Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylations catalyzed by bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine-scandium(III) triflate complexes

The enantioselective Friedel-Crafts addition of a variety of indoles catalyzed by bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine-scandium(III) triflate complexes (Sc(III)-pybox) was accomplished utilizing a series of beta-substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated phosphonates and alpha,beta-unsaturated 2-acyl imidazoles. The acyl phosphonate products were efficiently transformed into esters and amides, whereas the acyl imidazole adducts were converted to a broader spectrum of functionalities such as esters, amides, carboxylic acids, ketones, and aldehydes. The sense of stereoinduction and level of enantioselectivity were found to be functions of the size of the substrate employed, the substitution on the ligand, and the catalyst loading. Molecular modeling of the catalyst with the bound substrates was performed based on the crystal structures of the catalyst complexes and the sense of stereoinduction observed in the addition reaction. Nonlinear effects over a range of catalyst concentrations implicate a mononuclear complex as the active catalyst.     

Remarkably mild and efficient catalytic Sakurai reaction of N-alkoxycarbonylamino sulfones with allyltrimethylsilane using indium(III) chloride

The Sakurai reaction of N-alkoxycarbonylamino sulfones with allyltrimethylsilane in the presence of a catalytic amount of indium(III) chloride at room temperature produces the corresponding protected homoallylic amines in high yields.     

A bismuth(III)-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts cyclization and stereocontrolled organocatalytic approach to (-)-platensimycin

A high yielding route to the (-)-platensimycin core is communicated. This entailed the discovery of Bi(OTf)(3) to catalyze a Friedel-Crafts cyclization of a free lactol, supplemented by LiClO(4) to suppress the Lewis basicity of the sulfonate group. After TBAF-promoted cyclodearomatization, a diastereoselective conjugate reduction of a dienone was achieved by adopting amine-based organocatalytic rationales to reverse the inherent steric control of the substrate.     

Rare earth(III) perfluorooctanesulfonates catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation in fluorous biphase system

The catalyst of rare earth(III) perfluorooctanesulfonates (RE(OSO₂C₈F₁₇)₃, RE = Sc, Y, La-Lu) were prepared from either rare earth chlorides(III) or oxides and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. The perflates thus obtained act as novel catalysts for Friedel-Crafts alkylation in fluorous biphasic system. Perfluorohexane (C₆F₁₄), perfluoromethylcyclohexane (C₇F₁₄), perfluorotoluene (C₇F₈), perfluorooctane (C₈F₁₈), perfluorooctyl bromide (C₈F₁₇Br) and perfluorodecalin (C₁₀F₁₈, cis- and trans-mixture) can be used as fluorous solvents for this reaction. By simple separation of the fluorous phase containing only catalyst, alkylation can be repeated many times.     

A mild and efficient oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones with periodic acid catalyzed by chromium(III) acetylacetonate

Chromium(III) acetylacetonate was found to be an efficient catalyst (10 mol%) for the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones with periodic acid (1.5 equiv.) in acetonitrile at room temperature.     

Gold(III) chloride catalyzed cyclization of alpha-hydroxyallenes to 2,5-dihydrofurans

[reaction: see text] Functionalized alpha-hydroxyallenes 1 were smoothly converted into the corresponding 2,5-dihydrofurans 2 by using 5-10 mol % of gold(III) chloride as catalyst. This mild and efficient cyclization method can be applied to alkyl- and alkenyl-substituted allenes at room temperature, furnishing tri- and tetrasubstituted dihydrofurans in good to excellent chemical yields and with complete axis to center chirality transfer.     

Ru(III)-catalyzed cyclization of arene-alkene substrates via intramolecular electrophilic hydroarylation

[reaction: see text] We herein report that RuCl(3)/AgOTf has proven to be a hydroarylation catalyst with an efficiency and scope superior to previously known methods. This catalyst demonstrated consistent performance with arene-ene substrates of diverse structural features, providing good to excellent yields of cyclization products (chromanes, tetralins, terpenoids, dihydrocoumarins).     

Titanium(III)-induced intramolecular radical cyclization of epoxyallene ethers: an efficient method for synthesis of multifunctional tetrahydrofurans

Ti(III)-mediated intramolecular free radical cyclization of epoxyallene ethers in an exo-mode was studied. The reaction afforded an efficient and highly regioselective method of synthetically important 3-vinyl-4-hydroxymethyl tetrahydrofurans.     

Enantioselective intramolecular amidation of sulfamate esters catalyzed by chiral manganese(III) Schiff-base complexes

Enantioselective intramolecular amidation of sulfamate esters catalyzed by chiral manganese(III) Schiff-base complexes under mild conditions (PhI(OAc)₂, Al₂O₃, C₆H₆, 5 °C) was achieved in moderate to good yields (up to 92%), substrate conversions (up to 99%), with virtually complete cis-selectivity and with ee values up to 79% ee.     

Highly efficient and versatile acetylation of alcohols catalyzed by cerium(III) triflate

Cerium(III) triflate is a powerful catalyst for the acetylation of alcohols. The reaction works well for a large variety of simple and functionalized alcohols, without isomerisation of chiral centres. Changes of hydroxyl protective groups are possible in a one-pot procedure. The catalyst can be easily recycled.     

Lewis acid catalyzed ring-opening intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of methylenecyclopropane 1,1-diesters

The first Friedel-Crafts reaction initiated by the direct generation of a carbocation at the C3 position of MCP 1,1-diesters through distal-bond cleavage was presented. The described method supplied a new synthetic strategy to prepare indene and hydronaphthalene derivatives in moderate to excellent yields under mild conditions.     

An efficient and scalable synthesis of substituted phenanthrenequinones by intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction of imidazolides

An efficient synthesis of 9,10-phenanthrenequinones is described. The two carbonyl groups were introduced by an orthoselective intermolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction of 3-methoxyphenol with ethyl chlorooxoacetate. The formation of a biaryl bond by Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction, followed by the hydrolysis of the ester, gave a biaryloxoacetic acid. Treatment of this acid with CDI gave the corresponding imidazolide. The ring closure to the desired phenanthrenequinone was accomplished by intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction of the imidazolide promoted by TiCl(4).     

Highly stereoselective intramolecular hydroamination/cyclization of conjugated aminodienes catalyzed by organolanthanides

Efficient intramolecular hydroamination/cyclization of primary and secondary conjugated aminodienes can be effected by using organolanthanide precatalysts of the type Cp'2LnCH(TMS)2 (Cp' = eta5-Me5C5; Ln = La, Sm, Y; TMS = SiMe3) and CGCSmN(TMS)2 (CGC = Me2Si(eta5-Me4C5)(tBuN)). The transformation proceeds cleanly (>/= 90% conversion) at 25-60 degrees C with good rates and high regioselectivities, and with electronic effects leading to significant rate enhancements. Some features of the reaction parallel monosubstituted aminoalkene hydroamination/cyclization, including rate law (zero order in [aminodiene]), and rate enhancements observed with larger lanthanide ionic radii and/or more open catalyst ligation structures. Good to excellent diastereoselectivity is obtained in the synthesis of 2,5-trans-disubstituted pyrrolidines (80% de) and 2,6-cis-disubstituted piperidines (99% de) with using the corresponding alpha-methyl aminodiene precursors. Formation of 2-(prop-1-enyl)piperidine with the chiral C1-symmetric precatalyst (S)-Me2Si(OHF)(CpR*)SmN(TMS)2 (OHF = eta5-octahydrofluorenyl; Cp = eta5-C5H3; R* = (-)-menthyl) proceeds with up to 69% ee.     

Remarkably efficient activation of glycosyl trichloro- and (N-phenyl)trifluoroacetimidates with bismuth(III) triflate

Easily handled and nontoxic Bi(OTf)₃ is a powerful activator for trichloro- and (N-phenyl)trifluoroacetimidate glycosyl donors. This catalyst allows glycosidations to be performed at low temperatures in very short times. Rewarding yields were obtained from a wide range of donors of varying reactivity.     

Remarkably efficient hydrolysis of methylparathion catalyzed by [2-(2-pyridyl)phenyl-C,N]palladium(II) complexes

The reaction of the palladium(II) acetate derivative [Pd(NwedgeC)(OAc)]2 (NwedgeC = (NC5H4-2-C6H4(C2,N) or (2-(2-pyridyl)-phenyl-C,N)) with methylparathion and water in THF leads to the formation of [Pd(NwedgeC)(mu-SP(=O)(OCH3)2)]2 (1), which reacts with PPh3 in THF to afford mononuclear complex [Pd(NwedgeC)(SP(=O)(OCH3)2)(PPh3)] (2). Compounds 1 and 2 have been characterized by 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR spectroscopy; elemental analysis; and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. When dissolved in water, 1 serves as a precatalyst for the hydrolysis of methylparathion. Kinetic and spectroscopic studies suggest that compound 1 dissociates in aqueous solution to afford cationic diaqua complex [Pd(NwedgeC)(OH2)2]+ (A). At basic pH, A is converted into its deprotonated form [Pd(NwedgeC)(OH2)(OH)] (B), which dimerizes to afford a dinuclear complex, presumably [Pd(NwedgeC)(mu-OH)]2 (C). At pH 7, the reaction is first order in substrate and first order in palladium catalyst A, with k2 = 146 +/- 9 M(-1) s(-1) at 303 K. At more-basic pH, the reaction rate increases and shows an apparent half-order dependence in palladium catalyst. These observations suggest that the active form of the catalyst at basic pH is B, whose concentration is controlled by an equilibrium with inactive C. Analysis of the data obtained at pH 9 yields a dimer formation constant K(f) = [C]/[B]2 = (6.6 +/- 5.6) x 10(6) M(-1) and a second-order rate constant k2 of (8.6 +/- 3.6) x 10(3) M(-1) s(-1) at 298 K. The pH dependence of the reaction rate as well as a spectroscopic titration indicates that the pKa of A is in the 9.5-9.7 range. Determination of the activation parameters at both pH 7 and 9 suggests that catalysis occurs via an associative mechanism whose rate-determining step involves the substitution of a water ligand of A by a molecule of methylparathion at neutral pH and nucleophilic attack of the phosphorus center of methylparathion by a hydroxide ligand of B at basic pH.     

Acid catalyzed intramolecular 2-aza-1,3-diene Diels-Alder cyclization processes

Preparation and acid-catalyzed Diels-Alder cyclizations of a 1-alkenyl-2-aza- 1,3-diene have been explored.     

Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylations of alpha,beta-unsaturated 2-acyl imidazoles catalyzed by bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine-scandium(III) triflate complexes

An enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation with alpha,beta-unsaturated 2-acyl imidazoles and electron-rich aromatic nucleophiles catalyzed by bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine-scandium(III) triflate complexes has been accomplished. These alpha,beta-unsaturated 2-acyl imidazoles are effective electrophiles for the Friedel-Crafts reaction. The resulting adduct 2-acyl imidazole is easily converted to amides, esters, carboxylic acids, ketones, and aldehydes by methylation and subsequent displacement of the imidazole residue.     

Enantioselective allylation of ketones catalyzed by chiral In(III)-PYBOX complexes

In the presence of 20 mol% of chiral catalytic complex prepared from In(OTf)3 and chiral PYBOX, allyltributylstannane reacted with achiral ketones to afford the corresponding homoallylic alcohols in moderate to high enantioselectivities (54-95% ee), which constitutes the first example of enantioselective allylation of ketones catalyzed by the chiral In(III)-PYBOX complex.