Iridium-catalyzed selective N-allylation of hydrazines

A highly chemo- and regioselective iridium-catalyzed allylic amination is described. The reaction of various hydrazones and hydrazides with allylic carbonates proceeds at ambient temperature in the presence of an [Ir(COD)Cl]₂/pyridine catalyst, ammonium iodide, and diethylzinc to afford the corresponding N-allylation products in high yields with excellent chemo- and regioselectivities. Only the more nucleophilic nitrogen of a given hydrazine derivative undergoes the C-N bond formation to yield a branched allylic isomer as the exclusive product.     

N-Heterocyclic carbenes as ligands in palladium-catalyzed Tsuji–Trost allylic substitution

A Pd(0)-catalyzed allylic substitution (i.e., Tsuji–Trost reaction) using N-heterocyclic carbene as a ligand was investigated. It has been proven that an imidazolium salt 2d having bulky aromatic rings attached to the nitrogens in its imidazol-2-ylidene skeleton is suitable as a ligand precursor and that a Pd₂dba₃–imidazolium salt 2d–Cs₂CO₃ system is highly efficient for producing a Pd–NHC catalyst in this reaction. Allylic substitution using a Pd–NHC complex differed from that using a Pd–phosphine complex as follows: (1) the reaction using a Pd–NHC complex required elevated temperature (50 °C or reflux in THF), (2) allylic carbonates were inert to a Pd–NHC complex, and (3) nitrogen nucleophiles such as sulfonamide and amine did not react with allylic acetate. It was also found that allylic substitution with a soft nucleophile using a Pd–NHC catalyst proceeds via overall retention of configuration to give the product in a stereospecific manner, the stereochemical reaction course obviously being the same as that of the reaction using a Pd–phosphine complex.     

Allylic activation across an Ir–Sn heterobimetallic catalyst: nucleophilic substitution and disproportionation of allylic alcohol

A nucleophilic substitution of allylic alcohols with carbon (arene, heteroarene, allyltrimethylsilane, and 1,3-dicarbonyl compound), sulfur (thiol), oxygen (alcohol), and nitrogen (sulfonamide) nucleophiles has been demonstrated using an in house developed [Ir(COD)(SnCl₃)l(μ-Cl)]₂ heterobimetallic catalyst in 1,2-dichloroethane to afford the corresponding allylic products in moderate to excellent yields. In 4-hydroxycoumarin, allylation occurs at the 3-position. The diaryl-substituted allylic alcohols undergo disproportionation in presence of the heterobimetallic catalyst to provide the corresponding alkenes and chalcones. An electrophilic mechanism is proposed from Hammett correlation study.     

Anilines as C‐Nucleophiles in Ir‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Asymmetric Allylic Substitution Reactions

Anilines generally act as N‐nucleophiles in transition‐metal‐catalyzed allylic substitution reactions. In this paper, a highly enantioselective intramolecular Friedel–Crafts‐type allylic alkylation of aniline derivatives was realized by using an iridium catalyst derived from [Ir(cod)Cl]₂ and (R _a)‐BHPphos. Various tetrahydroisoquinilin‐5‐amines were obtained in moderate to good yields, excellent enantioselectivity and regioselectivity under mild reaction conditions. BHPphos=N ‐benzhydryl‐N ‐phenyldinaphthophosphoramidite.     

Selective Benzylic and Allylic Alkylation of Protic Nucleophiles with Sulfonamides through Double Lewis Acid Catalyzed Cleavage of sp3 Carbon–Nitrogen Bonds

The acid‐catalyzed benzylic and allylic alkylation of protic nucleophiles is fundamentally important for the formation of carbon? carbon and carbon? heteroatom bonds, and it is a formidable challenge for benzylic and allylic amine derivatives to be used as the alkylating agents. Herein we report a highly efficient benzylic and allylic alkylation of protic carbon and sulfur nucleophiles with sulfonamides through double Lewis acid catalyzed cleavage of sp³ carbon–nitrogen bonds at room temperature. In the presence of a catalytic amount of inexpensive ZnCl₂‐TMSCl (TMSCl: chlorotrimethylsilane), 1,3‐diketones, β‐keto esters, β‐keto amides, malononitrile, aromatic compounds, thiols, and thioacetic acid can couple with a broad range of tosyl‐activated benzylic and allylic amines to give diversely functionalized products in good to excellent yields and with high regioselectivity. Furthermore, the cross‐coupling reaction of 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds with benzylic propargylic amine derivatives has been successfully applied to the one‐step synthesis of polysubstituted furans and benzofurans.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 2-C-methylene glycosides and disaccharides via direct allylic substitution of hydroxy group in benzylated glycals

InCl₃ efficiently catalyzes allylic substitution of the hydroxy group of 2-C-hydroxymethyl glycals to afford a diversity of 2-C-methylene alkyl and aryl glycosides as well as disaccharides in high yields. This protocol surpasses the existing methods for the synthesis of 2-C-methylene glycosides as it obviates the need for functionalizing the allylic hydroxy group of glycals. The interest of this methodology relies on the extremely mild conditions required even with a free hydroxyl group at the allylic position of the glycals and that too only with a catalytic amount of InCl₃. The reaction is fast (30 min.), stereoselective and is compatible with a variety of oxygenated nucleophiles including those possessing acid-labile groups. A mechanistic investigation on the direct formation of an α,α-(1→1)linked disaccharide derivative from 2-C-hydroxymethyl galactal reveals that the reaction proceeds through a domino Ferrier rearrangement followed by a facile 1,3-alkoxy migration.     

Ir-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation using chiral diaminophosphine oxides: DIAPHOXs. Formal enantioselective synthesis of (−)-paroxetine

An Ir-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation using chiral diaminophosphine oxide is described. Asymmetric allylic alkylation of terminal allylic carbonates proceeded using 5 mol % of Ir catalyst, 5 mol % of DIAPHOX 1i, 10 mol % of NaPF₆, 10 mol % of LiOAc, and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA), affording the corresponding branched products in excellent yield and in up to 95% ee. The developed catalytic asymmetric reaction was successfully applied to a formal enantioselective synthesis of (−)-paroxetine.     

A Cornucopia of Iridium Nitrogen Compounds Produced from Laser-Ablated Iridium Atoms and Dinitrogen

The reaction of laser-ablated iridium atoms with dinitrogen molecules and nitrogen atoms yield several neutral and ionic iridium dinitrogen complexes such as Ir(N₂), Ir(N₂)⁺, Ir(N₂)₂, Ir(N₂)₂⁻, IrNNIr, as well as the nitrido complexes IrN, Ir(N)₂ and IrIrN. These reaction products were deposited in solid neon, argon and nitrogen matrices and characterized by their infrared spectra. Assignments of vibrational bands are supported by ab initio and first principle calculations as well as ^14/15N isotope substitution experiments. The structural and electronic properties of the new dinitrogen and nitrido iridium complexes are discussed. While the formation of the elusive dinitrido complex Ir(N)₂ was observed in a subsequent reaction of IrN with N atoms within the cryogenic solid matrices, the threefold coordinated iridium trinitride Ir(N)₃ could not be observed so far.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation (AAA) with alkyl sulfones as nucleophiles

An efficient palladium-catalyzed AAA reaction with a simple α-sulfonyl carbon anion as nucleophiles is presented for the first time. Allyl fluorides are used as superior precursors for the generation of π-allyl complexes that upon ionization liberate fluoride anions for activation of silylated nucleophiles. With the unique bidentate diamidophosphite ligand ligated palladium as catalyst, the in situ generated α-sulfonyl carbon anion was quickly captured by the allylic intermediates, affording a series of chiral homo-allylic sulfones with high efficiency and selectivity. This work provides a mild in situ desilylation strategy to reveal nucleophilic carbon centers that could be used to overcome the pK_a limitation of “hard” nucleophiles in enantioselective transformations.

A variety of “hard” α-sulfonyl carbanions of aryl, heteroaryl and alkyl sulfones were successfully employed as nucleophiles in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation with excellent enantioselectivities.     

A kinetic investigation of the oxidative addition reactions of the dimeric Bu4N[Ir2(μ-Dcbp)(CO)2(PCy3)2] complex with iodomethane

The IR and UV/visible kinetic results of the oxidative addition of iodomethane to Bu₄N[Ir₂(μ-Dcbp)(CO)₂(PCy₃)₂] (Dcbp = 3,5-dicarboxylatepyrazolate anion) showed three time separable reactions. The first, very fast reaction corresponds to the a Ir(I)-Ir(III) alkyl species formation within 10⁻³ s. The second, relative fast reaction corresponds to Ir(III)-Ir(III) alkyl formation with a rate constant of 3.25(4) × 10⁻² M⁻¹ s⁻¹ while the third and slowest reaction corresponds to Ir(III)-Ir(III) acyl formation with a rate constant of 1.42 × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹. The IR data clearly show the existence of a number of equilibria with the formation of an Ir(I)-Ir(III) alkyl product which then react to form the Ir(III)-Ir(III) which then slowly react to form the Ir(III)-Ir(III) acyl product. A solvent study indicated increased oxidative addition activity in the presence of polar solvents, which is indicative of a polar transition state. The large negative entropy of activation for the Ir(III)-Ir(III) alkyl formation step (k₂) of −178(23) JK⁻¹ mol⁻¹ is indicative of an associative process. DFT calculations successfully identified the stereochemistry of the starting complex, [Ir₂(μ-Dcbp)(CO)₂(PCy₃)₂]⁻ as well as that of the Ir-alkyl and acyl isomers. A reaction pathway, using the IR data and DFT calculations, is proposed for the reaction.     

Nucleophilic substitution of (sulfonyloxymethyl)aziridines: an asymmetric synthesis of both isomers of mexiletine

The nucleophilic substitution reactions of 1-[1′(R)-α-methylbenzyl]-(2R)- and (2S)-(sulfonyloxymethyl)aziridines were carried out with various nucleophiles including N₃⁻, MeO⁻, CN⁻, SCN⁻, and diarylcuprates. The reaction pathway is influenced by the stereochemistry of the substrates, nucleophiles, and also the structure of the leaving groups. When the reaction site is less sterically hindered for the reactive nucleophiles to approach to the substrate 1-[1′(R)-α-methylbenzyl]-(2S)-(p-toluenesulfonyloxymethyl)aziridines, product is obtained as a single isomer while all the other starting materials afford a mixture of two isomers from two different reaction pathways. Application of this method enabled us to prepare both isomers of orally effective antiarrhythmic agent mexiletine.     

Molybdenum(II)-catalyzed alkylation of electron-rich aromatics with allylic acetates

The molybdenum(II) complex [Mo(CO)₄Br₂]₂ has been found to catalyze allylic substitution with aromatic ethers, e.g., anisole (7), as nucleophiles. The reaction is remarkably para-selective (e.g., 7 + 8 → 11).     

Synthesis of α-amino acids using transition metal catalysis - alkylation of schiff bases derived from α-amimo acid esters (regio,stereo - selectivity)

A general approach to the synthesis of γ,δ-unsaturated α-amino acid esters is described. Schiff bases derived from glycine and alanine esters were alkylated in the presence of palladium or molybdenum catalysts under neutral or basic conditions using allylic carbonates, esters or halides, (20–95% yield). These less stabilized nucleophiles reacted with the η³ allyl species on the side opposite to the palladium and they can be classified as soft nucleophiles. The regioselectivity was studied with various unsymmetrical electrophiles. After hydrolysis, several functionalized α-amino acids of biological interest (enzymes inhibitors) were obtained. Asymmetric palladium allylic alkylation of the benzophenone imine glycine methyl ester using Pd(OAc)₂ + (+)DIOP was achieved with up to 68 % ee ; the enantioselective Pd-promoted alkylation of this new and useful prochiral nucleophile for the synthesis of α-amino acids is one of the highest ee known.     

Applications of Transition‐Metal‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Substitution in Total Synthesis of Natural Products: An Update

Metal‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution (AAS) reaction is one of the most synthetically useful reactions catalyzed by metal complexes for the formation of carbon‐carbon and carbon‐heteroatom bonds. It comprises the substitution of allylic substrates with a wide range of nucleophiles or S_N2′‐type allylic substitution, which results in the formation of the above‐mentioned bonds with high levels of enantioselective induction. AAS reaction tolerates a broad range of functional groups, thus has been successfully applied in the asymmetric synthesis of a wide range of optically pure compounds. This reaction has been extensively used in the total synthesis of several complex molecules, especially natural products. In this review, we try to highlight the applications of metal (Pd, Ir, Mo, or Cu)‐catalyzed AAS reaction in the total synthesis of the biologically active natural products, as a key step, updating the subject from 2003 till date.     

Stereodivergent synthesis of 1,4-bifunctional compounds by regio- and diastereoselective Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution reaction

Highly stereoselective synthesis of 1,4-bifunctional compounds was accomplished via 1,2-asymmetric induction to α-oxyaldehyde and α-oxyketone followed by regio- and diastereoselective Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution reaction. We found that trifluoroacetate is a suitable leaving group for the allylic substitution reaction. Various nucleophiles containing carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur can be applied to the method. Both 1,4-syn- and 1,4-anti-adducts were synthesized with high stereoselectivity by using stereodivergent reduction of the propargyl alcohols followed by allylic substitution reaction.     

Direct Ferrier rearrangement on unactivated glycals catalyzed by indium(III) chloride

Anhydrous InCl₃ has been shown to efficiently catalyze the Ferrier rearrangement by a direct allylic substitution of the hydroxyl group at C-3 position of glycals to afford the corresponding 2,3-unsaturated glycosides in high yields at ambient temperature. This methodology obviates the need for protecting and/or activating the C-3 hydroxyl group of glycals. The reaction works in equal ease with both 4,6-di-O-benzyl-d-glucal and 4,6-di-O-benzyl-d-galactal. The mildness of InCl₃ makes this approach compatible for glycosyl acceptors with acid labile groups. The generality of the reaction has been demonstrated with a diversity of alcohols, phenols, and sugar nucleophiles.     

A New Dimeric Copper(II) Complex of Hexyl Bis(pyrazolyl)acetate Ligand as an Efficient Catalyst for Allylic Oxidations

A new dimeric copper(II) bromide complex, [Cu(L^OHex)Br(μ-Br)]₂ (1), was prepared by a reaction of CuBr₂ with the hexyl bis(pyrazol-1-yl)acetate ligand (L^OHex) in acetonitrile solution and fully characterized in the solid state and in solution. The crystal structure of 1 was also determined: the complex is interlinked by two bridging bromide ligands and possesses terminal bromide ligands on each copper atom. The two pyrazolyl ligands in 1 coordinate with the nitrogen atoms to complete the Cu coordination sphere, resulting in a five-coordinated geometry—away from idealized trigonal bipyramidal and square pyramidal geometries—which can better be described as distorted square pyramidal, as measured by the τ and χ structural parameters. The pendant hexyloxy chain is disordered over two arrangements, with final site occupancies refined to 0.705 and 0.295. The newly synthesized complex was evaluated as a catalyst in copper-catalyzed C–H oxidation for allylic functionalization through a Kharasch–Sosnovsky reaction without any external reducing agent. Using 0.5 mol% of this catalyst, and tert-butyl peroxybenzoate (Luperox) as an oxidant, allylic benzoates were obtained with up to 90% yield. The general reaction time was only slightly decreased to 24 h but a very significant decrease in the alkene:Luperox ratio to 3:1 was achieved. These factors show relevant improvements with respect to classical Kharasch–Sosnovsky reactions in terms of rate and amount of reagents. The present study highlights the potential of copper(II) complexes containing functionalized bis(pyrazol-1-yl)acetate ligands as efficient catalysts for allylic oxidations.     

Asymmetric synthesis of α-amino aldehydes from sulfinimine (N-sulfinyl imine)-derived α-amino 1,3-dithianes. Formal synthesis of (−)-2,3-trans-3,4-cis-dihydroxyproline

Hydrolysis of sulfinimine-derived N-sulfinyl α-amino 1,3-dithianes with aqueous 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin affords the corresponding N-tosyl α-amino aldehydes in good yield and high enantiomeric purity. These aldehydes can be reduced to amino alcohols and undergo the Wittig reaction to give allylic amines without epimerization. The utility of this methodology is illustrated in a formal synthesis of (−)-2,3-trans-3,4-cis-dihydroxyproline.     

Nucleophilic catalysis of halide displacement from brominated poly(isobutylene-co-isoprene)

The dynamics of halide displacement from brominated poly(isobutylene-co-isoprene)(BIIR) by carboxylate nucleophiles are detailed and discussed in terms of a general reaction mechanism. The exomethylene allylic bromide isomer within BIIR is shown to undergo simultaneous S_N2 alkylation of Bu₄Nacetate and S_N2′ rearrangement with Bu₄NBr. The latter generates a Z-BrMe isomer that is more reactive toward esterification. Hence, overall polymer modification rates are auto-accelerating, as Bu₄NBr liberated by esterification catalyzes allylic bromide rearrangement to a more reactive electrophile. This knowledge of reaction mechanisms is used to develop nucleophilic catalysis techniques involving iodide intermediates.     

Cationic iridium complexes of the Xantphos ligand. Flexible coordination modes and the isolation of the hydride insertion product with an alkene

Reaction of the Ir(I)-Xantphos complex [Ir(κ²-Xantphos)(COD)][BAr^F₄] (Xantphos = 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene, Ar^F = C₆H₃(CF₃)₂) with H₂ in acetone or CH₂Cl₂/MeCN affords the Ir(III)-hydrido complexes [Ir(κ³-Xantphos)(H)₂(L)][BAr^F₄], L = acetone or MeCN, whereas in non-coordinating CH₂Cl₂ solvent dimeric [Ir(κ³-Xantphos)(H)(μ-H)]₂[BAr^F₄]₂ is formed. A common intermediate in these reactions that invokes a (σ, η²-C₈H₁₃) ligand is reported. Addition of excess tert-butylethene (tbe) to [Ir(κ³-Xantphos)(H)₂(MeCN)][BAr^F₄] results in insertion of a hydride into the alkene to form [Ir(κ³-Xantphos)(MeCN)(CH₂CH₂C(CH₃)₃)(H)][BAr^F₄], an Ir(III) alkyl-hydrido-Xantphos complex. This reaction is reversible, and heating (80 °C) results in the reformation of [Ir(κ³-Xantphos)(H)₂(MeCN)][BAr^F₄] and tbe. These complexes have been characterised by NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. They show variable coordination modes of the Xantphos ligand: cis-κ²-P,P, fac-κ³-P,O,P and mer-κ³-P,O,P with the later coordination mode like that found in related PNP-pincer complexes.