Reactions of 3‐methylamino‐5‐phenylthiophene with α,β‐unsaturated esters and α,β‐unsaturated nitriles

Treatment of 3‐methylamino‐5‐phenylthiophene with α,β‐unsaturated esters, i.e., methyl acrylate, (E)‐methyl crotonate, diethyl fumarate, diethyl maleate and ethyl propiolate, in tetrahydrofuran for several days at reflux gave 1‐methyl‐3,4‐dihydrothieno[2,3‐e]pyridin‐2‐ones 4 and/or 1‐methylthieno[2,3‐e]pyridin‐2‐ones 5 , depending on the structure of the esters. On the other hand, the same reactions with α,β‐unsaturated nitriles such as acrylonitrile and tetracyanoethene, gave the corresponding thiophenes 7 and 10 bearing 2‐cyanoethyl and 1,2,2‐tricyanoethenyl groups at C‐2, respectively. The reaction with (Z)‐1,2‐dicyanoethene under the same conditions produced the corresponding thiophene 9 bearing the 1,2‐dicyanoethenyl group and 1,2‐dicyano‐5‐methylaminobiphenyl.     

Consecutive Reaction of Bis [2,2,2－trifluoroethyl] phosphite. One－pot Synthesis of Substituted 3－Cyano－β, γ－unsaturated Nitriles with Exclusive or Predominant E－Selectivity

The consecutive reaction of bis [ 2, 2, 2-trifluoroethyl] phosphite and its application to the one-pot synthesis of 3-cyano-β, γ-unsaturated nitriles with exdusive or predominant E-selectivity (E: Z = 100-85: 0-15) and excellent yields (94%-99%) are described.     

Syntheses of 2‐alkylthio‐1,3‐thiazine derivatives from S‐alkyldithiocarbamates and α,β‐unsaturated ketones

Various 2‐alkylthio‐1,3‐thiazine derivatives were synthesized by the reactions of S‐alkylthiocarbamates with α,β‐unsaturated ketones in the presence of BF₃ · Et₂O. The thiazine was converted into two isomeric dehydrated products in the presence of a Lewis acid. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 13:377–379, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10055     

Asymmetric Hydrogenation of α,β‐Unsaturated Nitriles with Base‐Activated Iridium N,P Ligand Complexes

Although many chiral catalysts are known that allow highly enantioselective hydrogenation of a wide range of olefins, no suitable catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of α,β‐unsaturated nitriles have been reported so far. We have found that Ir N,P ligand complexes, which under normal conditions do not show any reactivity towards α,β‐unsaturated nitriles, become highly active catalysts upon addition of N,N‐diisopropylethylamine. The base‐activated catalysts enable conjugate reduction of α,β‐unsaturated nitriles with H₂ at low catalyst loadings, affording the corresponding saturated nitriles with high conversion and excellent enantioselectivity. In contrast, alkenes lacking a conjugated cyano group do not react under these conditions, making it possible to selectively reduce the conjugated C?C bond of an α,β‐unsaturated nitrile, while leaving other types of C?C bonds in the molecule intact.     

Δ2‐Isoxazolines from β,γ‐unsaturated oximes

3,5‐Disubstituted Δ²‐isoxazolines can be prepared using the palladium‐mediated nucleometalation / methoxycarbonylation of β,γ‐unsaturated oximes. This novel route to this class of compounds is tolerant of a wide variety of functionality in the starting material, and provides a rapid route to highly functionalized isoxazolines.     

Reaction of α,β‐unsaturated ketones with cerium(IV) salts in alcohol

Reaction of α,β‐unsaturated ketones with cerium(IV) salts or lanthanide triflates in alcohols gave good yields of the corresponding β‐alkoxy compounds. In the case of 2‐cyclopentenone and 2‐cyclohexenone, the 1,1,3‐trialkoxy acetal derivatives were obtained preferentially accompanied by β‐alkoxyketone, except 2‐cycloheptenone. However, in the reaction of 2‐cycloheptenone with alcohol using cerium(IV) sulfate (CS)‐molecular sieve, 1,1,3‐trialkoxy derivatives were obtained. Also, in the cases of 1‐penten‐3‐one, 4‐hexen‐3‐one and 3‐hepten‐2‐one, 1,1,3‐trialkoxy derivatives were obtained preferentially. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of Ph3P=N‐Li: Synthesis of α,β‐unsaturated nitriles from α,β‐unsaturated esters via the formation of N‐(α,β‐unsaturated acyl) phosphinimines

The reaction of Ph₃P=NLi with various α,β‐unsaturated esters gives access to new N‐(α,β‐unsaturated acyl) phosphinimines, which can undergo intramolecular aza‐Wittig reactions (at 65–110°C) to afford the corresponding nitriles. The structures of all new compounds were established by elementary analyses, IR, ¹H‐, ¹³C‐, and ³¹P‐NMR spectroscopy. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 49–54, 1999