Multicomponent Reductive Cross-Coupling of an Inorganic Sulfur Dioxide Surrogate: Straightforward Construction of Diversely Functionalized Sulfones

Conventionally, sulfones are prepared by oxidation of sulfides with strong oxidants. Now, a multicomponent reductive cross-coupling involving an inorganic salt (sodium metabisulfite) for the straightforward construction of sulfones is disclosed. Both intramolecular and intermolecular reductive cross-couplings were comprehensively explored, and diverse sulfones were accessible from the corresponding alkyl and aryl halides. Intramolecular cyclic sulfones were systematically obtained from five- to twelve-membered rings. Naturally occurring aliphatic systems, such as steroids, saccharides, and amino acids, were highly compatible with the SO₂-insertion reductive cross-coupling. Four clinically applied drug molecules, which include multiple heteroatoms and functional groups with active hydrogens, were successfully prepared via a late-stage SO₂ insertion. Mechanistic studies show that alkyl radicals and sulfonyl radicals were both involved as intermediates in this transformation.     

Modular Stereoselective Synthesis of (1→2)‐C‐Glycosides based on the sp2–sp3 Suzuki–Miyaura Reaction

This work reports a modular and rapid approach to the stereoselective synthesis of a variety of α‐ and β‐(1→2)‐linked C‐disaccharides. The key step is a Ni‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reaction of D ‐glucal pinacol boronate with alkyl halide glycoside easily prepared from commercially available D ‐glucal. The products of this sp²–sp³ cross‐coupling reaction can be converted to glucopyranosyl, mannopyranosyl, or 2‐deoxy‐glucopyranosyl C‐mannopyranosides by one‐ or two‐step stereoselective oxidative–reductive transformations. To the best of our knowledge, we demonstrated the first synthetic application of a challenging sp²–sp³ Suzuki‐Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction in carbohydrate chemistry.     

Direct Access to Isotopically Labeled Aliphatic Ketones Mediated by Nickel(I) Activation

An extensive range of functionalized aliphatic ketones with good functional‐group tolerance has been prepared by a Ni^I‐promoted coupling of either primary or secondary alkyl iodides with NN₂ pincer Ni^II‐acyl complexes. The latter were easily accessed from the corresponding Ni^II‐alkyl complexes with stoichiometric CO. This Ni‐mediated carbonylative coupling is adaptable to late‐stage carbon isotope labeling, as illustrated by the preparation of isotopically labelled pharmaceuticals. Preliminary investigations suggest the intermediacy of carbon‐centered radicals.     

Disulfonimide‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Reduction of N‐Alkyl Imines

A chiral disulfonimide (DSI)‐catalyzed asymmetric reduction of N‐alkyl imines with Hantzsch esters as a hydrogen source in the presence of Boc₂O has been developed. The reaction delivers Boc‐protected N‐alkyl amines with excellent yields and enantioselectivity. The method tolerates a large variety of alkyl amines, thus illustrating potential for a general reductive cross‐coupling of ketones with diverse amines, and it was applied in the synthesis of the pharmaceuticals (S)‐Rivastigmine, NPS R‐568 Hydrochloride, and (R)‐Fendiline.     

Dissociation and rearrangements of the molecular ions of sulfides,sulfoxides, and sulfones generated by a strong electric field

The field mass spectra of 18 sulfides, sulfoxides, and sulfones were investigated, and the principles of charge localization in the dissociation and rearrangements of the molecular ions of these compounds were established. A new type of fragmentation leading to the elimination of S^+., SO^+., and SO₂. was observed. A new mechanism, according to which cleavage of two C-S bonds and the formation of one new C-C bond due to radical recombination cocur in the cyclic transition complex, is proposed. Prior migration of alkyl radicals from sulfur to oxygen with subsequent cleavage of the S-O and C-S bonds via the above-mentioned mechanism may also occur in the molecular ions of sulfoxides and sulfones.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 172–181, March–April, 1987.     

Photoredox‐Catalyzed Functionalization of Alkenes with Thiourea Dioxide: Construction of Alkyl Sulfones or Sulfonamides

Sulfonylation of alkenes through photoredox‐catalyzed functionalization of alkenes with thiourea dioxide under visible‐light irradiation is achieved. The reaction of alkenes, thiourea dioxide and electrophiles provides a green and efficient access to alkyl sulfones and sulfonamides. A broad reaction scope is presented with good functional group compatibility and excellent regioselectivity. A plausible mechanism involving a radical addition process with sulfur dioxide radical anion (SO₂^‐) derived from the oxidation of sulfur dioxide anion (SO₂^2–) is proposed, which is supported by fluorescence quenching experiments.     

Theoretical Study on the Mechanism of Ni‐Catalyzed Alkyl–Alkyl Suzuki Cross‐Coupling

Ni‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of unactivated secondary alkyl halides with alkylboranes provides an efficient way to construct alkyl–alkyl bonds. The mechanism of this reaction with the Ni/ L1 ( L1 =trans‐N,N′‐dimethyl‐1,2‐cyclohexanediamine) system was examined for the first time by using theoretical calculations. The feasible mechanism was found to involve a Ni^I–Ni^III catalytic cycle with three main steps: transmetalation of [Ni^I( L1 )X] (X=Cl, Br) with 9‐borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (9‐BBN)R₁ to produce [Ni^I( L1 )(R₁)], oxidative addition of R₂X with [Ni^I( L1 )(R₁)] to produce [Ni^III( L1 )(R₁)(R₂)X] through a radical pathway, and C? C reductive elimination to generate the product and [Ni^I( L1 )X]. The transmetalation step is rate‐determining for both primary and secondary alkyl bromides. KOiBu decreases the activation barrier of the transmetalation step by forming a potassium alkyl boronate salt with alkyl borane. Tertiary alkyl halides are not reactive because the activation barrier of reductive elimination is too high (+34.7 kcal mol^?1). On the other hand, the cross‐coupling of alkyl chlorides can be catalyzed by Ni/ L2 ( L2 =trans‐N,N′‐dimethyl‐1,2‐diphenylethane‐1,2‐diamine) because the activation barrier of transmetalation with L2 is lower than that with L1 . Importantly, the Ni⁰–Ni^II catalytic cycle is not favored in the present systems because reductive elimination from both singlet and triplet [Ni^II( L1 )(R₁)(R₂)] is very difficult.     

Construction of Quaternary Stereogenic Carbon Centers through Copper‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Allylic Cross‐Coupling with Alkylboranes

A combination of an in situ generated chiral Cu^I/DTBM‐MeO‐BIPHEP catalyst system and EtOK enabled the enantioselective S_N2′‐type allylic cross‐coupling between alkylborane reagents and γ,γ‐disubstituted primary allyl chlorides with enantiocontrol at a useful level. The reaction generates a stereogenic quaternary carbon center having three sp³‐alkyl groups and a vinyl group. This protocol allowed the use of terminal alkenes as nucleophile precursors, thus representing a formal reductive allylic cross‐coupling of terminal alkenes. A reaction pathway involving addition/elimination of a neutral alkylcopper(I) species with the allyl chloride substrate is proposed.     

Synthesis of trans‐Disubstituted Alkenes by Cobalt‐Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Terminal Alkynes with Activated Alkenes

A cobalt‐catalyzed reductive coupling of terminal alkynes, RC?CH, with activated alkenes, R′CH?CH₂, in the presence of zinc and water to give functionalized trans‐disubstituted alkenes, RCH?CHCH₂CH₂R′, is described. A variety of aromatic terminal alkynes underwent reductive coupling with activated alkenes including enones, acrylates, acrylonitrile, and vinyl sulfones in the presence of a CoCl₂/P(OMe)₃/Zn catalyst system to afford 1,2‐trans‐disubstituted alkenes with high regio‐ and stereoselectivity. Similarly, aliphatic terminal alkynes also efficiently participated in the coupling reaction with acrylates, enones, and vinyl sulfone, in the presence of the CoCl₂/P(OPh)₃/Zn system providing a mixture of 1,2‐trans‐ and 1,1‐disubstituted functionalized terminal alkene products in high yields. The scope of the reaction was also extended by the coupling of 1,3‐enynes and acetylene gas with alkenes. Furthermore, a phosphine‐free cobalt‐catalyzed reductive coupling of terminal alkynes with enones, affording 1,2‐trans‐disubstituted alkenes as the major products in a high regioisomeric ratio, is demonstrated. In the reactions, less expensive and air‐stable cobalt complexes, a mild reducing agent (Zn) and a simple hydrogen source (water) were used. A possible reaction mechanism involving a cobaltacyclopentene as the key intermediate is proposed.     

Computational Insight into Nickel‐Catalyzed Carbon–Carbon versus Carbon–Boron Coupling Reactions of Primary,Secondary, and Tertiary Alkyl Bromides

The nickel‐catalyzed alkyl–alkyl cross‐coupling (C?C bond formation) and borylation (C?B bond formation) of unactivated alkyl halides reported in the literature show completely opposite reactivity orders in the reactions of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl bromides. The proposed Ni^I/Ni^III catalytic cycles for these two types of bond‐formation reactions were studied computationally by means of DFT calculations at the B3LYP level. These calculations indicate that the rate‐determining step for alkyl–alkyl cross‐coupling is the reductive elimination step, whereas for borylation the rate is determined mainly by the atom‐transfer step. In borylation reactions, the boryl ligand involved has an empty p orbital, which strongly facilitates the reductive elimination step. The inability of unactivated tertiary alkyl halides to undergo alkyl–alkyl cross‐coupling is mainly due to the moderately high reductive elimination barrier.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Reductive Coupling Reaction of Terminal Alkynes with Aryl Iodides Utilizing Hafnocene Difluoride as a Hafnium Hydride Precursor Leading to trans‐Alkenes

Herein, we describe a reductive cross‐coupling of alkynes and aryl iodides by using a novel catalytic system composed of a catalytic amount of palladium dichloride and a promoter precursor, hafnocene difluoride (Cp₂HfF₂, Cp=cyclopentadienyl anion), in the presence of a mild reducing reagent, a hydrosilane, leading to a one‐pot preparation of trans‐alkenes. In this process, a series of coupling reactions efficiently proceeds through the following three steps: (i) an initial formation of hafnocene hydride from hafnocene difluoride and the hydrosilane, (ii) a subsequent hydrohafnation toward alkynes, and (iii) a final transmetalation of the alkenyl hafnium species to a palladium complex. This reductive coupling could be chemoselectively applied to the preparation of trans‐alkenes with various functional groups, such as an alkyl group, a halogen, an ester, a nitro group, a heterocycle, a boronic ester, and an internal alkyne.     

Palladium‐catalysed Suzuki reaction of aryl chlorides in aqueous media using 1,3‐dialkylimidazolidin‐2‐ylidene ligands

A highly effective, easy to handle and environmentally benign process for palladium‐mediated Suzuki cross‐coupling is developed. The in situ prepared three‐component system Pd(OAc)₂–1,3‐bis(alkyl)imidazolinium chlorides (2a–f) and Cs₂CO₃ catalyses quantitatively the Suzuki cross‐coupling of deactivated aryl chlorides. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mild and Low‐Pressure fac‐Ir(ppy)3‐Mediated Radical Aminocarbonylation of Unactivated Alkyl Iodides through Visible‐Light Photoredox Catalysis

A novel, mild and facile preparation of alkyl amides from unactivated alkyl iodides employing a fac‐Ir(ppy)₃‐catalyzed radical aminocarbonylation protocol has been developed. Using a two‐chambered system, alkyl iodides, fac‐Ir(ppy)₃, amines, reductants, and CO gas (released ex situ from Mo(CO)₆), were combined and subjected to an initial radical reductive dehalogenation generating alkyl radicals, and a subsequent aminocarbonylation with amines affording a wide range of alkyl amides in moderate to excellent yields.     

An Olefinic 1,2‐Boryl‐Migration Enabled by Radical Addition: Construction of gem‐Bis(boryl)alkanes

A series of in situ formed alkenyl diboronate complexes from alkenyl Grignard reagents (commercially available or prepared from alkenyl bromides and Mg) with B₂Pin₂ (bis(pinacolato)diboron) react with diverse alkyl halides by a Ru photocatalyst to give various gem‐bis(boryl)alkanes. Alkyl radicals add efficiently to the alkenyl diboronate complexes, and the adduct radical anions undergo radical‐polar crossover, specifically, a 1,2‐boryl‐anion shift from boron to the α‐carbon sp² center. This transformation shows good functional‐group compatibility and can serve as a powerful synthetic tool for late‐stage functionalization in complex compounds. Measurements of the quantum yield reveal that a radical‐chain mechanism is operative in which the alkenyl diboronates acts as reductive quencher for the excited state of the photocatalyst.     

Ruthenium–Porphyrin‐Catalyzed Diastereoselective Intramolecular Alkyl Carbene Insertion into CH Bonds of Alkyl Diazomethanes Generated In Situ from N‐Tosylhydrazones

With a ruthenium–porphyrin catalyst, alkyl diazomethanes generated in situ from N‐tosylhydrazones efficiently underwent intramolecular C(sp³)? H insertion of an alkyl carbene to give substituted tetrahydrofurans and pyrrolidines in up to 99 % yield and with up to 99:1 cis selectivity. The reaction displays good tolerance of many functionalities, and the procedure is simple without the need for slow addition with a syringe pump. From a synthetic point of view, the C? H insertion of N‐tosylhydrazones can be viewed as reductive coupling between a C?O bond and a C? H bond to form a new C? C bond, since N‐tosylhydrazones can be readily prepared from carbonyl compounds. This reaction was successfully applied in a concise synthesis of (±)‐pseudoheliotridane.     

Ruthenium–Porphyrin‐Catalyzed Diastereoselective Intramolecular Alkyl Carbene Insertion into C?H Bonds of Alkyl Diazomethanes Generated In Situ from N‐Tosylhydrazones

With a ruthenium–porphyrin catalyst, alkyl diazomethanes generated in situ from N‐tosylhydrazones efficiently underwent intramolecular C(sp³) H insertion of an alkyl carbene to give substituted tetrahydrofurans and pyrrolidines in up to 99 % yield and with up to 99:1 cis selectivity. The reaction displays good tolerance of many functionalities, and the procedure is simple without the need for slow addition with a syringe pump. From a synthetic point of view, the C H insertion of N‐tosylhydrazones can be viewed as reductive coupling between a CO bond and a C H bond to form a new C C bond, since N‐tosylhydrazones can be readily prepared from carbonyl compounds. This reaction was successfully applied in a concise synthesis of (±)‐pseudoheliotridane.     

New type of fragmentation of organic cation-radicals in a strong electrical field

A new type of fragmentation of organic cation radicals of sulfides, sulfoxides, and sulfones, leading to the elimination of S⁺, SO⁺ and SO ₂ ⁺ ions, respectively, has been discovered, and the possible mechanisms of their formation have been proposed. The most probable is a mechanism by which a cleavage of two C-S bonds takes place in the cyclic transition complex and formation of one C-C bond due to the recombination of the radicals. The line of the ion with a mass of 32 amu present in the spectra of almost all the sulfoxides studied, was assigned to the sulfur ion, formed by a similar mechanism after the displacement of alkyl or aryl residue in the molecular ion from sulfur to oxygen. Signs of such a migration also appear in the mass spectra of certain sulfones.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimia, Vol. 21, No. 6, pp. 730–735, November–December, 1986.     

N-Heteroaromatic Fluoroalkylation through Ligand Coupling Reaction of Sulfones

Ligand coupling on hypervalent main group elements has emerged as a pivotal methodology for the synthesis of functionalized N-heteroaromatic compounds in recent years due to the avoidance of transition metals and the mildness of the reaction conditions. In this direction, the reaction of N-heteroaryl sulfur(IV) and N-heteroaryl phosphorus(V) compounds has been well studied. However, the ligand coupling of sulfur(VI) is still underdeveloped and the reaction of alkyl N-heteroarylsulfones is still elusive, which does not match the high status of sulfones as the chemical chameleons in organic synthesis. Here we present a ligand coupling-enabled formal SO₂ extrusion of fluoroalkyl 2-azaheteroarylsulfones under the promotion of Grignard reagents, which not only enriches the chemistry of sulfones, but also provides a novel and practical synthetic tool towards N-heteroaromatic fluoroalkylation.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Reductive Arylalkylation of Unactivated Alkenes

Reported is an asymmetric reductive dicarbofunctionalization of unactivated alkenes. Under the catalysis of a Ni/BOX system, various aryl bromides, incorporating a pendant olefinic unit, were successfully reacted with an array of primary alkyl bromides in the presence of Zn as a reductant, furnishing a series of benzene‐fused cyclic compounds bearing a quaternary stereocenter in high enantioselectivities. Notably, this reaction avoids the use of pregenerated organometallics and demonstrates high tolerance of sensitive functionalities. The preliminary mechanistic investigations reveal that this Ni‐catalyzed reaction proceeds as a cascade consisting of migratory insertion and cross‐coupling with a nickel(I)‐mediated intramolecular 5‐exo cyclization as the enantiodetermining step.     

Synthesis of new methylated thieno[2,3‐a] and [3,2‐b]carbazoles by reductive cyclization of 6‐(2′‐Nitrophenyl)benzo[b]thiophenes obtained by palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling isabel

The synthesis of new methylated thieno[2,3‐a] and [3,2‐b]carbazoles (5) (R=H) was achieved by a palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling, intramolecular reductive cyclization sequence of reactions. The cyclization precursors 6‐(2′‐nitrophenyl)benzo[b]thiophenes (3) were obtained by Suzuki cross‐coupling of 6‐boronated methylbenzo[b]thiophenes intermediates (2) with 2‐bromo or iodonitrobenzene. The boronated intermediates (2) were prepared via bromine‐lithium exchange followed by boron transmetalation and coupled in situ using Pd(OAc)₂ giving thus a “one‐pot” three steps reaction from the 6‐bromobenzo[b]thio‐phenes (1) to the cyclization precursors (3) . In the reductive cyclization step, N‐ethylthienocarbazoles (5) (R=Et) were also obtained. Several experiments have been made varying the amount of triethylphosphite and the time of reaction, to avoid their formation.