Diversity‐Oriented Enantioselective Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Cyclic and Bicyclic Alcohols

The copper‐catalyzed hetero‐allylic asymmetric alkylation (h‐AAA) of functionalized Grignard reagents that contain alkene or alkyne moieties has been achieved with excellent regio‐ and enantioselectivity. The corresponding alkylation products were further transformed into a variety of highly functionalized cyclic and bicyclic alcohols with excellent control over the chemo‐, regio‐, and stereoselectivity.     

Stereocontrolled Synthesis of Vinyl Boronates and Vinyl Silanes via Atom‐Economical Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Alkene–Alkyne Coupling

The synthesis of vinyl boronates and vinyl silanes was achieved by employing a Ru‐catalyzed alkene–alkyne coupling reaction of allyl boronates or allyl silanes with various alkynes. The double bond geometry in the generated vinyl boronates can be remotely controlled by the juxtaposing boron‐ and silicon groups on the alkyne substrate. The synthetic utility of the coupling products has been demonstrated in a variety of synthetic transformations, including iterative cross‐coupling reactions, and a Chan‐Lam‐type allyloxylation followed by a Claisen rearrangement. A sequential one‐pot alkene‐alkyne‐coupling/allylation‐sequence with an aldehyde to deliver a highly complex α‐silyl‐β‐hydroxy olefin with a handle for further functionalization was also realized.     

Regio‐ and Enantioselective Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl‐Substituted Homoallylic α‐Tertiary NH2‐Amines by Reactions Facilitated by a Threonine‐Based Boron‐Containing Catalyst

A method for catalytic regio‐ and enantioselective synthesis of trifluoromethyl‐substituted and aryl‐, heteroaryl‐, alkenyl‐, and alkynyl‐substituted homoallylic α‐tertiary NH₂‐amines is introduced. Easy‐to‐synthesize and robust N‐silyl ketimines are converted to NH‐ketimines in situ, which then react with a Z‐allyl boronate. Transformations are promoted by a readily accessible l ‐threonine‐derived aminophenol‐based boryl catalyst, affording the desired products in up to 91 % yield, >98:2 α:γ selectivity, >98:2 Z:E selectivity, and >99:1 enantiomeric ratio. A commercially available aminophenol may be used, and allyl boronates, which may contain an alkyl‐, a chloro‐, or a bromo‐substituted Z‐alkene, can either be purchased or prepared by catalytic stereoretentive cross‐metathesis. What is more, Z‐trisubstituted allyl boronates may be used. Various chemo‐, regio‐, and diastereoselective transformations of the α‐tertiary homoallylic NH₂‐amine products highlight the utility of the approach; this includes diastereo‐ and regioselective epoxide formation/trichloroacetic acid cleavage to generate differentiated diol derivatives.     

Combination of a Cyano Migration Strategy and Alkene Difunctionalization: The Elusive Selective Azidocyanation of Unactivated Olefins

A conceptually new, efficient, and metal‐free approach for the challenging azidocyanation of unactivated alkenes is presented. The strategy of intramolecular distal cyano migration is combined with alkene difunctionalization for the first time. A variety of useful azido‐substituted alkyl nitriles are prepared in good yields and, most importantly, with exquisite regio‐ and stereo‐selectivities.     

Phosphite‐Catalyzed C−H Allylation of Azaarenes via an Enantioselective [2,3]‐Aza‐Wittig Rearrangement

A phosphite‐mediated [2,3]‐aza‐Wittig rearrangement has been developed for the regio‐ and enantioselective allylic alkylation of six‐membered heteroaromatic compounds (azaarenes). The nucleophilic phosphite adducts of N‐allyl salts undergo a stereoselective base‐mediated aza‐Wittig rearrangement and dissociation of the chiral phosphite for overall C?H functionalization of azaarenes. This method provides efficient access to tertiary and quaternary chiral centers in isoquinoline, quinoline, and pyridine systems, tolerating a broad variety of substituents on both the allyl part and azaarenes. Catalysis with chiral phosphites is also demonstrated with synthetically useful yields and enantioselectivities.     

Metal‐Catalyzed Substrate‐Directed Enantioselective Functionalization of Unactivated Alkenes

Alkenes are versatile compounds that are available on large scales in industry or through chemical synthesis. Selective functionalization of unactivated alkenes in a chemo‐, regio‐, diastereo‐ and enantioselective fashion is a highly sought‐after goal in organic synthesis. Substrate‐directed enantioselective functionalization of unactivated alkenes provides an important strategy to achieve this goal. Using a functional group on the alkene substrate as a native coordinating group, a two‐point binding mode of the substrate to the metal center enables effective control of regio‐, diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities. Through this strategy, a variety of enantioselective functionalization methods have been developed recently. The recent advances in this area are highlighted here.     

(5,6‐Dihydro‐1,4‐dithiin‐2‐yl)methanol as a Versatile Allyl‐Cation Equivalent in (3+2) Cycloaddition Reactions

The title heterocyclic alcohol readily generates a sulfur‐substituted allylic cation upon simple treatment with a protic acid, thus facilitating a synthetically useful stepwise (3+2) cycloaddition reaction pathway with a range of conjugated‐olefin‐type substrates. The introduction of an allyl fragment in this way provided rapid access to a variety of cyclopentanoid scaffolds. The cyclic nature of the cation precursor alcohol was shown to be instrumental for efficient cycloaddition reactions to take place, thus indicating an attractive strategy for controlling the reactivity of heteroatom‐substituted allyl cations. The formal cycloaddition reaction is highly regio‐ and stereoselective and was also used for a short total synthesis of the natural product cuparene in racemic form through a cycloaddition–hydrodesulfurization sequence.     

Integrating Allyl Electrophiles into Nickel‐Catalyzed Conjunctive Cross‐Coupling

Allylation and conjunctive cross‐coupling represent two useful, yet largely distinct, reactivity paradigms in catalysis. The union of these two processes would offer exciting possibilities in organic synthesis but remains largely unknown. Herein, we report the use of allyl electrophiles in nickel‐catalyzed conjunctive cross‐coupling with a non‐conjugated alkene and dimethylzinc. The transformation is enabled by weakly coordinating, monodentate aza‐heterocycle directing groups that are useful building blocks in synthesis, including saccharin, pyridones, pyrazoles, and triazoles. The reaction occurs under mild conditions and is compatible with a wide range of allyl electrophiles. High chemoselectivity through substrate directivity is demonstrated by the facile reactivity of the β‐γ alkene of the starting material, whereas the ?‐ζ alkene of the product is preserved. The generality of this approach is further illustrated through the development of an analogous method with alkyne substrates. Mechanistic studies reveal the importance of the dissociation of the weakly coordinating directing group to allow the allyl moiety to bind and facilitate C(sp³)?C(sp³) reductive elimination.     

Regio‐ and Stereospecific 1,3‐Allyl Group Transfer Triggered by a Copper‐Catalyzed Borylation/ortho‐Cyanation Cascade

A copper‐catalyzed borylation/ortho‐cyanation/allyl group transfer cascade was developed. Initiated by an unconventional copper‐catalyzed electrophilic dearomatization, this process features regio‐ and stereospecific 1,3‐transposition of the allyl fragment enabled by an aromatization‐driven Cope rearrangement. This method provides an effective means for the construction of adjacent tertiary and quaternary stereocenters with excellent diastereocontrol.     

Structural Diversity of Copper(I)–N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes; Ligand Tuning Facilitates Isolation of the First Structurally Characterised Copper(I)–NHC Containing a Copper(I)–Alkene Interaction

The preparation of a series of imidazolium salts bearing N‐allyl substituents, and a range of substituents on the second nitrogen atom that have varying electronic and steric properties, is reported. The ligands have been coordinated to a copper(I) centre and the resulting copper(I)–NHC (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene) complexes have been thoroughly examined, both in solution and in the solid‐state. The solid‐state structures are highly diverse and exhibit a range of unusual geometries and cuprophilic interactions. The first structurally characterised copper(I)–NHC complex containing a copper(I)–alkene interaction is reported. An N‐pyridyl substituent, which forms a dative bond with the copper(I) centre, stabilises an interaction between the metal centre and the allyl substituent of a neighbouring ligand, to form a 1D coordination polymer. The stabilisation is attributed to the pyridyl substituent increasing the electron density at the copper(I) centre, and thus enhancing the metal(d)‐to‐alkene(π*) back‐bonding. In addition, components other than charge transfer appear to have a role in copper(I)–alkene stabilisation because further increases in the Lewis basicity of the ligand disfavours copper(I)–alkene binding.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Chemo‐, Regio‐, and Enantioselective Addition of 2‐Pyridones to Terminal Allenes

A rhodium‐catalyzed chemo‐, regio‐, and enantioselective addition of 2‐pyridones to terminal allenes to give branched N‐allyl 2‐pyridones is reported. Preliminary mechanistic studies support the hypothesis that the reaction was initiated from the more acidic 2‐hydroxypyridine form, and the initial kinetic O‐allylation product was finally converted into the thermodynamically more stable N‐allyl 2‐pyridones.     

Alkene Isomerization–Hydroarylation Tandem Catalysis: Indole C2‐Alkylation with Aryl‐Substituted Alkenes Leading to 1,1‐Diarylalkanes

A cobalt‐N‐heterocyclic carbene catalyst generated from CoBr₂, imidazolium salt, and cyclohexylmagnesium bromide was found to promote the imine‐directed C2‐alkylation of indoles with nonconjugated arylalkenes through a tandem alkene isomerization–hydroarylation process, affording 1,1‐diarylalkanes with exclusive regioselectivity. The feasibility of the tandem catalysis was demonstrated for allyl‐, homoallyl‐, and bishomoallylbenzene derivatives. The catalytic system is also applicable to a variety of β‐substituted styrene derivatives. Mechanistic experiments using deuterium‐labeled indole substrate and Grignard reagent provided insight into the cobalt‐mediated C? H activation step, which likely involves exchange of the C2‐hydrogen atom of the former and the β‐hydrogen atoms of the latter.     

Rücktitelbild: Phosphine‐Catalyzed Remote β‐C?H Functionalization of Amines Triggered by Trifluoromethylation of Alkenes: One‐Pot Synthesis of Bistrifluoromethylated Enamides and Oxazoles (Angew. Chem. 13/2015)

An unprecedented phosphine‐catalyzed remote β‐C H functionalization of amine derivatives triggered by trifluoromethylation of an alkene with Togni’s reagent was disclosed. This reaction proceeded through the highly selective and concomitant activation of an unactivated alkene and the β‐C H bond of an amine derivative, providing bistrifluoromethylated enamides in excellent yields with good regio‐, chemo‐, and stereoselectivity. Furthermore, the newly developed one‐pot protocol provides a facile and step‐economical access to valuable trisubstituted 5‐(trifluoromethyl)oxazoles. Mechanistic studies showed that this reaction may initiate with a novel phosphine‐catalyzed radical trifluoromethylation of unactivated alkene via a phosphorus radical cation.     

A Cobalt‐Catalyzed Alkene Hydroboration with Pinacolborane

An extremely efficient cobalt catalyst for the hydroboration of both vinylarenes and aliphatic α‐olefins with pinacolborane is described, providing the anti‐Markovnikov products with excellent regio‐ and chemoselectivity, broad functional‐group tolerance, and high turnover numbers (up to 19 800). The alkene hydroboration route is further extended to a two‐step, one‐pot hydroboration and cross‐coupling of alkylboronates with aryl chlorides.     

An Improved Convergent Strategy for the Synthesis of Oligoprenols

A practical and highly regio‐ and stereoselective synthesis of oligoprenols starting from commercially available geraniol is described. The convergent synthetic strategy features the iterative allyl‐allyl coupling of monomers easily derived from geraniol that contain one reacting terminal functional group and the repetitive reductive elimination of the p‐toluenesulfonyl (Ts) groups.     

Phosphine‐Catalyzed Remote β‐CH Functionalization of Amines Triggered by Trifluoromethylation of Alkenes: One‐Pot Synthesis of Bistrifluoromethylated Enamides and Oxazoles

An unprecedented phosphine‐catalyzed remote β‐C? H functionalization of amine derivatives triggered by trifluoromethylation of an alkene with Togni’s reagent was disclosed. This reaction proceeded through the highly selective and concomitant activation of an unactivated alkene and the β‐C? H bond of an amine derivative, providing bistrifluoromethylated enamides in excellent yields with good regio‐, chemo‐, and stereoselectivity. Furthermore, the newly developed one‐pot protocol provides a facile and step‐economical access to valuable trisubstituted 5‐(trifluoromethyl)oxazoles. Mechanistic studies showed that this reaction may initiate with a novel phosphine‐catalyzed radical trifluoromethylation of unactivated alkene via a phosphorus radical cation.     

Tandem Thorpe Reaction/Palladium Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation: Access to Chiral β‐enaminonitriles with Excellent Enantioselectivity

A new type of nucleophile, a 3‐imino nitrile carbanion generated in situ by Thorpe reaction of acetonitrile with a base, was developed successfully and applied in a Pd‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation with mono‐substituted allyl reagents under Pd/SIOCPhox catalysis, affording β‐enaminonitrile products in high yields with excellent regio‐ and enantioselectivities.     

Highly Regio‐ and Stereoselective Synthesis of β‐Phenyl‐chalcogenyl Allyl Sulfones by Hydrochalcogenation Reaction of 1,2‐Allenyl Sulfones

The hydrochalcogenation of allenyl sulfones with sodium organyl chalcogenolates can proceed smoothly to give β‐phenylchalcogenyl allyl sulfones in high yields with exclusive regioselectivity. For the asymmetric allenyl sulfone, the reaction has both high regio‐ and stereoselectivity with the predominace of E‐isomer. Some applications of β‐phenyltelluro and β‐phenylselanyl allyl sulfone in organic synthesis are also investigated.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereogenic Centers via Copper‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation of (Z)‐Allyl Bromides with Organolithium Reagents

A copper/phosphoramidite catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of Z trisubstituted allyl bromides with organolithium reagents is reported. The reaction affords all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic centers in high yields and very good regio‐ and enantioselectivity. This systematic study illustrates the crucial role of the olefin geometry of the allyl substrate on the outcome of the reaction and provides a viable alternative to access these important structural motifs.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Allyl–Allylsilane Cross‐Coupling

An enantioselective allyl–allylsilane cross‐coupling involving racemic branched allylic alcohols and allylsilanes is reported. An iridium‐(P,olefin) phosphoramidite complex enables the transformation with high regio‐ and stereoselectivity under operationally simple conditions. The utility of the coupling is demonstrated in a concise catalytic, enantioselective synthesis of a pyrethroid insecticide protrifenbute.