Gold(I)-catalyzed propargyl Claisen rearrangement

Homoallenic alcohols are prepared from propargyl vinyl ethers using a trinuclear gold(I)-oxo complex, [(Ph3PAu)3O]BF4, as a catalyst for propargyl Claisen rearrangement at room temperature. The gold(I)-catalyzed reaction is effective for a diverse collection of propargyl vinyl ethers, including substrates containing aryl and alkyl groups at the propargylic position, and hydrogen, aryl, and alkyl substituents at the alkyne terminus. Tertiary propargyl vinyl ethers can be employed in the reaction, at slightly elevated temperatures, to afford tetrasubstituted allenes. Importantly, the rearrangement of 1,2-disubstituted vinyl ethers proceeds with excellent diastereoselectivity, and the rearrangement of chiral nonracemic propargyl vinyl ethers proceeds with excellent chirality transfer to furnish enantioenriched allenes.     

Gold(I)-catalyzed synthesis of dihydropyrans

A trinuclear gold(I)-oxo complex, [(Ph3PAu)3O]BF4, serves as the catalyst for the stereocontrolled synthesis of 2-hydroxy-3,6-dihydropyrans from propargyl vinyl ethers. Importantly, the rearrangement proceeds with excellent diastereoselectivity, and the rearrangement of chiral nonracemic propargyl vinyl ethers proceeds with excellent chirality transfer to furnish enantioenriched pyrans. Additionally, the reaction is amenable to the synthesis of spiroketals from appropriately functionalized precursors. In this case, from a linear precursor, in a single step, the bicyclic spiroketal framework is established with complete stereocontrol over three centers and an alkene functional group in the product.     

Nonracemic Dimethylphenyl Glycerol Ethers in the Synthesis of Physiologically Active Aminopropanols

Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry - Six regioisomeric nonracemic dimethylphenyl glycerol ethers were synthesized by asymmetric dihydroxylation of the corresponding allyl dimethylphenyl ethers....     

Lewis acid-mediated highly regioselective SN2-Type ring-opening of 2-aryl-N-tosylazetidines and aziridines by alcohols

Lewis acid-mediated highly regioselective SN2-type ring-opening of 2-aryl-N-tosylazetidines with alcohols to afford various 1,3-amino ethers in excellent yields with good enantiomeric excess is described. Similar SN2-type ring-opening of chiral 2-phenyl-N-tosylaziridine with various alcohols produces the corresponding nonracemic 1,2-amino ethers in excellent yields and good ee. The mechanism of the ring-opening of aziridines and azetidines via an SN2 pathway is supported by the formation of nonracemic amino ethers.     

Iron(III) p-toluenesulfonate catalyzed synthesis of homoallyl ethers from acetals and aldehydes

Iron(III) p-toluenesulfonate, Fe(OTs)₃·6H₂O, is an inexpensive, versatile and commercially available catalyst for the allylation of acetals using allyltrimethylsilane to yield homoallyl ethers in moderate to good yields. The one-pot conversion of aldehydes to homoallyl ethers using alkoxysilanes has also been accomplished using Fe(OTs)₃·6H₂O as a catalyst. The use of mild reaction conditions and a relatively non-corrosive catalyst make this method an attractive option for the synthesis of a range of homoallyl ethers.     

A one-pot selective deprotective acetylation of benzyl ethers and OTBDMS ethers using the BF3·Et2O-NaI-Ac2O reagent system

An efficient selective deprotection followed by acetylation of several benzyl ethers, including 6-OBn ethers of monosaccharides, and -OTBDMS ethers has been developed by using the BF₃·Et₂O-NaI-Ac₂O reagent system. In addition, both benzylidene and isopropylidene groups are deprotected to form the corresponding diacetates.     

F-alkylation of bis(allyl) polyoxyethylene ethers

Bis(3-F-alkylallyl) polyoxyethylene ethers were obtained via radical addition of F-alkyl iodides on bis(allyl) ethers CH₂CH(CH₂OCH₂)_nCHCH₂ followed by 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ne (DBU) dehydrohalogenation.     

Regioselective reduction of 4,6-O-benzylidenes using triethylsilane and BF3·Et2O

The 4,6-di-O-benzylidene acetals of glucose, mannose, glucosamine, and galactose were regioselectively reduced by triethylsilane in the presence of BF₃·Et₂O to yield the 6-O-benzyl ethers in good to excellent yields.     

A synthetic approach to diaryl ethers using the Robinson annulation

An alternative synthetic approach to diaryl ethers has been developed. In the key transformation, Robinson annulation of nonracemic aldehydes 16a,b, derived from l-glutamic acid 5-methyl ester and phenoxymethylvinyl ketone, provided α-phenoxyenones 17a,b. The Cbz-protected oxazolidine 17b was further converted into the diaryl ether 18b utilizing an oxidative selenation protocol.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically pure 3-aryloxy-2-hydroxypropanoic acids,intermediate products in the synthesis of cis-4-Aminochroman-3-ols

Oxidation of accessible (R)-3-chloropropane-1,2-diol to (R)-3-chloro-2-hydroxypropanoic acid and subsequent reaction of the latter with ortho-substituted sodium phenoxide gave a number of enantiomerically pure 3-aryloxy-2-hydroxypropanoic acid which are intermediate products in the synthesis of nonracemic 4-aminochroman-3-ols.     

Cerium(IV) sulfate tetrahydrate: a catalytic and highly chemoselective deprotection of THP,MOM, and BOM ethers

Tetrahydropyranyl (THP), methoxymethyl (MOM), and benzyloxymethyl (BOM) phenyl/alkyl ethers were efficiently cleaved to the corresponding parent hydroxyl compounds in good yields using catalytic amounts of Ce(SO₄)₂·4H₂O by microwave-assisted or conventional heating in methanol solution. Intramolecular and competitive experiments demonstrated the chemoselective deprotection of THP ethers in the presence of triisopropylsilyl (TIPS) and tert-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) phenyl ethers.     

Synthesis of low molecular weight perfluoro oxymethylene vinyl ethers

Perfluoro oxymethylene vinyl ethers have been formed by a multi-step synthesis. The key intermediates are low molecular weight perfluoropolyether (PFPE) fluoroformates CF₃O(CF₂O)_nCOF (I) n=1-6 obtained from the photo-oxidation of perfluoro propene (HFP) in perfluorohexane. Under certain conditions the light-mediated fluorination of PFPE fluoroformates (I) gives PFPE hypofluorites CF₃O(CF₂O)_nCF₂OF (II), which can be added to sym dichlorodifluoroethene to form the dichloro adduct CF₃O(CF₂O)_nCF₂OCFClCF₂Cl (III) which, after dechlorination, gives the desired vinyl ethers CF₃O(CF₂O)_nCF₂OCFCF₂ (IV). Every reaction step has to be properly controlled as far as the reaction variables are concerned. A mechanistic scheme is presented that is consistent with the observed experimental data.     

Synthesis of novel lipophilic and/or fluorophilic ethers of perfluoro-tert-butyl alcohol, perfluoropinacol and hexafluoroacetone hydrate via a Mitsunobu reaction: Typical cases of ideal product separation

Fluorophilic ethers having the structure RC(CF₃)₂O(CH₂)₃C_nF_2n + 1 are obtained in high yields, when F-tert-butyl alcohol (R = CF₃), F-acetone hydrate (R = O(CH₂)₃C_nF_2n + 1), F-pinacol (R = C(CF₃)₂O(CH₂)₃C_nF_2n + 1) are reacted with 3-perfluoroalkyl-1-propanols (C_nF_2n + 1(CH₂)₃OH, n = 4, 6, 8, 10) in a Mitsunobu reaction (Ph₃P/DIAD [i-PrO₂CN = NCO₂Pr-i]/ether). The parent lipophilic ethers with the structure of (CF₃)₃CO(CH₂)₃C_nH_2n + 1 were prepared analogously using the corresponding fatty alcohols and F-tert-butyl alcohol. To achieve ideal separations, products were transferred to orthogonal phases relative to the other reaction components using fluorous extraction, fluorous solid-organic liquid filtration, or steam-distillation. Selected physical properties including melting and boiling point, together with fluorous partition coefficients of these ethers were determined and the figures obtained were qualitatively analyzed using relevant thermodynamic theories. Some of these ethers are liquids with rather low freezing points and are miscible with fluorocarbon solvents.     

Transport of trivalent lanthanides in a H2O-CHCl3H2O liquid membrane system containing a crown ether carboxylic acid

Neutral crown ethers do not transport trivalent lanthanide cations in a H₂O-CHCl₃-H₂O liquid membrane system. With the addition of a carboxylate group to a macrocyclic polyether, as in the case of sym-dibenzo-16-crown-5-oxyacetic acid, high efficiencies of transporting trivalent lanthanides were observed across the H₂O-CHCl₃-H₂O liquid membrane. The crown ether carboxylic acid also showed significant selectivity for the lanthanides studied in this system.     

On the elimination of methanol from stereoisomeric arylcyclohexyl methyl ethers under electron impact

The elimination of methanol from 3- and 4-arylcyclohexyl methyl ethers under electron impact exhibits stereoselectivity, which is similar to that found for the elimination of H₂O from the corresponding arylcyclohexanols. The two eliminations also exhibit a similar substituent effect correlation. The similarity holds in the site specificity of these processes only for the trans-isomers. The cis-ethers undergo elimination of methanol by a mechanism which is different from that for the elimination of H₂O from the cis-alcohols.     

First total synthesis of (+)-Vedelianin, a potent antiproliferative agent

The total synthesis of (+)-vedelianin has been accomplished in 18 steps from vanillin. Preparation of a key intermediate in nonracemic form through a Shi epoxidation has allowed determination of the absolute stereochemistry of the natural product as the (2S,3R,4aR,9aR)-isomer.     

N-Picolinamides as ligands in Ullman type C–O coupling reactions

Copper-catalyzed modified Ullmann coupling reactions creating C–O bonds, including diaryl ethers or phenols, are vital to organic synthesis. Synthesized N-phenyl-2-pyridinecarboxamide and its derivatives were used as ligands in conjunction with catalytic copper sources in the formation of various diaryl ethers and phenols. Various aryl and heteroaryl halides with electron donating and withdrawing groups were reacted with various phenols under mild reaction conditions providing moderate to excellent yields.     

Nickel-catalyzed reductive cleavage of aryl alkyl ethers to arenes in absence of external reductant

The reductive cleavage of the C–O bonds of aryl ethers has great potential in organic synthesis. Although several catalysts that can promote the reductive cleavage of aryl ethers have been reported, all such systems require the use of an external reductant, e.g., hydrosilane or hydrogen. Here, we report the development of a new nickel-based catalytic system that can cleave the C–O bonds of ethers in the absence of an external reductant. The hydrogen atom required in this new reductive cleavage reaction is provided by the alkoxy group of the substrate, which serves as an internal reductant. The absence of an external reductant enables the unique chemoselectivity, i.e., the selective reduction of an alkoxy group over alkenes and ketones.     

Syntheses of chiral β- and γ-amino ethers, morpholines, and their homologues via nucleophilic ring-opening of chiral activated aziridines and azetidines

Lewis acid catalyzed quaternary ammonium salt mediated highly regioselective ring-opening of chiral activated aziridines and azetidines with alcohols to nonracemic β- and γ-amino ethers has been developed. The reaction mainly proceeds via an S(N)2 pathway, and the partial racemization of the starting substrate was effectively controlled by using quaternary ammonium salts. β- and γ-amino ethers are obtained with high enantio- and diastereospecificity (ee up to >99%, de up to 99%). The methodology was further extended to synthesize morpholines and their homologues with high enantiospecificity (ee up to 90%) when halo alcohols were employed as the nucleophiles.     

Efficient assembly of α-aryl and α-vinyl nitriles via iron-catalyzed ether bond activation

A novel and practical method for the synthesis of diverse α-aryl and α-vinyl nitriles was developed via an iron-catalyzed sp³ C–O ether bond cleavage with C–C bond formation in the reaction of π-activated ethers with TMSCN.