Asymmetric Synthesis of α-Amino Phosphonic Acids using Stable Imino Phosphonate as a Universal Precursor

A practical method for synthesizing chiral α-amino phosphonic acid derivatives was developed. Readily available and stable N-o-nitrophenylsulfenyl (Nps) imino phosphonate was utilized as a substrate for a highly enantioselective Friedel–Crafts-type addition of indole or pyrrole nucleophiles catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acid. The resulting adduct was easily converted into N-9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) amino phosphonic acid, which is useful for synthesizing peptides containing an amino phosphonic acid.     

铜催化对亚甲基苯醌/偶氮试剂/水三组分反应合成苯并呋喃-2-酮类化合物

发展了一种高效、简便的潜在生物活性的含氰苯并呋喃-2-酮类化合物的合成新方法。 以廉价碘化亚酮为催化剂,锌粉为添加剂,催化对亚甲基苯醌与1,1-偶氮双(环己烷甲腈)和H₂O三组分反应,经历1,6-共轭加成/芳构化,惰性碳-碳键断裂,以及后续的串联自由基插氰/环化及水解等步骤,“一锅法”快速合成了一系列含氰苯并呋喃酮结构的化合物。 为含氰苯并呋喃酮类化合物的合成提供一条简便而高效的途径,同时也为对亚甲基苯醌类化合物的高值化应用提供一个新的思路。     

Lewis acid-catalyzed cascade radical addition/cyclization for the synthesis of 3-substituted isoindolin-1-one derivatives

Radical addition reactions to 2-formylbenzoate-derived hydrazones in the presence of a Lewis acid were developed. Under the reaction conditions, the resulting products were readily converted into 3-substituted isoindolin-1-one derivatives. Diastereoselective synthesis of 3-substituted isoindolin-1-one derivatives was also established employing L-proline as a chiral auxiliary. The cascade radical addition–cyclization reaction allows direct access to 3-substituted isoindolin-1-one derivatives under tin-free conditions.     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Cascade Reactions of 7‐Vinylindoles: Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Synthesis of C7‐Functionalized Indoles

The first catalytic asymmetric cascade reaction of 7‐vinylindoles has been established by the rational design of such substrates. Cascade reactions with isatin‐derived 3‐indolylmethanols in the presence of a chiral phosphoric acid derivative allow the diastereo‐ and enantioselective synthesis of C7‐functionalized indoles as well as the construction of cyclopenta[b]indole and spirooxindole frameworks (all >95:5 d.r., 94–>99 % ee). This approach not only addresses the great challenge of the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of C7‐functionalized indoles, but also provides an efficient method for constructing biologically important cyclopenta[b]indole and spirooxindole scaffolds with excellent optical purity. Investigation of the reaction pathway and activation mode has suggested that this cascade reaction proceeds through a vinylogous Michael addition/Friedel–Crafts process, in which dual H‐bonding activation of the two reactants plays a crucial role.     

Synthesis of 3,4‐Fused Tricyclic Indoles Using 3‐Alkylidene Indolines as Versatile Precursors

In this personal account, our recent studies of novel synthetic methods of 3,4‐fused tricyclic indole derivatives using 3‐alkylidene indoline derivatives as versatile precursors are discussed. Two types of cascade reactions producing 3,4‐fused tricyclic 3‐alkylidene indolines were developed based on a palladium‐catalyzed intramolecular Heck insertion to an allene‐allylic amination cascade and a platinum‐catalyzed intramolecular Friedel‐Crafts type C?H coupling‐allylic amination cascade. Furthermore, three types of 3,4‐fused tricyclic indoles were accessible from a single 3‐alkylidene indoline precursor via acid‐promoted olefin isomerization or oxidative treatments. The application of the developed methods to the synthesis of natural products bearing a 3,4‐fused tricyclic indole skeleton, (?)‐aurantioclavine, fargesine, and synthetic studies of dragmacidin E are also highlighted.     

Catalytic and highly enantioselective Friedel–Crafts type reactions of heteroaromatic compounds with trifluoropyruvate and glyoxylate by a dicationic palladium complex

The highly enantioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylation of furan and thiophene derivatives with trifluoropyruvate, which have never provided the high level of asymmetric induction and yield until now, was achieved by using dicationic palladium complexes as Lewis acid catalysts. Moreover, glyoxylate instead of trifluoropyruvate as an electrophile led to complete change of regioselectivity with 2-trimethylsilylated furan, thiophene, and pyrrole derivatives to give the corresponding heteroarylated products in high yields and enantioselectivities. The respective products with trifluoropyruvate and glyoxylate could also be obtained via sequential catalytic reaction; intramolecular cyclization of alkynyldiols using cationic Au catalyst followed by Friedel–Crafts type reactions using dicationic Pd catalyst.     

Boron–Nitrogen-Doped Nanographenes: A Synthetic Tale from Borazine Precursors

In this work, a comprehensive account of the authors’ synthetic efforts to prepare borazino-doped hexabenzocoronenes by using the Friedel–Crafts-type electrophilic aromatic substitution is reported. Hexafluoro-functionalized aryl borazines, bearing an ortho fluoride leaving group on each of the N- and B-aryl rings, was shown to lead to cascade-type electrophilic aromatic substitution events in the stepwise C−C bond formation, giving higher yields of borazinocoronenes than those obtained with borazine precursors bearing fluoride leaving groups at the ortho positions of the B-aryl substituents. By using this pathway, an unprecedented boroxadizine-doped PAH featuring a gulf-type periphery could be isolated, and its structure proven by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Mechanistic studies on the stepwise Friedel–Crafts-type cyclization suggest that the mechanism of the planarization reaction proceeds through extension of the π system. To appraise the doping effect of the boroxadizine unit on the optoelectronic properties of topology-equivalent molecular graphenes, the all-carbon and pyrylium PAH analogues, all featuring a gulf-type periphery, were also prepared. As already shown for the borazino-doped hexabenzocoronene, the replacement of the central benzene ring by its B₃N₂O congener widens the HOMO–LUMO gap and dramatically enhances the fluorescence quantum yield.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization of Indolyl Homopropargyl Amides: Stereospecific Construction of Bridged Aza‐[n.2.1] Skeletons

Catalytic cycloisomerization‐initiated cascade cyclizations of terminal alkynes have received tremendous interest, and been widely used in the facile synthesis of a diverse array of valuable complex heterocycles. However, these tandem reactions have been mostly limited to noble‐metal catalysis, and are initiated by an exo‐cyclization pathway. Reported herein is an unprecedented copper‐catalyzed endo‐cyclization‐initiated tandem reaction of indolyl homopropargyl amides, where copper catalyzes both the hydroamination and Friedel–Crafts alkylation process. This method allows the practical and atom‐economical synthesis of valuable bridged aza‐[n.2.1] skeletons (n=3–6) with wide substrate scope, and excellent diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity by a chirality‐transfer strategy. Moreover, the mechanistic rationale for this novel cascade cyclization is also strongly supported by control experiments, and is distinctively different from the related gold catalysis.     

Synthesis of heteroarylated ketones via bismuth(III) triflate-promoted regioselective 1,4- and 1,6-additions of electron-rich heteroarenes to cyclic enones and dienones

The development and optimization of bismuth(III) triflate-promoted regioselective 1,4- and 1,6-additions of electron-rich heteroarenes to cyclic, β,β-disubstituted enones and dienones is described. Additions of a range of heteroarenes, including furan, thiophene, pyrrole, and indole nucleophiles, to cyclic, β,β-disubstituted enones occur to form all-carbon quaternary centers in up to 88% yield. In addition, regioselective 1,6-additions of electron-rich heteroarenes to 3-vinyl-2-cyclohexenone occur to produce a variety of δ-heteroarylated, β,β-disubstituted enones in up to 93% yield. The high 1,6-selectivity for these reactions is attributed to the increased steric bulk at the β-position relative to the δ-position, and no competing 1,4-conjugate addition is observed.     

Scalable Total Syntheses and Structure–Activity Relationships of Haouamines A,B, and Their Derivatives as Stable Formate Salts

Haouamines A, B, and their derivatives were synthesized via Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and three key cyclization reactions as follows: the newly developed palladium(0)-catalyzed arylative cyclization of phenylalanine-derived alkyne–aldehydes with 2-bromoarylboronic acid (an “anti-Wacker”-type cyclization); BF₃ ⋅ OEt₂-promoted Friedel–Crafts-type cyclization of symmetrical electron-rich aromatic rings adjacent to a tertiary allylic alcohol leading to the indeno-tetrahydropyridine skeleton; and (cyanomethyl)trimethylphosphonium iodide-mediated macrocyclization of amino alcohols to afford aza-paracyclophane precursors. The palladium-catalyzed reduction of mono- and di-triflate intermediates in the later stages enabled the alteration of both the position and number of hydroxyl groups on the C-ring. The instability of haouamine B was dramatically improved by salt formation with formic acid. An unambiguous evaluation of the cytotoxicity of the prepared haouamine derivative formates with and without hydroxyl groups at different positions on the C-ring indicated that the catechol structure in haouamine B produced weak cytotoxicity.     

Platinum‐Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts‐Type C−H Coupling–Allylic Amination Cascade to Synthesize 3,4‐Fused Tricyclic Indoles

A novel platinum‐catalyzed cascade cyclization reaction was developed by intramolecular Friedel–Crafts‐type C?H coupling of aniline derivatives with a propargyl carbonate unit‐allylic amination sequence. Treatment of various propargyl carbonates tethered to meta‐aniline derivatives with a Pt(dba)₃/DPEphos catalyst system afforded the corresponding 3,4‐fused tricyclic 3‐alkylidene indolines in 42–99 % yield, which were transformed into 3,4‐fused indole derivatives by reaction with trifluoroacetic acid. The reaction products exhibited antiproliferative activities against cancer cells, but not normal cells, revealing the potential usefulness of this reaction for medicinal chemistry.     

A Cascade Synthesis of Hetero‐arylated Triarylmethanes Through a Double 5‐endo‐dig Cyclization Sequence

A sequential two‐step method for the synthesis of hetero‐arylated triarylmethanes through a Ag‐catalyzed sequential double cyclization–nucleophilic addition cascade is described. This methodology basically involves an initial 5‐endo‐dig cyclization of o‐alkynyl anilines to provide 2‐substituted indole derivatives, which then react with 2‐(2‐enynyl)‐pyridines to afford indolizine‐containing unsymmetrical triarylmethanes through another 5‐endo‐dig cyclization.     

Bioinspired Total Synthesis of Sespenine

The first total synthesis of sespenine, a rare indole sesquiterpenoid from a mangrove endophyte, has been accomplished. A bioinspired aza‐Prins/Friedel–Crafts/retro Friedel–Crafts cascade reaction assembles the bridged tetrahydroquinoline core. Further investigations on the aza‐Prins cyclization imply that the C3 configuration of the hydroxyindolenine intermediate is crucial to the biosynthesis of sespenine and its congener xiamycin A.     

Enantioenriched Methylene-Bridged Benzazocanes Synthesis by Organocatalytic and Superacid Activations

Achieving in a straightforward way the synthesis of enantioenriched elaborated three-dimensional molecules related to bioactive natural products remains a long-standing quest in organic synthesis. Enantioselective organocatalysis potentially offers a unique opportunity to solve this problem, especially when combined with complementary modes of activation. Here, we report the sequential association of organocatalytic and superacid activations of simple linear achiral readily available precursors to promote the formation of unique highly elaborated chiral methylene-bridged benzazocanes exhibiting three to five fully-controlled stereocenters. This peculiar backbone, difficult to assemble by standard synthetic approaches, is closely related to bioactive natural and synthetic morphinans and benzomorphans. The formation of a highly reactive chiral 7-membered ring N-acyl iminium superelectrophilic ion, evidenced by low-temperature in situ NMR experiments, triggers a challenging stereoselective Friedel–Crafts-type cyclization.     

Synthesis and some transformations of new 9-furylnaphtho[2,3-b]furan derivatives

The synthesis of a number of naphtho[2,3-b]furan derivatives, containing a furyl substituent in position 9 by intramolecular cyclization of 2-carboxy and 2-formylbis(5-alkylfur-2-yl)methanes is described. The reactivity of the title compounds in formylation, acetylation, nitration, and oxidation reactions has been investigated. It was shown that nitration of 2-methyl-9-(5-methyl-2-furyl)naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4-yl acetate leads to oxidative furan ring opening rather than to electrophilic substitution.     

Total synthesis of (+/-)-herbindole A, (+/-)-herbindole B, and (+/-)-cis-trikentrin A

Herein we describe a divergent total synthesis of the title compounds utilizing Diels-Alder reactions of monoimine quinoids, followed by cyclization of the aromatized adducts to generate the tricyclic skeletons. Elaboration to iodinated or triflated indole derivatives allows for installation of the requisite alkyl substitution via cross-coupling reactions.     

Indole synthesis by radical cyclization of o-alkenylphenyl isocyanides and its application to the total synthesis of natural products

Development of indole synthesis by tin-mediated radical cyclization of o-alkenylphenyl isocyanide is described. Upon heating o-alkenylphenyl isocyanide in the presence of tri-n-butyltin hydride and AIBN, 2-stannyl-3-substituted indole was formed via 5-exo-trig cyclization of the imidoyl radical intermediate. After acidic workup, 3-substituted indoles were isolated. For substrates bearing simple alkyl groups, a substantial amount of tetrahydroquinoline derivatives were generated through 6-endo-trig cyclization. This undesired cyclization was suppressed by using an excess amount (five equivalents based on o-alkenylphenyl isocyanide) of ethanethiol instead of tri-n-butyltin hydride. The 2-stannylindole intermediates proved to be a suitable substrate for Stille coupling, giving 2,3-disubstituted indoles in a one-pot procedure. In addition, the 2-stannylindole intermediates could be converted to 2-iodoindoles by treatment with iodine or N-iodosuccinimide. The 2-iodoindoles thus obtained served as good substrates for Heck reactions, Stille couplings, Suzuki couplings, and palladium-mediated carbonylations, to afford a variety of 2,3-disubstituted indoles. The utility of this protocol was demonstrated by application to synthetic studies on gelsemine and discorhabdin A, and the total synthesis of an aspidosperma alkaloid, (-)-vindoline.     

Copper-catalyzed synthesis of benzimidazoles via cascade reactions of o-haloacetanilide derivatives with amidine hydrochlorides

We have developed an efficient method for the synthesis of benzimidazoles via cascade reactions of o-haloacetoanilide derivatives with amidine hydrochlorides. The protocol uses 10 mol % CuBr as the catalyst, Cs2CO3 as the base, and DMSO as the solvent, and no ligand is required. The procedure proceeds via the sequential coupling of o-haloacetoanilide derivatives with amidines, hydrolysis of the intermediates (amides), and intramolecular cyclization with the loss of NH3 to give 2-substituted 1H-benzimidazoles.     

Copper catalysis in the construction of indole and benzo[b]furan rings

This perspective reports on some of the main copper-catalyzed routes to the construction of the pyrrole and furan rings incorporated into the indole and benzo[b]furan systems, respectively. The first part illustrates the synthesis of indoles through cyclizations of 2-alkynylanilid(n)es, preformed or generated in situ, and cyclizations via intramolecular N-arylation, N-vinylation, and C-C bond forming reactions. The second part illustrates the synthesis of benzo[b]furans through cyclizations of preformed 2-alkynylphenols, domino synthesis of 2-alkynylphenols/cyclization processes, and cyclizations via intramolecular O-arylation reactions.     

Synthesis of 3-methyl- and 3,4-dimethylfurans using alkoxide,thiolate, and phenoxide-mediated cyclization of 4-oxahepta-1,6-diynes bearing sulfur and selenium functional groups

We have reported sodium alkoxide- or aryloxide-mediated cyclization of 4-oxahepta-1,6-diynes bearing the phenylsulfanyl group 1a–d. The reactions with diverse sodium alkoxides and aryloxide produced 4-alkoxymethyl- and 4-aryloxymethylfurans 2aa–2db in good to high yields. Although reactions with sodium benzenethiolate yielded 3,4-bis(phenylsulfanylmethyl)furans 5a–g, they readily desulfanylated in the presence of tributyltin hydride/AIBN to give the 3-methyl- and 3,4-dimethylfuran derivatives 6a–g. This method’s utility was demonstrated by the synthesis of tetrahydronaphthalenyl furan derivatives bearing alkoxy- and aryloxymethyl substituents.