Copper-catalyzed methyl esterification of aromatic aldehydes and benzoic alcohols by TBHP as both oxidant and methyl source

A copper-catalyzed synthesis of methyl esters from aromatic aldehydes in the presence of tert-butyl hydrogen peroxide (TBHP) was developed via a radical reaction mechanism. TBHP acts not only as an efficient oxidant, but also as a green methyl source in such transformation. Moreover, this method could also be efficiently extended to the methyl esterification of benzylic alcohols.     

Methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate: an improved procedure starting from hexafluoropropene-1,2-oxide; identification of byproducts

Optimized laboratory-scale preparation of methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate (3, MTFP) has been developed starting from industrial hexafluoropropene-1,2-oxide (1, HFPO) via methyl 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-methoxypropanoate (2, MTPr), which was transformed to 3 using sulfuric acid with isolated yields up to 81%. Byproducts formed in the transformation of 2 to 3, viz. methyl trifluoroacetate (4, MTAc), methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate hydrate (5), methyl hemiacetal of trifluoropyruvate (6), a dimer of methyl 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate hydrate (7, DimMTP), and methyl fluorosulfate (8, Sulf) were identified and their amounts determined under various experimental conditions. Potential reaction pathways leading to the formation of the byproducts are discussed.     

Stable hemiaminals attached to PAMAM dendrimers

Stable hemiaminals (carbinolamines) are formed during the reaction between aromatic aldehydes and amine groups on the surface of polyamidoamino dendrimers in methanol under mild conditions, as monitored by ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Air-oxidized products of multi-component reactions between 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, aromatic aldehydes and isonitriles

The Groebke-type multi-component reaction (MCR) between 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, aromatic aldehydes and isonitriles has been studied from the viewpoint of convenient generation of combinatorial arrays of imidazo[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazoles. However, it was established that the desired heterocyclic structures can be produced in moderate to good yields in an oxidized form, when benzylic isonitriles are used. Oxidation occurred at the benzylic position to produce N-alkylidene-4H-imidazo[1,2-b][1,2,4]triazol-6-amines that proved to be unusually stable towards acid hydrolysis and reduction. The presence of an easily oxidized benzylic position in the target structures is thought to be the prerequisite for successful Groebke-type MCR of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole.     

Organocatalyzed Friedel-Crafts arylation of benzylic alcohols

Electron-rich aromatic and heteroaromatic rings are functionalized directly with a variety of benzylic alcohols under mild conditions. The reaction is catalyzed by commercially available pentafluorophenylboronic acid, which is stable under ambient conditions and recoverable. The reaction itself is highly atom economical and produces water as the only byproduct. A Friedel-Crafts mechanism is proposed.     

Prins cyclizations: labeling studies and application to natural product synthesis

The first syntheses of two natural products, catechols 1 and 2, isolated from Plectranthus sylvestris (labiatae), are reported. Oxygen-18 labeling studies support the proposed intermediacy of a stabilized benzylic cation in the acid-promoted cyclization of an aldehyde and benzylic homoallylic alcohol possessing an electron-rich aromatic ring. In contrast, with an electron-deficient aromatic ring the pathway via a benzylic cation is only minor. [reaction: see text]     

Chemoselective aromatic C-H insertion of α-diazo-β-ketoesters catalyzed by dirhodium(II) carboxylates

The ability of α-diazo-β-ketoesters bearing a substituent on the benzylic position to undergo aromatic C-H insertion is described. Good to excellent yields of the aromatic C-H insertion products were observed with Rh(2)(tpa)(4) or Rh(2)(esp)(2) catalysts. This is an attractive strategy to prepare tetralins carrying a methyl group on the benzylic position, a structural motif found in several types of natural products.     

Metal-free one-pot oxidative conversion of benzylic alcohols and benzylic halides into aromatic amides with molecular iodine in aq ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide

Various primary alcohols, particularly benzylic alcohols, could be converted into the corresponding aromatic amides in good yields in a one-pot manner by treatment with molecular iodine in aq. NH₃, followed by reaction with ∼30% aq H₂O₂. Similarly, various benzylic halides could be also converted into the corresponding aromatic amides in good yields in a one-pot manner by treatment with molecular iodine in aq NH₃, followed by reaction with ∼30% aq H₂O₂. The present reactions involve the metal-free one-pot oxidative conversion of benzylic alcohols and benzylic halides into the corresponding aromatic amides, respectively.     

Direct oxidative conversion of alkyl halides into nitriles with molecular iodine and 1,3-diiodo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin in aq ammonia

Various benzylic halides were smoothly and directly converted into the corresponding aromatic nitriles in high yields using molecular iodine and 1,3-diiodo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, respectively, in aq ammonia. Similarly, primary alkyl halides were also converted into corresponding nitriles in moderate to good yields using molecular iodine and 1,3-diiodo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin in aq ammonia, although a long reaction time was required. The present reaction is a new method for the preparation of aromatic nitriles from benzylic halides and a new method for the conversion of alkyl halides into corresponding nitriles with retention of the number of carbon atoms.     

ACC对羰基化合物、含苄基化合物及稠环芳烃中活泼碳氢键的选择性氧化

前文曾报道了几种以铵盐或氯化铵为配体与三氧化铬所形成的配合物(CH_3)_3NHCrO_3Cl、(CH_3)_2NH_2CrO_3Cl、CH_3NH_3CrO_3Cl和NH_4CrO_3CI。它们都是高效、温和的醇和肟类选择性氧化剂。其中,NH_4CrO_3Cl(ACC)是最廉价的,具有制备简单、性质稳定、选     

Double elimination protocol for access to unsymmetrically substituted aromatic polyynes starting from sulfones and aldehydes

A double elimination protocol has been established for access to unsymmetrically substituted aromatic polyynes by use of dialdehyde and substituted benzylic or propargylic sulfones as starting compounds. For this protocol, various substituted sulfones and phthalaldehydes were usable giving rise to the formation of the desired substituted aromatic polyynes.     

Benzylic Fluorination of Aza‐Heterocycles Induced by Single‐Electron Transfer to Selectfluor

A selective and mild method for the benzylic fluorination of aromatic azaheterocycles with Selectfluor is described. These reactions take place by a previously unreported mechanism, in which electron transfer from the heterocyclic substrate to the electrophilic fluorinating agent Selectfluor eventually yields a benzylic radical, thus leading to the desired C?F bond formation. This mechanism enables high intra‐ and intermolecular selectivity for aza‐heterocycles over other benzylic components with similar C?H bond‐dissociation energies.     

Low temperature reaction of aromatic hydrocarbons with ethylene and solvated electrons

A wide variety of aromatic hydrocarbons can be ethylated at benzylic and aromatic positions by treatment with ethylene and potassium in glyme/octaglyme at ?25°C.     

A simple synthetic protocol for oxidation of alkyl-arenes into ketones using a combination of HBr-H2O2

A wide variety of alkyl- and cycloalkyl-arenes undergo benzylic C-H oxidation by employing a combination of 48% hydrogen bromide and 30% hydrogen peroxide in dichloromethane at room temperature. In addition, a chemoselective oxidation at the benzylic position is feasible by deactivating the aromatic ring using the same combination.     

Copper-catalyzed selective benzylic C-O cyclization of N-o-tolylbenzamides: synthesis of 4H-3,1-benzoxazines

A novel Selectfluor-mediated copper-catalyzed highly selective benzylic C-O cyclization for the synthesis 4H-3,1-benzoxazines is reported. The predominant selectivity for a benzylic C(sp(3))-H over an aromatic C(sp(2))-H bond in N-o-tolylbenzamides is achieved.     

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.     

An efficient nickel-catalyzed alkenylation of functionalized benzylic halides with alkenylaluminum reagents

Highly efficient and simple coupling reactions of benzylic bromides or chlorides with alkenylaluminum reagents catalyzed by NiCl(2)(PPh(3))(2) are reported. The coupling reactions proceed effectively at room temperature employing low loading of catalyst, 0.5 mol% for benzylic bromides having either electron-donating or -withdrawing substituents on the aromatic ring, affording coupling products in excellent yields of up to 94% in short reaction times. The coupling reactions of benzylic chloride require 5 mol% of the catalyst and a longer reaction time of 2 h.     

Generation and use of an equivalent of difluoroacetamide or difluoroacetate anions

Ethers of trifluoroacetaldehyde hemiaminals can undergo dehydrofluorination under basic conditions to provide ethers of difluoroketene hemiaminals. The latter behave as equivalents of difluoroacetamide or difluoroacetate anions towards various electrophiles, yielding a range of difluoromethylcarbonyl products.     

Photochemical C−H Amination of Ethers and Geminal Difunctionalization Reactions in One Pot

A mild, atom‐economic, and metal‐free α‐C?H amination of ethers using relatively stable nonafluorobutanesulfonyl (nonaflyl, Nf) azide as the aminating reagent to give N‐sulfonyl hemiaminals is reported. This enables unprecedented C(sp³) difunctionalization reactions, leading to diverse functionalized amino group containing compounds starting from simple ethers in one pot.     

Metallic nickel as a reagent for the coupling of aromatic and benzylic halides

The oxidative addition of aromatic and benzylic halides to activated metallic nickel occurred under mild conditions to give the corresponding dehalogenative coupled products in good yields.