Allylation of Carbonyl Compounds Mediated by Aluminum/Fluoride Salts in Water

A novel mediator (Al/KF) has been developed and employed in the Barbier‐type alkylations of various aldehydes and ketones with alkyl halide in water. The carbonyl compounds could be effectively converted into corresponding homoallylic alcohol in good yields only when allyl bromides or substituted allyl bromides were used as halides. Aromatic aldehydes could afford homoallylic alcohols in high yields, unfortunately, the allylation of aromatic aldehyde substituted by nitro‐ or amino‐group could not proceed smoothly, and the allylation yields of ketones and aliphatic carbonyl compounds were lower under the same condition. The diastereoselectivity and regioseletivity of the reaction have also been studied, the predominant products preferred the erythro‐ or anti‐isomer in dominant γ‐adduct by using Al/KF mediated allylation of benzaldehydes with cinnamyl bromide and ethyl 4‐bromo‐2‐butenoate in water.     

环烯丙基溴在Cu/SnCl2参与的水相羰基烯丙基化反应中的应用

Five- and six-membered cyclic allylic halides were found to be much less reactive than the acyclic allylic halides in aqueous allylation reactions. Nevertheless, it was found that SnC12/Cu was powerful enough to mediate the aqueous allylation reactions involving cyclic allylic halides. Both the aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes could be efficiently allylated and the reaction condition was mild, simple and safe. The yields were usually in 75%-97% and the reaction was erythro selective.     

Outer‐sphere reduction of hexacyanoferrate(III) by enolizable and nonenolizable aldehydes in alkaline medium

Outer‐sphere reduction of hexacyanoferrate(III) by some enolizable/nonenolizable aldehydes (viz., aliphatic, heterocyclic, and aromatic aldehydes) in alkaline medium has been studied spectrophotometrically at λ_max = 420 nm. The reactions are first order each in [aldehyde] and [Fe(CN)₆^3?]. The rate increases with an increase in [OH^?] in the oxidation of aliphatic and heterocyclic aldehydes, whereas it is independent of [OH^?] in the reaction with aromatic aldehydes. The intervention of free radicals in the reaction mixture was carried out using both acrylonitrile and acrylamide scavenger in two different experiments. The kinetic results indicate that the oxidation of benzaldehyde in aqueous medium proceeds at a slower rate than the aliphatic aldehydes (other than formaldehyde) and furfural. The values of third‐order rate constant (k₃) at 308 K in the oxidations of some aliphatic aldehydes and furfural follow the order (CH₃)₂CH? > CH₃CH₂? > CH₃? > C₄H₃O? > H? . The rate constants correlate with Taft's σ* value, the reaction constant being negative (–9.8). The pseudo–first‐order rate constants in the oxidations of benzaldehyde and substituted benzaldehydes follow the order ? NO₂ > ? H > ? Cl > ? OCH₃. The Hammett plot is also linear with a ρ value (0.6488) for meta‐ and para‐substituted benzaldehydes. The kinetic isotope effect for benzaldehyde (k_H/k_D = 1.93 at 303 K) was obtained. The rate‐determining step is the outer‐sphere formation of Fe(CN)₆^4? and free radicals, which is followed by the rapid oxidation of free radicals by Fe(CN)₆^3? to give products. The kinetic data and hence thermodynamic parameters have been used to distinguish enolizable and nonenolizable aldehydes. An attempt has also been made to correlate kinetic data with hydration equilibrium constants of some aliphatic aldehydes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 494–505, 2012     

Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of trans‐Configured β‐Lactones: Cooperation of Lewis Acid and Ion Pair Catalysis

The development of the first trans‐selective catalytic asymmetric [2+2] cyclocondensation of acyl halides with aliphatic aldehydes furnishing 3,4‐disubstituted β‐lactones is described. This work made use of a new strategy within the context of asymmetric dual activation catalysis: it combines the concepts of Lewis acid and organic aprotic ion pair catalysis in a single catalyst system. The methodology could also be applied to aromatic aldehydes and offers broad applicability (29 examples). The utility was further demonstrated by nucleophilic ring‐opening reactions that provide highly enantiomerically enriched anti‐aldol products.     

Polymer-Attached Thiazolium Salts-Catalyzed Addition of Aldehydes to α, β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

A homogeneous catalyst, 3-benzyl-5-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazolium chloride, for addition of aldehydes to activated double bond, was attached to 20% cross-linked polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer. The attached catalysts could be easily removed from the reaction mixture. Polymer-attached thiazolium salts in the presence of triethylamine are active catalysts for addition of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to α,β-unsaturated ketones to yield γ-diketones.     

Novel Base‐Free Catalytic Wittig Reaction for the Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Alkenes

A highly efficient catalyst system for base‐free catalytic Wittig reactions has been developed and optimized. Initially, several potential (pre)catalysts as well as different silanes as reducing agents were screened. A system based on a readily available phosphine oxide as precatalyst and trimethoxy silane as reducing agent proved to be optimal. The effect of various Brønsted acidic additives was studied. Subsequently, the reaction conditions were optimized and standard reaction conditions were determined. Under these conditions the scope of this new protocol was evaluated. Nine activated olefins and 33 aldehydes were converted into 42 highly functionalized alkenes. Notably, aromatic, aliphatic as well as heteroaromatic aldehydes could be converted, giving the desired products in isolated yields up to 99 % and with good to excellent E/Z selectivities. These results underline the remarkable efficiency of this protocol considering the complexity of the reaction mixture and the four reaction steps that proceed in parallel in one pot.     

Dimerization of aldehydes to carboxylic esters catalyzed by K2[Fe(CO)4]–crown ether system

K₂[Fe(CO)₄] (1) with a crown ether was found to be an efficient catalyst for the dimerization of aldehydes to carboxylic esters. Several aromatic aldehydes including furfural gave the corresponding esters in good yields. This reaction also proceeded intramolecularly to give phthalide from phthalaldehyde. However, aliphatic aldehydes gave aldol-condensation products instead of the corresponding esters. In the reactions of p-substituted benzaldehydes with 1, the reactivity decreased with increase of the electron-releasing ability of the substituents. On the basis of these results, the reaction mechanism including the nucleophilic attack of tetracarbonylferrate dianion to the carbonyl carbon is discussed.     

Construction of Chiral 2,3‐Allenols through a Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Direct Alkynylogous Aldol Reaction

Chiral 2,3‐allenols were constructed through copper(I)‐catalyzed asymmetric direct alkynylogous aldol reaction. With aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes, the alkynylogous aldol reaction with (R)‐DTBM‐SEGPHOS as the ligand proceeded smoothly to furnish the products in excellent regioselectivity with good to high diastereoselectivity and excellent enantioselectivity. In the cases of aliphatic aldehydes, esters of but‐2‐yn‐1‐ol as the substrates and (R,R)‐Ph‐BPE as the ligand were found to be crucial to get good to high regio‐ and diastereoselectivity. The produced chiral 2,3‐allenols are easily transformed into synthetically useful 2‐furanones through cyclization. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied in the rapid synthesis of two chiral intermediates toward the synthesis of two pharmaceutically active compounds that have been proposed for the treatment of neurological disorders.     

First Magnesium-mediated Carbonyl Benzylation in Water

Catalyzed by AgNO3, Mg was found for the first time to be able to mediate the coupling reaction between aromatic aldehydes and benzyl bromide or chloride in water. The yields were slightly higher than the recent results for Mg-mediated allylation despite the fact that aqueous benzylation is intrinsically much harder than allylation. It was also found that the coupling reaction was chemoselective for aromatic aldehydes over aliphatic aldehydes, and chemoselective for aromatic aldehydes over aromatic ketones.     

Reductive Amination of Aldehydes and Ketones with Sodium Triacetoxyborohydride. Studies on Direct and Indirect Reductive Amination Procedures(1)

Sodium triacetoxyborohydride is presented as a general reducing agent for the reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones. Procedures for using this mild and selective reagent have been developed for a wide variety of substrates. The scope of the reaction includes aliphatic acyclic and cyclic ketones, aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, and primary and secondary amines including a variety of weakly basic and nonbasic amines. Limitations include reactions with aromatic and unsaturated ketones and some sterically hindered ketones and amines. 1,2-Dichloroethane (DCE) is the preferred reaction solvent, but reactions can also be carried out in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and occasionally in acetonitrile. Acetic acid may be used as catalyst with ketone reactions, but it is generally not needed with aldehydes. The procedure is carried out effectively in the presence of acid sensitive functional groups such as acetals and ketals; it can also be carried out in the presence of reducible functional groups such as C-C multiple bonds and cyano and nitro groups. Reactions are generally faster in DCE than in THF, and in both solvents, reactions are faster in the presence of AcOH. In comparison with other reductive amination procedures such as NaBH(3)CN/MeOH, borane-pyridine, and catalytic hydrogenation, NaBH(OAc)(3) gave consistently higher yields and fewer side products. In the reductive amination of some aldehydes with primary amines where dialkylation is a problem we adopted a stepwise procedure involving imine formation in MeOH followed by reduction with NaBH(4).     

Double Stereodifferentiation in the Catalytic Asymmetric Aziridination of Imines Prepared from α‐Chiral Amines

The catalytic asymmetric aziridination of imines and diazo compounds (AZ reaction) mediated by boroxinate catalysts derived from the VANOL and VAPOL ligands was investigated with chiral imines derived from five different chiral, disubstituted, methyl amines. The strongest matched and mismatched reactions with the two enantiomers of the catalyst were noted with disubstituted methyl amines that had one aromatic and one aliphatic substituent. The synthetic scope for the AZ reaction was examined in detail for α‐methylbenzyl amine for cis‐aziridines from α‐diazo esters and for trans‐aziridines from α‐diazo acetamides. Optically pure aziridines could be routinely obtained in good yields and with high diastereoselectivity and the minor diastereomer (if any) could be easily separated. The matched case for cis‐aziridines involved the (R)‐amine with the (S)‐ligand, but curiously, for trans‐aziridines the matched case involved the (R)‐amine with the (R)‐ligand for imines derived from benzaldehyde and n‐butanal, and the (R)‐amine with the (S)‐ligand for imines derived from the bulkier aliphatic aldehydes pivaldehyde and cyclohexane carboxaldehyde.     

Wittig reactions in water media employing stabilized ylides with aldehydes. Synthesis of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters from mixing aldehydes, alpha-bromoesters, and Ph3P in aqueous NaHCO3

Water is demonstrated to be an effective medium for the Wittig reaction over a wide range of stabilized ylides and aldehydes. Despite sometimes poor solubility of the reactants, good chemical yields normally ranging from 80 to 98% and high E-selectivities (up to 99%) are achieved, and the rate of the reactions in water is unexpectedly accelerated. The efficiency of water as a medium in the Wittig reaction is compared to conventional organic solvents ranging from carbon tetrachloride to methanol. The aqueous Wittig reaction works best when large hydrophobic entities are present, such as aromatic, heterocyclic aromatic carboxaldehydes, and long-chain aliphatic aldehydes with triphenylphosphoranes. The E/Z-isomeric ratio of the Wittig products appears dependent on the electron-accepting/donating capacity and the location of the substituents present in the aromatic ring. The effect of additives, such as benzoic acid, LiCl, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), on the Wittig reaction has been explored. The Wittig reaction can also be conducted in the presence of acidic entities, such as phenols and carboxylic acids. In addition, large alpha-substituents in the aliphatic aldehydes do not jeopardize the reaction. It is also demonstrated that hydrates of aldehydes can be used directly in the aqueous Wittig reaction as substrates. The scope of the aqueous Wittig reaction is extended to 24 examples of one-pot mixtures of Ph3P, alpha-bromoesters, and aldehydes in sodium bicarbonate solution (at 20 degrees C for 40 min to 3 h) to provide Wittig products of up to 99% yield and up to 98% E-selectivity. Since water is inexpensive, extremely easy to handle, and represents no environmental concerns, it should be considered a possible medium for new organic reactions.     

Reactions of Allyl Alcohols of the Pinane Series and of Their Epoxides in the Presence of Montmorillonite Clay

The reactivity of allyl alcohols of the pinane series and of their epoxides in the presence of montmorillonite clay in intra‐ and intermolecular reactions was studied. Mutual transformations of (+)‐trans‐pinocarveol ((+)‐ 2 ) and (?)‐myrtenol ((?)‐ 3a ) were major reactions of these compounds on askanite–bentonite clay (Schemes 1 and 2). However, the two reactions gave different isomerization products, indicating that the reactivity of the starting alcohol (+)‐ 2 or (?)‐ 3a was different from that of the same compound (+)‐ 2 or (?)‐ 3 formed in the course of the reactions. (?)‐cis‐ and (+)‐trans‐Verbenol ((?)‐ 16 and (+)‐ 12 , resp.), as well as (?)‐cis‐verbenol epoxide ((?)‐ 20 ) reacted with both aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes on askanite–bentonite clay giving various heterocyclic compounds (Schemes 4, 5 and 7); the reaction path depended on the structure of both the terpenoid and the aldehyde.     

Iodine-Mediated One-Pot Synthesis of 1,4,5-Substituted Pyrazoles from MBH Acetates via Allyl Hydrazone Intermediate

Herein, we report the regioselective one-pot synthesis of 1,4,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles by reacting Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) acetates derived from aryl aldehydes with alkyl or aryl hydrazines in the presence of iodine under aerobic conditions. The reaction proceeds through sequential S_N2′ nucleophilic substitution of substituted hydrazine onto the MBH acetate, I₂-catalyzed oxidation of the allylic hydrazine to allylic hydrazone, heating-induced intramolecular aza-Michael reaction and cyclization, and oxidative aromatization. The key intermediate, the s-trans allyl hydrazones were isolated in good yields by performing the reactions at room temperature. However, the allyl hydrazones prepared from the MBH acetates of aliphatic aldehydes did not furnish the pyrazole owing to the absence of an activated methylene group in the substrate. The synthetic applications of the pyrazoles in Ugi reactions, decarboxylative halogenation, Pd-catalyzed benzoylation of the N-aryl ring, and metal-free tetrazole synthesis has been demonstrated.     

Allylation Reactions of Aldehydes with Allylboronates in Aqueous Media: Unique Reactivity and Selectivity that are Only Observed in the Presence of Water

Zn(OH)₂‐catalyzed allylation reactions of aldehydes with allylboronates in aqueous media have been developed. In contrast to conventional allylboration reactions of aldehydes in organic solvents, the α‐addition products were obtained exclusively. A catalytic cycle in which the allylzinc species was generated through a B‐to‐Zn exchange process is proposed and kinetic studies were performed. The key intermediate, an allylzinc species, was detected by HRMS (ESI) analysis and by online continuous MS (ESI) analysis. This analysis revealed that, in aqueous media, the allylzinc species competitively reacted with the aldehydes and water. An investigation of the reactivity and selectivity of the allylzinc species by using several typical allylboronates ( 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d ) clarified several important roles of water in this allylation reaction. The allylation reactions of aldehydes with allylboronic acid 2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐propanediol esters proceeded smoothly in the presence of catalytic amounts of Zn(OH)₂ and achiral ligand 4d in aqueous media to afford the corresponding syn‐adducts in high yields with high diastereoselectivities. In all cases, the α‐addition products were obtained and a wide substrate scope was tolerated. Furthermore, this reaction was applied to asymmetric catalysis by using chiral ligand 9 . Based on the X‐ray structure of the Zn‐ 9 complex, several nonsymmetrical chiral ligands were also found to be effective. This reaction was further applied to catalytic asymmetric alkylallylation, chloroallylation, and alkoxyallylation processes and the synthetic utility of these reactions has been demonstrated.     

Baylis-Hillman reaction promoted by a recyclable protic-ionic-liquid solvent-catalyst system: DABCO-AcOH-H2O

A recyclable protic-ionic-liquid solvent-catalyst system, DABCO-AcOH-H₂O, has been developed and used in the Baylis-Hillman reaction of aromatic aldehydes, aliphatic aldehydes, and cinnamaldehydes with acrylates and acrylonitrile, showing comparable performance to free DABCO in traditional solvents. The DABCO-AcOH-H₂O solvent-catalyst system could be reused for at least five times without significant loss of activity.     

Amino acid catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol reactions: a bioorganic approach to catalytic asymmetric carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions.

Direct asymmetric catalytic aldol reactions have been successfully performed using aldehydes and unmodified ketones together with commercially available chiral cyclic secondary amines as catalysts. Structure-based catalyst screening identified L-proline and 5,5-dimethyl thiazolidinium-4-carboxylate (DMTC) as the most powerful amino acid catalysts for the reaction of both acyclic and cyclic ketones as aldol donors with aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to afford the corresponding aldol products with high regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities. Reactions employing hydroxyacetone as an aldol donor provide anti-1,2-diols as the major product with ee values up to >99%. The reactions are assumed to proceed via a metal-free Zimmerman-Traxler-type transition state and involve an enamine intermediate. The observed stereochemistry of the products is in accordance with the proposed transition state. Further supporting evidence is provided by the lack of nonlinear effects. The reactions tolerate a small amount of water (<4 vol %), do not require inert reaction conditions and preformed enolate equivalents, and can be conveniently performed at room temperature in various solvents. In addition, reaction conditions that facilitate catalyst recovery as well as immobilization are described. Finally, mechanistically related addition reactions such as ketone additions to imines (Mannich-type reactions) and to nitro-olefins and alpha,beta-unsaturated diesters (Michael-type reactions) have also been developed.     

Synthesis of 3‐aminomethylidenechroman‐2‐carboxamides by a Sequential One‐pot Three Component Reaction and by Post‐Passerini Condensation Modification

3‐Arylaminomethylidenechroman‐2‐carboxamide has been synthesized by a one‐pot three component reaction among 3‐formylchromone, aromatic amine, and cyclohexyl isocyanide. 3‐(N‐alkylsubstitued/unsubstituted)aminomethylidenechroman‐2‐carboxamides were synthesized by heating Passerini products derived from chromone‐3‐carbaldehyde with different aliphatic primary amines. The products obtained from the reactions of aliphatic primary amines readily form chromeno[2,3‐c]pyrrole when heated in acetic acid. Bischromanones have also been synthesized using this methodology.     

Mannich reaction in the synthesis of N,S-containing heterocycles. 13*. One-pot method for preparing pyrimido[4,3-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>]-[1,3,5]thiadiazines by reaction of aldehydes,cyanothioacetamide, formaldehyde,and primary amines

Successive reaction of cyanothioacetamide with aliphatic or aromatic aldehydes, formaldehyde, and primary amines gives the corresponding 3,7-disubstituted 3,4,7,8-tetrahydro-2H,6H-pyrimido-[4,3-b][1,3,5]thiadiazine-9-carbonitriles.     

A versatile synthesis of 4,5‐dihydropyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxalines

The reaction of 1‐(2‐aminophenyl)pyrrole with aromatic or heteroaromatic aldehydes in ethanol and catalytic amounts of acetic acid leads to 4,5‐dihydropyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxalines in high yields. When aliphatic aldehydes were used under the same conditions, a slow oxidation to the corresponding pyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxalines can occur; the oxidation can be avoided by preparing in situ the 5‐acetyl derivatives of the 4,5‐dihydropyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxalines.