Stereoselective tandem synthesis of oxazolo-fused pyrroloquinolines from o-alkynylaldehydes via Ag(I)-catalyzed regioselective 5-exo-dig ring closure

A tandem approach for the regio- and stereoselective synthesis of oxazolo-fused pyrroloquinolines 3a–l via the reaction of o-alkynylaldehydes 1a–i with chiral amino alcohols 2a–c under mild reaction conditions is described. The possible participation of the pyridine ring in the regioselective formation of 5-exo-dig cyclized products was supported by the controlled experiments. The structures and stereochemistry of the products were confirmed by NOESY and X-ray crystallographic studies.     

Alkynes to (E)-enolates using tandem catalysis: stereoselective anti-aldol and syn-[3,3]-rearrangement reactions

A new tandem catalysis strategy that transforms alkyne derivatives to (E)-enol-equivalents followed by stereoselective anti-selective aldol coupling or syn-selective [3,3]-rearrangement transformations is reported. The mechanism is thought to proceed through an interchanging series of Lewis acid and Brønsted acid catalyzed reactions via the intermediacy of a ketiminum ion species.     

A Ce(III)-catalyzed expeditious multicomponent stereoselective synthesis of 3-mercapto-2(1H)-pyridinones

A novel Ce(III)-catalyzed, convenient, expeditious, and diastereoselective synthesis of 3-mercapto-2(1H)-pyridinones via one-pot, [3+2+1] three-component coupling reactions of chalcones, 2-methyl-2-phenyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-one, and amines is reported. The synthesis involves sequential Michael addition, condensation, and ring transformation. Ambient temperature, operational simplicity, use of an environmentally clean catalyst, high yields, and diastereoselectivity are the key features of the present synthetic protocol.     

PTSA-catalyzed tandem cyclization protocol for the stereoselective total synthesis of obolactone

Stereoselective total synthesis of obolactone by the Brønsted acid (PTSA) mediated tandem cyclization of the appropriately substituted diketone in one-pot in a highly selective and efficient manner is reported.     

Cobalt(III)-catalyzed synthesis of isoquinolines from oximes and alkynes in deep eutectic solvents

A cobalt-catalyzed redox-neutral [4 + 2] annulation of oximes and alkynes in deep eutectic solvents comprising quaternary ammonium compounds and hydrogen bond donors has been developed, the best system being Me₃N+CH₂CO₂- / HOCH(CF₃)₂. No external oxidizing reagent was required, and only water was generated as the secondary product. The catalytic system can be reused in three consecutive cycles.     

Palladium-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of 3-(aminomethylene)-oxindoles

An efficient palladium-catalyzed protocol for the stereoselective synthesis of 3-(aminoarylmethylene)-oxindoles has been developed. In this approach, Ugi-4-component reaction adducts were used as starting materials for carbopalladative cyclization-Buchwald reaction sequences.     

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed synthesis of isoquinolines from aryl ketone O-acyloxime derivatives and internal alkynes

A synthetic method of isoquinolines from aryl ketone O-acyloxime derivatives and internal alkynes has been developed using [Cp*RhCl(2)](2)-NaOAc as the potential catalyst system. The present transformation is carried out by a redox-neutral sequence of C-H vinylation via ortho-rhodation and C-N bond formation of the putative vinyl rhodium intermediate on the oxime nitrogen, where the N-O bond of oxime derivatives could work as an internal oxidant to maintain the catalytic cycle.     

A regio- and stereoselective synthesis of trisubstituted alkenes via gold(I)-catalyzed hydrophosphoryloxylation of haloalkynes

A new stereoselective synthesis of trisubstituted alkenes is developed. Hydrophosphoryloxylation of haloalkynes provides Z-alkenyl halophosphates, which undergo Pd-catalyzed consecutive cross-coupling reactions to afford regio- and stereodefined trisubstituted alkenes.     

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of methyl 5-methylenetetrahydropyran-3-carboxylates from Baylis-Hillman adducts via allyltributylstannane-mediated radical cyclization

Two types of regioisomeric methyl 5-methylenetetrahydropyran-3-carboxylate derivatives 3a-c and 6a-c were synthesized stereoselectively starting from the Baylis-Hillman adducts via the allyltributylstannane-mediated vinyl radical cyclization as the key step.     

One-pot synthesis of [1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridines from azines and benzylidenemalononitriles via copper-catalyzed tandem cyclization

A simple and efficient copper-catalyzed tandem radical cyclization reaction has been discovered for the synthesis of triaryl [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridines from easily accessible azines and benzylidenmalononitriles. The new transformation involves multiple CH/CC bonds cleavage and CC/CN bonds formation, with extrusion of gaseous hydrogen and methane. A wide variety of substrates with different functional groups could be converted into the corresponding products in good yields. The fused heterocycles have strong blue fluorescence with large Strokes shifts and high quantum yields.     

Palladium(II)-catalyzed tandem annulation reaction of o-alkynylbenzoates with methyl vinyl ketone for the synthesis of isocoumarins

A palladium(II)-catalyzed highly regioselective tandem reactions of o-alkynylbenzoates with methyl vinyl ketone for the synthesis of isocoumarins was developed. It is a convenient, mild and environmentally benign reaction with moderate to high yield. The reaction is initiated by the Pd(II) species and regenerate the Pd(II) species to complete the catalytic cycle without the necessity of a redox system.     

Stereoselective synthesis of morphine fragments trans- and cis-octahydro-1H-benzo[4,5]furo[3,2-e]isoquinolines

A stereoselective synthesis of the ACNO partial structures of morphine has been developed. Palladium-catalyzed cyclization of carbamate 2 provided the tetracyclic (ACNO) 3-ethoxycarbonyl-9-methoxy-2,3,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-benzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinoline (14); while treatment of 5-(2-bromo-6-methoxyphenoxy)-2-methyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroisoquinoline (8) under the same reaction condition gave 8a-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,8a-octahydroisoquinoline (11) via an unusual Claisen rearrangement. 9-Methoxy-3-methyl-2,3,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-benzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinoline (7) was successfully transformed to trans-octahydroisoquinoline 3 and cis-octahydroisoquinoline 4 via catalytical hydrogenation over PtO₂ and chemical reduction with acidic NaBH₄, respectively.     

Unusual Au(III)-catalyzed dimerization of benzoxazol-2-yloxy enynes: Formation of substituted 1,5-cyclooctadienes

Symmetric 1,5-cyclooctadienes were formed via Au-catalyzed dimerization of benzoxazol-2-yloxy enynes, involving double nucleophilic attacks of alkenylgolds toward allylic cations.     

Efficient synthesis of isochromanones and isoquinolines via Yb(OTf)3-catalyzed tandem oxirane/aziridine ring opening/Friedel-Crafts cyclization

The first example of Yb(OTf)(3)-catalyzed tandem ring opening/Friedel-Crafts cyclization of oxiranyl and aziridinyl ketones via selective C-C bond cleavage under mild conditions was developed. Isochromanones and isoquinolines are formed in reasonable yields, which often serve as building blocks for complex chemical synthesis.     

Synthesis of cycloalkanone-fused cyclopropanes by Au(I)-catalyzed oxidative ene-yne cyclizations

Au(I)-catalyzed oxidative cyclizations that successfully convert 1,5-ene-ynes and a 1,6-ene-yne to the corresponding cycloalkanone-fused cyclopropanes are described. This Au(I)-catalyzed oxidative cyclization can be effectively applied to various substrates and is an alternative to the previously used intramolecular cyclopropanation that required potentially explosive diazo compound.     

Pt(IV)-catalyzed generation and [4+2]-cycloaddition reactions of o-quinone methides

Novel intermolecular and intramolecular generations of ortho-quinone methides and their formal [4+2]-cycloaddition reactions with olefins catalyzed by PtCl₄ and AuCl₃ under mild conditions have been developed. Good to excellent yields (up to 99%) and diastereoselectivity (up to >99:1) of the chromans were obtained. PtCl₄ was found to be effective and compatible with various functional groups present in the substrates. A mechanism accounting for its catalytic cycle is proposed and discussed.     

Topologically driven tandem radical cyclization-based strategy for the synthesis of oxa- and aza-cages

Tandem radical cyclization-based strategy for the synthesis of oxa- and aza-cage compounds is described. The aryl iodides 1 and N-tosyl propargylated amine 8 lead to oxa- and aza-cages, respectively, after two tandem 5-exo-trig radical cyclizations. The alcohols 11 on reaction with ⁿBu₃SnH and AIBN give rise to the oxa-cages 14 bearing the tributyltin moiety after three tandem 5-exo-trig cyclizations. On the other hand, reaction of the propargyl ether 16 under similar conditions furnishes the oxa-cage 17 by a 5-exo-trig, 4-exo-trig, 5-exo-trig tandem radical cyclization sequence.