Gold‐Catalyzed [4+2] Annulation/Cyclization Cascades of Benzisoxazoles with Propiolate Derivatives to Access Highly Oxygenated Tetrahydroquinolines

This work describes gold‐catalyzed annulations of electron‐deficient alkynes with benzisoxazoles to yield quinoline oxides chemoselectively. Chemical functionalizations of these resulting azacyclic compounds afforded various oxygenated tetrahydroquinolines which are present as the cores of many bioactive molecules. With the same reactants, a new relay catalysis using gold and zinc(II) catalysts affords highly oxygenated tetrahydroquinoline derivatives stereoselectively.     

Gold‐catalyzed [4+2] Annulations of Dienes with Nitrosoarenes as 4 π Donors: Nitroso‐Povarov Reactions

This work reports the first success of the nitroso‐Povarov reaction, involving gold‐catalyzed [4+2] annulations of nitrsoarenes with substituted cyclopentadienes. In this catalytic sequence, nitrosoarenes presumably attack gold‐π‐dienes by a 1,4‐addition pathway, generating allylgold nitrosonium intermediates to complete an intramolecular cyclization. Acyclic dienes are also applicable substrates, and affording oxidative nitroso‐Povarov products.     

Propargylsilanes as Reagents for Synergistic Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Propargylation of Carbonyl Compounds: Isolation and Characterization of σ‐Gold(I) Allenyl Intermediates

Reported herein is the isolation and characterization, for the first time, of a σ‐gold allenyl complex as an intermediate in gold catalysis. This intermediate was captured during the study of a novel gold(I)‐catalyzed propargylation of carbonyl compounds with propargylsilanes. Notably, the gold‐catalyzed propargylation reaction, which proceeds with aldehydes and ketones, can be driven to the formation of either homopropargyl silyl ethers or the in situ synthesis of corresponding 2‐silyl‐4,5‐dihydrofurans.     

Highly Site Selective Formal [5+2] and [4+2] Annulations of Isoxazoles with Heterosubstituted Alkynes by Platinum Catalysis: Rapid Access to Functionalized 1,3‐Oxazepines and 2,5‐Dihydropyridines

Platinum‐catalyzed formal [5+2] and [4+2] annulations of isoxazoles with heterosubstituted alkynes enabled the atom‐economical synthesis of valuable 1,3‐oxazepines and 2,5‐dihydropyridines, respectively. Importantly, this Pt catalysis not only led to unique reactivity dramatically divergent from that observed under Au catalysis, but also proceeded via unprecedented α‐imino platinum carbene intermediates.     

Alkynyl Thioethers in Gold‐Catalyzed Annulations To Form Oxazoles

Non‐oxidative, regioselective, and convergent access to densely functionalized oxazoles is realized in a functional‐group tolerant manner using alkynyl thioethers. Sulfur‐terminated alkynes provide access to reactivity previously requiring strong donor‐substituted alkynes such as ynamides. Sulfur does not act in an analogous donor fashion in this gold‐catalyzed reaction, thus leading to complementary regioselective outcomes and addressing the limitations of using ynamides.     

Gold‐Catalyzed [3+2]/Retro‐[3+2]/[3+2] Cycloaddition Cascade Reaction of N‐Alkoxyazomethine Ylides

A novel cascade reaction has been developed for the synthesis of 2,6‐methanopyrrolo[1,2‐b]isoxazoles based on the gold‐catalyzed generation of an N‐allyloxyazomethine ylide. This reaction involves sequential [3+2]/retro‐[3+2]/[3+2] cycloaddition reactions, thus providing facile access to fused and bridged heterocycles which would be otherwise difficult to prepare using existing synthetic methods. Notably, this reaction allows the efficient construction of three C−C bonds, one C−O bond, one C−N bond and one C−H bond, as well as the cleavage of one C−C bond, one C−O bond and one C−H bond in a single operation. The intermolecular cycloaddition of an N‐allyloxyazomethine ylide and the subsequent application of the product to the synthesis of tropenol is also described.     

Capturing Elusive Cobaltacycle Intermediates: A Real‐Time Snapshot of the Cp*CoIII‐Catalyzed Oxidative Alkyne Annulation

Despite Cp*Co^III catalysts having emerged as a very attractive alternative to noble transition metals for the construction of heterocyclic scaffolds through C−H activation, the structure of the reactive species remains uncertain. Herein, we report the identification and unambiguous characterization of two long‐sought cyclometalated Cp*Co^III complexes that have been proposed as key intermediates in C−H functionalization reactions. The addition of MeCN as a stabilizing ligand plays a crucial role, allowing the access to otherwise highly reactive species. Mechanistic investigations demonstrate the intermediacy of these species in oxidative annulations with alkynes, including the direct observation, under catalytic conditions, of a previously elusive post‐migratory insertion seven‐membered cobaltacycle.     

[4+2] or [4+1] Annulation: Changing the Reaction Pathway of a Rhodium‐Catalyzed Process by Tuning the Cp Ligand

A change in reaction pathway was achieved for the first time by tuning the cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligand used for the rhodium‐catalyzed cyclization of benzamides with conjugated enynones. Depending on the Cp ligand, the reaction pathway switched between [4+2] and [4+1] annulation. Electronic effects turned out to be crucial for the product distribution. The dichotomy was attributed to the alteration of the Lewis acidity of the resultant Cp‐bound rhodium species.