-carbanion of nitriles gave the adducts in quantitative yields. The adducts were converted to α-bromocyclopropyl p-tolyl sulfoxides in two steps in good yields. Finally, the sulfoxides were treated with excess lithium carbanion of isobutyronitrile to afford fully substituted cyanoallenes in high to quantitative yields via sulfoxide-lithium exchange reaction. This procedure offers a novel synthetic method for fully substituted cyanoallenes with coupling of three components (ketones, chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, and nitriles) in good overall yields.     

Bismuth trichloride-catalyzed oxy-Michael addition of water and alcohol to α,β-unsaturated ketones

An efficient method was developed for the conjugate addition of water to various α,β-unsaturated ketones by using bismuth(III) chloride as a catalyst. The reactions proceeded smoothly in the presence of a catalytic amount of BiCl₃ (20 mol%) in aqueous media to furnish a variety of synthetically useful β-hydroxyl ketones in moderate to good yields. Apart from water molecule, various alcohols could also be employed as nucleophiles to react with α,β-unsaturated ketones, leading to β-alkoxyl ketones in modest to high yields. In addition, the mild reaction conditions also entailed the conjugate addition reactions to proceed with the tolerance to a range of functional groups.     

New approaches to polysubstituted pyrroles and pyrrolinones from α-cyanomethyl-β-ketoesters

In this present paper, we report the efficient, regioselective one-pot synthesis of 5-alkoxy and 5-alkylsulfanylpyrrole-3-carboxylates in high yields via the zinc perchlorate-catalyzed addition of alcohols and thiols to the nitrile carbon of α-cyanomethyl-β-ketoesters followed by annulation. The addition-annulation process is undertaken in aqueous solution to give 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates (pyrrolinones) in good yields. These 4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates are also obtained by the hydrolysis of 5-alkoxypyrrole-3-carboxylates.     

Grubbs carbene complex-catalyzed cleavage of allyl vic-diols to aldehydes with a co-oxidant: application to the selective cleavage of huge marine molecules

An oxidative cleavage of allyl vic-diols to aldehydes catalyzed by a Grubbs carbene complex using a co-oxidant has been established for the first time, with good yields. The utility of this selective cleavage reaction was demonstrated through the use of two huge marine molecules, symbiodinolide and N-p-BrBz palytoxin.     

Straightforward, racemization-free synthesis of peptides with fairly to very bulky di- and trisubstituted glycines

Several fully protected tri- and pentapeptides containing a central symmetrical α,α-dialkyl glycine residue, with the alkyl group varying from methyl or ethyl to benzyl, were synthesized in good yields by a strategy based on the Ugi-Passerini reaction. Each Ugi-Passerini adduct was selectively cleaved and the product submitted to an assisted N,N′-dicyclohehylcarbodiimide coupling to an amino acid or dipeptide ester, respectively. Tripeptides as the above but containing a 4-methoxybenzyl group at the nitrogen atom of the central residue were also synthesized in fair to good yields by N-[(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-(dimethylamino)methylene]-N-methylmethanaminium hexafluorophosphate N-oxide assisted couplings. The results reported here show that our strategy is appropriate for routine synthesis of peptides incorporating these moieties.     

Sequential alkynylation of ω-bromoalkyl triflates: facile access to unsymmetrical non-conjugated diynes including precursors to diene pheromones

Sequential treatment of ω-bromoalkyl triflates with an alkynyllithium at 0 °C followed by addition of a second alkynyllithium and NaI and heating the reaction mixture provides a simple one-pot access to unsymmetrical diynes in good yields. These diynes may be transformed stereoselectively into diene pheromones such as (Z,Z)- and (E,Z)-3,13-octadecadienyl acetate.     

A facile Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons route to 2-quinolones

2-Quinolones are prepared from o-aminophenylketones by N-acylation with phosphonoalkanoylchlorides, followed by an intramolecular Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination. The transformation proceeds under mild conditions, is generally applicable, gives good yields and can be performed either in two steps or as a one-pot reaction.     

A new and convenient approach to heterotetracyclic benzoxazocines through addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to quinolinium salts

The synthesis of a series of benzoxazocines has been achieved in good yields by tandem C-alkylation and intramolecular O-alkylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with quinolinium salts. This is a novel example of the synthesis of eight-membered rings via a tandem process, which provides a method for the synthesis of medium-ring heterocycles.     

A new catalytic route to synthesis of silylgermylethynes

Silylgermylethynes known to be potential organometallic reagents and precursors of optoelectronic materials can be efficiently synthesized via a recently reported catalytic method called silylative coupling of alkynes with vinylsilicon compounds. The reaction of triethylethynylgermane with vinyltrisubstituted silanes catalyzed by [RuHCl(CO)(PR₃)_n] (where R = ⁱPr, Cy, Ph; n = 2-3) under optimal conditions selectively yields respective silylgermylethynes. Silylation of ethynylgermane with divinylsilicon derivatives such as siloxanes, silazanes, bis(silyl)benzene and bis(silyl)ethane gives monoethynylgermyl substituted vinyldisilicon products with high yields and selectivity, however, accompanied by traces of dialkynylgermyl derivatives. All catalytic results as well as those of stoichiometric study on the insertion of ethynylgermane into Ru-Si bond have permitted proposing mechanistic schemes of the reaction examined.     

Diastereoselective cis to trans desymmetrization of dimethyl succinates

Meso-succinates, readily available by Diels–Alder cycloaddition of dimethyl maleate or maleic anhydride followed by esterification, can be isomerized quantitatively from the cis to the trans isomers in the presence of lithium alkoxides. The reaction performed with enantiopure chiral lithium alkoxides yields diastereomeric trans-succinates in good yield and selectivity.     

Haval-Argade contrathermodynamic rearrangement of alkylidenesuccinimides to alkylmaleimides via the corresponding isoimides: a general approach to alkyl and dialkyl substituted maleimides

A simple and efficient access to alkyl and dialkyl substituted maleimides has been demonstrated via the new contrathermodynamic rearrangement of (E)-alkylidenesuccinimides to alkylmaleimides. The (E)-alkylidenesuccinimides obtained from the Wittig-condensation of N-arylmaleimide with aliphatic aldehydes on regioselective hydrolysis furnished the corresponding (E)-alkylidenesuccinanilic acids in 95-98% yields. The β-alkylidenesuccinanilic acids on treatment with cyanuric chloride in the presence of triethylamine gave the corresponding β-alkylisomaleimides in 78-80% yields via the β-alkylideneisosuccinimides with the exocyclic to endocyclic carbon-carbon double bond migration. The kinetically controlled products alkylisomaleimides in refluxing acetic acid furnished the thermodynamically controlled alkylmaleimides in 98% yield. The Wittig condensation of alkyl substituted isomaleimides/maleimides with aliphatic aldehydes gave the desired dialkyl substituted maleimides in high yields. A conversion of α-methylenesuccinanilic acids to α-methylisomaleimides has also been described, with 90% yield.     

The meta-photocycloaddition of ethylvinylether to 3-methylanisole and 3-fluoroanisole

Photoaddition of ethylvinylether to 3-methylanisole yields six derivatives of 1-methoxytricyclo[3.3.0.0^2,8]oct-3-ene. Four of the adducts have the ethoxy group in an endo position. Products in which the methyl group is at position 4 are favoured. Photoaddition of ethylvinylether to 3-fluoroanisole yields three isomeric adducts, to endo and one exo.     

Cu-catalyzed oxidation of indoles to isatins

The first example of Cu-catalyzed oxidation of indoles to isatin derivatives by the use of cheap aqueous tert-butyl peroxide as an oxidant was developed. This methodology is practically convenient and highly functional group tolerant, allowing a variety of indole derivatives to transform into the corresponding isatin derivatives in good yields.