Iridium‐Catalyzed Reductive Nitro‐Mannich Cyclization

A new chemoselective reductive nitro‐Mannich cyclization reaction sequence of nitroalkyl‐tethered lactams has been developed. Relying on the rapid and chemoselective iridium(I)‐catalyzed reduction of lactams to the corresponding enamine, subsequent nitro‐Mannich cyclization of tethered nitroalkyl functionality provides direct access to important alkaloid natural‐product‐like structures in yields up to 81 % and in diastereoselectivities that are typically good to excellent. An in‐depth understanding of the reaction mechanism has been gained through NMR studies and characterization of reaction intermediates. The new methodology has been applied to the total synthesis of (±)‐epi‐epiquinamide in four steps.     

An Efficient One-pot Synthesis of β-Amino/β-Acetamido Carbonyl Compounds via ZrCl4-catalyzed Mannich-type Reaction

Zirconium(IV) chloride catalyzed efficient one-pot synthesis of β-amino/β-acetamido carbonyl compounds at room temperature is described. In the presence of ZrCl4, the three-component Mannich-type reaction via a variety of in situ generated aldimines, with various ketones, aromatic aldehydes and aromatic amines in ethanol, led to the formation of β-amino carbonyl compounds and the four-component Mannich-type reaction of aromatic aldehydes with various ketones, acetonitrile and acetyl chloride resulted in the corresponding β-acetamido carbonyl compounds in high to excellent yields. This methodology has also been applied towards the synthesis of dimeric β-amino/β-acetamido carbonyl compounds.     

Enantioselective Total Syntheses of Lyconadins A–E through a Palladium‐Catalyzed Heck‐Type Reaction

A novel palladium‐catalyzed Heck‐type reaction of thiocarbamates has been designed to construct bridged seven‐membered‐ring systems that are otherwise challenging to prepare. Taking advantage of this newly developed method, enantioselective syntheses of lyconadins A–E ( 1 – 5 ), lycopecurine ( 6 ), and dehydrolycopecurine ( 7 ) have been realized in a divergent fashion. Our synthetic strategy also features an intramolecular cyclization of a N‐chloroamine to forge the C6?N bond, a transannular Mannich‐type reaction of a cyclic nitrone to stitch the C4 and C13 together, and a cyclocondensation to deliver the (dihydro‐)pyridone motif.     

TiCl3‐Mediated Synthesis of 2,3,3‐Trisubstituted Indolenines: Total Synthesis of (+)‐1,2‐Dehydroaspidospermidine, (+)‐Condyfoline,and (−)‐Tubifoline

2,3,3‐Trisubstituted indolenine constitutes an integral part of many biologically important monoterpene indole alkaloids. We report herein an unprecedented access to this skeleton by a TiCl₃‐mediated reductive cyclization of tetrasubstituted alkenes bearing a 2‐nitrophenyl substituent. The proof of concept is demonstrated firstly by accomplishing a concise total synthesis of (+)‐1,2‐dehydroaspidospermidine featuring a late‐stage application of this key transformation. A sequence of reduction of nitroarene to nitrosoarene followed by 6π‐electron‐5‐atom electrocyclization and a 1,2‐alkyl shift of the resulting nitrone intermediate was proposed to account for the reaction outcome. A subsequent total synthesis of (+)‐condyfoline not only illustrates the generality of the reaction, but also provides a mechanistic insight into the nature of the 1,2‐alkyl shift. The exclusive formation of (+)‐condyfoline indicates that the 1,2‐alkyl migration follows a concerted Wagner–Meerwein pathway, rather than a stepwise retro‐Mannich/Mannich reaction sequence. Conditions for almost quantitative conversion of (+)‐condyfoline to (?)‐tubifoline by way of a retro‐Mannich/1,3‐prototropy/transannular cyclization cascade are also documented.     

[BMIM]Cl Catalyzed One‐Pot Synthesis of α‐Aminophosphonate Derivatives Containing a 4‐Phenoxyquinazoline Moiety under Microwave Irradiation

[BMIM]Cl catalyzed three component Mannich‐type reaction of 4‐(quinazolin‐4‐yloxy)benzenamine and aldehyde with dialkyl phosphite under microwave irradiation has been described. The salient features of the reaction leading to new α‐aminophosphonates include shorter reaction time and good yields. The method is environmentally friendly and does not require toxic catalysts or solvents. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for [BMIM]Cl induced one‐pot synthesis of α‐aminophosphonate derivatives.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization/Alkynylation Reactions

Palladium‐catalyzed cascade cyclization reactions have witnessed significant improvements in recent years. Among them, palladium‐catalyzed cascade cyclization/alkynylation are especially attractive, which can assemble structurally diverse monocyclic, bicyclic, fused polycyclic, and spirocyclic skeletons with excellent chemoselectivities. In this Minireview, palladium‐catalyzed cascade cyclization/alkynylation have been summarized and discussed in detail with focus on oxypalladation and aminopalladation‐initiated cascade cyclization, intramolecular Heck‐type cascade cyclization, carbocyclizations, cascade cyclizations, and other types of cascade cyclization reactions. Some significant and representative synthetic methodologies and their synthetic applications and reaction mechanisms have also been described.     

Generation and Rearrangement of N,O‐Dialkenylhydroxylamines for the Synthesis of 2‐Aminotetrahydrofurans

A new diastereoselective route to 2‐aminotetrahydrofurans has been developed from N,O‐dialkenylhydroxylamines. These intermediates undergo a spontaneous C?C bond‐forming [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement followed by a C?O bond‐forming cyclization. A copper‐catalyzed N‐alkenylation of an N‐Boc‐hydroxylamine with alkenyl iodides, and a base‐promoted addition of the resulting N‐hydroxyenamines to an electron‐deficient allene, provide modular access to these novel rearrangement precursors. The scope of this de novo synthesis of simple nucleoside analogues has been explored to reveal trends in diastereoselectivity and reactivity. In addition, a base‐promoted ring‐opening and Mannich reaction has been discovered to covert 2‐aminotetrahydrofurans to cyclopentyl β‐aminoacid derivatives or cyclopentenones.     

Gold(I)‐Catalyzed 1,4‐ and/or 1,5‐Heteroaryl Migration Reactions through Regiocontrolled Cyclizations

Gold(I)‐catalyzed regioselective cycloisomerizations of furan‐ynes have been described. The reaction provides a concise access to stereodefined trisubstituted alkenes by endo cyclization with concomitant 1,5‐migration of the furanyl group in the presence of unactivated 3 Å molecular sieves. In the absence of molecular sieves, indene products are generated by exo cyclization, followed by 1,4‐furanyl migration/cyclization. The scope for 1,5‐migrations can be extended to other heterocycles, such as benzofurans, thiophenes, and pyrroles.     

Titanocene(III)‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Reaction of Secondary Amides,Aldehydes, and Electrophilic Alkenes

An umpolung Mannich‐type reaction of secondary amides, aliphatic aldehydes, and electrophilic alkenes has been disclosed. This reaction features the one‐pot formation of C? N and C? C bonds by a titanocene‐catalyzed radical coupling of the condensation products, from secondary amides and aldehydes, with electrophilic alkenes. N‐substituted γ‐amido‐acid derivatives and γ‐amido ketones can be efficiently prepared by the current method. Extension to the reaction between ketoamides and electrophilic alkenes allows rapid assembly of piperidine skeletons with α‐amino quaternary carbon centers. Its synthetic utility has been demonstrated by a facile construction of the tricyclic core of marine alkaloids such as cylindricine C and polycitorol A.     

Titanocene(III)‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Reaction of Secondary Amides,Aldehydes, and Electrophilic Alkenes

An umpolung Mannich‐type reaction of secondary amides, aliphatic aldehydes, and electrophilic alkenes has been disclosed. This reaction features the one‐pot formation of C N and C C bonds by a titanocene‐catalyzed radical coupling of the condensation products, from secondary amides and aldehydes, with electrophilic alkenes. N‐substituted γ‐amido‐acid derivatives and γ‐amido ketones can be efficiently prepared by the current method. Extension to the reaction between ketoamides and electrophilic alkenes allows rapid assembly of piperidine skeletons with α‐amino quaternary carbon centers. Its synthetic utility has been demonstrated by a facile construction of the tricyclic core of marine alkaloids such as cylindricine C and polycitorol A.     

Gold/Acid‐Co‐catalyzed Direct Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis of Fused Azaheterocycles from Propargylic Hydroperoxides

The gold–acid‐co‐catalyzed synthesis of nine series of fused azaheterocycles with structural diversity starting from the same synthons as readily available propargylic hydroperoxides and aromatic amines has been achieved. The overall tandem process consists in a gold‐catalyzed hydroperoxide rearrangement/Michael reaction followed by a final acid‐catalyzed cyclization.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Phase‐Transfer Michael Reaction and Mannich‐Type Reaction of Glycine Schiff Bases with Tartrate‐Derived Diammonium Salts

Catalytic asymmetric Michael and Mannich‐type reactions of glycine Schiff bases with chiral two‐center organocatalysts, tartrate‐derived diammonium salts (TaDiASs), are described. On the basis of conformational studies, optimized TaDiASs with a 2,6‐disubstituted cyclohexane spiroacetal were newly designed. These TaDiASs catalyzed the asymmetric Michael and Mannich‐type reactions of glycine Schiff bases with higher enantioselectivity than previous catalysts. In the Mannich‐type reaction, aromatic N‐Boc‐protected imines (Boc=tert‐butoxycarbonyl) as well as enolizable alkyl imines were applicable. As a synthetic application of the catalytic asymmetric Mannich‐type reaction with the optimized TaDiASs, we developed a catalytic asymmetric total synthesis of (+)‐nemonapride, which is an antipsychotic agent.     

Silver(I)‐Catalyzed Tandem 1,3‐Acyloxy Migration/Mannich‐type Addition/Elimination of the Sulfonyl Group of N‐Sulfonylhydrazone‐propargylic Esters to 5,6‐Dihydropyridazin‐4‐one Derivatives

The addition of nucleophiles to C?N bonds offers a highly efficient synthetic strategy for accessing nitrogen‐containing molecules. 1 Among the well‐developed addition reactions, such as the highly efficient Mannich reaction, various C? H bond‐activated compounds including carboxylic acid derivatives, nitroalkanes, and terminal alkynes have been applied as nucleophiles to achieve different classes of amines. 2 However, employing new nucleophiles without activated C? H bonds, such as internal alkynes and allenic esters are limited when using metal catalysts. 3 Herein, we wish to report a new addition of allenic esters to C?N bonds initiated by a silver‐catalyzed 1,3‐migration of propargylic esters.     

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.     

Asymmetric Brønsted Acid‐Catalyzed Nazarov Cyclization of Acyclic α‐Alkoxy Dienones

A Brønsted acid‐catalyzed asymmetric Nazarov cyclization of acyclic α‐alkoxy dienones has been developed. The reaction offers access to chiral cyclopentenones in a highly enantioselective manner. The reaction is complementary to our previously reported Brønsted acid‐catalyzed electrocyclization reactions, which provided differently substituted optically active cyclopentenones with a fused tetrahydropyrane ring in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities.     

Iron‐Catalyzed Aminomethyloxygenative Cyclization of Hydroxy‐α‐diazoesters with N,O‐Aminals

A new and efficient cyclization reaction has been developed to synthesize cyclic α,α‐disubstituted β‐amino esters via iron‐catalyzed intramolecular aminomethyloxygenative cyclization of diazo compounds with N,O‐aminal under mild reaction conditions. A broad range of hydroxy‐α‐diazoesters with different substituents and various N,O‐aminals were compatible with this protocol, affording the corresponding α,α‐disubstituted β‐amino esters bearing a five‐ to eight‐membered oxacycle in good yields.     

Asymmetric Ring Opening/Cyclization/Retro‐Mannich Reaction of Cyclopropyl Ketones with Aryl 1,2‐Diamines for the Synthesis of Benzimidazole Derivatives

A highly efficient asymmetric ring‐opening/cyclization/retro‐Mannich reaction of cyclopropyl ketones with aryl 1,2‐diamines has been realized using a chiral N,N′‐dioxide/Sc^III catalyst. Benzimidazoles containing chiral side chains were generated under mild reaction conditions in excellent outcomes (up to 99 % yield and 97 % ee). This method also provides efficient access to chiral benzimidazole‐substituted amide and cycloheptene derivatives.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Electrophilic Cyclization of N‐Propargylamines with Sodium Sulfinate for the Synthesis of 3‐Sulfonated Quinolines

A convenient and effective protocol for the synthesis of 3‐sulfonated quinolines via copper‐catalyzed electrophilic cyclization of N‐propargylamines has been developed, in which cheap and stable sodium sulfinates were utilized as green sulfonylation reagents. This cascade transformation involves radical addition, cyclization and dehydrogenative aromatization processes in a one‐pot reaction under mild conditions.     

TFAA‐Catalyzed Annulation Synthesis of Spiro Pyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxaline Derivatives from 1‐(2‐Aminophenyl)pyrroles and Benzoquinones/Ketones

A metal‐free trifluorosulfonate anhydride (TFAA)‐catalyzed strategy for the synthesis of spiro pyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxalines from 1‐(2‐aminophenyl)pyrroles and benzoquinones/ketones has been developed. With this general method, spiro pyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxalines have been accessed via nucleophilic addition and cyclization. This reaction exhibits good functional group tolerance, and a wide range of products are obtained in moderate to good yields.     

Utility of Ketonic Mannich Bases in Synthesis of Some New Functionalized 2‐Pyrazolines

The styryl ketonic Mannich base 2 has been used as a precursor in the synthesis of 2‐pyrazolines having a basic side chain at C‐3 and a phenolic Mannich base at C‐5. Treatment of the bis(styryl ketonic bases) 6a and 8a with phenylhydrazine affords the bis(3‐functionalized 2‐pyrazolines) 7 and 9 . The transamination between the styryl keto base 10 and 4‐aminoantipyrine leads to 12 , which reacts with piperazine to give 13 . N‐Nitrosation of the sec‐Mannich bases 15a – d followed by reductive cyclization affords 2‐pyrazolines 17a – d . The keto base 14b has been used for the synthesis of 2‐pyrazolines having a phenolic Mannich base at C‐3 and its reaction with 3,5‐dimethyl‐1H‐pyrazole affords 23 . The alkylation of 3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐2‐pyrazolin‐5‐one with the bis(Mannich base) 25 was investigated.