Copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of amides and potassium alkenyltrifluoroborate salts: a general approach to the synthesis of enamides

Potassium alkenyltrifluoroborate salts undergo coupling with amides to give enamides using a catalytic amount of Cu(OAc)₂ under mild oxidative conditions. The air and water stable alkenyltrifluoroborate salts offer a practical alternative to the use of alkenyl halides and alkenylboronic acids as cross-coupling partners. A range of amides participate in the cross-coupling, including heterocyclic amides, imides, carbamates, benzamides, and acetamides. Optimization studies established two sets of conditions, best suited to either high pK_a or low pK_a amide substrates. Lower pK_a amide substrates worked best using a dichloromethane solvent system in the presence of 4 Å molecular sieves, 10 mol % Cu(OAc)₂, and 20 mol % N-methylimidazole. Higher pK_a amide substrates worked best using a ‘ligandless’ protocol using a 1:1 dichloromethane/DMSO solvent system in the presence of 4 Å molecular sieves and 10 mol % Cu(OAc)₂. The cross-coupling reactions occur stereospecifically with retention of alkene configuration from the alkenyltrifluoroborate salt. The mild reaction conditions employed are tolerant of various functionalities, including nitro, acetals, alkyl and aryl halides, and α,β-unsaturated carbonyls. Finally, the importance of copper sources and the presence of minor impurities were investigated.     

Synthesis of enamides from aldehydes and amides

A range of double unsaturated amides (15, 19, and 21), obtained by cross-coupling reactions was reacted with aldehydes to hemiaminals. Heating the hemiaminals in the presence of Ac₂O and pyridine affected clean conversion to the corresponding enamides, such as 42, 45, and 47. Alternatively, N,S-acetals were prepared which were oxidized to the sulfones. Treatment with base also gave the enamides, favoring the cis-isomer. However, this method is less general. Application of these methods led to the natural products lansiumamide-A (30_cis), lansiumamide-I (31) and lansiumamide-B (32).     

Copper-promoted iodovinylation of amides: synthesis of β-functionalized enamides

We studied the addition of nitrogen radicals to ynol ethers in order to form β-functionalized enamides. Poor yields are reported. On the other hand, we observed that copper coupling between 1,2-diiodoethene and various amides leads to β-functionalized enamides in high yields with complete stereocontrol.     

Iron-catalyzed C-H and C-C bond cleavage: a direct approach to amides from simple hydrocarbons

Something functional: The title reaction proceeds in the presence of azide and water to deliver amides in high yields, and it can be used in a ring-expansion strategy to generate lactams. A mechanism is proposed based on experimental results. This reaction offers a new approach to functionalizing simple and readily available hydrocarbons. DDQ = 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone.     

An efficient approach to the stereocontrolled synthesis of enamides

[reaction: see text] A fast, flexible, and efficient approach for the stereocontrolled synthesis of enamides has been developed starting from lactams and amides through the use of imides. This new approach provides access to enamide systems not easily or currently accessible through other approaches.     

Synthesis of sterically hindered enamides via a Ti-mediated condensation of amides with aldehydes and ketones

The first TiCl(4)-mediated condensation of secondary amides with aldehydes and ketones has been achieved. The reaction proceeds at room temperature and is complete within 5 h in most cases. The optimized procedure used 5 equiv of an amine base hinting that the in situ activation of both the amide and the Lewis acid is required. The reaction affords polysubstituted (E)-enamides.     

Oxonitriles: a grignard addition-acylation route to enamides

[reaction: see text] Sequential addition of three different Grignard reagents and pivaloyl chloride to 3-oxo-1-cyclohexene-1-carbonitrile installs four new bonds to generate a diverse array of cyclic enamides. Remarkably, formation of the C-magnesiated nitrile intermediate is followed by preferential acylation by pivaloyl chloride rather than consumption by an in situ Grignard reagent. Rapid N-acylation of the C-magnesiated nitrile generates an acyl ketenimine that reacts readily with Grignard reagents or a trialkylzincate, effectively assembling highly substituted, cyclic enamides.     

Selective hydroalkoxycarbonylation of enamides to N-acyl amino acid esters: synthetic applications and theoretical studies

N-acyl amino acid esters are easily accessible from enamides by cobalt-catalyzed hydroalkoxycarbonylation in moderate to excellent yield. An important reaction parameter for selective carbonylation is the use of low hydrogen partial pressure, which prevents hydrogenation as a side reaction. The reported method is applicable to various enamides and alcohols. A DFT calculation of the catalytic cycle explains the preferred pathway of this reaction.     

Palladium(II)-catalyzed direct alkenylation of nonaromatic enamides

A mild and efficient method for the direct alkenylation of nonaromatic enamides was achieved through a palladium(II)-catalyzed C-H functionalization. The reaction scope includes cyclic and acyclic enamides and a range of activated alkenes. This approach represents the first successful direct C(3)-functionalization of nonaromatic cyclic enamides.     

The direct conversion of carbamates to ureas using aluminum amides

The conversion of carbamates into ureas using aluminum amide complexes is reported. This reaction is a convenient method to prepare bi-, tri- and tetra-substituted ureas from carbamate-protected primary or secondary amines by reaction with primary or secondary amines in the presence of stoichometric quantities of trimethylaluminum. A reactivity trend of the various carbamates was observed and methyl and benzyl carbamates were reacted selectively in the presence of t-butyl carbamates.     

Palladium-catalyzed approach to primary amides using nongaseous precursors

A simple protocol is reported for the preparation of primary aryl amides under Pd-catalyzed carbonylation chemistry applying a two-chamber system with crystalline and nontransition metal based sources of carbon monoxide and ammonia. The method is suitable for the synthesis of a number of primary amides with good functional group tolerance. Incorporation of (13)CO into the primary amide group was also found to be effective making this approach useful for accessing carbon isotope labeled derivatives.     

Intramolecular photoaddition of vinylogous amides with allenes: a novel approach to the synthesis of pyrroles

Irradiation of vinylogous amide or imide 5 (R = H, alkyl, or Ac) leads to the selective formation of either crossed photoadduct 7 (R = Ac) or parallel photoadduct 8 (R = H or alkyl) as a function of the nature of the group R. The latter result leads to a novel approach to the synthesis of pyrroles, that is, 8'.     

A direct approach to alpha-trifluoromethylamines

[reaction: see text] S-[1-(N-Acetylamino)-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl]-O-ethyl dithiocarbonate (6), a readily available xanthate, adds efficiently to various functionalized olefins to give the corresponding adducts 8 via a radical chain reaction initiated by a small amount of lauroyl peroxide.     

Protease catalysis mediated by a substrate mimetic: a novel enzymatic approach to the synthesis of carboxylic acid amides

We present a protease-based method for the coupling of non-coded and non-amino-acid-derived amines with carboxy components. The key feature of this approach is the combination of the substrate-mimetic strategy with the ability of the cysteine protease clostripain to accept a wide spectrum of amines. Firstly, we tested the use of the 4-guanidinophenyl ester leaving group to mediate acceptance of non-coded and non-amino-acid-derived acyl residues. This employed beta-amino acid and simple carboxylic acid moieties as acyl donors, and several amino acid and peptide units as acyl acceptors. The study was completed by the use of non-amino-acid-derived acyl acceptors comprising simple amines, amino alcohols, and diamines. The results indicate that the approach presented is a useful strategy for the synthesis of peptide isosteres, peptide analogues, and organic amides. These last open a new range of synthetic applications of proteases completely beyond peptide synthesis, achieving efficient and selective acylations of non-amino-acid-derived amines under extraordinarily mild reaction conditions.     

Synthesis of puleganic amides via a catalytically efficient two-step approach

Puleganic amides display interesting insect-repellent properties. A new synthetic route to this type of amide was developed involving an organocatalytic cyclization and metal-catalyzed hydrogenation in a one-pot protocol. An eco-friendly oxidative amination provided the puleganic amides with only one purification step and acceptable yields.     

Electrochemical synthesis of amides: direct transformation of methyl ketones with formamides

A direct transformation from methyl ketones to secondary or tertiary amides has been developed through a novel electrochemical approach and a wide scope of formamides could be utilized as the amide sources. This transformation was promoted by in situ generated iodine through electrolysis of sodium iodide under mild, metal-free conditions. This electrochemical procedure could avoid the use of stoichiometric iodine and afforded the target products in good to excellent yields.     

Mild and direct conversion of quinoline N-oxides to 2-amidoquinolines with primary amides

[reaction: see text] A simple, one-pot procedure is described for the direct conversion of quinoline N-oxides to alpha-amidoquinolines with primary amides. This methodology is complimentary to the Abramovich reaction, which is limited to the introduction of secondary amides via imidoyl chlorides. Although reaction conditions are quite similar, omission of the base is key for successful reaction with primary amides, which were found not to proceed through the intermediacy of an imidoyl chloride but rather through an acyl isocyanate.