Radical‐Transfer Hydroamination of Olefins with N‐Aminated Dihydropyridines

An efficient synthesis of N‐phthalimidyl, benzamidyl, acetamidyl, carbamoyl, and ureayl derivatives of dihydropyridines and the application of these reagents as precursors for N‐centered radicals are presented. These aminated dihydropyridines could be used in radical‐transfer hydroamination reactions of various electron‐rich as well as nonactivated olefins in the presence of thiols as polarity‐reversal catalysts. These reactions worked without the aid of any transition metal. Steric and electronic effects exerted by the N‐substitutents of the N‐centered radicals are discussed. In contrast to most metal‐catalyzed processes, the radical hydroamination delivered the opposite regioisomer with excellent anti‐Markovnikov selectivity. Hydroamination products were obtained as protected amines that are readily isolated.     

Diverse strategies for transition metal catalyzed distal C(sp3)–H functionalizations

Transition metal catalyzed C(sp³)–H functionalization is a rapidly growing field. Despite severe challenges, distal C–H functionalizations of aliphatic molecules by overriding proximal positions have witnessed tremendous progress. While usage of stoichiometric directing groups played a crucial role, reactions with catalytic transient directing groups or methods without any directing groups are gaining more attention due to their practicality. Various innovative strategies, slowly but steadily, circumvented issues related to remote functionalizations of aliphatic molecules. A systematic compilation has been presented here to provide insights into the recent developments and future challenges in the field. The Present perspective is expected to open up a new dimension and provide an avenue for deep insights into the distal C(sp³)–H functionalizations that could be applied routinely in various pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.

Transition metal catalyzed C(sp³)–H functionalization is a rapidly growing field.     

Synthesis, characterization, and electrocatalytic activity of PtPb nanoparticles prepared by two synthetic approaches

Intermetallic PtPb nanoparticles have been synthesized by two solution-phase reduction methods. In the first (PtPb-B), Pt and Pb salts were reduced by sodium borohydride in methanol at room temperature. In the second (PtPb-N), metal-organic Pt and Pb precursors were reduced by sodium naphthalide in diglyme at 135 degrees C. Both methods produced small agglomerated nanoparticles of the ordered intermetallic PtPb (mean crystal domain size <15 nm) which were characterized by pXRD, SEM, UHV-STEM, BET, EDX, and electron diffraction. The electrocatalytic activity of PtPb nanoparticles produced by both methods toward formic acid and methanol oxidation was investigated and compared to Pt and PtRu. Both PtPb-B and PtPb-N nanoparticles exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity compared to commercially available Pt black and PtRu nanoparticles. For formic acid oxidation, the PtPb nanoparticles exhibited considerably lower onset potentials and higher current densities than Pt or PtRu. For methanol oxidation, the PtPb nanoparticles had onset potentials slightly positive of PtRu but exhibited higher current densities at potentials about 100 mV positive of onset. The general applicability of these methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles of ordered intermetallic phases is discussed.