[HCo(CO)4]‐Catalyzed Three‐component Cycloaddition of Epoxides,Imines, and Carbon Monoxide: Facile Construction of 1,3‐Oxazinan‐4‐ones

The three‐component [3+2+1] cycloaddition of epoxides, imines, and carbon monoxide to produce 1,3‐oxazinan‐4‐ones has been developed by using [HCo(CO)₄] as the catalyst. The reaction occurs for a wide variety of imines and epoxides, under 60 bar of CO pressure at 50 °C, to produce 1,3‐oxazinan‐4‐ones with different substitution patterns in high yields, and provides an efficient and atom‐economic route to heterocycles from simple and readily available starting materials. A plausible mechanism involves [HCo(CO)₄]‐induced ring‐opening of the epoxide, followed by sequential addition of carbon monoxide and the imine, and then ring closure to form the product accompanied by regeneration of [HCo(CO)₄].     

Highly Efficient Four‐Component Synthesis of 4(3H)‐Quinazolinones: Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbonylative Coupling Reactions

Given the importance of quinazolinones and carbonylative transformations, a palladium‐catalyzed four‐component carbonylative coupling system for the synthesis of diverse 4(3H)‐quinazolinone in a concise and convergent fashion has been developed. Starting from 2‐bromoanilines (1 mmol), trimethyl orthoformate (2 mmol), and amines (1.1 mmol), under 10 bar of CO, the desired products were isolated in good yields in the presence of Pd(OAc)₂ (2 mol %), BuPAd₂ (6 mol %) in 1,4‐dioxane (2 mL) at 100 °C, using N,N‐diisopropylethylamine (2 mmol) as the base. Notably, the process tolerates the presence of various reactive functional groups and is very selective for quinazolinones, and was used in the synthesis of the precursor to the bioactive dihydrorutaempine.     

Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Reaction of Terminal Propargyl Alcohols,Aldehydes, and Amines: Synthesis of 3‐Amino‐2‐pyrones and 2,5‐Dihydrofurans

A novel copper(I)‐catalyzed three‐component reaction for the efficient synthesis of 3‐amino‐2‐pyrones and 2,5‐dihydrofurans from propargyl alcohols, aldehydes, and amines has been developed. The starting materials are easily available and the scope of this method is broad. Through mechanistic studies, it is believed that the three‐component reaction consists of an A³‐coupling to propargylic amine, alkyne–allene isomerization, and intramolecular cyclization of the allenol to form a furan. In case of using ethyl glyoxalate as the aldehyde, a ring‐opening, lactonization, and isomerization process affords the 3‐amino‐2‐pyrones.     

Three‐Component Synthesis of Highly Functionalized 5‐Acetyloxazoles

By a flexible three‐component synthesis, alkoxy‐substituted enamides are easily available from lithiated alkoxyallenes, nitriles and carboxylic acids (see scheme). The treatment of these versatile intermediates with trifluoroacetic acid provided 5‐acetyloxazoles in moderate to good yields. Different substituents are possible at C‐2 and C‐5 and the 5‐acetyl group is a suitable handle for further synthetic transformations.

     

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.     

Generation of N‐Heterocycles via Tandem Reactions of N ′‐(2‐Alkynylbenzylidene)hydrazides

As a powerful synthon, N ′‐(2‐alkynylbenzylidene)hydrazides have been utilized efficiently for the construction of N‐heterocycles. Since N ′‐(2‐alkynylbenzylidene)hydrazides can easily undergo intramolecular 6‐endo cyclization promoted by silver triflate or electrophiles, the resulting isoquinolinium‐2‐yl amides can proceed through subsequent transformations including [3 + 2] cycloaddition, nucleophilic addition, and [3 + 3] cycloaddition. Several unexpected rearrangements via radical processes were observed in some cases, which afforded nitrogen‐containing heterocycles with molecular complexity. Reactive partners including internal alkynes, arynes, ketenimines, ketenes, allenoates, and activated alkenes reacted through [3 + 2] cycloaddition and subsequent aromatization, leading to diverse H‐pyrazolo[5,1‐a]isoquinolines with high efficiency. Nucleophilic addition to the in situ generated isoquinolinium‐2‐yl amide followed by aromatization also produced H‐pyrazolo[5,1‐a]isoquinoline derivatives when terminal alkynes, carbonyls, enamines, and activated methylene compounds were used as nucleophiles. Isoquinoline derivatives were obtained when indoles or phosphites were employed as nucleophiles in the reactions of N ′‐(2‐alkynylbenzylidene)hydrazides. A tandem 6‐endo cyclization and [3 + 3] cycloaddition of cyclopropane‐1,1‐dicarboxylates with N ′‐(2‐alkynylbenzylidene)hydrazides was observed as well. Small libraries of these compounds were constructed. Biological evaluation suggested that some compounds showed promising activities for inhibition of CDC25B, TC‐PTP, HCT‐116, and PTP1B.

     

Highly Stereoselective Cobalt(III)‐Catalyzed Three‐Component C−H Bond Addition Cascade

A highly stereoselective three‐component C(sp²)?H bond addition across alkene and polarized π‐bonds is reported for which Co^III catalysis was shown to be much more effective than Rh^III. The reaction proceeds at ambient temperature with both aryl and alkyl enones employed as efficient coupling partners. Moreover, the reaction exhibits extremely broad scope with respect to the aldehyde input; electron rich and poor aromatic, alkenyl, and branched and unbranched alkyl aldehydes all couple in good yield and with high diastereoselectivity. Multiple directing groups participate in this transformation, including pyrazole, pyridine, and imine functional groups. Both aromatic and alkenyl C(sp²)?H bonds undergo the three‐component addition cascade, and the alkenyl addition product can readily be converted into diastereomerically pure five‐membered lactones. Additionally, the first asymmetric reactions with Co^III‐catalyzed C?H functionalization are demonstrated with three‐component C?H bond addition cascades employing N‐tert‐butanesulfinyl imines. These examples represent the first transition metal catalyzed C?H bond additions to N‐tert‐butanesulfinyl imines, which are versatile and extensively used intermediates for the asymmetric synthesis of amines.     

A Three‐Component Enantioselective Cyclization Reaction Catalyzed by an Unnatural Amino Acid Derivative

A new diastereo‐ and enantioselective three‐component cyclization reaction is described. The reaction takes place between a ketone, a carboxylic acid, and a nitroalkene to yield a bicyclic octahydro‐2H‐indol‐2‐one scaffold possessing three chiral centers. This reaction involves a rearrangement of the nitro group under simple thermal conditions. A plausible mechanism is proposed for this new reaction based on DFT calculations and isotope‐labeling experiments. A new concise enantioselective synthesis of the alkaloid (+)‐pancracine is presented as an example of the potential of this novel organocatalytic cyclization reaction in the synthesis of natural products.     

Access to 1,2‐Dihydroisoquinolines through Gold‐Catalyzed Formal [4+2] Cycloaddition

A new synthetic route to the privileged 1,2‐dihydroisoquinolines is reported. This method, which relies on a gold‐catalyzed formal [4+2] cycloaddition between ynamides and imines, provides a new retrosynthetic disconnection of the 1,2‐dihydroisoquinoline core by installing the 1,8a C?C and 2,3 C?N bonds in one step. Both aldimines and ketimines can be used as substrates. In addition, one example of dihydrofuropyridine synthesis is also demonstrated.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Transannular [4+3] Cycloaddition Reactions

Macrocyclic propargyl acetates containing a furan ring were prepared by using a CrCl₂‐promoted reaction. In the presence of either a Au^I or Au^III catalyst, a tandem 3,3‐rearrangement/transannular [4+3] cycloaddition reaction occurred to give propargyl acetates that are regio‐ and diastereospecific. The regiochemistry of the product is controlled by the position of the acetoxy group in the starting material and the stereochemistry of the reaction depends on the ring size.