N-heterocyclic carbenes mediated cyano-phosphorylation of ketones

Cyanation-O-protection reaction of ketones with different cyanide sources catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes is reported. Under the catalysis of 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene, various ketones coupled with diethyl cyanophosphonate to produce cyanohydrin-O-phosphates with a quaternary carbon center in moderate to excellent yield. Furthermore, the reaction can be scaled-up easily and high yield maintained.     

Umpolung of Michael acceptors catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

N-Heterocyclic carbenes can catalyze beta-alkylations of a range of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters, amides, and nitriles that bear pendant leaving groups to form a variety of ring sizes. In this process, the nucleophilic catalyst transiently transforms the normally electrophilic beta carbon into a nucleophilic site through an unanticipated addition-tautomerization sequence.     

Direct amination of homoenolates catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

N-Heterocyclic carbenes derived from N-mesityl-N-methyltriazolium salts are effective catalysts for generating homoenolate species from alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes. The unique intermediate adds to the electrophilic nitrogen of 1-acyl-2-aryldiazenes, and the resulting activated carbonyl unit undergoes an intramolecular acylation event. This formal [3+2] cycloaddition between alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and acylaryldiazenes, catalyzed by an N-heterocyclic carbene, produces substituted pyrazolidinones in good yields. This new NHC-catalyzed reaction accommodates aromatic and alkyl alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and various aromatic diazenes. A chiral triazolium salt catalyzes the formation of the pyrazolidinone product in moderate yield and good enantioselectivity. The pyrazolidinones can undergo reductive N-N bond cleavage to give beta-amino acid derivatives.     

Enantioselective acylation of secondary alcohols catalyzed by chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes

[reaction: see text] The synthetic utility of chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes, which have been used mainly in transition metal-catalyzed reactions as a ligand, was demonstrated by the enantioselective acylation of secondary alcohols.     

Highly enantioselective azadiene Diels-Alder reactions catalyzed by chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes

Highly enantioselective, N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed aza-Diels-Alder reactions are described. A novel chiral triazolium salt based on the cis-1,2-aminoindanol platform serves as an efficient precatalyst for the NHC-catalyzed redox generation of enolate dienophiles that undergo LUMOdiene-controlled Diels-Alder reactions with N-sulfonyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated imines in good yields and with exceptional diastereo- and enantioselectivities (>99% ee). In contrast to uncatalyzed variants, this organocatalytic process proceeds at room temperature without stoichiometric reagents, producing synthetically valuable, enantiomerically pure cis-3,4-disubstituted dihydropyridinone products.     

Stereoselective polymerization of rac- and meso-lactide catalyzed by sterically encumbered N-heterocyclic carbenes

New sterically encumbered N-heterocyclic carbene catalysts were synthesized and used to polymerize rac-lactide to give highly isotactic polylactide or meso-lactide to give heterotactic polylactide.     

Formal Diels-Alder reactions of chalcones and formylcyclopropanes catalyzed by chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes

Highly enantioselective (formal) hetero-Diels-Alder reactions between chalcones and formylcyclopropanes are disclosed. The challenging N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-bounded enolate intermediates from formylcyclopropanes were captured for new C-C bond forming reactions. The reaction products were obtained with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities and could be easily transformed to optically pure multisubstituted cyclohexane derivatives.     

Enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions of enals and alkylidene diketones catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

An electron-withdrawing group was introduced to the α-position of chalcones, and the resulting alkylidene diketones showed new reactivities with enals under the catalysis of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs). Selective activation of enals affords enolate equivalents that undergo highly enantioselective intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions with the alkylidene diketones. No products that might have resulted from typical homoenolate pathways were observed.     

Tandem oxidation of allylic and benzylic alcohols to esters catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

N-heterocyclic carbenes catalyze the oxidation of allylic, propargylic, and benzylic alcohols to esters with manganese(IV) oxide in excellent yields. A variety of ester derivatives can be synthesized, including protected carboxylates. This one-pot tandem oxidation represents the first organocatalytic oxidation of alcohols to esters. Saturated esters can also be accessed from aldehydes using this method. Through the utilization of a chiral catalyst, the acyl-heteroazolium intermediate becomes a chiral acylating agent, which can desymmetrize meso-1,2-diols. [reaction: see text].     

Formal cycloaddition of disubstituted ketenes with 2-oxoaldehydes catalyzed by chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes

Chiral N-hetereocyclic carbenes were found to be efficient catalysts for the formal [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of alkyl(aryl)ketenes with 2-oxoaldehydes to afford beta-lactones with alpha-quaternary-beta-tertiary stereocenters in high yields with good diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). Both alkyl(aryl)ketenes and diarylketene worked well in this reaction.     

N-heterocyclic carbenes as organocatalysts

Organocatalyzed reactions represent an attractive alternative to metal-catalyzed processes notably because of their lower cost and benign environmental impact in comparison to organometallic catalysis. In this context, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been studied for their ability to promote primarily the benzoin condensation. Lately, dramatic progress in understanding their intrinsic properties and in their synthesis have made them available to organic chemists. This has resulted in a tremendous increase of their scope and in a true explosion of the number of papers reporting NHC-catalyzed reactions. Here, we highlight the ever-increasing number of reactions that can be promoted by N-heterocyclic carbenes.     

Enantioselective [4+2] cycloaddition of ketenes and 1-azadienes catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

Optically active highly functionalized 3,4-dihydropyridin-2-ones were synthesized by N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed [4+2] enantioselective cycloaddition of ketenes and 1-azadienes.     

Reversible carboxylation of N-heterocyclic carbenes

Spectroscopic analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and crossover experiments performed on a series of imidazolium carboxylates revealed carboxylation was reversible with N-aryl substituted adducts.     

N-heterocyclic carbenes in gold catalysis

The appealing properties of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) as ancillary ligands and the high potential of gold as an organometallic catalyst have made their encounter inevitable. Still in its infancy, NHC-gold catalysis is nevertheless growing rapidly. In this tutorial review, catalytic transformations involving NHC-containing gold(i) and gold(iii) complexes are presented. Particular attention is drawn to the versatility and selectivity of these catalysts.     

Two unprecedented multicomponent reactions involving N-heterocyclic carbenes, activated acetylenes, and aldehydes

[reaction: see text] Two unprecedented multicomponent reactions of N-heterocyclic carbenes involving activated acetylenes and aldehydes are described.     

pi-Face donor properties of N-heterocyclic carbenes

The donor properties of aryl substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes are characterized by lone pair donation from the carbene carbon and, as is shown here, by donation of electron density of the aromatic pi-face of the NHC aryl groups towards the metal.