Exploiting Transient Radical Cations as Brønsted Acids for Allylic C–H Heteroarylation of Enol Silyl Ethers

Intermediary radical cations, generated through single-electron oxidation of enol silyl ethers by excited Ir-based photocatalysts, can be exploited as Brønsted acids for the activation of heteroarylcyanides. This strategy enables the direct allylic C−H heteroarylation of enol silyl ethers under visible-light irradiation.     

Lewis acid promoted aldol reaction of fluorinated silyl enol ethers from new fluoroacetylsilane derivatives

New fluorinated silyl enol ethers with various trialkylsilyl groups were synthesized. Various fluorinated β-hydroxy ketones were synthesized by Lewis acid promoted aldol reaction of silyl enol ethers with diverse aldehydes. Reactivity of various trialkylsilyloxy groups toward Lewis acid was also studied.     

Mechanistic studies of Ce(IV)-mediated oxidation of beta-dicarbonyls: solvent-dependent behavior of radical cation intermediates

The Ce(IV)-initiated oxidation of synthetically relevant beta-diketones and beta-keto silyl enol ethers was explored in three solvents: acetonitrile, methylene chloride, and methanol. The studies presented herein show that the rate of reaction between Ce(IV) and the substrates is dependent upon the polarity of the solvent. Thermochemical studies and analysis are interpreted to be consistent with transition state stabilization by solvent being primarily responsible for the rate of substrate oxidation. Kinetic investigation of radical cations obtained from oxidations of beta-diketones reveals that a more ordered transition state for the radical cation decay is achieved through the direct involvement of methanol in the deprotonation of the intermediate. In the case of radical cations derived from beta-keto silyl enol ethers, experimental data support a mechanism involving unimolecular decay of the intermediate. Remarkably, radical cations derived from beta-diketones and beta-keto silyl enol ethers are surprisingly stable in methylene chloride.     

Origins of aryl substituent effects on the stereoselectivities of additions of silyl enol ethers to a chiral oxazolinium ion

Density functional theory calculations are reported that reveal the role of aromatic interactions in the additions of aryl-substituted silyl enol ethers to a chiral oxazolinium ion. Aryl-substituted silyl enol ethers give the opposite diastereomer of the adduct than do aliphatic silyl enol ethers, due to a combination of attractive cation-π and CH-π interactions, reduced steric repulsion, and lower torsional strain in the more "crowded" transition state.     

Direct transformation of silyl enol ethers into functionalized allenes

The first elimination reactions of silyl enol ethers to lithiated allenes are reported. These reactions allow a direct transformation of readily available silyl enol ethers into functionalized allenes. The action of three to four equivalents of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) on silyl enol ethers results in the formation of lithiated allenes by initial allylic lithiation, subsequent elimination of a lithium silanolate, and finally, lithiation of the allene thus formed. Starting with amide-derived silyl imino ethers, lithiated ketenimines are obtained. A variety of reactions of the lithiated allenes with electrophiles (chlorosilanes, trimethylchlorostannane, dimethyl sulfate and ethanol) were carried out. Elimination of silanolate is observed only for substrates that contain the hindered SiMe2tBu or Si(iPr)3 moiety, but not for the SiMe3 group. The reaction of 1,1-dilithio-3,3-diphenylallene with ketones provides a convenient access to novel 1,1-di(hydroxymethyl)allenes which undergo a domino Nazarov-Friedel-Crafts reaction upon treatment with p-toluenesulfonic acid.     

Preparation of 2,6-disubstituted 2,3-Dihydro-4-pyridones: Dehydrogenation of trimethylsilyl enol ethers with palladium (ii) acetate

The oxidation of silyl enol ethers 2 with palladium(II) acetate is a convenient method for the preparation of synthetically useful 2,6-disubstituted 2,3-dihydro-4-pyridones 3.     

α-fluorination of ketones by xenon and iodobenzene difluorides: A stereochemical evidence demonstrating their mechanistic differences

Xenon difluoride reacts smootlhy with various steroid silyl enol ethers in the absence of any acid catalyst to afford stereoselectively α-oriented α-fluoroketones in good yields while iodotoluene difluoride reacts rather sluggishly with these silyl enol ethers to competitively produce β-oriented α-fluoro ketones, elimination and other nucleophilic substitution products. The observed stereochemical contrast clearly suggests an electrophilic and nucleophilic mechanism for these reactions, respectively.     

alpha-thiocyanation of carbonyl and beta-dicarbonyl compounds using (dichloroiodo)benzene-lead(II) thiocyanate

The combination reagent (dichloroiodo)benzene and lead(II) thiocyanate in dichloromethane effects oxidation of various enol silyl ethers, ketene silyl acetals, and beta-dicarbonyl compounds, thereby providing an efficient and convenient method for alpha-thiocyanation of carbonyl and beta-dicarbonyl compounds.     

Lewis acid-catalyzed nucleophilic substitutions of propargylic and allylic silyl ethers with enol silyl ethers

Nucleophilic reactions of various enol silyl ethers with carbocation species generated from propargyl silyl ethers by the action of a Lewis acid have been developed. The present method is highly useful for the introduction of allenic or enyne functionalities into the alpha-position of substituted ketones. [reaction--see text]     

Chiral Brønsted acid from a cationic gold(I) complex: catalytic enantioselective protonation of silyl enol ethers of ketones

A chiral Br?nsted acid has been developed from a cationic gold(I) disphosphine complex in the presence of alcoholic solvent and applied to the enantioselective protonation reaction of silyl enol ethers of ketones. Various optically active cyclic ketones were obtained in excellent yields and high enantioselectivities, including cyclic ketones bearing aliphatic substrates at the α-position. Furthermore, the application of this Br?nsted acid was extended to the first Br?nsted acid-catalyzed enantioselective protonation reaction of silyl enol ethers of acyclic substrates, regardless of their E/Z ratio.     

α-Hydroxylation of ketones: Osmium tetroxide/N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide oxidation of silyl enol ethers

Osmium tetroxide/N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide oxidation of silyl enol ethers, derived from ketones with either kinetic or thermodynamic regiochemical control, produces α-ketols in good to excellent yields.     

Cyclooctanone synthesis via a formal [6+2] cycloaddition reaction of a dicobalt acetylene complex

An efficient formal [6+2] cycloaddition reaction of a new six-carbon unit with enol silyl ether was developed on the basis of a dicobalt hexacarbonyl propargyl cation species. Under the influence of EtAlCl₂, 6-benzoyloxy-2-(triisopropylsilyloxy)-1-hexen-4-yne-dicobalthexacarbonyl reacted with enol triisopropylsilyl ethers to yield 7-(triisopropylsilyloxy)-3-cyclooctyn-1-one-dicobalthexacarbonyl derivatives in good yield. The reactions with cyclic enol silyl ethers as well as acyclic enol silyl ethers exhibited remarkably high diastereoselectivity.     

A novel synthesis of silyl enol ethers from α-silylbenzylthiols and carboxylic acid derivatives via C---C bond formation; thermal rearrangement of S-α-silylbenzyl thioesters

A new procedure for the synthesis of silyl enol ethers from S-α-silylbenzyl thioesters without need for either bases or catalysts via C---C bond formation is described. Solutions of S-α-silylbenzyl thioesters were simply heated at 180°C for 24 h in a sealed tube to give silyl enol ethers in good yields with high stereoselectivity. Cyclization of the dipoles generated by thermal rearrangement of the silyl group and elimination of sulfur afforded silyl enol ethers.     

Tandem asymmetric conjugate addition--silylation of enantiomerically enriched zinc enolates. Synthetic importance and mechanistic implications

[formula: see text] The zinc enolates, resulting from the copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of dialkyl zinc reagents to cyclic and acyclic enones, could be trapped, quantitatively, as silyl enol ethers with TMSOTf in apolar solvents or with TMSCI and NEt3. These enantiomerically enriched silyl enol ethers were submitted to four synthetic transformations to show their synthetic utility. The zinc enolates obtained from acyclic enones were found to be configurationally stable, as shown by the stereochemistry of the silyl enol ethers.     

Chiral Zinc(II)‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Tandem α‐Alkenyl Addition/Proton Shift Reaction of Silyl Enol Ethers with Ketimines

A new catalytic asymmetric tandem α‐alkenyl addition/proton shift reaction of silyl enol ethers with ketimines was serendipitously discovered in the presence of chiral N,N′‐dioxide/Zn^II complexes. The proton shift preferentially proceeded instead of a silyl shift after α‐alkenyl addition of silyl enol ether to the ketimine. A wide range of β‐amino silyl enol ethers were synthesized in high yields with good to excellent ee values. Control experiments suggest that the Mukaiyama–Mannich reaction and tandem α‐alkenyl addition/proton shift reaction are competitive reactions in the current catalytic system. The obtained β‐amino silyl enol ethers were easily transformed into β‐fluoroamines containing two vicinal tetrasubstituted carbon centers.     

Oxidative conversion of silyl enol ethers to α,β-unsaturated ketones employing oxoammonium salts

The oxidative conversion of silyl enol ethers to α,β-unsaturated ketones using a less-hindered class of oxoammonium salts (AZADO(+)BF(4)(-)) is described. The reaction proceeds via the ene-like addition of oxoammonium salts to silyl enol ethers.     

Pd(OH)2/C-mediated selective oxidation of silyl enol ethers by tert-butylhydroperoxide, a useful method for the conversion of ketones to alpha,beta-enones or beta-silyloxy-alpha,beta-enones

[reaction: see text] Pd(OH)2-catalyzed oxidation of silyl enol ethers by t-BuOOH gives either beta-silyloxy-alpha,beta-enones or alpha,beta-enones in good yields depending on the base used.     

1-Phenylthio-3-vinyl-3-cyclohexenol, a new reagent for bis-annelation of silyl enol ethers

1-Phenylthio-3-vinyl-cyclohex-1-en-3-ol (2) has been synthesized and investigated as a new bis-annelation reagent for silyl enol ethers. Reagent 2 can be synthesized by a Grignard reaction of vinyl magnesium bromide with 3-phenylthiocyclohexenone. The reaction with silyl enol ethers takes place under Lewis acid catalysis and generally proceeds in good yields. The resulting phenylthiodienes can be hydrolyzed to enones, which have been cyclized in a homologous aldol reaction to polycyclic compounds.     

alpha-Nitration of Ketones via Enol Silyl Ethers. Radical Cations as Reactive Intermediates in Thermal and Photochemical Processes

Highly colored (red) solutions of various enol silyl ethers and tetranitromethane (TNM) are readily bleached to afford good yields of alpha-nitro ketones in the dark at room temperature or below. Spectral analysis show the red colors to be associated with the intermolecular 1:1 electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes between the enol silyl ether and TNM. The formation of similar vividly colored EDA complexes with other electron acceptors (such as chloranil, tetracyanobenzene, tetracyanoquinodimethane, etc.) readily establish enol silyl ethers to be excellent electron donors. The deliberate irradiation of the diagnostic (red) charge-transfer absorption bands of the EDA complexes of enol silyl ethers and TNM at -40 degrees C affords directly the same alpha-nitro ketones, under conditions in which the thermal reaction is too slow to compete. A common pathway is discussed in which the electron transfer from the enol silyl ether (ESE) to TNM results in the radical ion triad [ESE(*)(+), NO(2)(*), C(NO(2))(3)(-)]. A subsequent fast homolytic coupling of the cation radical of the enol silyl ether with NO(2)(*)() leads to the alpha-nitro ketones. The use of time-resolved spectroscopy and the disparate behavior of the isomeric enol silyl ethers of alpha- and beta-tetralones as well as of 2-methylcyclohexanone strongly support cation radicals (ESE(*)(+)) as the critical intermediate in thermal and photoinduced electron-transfer as described in Schemes 1 and 2, respectively.     

Radical trifluoromethylation of ketone silyl enol ethers by activation with dialkylzinc

[reaction: see text] The radical trifluoromethylation of ketone silyl enol ethers gave alpha-CF(3) ketones in good yields with wide scope of the ketonic substrates including acyclic ketones and cyclopentanone. The use of dialkylzinc to activate the silyl enol ethers is the key to the efficient radical trifluoromethylation.