Single‐Electron‐Transfer‐Induced Coupling of Arylzinc Reagents with Aryl and Alkenyl Halides

Arylzinc reagents, prepared from aryl halides/zinc powder or aryl Grignard reagents/zinc chloride, were found to undergo coupling with aryl and alkenyl halides without the aid of transition‐metal catalysis to give biaryls and styrene derivatives, respectively. In this context, we have already reported the corresponding reaction using aryl Grignard reagents instead of arylzinc reagents. Compared with the Grignard cross‐coupling, the present reaction features high functional‐group tolerance, whereby electrophilic groups such as alkoxycarbonyl and cyano groups are compatible as substituents on both the arylzinc reagents and the aryl halides. Aryl halides receive a single electron and thereby become activated as the corresponding anion radicals, which react with arylzinc reagents, thus leading to the cross‐coupling products.     

Moderne Magnesiumorganische Chemie. Neues von der Grignard‐Reaktion

Organomagnesium reagents can be employed for a variety of useful transformations, which are also of relevance for industrial processes. Recent protocols for syntheses of highly functionalized Grignard reagents highlight fascinating new perspectives for organic synthesis. Particularly, the addition of superstoichiometric amounts of LiCl allowed for the preparation of organomagnesium compounds, employing haloarenes or arenes at very mild reaction conditions. These highly functionalized Grignard reagents can be used as starting materials for transition metal‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions. New developments in the ligand design resulted in highly active palladium and nickel catalysts for efficient transformations of inexpensive chlorides or tosylates, as well as challenging fluorides. Economically attractive iron‐catalyzed coupling reactions of organomagnesium reagents bear great potential for further developments.     

On the Radical Nature of Iron‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions

The radical nature of iron‐catalyzed cross‐coupling between Grignard reagents and alkyl halides has been studied by using a combination of competitive kinetic experiments and DFT calculations. In contrast to the corresponding coupling with aryl halides, which commences through a classical two‐electron oxidative addition/reductive elimination sequence, the presented data suggest that alkyl halides react through an atom‐transfer‐initiated radical pathway. Furthermore, a general iodine‐based quenching methodology was developed to enable the determination of highly accurate concentrations of Grignard reagents, a capability that facilitates and increases the information output of kinetic investigations based on these substrates.     

Sequential One‐Pot Addition of Excess Aryl‐Grignard Reagents and Electrophiles to O‐Alkyl Thioformates

The sequential addition of aromatic Grignard reagents to O‐alkyl thioformates proceeded to completion within 30 s to give aryl benzylic sulfanes in good yields. This reaction may begin with the nucleophilic attack of the Grignard reagent onto the carbon atom of the O‐alkyl thioformates, followed by the elimination of ROMgBr to generate aromatic thioaldehydes, which then react with a second molecule of the Grignard reagent at the sulfur atom to form arylsulfanyl benzylic Grignard reagents. To confirm the generation of aromatic thioaldehydes, the reaction between O‐alkyl thioformates and phenyl Grignard reagent was carried out in the presence of cyclopentadiene. As a result, hetero‐Diels–Alder adducts of the thioaldehyde and the diene were formed. The treatment of a mixture of the thioformate and phenyl Grignard reagent with iodine gave 1,2‐bis(phenylsulfanyl)‐1,2‐diphenyl ethane as a product, which indicated the formation of arylsulfanyl benzylic Grignard reagents in the reaction mixture. When electrophiles were added to the Grignard reagents that were generated in situ, four‐component coupling products, that is, O‐alkyl thioformates, two molecules of Grignard reagents, and electrophiles, were obtained in moderate‐to‐good yields. The use of silyl chloride or allylic bromides gave the adducts within 5 min, whereas the reaction with benzylic halides required more than 30 min. The addition to carbonyl compounds was complete within 1 min and the use of lithium bromide as an additive enhanced the yields of the four‐component coupling products. Finally, oxiranes and imines also participated in the coupling reaction.     

Direct Arylation/Alkylation/Magnesiation of Benzyl Alcohols in the Presence of Grignard Reagents via Ni-, Fe-, or Co-Catalyzed sp(3) C-O Bond Activation

Direct application of benzyl alcohols (or their magnesium salts) as electrophiles in various reactions with Grignard reagents has been developed via transition metal-catalyzed sp(3) C-O bond activation. Ni complex was found to be an efficient catalyst for the first direct cross coupling of benzyl alcohols with aryl/alkyl Grignard reagents, while Fe, Co, or Ni catalysts could promote the unprecedented conversion of benzyl alcohols to benzyl Grignard reagents in the presence of (n)hexylMgCl. These methods offer straightforward pathways to transform benzyl alcohols into a variety of functionalities.     

Halogenated Quinolines as Substrates for the Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions to Afford Substituted Quinolines

The use of palladium complexes in catalyzing the cross‐coupling of halogenated quinolines with various organometalic reagents has led to the development of radically new methods of synthesizing novel substituted quinoline derivatives. The focus of this review is on the application of the following palladium‐catalyzed reactions of halogenated quinolines with organometalic reagents to afford substituted quinoline derivatives: Kumada, Stille, Negishi, Sonogashira, Suzuki, Heck, and Hiyama cross‐coupling reactions.     

Uncatalysed coupling of an activated aryl chloride with aryllithium and aryl Grignard reagents

Substitution of the chloro group in 2-(2-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazoline to afford biaryls occurs upon reaction with either aryllithium reagents or aryl Grignard reagents. The reactions with Grignard reagents occur under similar conditions to a previously reported manganese-catalysed procedure. The reactions with lithium reagents, whilst not always affording greater yields of product than the Grignard reagents, involve much shorter reaction times and afford yields, which are comparable with those obtained from the corresponding fluoro derivative.     

Nickel‐catalyzed Kumada Cross‐coupling Reaction for the Synthesis of 2,4‐Diarylquinazolines

A series of 2,4‐diarylquinazolines have been successfully synthesized via the Ni‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reaction of quinazoline‐4‐tosylates and aryl Grignard reagents, which provided alternative straightforward approaches for the introduction of aryl groups to quinazolines at C‐4 position.     

Bench‐Stable Stock Solutions of Silicon Grignard Reagents: Application to Iron‐ and Cobalt‐Catalyzed Radical C(sp3)–Si Cross‐Coupling Reactions

A robust method for the preparation of silicon‐based magnesium reagents is reported. The MgBr₂ used in the lithium‐to‐magnesium transmetalation step is generated in situ from 1,2‐dibromoethane and elemental magnesium in hot THF. No precipitation of MgBr₂ occurs in the heat, and transmetalation at elevated temperature leads to homogeneous stock solutions of the silicon Grignard reagents that are stable and storable in the fridge. This method avoids the preparation of silicon pronucleophiles such as Si?Si and Si?B reagents. The new Grignard reagents were applied to unprecedented iron‐ and cobalt‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions of unactivated alkyl bromides. The functional‐group tolerance of these magnesium reagents is excellent.     

Cerium chloride-promoted nucleophilic addition of grignard reagents to ketones an efficient method for the synthesis of tertiary alcohols

In the presence of anhydrous cerium(III) chloride, Grignard reagents react with Ketones to afford addition products in high yields, even though the substrates are susceptible to abnormal reactions with Grignard reagents alone.     

Preparation of pyridyl grignard reagents and cross coupling reactions with sulfoxides bearing azaheterocycles

Pyridyl Grignard reagents were prepared from the corresponding iodopyridine and EtMgBr. New cross coupling reactions of the Grignard reagents with azaheterocycles took place on the sulfinyl sulfur atom to afford biazaheteroaryls.     

Practical Iron‐ and Cobalt‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions between N‐Heterocyclic Halides and Aryl or Heteroaryl Magnesium Reagents

The reaction scope of iron‐ and cobalt‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions in the presence of isoquinoline (quinoline) in the solvent mixture tBuOMe/THF has been further investigated. Various 2‐halogenated pyridine, pyrimidine, and triazine derivatives were arylated under these mild conditions in excellent yields. The presence of isoquinoline allows us to perform Fe‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions between 6‐chloroquinoline and aryl magnesium reagents. Furthermore, it was found that the use of 10 % N,N‐dimethylquinoline‐8‐amine increases the yields of some Co‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions with chloropyridines bearing electron‐withdrawing substituents.     

Catalytic Reactions of Titanium Alkoxides with Grignard Reagents and Imines: A Mechanistic Study

The reactivity of Grignard reagents towards imines in the presence of catalytic and stoichiometric amounts of titanium alkoxides is reported. Alkylation, reduction, and coupling of imines take place. Whereas reductive coupling is the major reaction in stoichiometric reactions, alkylation is favored in catalytic reactions. Mechanistic studies clearly indicate that intermediates involved in the two reactions are different. Catalytic reactions involve a metal–alkyl complex. This has been confirmed by reactions of deuterium‐labeled substrates and different alkylating agents. Under the stoichiometric conditions, however, titanium olefin complexes are formed through reductive elimination, probably through a multinuclear intermediate.     

Chemoselective Three-Component Geminal Cross Couplings of Dihaloalkanes with Cr Catalysis: Rapid Access to Tertiary and Quaternary Alkanes via a Metal–Carbene Intermediate

Geminal cross couplings using multiple components enable the formation of several different bonds at one site in the building of tertiary and quaternary alkanes. Nevertheless, there are remaining issues of concern—cleavage of two geminal bonds and control of selectivity present challenges. We report here the geminal cross couplings of three components by reactions of dihaloalkanes with organomagnesium and chlorosilanes or alkyl tosylates by Cr catalysis, affording the formation of geminal C−C/C−Si or C−C/C−C bonds in the creation of tertiary and quaternary alkanes. The geminal couplings are catalyzed by low-cost CrCl₂, enabling the sluggishness of competitive Kumada-type side couplings and homocouplings of Grignard reagents, in achieving high chemoselectivity. Experimental and theoretical studies indicate that two geminal C-halide bonds are continuously cleaved by Cr to afford a metal carbene intermediate, which couples with a Grignard reagent, followed by silylation, in the formation of geminal C−C and C−Si bonds via a novel inner-sphere radical coupling mechanism. These three-component geminal cross couplings are value-addition to the synthesis of commercial drugs and bioactive molecules in medicinal chemistry.     

Ligand coupling through σ-sulfurane — complete retention of geometric configuration of allylic and vinylic groups in the reactions of allylic and vinylic sulfoxides with Grignard reagents

The reaction of p-benzenesulfonylphenyl crotyl sulfoxide with Grignard reagents is considered to proceed via formation of an incipient σ-sulfurane to afford the coupling product, p-benzenesulfonyl-crotylbenzene, in which the geometric configuration of crotyl group was completely preserved. No rearrangement was observed in the coupling reaction of p-benzenesulfonylphenyl α-methylallyl sulfoxide. Such a complete retention of geometric configuration was also found in the reactions of 2-pyridyl and p-benzenesulfonylphenyl styryl sulfoxides with Grignard reagents.     

Action des reactifs de grignard sur les dithioesters : Addition carbophile d'organomagnesiens insatures. synthese de cetones β-ethyleniques

Reactions of allyl, benzyl, propargyl and vinyl Grignard reagents with methyl dithioacetate give dithioacetals (or hemidithioacetals) resulting from a carbophilic addition process. Reactions with various allylic organomagnesium compounds always involve an “inversion” of the allylic chain and direct carbophilic addition, rather than initial thiophilic addition followed by [2.3] sigmatropic shift. Three methods for the synthesis of β-unsaturated ketones are described, showing the potential synthetic uses of the reactions of Grignard reagents with dithioesters.     

Synthesis and Transformations of 5‐Chloro‐2,2′‐Dipyrrins and Their Boron Complexes, 8‐Chloro‐BODIPYs

Symmetric dipyrrylketones 1 a , b were synthesized in two steps from the corresponding α‐free pyrroles, by reaction with thiophosgene followed by oxidative hydrolysis under basic conditions. The dipyrrylketones produced the corresponding 5‐chloro‐dipyrrinium salts or 5‐ethoxy‐dipyrrins on reaction with phosgene or Meerwein’s salt, respectively. Boron complexation of the dipyrrins afforded the corresponding 8‐functionalized BODIPYs (borondipyrromethenes) in high yields. The 5‐chloro‐dipyrrinium salts reacted with methoxide or ethoxide ions to produce monopyrrole esters, presumably via a 5,5‐dialkoxy‐dipyrromethane intermediate. In contrast, 8‐chloro‐BODIPYs underwent a variety of nucleophilic substitutions of the chloro group in the presence of alkoxide ions, Grignard reagents, and thiols. In the presence of excess alkoxide or Grignard reagent, at room temperature or above, substitution at the boron center also occurred. The 8‐chloro‐BODIPY was a particularly useful reagent for the preparation of 8‐aryl‐, 8‐alkyl‐, and 8‐vinyl‐substituted BODIPYs in very high yields, using Pd⁰‐catalyzed Stille cross‐coupling reactions. The X‐ray structures of eleven BODIPYs and two pyrroles are presented, and the spectroscopic properties of the synthesized BODIPYs are discussed.     

以芳樟醇为手性源的β-羟基酸的不对称合成

以芳樟醇与乙酰乙酸乙酯进行酯交换反应,合成了具有手性的乙酰乙酸芳樟酯(β-酮酯),再用其与不同的格氏试剂反应,得到不对称β-羟基酸;产物分别经手性柱分析.结果表明,手性乙酰乙酸芳樟酯与格氏试剂的反应具有不同程度的立体选择性,产物为R-或S-构型过量的β-羟基酸,ee值最高达50%.     

Manganese-Catalyzed Carbomagnesation of Alkynes

The development of manganese-catalyzed carbomagnesation of alkynes is reviewed. Manganese salts mediate the efficient addition of a variety of Grignard reagents to alkynes. Allyl, aryl, and alkyl Grignard reagents participate in these reactions. In many cases, a hetero atom such as oxygen or nitrogen in substrates facilitates the addition reaction. Stoichiometric carbometalation reactions with manganese ate complexes are also discussed, as is cyclization of 1,6-diynes and 1,6-enynes via carbometalation with triallylmanganate.     

Synthesis of All‐Carbon Disubstituted Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes by Iron‐Catalyzed Kumada Cross‐Coupling

1,3‐Disubstituted bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs) are important motifs in drug design as surrogates for p‐substituted arenes and alkynes. Access to all‐carbon disubstituted BCPs via cross‐coupling has to date been limited to use of the BCP as the organometallic component, which restricts scope due to the harsh conditions typically required for the synthesis of metallated BCPs. Here we report a general method to access 1,3‐C‐disubstituted BCPs from 1‐iodo‐bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (iodo‐BCPs) by direct iron‐catalyzed cross‐coupling with aryl and heteroaryl Grignard reagents. This chemistry represents the first general use of iodo‐BCPs as electrophiles in cross‐coupling, and the first Kumada coupling of tertiary iodides. Benefiting from short reaction times, mild conditions, and broad scope of the coupling partners, it enables the synthesis of a wide range of 1,3‐C‐disubstituted BCPs including various drug analogues.