Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboron reagents to α,β-unsaturated esters

Reaction of arylboron reagents, arylboronic acids or arylborates, which are readily accessible by lithiation of aryl bromides followed by treatment with trimethoxyborane, with α,β-unsaturated esters in the presence of rhodium/(S)-binap catalyst proceeded with high enantioselectivity to give high yields of optically active β-aryl esters of up to 98% ee. The enantioselectivity depends on the steric bulkiness of the ester moiety.     

Rhodium-catalyzed conjugate addition of arylindium reagents to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

A novel rhodium-catalyzed conjugate addition of indium reagents to electron deficient olefins is reported. The reaction takes place in THF/MeOH at 110 °C using arylindium dichlorides, a rhodium(I)-binap complex as catalyst, and α,β-unsaturated ketones and lactones in good yields (45–94%). The addition of MeOH is crucial for an efficient transformation and NMR studies seem to indicate that promotes the catalytic cycle leaving the indium organometallic unaltered. The use of chiral non-racemic ligands allows performing the reaction with moderate enantioselectivities.     

Palladium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of diarylphosphines to α,β-unsaturated N-acylpyrroles

Highly stereoselective asymmetric 1,4-addition of diarylphosphines to α,β-unsaturated N-acylpyrroles catalyzed by a PCP pincer-Pd complex has been developed for the synthesis of chiral phosphines with excellent stereoselectivity (91-99% ee) under mild conditions. The products obtained can be further converted into chiral phosphine-oxazoline ligands.     

Palladium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of diarylphosphines to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

A highly stereoselective asymmetric 1,4-addition of diarylphosphines to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes catalyzed by a bis(phosphine) pincer-Pd complex has been developed for the synthesis of chiral phosphines with excellent stereoselectivity (up to 98% ee) under mild conditions. The application of the current method to the synthesis of enantiopure bisphosphine and its pincer-Pd complex has also been demonstrated.     

Copper(I) catalyzed asymmetric 1,2-addition of Grignard reagents to α-methyl substituted α,β-unsaturated ketones

The first catalytic enantioselective 1,2-addition of Grignard reagents to ketones is presented. This additive-free copper(I) catalyzed 1,2-addition provides chiral allylic tertiary alcohols with an er of up to 98:2 and excellent yields due to the complete shift of overwhelming 1,4-selectivity of copper(I)-catalysts towards 1,2-selectivity in the addition reaction to enones.     

1,4-Addition of tetraethyl fluoromethylenebisphosphonate to α,β-unsaturated compounds

Tetraethyl fluoromethylenebisphosphonate in the presence of cesium carbonate in DMF undergoes efficient 1,4-addition to Michael acceptors having terminal double bond such as α,β-unsaturated ketones, esters, sulfones, sulfoxides, and phosphonates to yield the corresponding adducts (α-alkyl-α-fluoromethylenebisphosphonates) in good to excellent yields.     

Enantioselective 1,4-addition of aryllithium reagents to α,β-unsaturated tert-butyl esters in the presence of chiral additives

Reaction of t-BuLi with a mixture of aryl bromide and chiral diamine, amino ether or diether, in toluene at −78°C provided chiral aryllithium complexes efficiently. Reaction of these aryllithium complexes with α,β-unsaturated tert-butyl esters afforded the 1,4-addition products in up to 88% ee.     

NHC–copper-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of diarylphosphines to α,β-unsaturated ketones

N-Heterocyclic carbene–copper-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of diarylphosphines to α,β-unsaturated ketones was developed for the synthesis of chiral phosphorus derivatives in high yields with moderate enantioselectivity under mild conditions.     

Dichotomy within 1,4-addition of organolithium and Grignard reagents to α,β-unsaturated Fischer alkoxycarbenes: A new synthesis of Fischer carbenes

The reaction of organolithium and Grignard reagents with pentacarbonyl[(ethoxy)(2-phenylethenyl)carbene]chromium(0) gave, after the quenching of the initially formed product of the 1,4-addition, different products depending on the organometallic and quenching reagents used. The addition of organolithiums, followed by a work-up with acid (AcOH or HCl), afforded the corresponding carbene complexes. In contrast, quenching the reaction mixture with ethanol led to the stereoselective formation of (Z)-enol ethers. The usage of Grignard reagents led to the formation of the carbene complexes regardless of which quenching reagent was used.     

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of sodium tetraarylborates to β,β-disubstituted α,β-unsaturated esters

A rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of sodium tetraarylborates to β,β-disubstituted α,β-unsaturated esters has been developed. Highly efficient asymmetric catalysis has also been described to create quaternary carbon stereocenters at the β-position of esters by tuning the ester group of substrates and employing a readily available chiral diene ligand.     

Phosphorous acid promoted isomerization of propargyl alcohols to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

A metal-free and two-phase protocol for the Meyer-Schuster isomerization of propargyl alcohols to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds has been achieved in the presence of stoichiometric phosphorous acid aqueous solution, which produces the desired products in high yields with excellent stereoselectivity. Compared with the traditional methods, the procedure features broad scope of the substrates, mild conditions, and easy separation, providing an appealing alternative to the Meyer-Schuster reaction.     

Visible-light-mediated addition of α-aminoalkyl radicals generated from α-silylamines to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

Visible-light-mediated addition of α-aminoalkyl radicals generated from α-silylamines to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds using a photoredox catalyst is developed. We also succeeded in the isolation of a silyl enol ether as a primary product of the photochemical reaction.     

A simple borohydride-based method for selective 1,4-conjugate reduction of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

Sodium borohydride is used in combination with a heterogeneous palladium catalyst and acetic acid to selectively reduce the carbon-carbon double bonds of various α,β-unsaturated ketones and related compounds. This simple method is most selective when non-polar solvents such as toluene are used. We observed nearly complete conversion and high selectivities using moderate catalyst loadings. The reactions were typically complete in less than 2 h.     

Copper-catalyzed β-boration of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with tetrahydroxydiborane

The copper-catalyzed β-boration of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with tetrahydroxydiborane has been developed. This diboron reagent allows direct, efficient access to boronic acids and their derivatives. Primary, secondary, and tertiary α,β-unsaturated amides are converted to the corresponding β-trifluoroboratoamides in good to excellent yields. The β-boration of a variety of α,β-unsaturated esters and ketones is also reported.     

Regio- and diastereoselective conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to aryl substituted α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds derived from Oppolzer's sultam

Asymmetric conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to aryl substituted α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (1) has been achieved with great regioselectivity (>20:1) and good to excellent diastereoselectivity (de up to 98%). The nucleophilicity and stereospecific blockade of the Grignard reagents play a key role in controlling the regioselectivities and diastereoselectivities of the conjugate addition reaction.     

Copper-mediated synthesis of α-trifluoromethylthio- and seleno-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

A novel route to the synthesis of α-trifluoromethylthio- and seleno-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds via a copper-mediated trifluoromethylthiolation/trifluoromethylselenolation of α-halo-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl substrates is reported.     

Palladium-catalyzed desulfitative addition of sodium sulfinates with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

A palladium-catalyzed desulfitative conjugate addition of sodium sulfinates with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds is described. The reaction showed very good selectivity and tolerated a wide range of functionalities under an atmosphere of argon.     

From 2011 to 2022: The development of pyrazole derivatives through the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

The synthesis of pyrazole derivative using α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds has attracted increasing attention of the synthetic organic chemist community. Interestingly, the simplicity of the synthetic method, high reactivity, and ease of incorporating diversity into the desired prototype have contributed a lot toward the exploration of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds by various research groups. Due to the tremendous pharmacological significance of pyrazole derivatives, their synthesis has been one of the leading research frontiers in recent years. As prime examples, sildenafil, zometapin, Celebrex, and rimonabant have been successfully commercialized in the market to treat various life-challenging diseases. Considering the great profile of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound in the synthesis of biologically active pyrazole derivatives, this review incorporates contemporary literature (2011–2022) on the synthesis of pyrazole and its derivatives using α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound as a starting precursor.     

Iodine-catalyzed 1,4-addition of 2-(trimethylsilyloxy)furan to α,β-unsaturated ketones: a facile synthesis of γ-butenolides

The α,β-unsaturated compounds undergo smooth conjugate addition with 2-(trimethylsilyloxy)furan (TMSF) in the presence of 10 mol % of iodine under mild and neutral conditions to afford the corresponding γ-substituted butenolides in high yields and with good diastereoselectivity. The use of iodine makes this procedure simple, convenient and cost effective.