The diazo route to diazonamide A. Studies on the indole bis-oxazole fragment

[structure: see text] Various approaches to the indole bis-oxazole fragment of the marine secondary metabolite diazonamide A are described, all of which feature dirhodium(II)-catalyzed reactions of diazocarbonyl compounds in key steps. Thus, 3-bromophenylacetaldehyde is converted into an alpha-diazo-beta-ketoester, dirhodium(II)-catalyzed reaction of which with N-Boc-valinamide resulted in N-H insertion of the intermediate rhodium carbene to give a ketoamide that readily underwent cyclodehydration to give (S)-2-(1-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2-methylpropyl]-5-(3-bromobenzyl)oxazole-4-carboxamide, after ammonolysis of the initially formed ester. This aryl bromide was then coupled to a 3-formyl-indole-4-boronate under Pd catalysis to give the expected biaryl. Subsequent conversion of the aldehyde group into a second alpha-diazo-beta-ketoester gave a substrate for an intramolecular carbene N-H insertion, although attempts to effect this cyclization were unsuccessful. A second approach to an indole bis-oxazole involved an intermolecular rhodium carbene N-H insertion, followed by oxazole formation to give (S)-2-[1-tert-(butoxycarbonylamino)-2-methylpropyl]-5-methyloxazole-4-carboxamide. A further N-H insertion of this carboxmide with the rhodium carbene derived from ethyl 2-diazo-3-[1-(2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)indol-3-yl]-3-oxopropanoate gave a ketoamide, cyclodehydration of which gave the desired indole bis-oxazole. Finally, the boronate formed from 4-bromotryptamine was coupled to another diazocarbonyl-derived oxazole to give the corresponding biaryl, deprotection and cyclization of which produced a macrocyclic indole-oxazole derivative. Subsequent oxidation and cyclodehydration incorporated the second oxazole and gave the macrocyclic indole bis-oxazole.     

The total synthesis of siphonazole, a structurally unusual bis-oxazole natural product

The first synthesis of the unusual bis-oxazole natural product siphonazole is reported, both oxazole rings being constructed using rhodium carbene chemistry.     

Solvent-controlled diastereoselective synthesis of cyclopentane derivatives by a [3 + 2] cyclization reaction of alpha,beta-disubstituted (alkenyl)(methoxy)carbene complexes with methyl ketone lithium enolates

Reaction of alpha,beta-unsaturated methoxycarbene complexes 1 and 11 with methyl ketone lithium enolates 2 leads to the corresponding five-membered carbocyclic compounds 4 or diast-4 and 12. The influence of the solvent and/or cosolvent (PMDTA), which turned out to be crucial to direct the reaction to 4 or diast-4, is studied, and a tentative mechanism according to these facts is proposed. In addition, the reaction of carbene complex 1a with alkynyl methyl ketone lithium enolates can be directed to the formal [3 + 2] or [4 + 1] cyclization products by a slight variation of the reaction conditions. Finally, consecutive three-component coupling reactions with carbene complex 1a, lithium enolates 2, and aldehydes 18 to give, in a diastereoselective way, hydroxy carbonyl compounds 19 and tricyclic polyethers 20 are presented.     

Unsymmetrically N,N'-substituted saturated carbenes: synthesis, reactivity and preparation of a rhodium(I) carbene complex

A versatile synthesis of unsymmetrically N,N'-substituted saturated carbenes is described. The novel racemic imidazolidin-2-ylidenes rac-5 have been synthesized by reductive desulfurization of the corresponding imidazolidin-2-thiones rac-4. The thiones were prepared in two reaction steps from aldimines and secondary amines. Three different substituents at N1, N3 and C4 of the five-membered N-heterocyclic ring can be introduced by choice of suitable aldimines and secondary amines. The dimerization behaviour (diaminocarbene/enetetramine equilibrium) for the unsymmetrically N,N'-substituted imidazolidin-2-ylidenes has been investigated by NMR spectroscopy. Unsymmetrically N-iPr and N-iBu substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes undergo a slow dimerization, whereas N-tBu substituted derivatives are stable as monomeric carbenes indefinitely. The carbene ligand rac-5d has been coordinated to rhodium(I) to give the square-planar rhodium carbene complex [Cl(cod)Rh(rac-5d)]rac-6d which has been characterized by an X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Distal Allylic/Benzylic C−H Functionalization of Silyl Ethers Using Donor/Acceptor Rhodium(II) Carbenes

Regio‐ and stereoselective distal allylic/benzylic C?H functionalization of allyl and benzyl silyl ethers was achieved using rhodium(II) carbenes derived from N‐sulfonyltriazoles and aryldiazoacetates as carbene precursors. The bulky rhodium carbenes led to highly site‐selective functionalization of less activated allylic and benzylic C?H bonds even in the presence of electronically preferred C?H bonds located α to oxygen. The dirhodium catalyst Rh₂(S‐NTTL)₄ is the most effective chiral catalyst for triazole‐derived carbene transformations, whereas Rh₂(S‐TPPTTL)₄ works best for carbenes derived from aryldiazoacetates. The reactions afford a variety of δ‐functionalized allyl silyl ethers with high diastereo‐ and enantioselectivity. The utility of the present method was demonstrated by its application to the synthesis of a 3,4‐disubstituted l ‐proline scaffold.     

Distal Allylic/Benzylic C−H Functionalization of Silyl Ethers Using Donor/Acceptor Rhodium(II) Carbenes

Regio- and stereoselective distal allylic/benzylic C−H functionalization of allyl and benzyl silyl ethers was achieved using rhodium(II) carbenes derived from N-sulfonyltriazoles and aryldiazoacetates as carbene precursors. The bulky rhodium carbenes led to highly site-selective functionalization of less activated allylic and benzylic C−H bonds even in the presence of electronically preferred C−H bonds located α to oxygen. The dirhodium catalyst Rh₂(S-NTTL)₄ is the most effective chiral catalyst for triazole-derived carbene transformations, whereas Rh₂(S-TPPTTL)₄ works best for carbenes derived from aryldiazoacetates. The reactions afford a variety of δ-functionalized allyl silyl ethers with high diastereo- and enantioselectivity. The utility of the present method was demonstrated by its application to the synthesis of a 3,4-disubstituted l -proline scaffold.     

The First Crystal Structure of a Reactive Dirhodium Carbene Complex and a Versatile Method for the Preparation of Gold Carbenes by Rhodium‐to‐Gold Transmetalation

The dirhodium carbene derived from bis(4‐methoxyphenyl)diazomethane and [Rh(tpa)₄]?CH₂Cl₂ (tpa=triphenylacetate) was characterized by UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopy, HRMS, as well as by X‐ray diffraction. The isolated complex exhibits prototypical rhodium carbene reactivity in that it cyclopropanates 4‐methoxystyrene at low temperature. Experimental structural information on this important type of reactive intermediate is extremely scarce and thus serves as a reference point for mechanistic discussions of rhodium catalysis in general. Moreover, dirhodium carbenes are shown to undergo remarkably facile carbene transfer on treatment with [LAuNTf₂] (L=phosphine). This formal transmetalation opens a valuable new entry into gold carbene complexes that cannot easily be made otherwise; three fully characterized representatives illustrate this aspect.     

Facile Syntheses of N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Precursors through I2‐ or NIS‐Promoted Amidiniumation of N‐Alkenyl Formamidines

We have developed I₂‐ or N‐iodosuccinimide (NIS)‐mediated amidiniumation of N‐alkenyl formamidines for the syntheses of cyclic formamidinium salts, some of which could be directly used as N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors. Treatment of iodine‐containing formamidinium salts with Al₂O₃ led to the formation of cyclic formamidinium salts with an unsaturated backbone. A rhodium(I) complex ligated by a representative NHC was prepared by the reaction of [Rh(cod)Cl]₂ (cod=1,5‐cyclooctadiene) with the free carbene obtained in situ from deprotonation of the corresponding formamidinium salts. The NHCs prepared in situ can also react with S₈ to afford the corresponding thiones.     

Synthesis and structural studies on the chiral phosphine-NHC rhodium and palladium complexes for their performances in the metal-catalyzed reactions

Diverse chiral rhodium and palladium complexes ligated with phosphine-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene ligands based on 1,1′-binaphthyl backbone have been synthesized. The structures of these phosphine-NHC rhodium and palladium complexes have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The different sizes of the N-substituents from the NHC-P rhodium complexes had an inverse relationship with their ability of chiral induction, which was accounted by the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation of acetophenone to afford corresponding chiral alcohol with up to 72% ee. The NHC-P palladium complexes connected with different kinds of coordination anions were also applied in the Suzuki and Heck reactions. The acetate-coordinated NHC-P palladium complex exhibited better catalytic activity to give the products in excellent yield under mild conditions.     

Synthesis of the side chain cross-linked tyrosine oligomers dityrosine, trityrosine, and pulcherosine

[reaction: see text] An efficient synthesis of dityrosine and the first syntheses of the tyrosine trimers trityrosine and pulcherosine have been achieved. Protected 3-iodotyrosine underwent tandem Miyaura borylation-Suzuki coupling to give protected dityrosine. The choice of benzyl carbamate, ester, and ether protecting groups enabled a one-step global deprotection to give dityrosine. Suzuki coupling of protected 3,5-diiodotyrosine and tyrosine-3-boronic acid derivatives gave the corresponding trityrosine, but in low yield. However, use of a potassium tyrosine-3-trifluoroborate derivative in place of the corresponding pinacol boronate ester, in combination with protecting group variation, gave protected trityrosine in good yield. Access to pulcherosine was achieved through copper-catalyzed coupling of phenylalanine-4-boronic acid and 4-O-protected dopa derivatives to give an isodityrosine derivative. Selective halogenation followed by Suzuki coupling with the potassium tyrosine-3-trifluoroborate gave protected pulcherosine. Global deprotection of the protected trityrosine and pulcherosine derivatives completed the first syntheses of the corresponding tris-alpha-amino acids.     

The unique nucleophilic reactivity of arylaminochlorocarbenes

4-Methyl and 4-methoxyphenylaminochlorocarbene (readily formed by deprotonation of the Vilsmeier reagent derived from the corresponding N-methylformanilide with Hünig's base) reacted with diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate to give 1:2 quinoline adducts, while p-halophenylaminochlorocarbenes yielded benzoazepine derivatives from 2:1 interaction of the carbene with oxalyl chloride under the same reaction conditions.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of five- and seven-membered rings by [2+2+1], [3+2], [3+2+2], and [4+3] carbocyclization reactions of beta-substituted (alkenyl)(methoxy)carbene complexes with methyl ketone lithium enolates

beta-Substituted alkenylcarbene complexes react with methyl ketone lithium enolates to give different carbocyclization products depending on the structure of the lithium enolate, on the metal of the carbene complex, and on the reaction media. Thus, the reactions of aryl and alkyl methyl ketone lithium enolates with beta-substituted alkenyl chromium and tungsten carbene complexes in diethyl ether afford 1,3-cyclopentanediol derivatives derived from a formal [2+2+1] carbocyclization reaction. However, the lithium enolates of acetone and tungsten complexes furnish formal [3+2+2] carbocyclization products. In the case of alkynyl methyl ketone lithium enolates, competitive formal [2+2+1] and [3+2] carbocyclization reactions occur and 1,3-cyclopentanediol and 3-cyclopentenol derivatives are formed. Conversely, alkenyl methyl ketone lithium enolates react with alkenylcarbene complexes under the same reaction conditions to form 2-cycloheptenone derivatives by a formal [4+3] carbocyclization reaction. Finally, when the reaction was performed in the presence of a coordinating medium, the [3+2] carbocyclization pattern was observed independently of the nature of the methyl ketone lithium enolate used.     

Coumaraz‐2‐on‐4‐ylidene: Ambiphilic N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes with a Tunable Electronic Structure

Herein, a coumaraz‐2‐on‐4‐ylidene ( 1 ) as a new example of an ambiphilic N‐heterocyclic carbene, having electronic properties that can be fine‐tuned, is reported. The N‐carbamic and aryl groups on the carbene carbon center provide exceptionally high electrophilicity and nucleophilicity simultaneously to the carbene center, as evidenced by the ⁷⁷Se NMR chemical shifts of their selenoketone derivatives and the CO stretching strengths of their rhodium carbonyl complexes. Since the precursors of 1 could be synthesized from various functionalized Schiff bases in a practical and scalable manner, the electronic properties of 1 can be fine‐tuned in a quantitative and predictable way by using the Hammett σ constant of the functional groups on aryl ring. The facile electronic tuning capability of 1 may be applicable to eliciting novel properties in main‐group and transition‐metal chemistry.     

Highly chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective [3+2]-cyclization of activated and deactivated allenes with alkenyl Fischer carbene complexes: a straightforward access to alkylidenecyclopentanone derivatives

A broad range of functionalized 5-alkylidenecyclopentene derivatives are synthesized by the rhodium(I)-catalyzed [3+2]-cyclization reaction of chromium alkenyl(methoxy)carbene complexes 1 and activated allenes. Thus, amidocyclopentenes 4a-n are readily available from N-allenylamides 2a-c, while phenoxyallene 2e gives access to phenoxycyclopentenes 6. In turn, the cyclization reaction with (alkoxycarbonyl)allenes 3 leads to (alkoxycarbonyl)methylidenecyclopentenes 7-10. In terms of selectivity, most cyclization reactions take place with complete chemo-, regio-, and diastereoselectivity. Representative cycloadducts are efficiently hydrolyzed to the corresponding 2-alkylidenecyclopentanones 11a-e without tautomerization or isomerization. Finally, a tentative reaction pathway is proposed that involves the rhodium(I) carbene complexes as the species responsible for the [3+2]-cyclization.     

Density functional calculations for Rh(I)‐catalyzed C–C bond activation of siloxyvinylcyclopropanes and diazoesters

Density functional theory was employed to investigate rhodium(I)‐catalyzed C–C bond activation of siloxyvinylcyclopropanes and diazoesters. The B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) level (LANL2DZ(f) for Rh) was used to optimize completely all intermediates and transition states. The computational results revealed that the most favorable pathway was the channel forming the methyl‐branched acyclic product p1 in path A (cyclooctadiene (cod) as the ligand), and the oxidative addition was the rate‐determining step for this channel. It proceeded mainly through the complexation of diazoester to rhodium, rhodium–carbene formation, coordination of siloxyvinylcyclopropane, oxidative addition (C2–C3 bond cleavage) of siloxyvinylcyclopropane, carbene migratory insertion, β‐hydrogen elimination and reductive elimination. The complexation of diazoester to rhodium occurred prior to the coordination of siloxyvinylcyclopropane. Also, the role of the ligands cod, chlorine and 1,4‐dioxane, the effect of di‐rhodium catalyst and the solvent effect are discussed in detail.     

Control of competing N-H insertion and Wolff rearrangement in dirhodium(II)-catalyzed reactions of 3-indolyl diazoketoesters. synthesis of a potential precursor to the marine 5-(3-indolyl)oxazole martefragin A

Dirhodium(II)-catalyzed reaction of 3-indolyl alpha-diazo-beta-ketoester 25 in the presence of hexanamide results in competing metal carbene N-H insertion and Wolff rearrangement. The corresponding phenyl diazoketoester 32, on the other hand, gives only the product of N-H insertion, suggesting that the indole moiety is more prone to 1,2-rearrangement. The competing processes were investigated in a range of 3-indolyl alpha-diazo-beta-ketoesters (36, 38, 40, 44); these studies established that the Wolff rearrangement could be effectively suppressed by the presence of a strong electron-withdrawing group on the indole nitrogen. Dirhodium(II) catalysts were also more effective than copper or Lewis acid catalysts in favoring the insertion process. The products of N-H insertion, the ketoamides (26, 47, 49, 51, 53), were readily cyclodehydrated to the corresponding 5-(3-indolyl)oxazoles. The N-H insertion/cyclodehydration methodology was used in a formal synthesis of the marine natural product martefragin A. Thus the N-Boc homoisoleucine amide 23, prepared by asymmetric hydrogenation of a dehydro amino acid, underwent N-H insertion with the rhodium carbene derived from the N-nosyl indolyl diazoester 40, followed by cyclodehydration and deprotection to give the 5-(3-indolyl)oxazole martefragin A precursor 75.     

Efficient Domino Hydroformylation/Benzoin Condensation: Highly Selective Synthesis of α‐Hydroxy Ketones

An improved domino hydroformylation/benzoin condensation to give α‐hydroxy ketones has been developed. Easily available olefins are smoothly converted into the corresponding α‐hydroxy ketones in high yields with excellent regioselectivities. Key to success is the use of a specific catalytic system consisting of a rhodium/phosphine complex and the CO₂ adduct of an N‐heterocyclic carbene.     

Aryl palladium carbene complexes and carbene-aryl coupling reactions

Transmetalation of an aminocarbene moiety from [W(CO)5{C(NEt2)R}] to palladium leads to isolable monoaminocarbene palladium aryl complexes [{Pd(mu-Br)Pf[C(NEt2)R]}2] (R = Me, Ph; Pf = C6F5). When [W(CO)5{C(OMe)R}] is used, the corresponding palladium carbenes cannot be isolated since these putative, more electrophilic carbenes undergo a fast migratory insertion process to give alkyl palladium complexes. These complexes could be stabilized in the eta3-allylic form for R = 2-phenylethenyl or in the less stable eta3-benzylic fashion for R = Ph. Hydrolysis products and a pentafluorophenylvinylic methyl ether (when R = Me) were also observed. The monoaminocarbenes slowly decompose through carbene-aryl coupling to produce the corresponding iminium salts and, depending on the reaction conditions, the corresponding hydrolysis products. The electrophilicity of the carbene carbon, which is mainly determined by the nature of the heteroatom group, controls the ease of evolution by carbene-aryl coupling. Accordingly, no carbene-aryl coupling was observed for a diaminocarbene palladium aryl complex.     

Rhodium-benzimidazolidin-2-ylidene catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to aldehydes

Six rhodium–carbene complexes (2a–f) have been prepared and the new compounds characterized by C, H, N analyses, ¹H-n.m.r. and ¹³C-n.m.r. Phenylboronic acid reacts with aldehydes in the presence of a catalytic amount of rhodium(I)–carbene complex, RhCl(COD)(1,3-dialkylbenzimidazolidin-2-ylidene), (2a–f), to give the corresponding aryl secondary alcohols in good yields.     

Heck-mediated synthesis and photochemically induced cyclization of [2-(2-styrylphenyl)ethyl]carbamic acid ethyl esters and 2-styryl-benzoic acid methyl esters: total synthesis of naphtho[2,1f]isoquinolines (2-azachrysenes)

We describe two new closely related total syntheses of naphtho[2,1-f]isoquinolines. The first synthesis consists of a Heck coupling reaction between trifluoromethanesulfonic acid 2-(2-ethoxycarbonylaminoethyl)phenyl esters and styrenes to give [2-(2-styrylphenyl)ethyl]carbamic acid ethyl esters. These compounds cyclize to give (2-phenanthren-1-yl-ethyl)carbamic acid ethyl esters, from which 2-azachrysenes can be obtained in a three-step sequence. The second synthesis includes a new total synthesis of 2-styrylbenzoic acid methyl esters by Heck coupling of methyl o-iodobenzoates to styrenes, followed by the transformation of the resulting benzoic acid derivatives into phenanthrene-1-carboxylic acid methyl esters and then into the target compounds by a six-step sequence including a Bischler-Napieralski cyclization.