Iridium-catalyzed direct ortho-C–H amidation of benzoic acids with sulfonylazides

A mild and efficient iridium-catalyzed ortho-C–H amidation with sulfonyl azides by weakly coordinating carboxylic acid was demonstrated, which provided a novel approach to anthranilic acid derivatives.     

Salts of α-cyanoacrylic acid with sterically hindered tertiary amines

Syntheses are reported for representatives of a new class of derivatives of -cyanoacrylic acid, namely, its salts with brucine, tert-butyldimethylamine, and diisopropylmethylamine.A. N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organometallic Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117813 Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 212–214, January, 1992.     

Gold-complexes catalyzed oxidative α-cyanation of tertiary amines

Oxidative α-cyanation of tertiary amines is catalyzed by gold complexes with trimethylsilyl cyanide to afford the corresponding α-aminonitriles in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide in good to excellent yields under acid-free conditions at room temperature.     

Selenium dioxide-mediated synthesis of α-ketoamides from arylglyoxals and secondary amines

A facile and expeditious synthetic approach for the synthesis of α-ketoamides 3 is described. A series of α-ketoamides 3 was synthesized via reaction of selenium dioxide-mediated oxidative amidation between arylglyoxals 1 and secondary amines 2, and accelerated with microwave irradiation. Our findings indicate that constrained amines, such as piperazine and piperidine exhibit higher conversions for this transformation. This reaction was explored by synthesizing a series of α-ketoamides 3 from various arylglyoxals 1 with cyclic and acyclic secondary amines 2.     

Highly enantioselective alkynylation of trifluoropyruvate with alkynylsilanes catalyzed by the BINAP-Pd complex: access to α-trifluoromethyl-substituted tertiary alcohols

A highly enantioselective alkynylation catalyzed by the dicationic (S)-BINAP-Pd complex with a variety of alkynylsilanes and trifluoropyruvate is described. The catalytic reaction is applicable to highly enantioselective addition of polyyne to trifluoropyruvate to construct α-trifluoromethyl-substituted tertiary alcohols as enantiomerically enriched forms. The alkynyl products can be converted into a chiral allene bearing a trifluoromethyl group.     

Absolute asymmetric synthesis of tertiary α-amino acids

Frozen: the spontaneous crystallization of an achiral compound in a chiral conformation is used as the unique source of chirality in an absolute asymmetric synthesis of tertiary amino acids. The dynamic axial chirality of tertiary aromatic amides is frozen in a crystal and is responsible for the stereoselectivity of the deprotonation/alkylation. α-Amino acid derivatives are synthesized in up to 96 % ee.     

Synthesis of α,α-disubstituted aryl amines by rhodium-catalyzed amination of tertiary allylic trichloroacetimidates

The rhodium-catalyzed regioselective amination of tertiary allylic trichloroacetimidates with unactivated aromatic amines is a direct and efficient approach to the preparation of α,α-disubstituted allylic aryl amines in good yield and with excellent regioselectivity. This method is applicable to a variety of unactivated primary and secondary amines and allows for the preparation of reverse prenylated indoles in two steps.     

Silver-catalyzed ring-opening of cyclopropenes: preparation of tertiary α-branched allylic amines

Herein we report a silver-catalyzed ring-opening of cyclopropenes by addition of amines. This transformation is thought to occur via an argentocarbenium intermediate and affords tertiary α-branched allylic amines in good yields and high regioselectivity. The protocol applies to various primary and secondary amines, as well as sterically hindered cyclopropenes. Friedel–Crafts cyclization of the cationic intermediate occurs as a competitive pathway to form methyl-indene.     

Copper-catalyzed reductive coupling of tosylhydrazones with amines: a convenient route to α-branched amines

A general procedure for the reductive coupling of N-tosylhydrazones with amines in the presence of Cu(acac)(2) and Cs(2)CO(3) has been developed. The protocol is very effective and chemoselective with various primary and secondary aliphatic amines, aminoalcohols as well as azole derivatives to give α-branched amines in good yields.     

Ru-catalyzed β-selective and enantioselective addition of amines to styrenes initiated by direct arene-exchange

A catalytic β-selective addition of amines to styrenes proceeded in the presence of cationic Ru complexes combined with diphosphine ligands. In the reaction of α-methylstyrene, an enantioselective addition was achieved by using xylylBINAP.     

Rearrangement of 5-phenylthiazolidine-2,4-diones to chiral α-ketoamides via α-elimination

An unexpected reaction took place when 5-phenylthiazolidine-2,4-diones were treated in basic media to produce phenyl-α-ketoamides in good yields. The 5-phenylthiazolidine-2,4-diones used as reactants were achieved through a rearrangement, which took place in the corresponding N-acyloxazolidinethiones.     

Cyclizations of acetoacetates to α-acyltetronic acids

Cyclizations of β-ketoesters derived from α-hydroxyacetates haveproven problematic; adjustment of reaction conditions allows forgood yields of the λ-unsubstituted-α-acyltetronic acid.     

Facile photochemical synthesis of α-ketoamides and quinoxalines from amines and benzoylacetonitrile under mild conditions

A selective protocol for the synthesis of either α-ketoamides or quinoxaline derivatives under the same reaction conditions has been achieved simply by varying substitution number of amino-groups. The method features metal-free, room temperature and broad substrate scopes as well as no extra oxidant. This process applies to various substituent groups and gives products in moderate to good yield. Finally, a rational mechanism was proposed.     

Transition metal-free direct nucleophilic α-substitution of Morita–Baylis–Hillman alcohols with amines and thiols

An efficient transition metal-free allylic nucleophilic α-substitution of Morita–Baylis–Hillman alcohols with both aliphatic and aromatic amines in refluxing toluene, using activated molecular sieves as additives, is described herein. The reaction proceeded with exclusive α-regioselectivity in moderate to excellent yields with the formation of water as the sole by-product. Under the same conditions, upon treatment of some thiols with the title substrates, allylic sulfides were obtained in excellent yields and high regioselectivity.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of hydroxyacetone with β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters: facile access to chiral tertiary alcohols

An efficient direct asymmetric aldol reaction between hydroxyacetone and β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters has been successfully developed. In the presence of 9-amino-9-deoxy-epi-cinchonine and trifluoroacetic acid, the direct aldol reaction of O-protected hydroxyacetone proceeded in a highly enantioselective manner, affording the desired adducts containing a chiral tertiary alcohol in high yields and with excellent enantioselectivities. The aldol products obtained are valuable precursors for the synthesis of 2-substituted glycerol derivatives.