Highly regio- and diastereoselective anionic [3 + 2] cycloaddition under phase transfer catalytic conditions

A highly trans and regioselective anionic formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition was achieved with allylic sulfones having an MBH acrylamide backbone under phase transfer organocatalytic conditions giving rise to the formation of unprecedented densely substituted cyclopentene derivatives.     

Highly enantioselective synthesis of silahelicenes using Ir-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition

Silahelicenes, which contain two silole moieties in a helically chiral structure, were synthesized by a chiral Ir-catalyzed intermolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition of tetraynes with diynes along with a Ni-mediated intramolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition. The photophysical properties of the obtained highly enantiomerically enriched silahelicenes (up to 93% ee) were also measured.     

Rhodium-catalyzed chemo-, regio-, and enantioselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of alkynes with isocyanates

[reaction: see text] We have developed a cationic rhodium(I)/modified-BINAP complex-catalyzed chemoselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of alkynes with isocyanates leading to a wide range of 2-pyridones. This method was successfully applied to the chemo-, regio-, and enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral 2-pyridones from unsymmetrical alpha,omega-diynes, bearing an ortho-substituted phenyl at one terminal position, and alkyl isocyanates.     

Highly enantioselective [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions catalyzed by a chiral N-methyl-oxazaborolidinium cation

The reaction of lithium aryl borohydrides with salts of beta-amino alcohols provides a new route for the synthesis of oxazaborolidines. This method also leads to the first synthesis of hitherto elusive N-methyl oxazaborolidine cations, specifically the cationic proline derivative 3. Compound 3 is a strong chiral Lewis acid which is very effective for catalysis of [4 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions in good yield and with high enantioselectivity. Several diverse examples illustrate the scope of these catalytic reactions.     

Recent advances in enantioselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition

Enantioselective cycloaddition using chiral transition metal catalysts is an atom-economical and efficient synthetic tool for the construction of chiral carbo- and heterocyclic skeletons. This short account discloses our recent results of inter- and intramolecular enantioselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions of alkyne and/or alkene moiety(ies). Chiral iridium complexes catalyzed the alkyne trimerization for the generation of axial chirality(ies), and chiral rhodium ones catalyzed alkyne-alkyne-alkene cyclization for the generation of a quaternary carbon including spirocyclic system.     

Highly regio- and chemoselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of 1,6-heptadiynes with allenes catalyzed by cobalt complexes

The CoI2(PPh3)2/Zn system effectively catalyzes the [2 + 2 + 2] ene-diyne cycloaddition of 1,6-heptadiynes with allenes in a highly regio- and chemoselective fashion to yield substituted benzene derivatives in good to excellent yields.     

Catalytic enantioselective [2 + 4] and [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions with propiolamides

We report here the catalytic and highly enantioselective [2 + 4] and [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of electron-rich dienes or silyl enol ethers with electron-deficient propiolamide derivatives induced by copper(II).3-(2-naphthyl)-L-alanine amide complex.     

Highly enantioselective Ag(i)-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides

A highly reactive Ag(I)-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides is founded using AgOAc as the catalytic precursor and phosphines as ligands. Using a new bis-ferrocenyl amide phosphine (FAP) as the ligand, we found that high enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) have been achieved in the [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides. Up to four stereogenic centers can be established in this multicomponent coupling reaction from readily available materials such as aldehydes, aminoesters, and dipolarophiles.     

Highly enantioselective construction of a chiral spirocyclic structure by the [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of diynes and exo-methylene cyclic compounds

The enantioselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of 1,6-diynes with alpha-methylene lactones and cyclic ketones gave various chiral spirocyclic compounds. The reaction proceeded with high enantioselectivity when the rhodium-xylylBINAP complex was used as a chiral catalyst. Not only exo-methylene cyclic compounds but also exo-methylene acyclic compounds could be used as coupling partners for diynes. The present protocol provides access to a new chiral library possessing a quaternary carbon center, including a spirocyclic system.     

Rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective [2+2+2] cycloaddition of diynes with unfunctionalized alkenes

A chiral rhodium complex catalyzed an enantioselective [2+2+2] cycloaddition of unsymmetrical diynes with norbornene, and tetracyclic products were obtained in good to excellent ee. The cycloaddition of a symmetrical diyne with styrene derivatives as coupling partners gave bicyclic products in good ee.     

Rh-catalyzed enantioselective [2 + 2] cycloaddition of alkynyl esters and norbornene derivatives

[reaction: see text] The enantioselective [2 + 2] cycloaddition of alkynes possessing an ester functionality and norbornene derivatives proceeded efficiently using a chiral rhodium catalyst. The chiral tri- and tetracyclic cyclobutenes were obtained in moderate to high ee.     

Catalytic enantioselective intermolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of an alkene and two alkynes

A catalytic enantioselective intermolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of one molecule of alkene (enone) and two molecules of alkyne was developed in the presence of a nickel complex modified by chiral monodentate oxazoline ligands, which have not previously been used as chiral ligands for transition metals in asymmetric catalysts, and an aluminium phenoxide.     

A highly regio- and stereoselective formation of bicyclo[4.2.0]oct-5-ene derivatives through thermal intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition of allenes

Thermal [2 + 2] cycloaddition of allenes with an additional multiple bond is described. By simply heating the allenenes or allenynes having a three-atom tether in an appropriate solvent such as dioxane or DMF, the distal double bond of the allenic moiety regioselectively participates in the cycloaddition to form bicyclo[4.2.0]oct-5-ene derivatives in good to excellent yields. In all the reactions of allenenes, the olefin geometry was completely transferred to the cycloadducts. While the reaction of terminal allenes afforded bicyclic cyclobutane derivatives as a single isomer, the cycloaddition of some internal allenes with axial chirality yielded a diastereomeric mixture of cycloadducts. These results are in good accordance with the stepwise mechanism through a biradical intermediate with a coplanar allyl radical.     

Regioselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of a nickel-benzyne complex with 1,3-diynes

[reaction: see text] Reactions of nickel(0)-benzyne complexes with a range of symmetrically substituted 1,3-diynes in the presence of triethylphosphine lead to the regioselective formation of 2,3-dialkynyl naphthalenes. The regioselectivity can be reversed when the diyne possesses substituents of high steric bulk, allowing selective formation of either symmetric dialkynyl naphthalene.     

Diastereo- and enantioselective palladium-catalyzed dearomative [4+2] cycloaddition of 3-nitroindoles

A Pd-catalyzed asymmetric decarboxylative [4+2] cycloaddition of 3-nitroindoles and vinyl benzoxazinanones is developed through a dearomatization approach. The reaction provides an efficient protocol for constructing a series of chiral tetrahydro-5H-indolo[2,3-b]quinolines in high yields and with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.     

Highly regio- and chemoselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of electron-deficient diynes with allenes catalyzed by nickel complexes: a novel entry to polysubstituted benzene derivatives

Diynes 1a-c [X(CH(2)Ctbd1;CCO(2)Me)(2): X = (CH(2))(2), 1a, X = CH(2), 1b and X = O, 1c] undergo [2 + 2 + 2] ene-diyne cycloaddition reactions with a variety of allenes (n-butylallene 2a, phenylallene 2b, (4-chlorophenyl)allene 2c, (4-bromophenyl)allene 2d, (3-methoxyphenyl)allene 2e, 1-naphthylallene 2f, cyclohexylallene 2g and cyclopentylallene 2h) in the presence of Ni(dppe)Br(2) and Zn powder in CH(3)CN at 80 degrees C for 8 h to give the corresponding polysubstituted benzene derivatives 4a-l in good to excellent yields. Under similar reaction conditions, unsymmetrical diynes 5a-c (HCtbd1;CCH(2)XCH(2)Ctbd1;CCO(2)Me) react with allenes 2 to afford exclusively the corresponding meta-isomers 6a-g in 73-86% yields. The catalytic reaction is highly regioselective and completely chemoselective. This synthetic method is compatible with many functional groups such as Cl, Br, and OMe on the phenyl group of the allene moiety and an ether linkage in a diyne moiety. In this catalytic reaction, allenes are synthetically equivalent to terminal alkynes. Interestingly, unsymmetrical diyne 7 (MeCtbd1;C(CH(2))(4)Ctbd1;CCO(2)Me) undergoes 2:1 cocyclotrimerization with allenes 2a and 2g to afford the corresponding polysubstituted benzene derivatives 9a,b in 87% and 82% yields, respectively. A plausible mechanism involving a nickelacycloheptadiene intermediate is proposed to account for this nickel-catalyzed reaction.