Metal-free synthesis of aryl esters by coupling aryl carboxylic acids and aryl boronic acids

A facile synthesis of aryl esters is developed by coupling aryl carboxylic acids and aryl boronic acids in the presence of PhI(OAc)₂ and carbonyl diimidazole. A wide range of functional groups were tolerant to the metal-free reaction condition that led to the desired products in good yields.     

Catalytic coupling of arene C-h bonds and alkynes for the synthesis of coumarins: substrate scope and application to the development of neuroimaging agents

C-H bond functionalization offers strategically novel approaches to complex organic compounds. However, many C-H functionalization reactions suffer from poor compatibility with Lewis basic functional groups, especially amines, which are often essential for biological activity. This study describes a systematic examination of the substrate scope of catalytic hydroarylation in the context of complex amino coumarin synthesis. The choice of substrates was guided by the design and development of the next generation of fluorescent false neurotransmitters (FFNs), neuroimaging probes we recently introduced for optical imaging of neurotransmission in the brain. Comparison of two mild protocols using catalytic PtCl(4) or Au(PPh(3))Cl/AgSbF(6)revealed that each method has a broad and mutually complementary substrate scope. The relatively less active platinum system out-performed the gold catalyst with indole substrates lacking substitution at the C-3 position and provided higher regioselectivity in the case of carbazole-based substrates. On the other hand, the more active gold catalyst demonstrated excellent functional group tolerance, and the ability to catalyze the formation of strained, helical products. The development of these two protocols offers enhanced substrate scope and provides versatile synthetic tools required for the structure-activity examination of FFN neuroimaging probes as well as for the synthesis of complex coumarins in general.     

Reaction of TPP-azodicarboxylate zwitterions and aryl aldehydes: unprecedented synthesis of acyl carbamates

An efficient synthesis of acyl carbamates from aryl aldehydes by the reaction of triphenylphosphine and dialkyl azoesters is described.     

Efficient synthesis of alpha-aryl esters by room-temperature palladium-catalyzed coupling of aryl halides with ester enolates

A catalytic amount of Pd(dba)(2) ligated by either carbene precursor N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazolium (1) or P(t-Bu)(3) mediated the coupling of aryl halides and ester enolates to produce alpha-aryl esters in high yields at room temperature. The reaction was highly tolerant of functionalities and substitution patterns on the aryl halide. Improved protocols for the selective monoarylation of tert-butyl acetate and the efficient arylation of alpha,alpha-disubstituted esters were developed with LiNCy(2) as base and P(t-Bu)(3) as ligand. In addition, tert-butyl esters, such as those of Naproxen and Flurbiprofen, were prepared from tert-butyl propionate and aryl bromides in high yields in the presence of Pd(dba)(2) and the hindered, saturated heterocyclic carbene ligand precursor.     

Synthesis of new halo-containing acetylenes and their application to the synthesis of azoles

The convenient synthesis of ten halo- and an isoxazole-containing acetylenes from the reaction of acetylenes with n-butyl lithium and subsequent reaction with an electrophile agent (ethyl trichloroacetate, ethyl dichloroacetate, trifluoroacetic anhydride, 3-methylisoxazol-5-carbonyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride and 1,1,1-trifluoro-4-ethoxy-3-buten-2-one) in moderated to good yields is reported. The application of 1,1,1-trichloro-4-phenyl-3-butyn-2-one on the synthesis of two azoles is also showed.     

Pyroglutamate-derived hydroxyamide ligands: synthesis and application to asymmetric catalysis

The synthesis of a series of chiral hydroxy amide ligands is described. These ligands were used in a ruthenium-catalysed transfer hydrogenation reaction where one ligand gave the product in 72% ee. The ligands were also used in two titanium-catalysed reactions, an alkylation where ee’s of up to 74% were achieved and a phenyl acetylene addition where more modest selectivities were observed.     

Palladium-catalyzed direct C-h arylation of N-iminopyridinium ylides: application to the synthesis of (+/-)-anabasine

Palladium-catalyzed direct C-H arylation of N-iminopyridinium ylides provides a powerful and versatile method for the synthesis of functionalized piperidines in good yields. Chemoselective functionalization of the pyridinium ring in the presence of a pyridine substituent is possible as exemplified by the expedient synthesis of anabasine in 61% overall yield over three steps.     

Solid-state synthesis of a conducting polythiophene via an unprecedented heterocyclic coupling reaction

Prolonged storage ( approximately 2 years) or gentle heating (50-80 degrees C) of crystalline 2,5-dibromo-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (DBEDOT) affords a highly conducting, bromine-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), as confirmed by solid-state NMR, FTIR, CV, and vis-NIR spectroscopies. The novel solid-state polymerization (SSP) does not occur for 2,5-dichloro-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (DCEDOT), and requires a much higher temperature (>130 degrees C) for 2,5-diiodo-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (DIEDOT). X-ray structural analysis of the above dihalothiophenes reveals short Hal.Hal distances between adjacent molecules in DBEDOT and DIEDOT, but not in DCEDOT. The polymerization may also occur in the melt but is significantly slower and leads to poorly conductive material. Detailed studies of the reaction were performed using ESR, DSC, microscopy, and gravimetric analyses. SSP starts on crystal defect sites; it is exothermic by 14 kcal/mol and requires activation energy of approximately 26 kcal/mol (for DBEDOT). The temperature dependence of the conductivity of SSP-PEDOT (sigma(rt) = 20-80 S/cm) reveals a slight thermal activation. It can be further increased by a factor of 2 by doping with iodine. Using this approach, thin films of PEDOT with conductivity as high as 20 S/cm were fabricated on insulating flexible plastic surfaces.     

Copper(I)-catalyzed synthesis of azoles. DFT study predicts unprecedented reactivity and intermediates

Huisgen's 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions become nonconcerted when copper(I) acetylides react with azides and nitrile oxides, providing ready access to 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles and 3,4-disubstituted isoxazoles, respectively. The process is highly reliable and exhibits an unusually wide scope with respect to both components. Computational studies revealed a stepwise mechanism involving unprecedented metallacycle intermediates, which appear to be common for a variety of dipoles.     

Palladium-catalyzed coupling of vinylogous amides with aryl halides: applications to the synthesis of heterocycles

[formula: see text] Described herein is the first example of the palladium-catalyzed coupling of vinylogous amides with aryl bromides and chlorides. The scope of this reaction with respect to the aryl component is investigated. Additionally, a tandem reaction sequence in which the above coupling is followed by an intramolecular Heck reaction is presented. These reactions can be applied to high-yielding, one-pot syntheses of nitrogen-containing heterocycles.     

Synthesis of functionalized 2-arylpyridines from 2-halopyridines and various aryl halides via a nickel catalysis

An efficient nickel-catalyzed method devoted to the direct formation of functionalized 2-arylpyridines is described avoiding the prior preparation of organometallic species. Various functionalized 2-arylpyridines are obtained in moderate to excellent yields by a one-step chemical procedure from corresponding halides. The NiBr₂(2,2′-bipyridine) complex appears to be an extremely suitable catalyst for the activation in the presence of manganese dust of aromatic halides and pyridyl halides functionalized by reactive groups. The versatility of this original process represents a simple alternative to most known methods using organometallic reagents.     

Polymer-supported Mukaiyama reagent: a useful coupling reagent for the synthesis of esters and amides

Polymer-supported N-alkyl-2-chloro pyridinium triflate was synthesized in one step from Wang resin. This reagent proved to be a very effective coupling reagent for the synthesis of esters or amides from carboxylic acids and alcohols or amines (primary and secondary). [reaction: see text]     

SnCl4-catalyzed reaction of o-benzoquinones and aryl acetylenes: an unprecedented one-pot synthesis of tropone derivatives

Highly substituted tropone derivatives were obtained as a result of SnCl4-catalyzed cycloaddition of 3-methoxy-substituted o-benzoquinones with aryl acetylenes and subsequent rearrangement of the adducts with concomitant decarbonylation.     

Ferrocenyl monophosphine ligands: synthesis and applications in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of aryl chlorides

Ferrocenyl monophosphine ligands have been developed by a method based on palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. The modular procedure creates a rapid synthesis of phosphines with diverse properties. The electron-rich phosphines have been successfully applied to the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of activated and deactivated aryl chlorides, with low catalyst loading being feasible in the synthesis of tris-ortho-substituted biaryls.     

The synthesis of an aryl alkyl ionic liquid and its application in catalyzing Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction

An aryl alkyl ionic liquids with a tertiary amino group (N(CH₃)₂) in the cation were synthesized. As a ligand, the synthesized ionic liquids can coordinate with palladium to form N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-Pd complex which exhibited high efficiency in catalyzing Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction.     

Metal-free synthesis of aryl esters from carboxylic acids and diaryliodonium salts

An efficient arylation of carboxylic acids with diaryliodonium salts has been developed, giving aryl esters in high yields within short reaction times for both aromatic and aliphatic substrates. The transition-metal-free conditions are compatible with a range of functional groups, and good chemoselectivity is observed with unsymmetric diaryliodonium salts. Furthermore, steric hindrance in the ortho positions is well tolerated both in the carboxylic acid and in the diaryliodonium salt, yielding aryl esters that cannot be obtained via other esterification protocols.