Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with furan derivatives

Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions of dialkyl 2-arylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylates with 2,5-dimethylfuran were found to give products of [3+2]-cycloaddition to C(2)-C(3) bond, which contain reactive vinyl ether moiety. These adducts can be further transformed into various products depending on the Lewis acid, the nucleophilicity of aryl group in starting cyclopropane and the ratio of reagents. The vinyl ether moiety can attack the appropriate nucleophilic center in intramolecular or intermolecular mode or can undergo cycloaddition to the second equivalent of donor-acceptor cyclopropane. Alternatively, 2,5-diphenylfuran formed Friedel-Crafts products only when reacted with donor-acceptor cyclopropanes.     

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of bis(indolyl)methanes in water

An environmentally friendly synthesis method for bis(indolyl)methanes has been developed in the presence of sodium lauryl ether sulfate(SLES),electrophilic substitution reactions of indoles with aldehydes were accomplished in water as solvent at room temperature without any Bronested or Lewis acid catalysts.     

Poly(phenylene ether ketones) prepared by electrophilic polycondensation methods

Poly(phenylene ether ketones) were prepared by polyacylation reactions in hydrogen fluoride-boron trifluoride and by aluminum trichloride promoted Friedel-Crafts reactions modified by Lewis bases. Structural and engineering properties of these polymers are presented.     

Dipole-LUMO/dipolarophile-HOMO controlled asymmetric cycloadditions of carbonyl ylides catalyzed by chiral Lewis acids

We have found the first successful example of reverse-electron-demand dipole-LUMO/dipolarophile-HOMO controlled cycloaddition reactions between carbonyl ylides, which were generated from o-methoxycarbonyl-alpha-diazoacetophenone and their acyl derivatives as precursors, and vinyl ether derivatives with high levels of asymmetric induction (97-77% ee) using chiral 2,6-(oxazolinyl)pyridine-Eu(III) or binaphthyldiimine-Ni(II) complexes as chiral Lewis acid catalysts.     

Allocolchicines via intramolecular Nicholas reactions: the synthesis of NSC 51046

Biaryl propargyl acetate hexacarbonyldicobalt complexes (4) undergo Lewis acid mediated Nicholas reactions with a remote arene function to afford dibenzocycloheptyne complexes (9). Reductive decomplexation based on a hydrosilylation-protodesilylation protocol is facile, and the 1,2,3,9-tetramethoxy case can be converted to NSC 51046 ((S)-N-acetylcolchicinol methyl ether, 3).     

Alcohols and di-tert-butyl dicarbonate: how the nature of the Lewis acid catalyst may address the reaction to the synthesis of tert-butyl ethers

The reaction between alcohols and Boc2O leads to the formation of tert-butyl ethers and/or Boc-alcohols, depending on the nature of the Lewis acid catalyst. Product distribution is mainly tuned by the anionic part of the salt. Perchlorates and triflates, anions with highly delocalized negative charge, give prevalent or exclusive ether formation. On the other hand, Boc alcohols are the main or exclusive products with un-delocalized isopropoxide or low-delocalized acetate ions. The metal ion influences only the reaction rate, roughly following standard parameters for calculating Lewis acidity. A reaction mechanism is supposed, and a series of experimental evidences is reported to support it. These studies allowed us to conclude that, to synthesize tert-butyl ethers, in reactions involving aliphatic alcohols, Mg(ClO4)2 or Al(ClO4)3 represents the best compromise between costs and efficiency of the reaction, while, in reactions involving phenols, Sc(OTf)3 is the best choice, since aromatic tert-butyl ethers are not stable in the presence of perchlorates.     

Investigations of alpha-siloxy-epoxide ring expansions forming 1-azaspirocyclic ketones

The construction of 1-azaspirocyclic cycloalkanones using a siloxy-epoxide semipinacol ring expansion process was examined. Functionalized 1-azaspiro[5.5]undecan-7-ones (1-azaspirocyclic cyclohexanones) proceeded in high chemical yields with complete diastereoselectivity using titanium tetrachloride as the Lewis acid promoter. The formation of functionalized 6-azaspiro[5.4]-decan-1-ones (1-azaspirocyclic cyclopentanones) proceeded in high chemical yield with little diastereoselectivity. Modification of reaction parameters such as the Lewis acid promoter or the nature of the silyl ether allowed for the preferential formation of either ("anti" or "syn" 1,2 alkyl shift) diastereomeric product. An explanation for the different reactivity profiles between the cyclobutanol silyl ethers and cyclopentanol silyl ethers is provided.     

A DFT study of the domino inter

The molecular mechanism of the domino inter [4 + 2]/intra [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of nitroalkenes with enol ethers to give nitroso acetal adducts has been characterized using density functional theory methods with the B3LYP functional and the 6-31G basis set. The presence of Lewis acid catalyst and solvent effects has been taken into account to model the experimental environment. These domino processes comprise two consecutive cycloaddition reactions: the first one is an intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition of the enol ether to the nitroalkene to give a nitronate intermediate, which then affords the final nitroso acetal adduct through an intramolecular [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. The intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition can be considered as a nucleophilic attack of the enol ether to the conjugated position of the nitroalkene, with concomitant ring closure and without intervention of an intermediate. For this cycloaddition process, the presence of the Lewis acid favors the delocalization of the negative charge that is being transferred from the enol ether to the nitroalkene and decreases the activation energy of the first cycloaddition. The [4 + 2] cycloaddition presents a total regioselectivity, while the endo/exo stereoselectivity depends on the bulk of the Lewis acid used as catalyst. Thus, for small Lewis acid catalyst, modeled by BH(3), the addition presents an endo selectivity. The [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions present an total exo selectivity, due to the constraints imposed by the tether. Inclusion of Lewis acid catalyst and solvent effects decrease clearly the barrier for the first [4 + 2] cycloaddition relative to the second [3 + 2] one. Calculations for the activation parameters along this domino reaction allow to validate the results obtained using the potential energy barriers.     

催化不对称Michalel加成反应的新进展

总结了近年催化不对称Michael加成反应的新方法，包括手性金属络合物催化 的反应，呈手性Lewis酸性的手性金属络合物促进的不对称加成，手性冠醚络合物 催化的反应及其它催化反应。     

MALDI‐TOF‐MS analysis of living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers. III. Polymerization with SnCl4 and TiCl4 in the absence of additives

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the precision control (or the living nature) of the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers with SnCl₄ or TiCl₄ critically depends on the Lewis acid concentration and temperature. Specifically, at an extremely low Lewis acid concentration, for example, the polymerization with the HCl–vinyl ether adduct (an initiator) is living at ?78 °C in CH₂Cl₂ solvent, whereas side reactions occurred at a higher concentration of SnCl₄ or at a higher temperature, ?15 °C. This was more pronounced with SnCl₄ than with TiCl₄, which was due to a stronger Lewis acidity of SnCl₄ as suggested by NMR analysis of the model reactions. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1258–1267, 2001     

Ethers on Si(001): A Prime Example for the Common Ground between Surface Science and Molecular Organic Chemistry

By using computational chemistry it has been shown that the adsorption of ether molecules on Si(001) under ultrahigh vacuum conditions can be understood with classical concepts of organic chemistry. Detailed analysis of the two‐step reaction mechanism—1) formation of a dative bond between the ether oxygen atom and a Lewis acidic surface atom and 2) nucleophilic attack of a nearby Lewis basic surface atom—shows that it mirrors acid‐catalyzed ether cleavage in solution. The O−Si dative bond is the strongest of its kind, and the reactivity in step 2 defies the Bell–Evans–Polanyi principle. Electron rearrangement during C−O bond cleavage has been visualized with a newly developed method for analyzing bonding, which shows that the mechanism of nucleophilic substitutions on semiconductor surfaces is identical to molecular S_N2 reactions. Our findings illustrate how surface science and molecular chemistry can mutually benefit from each other and unexpected insight can be gained.     

Amidoglycosylation via metal-catalyzed internal nitrogen atom delivery

[reaction: see text] Rhodium and copper acyl nitrenoids are likely intermediates in amidoglycosylation reactions of allal 3-carbamates. Iodine(III)-mediated nitrenoid formation, interaction of this species with the glycal enol ether pi-system, and highly beta-stereoselective glycosylation occur in a one-pot process that requires no additional Lewis acid activation.     

From sigma- to pi-electrophilic Lewis acids. Application to selective organic transformations

Computed enthalpies of formation for various Lewis acid complexes with representative unsaturated compounds (aldehydes, imines, alkynes, and alkenes) provide a means to evaluate the applicability of a particular catalyst in a catalytic reaction. As expected, main group Lewis acids such as BX3 show much stronger complexes with heteroatoms than with carbon-carbon multiple bonds (sigma-electrophilic Lewis acids). Gold(I) and copper(I) salts with non-nucleophilic anions increase the relative strength of coordination to the carbon-carbon multiple bonds (pi-electrophilic Lewis acids). As representative examples for the use of sigma-electrophilic Lewis acids in organic synthesis, the Lewis acid mediated allylation reactions of aldehydes and imines with allylic organometallic reagents which give the corresponding homoallyl alcohols and amines, respectively, are mentioned. The allylation method is applied for the synthesis of polycyclic ether marine natural products, such as hemibrevetoxin B, gambierol, and brevetoxin B. As representative examples for the use of pi-electrophilic Lewis acids in organic synthesis, the Zr-, Hf-, or Al-catalyzed trans-stereoselective hydro- and carbosilylation/stannylation of alkynes is mentioned. This method is extended to sigma-pi chelation controlled reduction and allylation of certain alkynylaldehydes. Gold- and copper-catalyzed benzannulation of ortho-alkynylaldehydes (and ketones) with alkynes (and alkenes) is discovered, which proceeds through the reverse electron demand Diels-Alder type [4+2] cycloaddition catalyzed by the pi-electrophilic Lewis acids. This reaction is applied for the short synthesis of (+)-ochromycinone. Palladium and platinum catalysts act as a sigma- and/or pi-electrophilic catalyst depending on substrates and reaction conditions.     

Selective synthesis of fullerenol derivatives with terminal alkyne and crown ether addends

A series of isomerically pure alkynyl-substituted fullerenol derivatives such as C(60)(OH)(6)(O(CH(2))(3)CCH)(2) were synthesized through Lewis acid catalyzed epoxy ring opening and/or S(N)1 replacement reactions starting from the fullerene-mixed peroxide C(60)(O)(t-BuOO)(4). Copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition readily converted the terminal alkynyl groups into triazole groups. Intramolecular oxidative alkyne coupling afforded a fullerenyl crown ether derivative.     

Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions of N-(benzylidene)polyfluoroanilines with methyl acrylate and acrylonitrile

Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions of N-(benzylidene)polyfluoroanilines 1 with methyl acrylate or acrylonitrile were studied. It was found that Lewis base, solvent and reaction temperature can significantly affect the reaction. Using 3-hydroxyquinuclidine (3-HQD) as a Lewis base in the reactions of 1 with methyl acrylate in DMF, the normal aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts 3 were formed in moderate to excellent yields. For the reactions of 1 with acrylonitrile, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) is the best Lewis base giving the corresponding aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts 4 as the sole product in good to moderate yield. However, upon treatment of 1 with acrolein 2c, the corresponding reaction did not occur even in the presence of a variety of catalysts.     

Ionic polymerization of p-vinylbenzyl methyl ether

Ionic polymerizations of vinylbenzyl methyl ether initiated by either carbanions or Lewis acids has been found to lead to crosslinked polymers. By comparative studies of strong carbanionic bases and Lewis acids with benzyl ethers, it has been possible to define details of mechanisms which in conjunction with cationic or anionic propagation lead to crosslinks. The α-hydrogens of benzyl ethers have been found to be sufficiently acidic to terminate anionic polymerization of styrene and displacement of alkoxide anion from the benzyl ether linkage by nucelophilic polymer anions is proposed as a mechanism leading to branching and eventual crosslinking in anionic polymerization of vinylbenzyl methyl ether. Cationic polymerization of vinylbenzyl methyl ether is quite complex. In addition to propagation, chain transfer, and spontaneous termination of cation chain carriers, there is evidence for complex formation between Lewis acid initiator and the benzyl ether substituent. A slow decomposition of ether–Lewis acid complexes produces benzylcarbonium ions which alkylate aromatic rings of polymer and thereby crosslink the polymer. Benzyl ether has been found to be an effective chain terminator for cationic styrene polymerization.     

Synthesis of trifluoromethylated amines using 1,1-bis(dimethylamino)-2,2,2-trifluoroethane

Lewis acid-catalyzed deamination of aminal, 1,1-bis(dimethylamino)-2,2,2-trifluoroethane, using ZnI2 in ether, generates the 2,2,2-trifluoro-1,1-dimethylaminoethyl carbocation, which undergoes synthetically useful electrophilic reactions with alkynes, a variety of electron-rich alkenes, and TMS cyanide to form trifluoromethylated alkynylamines, homoallylic amines, alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, and cyanoamines in fair to good yields.     

Cationic polymerization of cyclocarbonates

Trimethylenecarbonate (TMC) and neopentane diol carbonate (NPC) were polymerized with two groups of initiators, proton and carbenium ion donors or Lewis acids. Initiation with methyltriflate, triflic acid or triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate in solution gave satisfactory yields (up to 90%) but only low molecular weights (M_n < 5000), due to rapid back-biting degradation. IR- and NMR-spectroscopy demonstrate that the propagation steps involve alkylation of the carbonyl oxygen and cleavage of the alkyl-0 bond by analogy with lactones. Whereas borontribromide and trichloride form solid complexes with NPC or TMC, but do not initiate a polymerization, boron trifluoride is a good initiator. High yields (up to 99,5%) and high molecular weights (M_w > 10⁵) were obtained. However, in analogy to triflic acid initiated polymerizations all polycarbonates contain ether groups. The molar fraction of the ether groups increases with the reaction temperature. High molecular-weight polycarbonates containing ether groups were also obtained with other strong Lewis acids such as SnCl₄, SnBr₄ and TiCl₄. In contrast, weak Lewis acids such as Bu₂SnBr₂ Bu₃SnOMe and Sn(II)2-ethylhexanoate yield polycarbonates free of ether groups. This finding and the NMR-spectroscopically identified endgroups suggest that these weak Lewis acids initiate an insertion mechanism.     

A new 3-(phenylseleno)allylic cation: its regioselective C-C bond formation reaction with nucleophiles

Highly useful C-C bond formation using 2-ethoxy-3-(phenylseleno)prop-2-enal acetal 2 was examined with various Lewis acids. The reaction of 2 with the silyl enol ether in the presence of BF(3)*Et2O, ZnBr2, or SnBr4 regioselectively provided (Z)-3,4-diethoxy-5-(phenylseleno)pent-4-enophenone 5a in high yields. On the other hand, the reaction with other Lewis acids such as EtAlCl2 or SnCl4 gave 5-(phenylseleno)- 6 or non-selenopentane-1,4-dione 7, respectively. Novel prop-2-enal acetals 2-4 and 13-15 reacted with various nucleophiles to give pent-4-enophenones 5a,b, 10a, 12, and 16-18, S-ethyl pent-4-enoate 5b, alkylated vinylic sulfide 10b, 3-pentenenitrile 5d, and 10c. A versatile pent-4-enophenone 5a could be converted to tetrahydrofuran 20 and penta-2,4-dienophenone 19, the Diels-Alder reactions of which with dienophiles gave the adducts 24 and 25.