Rhodium-catalyzed kinetic resolution of tertiary homoallyl alcohols via stereoselective carbon-carbon bond cleavage

A nonenzymatic kinetic resolution of tertiary homoallyl alcohols has been developed through a rhodium-catalyzed retro-allylation reaction under simple conditions. Selectivity factors of up to 12 have been achieved by employing (R)-H8-binap as the ligand, and the reaction can be conducted on a preparative scale.     

Rhodium-catalyzed alkylation of aromatic azines with alkenes via C-H bond activation

The aromatic azines reacted with terminal alkenes under a rhodium catalyst [RhCl(coe)₂]₂ and Cy₃P to give the alkylated products with good to high isolated yields. The azines bearing H and o-CH₃, p-CH₃ and p-CH₃O groups have high reactivities, but m-CH₃O, p-Cl, p-F exhibit low reactivities.     

Rhodium-catalyzed alkylation of terephthaldialdimine with terminal alkenes via C-H bond activation

Terephthaldialdimine 1a reacted with alkenes to give 2,6-dialkylated products selectively in moderate to high isolated yields. In the case of terephthaldialdimine 1b having a substituent at site 2 in the phenyl ring, the alkylation takes place selectively at site 6 in the phenyl ring. In this alkylation, a meta-substituent affected the reactivity significantly because of the steric hindrance.     

One-pot carbon-carbon bond formation at the β-position of cyclic ketones: oxidative Michael addition with alkyl malonates

A carbon-carbon bond was formed at the β-position of cyclic ketones in a one-pot manner by oxidation with N-tert-butylbenzenesulfinimidoyl chloride, followed by the reaction of malonic acid esters or potassium cyanide.     

Rhodium-catalyzed selective olefination of arene esters via C-H bond activation

A new catalytic procedure of ortho-olefination of benzoates and benzaldehydes has been developed. Ester and carboxaldehyde units were revealed to be effective chelating groups in focusing the activation of aryl C-H bonds ortho to the directing moieties under the Rh-catalyzed oxidative conditions. The reaction is highly regioselective with a range of benzoates and benzaldehydes enabling the efficient olefination with acrylates, acrylic acid, and styrenes.     

Rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular amidation of arenes with sulfonyl azides via chelation-assisted C-H bond activation

We report the direct amidation of arene C-H bonds using sulfonyl azides as the amino source to release N(2) as the single byproduct. The reaction is catalyzed by a cationic rhodium complex under external oxidant-free conditions in the atmospheric environment. A broad range of chelate group-containing arenes are selectively amidated with excellent functional group tolerance, thus opening a new avenue to practical intermolecular C-N bond formation.     

Rhodium-catalyzed alkylation of ketones and alcohols with alcohols

An efficient method for direct alkylation of ketones and alcohols through the borrowing hydrogen strategy in the presence of rhodium complexes as catalyst was developed. This transformation is tolerant to various functional substrates and is efficient in C–C coupling of primary and secondary alcohols, which provides an alternative method of the synthesis of functional ketones from simple and commercially available materials.     

Electroreductive acylation of aromatic ketones with acylimidazoles

[Reaction: see text]. The intermolecular reductive coupling of aromatic ketones with acylimidazoles was effected by electroreduction in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane and gave alpha-trimethylsiloxy ketones and esters. The best result was obtained using Bu4NPF6 as a supporting electrolyte and a Pb cathode in THF. The alpha-trimethylsiloxy-containing products were transformed to the corresponding alpha-hydroxy ketones and esters by treatment with TBAF in THF. This method was also effective for the intramolecular reductive coupling of delta- and epsilon-keto acylimidazoles.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed ortho-alkenylation of aromatic ketones with alkenes by C-H bond activation

A ruthenium-catalyzed chelation-assisted C-H bond activation of aromatic ketones and the reaction with olefins to provide Heck-type products in good to excellent yields with a high regio- and stereoselective manner is described.     

Selective palladium-catalyzed C-F activation/carbon-carbon bond formation of polyfluoroaryl oxazolines

A selective palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction of polyfluorophenyl oxazolines through ortho C-F activation is described. It was found that reactions with DPPF as the ligand occurred much faster than those with other ligands. A variety of arylboronic acids including challenging functionalized arylboronic acids such as enolizable ketones, aldehyde, cyano, ester, and trifluoromethyl groups were tolerated with the reaction conditions.     

Iron-catalyzed CC bond activation/CO bond formation: Direct conversion of ketones to esters

The iron-catalyzed oxidative activation of the (O)CC bond in ketones has been developed. This method enables direct synthesis of esters by the reaction between ketones and alcohols via conversion of the (O)CC bond to the (O)CO bond. The reaction runs selectively: the (O)CC_Alkyl bond is activated, while the (O)CC_Aryl bond remains intact (i.e., iron-catalyzed intermolecular anti-Baeyer-Villiger activation of the (O)CC bond). The reaction conditions are carefully optimized and allow the production of esters with yields of up to 95%. The method is based on the inexpensive and commercially available catalyst (FeCl₃), oxidant ((NH₄)₂S₂O₈), and solvent (DCE) without using any ligands or additives.     

Catalytic use of indium(0) for carbon-carbon bond transformations in water: general catalytic allylations of ketones with allylboronates

We have discovered the unprecedented catalytic use of In(0) for catalytic C-C bond transformations. Remarkably, these general catalytic allylations of ketones proceeded smoothly in water as a sole solvent under mild conditions, and water proved to be essential for these reactions. Both the displayed substrate scope and the functional group tolerance were excellent. Importantly, the In metal catalyst could be easily recovered and reused without loss of catalytic activity. Moreover, when an alpha-substituted allylboronate was used, an unusual constitutional selectivity was observed providing exclusively the formal alpha-adduct. Additionally, the resulting tertiary homoallylic alcohols were obtained with exceptionally high diastereoselectivities. The applicability of this concept to asymmetric catalysis in water by using In(0) combined with a chiral bis(oxazoline) ligand was demonstrated as well.     

Dynamic 1H NMR study around the carbon-carbon single bond and partial carbon-carbon double bond in the two particular phosphorus ylides and in an enaminoester

Herein, a series of separate dynamic (1)H NMR effects are reported at different temperatures within a particular enaminoester involving a phenanthridine. These effects are attributed to restricted rotation around the two single bonds such as carbon-carbon (H(a)-C-C-H(b)) and nitrogen-carbon (NCCOOCH(3)). Activation energies (E(a)) for these interconversion processes in their rotational isomers are equal to 20 and 20 ± 1 kJ mol(-1), respectively. In addition, three dynamic (1)H NMR effects are investigated at different temperatures for a particular phosphorus ylide involving a 2-indolinone around the carbon-carbon single bond (H-C-C-PPh(3)) within the two Z- and E-rotational isomers and partial carbon-carbon double bond (OCH(3)-C=C-PPh(3)). Activation energies (E(a)) for these interconversion processes in rotational isomers are equal to 53, 63 and 73 ± 1 kJ mol(-1) , respectively. This behavior was also observed for other phosphorus ylide containing 2-mercaptobenzoxazole around the carbon-carbon single bond and partial carbon-carbon double bond with their relevant activation energies containing 13, 10 and 75 ± 1 kJ mol(-1), respectively.     

Regioselective cycloaddition of 3-azetidinones and 3-oxetanones with alkynes through nickel-catalysed carbon-carbon bond activation

Get in the ring! The first examples of transition-metal-catalysed C-C bond activation of 3-azetidinones and 3-oxetanones are reported. In the presence of a nickel catalyst and alkynes, a regioselective and high-yielding [4+2] cycloaddition occurs, leading to the formation of pyridinones, pyranones and eventually 4,5-disubstituted 3-hydroxypyridines (see scheme).     

Reactions of nitroxides with metalloporphyrin alkyls bearing beta hydrogens: Aliphatic carbon-carbon bond activation by metal centered radicals

Nitroxide-induced beta-hydrogen atom abstraction and beta-elimination of rhodium porphyrin alkyls have been observed. Rhodium(II) porphyrin radical were proposed intermediates to form first and subsequently reacted via aliphatic carbon-carbon bond activation with alkyl substituted nitroxides to yield rhodium porphyrin alkyl complexes.     

Pd-catalyzed double C-H bond activation of diaryl ketones for the synthesis of fluorenones

An efficient synthesis of fluorenones from diaryl ketones by Pd-catalyzed oxidative cyclization is described. A possible mechanism involving a carbonyl group assisted ortho-C-H activation and cyclometalation followed by a second C-H activation to form a six-membered palladacycle and reductive elimination is proposed.     

Carbon-fluorine bond activation coupled with carbon-carbon bond formation at iridium. Confirmation of complete kinetic diastereoselectivity at the new carbon stereocenter by intramolecular trapping using vinyl as the migrating group

The iridium(perfluoropropyl)(vinyl) complex CpIr(PMe(3))(n-C(3)F(7))(CH=CH(2)) (5) has been prepared. It has been characterized by X-ray crystallography, and its ground state conformation in solution has been determined by (19)F{(1)H} HOESY NMR studies. It reacts with the weak acid lutidinium iodide to afford the eta(1)-allylic complex CpIr(PMe(3))((Z)-CH(2)CH=CFC(2)F(5))I (6), which has also been characterized crystallographically. The mechanism of C-F bond activation and C-C bond formation leading to 6 has been elucidated in detail by studying the reaction of 5 with lutidinium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate [LutH(+)B(ArF)(4)(-)], containing a weakly coordinating counteranion. The main kinetic product of this reaction, determined by (19)F{(1)H} HOESY studies at -50 degrees C, is the endo-CpIr(PMe(3))(anti-eta(3)-CH(2)CHCFCF(2)CF(3))[B(ArF)(4)] diastereomer 9, along with a small amount of the exo-syn-isomer 8. Isomer 9 rearranges at -20 degrees C to its exo-anti isomer 7, and subsequently to the thermodynamically favored exo-syn-isomer 8, which has been isolated and crystallographically characterized. Complex 8 reacts with iodide to afford complex6. On the basis of the unambiguously defined kinetically controlled stereochemistry of 9 and 8, a detailed mechanism for the C-F activation/C-C coupling reaction is proposed, the principal conclusion of which is that C-F activation is completely diastereoselective.