Resorcinarenes as templates: a general strategy for the synthesis of large macrocycles

The concept that resorcinarenes can be used as templates for the synthesis of large macrocycles is introduced. By way of example, previously inaccessible, aromatic crown ethers compounds are synthesized.     

Cobalt-mediated regio- and stereoselective assembly of dienamides by hydroaminative alkyne coupling of alpha,omega-diynes

In the presence of CpCo(C(2)H(4))(2), alpha,omega-diynes undergo hydroaminative coupling with amides to furnish new dienamides with control of regio- and stereochemistry.     

Selective ortho methylation of nitroheteroaryls by vicarious nucleophilic substitution

An efficient and scalable three-step one-pot approach to 6-methyl-5-nitroisoquinoline (1) from inexpensive 5-nitroisoquinoline, utilizing the vicarious nucleophilic substitution (VNS) as a key step, is described. The optimized reaction conditions can be applied to a limited number of other aromatic and heteroaromatic nitro compounds. Attempts to understand the observed selectivity in the VNS step led to the discovery of two new reaction pathways under VNS conditions, one leading to an isoxazole and the other resulting in the formal cyclopropanation of an aromatic nitro compound.