Hg(OTf)2-catalyzed arylene cyclization

Novel Hg(OTf) 2-catalyzed arylene cyclization was achieved with highly efficient catalytic turnover (up to 200 times). The reaction takes place via protonation of allylic hydroxyl group by in situ formed TfOH of an organomercuric intermediate to generate a cationic species. Subsequent smooth demercuration regenerates the catalyst.     

Hg(OTf)2-catalyzed vinylogous semi-pinacol rearrangement leading to 1,4-dihydroquinolines

An efficient method for the construction of dihydroquinoline derivatives possessing a quaternary carbon center is developed by an application of Hg(OTf)(2)-catalyzed vinylogous semi-pinacol-type rearrangement. The reaction was found to be specifically catalyzed by mercury salt and to proceed via a bicyclic aminal.     

Cu(I)-catalyzed enantioselective [2 + 2] cycloaddition of 1-methoxyallenylsilane with alpha-imino ester: chiral synthesis of alpha,beta-unsaturated acylsilanes

[reaction: see text] The catalytic, enantioselective [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of 1-methoxyallenylsilanes with alpha-imino ester has been achieved by means of the [Cu(MeCN)(4)]BF(4)/(R)-Tol-BINAP catalyst to afford 3-methylene-azetidine 2-carboxylates in good yields and with excellent enantiomeric excesses. The acid-catalyzed ring opening of the azetidines afforded chiral acylsilanes quantitatively.     

Zn(OTf)2-catalyzed,microwave-promoted synthesis of 2-substituted 5-methyloxazoles from propargylic amides

The versatile conversion of propargylic amides to the respective 2-substituted 5-methyloxazoles was efficiently catalyzed by Zn(OTf)₂ (5?mol%) under microwave irradiation in toluene. The method was applicable to a wide range of aliphatic, aromatic and heteroaromatic propargylic amides and thus represents a useful method which is complementary to the existing metal-catalyzed protocols, considering the ready availability of Zn(OTf)₂.     

Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed efficient synthesis of beta,beta-bis(indolyl) ketones by the double indolylation of acetic acid 2-methylene-3-oxobutyl ester

In the presence of 5 mol% Sc(OTf)3, double indolylation of acetic acid 2-methylene-3-oxo-butyl ester with differently substituted indoles readily afforded beta,beta-bis(indolyl) ketones. The reaction may proceed via a Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed SN2'-type substitution and subsequent conjugate addition.     

Hg(OTf)(2)-catalyzed direct vinylation of tryptamines and versatile applications for tandem reactions

We have developed a unique catalytic protocol for direct gem-vinylation of tryptamine derivatives employing Hg(OTf)(2) as the optimum catalyst. The intermolecular vinylations with a series of aromatic acetylenes proceeded under ambient temperature at the C2 positions of indoles with high functional group tolerance. Based on the mechanistic insights, we further developed the tandem reactions successfully constructing a quaternary center.     

Dirhodium(II) tetrakis(perfluorobutyrate)-catalyzed 1,4-hydrosilylation of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

The use of dirhodium(II) catalysts in the 1,4-hydrosilylation of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes was explored. Dirhodium(II) tetrakis(perfluorobutyrate), Rh2(pfb)4, proved to be the catalyst of choice for this process, providing the corresponding silyl enol ethers in high yields.     

Yb(OTf)3-catalyzed synthesis of pyrroles under solvent-tree conditions

Ayb(Otf)3-catalyzed approach for the synthesis of pyrroles under solvent-free conditions was achieved,which could afford the desired products with yields ranged from moderate to excellent.     

Hg(OAc)(2).0.1Sc(OTf)(3)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 2-(4-pentynyl)furan

[structure: see text]. Although the Hg(OTf)2.3TMU-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts-type reaction of 3-(4-pentynyl)furan afforded the exo cyclization product, the reaction of 2-(4-pentynyl)furan furnished a very low yield. We found a 10:1 mixed reagent of Hg(OAc)2 and Sc(OTf)3 showed remarkable catalytic activity for the latter transformation. The actual reacting species is presumed to be Hg(OAc)(OTf), which is efficiently generated in situ by mixing the two reagents.     

Ethyl (benzothiazol-2-ylsulfonyl)acetate: a new reagent for the stereoselective synthesis of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters from aldehydes

The title reagent engaged in the modified Julia olefination with aldehydes under mild reaction conditions (DBU, CH(2)Cl(2), rt or -78 degrees C) to yield alpha,beta-unsaturated esters; aryl aldehydes and aliphatic aldehydes possessing significant chain branching elements gave trans alkene products with high stereoselectivity (E : Z up to >98 : 2), while straight chain aliphatic aldehydes gave cis products preferentially (Z : E up to 92 : 8).     

Yb（OTf）3-catalyzed synthesis of pyrroles under solvent-free conditions

A Yb(OTf)_3-catalyzed approach for the synthesis of pyrroles under solvent-free conditions was achieved,which could afford the desired products with yields ranged from moderate to excellent.     

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to alpha,beta-unsaturated amides.

The conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to alpha,beta-unsaturated amides was carried out in the presence of a chiral rhodium catalyst and an aqueous base. The catalyst prepared in situ from Rh(acac)(CH(2)=CH(2))(2) and (S)-binap provided (R)-N-benzyl-3-phenylbutanamide with 93% ee in the addition of phenylboronic acid to N-benzyl crotonamide. The reaction suffered from incomplete conversion resulting in moderate yields, but addition of an aqueous base, such as K(2)CO(3) (10-50 mol%) was found to be highly effective to improve the chemical yields. The role of the base giving a RhOH species active for transmetalation with arylboronic acids was discussed.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (E)-trisubstituted alpha,beta-unsaturated amides and acids

Potassium alkoxides of N-acyl-oxazolidin-2-one-syn-aldols undergo stereoselective elimination reactions to afford a range of trisubstituted (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated amides in >95% de, that may be subsequently converted into their corresponding (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated acids or (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated oxazolines in good yield. syn-Aldols derived from alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes gave their corresponding trisubstituted (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated-amides with poorer levels of diastereocontrol, whilst there was a similar loss in (E)-selectivity during elimination of syn-aldols derived from chiral aldehydes. These elimination reactions proceed via rearrangement of the potassium alkoxide of the syn-aldol to a 1,3-oxazinane-2,4-dione enolate intermediate that subsequently eliminates carbon dioxide to afford a trisubstituted (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated amide. The (E)-selectivity observed during the E1cB-type elimination step has been rationalised using a simple conformational model that employs a chair-like transition state to explain the observed stereocontrol.     

Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed cycloisomerization of aryl-allenes

Intramolecular hydroarylation of allenes was achieved under very mild conditions using bismuth(III) triflate as the catalyst. Efficient functionalization of activated and nonactivated aromatic nuclei led to C-C bond formation through a formal Ar-H activation. A tandem bis-hydroarylation of the allene moiety was also developed giving access to various interesting polycyclic structures.     

Efficient Cu(OTf)2-catalyzed and microwave-assisted rapid synthesis of 3,4-fused chromenopyridinones under neat conditions

An efficient, solvent-free, environmentally benign, Cu(OTf)₂-catalyzed and microwave-assisted fast synthesis of a fascinating class of a number of angularly fused chromenopyridinones having a carboxylate group at C-2 position on the pyridine ring via a one-pot [3+3] annulation reaction of several aminocoumarins/cyclic β-enaminones with different kinds of γ-aryl/styryl/heteroaryl-substituted-β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters as Michael acceptors under open atmosphere. This eco-friendly method delivers good to excellent yields of pyridine-fused-heterocycles within (15–40 min) without using any traditional oxidants and allows several important functionalities. Furthermore, by this method, stereoselective synthesis of trans-7,8-diaryl-8.9-dihydrochromeno[4,3-b]cyclopenta[e]pyridine-6,10-diones were obtained in an excellent diastereoselective manner (dr ≤ 99:1).     

Asymmetric dihydroxylation of d-glucose derived alpha,beta-unsaturated ester: synthesis of azepane and nojirimycin analogues

The asymmetric dihydroxylation of a d-glucose derived alpha,beta-unsaturated ester 3 afforded syn vicinal diols in good to high diastereoselectivity. The conversion of these vicinal diols to the corresponding cyclic sulfate, regio-, stereoselective nucleophilic ring opening by sodium azide, and LAH reduction afforded amino heptitols 7a,b that were converted to azepane 1c,d and nojirimycin analogues 2c,d.     

Enantioselective formal hydration of alpha,beta-unsaturated imides by Al-catalyzed conjugate addition of oxime nucleophiles

The (salen)Al-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of salicylaldoxime to alpha,beta-unsaturated imides is the key step in an efficient and highly enantioselective two-step formal hydration of these electron-deficient olefins. This reaction constitutes the first example of an enantioselective conjugate addition of an oxygen-centered nucleophile to alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives. Application of this method to chiral, nonracemic substrates revealed a high level of catalyst-induced diastereoselectivity, underscoring its potential utility for polyketide natural product synthesis.     

Asymmetric synthesis of gamma-hydroxy alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes via enantioselective direct addition of propargyl acetate to aldehydes

We report the first example of enantioselective and diastereoselective aldehyde additions of propargyl acetate to aldehydes using the methodology recently reported from our laboratories. Subsequent O-silyl protection, Pd-catalyzed isomerization, AcOH addition, and hydrolysis result in optically active gamma-hydroxy alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes as powerful building blocks. Reaction: see text.     

Z-selective synthesis of alpha,beta-unsaturated amides with triphenylsilylacetamides

With the purpose of developing a method of preparing Z-alpha,beta-unsaturated amides, the Peterson reaction of the (triphenylsilyl)acetamide Ph(3)SiCH(2)COX (1, X = NBn(2); 3, X = NMe(2)) with various aldehydes was examined. The reaction of aromatic aldehydes gave selectivities up to >97:3. It was found that the selectivity was a function of the electronic nature of the aromatic ring and higher Z selectivity was attained with electron-rich aldehydes. With aliphatic aldehydes selectivities up to 92:8 were achieved, and unlike with analogous phosphorus reagents, less sterically hindered aldehydes gave higher Z selectivity. Also, 3, which has a smaller amide group than 1, tended to give rise to higher selectivity. A comparison with the reaction of trimethylsilyl analogues revealed the significance of the phenyl substituents on the silyl group.