Studies on the Cu(I)-catalyzed regioselective anti-carbometallation of secondary terminal propargylic alcohols

A highly regioselective Cu(I)-catalyzed anti-carbometallation of secondary terminal propargylic alcohols with 1 degrees alkyl or aryl Grignard reagents affording 2-substituted allylic alcohols was developed. By using this method, optically active allylic alcohols can be prepared from the optically active propargylic alcohols without obvious loss of the enantiopurity. The cyclic organometallic intermediate formed may undergo an iodination or a Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling reaction to afford stereo-defined allylic alcohols.     

Photooxygenation of 5-dialkylamino-4-pyrrolin-3-ones. Synthesis of highly functionalized ureas, 2-oxazolidinones, and 2-oxazolinones

5-Dialkylamino-4-pyrrolin-3-ones, available from cyclocondensation of amidines with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD), undergo rapid singlet oxygenation to give highly functionalized ureas by way of a 1,2-dioxetane cleavage of the initially formed [2 + 2] cycloadducts. These latter compounds undergo cyclization to 2-oxazolidinones in MeOH. Catalytic hydrogenation of the ureas in EtOAc gives 2-oxazolinones. The DBU-DMAD adduct undergoes photooxygenation by an entirely different pathway to give a large ring heterocycle.     

Chemo- and regioselective assembly of polysubstituted pyridines and isoquinolines from isocyanides, arynes, and terminal alkynes

We have disclosed a general and efficient synthetic strategy for polysubstituted pyridines and isoquinolines with high chemo- and regioselectivity. In this methodology, 1-alkynyl imines act as the key compound to undergo a sequential alkynyl imine-allenyl imine isomerization/aza-Diels-Alder reaction/aromatization. In the first place, 1-alkynyl imines were formed in situ by a highly selective multicomponent reaction of isocyanides, arynes, and terminal alkynes and reacted with another molecule of arynes or terminal alkynes to furnish target heterocyclic products in a highly efficient and atom-economic manner. On the other hand, we attempted to prepare 1-alkynyl imines by other approaches to undergo a similar reaction sequence to afford polysubstituted pyridines and isoquinolines with a wider range. Different from the first approach, the second approach utilized the preprepared 1-alkynyl imines to introduce the related different substitutents into the final products: arynes or terminal alkynes bearing substituents different from those of 1-alkynyl imines have been successfully applied for the synthesis a wide variety of pyridines and isoquinolines with diversity.     

Regioselectivity of enzymatic and photochemical single electron transfer promoted carbon-carbon bond fragmentation reactions of tetrameric lignin model compounds

New types of tetrameric lignin model compounds, which contain the common β-O-4 and β-1 structural subunits found in natural lignins, have been prepared and carbon-carbon bond fragmentation reactions of their cation radicals, formed by photochemical (9,10-dicyanoanthracene) and enzymatic (lignin peroxidase) SET-promoted methods, have been explored. The results show that cation radical intermediates generated from the tetrameric model compounds undergo highly regioselective C-C bond cleavage in their β-1 subunits. The outcomes of these processes suggest that, independent of positive charge and odd-electron distributions, cation radicals of lignins formed by SET to excited states of sensitizers or heme-iron centers in enzymes degrade selectively through bond cleavage reactions in β-1 vs β-O-4 moieties. In addition, the findings made in the enzymatic studies demonstrate that the sterically large tetrameric lignin model compounds undergo lignin peroxidase-catalyzed cleavage via a mechanism involving preliminary formation of an enzyme-substrate complex.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 3-hydroxy-pyrrolidines via tin-lithium exchange and cyclization

We report a method for the synthesis of chiral pyrrolidines using tin-lithium exchange and cyclization reactions. The precursors are formed readily from simple starting materials and undergo tin-lithium exchange by treatment with n-butyllithium. Subsequent intramolecular carbolithiation is stereoselective to give highly enantiomerically enriched pyrrolidines in excellent yields.     

Stereo- and regiocontrol in ene-dimerisation and trimerisation of 1-trimethylsilyl-3-phenylcyclopropene

1-Trimethylsilyl-3-phenylcyclopropene and its 2D-analog undergo a highly stereocontrolled ene-reaction to give a single dimer. Further reaction leads to one or more trimers derived through two ene-reactions. The dimer formed easily undergoes cycloaddition with active dienes and nitrile oxides while the trimers do not react under the same conditions. The first enantioselective example of an ene-reaction of cyclopropene derivatives using optically active 1-trimethylsilyl-3S-phenylcyclopropene is also discussed.     

Enantioselective palladium-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloadditions of trimethylenemethane with nitroalkenes

Nitroalkenes readily undergo palladium-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition with trimethylenemethane to generate nitrocyclopentanes in excellent yield and enantioselectivity. Furthermore, the products thus formed are highly versatile synthetic intermediates and provide convenient access to both cyclopentylamines and cyclopentenones.     

Negative ion mass spectrometry of highly fluorinated compounds. 1. perhalogeno-pyridine derivatives

Perhalogenated pyridine derivatives give negative molecular ions which undergo various fragmentation processes upon negative ion chemical ionisation. The similarities between highly fluorinated negative molecular and fragment ions that are preferentially formed in the gas and solution phases are outlined. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lactone Radical Cyclizations and Cyclization Cascades Mediated by SmI(2)-H(2)O

Unsaturated lactones undergo reductive radical cyclizations upon treatment with SmI(2)-H(2)O to give decorated cycloheptanes in a single highly selective operation during which up to three contiguous stereocenters are generated. Furthermore, cascade processes involving lactones bearing two alkenes, an alkene and an alkyne, or an allene and an alkene allow "one-pot" access to biologically significant molecular scaffolds with the construction of up to four contiguous stereocenters. The cyclizations proceed by the trapping of radical anions formed by electron transfer reduction of the lactone carbonyl.     

Gold-catalyzed cascade cyclizations of 1,6-diynyl carbonates to benzo[b]fluorenes involving arylation of oxocarbenium ion intermediates and decarboxylative etherification

Rearranged: The described gold-catalyzed cycloisomerizations give access to highly substituted benzo[b]fluorenes under mild reaction conditions (see scheme). Experimental results indicate that the in?situ formed oxocarbenium ion intermediates, derived from gold-catalyzed 3,3-rearrangement and 6-endo-dig cyclization, undergo intramolecular arylation and subsequent decarboxylative etherification to furnish the final ether products.     

Sulfoxide-controlled S(N)2' displacements between cyanocuprates and epoxy vinyl sulfoxides

Two short and convergent routes have been devised for the preparation of enantiomerically pure acyclic epoxy vinyl sulfoxides. These substrates undergo highly regio- and stereoselective S(N)2' displacements with lithium cyanocuprates to give alpha'-alkylated, gamma-oxygenated Z alpha,beta-unsaturated sulfoxides in moderate to good yields and with good to excellent diastereoselectivities. The absolute configuration of the newly formed carbon-carbon bond is primarily controlled by the chiral sulfur atom, which in a nonreinforcing situation can override the intrinsic anti tendency of the vinyl oxirane moiety and forces the cuprate to undergo syn addition. The hydroxy vinyl sulfoxide functionality of the resulting adducts should allow for subsequent asymmetric transformations thus enhancing the synthetic usefulness of this methodology.     

trans-RhCl(CO)(PPh3)2-catalyzed monomeric and dimeric cycloisomerization of propargylic 2,3-dienoates. Establishment of alpha,beta-unsaturated delta-lactone rings by cyclometallation

Cyclometallation of two unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds usually requires the application of low-valent metal catalysts, which could cleave the propargylic ester linkage. Thus, it is desirable to identify a catalyst which could undergo cyclometallation without cleaving the propargylic ester linkage. In this paper, we used trans-RhCl(CO)(PPh(3))(2) to realize the cyclometallation of propargylic 2,3-dienoates. The substituents at the 4-position of allenoate moiety nicely control the reaction pathway: when the 4-position of propargylic 2,3-dienoate 1 was monosubstituted with an aryl group, the bicyclic intermediate 7 formed by the cyclometallation could highly selectively undergo carbometalation with the alkyne moiety in the second molecule of propargylic 2,3-dienoate 1 to afford metallabicyclic intermediates 8a or 8b. Subsequent reductive elimination would afford 9, which could undergo an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction resulting in the formation of polycyclic bis(delta-lactone)-containing structures 2. The intermediate could be trapped by adding 3-methoxyprop-1-yne affording cyclization-aromatization product 4p highly selectively. If the substituent at the 4-positon of the 2,3-allenoate moiety has a beta-H atom, sequential unimolecular cyclometallation/beta-H elimination/reductive elimination occurs to afford cross-conjugated 5(Z)-alkylidene-4-alkenyl-5,6-dihydropyran-2-ones. The Z-stereochemistry of the exo double bond was determined by the cyclometallation. Some of the alpha,beta-unsaturated delta-lactones could be easily converted to other synthetically useful compounds via reduction reaction, hydrogenation, and iodination/coupling protocol.     

Substrate-controlled and site-selective [3+2] cycloadditions of N-heterocyclic carbene derived ambident dipoles

2-aryl thiocarbamoyl benzimidazolium and imidazolinium inner salts derived from benzimidazole and imidazoline carbenes are unique ambident C-C-S and C-C-N 1,3-dipolar systems, which undergo highly efficient and site-selective cycloaddition reactions with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate or dibenzoylacetylene to furnish spiro(imidazole-2,3'-thiophene) derivatives in excellent yields. When treated with ethyl propiolate, methyl acrylate or acrylonitrile, spiro(imidazole-2,3'-pyrrole) derivatives were formed in good yields. Theoretical studies revealed an asynchronous concerted mechanism for both the C-C-S and C-C-N 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions. The site selectivity in the [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of ambident 1,3-dipoles was predictably regulated by both the electronic and steric effects of dipolarophiles.     

Stereocontrolled alkylative construction of quaternary carbon centers

Protocols for the stereodefined formation of alpha,alpha-disubstituted enolates of pseudoephedrine amides are presented followed by the implementation of these in diastereoselective alkylation reactions. Direct alkylation of alpha,alpha-disubstituted pseudoephedrine amide substrates is demonstrated to be both efficient and diastereoselective across a range of substrates, as exemplified by alkylation of the diastereomeric pseudoephedrine alpha-methylbutyramides, where both substrates are found to undergo stereospecific replacement of the alpha-C-H bond with alpha-C-alkyl, with retention of stereochemistry. This is shown to arise by sequential stereospecific enolization and alkylation reactions, with the alkyl halide attacking a common pi-face of the E- and Z-enolates, proposed to be opposite the pseudoephedrine alkoxide side chain. Pseudoephedrine alpha-phenylbutyramides are found to undergo highly stereoselective but not stereospecific alpha-alkylation reactions, which evidence suggests is due to facile enolate isomerization. Also, we show that alpha,alpha-disubstituted pseudoephedrine amide enolates can be generated in a highly stereocontrolled fashion by conjugate addition of an alkyllithium reagent to the s-cis-conformer of an alpha-alkyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated pseudoephedrine amide, providing alpha,alpha-disubstituted enolate substrates that undergo alkylation in the same sense as those formed by direct deprotonation. Methods are presented to transform the alpha-quaternary pseudoephedrine amide products into optically active carboxylic acids, ketones, primary alcohols, and aldehydes.     

Pd-catalyzed carbonylation of diazo compounds at atmospheric pressure: a catalytic approach to ketenes

The carbonylation of carbenes through catalytic cycles is highly desirable due to the importance of ketene-mediated reactions in organic synthesis. In this investigation, a highly efficient and mild catalytic approach toward ketene intermediates has been developed based on Pd-catalyzed carbonylation of diazo compounds with CO. When α-diazocarbonyl compounds or N-tosylhydrazone salts are heated in the presence of a palladium catalyst under atmospheric pressure of CO, ketene intermediates are formed in situ, where they undergo further reactions with various nucleophiles such as alcohols, amines, or imines. The Pd-catalyzed tandem carbonylation-Staudinger cycloaddition gives β-lactam derivatives in good yields with excellent trans diastereoselectivity. The results from DFT calculation on the reaction mechanism suggest that Pd is involved in the [2 + 2] cycloaddition process and affects the diastereoselectivity of the β-lactam products by assisting isomerization of the addition intermediate. On the other hand, the acylketenes generated from the Pd-catalyzed carbonylation of α-diazoketones react with imines in a formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition manner to afford 1,3-dioxin-4-one derivatives. This straightforward carbonylation provides a new approach toward highly efficient catalytic generation of ketene species under mild conditions.     

Efficient approach to 3,3-bissilyl carbonyl and enol derivatives via retro-[1,4] brook rearrangement of 3-silyl allyloxysilanes

A facile and highly stereoselective retro-[1,4] Brook rearrangement of 3-silyl allyloxysilanes has been discovered. While basic hydrolysis of the formed (Z)-3,3-bissilyl lithium enolates provides 3,3-bissilyl carbonyl compounds efficiently, trapping the species with various electrophiles including alkyl halides leads to the exclusive O-substituted (Z)-3,3-bissilyl enol derivatives that can undergo a Sakurai reaction with aldehyde to produce the synthetically useful 1,2-diol diastereoselectively.     

Synthesis of novel quinaldine-based squaraine dyes: effect of substituents and role of electronic factors

[reaction: see text] Condensation of squaric acid with quinaldinium salts containing electron-donating substituents gave only the semisquaraines. However, with salts possessing electronegative and electron-withdrawing groups, the squaraine dyes were isolated in quantitative yields. The semisquaraines formed undergo condensation with highly nucleophilic salts yielding the unsymmetrical squaraine dyes. These results demonstrate the role of electronic factors and provide valuable information for the design of efficient squaraine-based sensitizers that can have potential applications in photodynamic therapy.     

A benzannulation strategy for the synthesis of phenols and heteroaromatic compounds based on the reaction of (trialkylsilyl)vinylketenes with lithium ynolates

(Trialkylsilyl)vinylketenes react with lithium ynolates to generate 3-(oxido)dienylketenes, which undergo rapid 6π-electrocyclization. The ultimate products of this benzannulation are highly substituted resorcinol monosilyl ethers, which are formed via a [1,3] carbon to oxygen silyl group shift. Further transformations of the benzannulation products are described providing efficient access to ortho-benzoquinones and benzofuran, benzoxepine, and benzoxocine ring systems.     

Pd-catalyzed sulfinylzincation of activated alkynes with 1-alkynyl sulfoxides as a sulfinyl source

Unprecedented Pd-catalyzed sulfinylzincation with 1-alkynyl sulfoxide as a sulfinyl source was developed. Bis-sulfinyl alkenes were formed in good yields on treatment of 1-alkynyl sulfoxides with Et(2)Zn in the presence of a Pd-catalyst, wherein zinc sulfenate (or sulfinylzinc) species would be generated in situ to undergo highly syn-selective conjugate addition to the 1-alkynyl sulfoxides. By using 3,3-dimethyl-1-butynyl sulfoxides, formation of the bis-sulfinyl alkenes was completely suppressed and the sulfinylzincation of activated alkynes was accomplished. The reaction tolerates various functionalities, and was promoted considerably by the neighboring group participation of the heteroatom at the delta-position in the alkynoates. Stereodivergent synthesis of two diastereomeric vinylic sulfoxides and reaction of the resulting vinylzinc species with electrophiles were also described.     

Protonation‐Assisted Conjugate Addition of Axially Chiral Enolates: Asymmetric Synthesis of Multisubstituted β‐Lactams from α‐Amino Acids

β‐Lactams with contiguous tetra‐ and trisubstituted carbon centers were prepared in a highly enantioselective manner through 4‐exo‐trig cyclization of axially chiral enolates generated from readily available α‐amino acids. Use of a weak base (metal carbonate) in a protic solvent (EtOH) is the key to the smooth production of β‐lactams. Use of the weak base is expected to generate the axially chiral enolates in a very low concentration, which undergo intramolecular conjugate addition without suffering intermolecular side reactions. Highly strained β‐lactam enolates thus formed through reversible intramolecular conjugate addition (4‐exo‐trig cyclization) of axially chiral enolates undergo prompt protonation by EtOH in the reaction media (not during the work‐up procedure) to give β‐lactams in up to 97 % ee.