Synthesis of isoquinolines and pyridines by the palladium/copper-catalyzed coupling and cyclization of terminal acetylenes and unsaturated imines: the total synthesis of decumbenine B.

Monosubstituted isoquinolines and pyridines have been prepared in good to excellent yields via coupling of terminal acetylenes with the tert-butylimines of o-iodobenzaldehydes and 3-halo-2-alkenals in the presence of a palladium catalyst and subsequent copper-catalyzed cyclization of the intermediate iminoalkynes. In addition, isoquinoline heterocycles have been prepared in excellent yields via copper-catalyzed cyclization of iminoalkynes. The choice of cyclization conditions is dependent upon the nature of the terminal acetylene that is employed, as only aryl and alkenyl acetylenes cyclize under the palladium-catalyzed reaction conditions that have been developed. However, aryl-, vinylic-, and alkyl-substituted acetylenes undergo palladium-catalyzed coupling and subsequent copper-catalyzed cyclization in excellent yields. The total synthesis of the isoquinoline natural product decumbenine B has been accomplished in seven steps and 20% overall yield by employing this palladium-catalyzed coupling and cyclization methodology.     

Synthesis of trisubstituted thiazoles by ligand-free palladium-catalyzed direct 5-arylation of 2,4-disubstituted thiazoles under conventional and microwave-assisted heating

Trisubstituted thiazoles were synthesized with excellent yields using ligand-free, palladium-catalyzed, direct 5-arylation of 2,4-disubstituted thiazole and conventional or microwave-assisted heating. The palladium-catalyzed reaction yields were significantly influenced by LiCl additive, solvent, and heating method. The reaction times were reduced dramatically by employing microwave radiation instead of conventional heating. The synthetic methods can be applied to diverse 2,4,5-trisubstituted thiazoles by varying the aryl bromide and disubstituted thiazole reactants.     

Electrosynthesis of heteroaromatic aldehydes by palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of heteroaromatic iodides in the presence of formic acid

The palladium-catalyzed electrocarbonylation of heteroaromatic iodides, performed in the presence of formic acid under one atmosphere of carbon monoxide, affords heteroaromatic aldehydes in moderate to good yields. It has been developed a new application of palladium-catalyzed formylation using carbon monoxide, formic acid and tertiary amines as ligands under electrochemical reducing conditions.     

Synthesis of aryl ketones or ketimines by palladium-catalyzed arene C-H addition to nitriles

The unprecedented palladium-catalyzed C-H addition of arenes to nitriles provides moderate to excellent yields of aryl ketones or the corresponding hindered imines. The addition of a small amount of DMSO increases the yields dramatically. Both intermolecular and intramolecular reactions are successful, although the intramolecular reactions tend to be more sluggish. This novel chemistry is believed to involve palladium-catalyzed C-H activation of the arene by electrophilic aromatic substitution, followed by the unusual carbopalladation of a nitrile. Similar reactions have been successfully developed employing arylboronic acids and nitriles. A concise route to xanthones starting from cheap starting materials has been developed employing this synthetic protocol.     

Synthesis of coumarins via palladium-catalyzed carbonylative annulation of internal alkynes by o-iodophenols

A variety of substituted coumarins have been prepared in good yields by the palladium-catalyzed coupling of o-iodophenols with internal alkynes and 1 atm of carbon monoxide. Unlike most of the previous work on the palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of alkynes, the insertion of the internal alkyne occurs in preference to the insertion of CO.     

Sequential photostimulated reactions of trimethylstannyl anions with aromatic compounds followed by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling processes

The photostimulated reactions of several mono-, di-, and trichloroarenes and aryltrimethylammonium salts with Me(3)Sn(-) ions in liquid ammonia gave good yields of stannanes by the S(RN)1 mechanism. If the chloroarenes are not soluble in liquid ammonia, diglyme is another solvent to perform these reactions. The stannanes thus obtained can be arylated by further reaction with haloarenes through palladium-catalyzed reactions. If the palladium-catalyzed reaction is performed with a chloroiodoarene as substrate, the stannane reacts faster by the C-I bond via chemoselective cross-coupling reaction to give a chloroarene as product, which can be further arylated by a consecutive S(RN)1-Stille reaction or react with other substrates by another palladium-catalyzed reaction. These sequential reactions can also be performed with substrates with two leaving groups to give products in high yields.     

Palladium-catalyzed sequential one-pot reaction of aryl bromides with O-homoallylhydroxylamines: synthesis of N-aryl-beta-amino alcohols

The palladium-catalyzed sequential one-pot N-arylation-carbo-amination-C-arylation of O-homoallylhydroxylamines with two different aryl bromides provides rapid entry to differentially arylated N-aryl-3-arylmethylisoxazolidines in good yields with excellent diastereoselectivity. The obtained isoxazolidines can be reductively cleaved to cis-N-aryl-beta-amino alcohols in short times and in high yields at room temperature.     

Synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted cinnolines by the Pd-catalyzed annulation of 2-iodophenyltriazenes with an internal alkyne

A simple and efficient synthesis of cinnolines was achieved by a palladium-catalyzed annulation methodology. 3,4-Disubstituted cinnolines are prepared via palladium-catalyzed annulation of 2-iodophenyltriazenes with an internal alkyne in moderate to good yields. Several internal alkynes are applicable to this reaction and it is compatible with a number of functional groups.     

Sequential and one-pot reactions of phenols with bromoalkynes for the synthesis of (Z)-2-bromovinyl phenyl ethers and benzo[b]furans

Benzo[b]furans were prepared in one pot based on the addition/palladium-catalyzed C-H bond functionalization of phenols with bromoalkynes. The addition reactions of phenols to bromoalkynes generated (Z)-2-bromovinyl phenyl ethers in high yields with excellent regio- and stereoselectivity. The obtained (Z)-2-bromovinyl phenyl ethers subsequently proceeded by intramolecular cyclization to afford 2-substituted benzo[b]furans in good yields through palladium-catalyzed direct C-H bond functionalizations. It is important to note that the transformation of phenols with bromoalkynes into benzo[b]furans could be carried out in one pot with a simple and efficient tandem procedure.     

Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of potassium alkenyltrifluoroborates

We have previously reported that the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of air-stable potassium alkenyltrifluoroborates with aryl halides and triflates proceeds readily with good yields. Recent progress in outlining the scope and limitations of such reactions is described herein. The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of potassium alkenyltrifluoroborates with aryl and heteroaryl halides and triflates proceeds readily with moderate to excellent yields. The alkenyl cross-coupling reaction can generally be effected using 2 mol % of PdCl2(dppf).CH2Cl2 as catalyst in i-PrOH-H2O in the presence of t-BuNH2 as the base. A variety of functional groups are tolerated in both partners, and the process is stereospecific with regard to the alkenyltrifluoroborate starting material.     

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular carbopalladation/cyclization cascade: access to polycyclic N-fused heterocycles

An efficient palladium-catalyzed intramolecular carbopalladation/cyclization cascade toward tetra- and pentacyclic N-fused heterocycles has been developed. This transformation proceeds via the palladium-catalyzed coupling of aryl halides with internal propargylic esters or ethers followed by the 5-endo-dig cyclization leading to polycyclic pyrroloheterocycles in moderate to excellent yields.     

Synthesis of annulated gamma-carbolines and heteropolycycles by the palladium-catalyzed intramolecular annulation of alkynes

A variety of N-substituted 2-bromo-1H-indole-3-carboxaldehydes incorporating an alkyne-containing tether on the indole nitrogen have been converted to the corresponding tert-butylimines, which have been subjected to palladium-catalyzed intramolecular iminoannulation, affording various gamma-carboline derivatives with an additional ring fused across the 4- and 5-positions in good to excellent yields. When the tethered carbon-carbon triple bond is terminal or substituted with a triethylsilyl group, the iminoannulation generates a tert-butyl-gamma-carbolinium salt as the major product. The palladium-catalyzed intramolecular annulations of N-substituted 2-bromo-1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde, methyl 2-iodo-1H-indole-3-carboxylate, and 2-iodo-3-phenyl-1H-indole containing a phenylpentynyl tether produce the corresponding heteropolycycles in moderate to good yields.     

Synthesis of 1,3-enynes via Suzuki-type reaction of vinylic tellurides and potassium alkynyltrifluoroborate salts

The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between potassium alkynyltrifluoroborate salts and vinylic tellurides proceeds readily to afford 1,3-enynes with moderate to good yields.     

Palladium-catalyzed arylation of alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone: 3-benzylfuran-2(5H)-ones vs (Z)-benzylidene-gamma-butyrolactones and their reduction to 3-benzyl-gamma-butyrolactones

[reaction: see text] The palladium-catalyzed arylation of the alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone proceeds in good yields and may be directed toward the synthesis of 3-benzylfuran-2(5H)-ones when the starting aryl iodides contain strongly electron-withdrawing groups. The combined palladium-catalyzed arylation/hydrogenation of the alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone represents a new simple entry into functionalized alpha-benzyl-gamma-butyrolactones.     

Palladium Mediated Formation of Bithiophenes

The palladium-catalyzed coupling of iodothiophenes and stannylthiophenes gave good yields of bithiophene derivatives. This versatile reaction is tolerant of numerous functional groups.     

Palladium-catalyzed Heck reaction of in-situ generated benzylic iodides and styrenes

A palladium-catalyzed Heck reaction of in-situ generated benzylic iodides and styrenes has been achieved. The reaction proceeds in a one-pot manner through 1) addition perfluoroalkyl iodides to styrenes to give benzylic iodides, 2) followed by a palladium-catalyzed Heck coupling of the resulting benzylic iodides with the same alkenes in high regio- and stereoselectivity. A variety of perfluoroalkylated alkenes were obtained in moderate to excellent yields.     

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylation-decarboxylation of diethyl(2-iodoaryl)malonates with imidoyl chlorides: an efficient route to substituted isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones

A wide variety of substituted isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones were synthesized in reasonable to good yields by the palladium-catalyzed cyclization of diethyl(2-iodoaryl)malonates with imidoyl chlorides and carbon monoxide in tetrahydrofuran. A palladium-catalyzed carbonylation-decarboxylation process may be involved in the one-step synthesis of the isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones.     

Microwave-assisted palladium-catalyzed regioselective cyanothiolation of alkynes with thiocyanates

Applying microwave irradiation to palladium-catalyzed cyanothiolation of alkynes dramatically shortened the reaction time with good to excellent isolated yields.     

The first palladium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of terminal alkynes to conjugated enones

The first palladium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of terminal alkynes to conjugated enones has been developed in water and in acetone, producing the corresponding gamma,delta-alkynyl ketones in high yields.     

Palladium-catalyzed deracemization of allylic carbonates in water with formation of allylic alcohols: hydrogen carbonate ion as nucleophile in the palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution and kinetic resolution

The palladium-catalyzed deracemization of racemic cyclic and acyclic allylic methyl carbonates in water in the presence of N,N'-(1R,2R)-1,2-cyclohexanediylbis[2-(diphenylphophino)benzamide] proceeds with high enantioselectivities to give the corresponding allylic alcohols in high yields. This deracemization involves a palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution with the in-situ-formed hydrogen carbonate ion and an irreversible decomposition of the intermediate allylic hydrogen carbonates, with formation of the corresponding allylic alcohols. The palladium-catalyzed reaction of racemic cyclic allylic acetates with potassium hydrogen carbonate in water in the presence of the chiral bisphosphane proceeds with a highly selective kinetic resolution to give the corresponding allylic alcohols and allylic acetates.