Cosolvent‐promoted electrophilic amination of organozinc reagents

In this study, we aimed to develop a simple and efficient method for the electrophilic amination of organozinc reagents. For this reason, 12 cosolvents were screened in the electrophilic amination of ordinary organozinc reagents. By the use of a cosolvent, an easily applicable and high‐yielding method for the preparation of arylamines by electrophilic amination of arylzinc reagents was developed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reactivity of mixed organozinc and organocopper reagents. 3. Atom economic electrophilic amination of methyl arylzinc reagents

Reaction of methyl arylzincs with acetone O‐(mesitylenesulfonyl)oxime in THF in the presence of CuCN at room temperature is efficient in selective electrophilic amination of aryl carbanions. This procedure allows for the preparation of arylamines in moderate to good yields and provides an efficient and atom economic alternative to existing amination methods for diarylzincs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Highly efficient copper-catalyzed amidation of aldehydes by C-H activation

We have developed a highly efficient method for the copper-catalyzed amidation of aldehydes in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide (NBS). This method is simple, economical, and has practical advantages for synthesis of imides.     

Evidence for a one-electron mechanistic regime in dirhodium-catalyzed intermolecular C-H amination

Swift and energy efficient conversion of chemical feedstocks to pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals requires the development of new methods to add nitrogen functionality to unfunctionalized organic substrates. Dirhodium-catalyzed insertion of nitrene species into C-H bonds is a promising new method, the main drawback of which is the currently limited understanding of the catalytic mechanism. Herein, cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis measurements have enabled us to solve many of the mechanistic mysteries of intermolecular C-H amination catalyzed by [Rh(2)(esp)(2)] (esp=α,α,α',α'-tetramethyl-1,3-benzenedipropanoate). The primary result is that, in addition to a simple nitrene-transfer mechanism that dominates the early stages of the reaction, another mechanism is available that relies on sequential proton-coupled electron transfer steps. Whereas the nitrene-transfer mechanism requires the use of expensive, atom-inefficient oxidants, we show that simple one-electron oxidants such as Ce(4+) may be used to achieve catalytic C-H amination via the one-electron mechanistic regime.     

Catalytic C-H amination with aromatic amines

Aniline joins the club: A β-diketiminato copper(I) catalyst enables C-H amination of anilines employing low catalyst loadings to preclude oxidation to the diazene ArN=NAr. Electron-poor anilines are particularly resistant towards diazene formation and participate in the amination of strong and unactivated C-H bonds. N-alkyl anilines also take part in C-H amination.     

trans-1-Sulfonylamino-2-isoborneolsulfonylaminocyclohexane derivatives: excellent chiral ligands for the catalytic enantioselective addition of organozinc reagents to ketones

The catalytic enantioselective addition of different organozinc reagents (such as alkyl and aryl derivatives or in situ generated aryl, allyl alkenyl, and alkynyl derivatives obtained through different transmetallation processes) to simple ketones has been accomplished by using titanium tetraisopropoxide and chiral ligands derived from substituted trans-1-sulfonylamino-2-isoborneolsulfonylaminocyclohexane, producing the corresponding tertiary alcohols with enantiomeric excesses (ee) up to >99 %. A simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of the chiral ligands used in these reactions is described.