Recent Advances in the Conversion of Carbohydrate Furanosides and Pyranosides into Carbocycles

Replacing the oxygen atom of the sugar ring with carbon is easy on paper, but it is more difficult to carry out this transformation and form five- and six-membered carbon rings (see scheme) in the flask. Nature has found a way to perform this tandem fragmentation/cyclization reaction in a stereospecific way at neutral pH values. Human creativity and good luck have uncovered synthetic strategies which can compete efficiently with nature.     

The Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions of Organotin Reagents with Organic Electrophiles [New Synthetic Methods (58)]

The cross-coupling of organotin reagents with a variety of organic electrophiles, catalyzed by palladium, provides a novel method for generating a carbon-carbon bond. Because this mild, versatile reaction is tolerant of a wide variety of functional groups on either coupling partner, is stereospecific and regioselective, and gives high yields of product, it is ideal for use in the synthesis of elaborate organic molecules. When the coupling reaction is carried out in the presence of carbon monoxide, instead of a direct coupling, carbon monoxide insertion takes place, stitching the two coupling partners together and generating a ketone.     

Mixed Crossed Aldol Condensation between Conjugated Esters and Aldehydes Using Aluminum Tris(2,6-diphenylphenoxide)

The combined use of aluminum tris(2,6-diphenylphenoxide) (ATPH) and lithium 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide (LTMP) has proven to be effective for the mixed crossed aldol condensation between conjugated esters and various aldehydes. An example is shown in Equation (1).     

Cyclizations via Palladium-Catalyzed Allylic Alkylations [New Synthetic Methods (79)]

The history of ring systems in organic chemistry parallels their synthetic accessibility. Transition-metal-catalyzed cyclizations offer a new opportunity to create carbo- and heterocyclic compounds with great facility. Among these methods, allylic alkylations catalyzed by palladium have proven unusually productive because of the extraordinary chemo-, regio-, and diastereoselectivity and the continuing possibility for the development of enantioselectivity. The rules for ring closure differ from those for non-transition-metal-catalyzed reactions. A major benefit is the ability to generate medium (eight-, nine-, ten-, and eleven-membered) and large rings in preference to normal (five-, six- and seven-membered) rings. With the appropriate substrate, efficient macrocyclizations are possible under conditions of normal concentrations. A second major benefit derives from the complementary stereochemistry of the metalcatalyzed substitution (net retention of configuration) compared to non-metal-catalyzed reactions (inversion of configuration). Further, the requirement for the substrate to conform to the transition-metal template may impose a stereochemical preference in the intermediate that ultimately translates into the thermodynamically less stable organic product regardless of the stereochemistry of the starting material. While more work has focused on carbocyclic synthesis, the possibilities for heterocyclic synthesis are just beginning to be tapped. In addition to forming heterocycles by C? C bond formation, use of a heteroatom as a nucleophile has already proven effective for oxygen and nitrogen, with other nucleophiles awaiting investigation. New dimensions for cyclization via allylic alkylation arise by generating the requisite π-allylpalladium intermediates by methods other than palladium(0)-initiated allylic ionizations. In addition, metals other than palladium will clearly expand the possibilities, but as yet remain untapped.     

Titanium Tetrachloride in Organic Synthesis [New synthetic methods (21)]

Titanium tetrachloride can accelerate numerous organic reactions. Valuable syntheses of, e.g., allyl sulfides, amides, enamines, and ketones are based upon transformations of functional groups with TiCl₄. Particular mention should also be made of carbon-carbon linkage with TiCl₄ which permits the synthesis of hydroxy ketones and carbonyl compounds of the Michael adduct type. TiCl₄ reduced in situ is suitable for the reduction of chloroarenes or the linkage of two aldehyde molecules to give an alkene.     

Anodic and Cathodic CC-Bond Formation

Electrolysis allows the reactivity of a substrate to be changed, or its polarity to be reversed (“redox umpolung”). The carbon skeleton and the functional groups of a synthetic building block can thus be utilized more economically, and at the same time the number of reaction steps in multistage syntheses can be reduced. The tools necessary for an electrolytic process are a cell, a power source, electrodes, and an electrolyte, the latter being chosen in accordance with the reduction or oxidation potential of the substrate. A series of electroanalytical methods provides information on the electrode reaction mechanisms. At the anode, arenes, phenolic ethers, and electron-rich olefins dimerize via intermediate radical cations. In the Kolbe electrolysis, carboxylic acid anions decarboxylate to form radicals which can couple to form e.g. long chain alkene derivatives having pheromone activity, or add to ole-fins. At the cathode, activated olefins hydrodimerize via radical anions or, in the presence of appropriate reagents, can be acylated, alkylated, and carboxylated. Pinacols, crossed hydrodimers, and cyclic and arylated compounds are accessible via the cathodically produced radicals, while the formation of strained small rings or the reductive addition of halides to carbonyl compounds takes place through intermediate carbanions.     

Synthetic and Mechanistic Aspects of Inorganic Insertion Reactions. Insertion of Carbon Monoxide

The synthetic potential and the mechanistic aspects of inorganic insertion reactions of carbon monoxide, especially into metal-carbon σ-bonds, are considered. Reactions of this type are encountered among most 3d, 4d, and 5d elements. In one case it has been demonstrated that the CO insertion proceeds by alkyl migration; this is likely to be a general feature of all such reactions. If an alkyl migration takes place, then insertion of CO into the M? C bond is governed kinetically by the cleavage of that bond. CO abstraction from RCO? M bonds most commonly proceeds by rate-determining vacation of a coordination position. Both CO insertion and abstraction are usually highly stereospecific.     

Palladium-triazine aminoalcohol nanocomposite, its reactivity on Heck reaction

Several studies on dendrimer synthesis and reactivity have been carried out in order to control the size and functionality of compounds. From such studies, it has been suggested that these molecules may be used as ligands to synthesize potential homogeneous catalysts, firstly, in order to get the benefits of both homo- and heterogeneous catalysis (i.e. high activity and/or selectivity, good reproducibility, accessibility of the metal site, intermediaries detection, etc.); secondly, because, unlike other polymeric species, they can be readily recoverable after reaction. In this paper, following our interest in homogeneous catalysts, we would like to present our findings from studies on the synthesis and characterization of a prime molecule, triazine aminoalcohol, as starting or zero generation dendrimer and its interaction-reaction with palladium nanoparticles as well as our results on the reactivity on Heck type catalysis.     

Mechanistic Insights into Cu-Catalyzed Asymmetric Aldol Reactions: Chemical and Spectroscopic Evidence for a Metalloenolate Intermediate

In situ IR spectroscopy and transmetalation experiments confirm a postulated catalytic cycle. The metalloenolate 1 describes the active intermediate in the aldol reaction catalyzed by [CuF₂{(S)-tol-binap}] (see reaction scheme). (S)-tol-binap=(S)-(−)-2,2′-bis(di-p-tolylphosphanyl)-1,1′-binaphthyl.     

Oxidative Coupling via Organocopper Compounds

The type of reaction described here, which achieved preparative importance before the turn of the century in the form of the Glaser reaction, has found new applications in recent years: Syntheses of 1,3-dienes, 2,3,6,7-tetraaza-1,3,5,7-tetraenes, 2,3-diaza-1,3-dienes, hydrazine derivatives, bis(heteroallyl) compounds, hetarenes, polyhetarenes, cyclopolyarenes, protophanes, phanes, and heteraprotophanes. The reaction, which consists in the metalation of the starting substance followed by oxidative coupling of the metal derivative, merits special preparative interest when several successive coupling processes are possible (e. g. polyyne, polyarene, cyclopolyarene, and protophane syntheses). The main factors limiting its applicability are the high thermal stability of some organic copper compounds and the disproportionation of the ligands that frequently occurs as a competing reaction. Selective asymmetric linkages are not generally possible by this method.     

Shedding Light on the Diverse Reactivity of NacNacAl with N‐Heterocycles

The aluminum(I) compound NacNacAl (NacNac=[ArNC(Me)CHC(Me)NAr]^?, Ar=2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃, 1 ) shows diverse and substrate‐controlled reactivity in reactions with N‐heterocycles. 4‐Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), a basic substrate in which the 4‐position is blocked, induces rearrangement of NacNacAl by shifting a hydrogen atom from the methyl group of the NacNac backbone to the aluminum center. In contrast, C?H activation of the methyl group of 4‐picoline takes place to produce a species with a reactive terminal methylene. Reaction of 1 with 3,5‐lutidine results in the first example of an uncatalyzed, room‐temperature cleavage of an sp² C?H bond (in the 4‐position) by an Al^I species. Another reactivity mode was observed for quinoline, which undergoes 2,2′‐coupling. Finally, the reaction of 1 with phthalazine produces the product of N?N bond cleavage.     

Recent Progress in Application of Graphene Supported Metal Nanoparticles in C−C and C−X Coupling Reactions

The carbon‐carbon and carbon‐heteroatom bonds catalytic formation is among the most significant reactions in organic synthesis which extensively applied for synthesis of natural products, heterocycles, dendrimers, biologically active molecules and useful compounds. This review provides the latest advances in the preparation of graphene supported metal nanoparticles and their application in the catalytic formation of both carbon‐carbon (C−C) and carbon‐heteroatom (C−X) bonds including the Suzuki, Heck, Hiyama, Ullmann, Buchwald and Sonogashira coupling reactions. Numerous examples are given concerning the use of these catalysts in C−C and C−X coupling reactions along with the reliable and simple preparation methods of these catalysts, their characterization and catalytic properties and also the recycling possibilities.     

Enantioselective Nazarov Cyclizations Catalyzed by an Axial Chiral C6F5‐Substituted Boron Lewis Acid

A chiral variant of B(C₆F₅)₃ with a 3,3′‐disubstituted binaphthyl backbone is shown to catalyze Nazarov cyclizations with high levels of enantio‐ and diastereocontrol. The parent B(C₆F₅)₃ also promotes these ring closures efficiently. This electrocyclization is another example of the still small family of C?C bond formations mediated by B(C₆F₅)₃ as the catalyst.     

Directing‐Group‐mediated C−H‐Alkynylations

C?C triple bonds are amongst the most versatile functional groups in synthetic chemistry. Complementary to the Sonogashira coupling the direct metal‐catalyzed alkynylation of C?H bonds has emerged as a highly promising approach in recent years. To guarantee a high regioselectivity suitable directing groups (DGs) are necessary to guide the transition metal (TM) into the right place. In this Focus Review we present the current developments in DG‐mediated C(sp²)?H and C(sp³)?H modifications with terminal alkynes under oxidative conditions and with electrophilic alkynylation reagents. We will discuss further modifications of the alkyne, in particular subsequent cyclizations to carbo‐ and heterocycles and modifications of the DG in the presence of the alkyne.     

Enantioselective Desymmetrization of Cyclobutanones: A Speedway to Molecular Complexity

Cyclobutanones hold a privileged role in enantioselective desymmetrization because their inherent ring strain allows for a variety of unusual reactions to occur. Current strategies include α‐functionalization, rearrangement, and C?C bond activation to directly convert cyclobutanones into a wide range of enantiomerically enriched compounds, including many biologically significant scaffolds. This Minireview provides an overview of state‐of‐the‐art methods that generate complexity from prochiral cyclobutanones in a single operation.