Copper‐Catalyzed (2+1) Annulation of Acetophenones with Maleimides: Direct Synthesis of Cyclopropanes

A practical copper‐catalyzed direct oxidative cyclopropanation of electron‐deficient alkenes with acetophenone derivatives is reported. The dehydrogenative annulation involves a double C? H bond functionalization at the α‐position of the ketone using di‐tert‐butyl peroxide as oxidant. The broad scope of the reaction and excellent functional‐group tolerance is demonstrated for the stereoselective synthesis of fused cyclopropanes. The developed transformation revealed an unprecedented reactivity for copper‐catalyzed processes.     

Gold‐Catalyzed 1,2‐Acyloxy Migration/Intramolecular [3+2] 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddtion Cascade Reaction: An Efficient Strategy for Syntheses of Medium‐Sized‐Ring Ethers and Amines

A highly efficient strategy for the formation of medium‐sized‐ring ethers and amines based on a gold‐catalyzed cascade reaction, involving enynyl ester isomerization and intramolecular [3+2] cyclization, has been developed. Various multisubstituted medium‐sized‐ring unsaturated ethers and amines were obtained through this transformation. This method represents one of the relatively few transition metal catalyzed intramolecular cycloaddition reactions for medium‐sized ring synthesis.     

Catalytic asymmetric [4+2] annulation initiated by an aza-rauhut-currier reaction: facile entry to highly functionalized tetrahydropyridines

Under control: The first example of chiral amino phosphine catalysts for the title reaction between vinyl ketones and N-sulfonyl-1-aza-1,3-dienes has been developed. Under ambient conditions, this protocol provides straightforward access to densely functionalized, enantioenriched tetrahydropyridines with high levels of sterecontrol in good to excellent yields.     

One‐Pot Cannizzaro Cascade Synthesis of ortho‐Fused Cycloocta‐2,5‐dien‐1‐ones from 2‐Bromo(hetero)aryl Aldehydes

An intramolecular Cannizzaro‐type hydride transfer to an in situ prepared allene enables the synthesis of ortho‐fused 4‐substituted cycloocta‐2,5‐dien‐1‐ones with unprecedented technical ease for an eight‐ring carboannulation. Various derivatives could be obtained from commercially available (hetero)aryl aldehydes, trimethylsilylacetylene, and simple propargyl chlorides in good yields.     

Asymmetric [3+2] Annulation Approach to 3‐Pyrrolines: Concise Total Syntheses of (−)‐Supinidine, (−)‐Isoretronecanol,and (+)‐Elacomine

An asymmetric [3+2] annulation reaction to form 3‐pyrroline products is reported. Upon treatment with lithium diisopropylamide, readily available ethyl 4‐bromocrotonate is deprotonated and trapped with Ellman imines selectively at the α‐position to yield enantiopure 3‐pyrroline products. This new method is compatible with aryl, alkyl, and vinyl imines. The efficacy of the method is showcased by short asymmetric total syntheses of (?)‐supinidine, (?)‐isoretronecanol, and (+)‐elacomine. This novel annulation approach also works for an aldehyde, thus providing access to a 2,5‐dihydrofuran product in a single step from simple precursors. By modifying the structure of the carbanion nucleophile, an asymmetric vinylogous aza‐Darzens reaction can be realized.     

Intermolecular gold-catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective [2+2+3] cycloadditions of 1,6-enynes with nitrones

Going for gold: The title reaction has been developed and demonstrates a wide substrate scope with respect to the 1,6-enynes and nitrones (see scheme; DCE = 1,2-dichloroethane, Tf = trifluoromethanesulfonyl). The results for the enantioselective versions are also presented.     

Rhodium(II)‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Annulation of 1‐Sulfonyl‐1,2,3‐Triazoles with Pyrrole and Indole Rings: Facile Synthesis of N‐Bridgehead Azepine Skeletons

A convenient and efficient synthetic method has been developed to construct highly functionalized N‐bridgehead azepine skeletons, which are of great importance in biological and pharmaceutical industry. The reaction proceeds through a rhodium(II) azavinyl carbene intermediate, which initiated the intramolecular C? H functionalization with pyrrolyl and indolyl rings. A variety of azepine derivatives were obtained in moderate to good yields under mild reaction conditions with high chemoselectivity. Several interesting derivatizations of the resulting products demonstrate that this method is synthetically valuable and useful.     

Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed [3+2] Annulation of 5‐Aryl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrroles with Internal Alkynes through C(sp2)H/Alkene Functionalization

This study describes a new rhodium(III)‐catalyzed [3+2] annulation of 5‐aryl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrroles with internal alkynes using a Cu(OAc)₂ oxidant for building a spirocyclic ring system, which includes the functionalization of an aryl C(sp²)? H bond and addition/protonolysis of an alkene C?C bond. This method is applicable to a wide range of 5‐aryl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrroles and internal alkynes, and results in the assembly of the spiro[indene‐1,2′‐pyrrolidine] architectures in good yields with excellent regioselectivities.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Spiropyrazolones through Phosphine‐Catalyzed [4+1] Annulation

An enantioselective synthesis of spiropyrazolones from allenoate‐derived MBH acetates and pyrazolones through a phosphine‐mediated [4+1] annulation process has been developed. Spiropyrazolones were readily prepared in good chemical yields and good to high enantioselectivities. This is the first asymmetric example in which α‐substituted allenoates were utilized as a C₄ synthon for phosphine‐catalyzed [4+1] annulation.     

Stereodivergent Transformation of Azepino[3,4,5-cd]indoles En Route to Nature-Inspired Scaffolds

Azepino[3,4,5-cd]indole derivatives represent the core scaffold of important natural products and biologically relevant compounds. Therefore, the establishment of step- and atom-economic strategies to access this class of compounds is of paramount importance. To this end, complexity-to-diversity (CtD) strategy has become one of the most important tools that transforms complex molecules into diverse skeleta. However, many of the reactions that could be employed in CtD are restricted by the functional handles exist in these molecules. This limits the achievement of the desired skeletal diversity. Herein, an efficient and step-economic strategy to access a diverse collection of azepino-[3,4,5-cd]indole architectures through a cascade that combines Pictet-Spengler with Michael addition, is described. This was achieved by reacting cyclohexadienone acetaldehydes 2 a – 2 d with indolyl-4-ethyl amine 1 . Employing a CtD strategy on the developed azepino-[3,4,5-cd]indoles, a rapid rearrangement reaction that provided a modular, chemo- and diastereoselective access to diverse collection of spiro azepinocarbazole nature-inspired frameworks, was encountered.     

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.     

[5C+1N]成环反应：吡啶-4(1H)酮类化合物的一种简便合成方法

用N,N-二甲基丙烯酰基二硫缩烯酮类化合物2与各种脂肪胺类化合物3在N,N-二甲基甲酰胺溶剂中60 ℃条件下,氮乙烯基发生分子内的亲核取代反应,通过[5C+1N]成环反应,合成了系列吡啶-4(1H)酮类化合物4,产率在75%~95%之间。     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Spirocyclohexadienones by NHC‐Catalyzed Formal [3+3] Annulation Reaction of Enals

The enantioselective synthesis of pyrazolone‐fused spirocyclohexadienones was demonstrated by the reaction of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes with α‐arylidene pyrazolinones under oxidative N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)catalysis. This atom‐economic and formal [3+3] annulation reaction proceeds through a vinylogous Michael addition/spiroannulation/dehydrogenation cascade to afford spirocyclic compounds with an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter in moderate to good yields and excellent ee values. Key to the success of the reaction is the cooperative NHC‐catalyzed generation of chiral α,β‐unsaturated acyl azoliums from enals, and base‐mediated tandem generation of dienolate/enolate intermediates from pyrazolinones.