Site-Selective Pd-Catalyzed C(sp3)−H Arylation of Heteroaromatic Ketones

A ligand-controlled site-selective C(sp³)−H arylation of heteroaromatic ketones has been developed using Pd catalysis. The reaction occurred selectively at the α- or β-position of the ketone side-chain. The switch from α- to β-arylation was realized by addition of a pyridone ligand. The α-arylation process showed broad scope and high site- and chemoselectivity, whereas the β-arylation was more limited. Mechanistic investigations suggested that α-arylation occurs through C−H activation/oxidative addition/reductive elimination whereas β-arylation involves desaturation and aryl insertion.     

Divergent Synthesis of Bioactive Dithiodiketopiperazine Natural Products Based on a Double C(sp3)−H Activation Strategy

This article provides a detailed report of our efforts to synthesize the dithiodiketopiperazine (DTP) natural products (−)-epicoccin G and (−)-rostratin A using a double C(sp³)−H activation strategy. The strategy's viability was first established on a model system lacking the C8/C8’ alcohols. Then, an efficient stereoselective route including an organocatalytic epoxidation was secured to access a key bis-triflate substrate. This bis-triflate served as the functional handles for the key transformation of the synthesis: a double C(sp³)−H activation. The successful double activation opened access to a common intermediate for both natural products in high overall yield and on a multigram scale. After several unsuccessful attempts, this intermediate was efficiently converted to (−)-epicoccin G and to the more challenging (−)-rostratin A via suitable oxidation/reduction and protecting group sequences, and via a final sulfuration that occurred in good yield and high diastereoselectivity. These efforts culminated in the synthesis of (−)-epicoccin G and (−)-rostratin A in high overall yields (19.6 % over 14 steps and 12.7 % over 17 steps, respectively), with the latter being obtained on a 500 mg scale. Toxicity assessments of these natural products and several analogues (including the newly synthesized epicoccin K) in the leukemia cell line K562 confirmed the importance of the disulfide bridge for activity and identified dianhydrorostratin A as a 20x more potent analogue.     

Ligand-Enabled β-Methylene C(sp3)−H Arylation of Masked Aliphatic Alcohols

Despite recent advances, reactivity and site-selectivity remain significant obstacles for the practical application of C(sp³)−H bond functionalization methods. Here, we describe a system that combines a salicylic-aldehyde-derived L,X-type directing group with an electron-deficient 2-pyridone ligand to enable the β-methylene C(sp³)−H arylation of aliphatic alcohols, which has not been possible previously. Notably, this protocol is compatible with heterocycles embedded in both alcohol substrates and aryl coupling partners. A site- and stereo-specific annulation of dihydrocholesterol and the synthesis of a key intermediate of englitazone illustrate the practicality of this method.     

Palladium-Catalyzed Benzylic C(sp3)−H Carbonylative Arylation with Aryl Bromides

A novel, selective and high-yielding palladium-catalyzed carbonylative arylation of a variety of weakly acidic (pK_a 25–35 in DMSO) benzylic and heterobenzylic C(sp³)−H bonds with aryl bromides has been achieved. This system is applicable to a range of pro-nucleophiles for access to sterically and electronically diverse α-aryl or α,α-diaryl ketones, which are ubiquitous substructures in biologically active compounds. The Josiphos SL-J001-1-based palladium catalyst was identified as the most efficient and selective, enabling carbonylative arylation with aryl bromides under 1 atm CO to provide the ketone products without the formation of direct coupling byproducts. Additionally, (Josiphos)Pd(CO)₂ was identified as the catalyst resting state. A kinetic study suggests that the oxidative addition of aryl bromides is the turnover-limiting step. Key catalytic intermediates were also isolated.     

Palladium-Catalysed C(sp3)−H Glycosylation for the Synthesis of C-Alkyl Glycoamino Acids

We have developed a highly efficient and practical approach for palladium-catalyzed trifluoroacetate-promoted N-quinolylcarboxamide-directed glycosylation of inert β-C(sp³)−H bonds of N-phthaloyl α-amino acids with glycals under mild conditions. For the first time, C(sp³)−H activation for glycosylation was achieved to build C-alkyl glycosides. This method facilitates the synthesis of various β-substituted C-alkyl glycoamino acids and offers a tool for glycopeptide synthesis.     

Copper-Catalyzed Oxidative Benzylic C(sp3)−H Cyclization for the Synthesis of β-Lactams

β-Lactams are important structural motifs because of their ubiquity in natural products and pharmaceuticals. We report herein a Cu-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative C(sp³)−H amidation for the synthesis of β-lactams using tBuOOtBu. This method is based on Kharasch–Sosnovsky amidation and does not require prefunctionalization of C(sp³)−H bonds or the installation of a directing group, thereby allowing for the straightforward synthesis of β-lactams. Our intramolecular functionalization protocol can be extended to diverse benzylic C(sp³)−H bonds and shows excellent functional-group tolerance.     

Cobalt(II)-Catalyzed C(sp3)−C(sp3) Coupling for the Direct Stereoselective Synthesis of 2-Deoxy-C-Glycosides from Glycals

We report a ligand-controlled Co^II-catalyzed C(sp³)−C(sp³) coupling hydroalkylation for direct and β-selective synthesis of 2-deoxy-C-glycosides from glycals. This reaction proceeds by a radical pathway for alkyl halide activation and is β-selective through ligand control. This approach may inspire the development of further stereoselective coupling reactions with potential application in the field of carbohydrates.     

Remote C(sp3)−H Arylation and Vinylation of N-Alkoxypyridinium Salts to δ-Aryl and δ-Vinyl Alcohols

The reaction of readily available and bench-stable N-alkoxypyridinium salts with arylboronic and vinylboronic acids afforded δ-aryl and δ-vinyl alcohols, respectively, in the presence of fac-Ir(ppy)₃ and Cu(OTf)₂ dual catalysts. The reaction takes place through a domino process involving the reductive generation of alkoxyl radicals, 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (1,5-HAT) and the copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of the resulting translocated carbon radicals with boronic acids. Complementary to the Minisci reaction, this method allows for the arylation of nucleophilic alkyl radicals with both electron-rich and electron-poor arenes under mild reaction conditions.     

Site- and Stereoselective C(sp3)−H Borylation of Strained (Hetero)Cycloalkanols Enabled by Iridium Catalysis

Transition metal-catalyzed site- and stereoselective C−H activation of strained (hetero)cycloalkanes remains a formidable challenge. We herein report a carbamate-directed iridium-catalyzed asymmetric β−C(sp³)−H borylation of cyclopropanol derivatives. A variety of densely functionalized cyclopropanols were obtained in good enantioselectivities via desymmetrization and kinetic resolution. In addition, site-selective C(sp³)−H borylation of methine groups furnished α-borylated (hetero)cycloalkanols in moderate to good yields. The synthetic utility of the method was further shown in a gram-scale synthesis and diverse downstream transformations of borylated products.     

Photoinduced C(sp3)−N Bond Cleavage Leading to the Stereoselective Syntheses of Alkenes

Herein we report a versatile Mizoroki–Heck-type photoinduced C(sp³)−N bond cleavage reaction. Under visible-light irradiation (455 nm, blue LEDs) at room temperature, alkyl Katritzky salts react smoothly with alkenes in a 1:1 molar ratio in the presence of 1.0 mol % of commercially available photoredox catalyst without the need for any base, affording the corresponding alkyl-substituted alkenes in good yields with broad functional-group compatibility. Notably, the E/Z-selectivity of the alkene products can be controlled by an appropriate choice of photoredox catalyst.     

Synthesis of Natural Products by C−H Functionalization of Heterocycless

Total synthesis is considered by many as the finest combination of art and science. During the last decades, several concepts were proposed for achieving the perfect vision of total synthesis, such as atom economy, step economy, or redox economy. In this context, C−H functionalization represents the most powerful platform that has emerged in the last years, empowering rapid synthesis of complex natural products and enabling diversification of bioactive scaffolds based on natural product architectures. In this review, we present an overview of the recent strategies towards the total synthesis of heterocyclic natural products enabled by C−H functionalization. Heterocycles represent the most common motifs in drug discovery and marketed drugs. The implementation of C−H functionalization of heterocycles enables novel tactics in the construction of core architectures, but also changes the logic design of retrosynthetic strategies and permits access to natural product scaffolds with novel and enhanced biological activities.     

Synthesis of Acyclic Aliphatic Amides with Contiguous Stereogenic Centers via Palladium-Catalyzed Enantio-, Chemo- and Diastereoselective Methylene C(sp3)−H arylation

The enantioselective desymmetrizing C−H activation of α-gem-dialkyl acyclic amides remains challenging because the availability of four chemically identical unbiased methylene C(sp³)−H bonds and increased rotational freedoms of the acyclic systems add tremendous difficulties for chemo- and stereocontrol. We have developed a method for the synthesis of acyclic aliphatic amides with α,β-contiguous stereogenic centers via Pd^II-catalyzed asymmetric arylation of unbiased methylene C(sp³)−H, in good yields and with high levels of enantio-, chemo- and diastereoselectivity (up to >99 % ee and >20:1 d.r.). Successive application of this method enables the sequential arylation of the gem-dialkyl groups with two different aryl iodides, giving a range of β-Ar¹-β′-Ar²-aliphatic acyclic amides containing three contiguous stereogenic centers with excellent diastereoselectivity.     

Organopotassium-Catalyzed Silylation of Benzylic C(sp3)−H Bonds

Benzylsilanes have found increasing applications in organic synthesis as bench-stable synthetic intermediates, yet are mostly produced by stoichiometric procedures. Catalytic alternatives based on the atom-economical silylation of benzylic C(sp³)−H bonds remain scarcely available as specialized directing groups and catalytic systems are needed to outcompete the kinetically-favored silylation of C(sp²)−H bonds. Herein, we describe the first general and catalytic-in-metal undirected silylation of benzylic C(sp³)−H bonds under ambient, transition metal-free conditions using stable tert-butyl-substituted silyldiazenes (tBu−N=N−SiR₃) as silicon source. The high activity and selectivity of the catalytic system, exemplified by the preparation of various mono- or gem-bis benzyl(di)silanes, originates from the facile generation of organopotassium reagents, including tert-butylpotassium.     

Synthesis of Amides and Esters by Palladium(0)-Catalyzed Carbonylative C(sp3)−H Activation

The 1,4-palladium shift strategy allows the functionalization of remote C−H bonds that are difficult to reach directly. Reported here is a domino reaction proceeding by C(sp³)−H activation, 1,4-palladium shift, and amino- or alkoxycarbonylation, which generates a variety of amides and esters bearing a quaternary β-carbon atom. Mechanistic studies showed that the aminocarbonylation of the σ-alkylpalladium intermediate arising from the palladium shift is fast using PPh₃ as the ligand, and leads to the amide rather than the previously reported indanone product.     

Enantio- and Diastereoswitchable C−H Arylation of Methylene Groups in Cycloalkanes

A complementary set of chiral N,N-ligands enables the Pd-catalyzed β-C−H arylation of unbiased internal methylene groups in good yield and with high levels of enantio- and diastereoinduction. Both the dia- and enantioselectivity can be reversed, thus allowing the selective arylation of any of the four β-C−H bonds in cycloalkanecarboxamides of various ring sizes. The method is applicable to a broad range of aryl iodides with electron-withdrawing and -donating substituents in the o-, m-, or p-position.     

Synthesis of β-Lactams by Palladium(0)-Catalyzed C(sp3)−H Carbamoylation

A general and user-friendly synthesis of β-lactams is reported that makes use of Pd⁰-catalyzed carbamoylation of C(sp³)−H bonds, and operates under stoichiometric carbon monoxide in a two-chamber reactor. This reaction is compatible with a range of primary, secondary and activated tertiary C−H bonds, in contrast to previous methods based on C(sp³)−H activation. In addition, the feasibility of an enantioselective version using a chiral phosphonite ligand is demonstrated. Finally, this method can be employed to synthesize valuable enantiopure free β-lactams and β-amino acids.     

Ligand-Enabled [3+2] Annulation of Aromatic Acids with Maleimides by C(sp3)−H and C(sp2)−H Bond Activation

A palladium-catalyzed [3+2] annulation of substituted benzoic acids with maleimides leading to tricyclic heterocyclic molecules having a free carboxylic group in a high atom- and step-economical manner is described. The reaction proceeds via a dual C−H bond activation such as C(sp³)−H at the benzylic position and C(sp²)−H bond activation at the meta position of substituted aromatics. An external ligand (MPAA) is crucial for the success of present protocol. Further, the decarboxylation and esterification of the free carboxylic acid group of observed products were carried out.     

Pd-Catalyzed Arylation and Benzylation of Tyrosine at the δ−C(sp2)−H and C(2) Positions: Expanding the Library of Unnatural Tyrosines

This paper describes Pd(II)-catalyzed picolinamide-directed intermolecular arylation and benzylation of remote δ−C(sp²)−H bond (C(2) position) of the aryl ring in tyrosine derivatives and expansion of the library of unnatural tyrosine. Various racemic and enantiopure bis C(2) (ortho C−H) arylated and benzylated tyrosine derivatives were assembled in good yields. Removal of the picolinoyl moiety after the C(2)−H arylation and assembling of tyrosine-based peptides using C(2)−H arylated tyrosines were shown. Tyrosine derivatives and biaryl amino acids are vital scaffolds in medicinal chemistry. Correspondingly, this work is a contribution towards the expansion of the unnatural tyrosine library with biaryl- or terphenyl and diarylmethane-based tyrosine scaffolds.     

Versatile Biocatalytic C(sp3)−H Oxyfunctionalization for the Site- Selective and Stereodivergent Synthesis of α- and β-Hydroxy Acids

C(sp³)−H oxyfunctionalization, the insertion of an O-atom into C(sp³)−H bonds, streamlines the synthesis of complex molecules from easily accessible precursors and represents one of the most challenging tasks in organic chemistry with regard to site and stereoselectivity. Biocatalytic C(sp³)−H oxyfunctionalization has the potential to overcome limitations inherent to small-molecule-mediated approaches by delivering catalyst-controlled selectivity. Through enzyme repurposing and activity profiling of natural variants, we have developed a subfamily of α-ketoglutarate-dependent iron dioxygenases that catalyze the site- and stereodivergent oxyfunctionalization of secondary and tertiary C(sp³)−H bonds, providing concise synthetic routes towards four types of 92 α- and β-hydroxy acids with high efficiency and selectivity. This method provides a biocatalytic approach for the production of valuable but synthetically challenging chiral hydroxy acid building blocks.     

Photoredox-Controlled Mono- and Di-Multifluoroarylation of C(sp3)−H Bonds with Aryl Fluorides

A controllable mono- and di-multifluoroarylation of acyclic and cyclic N-aryl amines with aryl fluorides by photocatalyzed dual C(sp³)−H/C(sp²)−F functionalization has been developed, providing new access to a wide array of valuable α-fluoroarylated amines. In addition, the one-pot consecutive hetero-di-multifluoroarylation of N-aryl pyrrolidines and N,N-dimethylanilines was achieved with high to excellent diastereoselectivity. This new defluorinative C(sp³)−C(sp²) coupling is distinguished by a broad scope, good regioselectivity, and mild conditions as well as gram-scale and late-stage applicability, and thus constitutes a significant advance in the arylation of unactivated C(sp³)−H bonds with aryl fluorides.