A copper-catalyzed Petasis reaction for the synthesis of tertiary amines and amino esters

We have developed a copper-catalyzed process for the coupling of aldehydes, amines, and boronic acids. This allows greater reactivity with simple aryl boronic acids and allows coupling reactions to proceed that previously failed. Initial mechanistic studies support a process involving transmetalation from boron to copper.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Transnitrilation of Aryl Boronic Acids with Dimethylmalononitrile

An efficient transnitrilation of aryl boronic acids with dimethylmalononitrile (DMMN) is described. This rhodium‐catalyzed electrophilic cyanation presents a novel approach to prepare aryl nitriles by using a carbon‐bound cyanating reagent which undergoes cross‐coupling with the aryl boronic acid. The reaction expands the degree of functional‐group compatibility exhibited by the transnitrilation of aryl Grignard and aryllithium reagents. A variety of aryl boronic acid derivatives and dialkylmalononitriles were amenable to the transnitrilation.     

A Highly Efficient Copper‐Mediated Radioiodination Approach Using Aryl Boronic Acids

A convenient and quantitative radioiodination method by copper‐mediated cross‐coupling of aryl boronic acids was developed. The mild labeling conditions, ready availability of the boronic acid substrate, simple operation, broad functional group tolerance and excellent radiochemical yield (RCY) make this a practical strategy for radioiodine labeling without further purification.     

Decarboxylative Conjunctive Cross‐coupling of Vinyl Boronic Esters using Metallaphotoredox Catalysis

The synthesis of complex alkyl boronic esters through conjunctive cross‐coupling of vinyl boronic esters with carboxylic acids and aryl iodides is described. The reaction proceeds under mild metallaphotoredox conditions and involves an unprecedented decarboxylative radical addition/cross‐coupling cascade of vinyl boronic esters. Excellent functional‐group tolerance is displayed, and application of a range of carboxylic acids, including secondary α‐amino acids, and aryl iodides provides efficient access to highly functionalized alkyl boronic esters. The decarboxylative conjunctive cross‐coupling was also applied to the synthesis of sedum alkaloids.     

Catalytic enantioselective arylation of aryl aldehydes by chiral aminophenol ligands

The catalytic enantioselective arylation of aryl aldehydes using boronic acids as the source of transferable aryl groups is described; the reaction is found to proceed in good yields and in good to high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) in the presence of a chiral aminophenol ligand.     

1,4-Addition of aryl boronic acids to α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by a CCC–NHC pincer rhodium complex

An air- and water-stable CCC–NHC pincer Rh complex catalyzed the 1,4-addition of aryl boronic acids to α,β-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes. This bench top method proceeds in eco-friendly solvents including methanol and water. The scope of boronic acids was expanded to include heterocyclic examples.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Addition of Aryl Boronic Acids to 2,2‐Disubstituted Malononitriles

β‐Ketonitriles bearing a quaternary carbon at the 2‐position were prepared through Rh‐catalyzed addition of aryl boronic acids to 2,2‐disubstituted malononitriles. In contrast to the previously described transnitrilative cyanation of aryl boronic acids with dialkylmalononitriles, the present reaction avoids retro‐Thorpe collapse of the intermediate addition product through the use of a milder base. The reaction was amenable to a variety of aryl boronic acids and disubstituted malononitriles, providing a diverse array of β‐ketonitriles. The products could be further derivatized to valuable chiral α,α‐disubstituted‐β‐aminonitriles through addition reactions to the corresponding N ‐tert ‐butanesulfinyl imines.     

Csp2–O and C–C Bond Formation via Pd‐Catalyzed Coupling Reaction of 2,4‐Dichloroquinazoline

An efficient palladium‐catalyzed C–O and subsequent C–C bond formation of 2,4‐dichloroquinazoline have been described. The designed strategy results in the synthesis of novel 2‐arylated quinazolin‐4‐ones framework with various aryl/heteroaryl boronic acids in moderate to good yields along with 2,4‐diarylated quinazolines. This methodology offers a direct transformation of aryl halides to aryl alcohols/ketone as well as the straight forward application to generate a wide variety of monoaryl and diaryl quinazoline.     

Visible‐Light‐Mediated Chan–Lam Coupling Reactions of Aryl Boronic Acids and Aniline Derivatives

The copper(II)‐catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling reaction between aryl boronic acids and aniline derivatives was found to be improved significantly under visible‐light‐mediated photoredox catalysis. The substrate scope of this oxidative Chan–Lam reaction was thus expanded to include electron‐deficient aryl boronic acids as viable starting materials.     

Modular chiral thiazolidine catalysts in asymmetric aryl transfer reactions

Modular chiral thiazolidine derivatives were synthesized in a single step from inexpensive and commercially available starting materials. These ligands catalyzed enantioselective arylation of different aldehydes using aryl boronic acids as a source of transferable aryl groups. The products were obtained in excellent yields and good enantioselectivities.     

Nickel N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalyzed CC Bond Formation: A New Route to Aryl Ketones

A novel nickel N‐heterocyclic carbene catalyzed cross‐coupling reaction of aryl aldehydes with boronic esters for the synthesis of aryl ketones was developed. This reaction provides a mild, practical method toward aryl ketones, which are versatile intermediates and building blocks in organic synthesis.     

Decarboxylative Benzylation of Aryl and Alkenyl Boronic Esters

The copper‐catalyzed decarboxylative benzylation of aryl and alkenyl boronic esters with electron‐deficient aryl acetates is reported. The oxidative coupling proceeds under mild, aerobic conditions and tolerates a host of potentially reactive electrophilic functional groups that would be problematic with traditional benzylation methods (aryl iodides and bromides, protic heteroatoms, aldehydes, Michael acceptors). A reaction pathway in which a benzylic nucleophile is generated by aryl acetate decarboxylation and in turn is intercepted by the catalyst to form diarylmethane products is supported by mechanistic studies.     

Catalytic enantioselective arylation of aldehydes: boronic acids as a suitable source of transferable aryl groups

The catalytic enantioselective arylation of several aldehydes using boronic acids as the source of transferable aryl groups is described; the reaction is found to proceed in excellent yields and high enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) in the presence of a chiral amino alcohol.     

A direct copper-catalyzed route to pyrrolo-fused heterocycles from boronic acids

A convenient route to prepare azaindoles and related pyrrolo-fused heterocycles from boronic acids, DBAD (di-tert-butyl-diazodicarboxylate) and enolizable aldehydes and ketones is presented. The reaction proceeds via a one-pot four-step cascade sequence with key steps involving a copper-catalyzed boronic acid coupling to DBAD and a Fischer indolization providing access to a variety of pharmaceutically interesting heterocycles including pyrrolo-pyridines, -pyrimidines, -quinolines, and -isoquinolines from readily available aza–aryl boronic acid precursors.     

New class of amino-phosphinite chiral catalysts for the highly enantioselective addition of arylzinc reagents to aldehydes

A new class of amino-phosphinite chiral ligands was prepared and applied in zinc-catalyzed addition of aryl boronic acids to aldehydes; the reaction furnished the diarylmethanols in excellent yields and with a high level of enantioselectivity (up to 93% ee).     

Traceless Rhodium‐Catalyzed Hydroacylation Using Alkyl Aldehydes: The Enantioselective Synthesis of β‐Aryl Ketones

A one‐pot three‐step sequence involving Rh‐catalyzed alkene hydroacylation, sulfide elimination and Rh‐catalyzed aryl boronic acid conjugate addition gave products of traceless chelation‐controlled hydroacylation employing alkyl aldehydes. The stereodefined β‐aryl ketones were obtained in good yields with excellent control of enantioselectivity. Good variation of all three reaction components is possible.     

A Lewis Base Catalysis Approach for the Photoredox Activation of Boronic Acids and Esters

We report herein the use of a dual catalytic system comprising a Lewis base catalyst such as quinuclidin‐3‐ol or 4‐dimethylaminopyridine and a photoredox catalyst to generate carbon radicals from either boronic acids or esters. This system enabled a wide range of alkyl boronic esters and aryl or alkyl boronic acids to react with electron‐deficient olefins via radical addition to efficiently form C−C coupled products in a redox‐neutral fashion. The Lewis base catalyst was shown to form a redox‐active complex with either the boronic esters or the trimeric form of the boronic acids (boroxines) in solution.     

The Discovery of a Palladium(II)‐Initiated Borono‐Catellani Reaction

Reported is a novel palladium(II)‐initiated Catellani‐type reaction that utilizes widely accessible aryl boronic acids as the substrates instead of aryl halides, thereby greatly expanding the existing scope of this powerful transformation. This borono‐Catellani reaction was promoted by cooperative catalysis between Pd(OAc)₂ and the inexpensive 5‐norbornene‐2‐carbonitrile. Practicality is the striking feature of the reaction: it is run open to air at ambient temperature and no phosphine ligand is needed. This mild, chemoselective, and scalable protocol is compatible with a large range of readily available functionalized aryl boronic acids and bromides, as well as terminating olefins (50 examples, 39–97 % yields). Moreover, the orthogonal reactivity between the borono‐Catellani and classical Catellani reaction was demonstrated. This work is expected to open new avenues for developing novel Catellani‐type reactions.     

In Situ Formation of Polymeric Nanoassemblies Using an Efficient Reversible Click Reaction

Polymer–drug conjugates are promising as strategies for drug delivery, because of their high drug loading capacity and low premature release profile. However, the preparation of these conjugates is often tedious. In this paper, we report an efficient method for polymer–drug conjugates using an ultrafast and reversible click reaction in a post‐polymerization functionalization strategy. The reaction is based on the rapid condensation of boronic acid functionalities with salicylhydroxamates. The polymer, bearing the latter functionality, has been designed such that the reaction with boronic acid bearing drugs induces an in situ self‐assembly of the conjugates to form well‐defined nanostructures. We show that this method is not only applicable for molecules with an intrinsic boronic acid group, but also for the other molecules that can be linked to aryl boronic acids through a self‐immolative linker. The linker has been designed to cause traceless release of the attached drug molecules, the efficiency of which has been demonstrated through intracellular delivery.     

Keteniminium‐Driven Umpolung Difunctionalization of Ynamides

A three‐component Pd‐catalyzed coupling of ynamides, aryl diazonium salts, and aryl boronic acids for the synthesis of novel triaryl‐substituted enamides is described. This transformation represents the first example of an umpolung regioselective unsymmetrical syn‐1,2‐diarylation/aryl‐olefination of ynamides. The aryl moieties of the diazonium salt (electrophile) and boronic acid (nucleophile) are explicitly incorporated in the electrophilic α‐ and nucleophilic β‐position, respectively, of the ynamide, resulting in a single isomer of the N‐bearing tetrasubstituted olefin. The scope is broad (68 examples), showing excellent functional‐group tolerance. DFT calculations substantiate the rationale of the mechanistic cycle and the regioselectivity. The chemoselectivity and synthetic potential of the enamide products were also studied.