Iridium-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of α,ω-diynes with nitriles

[Ir(cod)Cl](2)/DPPF or BINAP efficiently catalyzed the cycloaddition of α,ω-diynes with nitriles to give pyridines. The reaction can accommodate a very wide range of nitriles. Both aliphatic and aromatic nitriles smoothly reacted with α,ω-diynes to give pyridines. Ten equivalents of unactivated aliphatic nitrile were enough to give the product in high yield. Aliphatic nitriles bearing an acetal or amino moiety could be used for the reaction. The highly regioselective cycloaddition of unsymmetrical diyne bearing two different internal alkyne moieties was achieved. The observed regioselectivity could be reasonably explained by considering the different reactivities of the α-position in iridacyclopentadiene. Regioselective cycloaddition was successfully applied to the synthesis of terpyridine and quinquepyridine. This chemistry was extended to a new and efficient synthesis of oligoheteroarenes. Five aromatic or heteroaromatic rings were connected in a single operation. [Ir(cod)Cl](2)/chiral diphosphine catalyst can be applied to enantioselective synthesis. Kinetic resolution of the racemic secondary benzyl nitrile catalyzed by [Ir(cod)Cl](2)/SEGPHOS gave a central carbon chiral pyridine in 80% ee. The mechanism was analyzed on the basis of the B3LYP level of density functional calculations.     

Iridium-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition of α,ω-diynes with isocyanates

[Ir(cod)Cl](2)/BINAP was found to be an efficient catalyst for the [2+2+2] cycloaddition of α,ω-diynes with isocyanates to give 2-pyridones. A wide range of isocyanates can be used for this reaction. Both aliphatic and aromatic isocyanates smoothly reacted with α,ω-diynes to give 2-pyridones in high yields. Aliphatic isocyanates were more reactive than aromatic isocyanates. For aromatic isocyanates, the electronic properties of the substituents affected the reactivity: electron-donating substituents enhanced the reaction. The reaction of unsymmetrical α,ω-diynes possessing two different internal alkyne moieties with isocyanates was regiospecific and gave a single product. This regioselectivity could be explained by the reaction of iridacyclopentadiene with a nitrogen-carbon double bond. The regioselectivity of the reaction of malonate-derived diyne was controlled by a steric effect, while that of the reaction of ester-tethered diyne was controlled by an electronic effect. [Ir(cod)Cl](2)/chiral diphosphine catalyst could be used for the enantioselective synthesis of C-N axially chiral 2-pyridone. The reaction of diyne 1a with o-methoxyphenyl isocyanate (7a) gave C-N axially chiral 2-pyridone (R)-8aa in 78% yield with 94% ee.     

Phosphine-catalyzed [4 + 1] annulation between α,β-unsaturated imines and allylic carbonates: synthesis of 2-pyrrolines

In this report, a phosphine-catalyzed [4 + 1] annulation between α,β-unsaturated imines and allylic carbonates is described. This reaction represents the first realization of catalytic [4 + 1] cyclization of 1,3-azadienes with in situ formed phosphorus ylides, which provides highly efficient and diastereoselective synthesis of 2-pyrrolines.     

Total synthesis of (±)-hirsutine: application of phosphine-catalyzed imine-allene [4 + 2] annulation

The total synthesis of the indole alkaloid hirsutine has been achieved, with a key step being the application of our phosphine-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation of an imine with ethyl α-methylallenoate. From commercially available indole-2-carboxaldehyde, the target was synthesized in 14 steps and 6.7% overall yield.     

An efficient route to quinoline-2-carboxylates via a rhodium-catalyzed oxidative [5+1] annulation of 2-vinylanilines with α-diazocarbonyl compounds

A novel rhodium-catalyzed oxidative [5 + 1] annulation of 2-vinylanilines with α-diazocarbonyl compounds for the construction of quinoline-2-carboxylate derivatives has been developed. A series of functional groups such as methyl, methoxy, fluoro, chloro, bromo, cyano, and even thienyl substituents were tolerated well. This methodology has the potential for use in the pharmaceutical industry.     

Cu-catalyzed asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition of α-iminoamides with activated olefins

A variety of 2-amido pyrrolidines, including Weinreb-type amides, have been prepared with very high exo diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivitiy in the reaction of α-iminoamides with activated alkenes catalyzed by Cu(I)-Segphos ligands.     

Double [3 + 2] cycloaddition of nitrile oxides with allenoates: Synthesis of spirobidihydroisoxazoles

The double [3+2] cycloaddition of allenoates with nitrile oxides was presented. The reaction worked well under mild reaction conditions to give the spirobidihydroisoxazole in moderate to excellent yields with excellent diastereoselectivities.     

A density functional theory study on mechanisms of [4 + 2] annulation of enal with α-methylene cycloalkanone catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbene

Density functional theory was used to study the reaction mechanisms of the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation reaction between enal and α-methylene cycloalkanone for the formation of tricyclic benzopyran-2-one. The simulations suggest that the energy-favorable catalytic cycle includes five steps: (a) the nucleophilic addition of enal by NHC catalyst; (b) [1, 2]-proton transfer for the formation of Breslow intermediate; (c) [1, 4]-proton transfer for the formation of enolate intermediate; (d) the [4 + 2] cycloaddition process, product formation; and (e) catalyst regeneration. The proton transfer process was particularly designed in two independent ways, the direct proton transfer and the Brønsted acid DBU∙H⁺-mediated proton transfer. Our study reveals that [1, 2]-proton transfer process is the rate-determining step with the accessible energy barrier, which agrees with the experimental observation. Further analysis of the global reaction index confirmed that NHC was primary used as a Lewis base during the reaction processes. The frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis indicates that the introduction of the NHC catalyst facilitates the reaction to occur due to the narrower energy gap of FMO.     

Electrooxidative [3 + 2] annulation of amidines with alkenes for the synthesis of spiroimidazolines

The electrooxidative [3 + 2] annulation of amidines with 2-arylideneindane-1,3-diones or 4-alkylidene pyrazolones is reported using NaI as a redox catalyst and electrolyte under constant current electrolysis in an undivided cell. The current strategy features excellent functional group tolerance, simple operation, and mild conditions, thus providing an environmentally benign and efficient access to spiroimidazolines in moderate to good yields.     

Enantioselective intramolecular formal [2 + 4] annulation of acrylates and α,β-unsaturated imines catalyzed by amino acid derived phosphines

The first chiral phosphine-catalyzed activation of acrylates for intramolecular formal [2 + 4] reactions with unsaturated imines is described. The catalytic reactions afford N-heterocycles with exceptionally high diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The [2 + 4] products are amenable for further transformations to useful molecules such as chiral piperidines and multicyclic structures.     

Iridium-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition of α,ω-diynes with alkynyl ketones and alkynyl esters

We found that the combination of [Ir(cod)Cl]₂ and rac-BINAP served as an efficient catalyst for the [2+2+2] cycloaddition of 2,7-nonadiyne derivatives and related compounds with alkynyl ketones and alkynyl esters. The corresponding products were obtained in high yields under mild reaction conditions.     

High Stereoselective Glycosylation of Calix[4]arenes with α-Acetobromoglucopyranoside

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Tributylphosphane-promoted [3 + 2] annulation of 3-hydroxyoxindoles with acrylates: Synthesis of spirocyclic oxindole-lactones

The tributylphosphane-promoted [3 + 2] annulation reactions of 3-hydroxyoxindoles with acrylates have been developed to give a variety of pharmaceutically attractive spirocyclic oxindole-lactone derivatives in good to excellent yields. The structures of all the compounds were confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and HRMS. This metal-free procedure features low costs of the reagents and materials, mild reaction conditions, non-toxicity and easy handling for scalable synthesis.     

The effect of styrene α-substituents on the regiochemistry of [2+2] cycloadditions with difluoroallene.

Consistent with our hypothesis for a mechanism involving two kinetically-distinct diradical intermediates, the observed effects of styrene α-substituents can be explained as deriving either from steric effects or radical stabilizing effects.     

La(OTf)3 catalyzed synthesis of α-aryl tetrasubstituted pyrroles through [4+1] annulation under microwave irradiation

A La(OTf)₃ catalyzed synthesis of tetrasubstituted pyrroles under microwave irradiation has been developed affording various α-aryl tetrasubstituted pyrroles in acceptable to good yields (36–82% yield) through condensation/alkyne azacyclization/isomerization sequence. Functionalized α-aryl pentasubstituted pyrroles could be prepared from tetrasubstituted pyrroles through easy transformations.     

Double-tandem [4π+2π]·[2π+2π]·[4π+2π]·[2π+2π] synthetic sequence with photoprotolytic oxametathesis and photoepoxidation in the chromone series

Chromones are introduced into a double-tandem [4(π)+2(π)]·[2(π)+2(π)]·[4(π)+2(π)]·[2(π)+2(π)] synthetic sequence, culminating in photoprotolytic oxametathesis, which leads to an expeditious growth of molecular complexity over a few experimentally simple steps. The overall reaction can potentially be utilized in diversity-oriented synthesis, as it allows for three or more diversity inputs furnishing novel unique polycyclic scaffolds decorated with a variety of functionalities and aromatic/heterocyclic pendants. The polycyclic alkenes, resulting from the oxametathesis step, were found to undergo efficient and clean photoinduced epoxidation when irradiated in the presence of molecular oxygen.     

Palladium-Catalyzed [3+2] and [2+2+2] Annulations of 4-Iodo-2-quinolones with Activated Alkynes through Selective C−H Activation

The palladium-catalyzed reaction of 4-iodo-2-quinolones with activated alkynes was investigated. Cyclopenta[de]quinoline-2(1 H)-ones and/or phenanthridine-6(5 H)-ones were obtained through [3+2] annulation involving aromatic C−H activation or [2+2+2] annulation involving vinylic C−H activation, respectively. Reasonable mechanisms for the formation of these annulation products have been proposed based on density functional theory calculations.     

Synthesis of substituted dihydro-1H-pyrazoles and 1H-pyrazoles via formal [4+1] annulation of α-arylhydrazonoketones and dimethyl sulfonium methylides

A formal [4+1] annulation of readily available α-arylhydrazonoketones and dimethyl sulfonium methylides is described, which involving tandem ylide-mediated addition and nucleophilic cyclization reactions. This transformation features mild reaction conditions, simple execution, good to high yields, and provides straightforward synthesis of substituted dihydro-1H-pyrazoles and 1H-pyrazoles via C-C and C-N bond formation.     

Enantioselective synthesis of α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids by Rh-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition of 1,6-diynes with protected dehydroamino acid

We have determined that a cationic rhodium(I)/BINAP complex catalyzes a [2+2+2] cycloaddition of 1,6-diynes with a protected dehydroamino acid, leading to protected α-amino acids bearing a quaternary carbon center in high yield with high enantioselectivity.