Stereocontrolled Synthesis of 1,5‐Stereogenic Centers through Three‐Carbon Homologation of Boronic Esters

Allylic pinacol boronic esters are stable toward 1,3‐borotropic rearrangement. We developed a Pd^II‐mediated isomerization process that gives di‐ or trisubstituted allylic boronic esters with high E selectivity. The combination of this method with lithiation–borylation enables the synthesis of carbon chains that bear 1,5‐stereogenic centers. The utility of this method has been demonstrated in a formal synthesis of (+)‐jasplakinolide.     

Tandem Allylboration–Prins Reaction for the Rapid Construction of Substituted Tetrahydropyrans: Application to the Total Synthesis of (−)‐Clavosolide A

Tetrahydropyrans are common motifs in natural products and have now been constructed with high stereocontrol through a three‐component allylboration‐Prins reaction sequence. This methodology has been applied to a concise (13 steps) and efficient (14 % overall yield) synthesis of the macrolide (?)‐clavosolide A. The synthesis also features an early stage glycosidation reaction to introduce the xylose moiety and a lithiation‐borylation reaction to attach the cyclopropyl‐containing side chain.     

Short Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Tatanan A and 3‐epi‐Tatanan A Using Assembly‐Line Synthesis

Short and highly stereoselective total syntheses of the sesquilignan natural product tatanan A and its C3 epimer are described. An assembly‐line synthesis approach, using iterative lithiation–borylation reactions, was applied to install the three contiguous stereocenters with high enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity. One of the stereocenters was installed using a configurationally labile lithiated primary benzyl benzoate, resulting in high levels of substrate‐controlled (undesired) diastereoselectivity. However, reversal of selectivity was achieved by using a novel diastereoselective Matteson homologation. Stereospecific alkynylation of a hindered secondary benzylic boronic ester enabled completion of the synthesis in a total of eight steps.     

Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Prodrugs: A Versatile Approach to Prepare Well‐Defined Drug‐Loaded Nanoparticles

The synthesis of polymer–drug conjugates from prodrug monomers consisting of a cyclic polymerizable group that is appended to a drug through a cleavable linker is achieved by organocatalyzed ring‐opening polymerization. The monomers polymerize into well‐defined polymer prodrugs that are designed to self‐assemble into nanoparticles and release the drug in response to a physiologically relevant stimulus. This method is compatible with structurally diverse drugs and allows different drugs to be copolymerized with quantitative conversion of the monomers. The drug loading can be controlled by adjusting the monomer(s)/initiator feed ratio and drug release can be encoded into the polymer by the choice of linker. Initiating these monomers from a poly(ethylene glycol) macroinitiator results in amphiphilic diblock copolymers that spontaneously self‐assemble into micelles with a long plasma circulation, which is useful for systemic therapy.     

Photocontrolled Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Strained Dicarba[2]Ferrocenophanes: A Route to Well‐Defined Polyferrocenylethylene Homopolymers and Block Copolymers

The ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) behavior of a variety of substituted 1,1′‐ethylenylferrocenes, or dicarba[2]ferrocenophanes, is reported. The electronic absorption spectra and tilted solid‐state structures of the monomers rac‐[Fe(η⁵‐C₅H₄)₂(CHiPr)₂] ( 7 ), [Fe(η⁵‐C₅H₄)₂(C(H)MeCH₂)] ( 8 ), and rac‐[Fe(η⁵‐C₅H₄)₂(CHPh)₂] ( 9 ) are consistent with the presence of substantial ring strain, which was exploited to synthesize soluble, well‐defined polyferrocenylethylenes (PFEs) [Fe(η⁵‐C₅H₄)₂(C(H)MeCH₂)]_n ( 12 ) and [Fe(η⁵‐C₅H₄)₂(CHPh)₂]_n ( 13 ) through photocontrolled ROP. Polymer chain lengths could be controlled by the monomer‐to‐initiator ratio up to about 50 repeat units and, consistent with the “living” nature of the polymerizations, sequential block copolymerization with a sila[1]ferrocenophane led to polyferrocenylethylene–polyferrocenylsilane (PFE‐b‐PFS) block copolymers ( 14 and 15 ). PFE polymers 12 and 13 showed two reversible oxidation waves, indicative of appreciable Fe???Fe interactions along the polymer backbone. The diblock copolymers were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, GPC analysis, and cyclic voltammetry.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of cis‐β‐Methyl‐ and Phenyl‐Substituted Alkenylboronates by Platinum‐Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Borylation

Changing places : Intramolecular B(pin)/H exchange took place in the presence of a platinum–phosphane catalyst, giving synthetically useful cis‐β‐methyl‐substituted alkenylboronates stereoselectively (see scheme; B(pin)=4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolan‐2‐yl).

     

Enantioselective Synthesis of β‐Iodo Morita–Baylis–Hillman Esters by a Catalytic Asymmetric Three‐Component Coupling Reaction

A catalytic route toward chiral Morita–Baylis–Hillman esters by asymmetric coupling between α,β‐acetylenic esters, aldehydes, and trimethylsilyl iodide has been developed (see scheme). The reaction proceeds with high to excellent enantioselectivities, and the products can be transformed into β‐branched derivatives in a single step and with excellent retention of configuration. TMS=trimethylsilyl

     

Iridium(I)‐catalyzed C−H Borylation of α,β‐Unsaturated Esters with Bis(pinacolato)diboron

A new process has been developed for the iridium(I)‐catalyzed vinylic C?H borylation of α,β‐unsaturated esters with bis(pinacolato)diboron (B₂pin₂). These reactions proceeded in octane at temperatures in the range of 80–120 °C to afford the corresponding alkenylboronic compounds in high yields with excellent regio‐ and stereoselectivities. The presence of an aryl ester led to significant improvements in the yields of the acyclic alkenylboronates. Crossover experiments involving deuterated substrates as well as a mixture of stereoisomers confirmed that this reaction proceeds via a 1,4‐addition/β‐hydride elimination mechanism. Notably, this reaction was also used to develop a one‐pot borylation/Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling procedure.     

Metal-Free Phosphorus-Directed Borylation of C(sp2)−H Bonds

Spectacular progress has recently been achieved in transition metal-catalyzed C?H borylation of phosphines as well as directed electrophilic C?H borylation. As shown here, P-directed electrophilic borylation provides a new, straightforward, and efficient access to phosphine–boranes. It operates under metal-free conditions and leverages simple, readily available substrates. It is applicable to a broad range of backbones (naphthyl, biphenyl, N-phenylpyrrole, binaphthyl, benzyl, naphthylmethyl) and gives facile access to various substitution patterns at boron (by varying the boron electrophile or post-derivatizing the borane moiety). NMR monitoring supports the involvement of P-stabilized borenium cations as key intermediates. DFT calculations reveal the existence and stabilizing effect of π-arene/boron interactions in the (biphenyl)(i-Pr)₂P→BBr₂⁺ species.     

Rational Design of an Iron‐Based Catalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Couplings Involving Heteroaromatic Boronic Esters and Tertiary Alkyl Electrophiles

Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions between a variety of alkyl halides and unactivated aryl boronic esters using a rationally designed iron‐based catalyst supported by β‐diketiminate ligands are described. High catalyst activity resulted in a broad substrate scope that included tertiary alkyl halides and heteroaromatic boronic esters. Mechanistic experiments revealed that the iron‐based catalyst benefited from the propensity for β‐diketiminate ligands to support low‐coordinate and highly reducing iron amide intermediates, which are very efficient for effecting the transmetalation step required for the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction.     

Photoinduced Single‐Electron Transfer as an Enabling Principle in the Radical Borylation of Alkenes with NHC–Borane

A photoinduced SET process enables the direct B?H bond activation of NHC–boranes. In contrast to common hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) strategies, this photoinduced reaction simply takes advantage of the beneficial redox potentials of NHC–boranes, thus obviating the need for extra radical initiators. The resulting NHC–boryl radical was used for the borylation of a wide range of α‐trifluoromethylalkenes and alkenes with diverse electronic and structural features, providing facile access to highly functionalized borylated molecules. Labeling and photoquenching experiments provide insight into the mechanism of this photoinduced SET pathway.     

Asymmetric Desymmetrization via Metal‐Free C−F Bond Activation: Synthesis of 3,5‐Diaryl‐5‐fluoromethyloxazolidin‐2‐ones with Quaternary Carbon Centers

We disclose the first asymmetric activation of a non‐activated aliphatic C?F bond in which a conceptually new desymmetrization of 1,3‐difluorides by silicon‐induced selective C?F bond scission is a key step. The combination of a cinchona alkaloid based chiral ammonium bifluoride catalyst and N,O‐bis(trimethylsilyl)acetoamide (BSA) as the silicon reagent enabled the efficient catalytic cycle of asymmetric C_sp3?F bond cleavage under mild conditions with high enantioselectivities. The ortho effect of the aryl group at the prostereogenic center is remarkable. This concept was applied for the asymmetric synthesis of promising agrochemical compounds, 3,5‐diaryl‐5‐fluoromethyloxazolidin‐2‐ones bearing a quaternary carbon center.     

NHC‐Catalyzed Electrophilic Trifluoromethylation: Efficient Synthesis of γ‐Trifluoromethyl α,β‐Unsaturated Esters

Described herein is a highly regioselective and efficient N‐heterocyclic‐carbene‐catalyzed γ‐trifluoromethylation of vinylogous enolates. Control experiments and DFT calculations provided important insight into the reaction mechanism.     

Discrete Metal Catalysts for Stereoselective Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Chiral Racemic β‐Lactones

Poly(β‐hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHAs) are a class of aliphatic polyesters that can be efficiently synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of β‐lactones. The case of chiral racemic β‐substituted β‐lactones is particularly appealing since these monomers open the way to original tacticities and materials different from those biotechnologically produced. In this overview, after briefly surveying general considerations associated to the ROP of β‐lactones and metal‐based catalysts used in stereoselective ROP of racemic β‐butyrolactone, special emphasis is given to discrete rare earth catalysts that have allowed the preparation of highly syndiotactic poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate)s. Recent developments – such as preparation of stereocontrolled PHAs with pendant structural groups via (co)polymerization of functional β‐substituted β‐lactones, and highly alternating copolymers obtained by ROP of mixtures of enantiomerically pure but different monomers – are also discussed.