Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Sulfinates from Boronic Acids and DABSO: A Redox‐Neutral,Phosphine‐Free Transformation

A redox‐neutral palladium(II)‐catalyzed conversion of aryl, heteroaryl, and alkenyl boronic acids into sulfinate intermediates, and onwards to sulfones and sulfonamides, has been realized. A simple Pd(OAc)₂ catalyst, in combination with the sulfur dioxide surrogate 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(sulfur dioxide) (DABSO), is sufficient to achieve rapid and high‐yielding conversion of the boronic acids into the corresponding sulfinates. Addition of C‐ or N‐based electrophiles then allows conversion into sulfones and sulfonamides, respectively, in a one‐pot, two‐step process.     

Silicon-controlled Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation and Cyclization between Carbonyl Compounds and Allyltrimethylsilane

The effect of silicon on C–C bond formation between carbonyl compounds and allyltrimethylsilane was investigated. Treatment of 1,3-diketones, β-ketoesters or malonates with allyltrimethylsilane in the presence of ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) in methanol produced the corresponding allylated products. Furthermore, introduction of Mn(OAc)₃ · 2H₂O into those reactions for replacement or assistance of CAN afforded silicon-containing cyclopentanes in 51–75% yields. A sequential process involving allylation, free-radical cyclization and elimination was also developed by use of CAN/Mn (OAc)₃ · 2H₂O/Cu(OAc)₂ · H₂O. Accordingly, β-ketoesters or malonates were allowed to react with allylsilanes in acetic acid to give silicon-containing cyclopentanes with an exo methylene unit in 52–71% yields. These reactions involved carbocationic and carboradical intermediates, of which formation and chemical activities were controlled by a β-silyl group. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dehydrogenative Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation Using Alkynyloxy Moieties as Hydrogen‐Accepting Directing Groups

In the presence of a catalyst system consisting of Pd(OAc)₂, PCy₃, and Zn(OAc)₂, the reaction of alkynyl aryl ethers with bicycloalkenes, α,ß‐unsaturated esters, or heteroarenes results in the site‐selective cleavage of two C? H bonds followed by the formation of C? C bonds. In all cases, the alkynyloxy group acts as a directing group for the activation of an ortho C? H bond and as a hydrogen acceptor, thus rendering the use of additives such as an oxidant or base unnecessary.     

Formation Mechanism of the First Carbon–Carbon Bond and the First Olefin in the Methanol Conversion into Hydrocarbons

The elementary reactions leading to the formation of the first carbon–carbon bond during early stages of the zeolite‐catalyzed methanol conversion into hydrocarbons were identified by combining kinetics, spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. The first intermediates containing a C?C bond are acetic acid and methyl acetate, which are formed through carbonylation of methanol or dimethyl ether even in presence of water. A series of acid‐catalyzed reactions including acetylation, decarboxylation, aldol condensation, and cracking convert those intermediates into a mixture of surface bounded hydrocarbons, the hydrocarbon pool, as well as into the first olefin leaving the catalyst. This carbonylation based mechanism has an energy barrier of 80 kJ mol^?1 for the formation of the first C?C bond, in line with a broad range of experiments, and significantly lower than the barriers associated with earlier proposed mechanisms.     

Carbon‐Carbon and Carbon‐Heteroatom Bond Formation Reactions Using Unsaturated Carbon Compounds

The carbon‐carbon and carbon‐heteroatom bond formation reactions are considered as a fundamental tool in synthetic organic chemistry. They have been effectively utilized in the synthesis of medicinally significant molecules, agrochemicals and valuable compounds in material sciences. This has been primarily enabled by highly efficient protocols arising from divergent mechanistic pathways. In this personal account, we aim to discuss some recent advances in carbon‐carbon or carbon‐heteroatom bond formation reactions to which our group has actively contributed. More specifically, this record focuses on the use of unsaturated carbon compounds for the construction of C?C and C?X bonds.     

Alkyl Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation by Nickel/Photoredox Cross‐Coupling

The union of photoredox and nickel catalysis has resulted in a renaissance in radical chemistry as well as in the use of nickel‐catalyzed transformations, specifically for carbon–carbon bond formation. Collectively, these advances address the longstanding challenge of late‐stage cross‐coupling of functionalized alkyl fragments. Empowered by the notion that photocatalytically generated alkyl radicals readily undergo capture by Ni complexes, wholly new feedstocks for cross‐coupling have been realized. Herein, we highlight recent developments in several types of alkyl cross‐couplings that are accessible exclusively through this approach.     

An Unusual Terpene Cyclization Mechanism Involving a Carbon–Carbon Bond Rearrangement

Terpene cyclization reactions are fascinating owing to the precise control of connectivity and stereochemistry during the catalytic process. Cyclooctat‐9‐en‐7‐ol synthase (CotB2) synthesizes an unusual 5‐8‐5 fused‐ring structure with six chiral centers from the universal diterpene precursor, the achiral C₂₀ geranylgeranyl diphosphate substrate. An unusual new mechanism for the exquisite CotB2‐catalyzed cyclization that involves a carbon–carbon backbone rearrangement and three long‐range hydride shifts is proposed, based on a powerful combination of in vivo studies using uniformly ¹³C‐labeled glucose and in vitro reactions of regiospecifically deuterium‐substituted geranylgeranyl diphosphate substrates. This study shows that CotB2 elegantly demonstrates the synthetic virtuosity and stereochemical control that evolution has conferred on terpene synthases.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Reductive Carbon–Carbon Bond Cleavage Reaction on a Curved Pyridylcorannulene Skeleton

The cleavage of C? C bonds in π‐conjugated systems is an important method for controlling their shape and coplanarity. An efficient way for the cleavage of an aromatic C? C bond in a typical buckybowl corannulene skeleton is reported. The reaction of 2‐pyridylcorannulene with a catalytic amount of IrCl₃?n H₂O in ethylene glycol at 250 °C resulted in a structural transformation from the curved corannulene skeleton to a strain‐free flat benzo[ghi]fluoranthene skeleton through a site‐selective C? C cleavage reaction. This cleavage reaction was found to be driven by both the coordination of the 2‐pyridyl substituent to iridium and the relief of strain in the curved corannulene skeleton. This finding should facilitate the design of carbon nanomaterials based on C? C bond cleavage reactions.