Iridium‐Catalyzed Arylative Cyclization of Alkynones by 1,4‐Iridium Migration

1,4‐Metal migrations enable the remote functionalization of C? H bonds, and have been utilized in a wide variety of valuable synthetic methods. The vast majority of existing examples involve the 1,4‐migration of palladium or rhodium. Herein, the stereoselective synthesis of complex polycycles by the iridium‐catalyzed arylative cyclization of alkynones with arylboronic acids is described. To our knowledge, these reactions involve the first reported examples of 1,4‐iridium migration.     

Stable Actinide π Complexes of a Neutral 1,4‐Diborabenzene

The π coordination of arene and anionic heteroarene ligands is a ubiquitous bonding motif in the organometallic chemistry of d‐block and f‐block elements. By contrast, related π interactions of neutral heteroarenes including neutral bora‐π‐aromatics are less prevalent particularly for the f‐block, due to less effective metal‐to‐ligand backbonding. In fact, π complexes with neutral heteroarene ligands are essentially unknown for the actinides. We have now overcome these limitations by exploiting the exceptionally strong π donor capabilities of a neutral 1,4‐diborabenzene. A series of remarkably robust, π‐coordinated thorium(IV) and uranium(IV) half‐sandwich complexes were synthesized by simply combining the bora‐π‐aromatic with ThCl₄(dme)₂ or UCl₄, representing the first examples of actinide complexes with a neutral boracycle as sandwich‐type ligand. Experimental and computational studies showed that the strong actinide–heteroarene interactions are predominately electrostatic in nature with distinct ligand‐to‐metal π donation and without significant π/δ backbonding contributions.     

Cyclization of a 1,4‐Diborabutadiene Ligand with Both Atoms of CO

A 1,4‐dibora‐1,3‐butadiene iron complex was successfully synthesized through the stoichiometric reaction of an iron bis(borylene) complex with diphenylacetylene. This complex was treated with CO and PMe₃, which led to the formation of an unusual six‐membered B₂C₃O ylidic ring bound to both the PMe₃ group and zerovalent iron center. The reaction is a very rare example of the incorporation of both atoms of CO into a ring system.     

Formation of α‐SF5‐Enolate Enables Preparation of 3‐SF5‐Quinolin‐2‐ones, 3‐SF5‐Quinolines,and 3‐SF5‐Pyridin‐2‐ones: Evaluation of their Physicochemical Properties

This study describes, for the first time, the generation of a SF₅‐substituted ester enolate from benzyl SF₅‐acetate under soft enolization conditions, which in turn participates in aldol addition reactions in high yield. The reaction was applied in the synthesis of 3‐SF₅‐quinolin‐2‐ones, 3‐SF₅‐quinolines, and 3‐SF₅‐pyridin‐2‐ones, none of which have previously been reported. To provide guidelines for their use in drug discovery, the physicochemical properties of these building blocks were determined and compared with those of their CF₃‐ and t‐Bu‐analogues.     

1,4‐Dioxo‐1,4‐dihydronaphthalene‐2,3‐dicarbonitrile and 1,1,2,2‐Tetracyanoethene in Heterocyclization

This survey is mainly concerned with selected reactions of 1,4‐dioxo‐1,4‐dihydronaphthalene‐2,3‐dicarbonitrile and 1,1,2,2‐tetracyanoethene, which have use or potential use in heterocyclic synthesis.     

A tetrabromo‐1,4‐ethanonaphthalene and related dibromo‐1,4‐ethenonaphthalene

(1RS,3RS,4RS,10SR)‐2,2,3,10‐Tetrabromo‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydro‐1,4‐ethanonaphthalene, C₁₂H₁₀Br₄, (I), is the first structure to be reported with four Br atoms bound to a 1,4‐ethanonaphthalene framework and also the first which possesses three Br atoms in exo positions. Interactions between the Br atoms [three short intramolecular Br...Br distances of 3.1094 (4), 3.2669 (4) and 3.4415 (5) Å] have little effect on the C—C bond lengths but lead to significant twisting of the cage structure compared with the parent hydrocarbon, which is expected to be fully eclipsed at the two saturated C₂H₄ bridge positions. Chemically related (1SR,4RS)‐2,3‐dibromo‐1,4‐ethenonaphthalene, C₁₂H₈Br₂, (II), obtained by double dehydrobromination of (I), represents the first structure of any halogen‐substituted benzobarrelene. This cis‐dibromide shows little evidence of steric congestion at the double bond [Br...Br = 3.5276 (8) Å] as a consequence of the large C—C—Br angles [average C=C—Br angle = 126.15 (10)°].     

B(C6F5)3‐Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation of Imines and Related Heteroarenes Using Cyclohexa‐1,4‐dienes as a Dihydrogen Source

The strong boron Lewis acid tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane, B(C₆F₅)₃, is shown to abstract a hydride from suitably donor‐substituted cyclohexa‐1,4‐dienes, eventually releasing dihydrogen. This process is coupled with the FLP‐type (FLP=frustrated Lewis pair) hydrogenation of imines and nitrogen‐containing heteroarenes that are catalyzed by the same Lewis acid. The net reaction is a B(C₆F₅)₃‐catalyzed, i.e., transition‐metal‐free, transfer hydrogenation using easy‐to‐access cyclohexa‐1,4‐dienes as reducing agents. Competing reaction pathways with or without the involvement of free dihydrogen are discussed.     

Regioselective and 1,2‐cis‐α‐Stereoselective Glycosylation Utilizing Glycosyl‐Acceptor‐Derived Boronic Ester Catalyst

Regioselective and 1,2‐cis‐α‐stereoselective glycosylations using 1α,2α‐anhydro glycosyl donors and diol glycosyl acceptors in the presence of a glycosyl‐acceptor‐derived boronic ester catalyst. The reactions proceed smoothly to give the corresponding 1,2‐cis‐α‐glycosides with high stereo‐ and regioselectivities in high yields without any further additives under mild reaction conditions. In addition, the present glycosylation method was successfully applied to the synthesis of an isoflavone glycoside.     

Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective 1,2‐Additions to α‐Ketoesters with Diborylmethane and Substituted 1,1‐Diborylalkanes

The catalytic enantioselective synthesis of boronate‐substituted tertiary alcohols through additions of diborylmethane and substituted 1,1‐diborylalkanes to α‐ketoesters is reported. The reactions are catalyzed by readily available chiral phosphine/copper(I) complexes and produce β‐hydroxyboronates containing up to two contiguous stereogenic centers in up to 99:1 e.r. and greater than 20:1 d.r. The utility of the organoboron products is demonstrated through several chemoselective functionalizations. Evidence indicates the reactions occur via an enantioenriched α‐boryl‐copper‐alkyl intermediate.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Annulation of 1,2‐Diborylalkenes and ‐Arenes with 1‐Bromo‐2‐[(Z)‐2‐bromoethenyl]arenes: A Modular Approach to Multisubstituted Naphthalenes and Fused Phenanthrenes

(Z)‐1,2‐Diaryl‐1,2‐bis(pinacolatoboryl)ethenes underwent double‐cross‐coupling reactions with 1‐bromo‐2‐[(Z)‐2‐bromoethenyl]arenes in the presence of [Pd(PPh₃)₄] as a catalyst and 3 M aqueous Cs₂CO₃ as a base in THF at 80 °C. The double‐coupling reaction gave multisubstituted naphthalenes in good to high yields. Annulation of 1,2‐bis(pinacolatoboryl)arenes with bromo(bromoethenyl)arenes in the presence of a catalyst system that consisted of [Pd₂(dba)₃] (dba=dibenzylideneacetone) and 2‐dicyclohexylphosphino‐2′,6′‐dimethoxybiphenyl (SPhos) under the same conditions produced fused phenanthrenes in good to high yields. The first annulation coupling occurred regiospecifically at the bromoethenyl moiety. This procedure is applicable to the facile synthesis of polysubstituted anthracenes, benzothiophenes, and dibenzoanthracenes through a double annulation pathway by using the corresponding dibromobis[(Z)‐2‐bromoethenyl]benzenes as diboryl coupling partners.     

2,6‐Dimethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone 4‐monooxime

Mol­ecules of the title compound, C₈H₉NO₂, are linked into sheets by a combination of C—H·N, O—H·N and O—H·O hydrogen bonds and C—H·π inter­actions. The hydrogen bonds are arranged as described by the graph‐set ring notations R₂²(7) and R₃³(5), and a C8 chain motif. There are two planar symmetry‐independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, with a dihedral angle of 19.24 (5)° between their least‐squares mean planes.     

Chemical Reduction and Dimerization of 1‐Chloro‐2,3,4,5‐tetraphenylborole

As neutral isoelectronic analogues of the elusive cyclopentadienyl cation, boroles have been of interest for their prospective applications as strong Lewis acids, chromophores, and electron acceptors. Recently our group discovered a π‐nucleophilic boryl anion based on the borole system. In an effort to extend borole chemistry, we now report the molecular structure of 1‐chloro‐2,3,4,5‐tetraphenylborole ( 1 ) and its corresponding borole dianion resulting from the two‐electron reduction of 1 with KC₈. The thermally induced dimerization of 1 yields an unprecedented boracyclohexadiene/borolene spiro‐bicyclic compound and the resulting dimer was fully characterized including a single‐crystal X‐ray analysis.     

Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of 1,4‐Keto‐Alkenylboronate Esters and 1,4‐Dicarbonyls

A catalytic enantioselective method for the synthesis of 1,4‐keto‐alkenylboronate esters by a rhodium‐catalyzed conjugate addition pathway is disclosed. A variety of novel, bench‐stable alkenyl gem‐diboronate esters are synthesized. These easily accessible reagents react smoothly with a collection of cyclic α,β‐unsaturated ketones, generating a new C?C bond and stereocenter. Products are isolated in up to 99 % yield with greater than 20:1 E/Z and greater than 99:1 e.r. Mechanistic studies show the site‐selectivity of transmetalation and reactivity is ligand dependent. The utility of the approach is highlighted by gram‐scale synthesis of enantioenriched cyclic 1,4‐diketones, and stereoselective transformations of the products by hydrogenation, allylation, and isomerization.