Selective synthesis of α-fluoro-β-keto- and α-fluoro-β-aminophosphonates via electrophilic fluorination by selectfluor

A series of α-mono- and α,α-difluoro-β-ketophosphonates were synthesized in moderate to good yields with excellent selectivities via electrophilic fluorination by Selectfluor. Subsequently, synthetic potential of the obtained α-monofluoro-β-ketophosphonates was demonstrated by their application in synthesis of α-monofluoro-β-aminophosphonates, useful building blocks in the preparation of phosphapeptides.     

Novel α-arylnitriles synthesis via Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling of α-bromonitriles with arylboronic acids under mild conditions

An applicable and easy-handling Ni-catalyst can be used to promote direct arylation of α-bromonitriles with various arylboronic acids to construct α-arylnitriles under mild conditions. The methodology tolerates β-hydrogens and functional groups in the substrates.     

Regioselective α-benzylation of 3-iodoazetidine via Suzuki cross-coupling

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of α-benzyl azetidines starting from benzylboronic acid pinacol ester derivatives and 3-iodoazetidine was developed. A wide range of α-benzyl azetidine derivatives were obtained in moderate to good yields with high regioselectivity (>99%).     

Asymmetric synthesis of β,β-difluoroamino acids via cross-coupling and Strecker reactions

β,β-Difluoroamino acids were synthesized from commercially available ethyl bromodifluoroacetate using cross-coupling and Strecker reactions as key steps. The coupling reaction of aryl iodides with ethyl bromodifluoroacetate gave the corresponding coupling products, which were transformed to 2-difluoromethyl-1,3-oxazolidines in two steps. Boron trifluoride etherate promoted Strecker reaction of 2-difluoromethyl-1,3-oxazolidines gave α-amino nitriles in good yields and diastereoselectivities. After removal of chiral auxiliary and hydrolysis of the nitrile group, β,β-difluorophenylalanine was obtained with 73% ee. Partial racemization occurred during the hydrolysis of nitrile group.     

Electrochemical synthesis of α,α-dihaloacetophenones from terminal alkyne derivatives

By virtue of electrochemistry, a series of α,α-dihaloacetophenones were easily obtained with good to excellent yields. This electrochemical procedure was taken in a divided cell with constant current in aqueous media. The reaction can be carried out smoothly at room temperature under metal and oxidant free condition, which provides an eco-friendly synthesis for the α,α-dihaloacetophenone derivatives.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of α-amino-α'-alkoxy ketones by a copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of peptidic thiol esters and α-alkoxyalkylstannanes

A stereocontrolled synthesis of α-amino-α'-alkoxy ketones is described. This pH-neutral copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC)-catalyzed cross-coupling of amino acid thiol esters and chiral nonracemic α-alkoxyalkylstannanes gives α-amino-α'-alkoxy ketones in good to excellent yields with complete retention of configuration at the α-amino- and α-alkoxy-substituted stereocenters.     

New general synthesis of α-alkoxyketones via α'-alkylation, α-alkylation and α,α'-dialkylation of α-alkoxyketimines

α-Methoxy- and α-ethoxyketones, as important intermediates in organic synthesis and flavor compounds in food chemistry, were synthesized by deprotonation of N-(1-alkoxy-2-propylidene)isopropylamine, prepared by condensation of the corresponding α-alkoxyacetone with isopropylamine, and subsequent reaction of the corresponding 1-azaallylic anions with alkyl halides to afford α'-alkylated, α-alkylated and α,α'-dialkylated ketimines. Hydrolysis of the imino function led to the desired substituted α-alkoxyketones. The ratio of α-, α'-, and α,α'-(di)alkylated compounds depended on the amount of base used and on the nature of the alkylating reagent.     

Gold-catalyzed synthesis of benzil derivatives and α-keto imides via oxidation of alkynes

An efficient process based on the gold-catalyzed redox reaction has been developed to oxidize 1,2-diarylacetylene or ynamide to 1,2-diaryldiketone or α-keto imide respectively. This process can tolerate a variety of functional groups and affords 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds in excellent yields under mild reaction conditions.     

Facile and convenient synthesis of aryl hydrazines via copper-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling of aryl halides and hydrazine hydrate

An efficient and convenient method for the synthesis of aryl hydrazines has been developed via copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl bromides and hydrazine with a readily accessible ligand and water as a solvent. The multigram scale procedure is applicable to aryl bromides bearing both moderately electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents in the aromatic nucleus. No column chromatography is required to obtain aryl hydrazine hydrochlorides in good yields.     

Organocatalytic synthesis of α-hydroxy and α-aminophosphonates

A new and highly flexible procedure is described for the synthesis of α-amino- and α-hydroxy phosphonates. In the presence of a catalytic amount of oxalic acid (10 mol %), trimethyl phosphite reacts with aldehydes or imines (generated in situ from an aldehyde and an amine) to yield the corresponding coupled products in good yield.     

Synthesis of α-aryl-diazophosphonates via palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl iodides with diethyl diazomethylphosphonate

An efficient procedure for the Pd-catalyzed arylation of diethyl α-diazomethylphosphonate with aryl iodides is described. It can serve as a pathway for the generation of arylated diazophosphonates, which are typically difficult to access. The significance of this methodology was demonstrated via further synthetic transformations of newly synthesized diazo compounds in cyclopropanation, epoxidation, N–H and O–H insertion reactions.     

Arylhydrazones of α-keto esters via methanolysis of dichlorodiazabutadienes: synthesis and structural study

Novel approach to methyl 2-aryl-2-(arylhydrazono) acetates via methanolysis of dichlorodiazabutadienes was developed. Hydrogen bonding in methyl Z-2-phenyl-2-(phenyl-hydrazono) acetate was explored by DFT calculations and topological analysis of the electron density distribution within the framework of Bader’s theory (QTAIM method).     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of α-bromocarbonyls and allylic alcohols for the synthesis of α-aryl dicarbonyl compounds

The palladium-catalyzed coupling of olefins and organohalides is a versatile approach for synthesizing complex molecules from simple starting materials. We have developed a palladium-catalyzed coupling of α-bromocarbonyl compounds with allylic alcohols for the generation of acyclic aryl-substituted dicarbonyl compounds. The reaction proceeds via a tandem olefin insertion of an α-acyl radical followed by a 1,2-aryl migration. In addition to providing preliminary evidence for a free radical mediated mechanism, we demonstrate unprecedented levels of 1,3-stereoinduction for the 1,2-migration step.     

Iron-catalyzed hydroaminocarbonylation of alkynes: Selective and efficient synthesis of primary α,β-unsaturated amides

α,β-Unsaturated primary amides are important intermediates and building blocks in organic synthesis. Herein, we report a ligand-free iron-catalyzed hydroaminocarbonylation of alkynes using NH₄HCO₃ as the ammonia source, enabling the highly efficient and regioselective synthesis of linear α,β-unsaturated primary amides. Various aromatic and aliphatic alkynes are transformed into the desired linear α,β-unsaturated primary amides in good to excellent yields. Further studies show that using NH₄HCO₃ as the ammonia source is key to obtain good yields and selectivity. The utility of this route is demonstrated with the synthesis of linear α,β-unsaturated amides including vanilloid receptor-1 antagonist TRPV-1.     

Solvent-free synthesis of substituted thiopyrans via multicomponent reactions of α-haloketones

A straightforward and efficient method for the synthesis of thiopyran derivatives via three-component reaction of alkyl propiolate, benzoylisothiocyanate or its derivatives and α-haloketones in the presence of triphenylphosphine under solvent-free conditions at 70℃ without using any catalyst is reported, The method offers several advantages including high yields of products and an easy work-up procedure.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of chiral α-aminoorganotributyltins via ring-opening of 2-tributylstannyloxazolidines

Reactions of 2-tributylstannyloxazolidines 2a-d (cis or trans), derived from (R)-phenylglycinol protected as N-carbamate, with lithium diorganocuprates in presence of boron trifluoride in diethyl ether provide the corresponding functionalized tributylstannyl-α-aminoalcohols 3-10 with diastereoselectivities close to 85:15 in favour of the (S,R)-isomer. The stereochemical trend is preserved using allyltributyltin as nucleophile and TiCl₂(Oi-Pr)₂ as Lewis acid in dichloromethane. The assignments of the (S,R) or (R,R) configurations in 3-10 were achieved on the basis of physicochemical data combined with a radiocrystallographic structure. Stereochemical preferences were rationalized by consideration of the interactions occurring in the iminium intermediates.     

Enantioselective synthesis of quaternary α-aminophosphonates via conjugate addition of α-nitrophosphonates to enones

Enantioselective Michael addition of α-nitrophosphonates to enones for the synthesis of α-aminophosphonates is reported for the first time. The reaction proceeds in good to high yields and moderate to high selectivity in the presence of a new quinine thiourea catalyst. The quaternary nitrophosphonates were conveniently transformed to cyclic quaternary α-aminophosphonates via in situ reduction-intramolecular cyclization or Baeyer-Villiger oxidation followed by in situ reduction-intramolecular cyclization.     

Selective synthesis of β-alkylpyrroles

β-Alkylpyrroles are key structural motifs found in many natural products and biologically active compounds as well as functional organic materials. For this reason, synthetic chemists continue to be interested in construction of the framework of β-alkylpyrroles. Due to sufficient aromaticity and π-excessive nature of pyrroles, a straightforward approach to β-alkylpyrroles should be electrophilic aromatic substitution (S(E)Ar) toward the pyrrole ring. However, since a primary nucleophilic site of pyrroles is an α-position, some "trick" is required to direct incoming alkyl electrophiles toward a β-position. This Concept article focuses on presenting previous efforts that have been devoted to the synthesis of β-alkylpyrroles, mainly through the S(E)Ar route.     

Transition-metal-free synthesis of multisubstituted N-arylindoles via reaction of arynes and α-amino ketones

A simple transition-metal-free protocol for the synthesis of indoles has been developed using aryne cycloaddition. The in situ-generated arynes couple with α-amino ketones through a one-step N-arylation–nucleophilic addition process under mild conditions and efficiently produce multisubstituted N-arylindoles.     

Highly stereoselective and efficient synthesis of ω-heterofunctional di- and trienoic esters for Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction via alkyne hydrozirconation and Pd-catalyzed alkenylation

In situ OH metalation with ⁱBu₂AlH and hydrozirconation with HZrCp₂Cl of HOCH₂CCH, (E)-HOCH₂CHCHCCH, and HOCH₂CCCH₃ followed by Pd-catalyzed alkenyl-alkenyl coupling with (E)-BrCHCHCO₂Et and (E)-BrCHC(Me)CO₂Et using PEPPSI-IPr (7) as a catalyst provides a highly efficient and selective (?98% all-E) route to ω-hydroxy di- and trienoic acid esters (1a-6a). The corresponding phosphonate esters (1c-4c) of ?98% isomeric purity can be obtained via conventional bromination-phosphonation in >80% yields. As expected, their carbonyl olefination is ca. 85-90% E-selective with alkyl aldehydes but ?98% E-selective with PhCHO and some α,β-unsaturated aldehydes under the conditions used.