Copper-catalyzed regioselective allylic substitution reactions with indium organometallics

The first nucleophilic allylic substitution reactions of triorganoindium compounds with allylic halides and phosphates are reported. The reactions of trialkyl- and triarylindium reagents with cinnamyl and geranyl halides and phosphates, with the aid of copper catalysis [Cu(OTf)(2)/P(OEt)(3)], are described. In general, the reaction proceeds efficiently to give good yields and regioselectively to afford the S(N)2' product.     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of organogold(I) phosphanes with allylic electrophiles

Aryl and alkenylgold(I) phosphanes react regioselectively with allylic electrophiles such as cinnamyl and geranyl halides (bromide, chloride and acetates) under palladium catalysis in THF at 80 °C to afford the α-substitution product with moderate to high yields. When the reaction is performed with a chiral enantiopure secondary acetate, the α-substituted cross-coupling product is obtained with complete inversion of the stereochemistry.     

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of allylic halides and acetates with indium organometallics

The palladium(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of allylic halides and acetates with indium organometallics is reported. In this synthetic transformation, triorganoindium compounds and tetraorganoindates (aryl, alkenyl, and methyl) react with cinnamyl and geranyl halides and acetates to afford the S(N)2 product regioselectively and in good yield. The reaction proceeds with net inversion of the stereochemical configuration.     

Mechanistic aspects of reductions of allylic ethers and acetates with organocuprates

The rate of substitution to reduction has been investigated for reactions of three phenyl-substituted allylic ethers and the corresponding acetates with EtMgBr plus 10 or 25% copper(I) bromide in THF. It is found that the relative amount of reduction increases with increased electron delocalization in the postulated copper(III)-bound allyl ligand, and is also dependent on the nature of the leaving group; methoxy giving much more reduction product than acetoxy. Furthermore, for one acetate investigated there was more reduction at −65° than at −25°C. The results are interpreted in terms of relative binding strength of allyl ligands to a copper(III) intermediate.     

Copper(I)-catalyzed reaction of acylzirconocene chloride: cross-coupling and conjugate addition

For the purpose of exploring a new reaction of acylzirconocene chloride as an acyl anion donor, Cu(I)-catalyzed cross-coupling and conjugate addition reactions of acylzirconocene chloride were studied. The coupling reaction with allylic or propargylic halides efficiently proceeded to yield β,γ-unsaturated ketone or allenyl ketone derivatives, respectively. The conjugated addition reaction to ,β-enones was carried out in the presence of 2 equiv. of BF₃·OEt₂ giving 1,4-diketone compounds.     

Lewis base activation of grignard reagents with N-heterocyclic carbenes. Cu-free catalytic enantioselective additions to gamma-chloro-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters

Direct activation of alkylmagnesium halides with a chiral bidentate N-hetrocyclic carbene (NHC), formed in situ from the imidazolinium chloride precursor, is reported. The Cu-free catalytic asymmetric allylic alkylation (AAA) of alpha-alkyl-gamma-chloro-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters with alkyl-based Grignard reagents is promoted in the presence of 5-10 mol % of the chiral imidazolinium salt to afford synthetically versatile beta,gamma-unsaturated esters. Products bear all-carbon quaternary sterogenic centers generated in 3.5-13.3:1 regioselectivity, 63-98% ee, and in up to 80% isolated yield of the SN2' product. The in-situ-generated chiral NHC promotes enantioselectivity while altering the reactivity of the Grignard reagents: there is only approximately 30% conversion and <2% allylic alkylation in the absence of chiral carbene.     

Cobalt- and rhodium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of allylic ethers and halides with organometallic reagents

Reactions of 2-alkenyl methyl ether with phenyl, trimethylsilylmethyl, and allyl Grignard reagents in the presence of cobalt(II) complexes are discussed. The success of the reactions heavily depends on the combination of the substrate, ligand, and Grignard reagent. In the reaction of cinnamyl methyl ether, the formation of the linear coupling products predominates over that of the relevant branched products. In the cobalt-catalyzed allylation of allylic ethers, addition of a diphosphine ligand can change the regioselectivity, mainly providing the corresponding branched products. Rhodium complexes catalyze the reactions of allylic ethers and halides with allylmagnesium chloride and allylzinc bromide, respectively, in which the branched coupling product is the major product.     

Site- and enantioselective formation of allene-bearing tertiary or quaternary carbon stereogenic centers through NHC-Cu-catalyzed allylic substitution

Catalytic enantioselective allylic substitutions that result in addition of an allenyl group (<2% propargyl addition) and formation of tertiary or quaternary C-C bonds are described. Commercially available allenylboronic acid pinacol ester is used. Reactions are promoted by a 5.0-10 mol % loading of sulfonate-bearing chiral bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes of copper, which exhibit the unique ability to furnish chiral products arising from the S(N)2' mode of addition. Allenyl-containing products are generated in up to 95% yield, >98% S(N)2' selectivity, and 99:1 enantiomeric ratio (er). Site-selective NHC-Cu-catalyzed hydroboration of enantiomerically enriched allenes and conversion to the corresponding β-vinyl ketones demonstrates the method's utility.     

Stereodivergent Desymmetrization of Simple Dicarboxylates via Branch-Selective Pd/Cu Catalyzed Allylic Substitution

Asymmetric desymmetrization has been demonstrated to be a powerful strategy for building stereocenters in asymmetric synthesis. Herein, a Pd/Cu catalyzed asymmetric desymmetrization reaction with a simple geminal dicarboxylate is reported. A wide scope of imino esters bearing an aryl or heteroaromatic group were compatible with this bimetallic catalytic system. The reactions proceeded smoothly, giving the desired products in good yields with high to excellent regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity (up to 20 : 1 branched:linear, >20 : 1 dr, >99 % ee). Notably, the reaction favored branched selectivity, which is unusual for the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction. In addition, the standard product could be easily transformed to other valuable molecules such as chiral allylic alcohols, carbamates, and organic boron compounds. Furthermore, DFT calculations were conducted to explain the origin of the branched selectivity.     

Regio- and stereoselective reactions of gem-difluorinated vinyloxiranes with heteronucleophiles

[Reaction: see text]. Regio- and stereoselectivity in reactions of gem-difluorinated vinyloxiranes with heteronucleophiles were successfully controlled. Halogen atoms were introduced regioselectively at the allylic epoxide carbon with an inversion in stereochemistry using MgBr2*Et2O or Li2CuCl4 to produce anti-vic-halohydrine. The other diastereomers were obtained selectively using LiBr/AcOH or BCl3, and SN2' type products were formed selectively with excellent E preference by changing the reaction temperature. Moreover, a further investigation led us to find that a regio- and stereoselective SN2' addition of several Brnsted acids was dependent on the pKa values of the acids. Under strong acidic conditions, we exclusively obtained E allylic alcohols.     

A non-Diels-Alder approach to the cis-decalin core of branimycin

The synthesis of the highly substituted cis-decalin core of branimycin has been accomplished. A catalytic copper mediated SN2' opening of oxabicycle 7 with Grignard reagent and ring-closing metathesis served as key transformations.     

Specific allylic-allylic coupling procedures effected by ligand-induced elimination from di(allylic)palladium species

Bis(allylic)palladium complexes can be induced to undergo reductive elimination by replacement of phosphine ligands in the system with π-acidic ligands. The product 1,5-diencs, formed in high yield, are predominantly the ‘head-to-head’ coupled isomers. The bis(allylic)palladium intermediatesmay be formed by addition of an allylic Grignard or trialkyl(allylic)tin reagent to an (η³-allyl)palladiuin chloride complex, or by 1,3-diene condensation. The latter process leads to cydodimerization, ‘unusual’ for palladium catalysed reactions.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 3,6-disubstituted-3,6-dihydropyridin-2-ones as potential diketopiperazine mimetics using organocopper-mediated anti-SN2' reactions and their use in the preparation of low-molecule CXCR4 antagonists

Organocopper-mediated anti-SN2' reactions of gamma-phosphoryloxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated-delta-lactams were used to prepare highly functionalized diketopiperazine mimetics. The substrate phosphates 24, 32, and 47 were prepared from alpha-amino acid-derived allylic alcohols 10 by a sequence of reactions that included ring-closing metathesis. In the reactions of phosphates with organocopper reagents, the addition of LiCl dramatically improved anti-SN2' selectivity, indicating that an organocopper cluster containing lithium chloride plays an important role in the determination of regioselectivity. This reaction system was applied to the preparation of novel low molecular weight CXCR4-chemokine receptor antagonists.     

A facile synthesis of 2-oxo-cyclopentenylphosphonates by carbonylation of zirconacyclopentenylphosphonate with oxalyl chloride

Addition of oxalyl chloride to zirconacycles prepared from 1-alkynylphosphonates 1 zirconocene dichloride, and two equivalents of EtMgBr smoothly produced novel 2-oxo-cyclopentenylphosphonates 6 in 58–81% isolated yields in the presence of a copper catalyst.     

Highly regioselective asymmetric copper-catalyzed allylic alkylation with dialkylzincs using monodentate chiral spiro phosphoramidite and phosphite ligands

The copper complexes of chiral spiro phosphoramidite and phosphite ligands were found to be effective catalysts in the asymmetric allylic alkylations of cinnamyl halides with dialkylzincs. The allylic alkylation products were obtained in high regioselectivities (S_N2′/S_N2 up to 98:2) and enantiomeric excesses of up to 74% for S_N2′ products.     

Allylic alcohols formation by oxidation of allylic phenyl tellurides. A possible [2,3] sigmatropic rearrangement of allylic telluroxides

Treatment of cinnamyl, 3-methyl-2-butenyl, and 2-cyclohexenyl phenyl tellurides with an oxidizing agent such as H₂O₂, NaIO₄ or t-BuOOH at room temperature under nitrogen affords 1-phenyl-2-propenol, 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol, and 2-cyclohexenol as a sole or main product respectively in a high yield. The formation of these allylic alcohols can be best explained by assuming a [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the intermediate allylic telluroxides. These tellurides also react with oxygen, the formation of α.β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds being much increased in this oxidation.     

High diversity on simple substrates: 1,4-dihalo-2-butenes and other difunctionalized allylic halides for copper-catalyzed S(N)2' reactions

Enantioselective allylic alkylation with an organomagnesium reagent catalyzed by copper thiophene carboxylate (CuTC) was carried out on difunctionalized substrates, such as commercially available 1,4-dichloro-2-butene and 1,4-dibromo-2-butene, and on similar compounds of higher substitution pattern of the olefin for the formation of all-carbon chiral quaternary centers. The high regioselectivity obtained throughout the reactions favored good regiocontrol for the addition of phenyl Grignard reagents. Other difunctionalized substrates (allylic ethers and allylic alcohols) also underwent asymmetric S(N)2' substitution.     

Mechanistic Studies on the SCS‐Pincer Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed Tandem Stannylation/Electrophilic Allylic Substitution of Allyl Chlorides with Hexamethylditin and Benzaldehydes

This paper describes a mechanistic study of the SCS‐pincer Pd^II‐catalyzed auto‐tandem reaction consisting of the stannylation of cinnamyl chloride with hexamethylditin, followed by an electrophilic allylic substitution of the primary tandem‐reaction product with 4‐nitrobenzaldehyde to yield homoallylic alcohols as the secondary tandem products. As it turned out, the anticipated stannylation product, cinnamyl trimethylstannane, is not a substrate for the second part of the tandem reaction. These studies have provided insight in the catalytic behavior of SCS‐pincer Pd^II complexes in the auto‐tandem reaction and on the formation and possible involvement of Pd⁰ species during prolonged reaction times. This has led to optimized reaction conditions in which the overall tandem reaction proceeds through SCS‐pincer Pd^II‐mediated catalysis, that is, true auto‐tandem catalysis. Accordingly, this study has provided the appropriate reaction conditions that allow the pincer catalysts to be recycled and reused.     

On the isolation of neat allylic fluorides

Neat cinnamyl fluoride, geranyl fluoride, 5-carbomethoxy-3-fluorocyclohexene and parent 3-fluorocyclohexene undergo spontaneous decomposition on contact with borosilicate glass or catalytic quantities of moderately strong acids that consists in polycondensation with elimination of HF initiated by electrophilic abstraction of F⁻. Acid sensitivity of these allylic fluorides correlates with stability of respective allylic cations, exceeds that of parent benzyl fluoride, yet can be mitigated by the use of Teflon and PFA containers that permit their isolation and handling in the neat state.     

Tuneable asymmetric copper-catalysed allylic amination and oxidation reactions

Asymmetric allylic amination or oxidation can be achieved by reaction of an alkene with a peroxycarbamate catalysed by a chiral copper bis-oxazoline complex, and the reaction can be tuned to give either the amination or oxidation product by reagent choice.