Unlocking Mizoroki–Heck‐Type Reactions of Aryl Cyanides Using Transfer Hydrocyanation as a Turnover‐Enabling Step

A new transfer hydrofunctionalization strategy to turnover H‐M^II‐X complexes has enabled both intra‐ and intermolecular Mizoroki–Heck (MH)‐type reactions of aryl cyanides that are challenging to realize under traditional, basic conditions. Initially, a cascade carbonickelation/MH reaction of 2‐cyanostyrenes was achieved using a key alkyne transfer hydrocyanation step. Mechanistic experiments supported the proposed catalytic cycle, including the turnover‐enabling transfer hydrocyanation step. The reactivity was then extended to the intermolecular MH reaction of benzonitriles and styrenes.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Decarboxylative Difluoroalkylation of α,β‐Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids

The first example of nickel‐catalyzed decarboxylative fluoroalkylation of α,β‐unsaturated carboxylic acids has been developed with commonly available fluoroalkyl halides. This novel transformation has demonstrated broad substrate scope, excellent functional‐group tolerance, mild reaction conditions, and excellent stereoselectivity. Mechanistic investigations indicate that a fluoroalkyl radical is involved in the catalytic cycle.     

Michael-Addition Reaction of Malononitrile with α,β-Unsaturated Cycloketones Catalyzed by KF／Al2O3

A series of KF/Al2O3 catalyzed Michael-addition reactions between malononitrile and α,β-unsaturated cycloketones in DMF solution were studied. At room temperature, 2-cyano-3-aryl-3-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-one-2-yl) propionitrile derivatives were synthesized by the reaction between 2-arylmethylidene-1,2,3,4-tetra-hydronaphthalen-1-one and malononitrile. However, if the temperature was increased to 80℃, 2-amino-3-cyano-4-aryl-4H-benzo[h]chromene derivatives were obtained in high yields. When the α,β-unsaturated ketones were replaced by 2,6-biarylmethylidenecyclohexanone or 2,5-biarylmethylidenecyclopentanone, another series of 2-amino-3-cyano-4H-pyran derivatives was isolated successfully. The structures of the products were confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Decarboxylative C–Si Bond Formation: A Regioselective Cross‐Coupling Between Trialkyl Silanes and α,β‐Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids

This report presents the first example of nickel‐catalyzed mild decarboxylative cross‐coupling reaction for the regioselective formation of C–Si bond. An easily accessible and significantly stable Ni (dmg)₂ owes the role of key promoter. This reaction is highly functional group tolerant and offers α,β‐unsaturated silanes in synthetically useful yields. The reaction gives access to the successful utilization of otherwise difficult trialkyl silanes as coupling partners and operates at a moderate temperature, which is beneficial to deal with highly volatile silanes.     

Direct Catalytic Asymmetric Vinylogous Conjugate Addition of Unsaturated Butyrolactones to α,β‐Unsaturated Thioamides

Soft Lewis acid/Brønsted base cooperative catalysts have enabled direct catalytic asymmetric vinylogous conjugate addition of α,β‐ and β,γ‐unsaturated butyrolactones to α,β‐unsaturated thioamides with perfect atom economy. When using α‐angelica lactone and its derivatives as pronucleophiles, as little as 0.5 mol % catalyst loading was sufficient to complete the reaction necessary to construct consecutive tri‐ and tetrasubstituted stereogenic centers in a highly diastereo‐ and enantioselective fashion.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Nitrocyclopropanes through the Organocatalyic Michael‐Addition‐Initiated Cyclization of Bromonitromethane and β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Ketoesters

A highly diastereo‐ and enantioselective cyclopropanation of β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters with bromonitromethane has been successfully developed through a domino Michael‐addition/intramolecular‐alkylation strategy. Acceptable yields (up to 89 %) and enantioselectivities (up to 96 % ee) have been obtained.     

Rhodium Fluoroapatite Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of Arylboronic Acids to α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

Rhodium fluoroapatite (RhFAP) is an efficient catalyst for conjugate addition of organoboron reagents to α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds. A variety of arylboronic acids and α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds were converted to the corresponding conjugate‐addition products, demonstrating the versatility of the reaction. The reaction is highly selective. RhFAP was recovered quantitatively by simple filtration, and reused for four cycles.     

Enantioselective Copper(I/II)‐Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of Nitro Esters to β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Ketoesters

A highly enantioselective Michael addition of nitroacetates to β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters was developed by using chiral copper catalysts. The Michael addition products can be obtained in high yields with up to 99 % ee. With these densely functionalized products, the chiral cyclic nitrones, which are important synthetic intermediates, can be obtained in one step.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck Reaction of Aryl Sulfonates and Chlorides with Electronically Unbiased Terminal Olefins: High Selectivity for Branched Products

Achieving high selectivity in the Heck reaction of electronically unbiased alkenes has been a longstanding challenge. Using a nickel‐catalyzed cationic Heck reaction, we were able to achieve excellent selectivity for branched products (≥19:1 in all cases) over a wide range of aryl electrophiles and aliphatic olefins. A bidentate ligand with a suitable bite angle and steric profile was key to obtaining high branched/linear selectivity, whereas the appropriate base suppressed alkene isomerization of the product. Although aryl triflates are traditionally used to access the cationic Heck pathway, we have shown that, by using triethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, we can effect a counterion exchange of the catalytic nickel complex, such that cheaper and more stable aryl chlorides, mesylates, tosylates, and sulfamates can be used to yield the same branched products with high selectivity.     

Transfer Hydrocyanation of α‐ and α,β‐Substituted Styrenes Catalyzed by Boron Lewis Acids

A straightforward gram‐scale preparation of cyclohexa‐1,4‐diene‐based hydrogen cyanide (HCN) surrogates is reported. These are bench‐stable but formally release HCN and rearomatize when treated with Lewis acids. For BCl₃, the formation of the isocyanide adduct [(CN)BCl₃]^? and the corresponding Wheland complex was verified by mass spectrometry. In the presence of 1,1‐di‐ and trisubstituted alkenes, transfer of HCN from the surrogate to the C?C double bond occurs, affording highly substituted nitriles with Markovnikov selectivity. The success of this transfer hydrocyanation depends on the Lewis acid employed; catalytic amounts of BCl₃ and (C₆F₅)₂BCl are shown to be effective while B(C₆F₅)₃ and BF₃?OEt₂ are not.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Oxidative Difunctionalization of Alkenes with α‐Carbonyl Alkyl Bromides Initiated through a Heck‐type Insertion: A Route to Indolin‐2‐ones

The oxidative interception of various σ‐alkyl palladium(II) intermediates with additional reagents for the difunctionalization of alkenes is an important research area. A new palladium‐catalyzed oxidative difunctionalization reaction of alkenes with α‐carbonyl alkyl bromides is described, in which the σ‐alkyl palladium(II) intermediate is generated through a Heck insertion and trapped using an aryl C(sp²)? H bond. This method can be applied to various α‐carbonyl alkyl bromides, including primary, secondary, and tertiary α‐bromoalkyl esters, ketones, and amides.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Nitrocyclopropanes by Organocatalytic Conjugate Addition of Bromonitroalkanes to α,β‐Unsaturated Enones

A general enantioselective synthesis of functionalized nitrocyclopropanes by organocatalytic conjugate addition of a variety of bromonitroalkanes to α,β‐unsaturated enone systems is presented. The process, efficiently catalyzed by the salts of 9‐amino‐9‐deoxyepiquinine 1 d serves as a powerful approach to the preparation of synthetically and biologically important cyclopropanes with high levels of enantio‐ and diastereoselectivities. Since only 0.6 equivalents of bromonitromethane are used as a reagent, (S)‐ 2 e is obtained enantiomerically pure by employing chiral 1 d as a highly efficient catalyst for its kinetic resolution (97 % ee at 51 % conversion, selectivity s=120).