Bi(OTf)3 catalyzed disproportionation reaction of cinnamyl alcohols

Bi(OTf)₃ catalyzed disproportionation reaction of cinnamyl alcohols provides chalcones and benzyl styrenes. The use of various metal triflates is investigated herein for facile and efficient redox transformation. A plausible mechanism has been proposed.     

Conjugate addition of indoles and thiols with electron-deficient olefins catalyzed by Bi(OTf)3

Conjugate addition of indoles and thiols with a variety of electron-deficient olefins mediated by a catalytic amount of Bi(OTf)₃ at ambient temperature to afford the corresponding Michael adducts in good to excellent yields with high selectivity is reported.     

Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed cycloisomerization of aryl-allenes

Intramolecular hydroarylation of allenes was achieved under very mild conditions using bismuth(III) triflate as the catalyst. Efficient functionalization of activated and nonactivated aromatic nuclei led to C-C bond formation through a formal Ar-H activation. A tandem bis-hydroarylation of the allene moiety was also developed giving access to various interesting polycyclic structures.     

Synthesis of chiral 1-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines by the intramolecular 1,3-chirality transfer reaction catalyzed by Bi(OTf)3

The intramolecular 1,3-chirality transfer reaction of chiral amino alcohols 1 with 99% ee was developed to construct chiral 1-substituted tetrahydroisoquinoline 2. Bi(OTf)(3) (10 mol %)-catalyzed cyclization of 1 (R = H) afforded (S)-1-(E)-propenyl tetrahydroisoquinoline 2 (R = H) in 83% yield with a ratio of 98:2. The stereochemistry at the newly formed chiral center was produced by a syn S(N)2'-type process. In this reaction, the substituent on the benzene ring of 1 significantly affected the reactivities and selectivities. A plausible reaction mechanism was proposed.     

Highly powerful and practical acylation of alcohols with acid anhydride catalyzed by Bi(OTf)(3).

Bi(OTf)(3)-catalyzed acylation of alcohols with acid anhydride was evaluated in comparison with other acylation methods. The Bi(OTf)(3)/acid anhydride protocol was so powerful that sterically demanding or tertiary alcohols could be acylated smoothly. Less reactive acylation reagents such as benzoic and pivalic anhydride are also activated by this catalysis. In these cases, a new technology was developed in order to overcome difficulty in separation of the acylated product from the remaining acylating reagent: methanolysis of the unreacted anhydride into easily separable methyl ester realized quite easy separation of the desired acylation product. The Bi(OTf)(3)/acid anhydride protocol was applicable to a wide spectrum of alcohols bearing various functionalities. Acid-labile THP- or TBS-protected alcohol, furfuryl alcohol, and geraniol could be acylated as well as base-labile alcohols. Even acylation of functionalized tertiary alcohols was effected at room temperature.     

Bi(OTf)3 and SiO2-Bi(OTf)3 as effective catalysts for the Ferrier rearrangement

Bi(OTf)3 and SiO2-Bi(OTf)3 are found to effectively catalyze the Ferrier rearrangement of tri-O-acetyl glycals with different alcohols providing an effective route to 2,3-unsaturated O-glycosides with good anomeric selectivity and good to excellent yields after short reaction times.     

A powerful, practical and chemoselective synthesis of 2-anilinoalkanols catalyzed by Bi(TFA)3 or Bi(OTf)3 in the presence of molten TBAB

A facile and efficient synthesis of β-amino alcohols by ring opening of epoxides with anilines in good to excellent yields in the presence of catalytic amounts of Bi(TFA)₃ or Bi(OTf)₃ via the use of molten tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as an ionic liquid is described. In addition, the observed chemoselectivity can be considered as a noteworthy advantage of this method.     

Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed allylation of quinones with allyltrimethylsilane

p-Quinones react smoothly with allyltrimethylsilane in the presence of 2 mol% of Bi(OTf)₃ under mild reaction conditions to afford the corresponding allyl substituted benzene derivatives, p-allylquinols and allyl substituted 1,4-naphthoquinones in excellent yields with high regioselectivity. This method is very useful for the direct introduction of an allyl functionality onto a quinone moiety.     

Intramolecular hydroamination of alkynes catalyzed by Pd(PPh3)4/triphenylphosphine under neutral conditions

The intramolecular hydroamination of alkynes tethered with amino group 1 in the presence of catalytic amounts of Pd(PPh3)4 and PPh3 in benzene at 100 degrees C proceeded smoothly without the use of any additional acid source to afford five- and six-membered nitrogen heterocycles 2 in good to excellent yields. A compulsory addition of carboxylic acid as a cocatalyst was not needed, and the reaction could be carried out under essentially neutral conditions.     

Biomimetic cationic polyannulation reaction catalyzed by Bi(OTf)3: cyclization of 1,6-dienes, 1,6,10-trienes, and aryl polyenes

Nonactivated trienes and aryltrienes were cyclized into polycyclic compounds in good to excellent yields under bismuth triflate catalysis in a biomimetic fashion. The reaction showed broad applicability and allowed for the formation of functionalized bicyclic to tetracyclic structures from simple precursors in one pot. For some specific substrates, the cyclization was followed by a methyl shift as encountered in terpenoid biosynthesis.     

Chemo- and diastereoselective Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed benzylation of silyl nucleophiles

The direct alkylation of silyl enol ethers with para-methoxybenzylic alcohols or their corresponding acetates was efficiently catalyzed by Bi(OTf)₃ in CH₃NO₂ as the solvent. The reaction provided the α-benzylated carbonyl compounds in high yields after short reaction times using 1-2.5 mol % of the catalyst. Benzylic acetates other than para-methoxybenzylic acetates also underwent the reaction. High facial diastereoselectivities were observed with acetates derived from chiral α-branched para-methoxybenzylic alcohols. In addition, a catalytic reduction with Et₃SiH as the reducing agent is reported.     

An efficient Yb(OTf)3 catalyzed alkylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds using alcohols as substrates

A highly efficient and environmentally friendly method for catalytic benzylation/allylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with alcohols has been developed by using Yb(OTf)₃ as a catalyst. The reactions proceed smoothly to give the desired products in moderate to excellent yields, mostly at room temperature. The catalyst can be recovered and reused at least six times without visible loss of catalytic activity for such reactions.     

Electrophilic chemistry of propargylic alcohols in imidazolium ionic liquids: propargylation of arenes and synthesis of propargylic ethers catalyzed by metallic triflates [Bi(OTf)3, Sc(OTf)3, Yb(OTf)3], TfOH, or B(C6F5)3

Metallic triflates M(OTf)(3) (M = Bi, Sc, Yb), immobilized in imidazolium ionic liquids [BMIM][BF(4)], [BMIM][PF(6)] and [BMIM][OTf] are efficient systems for one-pot reactions of propargylic alcohols 1,3-diphenyl-2-propyn-1-ol Ia, 1-methyl-3-phenyl-2-propyn-1-ol Ib, and 2-pentyn-1-ol Ic, with a wide range of arenes bearing activating substituents, under mild conditions. The [BMIM][PF(6)]/B(C(6)F(5))(3) and [BMIM][PF(6)]/TfOH systems were superior in propargylation with Ib and Ic, while reaction of 3-phenyl-2-propyn-1-ol Id with activated aromatics resulted in the formation of diaryl-propanones instead. Propargylation of anisole with Ib under M(OTf)(3) catalysis is highly para selective, but with TfOH or B(C(6)F(5))(3) as catalyst the ortho isomer was also formed. Steric influence of the propargylic moiety on substrate selectivity is reflected in the lack of ortho propargylation for phenol and ethylbenzene by using propargylic alcohol Ia, and notable formation of the ortho isomer employing alcohol Ib. In the later case para selectivity could be increased by running the reaction at r. t. for 10 h. The Bi(OTf)(3)-catalyzed reaction of 1,3-dimethoxybenzene with Ia led to minor formation of dipropargylated derivative, along with the monopropargyl product. Propargylation of the less reactive arenes (mesitylene, ethylbenzene, toluene), using Sc(OTf)(3) as catalyst, led increasingly to the formation of dipropargylic ethers and propargyl ketones, with no ring propargylation product with toluene. Concomitant formation of dipropargylic ether was also observed in Yb(OTf)(3)-catalyzed propargylation of β-naphthol, whereas propargylation of 2-nitro and 4-nitro-aniline led to N-propargylation. The recycling/reuse of the IL was demonstrated in representative cases with no appreciable decrease in the conversions over 3 cycles. It was also shown that recycled IL could be used to propargylate a different aromatic compound. The efficacy of IL/M(OTf)(3) and IL/TfOH systems for cross-breeding two propargylic alcohols or a propargylic alcohol with a non-propargylic alcohol and/or self-coupling, to form a wide variety of functionalized ethers is also demonstrated.     

Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed 5-exo-trig cyclization via halide activation

Lewis acid activation of allyl halides utilizing Bi(OTf)₃ resulted in cationic cyclization of alkenes with high efficiency. While other Lewis acids could catalyze this process with highly substituted alkenes, bismuth salts demonstrated unique reactivity in come cases. This suggested that bismuth triflate possesses interesting halophilic properties.     

An eco-friendly tandem tosylation/Ferrier N-glycosylation of amines catalyzed by Er(OTf)3 in 2-MeTHF

Er(OTf)₃ in 2-MeTHF provides a new and eco-friendly process for Ferrier glycosylation of sulfonamides and amino acids with various N-nucleophiles.The stereoselective synthesis of 2,3-unsaturated-N-pseudoglycals was carried out with 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-d-glucal and different nucleophiles affording good results in a short time.     

Phosphine oxide-Sc(OTf)3catalyzed enantioselective bromoaminocyclization of tri-substituted allyl N-tosylcarbamates

Phosphine oxide-Sc(OTf)3 catalyzed regio-and enantioselective bromoaminocyclization of tri-substituted allyl N-tosylcarbamates is described. Awide variety of optically active tertiary 5-bromo-1,3-oxazinan-2-ones can be obtained with high regio-and enantioselectivity.     

In(OTf)_3 catalyzed allylation reaction of imines with tetraallyltin

In the presence of catalytic amount of In(OTf)3 (10 mol%), a series of aldimines reacted with tetraallyltin in a 2:1 molar ratio to afford the corresponding homoallylic amines in good yields. The good atom efficiency was achieved under mild reaction conditions and a new protocol (allyl)4Sn/In(OTf)3 for simple imines was developed.     

Bi(OTf)3-mediated intramolecular epoxide opening for bicyclic azepane synthesis

While an epoxide on a sugar-derived aziridine studying was opened, an unexpected formation of bicyclic compounds was observed. The structure of these bicycles depended on the nature of the protecting group on the nitrogen atom of the aziridine. These compounds appeared to be weak glycosidase inhibitors.