Furan‐Based o‐Quinodimethanes by Gold‐Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Heterocyclization of 2‐(1‐Alkynyl)‐2‐alken‐1‐ones: A Modular Entry to 2,3‐Furan‐Fused Carbocycles

A strategy for in situ generation of furan‐based ortho‐quinodimethanes (o‐QDMs) by the gold(I)‐mediated dehydrogenative heterocyclization of 2‐(1‐alkynyl)‐2‐alken‐1‐ones in the presence of pyridine N‐oxide under mild reaction conditions was developed. These in situ furan‐based o‐QDMs were trapped by electron‐deficient olefins and alkynes, thus furnishing various 2,3‐furan‐fused carbocycles in good yields with high diastereo‐ and regioselectivities.     

A Versatile One‐Pot Access to Cyanoarenes from ortho‐ and para‐Quinones: Paving the Way for Cyanated Functional Materials

A generally applicable direct synthesis of cyanoarenes from quinones is presented. Particular emphasis is placed on the preparation of precursors and target molecules relevant for organic materials, including halogenated cyanoarenes and larger cyanated acenes. The reaction and work‐up protocols are adjusted for the challenges presented by the different substrates and products. Screening results of the initial reaction optimization are given to further facilitate adaptation to other synthetic problems. The universality of the reaction is finally highlighted by successful substitution of para‐quinones by an ortho‐quinone as the starting material.     

Scope and Limitations of the Base‐Free Copper(I) Oxide Catalyzed N‐Heteroarylation of 1H‐(Benz)imidazoles with B‐Heteroarylboronic Acids or 2‐Heteroaryl‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolanes

The known, very efficient base‐free copper(I) oxide catalyzed N‐arylation reaction performed in MeOH at room temperature for the synthesis of N‐substituted azoles and amines was extended to the heterocyclic series, i.e., we report herein the base‐free copper(I) oxide catalyzed N‐heteroarylation of 1H‐(benz)imidazole, by means of electron‐rich or electron‐deficient B‐heteroarylboronic acids or 2‐heteroaryl‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolanes (Schemes 1 and 2). Under these conditions, N‐heteroarylated 1H‐(benz)imidazoles were obtained in good to excellent yields (Tables 1 and 2). This is the first time that 2‐heteroaryl‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolanes were used in this type of reaction.     

Chiral N,N′‐Dioxide–Scandium(III) Complex‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Friedel–Crafts Alkylation Reaction of ortho‐Hydroxybenzyl Alcohols with C3‐Substituted N‐Protected Indoles

The first Lewis acid catalyzed asymmetric Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction of ortho‐hydroxybenzyl alcohols with C3‐substituted indoles is described. A chiral N,N′‐dioxide Sc(OTf)₃ complex served not only to promote formation of ortho‐quinone methides (o‐QMs) in situ but also induced the asymmetry of the reaction. This methodology enables a novel activation of ortho‐hydroxybenzyl alcohols, thus affording the desired chiral diarylindol‐2‐ylmethanes in up to 99 % yield and 99 % ee. A range of functional groups were also tolerated under the mild reaction conditions. Moreover, this strategy gives concise access to enantioenriched indole‐fused benzoxocines.     

C‐2 Selective Arylation of Indoles with Heterogeneous Nanopalladium and Diaryliodonium Salts

A simple and efficient method to prepare synthetically useful 2‐arylindoles is presented, using a heterogeneous Pd catalyst and diaryliodonium salts in water under mild conditions. A remarkably low leaching of metal catalyst was observed under the applied conditions. The developed protocol is highly C‐2 selective and tolerates structural variations both in the indole and in the diaryliodonium salt. Arylations of both N?H indoles and N‐protected indoles with ortho‐substituted, electron‐rich, electron‐deficient, or halogenated diaryliodonium salts were achieved to give the desired products in high to excellent isolated yields within 6 to 15 h at room temperature or 40 °C.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Regioselective C‐Benzylation via a Rearrangement Reaction: Access to Benzyl‐Substituted Anilines

An unprecedented C‐benzylation rearrangement reaction, catalyzed by palladium, is reported. The reaction proceeds by rearrangement leading to the direct synthesis of para or ortho benzyl‐substituted N‐methylanilines. The product is obtained in high regioselectivity, without the need to use a ligand for the catalytic process.     

[RhIII(Cp*)]‐Catalyzed ortho‐Selective Direct C(sp2)H Bond Amidation/Amination of Benzoic Acids by N‐Chlorocarbamates and N‐Chloromorpholines. A Versatile Synthesis of Functionalized Anthranilic Acids

A Rh^III‐catalyzed direct ortho‐C?H amidation/amination of benzoic acids with N‐chlorocarbamates/N‐chloromorpholines was achieved, giving anthranilic acids in up to 85 % yields with excellent ortho‐selectivity and functional‐group tolerance. Successful benzoic acid aminations were achieved with carbamates bearing various amide groups including NHCO₂Me, NHCbz, and NHTroc (Cbz=carbobenzyloxy; Troc=trichloroethylchloroformate), as well as secondary amines, such as morpholines, piperizines, and piperidines, furnishing highly functionalized anthranilic acids. A stoichiometric reaction of a cyclometallated rhodium(III) complex of benzo[h]quinoline with a silver salt of N‐chlorocarbamate afforded an amido–rhodium(III) complex, which was isolated and structurally characterized by X‐ray crystallography. This finding confirmed that the C?N bond formation results from the cross‐coupling of N‐chlorocarbamate with the aryl–rhodium(III) complex. Yet, the mechanistic details regarding the C?N bond formation remain unclear; pathways involving 1,2‐aryl migration and rhodium(V)– nitrene are plausible.     

Room‐Temperature ortho‐Alkoxylation and ‐Halogenation of N‐Tosylbenzamides by Using Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed CH Activation

The N‐tosylcarboxamide group can direct the room‐temperature palladium‐catalyzed C?H alkoxylation and halogenation of substituted arenes in a simple and mild procedure. The room‐temperature stoichiometric cyclopalladation of N‐tosylbenzamide was first studied, and the ability of the palladacycle to react with oxidants to form C?X and C?O bonds under mild conditions was demonstrated. The reaction conditions were then adapted to promote room‐temperature ortho‐alkoxylations and ortho‐halogenations of N‐tosylbenzamides using palladium as catalyst. The scope and limitation of both alkoxylations and halogenations was studied and the subsequent functional transformation of the N‐tosylcarboxamide group through nucleophilic additions was evaluated. This methodology offers a simple and mild route to diversely functionalized arenes.     

ortho‐Benzoxylation of N‐Alkyl Benzamides with Aromatic Acids Catalyzed by Ruthenium(II) Complex

A highly regioselective ortho‐benzoxylation of N‐alkyl benzamides with aromatic acids in the presence of [{RuCl₂(p‐cymene)}₂], AgSbF₆, and (NH₄)₂S₂O₈ in 1,2‐dichloroethane at 100 °C for 24 h affording ortho‐benzoxylated N‐alkyl benzamides by C?H bond activation is described. Further, Ru‐catalyzed alkenylation is done at the ortho C?H bond of benzoxylated N‐alkyl benzamides with alkenes in water solvent. Subsequently, the benzoxyl moiety of N‐alkyl benzamides was converted into a hydroxyl group in the presence of base or acid. A possible reaction mechanism was proposed to account for the present coupling reaction.     

Photoactivated N‐Acyliminoiodinanes Applied to Amination: an ortho‐Methoxymethyl Group Stabilizes Reactive Precursors

N‐Acyliminoiodinanes were characterized for the first time by X‐ray structural analysis. The ortho‐methoxymethyl group and the carbonyl oxygen coordinate to the iodine atom of the iminoiodinane. Activation of the N‐acyliminoiodinane was achieved by photoirradiation at 370 nm, thereby enabling reaction with various silyl enol ethers to give α‐aminoketone derivatives in good to high yield. N‐sulfonyliminoiodinanes bearing ortho substituents were used in photoinduced amination.     

Bismuth‐Containing SBA‐15 Mesoporous Silica Catalysts for Solvent‐Free Liquid‐Phase Oxidation of Cyclohexane by Molecular Oxygen

Bismuth (Bi)‐containing SBA‐15 mesoporous silica catalysts, Bi/SBA‐15, with different Bi loadings were synthesized by a direct hydrothermal method. The materials were characterized in detail by various techniques. Powder‐X‐ray‐diffraction (PXRD), N₂‐adsorption/desorption, and transmission‐electron‐microscopic (TEM) analyses revealed that the well‐ordered hexagonal structure of SBA‐15 is maintained after Bi incorporation. Diffuse‐reflectance UV/VIS, Raman, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the incorporated Bi‐atoms are highly dispersed, most of them entering the internal surface of SBA‐15. The new, very stable catalysts were found to be highly efficient for the oxidation of cyclohexane in a solvent‐free system, molecular oxygen (O₂) being used as oxidant.     

Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed ortho‐CH Arylation/Alkylation of N‐Benzoyl α‐Amino Ester Derivatives

The palladium‐catalyzed arylation/alkylation of ortho‐C?H bonds in N‐benzoyl α‐amino ester derivatives is described. In such a system both the NH‐amido and the CO₂R groups in the α‐amino ester moieties play a role in successful C?H activation/C?C bond formation using iodoaryl coupling partners. A wide variety of functional groups and electron‐rich/deficient iodoarenes are tolerated. The yields obtained range from 20 to 95 %.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Inverse‐Electron‐Demand Hetero‐Diels−Alder Reactions

In this review, the recent developments in catalytic asymmetric inverse‐electron‐demand hetero‐Diels−Alder reaction, which is recognized as one of the most powerful routes to construct highly functionalized and enantioenriched six‐membered heterocycles, are described. The article is organized on the basis of different kinds of electron‐deficient heterodienes, including α,β‐unsaturated ketones/aldehydes, o‐benzoquinones, α,β‐unsaturated imines, N‐aryl imines, o‐benzoqinone imides, and other aza‐olefins.     

Importance of a Fluorine Substituent for the Preparation of meta‐ and para‐Pentafluoro‐λ6‐sulfanyl‐Substituted Pyridines

Although there are ways to synthesize ortho‐pentafluoro‐λ⁶‐sulfanyl (SF₅) pyridines, meta‐ and para‐SF₅‐substituted pyridines are rare. We disclose herein a general route for their synthesis. The fundamental synthetic approach is the same as reported methods for ortho‐SF₅‐substituted pyridines and SF₅‐substituted arenes, that is, oxidative chlorotetrafluorination of the corresponding disulfides to give pyridylsulfur chlorotetrafluorides (SF₄Cl‐pyridines), followed by chloride/fluoride exchange with fluorides. However, the trick in this case is the presence on the pyridine ring of at least one fluorine atom, which is essential for the successful transformation of the disulfides into m‐and p‐SF₅‐pyridines. After enabling the synthesis of an SF₅‐substituted pyridine, ortho‐F groups can be efficiently substituted by C, N, S, and O nucleophiles through an S_NAr pathway. This methodology provides access to a variety of previously unavailable SF₅‐substituted pyridine building blocks.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of substituted benzaldehydes by hexamethylenetetramine‐bromine

The oxidation of thirty‐six monosubstituted benzaldehydes by hexa‐methylenetetramine‐bromine (HABR), in aqueous acetic acid solution, leads to the formation of the corresponding benzoic acids. The reaction is first order with respect to HABR. Michaelis‐Menten–type kinetics were observed with respect to aldehyde. The reaction failed to induce the polymerization of acrylonitrile. There is no effect of hexamethylenetetramine on the reaction rate. The oxidation of [²H]benzaldehyde (PhCDO) indicated the presence of a substantial kinetic isotope effect. The effect of solvent composition indicated that the reaction rate increases with an increase in the polarity of the solvent. The rates of oxidation of meta‐ and para‐substituted benzaldehydes showed excellent correlations in terms of Charton's triparametric LDR equation, whereas the oxidation of ortho‐substituted benzaldehydes correlated well with tetraparametric LDRS equation. The oxidation of para‐substituted benzaldehydes is more susceptible to the delocalization effect but the oxidation of ortho‐ and meta‐substituted compounds displayed a greater dependence on the field effect. The positive value of γ suggests the presence of an electron‐deficient reaction center in the rate‐determining step. The reaction is subjected to steric acceleration when ortho‐substituents are present. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 615–622, 2000     

Branch‐Selective Alkene Hydroarylation by Cooperative Destabilization: Iridium‐Catalyzed ortho‐Alkylation of Acetanilides

An iridium(I) catalyst system, modified with the wide‐bite‐angle and electron‐deficient bisphosphine d^Fppb (1,4‐bis(di(pentafluorophenyl)phosphino)butane) promotes highly branch‐selective hydroarylation reactions between diverse acetanilides and aryl‐ or alkyl‐substituted alkenes. This provides direct and ortho‐selective access to synthetically challenging anilines, and addresses long‐standing issues associated with related Friedel–Crafts alkylations.     

Phase‐Transfer‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis of Axially Chiral Anilides

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of axially chiral o‐iodoanilides and o‐tert‐butylanilides as useful chiral building blocks was achieved by means of binaphthyl‐modified chiral quaternary ammonium‐salt‐catalyzed N‐alkylations under phase‐transfer conditions. The synthetic utility of axially chiral products was demonstrated in various transformations. For example, axially chiral N‐allyl‐o‐iodoanilide was transformed to 3‐methylindoline by means of radical cyclization with high chirality transfer from axial chirality to C‐centered chirality. Furthermore, stereochemical information on axial chirality in o‐tert‐butylanilides could be used as a template to control the stereochemistry of subsequent transformations. The transition‐state structure of the present phase‐transfer reaction was discussed on the basis of the X‐ray crystal structure of ammonium anilide, which was prepared from binaphthyl‐modified chiral ammonium bromide and o‐iodoanilide. The chiral tetraalkylammonium bromide as a phase‐transfer catalyst recognized the steric difference between the ortho substituents on anilide to obtain high enantioselectivity. The size and structural effects of the ortho substituents on anilide were investigated, and a wide variety of axially chiral anilides that possess various functional groups could be synthesized with high enantioselectivities. This method is the only general way to access a variety of axially chiral anilides in a highly enantioselective fashion reported to date.     

Generation and Rearrangement of N,O‐Dialkenylhydroxylamines for the Synthesis of 2‐Aminotetrahydrofurans

A new diastereoselective route to 2‐aminotetrahydrofurans has been developed from N,O‐dialkenylhydroxylamines. These intermediates undergo a spontaneous C?C bond‐forming [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement followed by a C?O bond‐forming cyclization. A copper‐catalyzed N‐alkenylation of an N‐Boc‐hydroxylamine with alkenyl iodides, and a base‐promoted addition of the resulting N‐hydroxyenamines to an electron‐deficient allene, provide modular access to these novel rearrangement precursors. The scope of this de novo synthesis of simple nucleoside analogues has been explored to reveal trends in diastereoselectivity and reactivity. In addition, a base‐promoted ring‐opening and Mannich reaction has been discovered to covert 2‐aminotetrahydrofurans to cyclopentyl β‐aminoacid derivatives or cyclopentenones.     

Convenient synthesis of poly(γ‐benzyl‐L‐glutamate) from activated urethane derivatives of γ‐benzyl‐L‐glutamate

A series of activated urethane‐type derivatives of γ‐benzyl‐L ‐glutamate were synthesized, and their potential as monomers for polypeptide synthesis was investigated. The derivatives of the focus of this work were a series of N‐aryloxycarbonyl‐γ‐benzyl‐L ‐glutamate 1 , of which aryl groups were phenyl, 4‐chlorophenyl, and 4‐nitrophenyl. These urethanes 1 were reactive in polar solvents such as dimethylsulfoxide, N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF), and N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and were efficiently converted into poly(γ‐benzyl‐L ‐glutamate) (poly(BLG)) under mild conditions; at 60 °C without addition of any catalyst. Among the three urethanes, that having 4‐nitrophenoxycarbonyl group 1c was the most reactive to give poly(BLG) efficiently, as was expected from the highly electron deficient nature of the nitrophenoxycarbonyl group. On the other hand, the urethane 1a having phenoxycarbonyl group was also efficiently converted into poly(BLG), in spite of the intrinsically less electrophilicity of the phenoxycarbonyl group. In addition, the successful formation of poly(BLG) by the reaction of 1a favored its diluted concentration (0.1 M) much more than 2.0 M, the optimum initial concentration for 1c . ¹H NMR spectroscopic analyses of the reactions in situ revealed that the predominant pathway from 1 to poly(BLG) involved the intramolecular cyclization of 1 into the corresponding N‐carboxyanhydride, with release of phenol and its successive ring‐opening polymerization with release of carbon dioxide. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 2649–2657, 2008     

Highly Efficient Palladacycle/Dihydroimidazolium Chloride System for the Suzuki‐Miyaura Cross‐Coupling of Aryl Halides (I,Br, Cl) with Arylboronic Acids

A combination of a tertiary amine‐based palladacycle and an N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand precursor ( 1 , N,N‐bis‐mesityl‐4,5‐dihydroimidazolium chloride) has been applied to catalyze the Suzuki‐Miyaura cross‐coupling of aryl halides with arylboronic acids. The substrate scope is general: a variety of electron rich and deficient aryl halides (I, Br, Cl) and arylboronic acids were found to undergo the cross‐coupling reaction in good to excellent yields at low catalyst loading of 0.01–1 mol%.