Sequential 1,4‐/1,2‐Addition of Lithium(trimethylsilyl)diazomethane onto Cyclic Enones to Induce C−C Fragmentation and N−Li Insertion

α,β‐Unsaturated ketones generally undergo addition reactions with nucleophiles with a preference for either 1,2‐ or 1,4‐addition, but rarely both. However, the right combination of reagents allows for consecutive 1,4‐ and 1,2‐additions to occur: Cyclic α,β‐unsaturated ketones undergo double additions with lithium(trimethylsilyl)diazomethane, effectively generating various molecular frameworks with complexity and diversity. Owing to the sequential generation of several intermediates of multifaceted reactivity, including diazoalkane derivatives and alkylidene carbenes, it is possible to induce novel Grob‐type C?C fragmentations, alkylidene carbene mediated Li?N insertions, and dipolar cycloadditions by controlling the reaction parameters.     

Regio‐ and Enantioselective Rhodium‐Catalyzed Addition of 1,3‐Diketones to Allenes: Construction of Asymmetric Tertiary and Quaternary All Carbon Centers

An unprecedented highly regio‐ and enantioselective rhodium‐catalyzed addition of 1,3‐diketones to terminal and 1,1‐disubstituted allenes furnishing asymmetric tertiary and quaternary all‐carbon centers is reported. By applying a Rh^I/phosphoramidite/TFA catalytic system under mild conditions, the desired chiral branched α‐allylated 1,3‐diketones could be obtained in good to excellent yields, with perfect regioselectivity and in high enantioselectivity. The reaction shows a broad functional‐group tolerance on both reaction partners highlighting its synthetic potential.     

Enantioselective NiH/Pmrox‐Catalyzed 1,2‐Reduction of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

The enantioselective 1,2‐reduction of α,β‐unsaturated ketones was achieved using a NiH catalyst in the presence of pinacolborane. This mild process represents a general method to access a wide variety of structurally diverse α‐chiral allylic alcohols in excellent yields and enantioselectivity, as well as very high levels of ambidoselectivity for 1,2‐ over 1,4‐reduction. Furthermore, for reactions on a 10 mmol scale, catalyst loadings as low as 0.5 mol % could be employed to deliver product without any detrimental effect on the yield, enantio‐, or ambidoselectivity.     

Reductive C−C Coupling from α,β‐Unsaturated Nitriles by Intercepting Keteniminates

We present an atom‐economic strategy to catalytically generate and intercept nitrile anion equivalents using hydrogen transfer catalysis. Addition of α,β‐unsaturated nitriles to a pincer‐based Ru?H complex affords structurally characterized κ‐N‐coordinated keteniminates by selective 1,4‐hydride transfer. When generated in situ under catalytic hydrogenation conditions, electrophilic addition to the keteniminate was achieved using anhydrides to provide α‐cyanoacetates in high yields. This work represents a new application of hydrogen transfer catalysis using α,β‐unsaturated nitriles for reductive C?C coupling reactions.     

Aryloxide‐Facilitated Catalyst Turnover in Enantioselective α,β‐Unsaturated Acyl Ammonium Catalysis

A new general concept for α,β‐unsaturated acyl ammonium catalysis is reported that uses p‐nitrophenoxide release from an α,β‐unsaturated p‐nitrophenyl ester substrate to facilitate catalyst turnover. This method was used for the enantioselective isothiourea‐catalyzed Michael addition of nitroalkanes to α,β‐unsaturated p‐nitrophenyl esters in generally good yield and with excellent enantioselectivity (27 examples, up to 79 % yield, 99:1 er). Mechanistic studies identified rapid and reversible catalyst acylation by the α,β‐unsaturated p‐nitrophenyl ester, and a recently reported variable‐time normalization kinetic analysis method was used to delineate the complex reaction kinetics.     

Iridium(I)‐catalyzed C−H Borylation of α,β‐Unsaturated Esters with Bis(pinacolato)diboron

A new process has been developed for the iridium(I)‐catalyzed vinylic C?H borylation of α,β‐unsaturated esters with bis(pinacolato)diboron (B₂pin₂). These reactions proceeded in octane at temperatures in the range of 80–120 °C to afford the corresponding alkenylboronic compounds in high yields with excellent regio‐ and stereoselectivities. The presence of an aryl ester led to significant improvements in the yields of the acyclic alkenylboronates. Crossover experiments involving deuterated substrates as well as a mixture of stereoisomers confirmed that this reaction proceeds via a 1,4‐addition/β‐hydride elimination mechanism. Notably, this reaction was also used to develop a one‐pot borylation/Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling procedure.     

Syngas‐Free Highly Regioselective Rhodium‐Catalyzed Transfer Hydroformylation of Alkynes to α,β‐Unsaturated Aldehydes

The hydroformylation of alkynes is a fundamental and important reaction in both academic research and industry. Conventional methods focus on the conversion of alkynes, CO, and H₂ into α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes, but they often suffer from problems associated with operation, regioselectivity, and chemoselectivity. Herein, we disclose an operationally simple, mild, and syngas‐free rhodium‐catalyzed reaction for the hydroformylation of alkynes via formyl and hydride transfer from an alkyl aldehyde. This synthetic method uses inexpensive and easy‐to‐handle n‐butyraldehyde to overcome the challenge posed by the use of syngas in traditional approaches and employs a commercially available catalyst and ligand to transform a broad range of internal alkynes, especially alkynyl‐containing complex molecules, into versatile stereodefined α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes with excellent chemo‐, regio‐, and stereoselectivity.     

Reactions of a,ß‐unsaturated N‐benzenesulfonyl Imine – N‐[(2E)‐3‐phenyl‐2‐propen‐1‐ylidene]benzenesulfonamide with Methyllithium

α,β‐Unsaturated N‐benzenesulfonyl imine 1 was treated with 1.1 eq methyllithium to afford 1,2‐addition adduct as a sole product. However, when compound 1 was treated with 2 eq MeLi, 1,2‐addition product, benzenesulfonamide derivative 3 and 2H‐1,2‐benzothiazine 1,1‐dioxide derivatives 4 and 5 were isolated.     

A New Route to N‐Aryl 2‐Alkenamides,N‐Allyl N‐Aryl 2‐Alkenamides,and N‐Aryl α,β‐Unsaturated γ‐Lactams from N‐Aryl 3‐(Phenylsulfonyl)propanamides

A series of N‐aryl 2‐alkenamides were produced efficiently by treating N‐aryl 3‐(phenylsulfonyl)‐propanamides with potassium tert‐butoxide in THF at 0°C. With out isolation, it was further treated with an additional equivalent of potassium tert‐butoxide and allyl bromide to give N‐allyl N‐aryl 2‐alkenamides in one pot in good yields. Followed by a ring‐closing metathesis reaction, these N‐allyl N‐aryl 2‐alkenamides were respectively converted into corresponding N‐aryl α,β‐unsaturated γ‐lactams in moderate yields.     

Helical Poly(α,β‐unsaturated ketone) with Bulky Pendant of Binaphthyl from Anionic Polymerization of ((−)‐Menthyl (S)‐6′‐Acrylyl‐2′‐methyloxy‐1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2‐carboxylate

((?)‐Menthyl (S)‐6′‐acrylyl‐2′‐methyloxy‐1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2‐carboxylate ( 3 ) was synthesized and anionically polymerized using n‐BuLi as an initiator in toluene. The monomer 3 was levorotatory and had an [α]_D²⁵ value of ?72.4, but its corresponding polymer poly‐ 3 was dextrorotatory and showed an [α]_D²⁵ value of +162.0. Poly‐ 3 was confirmed to exist in the form of one‐handed helical structure in solution by means of comparing the specific optical rotation and the CD spectra with that of 3 and the model compounds such as (?)‐menthyl (S)‐6′‐propionyl‐2′‐methyloxy‐1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2‐carboxylate 2b and (?)‐menthyl (S)‐6′‐heptanoyl‐2′‐methyloxy‐1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2‐carboxylate 2c . This conclusion was also confirmed by the fact that the g‐value of poly‐ 3 is about 11 times of that of monomer 3 .     

Synthesis of β‐Haloketones by β‐Addition Reactions of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones with BX3 (X = Br,Cl) as Halide Source

A series of β‐bromoketones and β‐chloroketones were synthesized by the addition reactions of α,β‐unsaturated ketones under BX₃ (X = Br, Cl) and ethylene glycol reaction system. The α,β‐unsaturated ester also was successfully converted to its corresponding β‐bromoester under the reaction condition.     

Synthesis of 1,4‐Diazabutadienes (=N,N′‐Ethane‐1,2‐diylidenebis[amines]) by Grinding

A simple and convenient method for the synthesis of 1,4‐diazabutadienes (=N,N′‐ethane‐1,2‐diylidenebis[amines]) by grinding glyoxal (=ethanedial) or an α‐diketone and anilines (=benzenamines) in the presence of TsOH in a mortar with a pestle is described. By this way, 1,4‐diazabutadienes were obtained in good to excellent yields.     

Toward the Synthesis of Modified Carbohydrates by Conjugate Addition of Propane‐1,3‐dithiol to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

Selected 5‐substituted derivatives 4 of 1,1‐diethoxy‐5‐hydroxypent‐3‐yn‐2‐one were treated with propane‐1,3‐dithiol under various conditions. The unprotected hydroxy ketones underwent cyclization during the dithiol addition and gave the corresponding 3‐(diethoxymethyl)‐2‐oxa‐6,10‐dithiaspiro[4.5]decan‐3‐ols 5 in 80–90% yield as the only products (Scheme 3 and Table 1). These products can be regarded as partly modified carbohydrates in the furanose form. When the benzyl‐protected analogues 10‐Bn of the 1,1‐diethoxy‐5‐hydroxypent‐3‐yn‐2‐one derivatives were treated with the same dithiol, however, no cyclization occurred; instead the corresponding 3‐{2‐[(benzyloxy)methyl]‐1,3‐dithian‐2‐yl}‐1,1‐diethoxypropan‐2‐one derivatives 11‐Bn were formed in good yield (up to 99%; Table 4). These 1,3‐dithianes were and are in the process of being converted to a number of new carbohydrate analogues, and here are reported high‐yield syntheses of functionalized molecules 17 belonging to the 5,5‐diethoxy‐1,4‐dihydroxypentan‐2‐one family of compounds (Table 7), via 15‐Bn (Table 5) and 16‐Bn (Table 6 and Scheme 8).     

Formal Aminocyanation of α,β‐Unsaturated Cyclic Enones for the Efficient Synthesis of α‐Amino Ketones

Installation of amino functionality on organic molecules through direct C N bond formation is an important research objective. To achieve this goal, a 1,2‐aminocyanation reaction was developed. The reaction occurs through the formation of pyrazolines by means of a formal dipolar cycloaddition of cyclic α,β‐unsaturated ketones with lithium trimethylsilyldiazomethane followed by novel protonolytic N N bond cleavage under mild conditions. This two‐step process provides a diverse array of structurally complex free and mono‐alkylated α‐amino ketones in excellent yields.