Iron-Catalyzed Highly Enantioselective cis-Dihydroxylation of Trisubstituted Alkenes with Aqueous H2O2

Reliable methods for enantioselective cis-dihydroxylation of trisubstituted alkenes are scarce. The iron(II) complex cis-α-[Fe^II(2-Me₂-BQPN)(OTf)₂], which bears a tetradentate N₄ ligand (Me₂-BQPN=(R,R)-N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-bis(2-methylquinolin-8-yl)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diamine), was prepared and characterized. With this complex as the catalyst, a broad range of trisubstituted electron-deficient alkenes were efficiently oxidized to chiral cis-diols in yields of up to 98 % and up to 99.9 % ee when using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as oxidant under mild conditions. Experimental studies (including ¹⁸O-labeling, ESI-MS, NMR, EPR, and UV/Vis analyses) and DFT calculations were performed to gain mechanistic insight, which suggested possible involvement of a chiral cis-Fe^V(O)₂ reaction intermediate as an active oxidant. This cis-[Fe^II(chiral N₄ ligand)]²⁺/H₂O₂ method could be a viable green alternative/complement to the existing OsO₄-based methods for asymmetric alkene dihydroxylation reactions.     

Highly Enantioselective Iron‐Catalyzed cis‐Dihydroxylation of Alkenes with Hydrogen Peroxide Oxidant via an FeIII‐OOH Reactive Intermediate

The development of environmentally benign catalysts for highly enantioselective asymmetric cis‐dihydroxylation (AD) of alkenes with broad substrate scope remains a challenge. By employing [Fe^II(L)(OTf)₂] (L=N,N′‐dimethyl‐N,N′‐bis(2‐methyl‐8‐quinolyl)‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine) as a catalyst, cis‐diols in up to 99.8 % ee with 85 % isolated yield have been achieved in AD of alkenes with H₂O₂ as an oxidant and alkenes in a limiting amount. This “[Fe^II(L)(OTf)₂]+H₂O₂” method is applicable to both (E)‐alkenes and terminal alkenes (24 examples >80 % ee, up to 1 g scale). Mechanistic studies, including ¹⁸O‐labeling, UV/Vis, EPR, ESI‐MS analyses, and DFT calculations lend evidence for the involvement of chiral Fe^III‐OOH active species in enantioselective formation of the two C?O bonds.     

Highly Selective Iron‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Alkenes by the Reduction of Alkynes

Herein, the iron‐catalyzed reduction of a variety of alkynes with silanes as a reductant has been examined. With a straightforward catalyst system composed of diiron nonacarbonyl and tributyl phosphane, excellent yields and chemoselectivities (>99 %) were obtained for the formation of the corresponding alkenes. After studying the reaction conditions, and the scope and limitations of the reaction, several attempts were undertaken to shed light on the reaction mechanism.     

Iron‐Catalyzed Hydroboration: Unlocking Reactivity through Ligand Modulation

Iron‐catalyzed hydroboration (HB) of alkenes and alkynes is reported. A simple change in ligand structure leads to an extensive change in catalyst activity. Reactions proceed efficiently over a wide range of challenging substrates including activated, unactivated and sterically encumbered motifs. Conditions are mild and do not require the use of reducing agents or other additives. Large excesses of borating reagent are not required, allowing control of chemo‐ and regioselectivity in the presence of multiple double bonds. Mechanistic insight reveals that the reaction is likely to proceed via a highly reactive iron hydride intermediate.     

Iron‐Catalyzed Direct Diazidation for a Broad Range of Olefins

Reported herein is a new iron‐catalyzed diastereoselective olefin diazidation reaction which occurs at room temperature (1–5 mol % of catalysts and d.r. values of up to >20:1). This method tolerates a broad range of both unfunctionalized and highly functionalized olefins, including those that are incompatible with existing methods. It also provides a convenient approach to vicinal primary diamines as well as other synthetically valuable nitrogen‐containing building blocks which are difficult to obtain with alternative methods. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction may proceed through a new mechanistic pathway in which both Lewis acid activation and iron‐enabled redox‐catalysis are crucial for selective azido‐group transfer.     

Manganese‐Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalization of Alkenes

The manganese‐catalyzed hydrosilylation and hydroboration of alkenes has been developed using a single manganese(II) precatalyst and reaction protocol. Both reactions proceed with excellent control of regioselectivity and in high yields across a variety of sterically and electronically differentiated substrates (25 examples). Alkoxide activation, using NaO^tBu, was key to precatalyst activation and reactivity. Catalysis was achieved across various functional groups and on gram‐scale for both the developed methodologies with catalysts loadings as low as 0.5 mol %.     

Development of a General and Efficient Iron‐Catalyzed Epoxidation with Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidant

The development of inexpensive and practical iron catalysts for the environmentally benign epoxidation of olefins with hydrogen peroxide as terminal oxidant is described. By systematic variation of ligands, metal sources, and reaction conditions, it was discovered that FeCl₃?6H₂O in combination with pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid and different amines shows high reactivity and excellent selectivity towards the epoxidation of aromatic olefins and moderate reactivity towards that of aliphatic olefins.     

Manganese‐Catalyzed Hydroarylation of Unactivated Alkenes

Transition‐metal‐catalyzed hydroarylation of unactivated alkenes with strategic use of remote coordinating functional groups has received significant attention recently to address the issues of both low reactivity and poor selectivity. The bidentate 8‐aminoquinoline amide group is the most successfully adopted in unactivated alkenes for Pd and Ni catalysis. We describe the first manganese‐catalyzed hydroarylation of unactivated alkenes bearing diverse simple functionalities with arylboronic acids. A series of δ‐ and γ‐arylated amides, ketones, pyridines, and amines was accessed with excellent regioselectivity and in high yields. Hydroalkenylation of unactivated alkenes was also shown to be applicable under this manganese‐catalysis regime. The method features earth‐abundant manganese catalysis, easily available substrates, broad functional‐group tolerance, and excellent regioselective control.     

Enantioselective Copper‐Catalyzed Carboetherification of Unactivated Alkenes

Chiral saturated oxygen heterocycles are important components of bioactive compounds. Cyclization of alcohols onto pendant alkenes is a direct route to their synthesis, but few catalytic enantioselective methods enabling cyclization onto unactivated alkenes exist. Herein reported is a highly efficient copper‐catalyzed cyclization of γ‐unsaturated pentenols which terminates in C? C bond formation, a net alkene carboetherification. Both intra‐ and intermolecular C? C bond formations are demonstrated, thus yielding functionalized chiral tetrahydrofurans as well as fused‐ring and bridged‐ring oxabicyclic products. Transition‐state calculations support a cis‐oxycupration stereochemistry‐determining step.     

Homogeneous [RuIII(Me3tacn)Cl3]‐Catalyzed Alkene cis‐Dihydroxylation with Aqueous Hydrogen Peroxide

A simple and green method that uses [Ru(Me₃tacn)Cl₃] ( 1 ; Me₃tacn=N,N′,N′′‐trimethyl‐1,4,7‐triazacyclononane) as catalyst, aqueous H₂O₂ as the terminal oxidant, and Al₂O₃ and NaCl as additives is effective in the cis‐dihydroxylation of alkenes in aqueous tert‐butanol. Unfunctionalized alkenes, including cycloalkenes, aliphatic alkenes, and styrenes (14 examples) were selectively oxidized to their corresponding cis‐diols in good to excellent yield (70–96 %) based on substrate conversions of up to 100 %. The preparation of cis‐1,2‐cycloheptanediol (119 g, 91 % yield) and cis‐1,2‐cyclooctanediol (128 g, 92 % yield) from cycloheptene and cyclooctene, respectively, on the 1‐mol scale can be achieved by scaling up the reaction without modification. Results from Hammett correlation studies on the competitive oxidation of para‐substituted styrenes (ρ=?0.97, R=0.988) and the detection of the cycloadduct [(Me₃tacn)ClRuHO₂(C₈H₁₄)]⁺ by ESI‐MS for the 1 ‐catalyzed oxidation of cyclooctene to cis‐1,2‐cyclooctanediol are similar to those of the stoichiometric oxidation of alkenes by cis‐[(Me₃tacn)(CF₃CO₂)Ru^VIO₂]⁺ through [3+2] cycloaddition (W.‐P. Yip, W.‐Y. Yu, N. Zhu, C.‐M. Che, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005 , 127, 14239).     

Iron‐Catalyzed Intramolecular C(sp2)−H Amination

The nucleophilic iron complex Bu₄N[Fe(CO)₃(NO)] (TBA[Fe]) catalyzes the direct intramolecular C?H amination of α‐azidobiaryls and (azidoaryl)alkenes into the corresponding carbazoles and indoles, respectively, under mild conditions and with low catalyst loadings. These features and the broad functional‐group tolerance render this method a particularly attractive alternative to established noble‐metal‐based procedures.     

Iron‐Catalyzed Regioselective Transfer Hydrogenative Couplings of Unactivated Aldehydes with Simple Alkenes

An FeBr₃‐catalyzed reductive coupling of various aldehydes with alkenes that proceeds through a direct hydride transfer pathway has been developed. With ⁱPrOH as the hydrogen donor under mild conditions, previously challenging coupling reactions of unactivated alkyl and aryl aldehydes with simple alkenes, such as styrene derivatives and α‐olefins, proceeded smoothly to furnish a diverse range of functionalized alcohols with complete linear regioselectivity.     

Enantioselective Iron‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Cyclopropanation Reactions

An iron‐catalyzed asymmetric intramolecular cyclopropanation was realized in high yields and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 97 % ee) by using the iron complexes of chiral spiro‐bisoxazoline ligands as catalysts. The superiority of iron catalysts exhibited in this reaction demonstrated the potential abilities of this sustainable metal in asymmetric carbenoid transformation reactions.     

Highly Chemo‐, Regio‐, and Enantioselective Rhodium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Cyclotrimerization of Two Different Alkynes with Alkenes

It has been established that a cationic rhodium(I)/(R)‐tol‐binap complex catalyzes the cross‐cyclotrimerization of silylacetylenes, di‐tert‐butyl acetylenedicarboxylates, and acrylamides with excellent chemo‐, regio‐, and enantioselectivities. Unsymmetrical alkynoates can also be employed in place of di‐tert‐butyl acetylenedicarboxylate for this process, but with reduced chemoselectivity.     

Iron‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrosilylation of 1,1‐Disubstituted Alkenes

The highly regio‐ and enantioselective iron‐catalyzed anti‐Markovnikov hydrosilylation of 1,1‐disubstituted aryl alkenes was developed using iminopyridine oxazoline ligands to afford chiral organosilanes. Additional derivatization of these products lead to chiral organosilanols, cyclic silanes, phenol derivatives, and 3‐substituted 2,3‐dihydrobenzofurans.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Formation of Stereocontrolled Trisubstituted Alkenes from Baylis–Hillman Adducts

Efficient and general conditions for the formation of stereodefined trisubstituted alkenes by using the rhodium‐catalyzed reaction of unactivated Baylis–Hillman adducts with either organoboronic acids or potassium trifluoro(organo)borates are reported (see scheme).