Catalytic,Cascade Ring‐Opening Benzannulations of 2,3‐Dihydrofuran O,O‐ and N,O‐Acetals

An Al(OTf)₃‐catalyzed intramolecular cascade ring‐opening benzannulation of 2,3‐dihydrofuran O,O‐ and N,O‐acetals is described. The cascade sequence involves the dihydrofuran ring‐opening by acetal hydrolysis, an intramolecular Prins‐type cyclization, and aromatization to generate an array of benzo‐fused (hetero)aromatic systems in up to 95 % yield. This method represents the first example of dihydrofuran acetal usage in benzannulation reactions. The approach provides excellent regiocontrol based on the choice of alkenes used to form the requisite dihydrofuran acetals.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization of Indolyl Homopropargyl Amides: Stereospecific Construction of Bridged Aza‐[n.2.1] Skeletons

Catalytic cycloisomerization‐initiated cascade cyclizations of terminal alkynes have received tremendous interest, and been widely used in the facile synthesis of a diverse array of valuable complex heterocycles. However, these tandem reactions have been mostly limited to noble‐metal catalysis, and are initiated by an exo‐cyclization pathway. Reported herein is an unprecedented copper‐catalyzed endo‐cyclization‐initiated tandem reaction of indolyl homopropargyl amides, where copper catalyzes both the hydroamination and Friedel–Crafts alkylation process. This method allows the practical and atom‐economical synthesis of valuable bridged aza‐[n.2.1] skeletons (n=3–6) with wide substrate scope, and excellent diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity by a chirality‐transfer strategy. Moreover, the mechanistic rationale for this novel cascade cyclization is also strongly supported by control experiments, and is distinctively different from the related gold catalysis.     

Cascade Nitration/Cyclization of 1,7‐Enynes with tBuONO and H2O: One‐Pot Self‐Assembly of Pyrrolo[4,3,2‐de]quinolinones

Here we describe the one‐pot construction of the pyrrolo[4,3,2‐de]quinolinone scaffold by a cascade nitration/cyclization sequence of 1,7‐enynes with tBuONO and H₂O. The cascade proceeds through alkene nitration, 1,7‐enyne 6‐exo‐trig cyclization, C? H nitrations, and redox cyclization, and exhibits excellent functional group tolerance. The mechanism was investigated using in situ high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HR‐MS).     

Visible‐Light Photoredox Catalysis: Direct Synthesis of Sulfonated Oxindoles from N‐Arylacrylamides and Arylsulfinic Acids by Means of a Cascade C−S/C−C Formation Process

A novel photocatalytic synthesis of sulfonated oxindoles from N‐arylacrylamides and arylsulfinic acids was developed by means of a cascade C?S/C?C bond‐formation process. This method provides mild, efficient, and atom‐economical access to various sulfonated oxindoles in water.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Regioselective Cascade Alkylation and Cyclocondensation of Quinoline N‐Oxides with Diazo Esters: Direct Access to Conjugated π‐Systems

An inexpensive copper‐catalyzed cascade regioselective alkylation, followed by cyclocondensation of quinoline N‐oxides with α‐diazo esters has been achieved successfully to provide heteroarene‐containing conjugated π‐systems. The developed method is simple, straightforward, and economical with a broad range of substrate scope. The dual role of copper catalyst in the C?H bond functionalization and in Lewis acid‐promoted cyclization was explored.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetrahydropyrano[3,4‐b]indoles: Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed Aminopalladation/1,4‐Addition Sequence

A novel palladium(II)‐catalyzed cyclization of aniline‐tethered alkynyl cyclohexadienones is reported. This reaction offers an atom‐economical and redox‐neutral access to various cyclohexenone‐fused tetrahydropyrano[3,4‐b ]indoles with high yield and excellent enantioselectivity. Remarkably, this work represents the first example on a transition‐metal‐catalyzed asymmetric intramolecular aminopalladation/1,4 addition sequence.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Pyrazoles through a Four‐Step Cascade Sequence

A one‐pot synthesis of 3,4,5‐ and 1,3,5‐pyrazoles from tertiary propargylic alcohols and para‐tolylsulfonohydrazide has been accomplished. The pyrazoles are formed through a four‐step cascade sequence, including FeCl₃‐catalyzed propargylic substitution, aza‐Meyer–Schuster rearrangement, base‐mediated 6π electrocyclization, and thermal [1,5] sigmatropic shift. In this reaction, the 3,4,5‐ and 1,3,5‐pyrazoles are produced selectively according to different substituents in the starting alcohols.     

Synthesis of C2 Substituted Benzothiophenes via an Interrupted Pummerer/[3,3]‐Sigmatropic/1,2‐Migration Cascade of Benzothiophene S‐Oxides

Functionalized benzothiophenes are important scaffolds found in molecules with wide ranging biological activity and in organic materials. We describe an efficient, metal‐free synthesis of C2 arylated, allylated, and propargylated benzothiophenes. The reaction utilizes synthetically unexplored yet readily accessible benzothiophene S‐oxides and phenols, allyl‐, or propargyl silanes in a unique cascade sequence. An interrupted Pummerer reaction between benzothiophene S‐oxides and the coupling partners yields sulfonium salts that lack aromaticity and therefore allow facile [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement. The subsequently generated benzothiophenium salts undergo a previously unexplored 1,2‐migration to access C2 functionalized benzothiophenes.     

Whole‐Cell‐Catalyzed Multiple Regio‐ and Stereoselective Functionalizations in Cascade Reactions Enabled by Directed Evolution

Biocatalytic cascade reactions using isolated stereoselective enzymes or whole cells in one‐pot processes lead to value‐added chiral products in a single workup. The concept has been restricted mainly to starting materials and intermediate products that are accepted by the respective wild‐type enzymes. In the present study, we exploited directed evolution as a means to create E. coli whole cells for regio‐ and stereoselective cascade sequences that are not possible using man‐made catalysts. The approach is illustrated using P450‐BM3 in combination with appropriate alcohol dehydrogenases as catalysts in either two‐, three‐, or four‐step cascade reactions starting from cyclohexane, cyclohexanol, or cyclohexanone, respectively, leading to either (R,R)‐, (S,S)‐, or meso‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐diol. The one‐pot conversion of cyclohexane into (R)‐ or (S)‐2‐hydroxycyclohexanone in the absence of ADH is also described.     

Total Synthesis of the Alkaloid (±)‐Aspidophytine Based on Carbonyl Ylide Cycloaddition Chemistry

The Rh^II‐catalyzed cycloaddition cascade of an indolyl‐substituted α‐diazo imide was used for the total synthesis of the complex pentacyclic alkaloid (±)‐aspidophytine. Treatment of the resulting dipolar cycloadduct with BF₃?OEt₂ induces a domino fragmentation cascade. The reaction proceeds by an initial cleavage of the oxabicyclic ring and formation of a transient N‐acyl iminium ion which reacts further with the adjacent tert‐butyl ester and sets the required lactone ring present in aspidophytine. A three‐step sequence was then used to remove both the ester and OH groups. Subsequent functional group manipulations allowed for the high‐yielding conversion to (±)‐aspidophytine.     

1,3‐Dipolar Cycloadditions of α‐Diazo Ketones Derived from N‐Protected (S)‐Proline with Aromatic and Cycloaliphatic Thioketones

Enantiomerically pure α‐oxo diazo compounds derived from (S)‐proline were used for 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition with aryl and hetaryl thioketones, as well as with cycloalkanethiones. Whereas the reactions with hetaryl thioketones in boiling THF yield α,β‐unsaturated ketones via a cascade of cycloaddition, 1,3‐dipolar electrocyclization, and desulfurization, the analogous reactions with thiobenzophenone and cycloalkanethiones result in the formation of 1,3‐oxathiole derivatives. In the latter case, the 1,5‐dipolar electrocyclization of the intermediate thiocarbonyl ylide is the key step of the reaction sequence. In all cases, the isolated products are optically active, i.e., the multistep processes occur with retention of the stereogenic center incorporated via the use of (S)‐proline as the precursor of the diazo compounds.     

Platinum‐Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts‐Type C−H Coupling–Allylic Amination Cascade to Synthesize 3,4‐Fused Tricyclic Indoles

A novel platinum‐catalyzed cascade cyclization reaction was developed by intramolecular Friedel–Crafts‐type C?H coupling of aniline derivatives with a propargyl carbonate unit‐allylic amination sequence. Treatment of various propargyl carbonates tethered to meta‐aniline derivatives with a Pt(dba)₃/DPEphos catalyst system afforded the corresponding 3,4‐fused tricyclic 3‐alkylidene indolines in 42–99 % yield, which were transformed into 3,4‐fused indole derivatives by reaction with trifluoroacetic acid. The reaction products exhibited antiproliferative activities against cancer cells, but not normal cells, revealing the potential usefulness of this reaction for medicinal chemistry.     

Exo‐Dig Radical Cascades of Skipped Enediynes: Building a Naphthalene Moiety within a Polycyclic Framework

Cascade radical transformations of acyclic precursors open efficient, convenient and atom‐economical access to functionalized compounds of increased structural complexity. This report describes a selective sequence of 5‐exo‐dig and 6‐exo‐dig cyclizations followed by attack at a pendant aromatic moiety and rearomatization.     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric 1,6‐Addition/1,4‐Addition Sequence to 2,4‐Dienals for the Synthesis of Chiral Chromans

A novel asymmetric organocatalytic 1,6‐addition/1,4‐addition sequence to 2,4‐dienals is described. Based on a 1,6‐Friedel–Crafts/1,4‐oxa‐Michael cascade, the organocatalyst directs the reaction of hydroxyarenes with a vinylogous iminium‐ion intermediate to give only one out of four possible regioisomers, thus providing optically active chromans in high yields and 94–99 % ee. Furthermore, several transformations are presented, including the formation of an optically active macrocyclic lactam. Finally, the mechanism for the novel reaction is discussed based on computational studies.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Fused Pyrroles through a Key Gold‐Catalysis‐Triggered Cascade

A two‐step, one‐pot synthesis of fused pyrroles is realized by firstly condensing an N‐alkynylhydroxammonium salt with a readily enolizable ketone under mild basic conditions and then subjecting the reaction mixture to a gold catalyst, which triggers a cascade reaction involving a facile initial [3.3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement of the gold‐catalysis product, that is, an N,O‐dialkenylhydroxamine. The reaction provides a facile access to polycyclic pyrroles in moderate to good yields.     

Towards the Core Structure of Strychnos Alkaloids Using Samarium Diiodide‐Induced Reactions of Indole Derivatives

This report describes the development of a first and second generation approach towards the synthesis of the ABCEG pentacyclic core structure of Strychnos alkaloids. First, we discuss a sequential approach applying a series of functional group transformations to prepare suitable precursors for cyclization reactions. These include attempts of samarium diiodide‐induced cyclizations or a Barbier‐type reaction of a transient lithium organyl, which successfully led to a tetracyclic key building block earlier used for the synthesis of strychnine. Secondly, we account our first steps towards the development of an atom‐economical samarium diiodide‐induced cascade reaction using “dimeric” indolyl ketones as cyclization precursors. In this context, we discuss plausible mechanisms for the samarium diiodide‐induced cascade reaction as well as transformations of the obtained tetracyclic dihydroindoline derivatives.     

Dual Hard/Soft Gold Catalysis: Intermolecular Friedel–Crafts‐Type α‐Amidoalkylation/Alkyne Hydroarylation Sequences by N‐Acyliminium Ion Chemistry

Gold catalysts have been applied in cascade‐type reactions for the synthesis of different nitrogen‐based compounds. The reactions likely proceed by a new gold‐catalyzed cascade intermolecular α‐amidoalkylation/intramolecular carbocyclization cascade process by unifying both the σ‐ and π‐Lewis acid properties of the gold salts. In the first part of this report we show that the σ‐Lewis acidity of gold(I) and gold(III) could be exploited to efficiently catalyze the nucleophilic substitution of various alkoxy‐ and acetoxylactams. The reaction was found to be applicable to a wide range of cyclic N‐acyliminium ion precursors and various nucleophiles, including allyltrimethylsilane, silyl enol ethers, arenes, and active methylene derivatives. As a logical progression of this study, a combined hard/soft binary catalytic gold system was then used to implement an unprecedented tandem intermolecular Friedel–Crafts amidoalkylation/intramolecular hydroarylation sequence allowing an expedient access to new, complex, fused polyheterocyclic structures from trivial materials.     

Total Synthesis of Ileabethoxazole,Pseudopteroxazole, and seco‐Pseudopteroxazole

The total syntheses of ileabethoxazole, pseudopteroxazole, and seco‐pseudopteroxazole, three antituberculosis diterpenoids that had been isolated from Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae, were accomplished in a collective fashion. A cascade alkyne carbopalladation/Stille reaction was exploited to construct a triene precursor with suitable geometry. A fully substituted arene was then assembled through a key 6π electrocyclization/aromatization sequence, and served as an advanced common intermediate. Two radical cyclizations led to the formation of the five‐ and six‐membered rings of ileabethoxazole and pseudopteroxazole, respectively, with the desired stereochemistry, and a straightforward side‐chain elongation delivered seco‐pseudopteroxazole.     

New Synthesis of Diazepino[3,2,1‐ij]quinoline and Pyrido[1,2,3‐de]quinoxalines via Addition–Elimination Followed by Cycloacylation

This paper describes a convenient and efficient synthesis of new fused tricyclic diazepino[3,2,1‐ij]quinolines and substituted pyrido[1,2,3‐de]quinoxalines. o‐Phenylenediamines are transformed in the tricycle nucleus in only a few‐step synthetic sequence to produce ethyl 2,8‐dioxo‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydro‐8H [1,4]diazepino[3,2,1‐ij]quinoline‐7‐carboxylate, ethyl 8‐oxo‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydro‐8H‐[1,4]diazepino[3,2,1‐ij]quinoline‐7‐carboxylate and ethyl 2,7‐dioxo‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H,7H‐pyrido[1,2,3‐de]quinoxaline‐6‐carboxylate. The method is economical and simple to perform.     

Radical Cyclization/ipso‐1,4‐Aryl Migration Cascade: Asymmetric Synthesis of 3,3‐Difluoro‐2‐propanoylbicyclo[3.3.0]octanes

A novel method for the asymmetric synthesis of 3,3‐difluoro‐2‐propanoylbicyclo‐[3.3.0]octanes involves an unprecedented intramolecular radical cyclization/ipso‐1,4‐aryl migration cascade.