Palladium-catalyzed hydroxycarbonylation of aryl and vinyl halides or triflates by acetic anhydride and formate anions

[reaction: see text] The palladium-catalyzed reaction of aryl and vinyl halides or triflates in the presence of acetic anhydride and lithium formate as a condensed source of carbon monoxide provides an efficient simple route to the synthesis of the corresponding carboxylic acids. The reaction proceeds very smoothly under mild conditions and tolerates a wide range of functional groups, including ether, ketone, ester, and nitro groups. The presence of ortho substituents does not hamper the reaction. Labeled carbonyl products can be easily prepared by using H(13)COONa.     

Synthesis of 4-Substituted-1,2-Dihydroquinolines by Means of Gold-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroarylation Reaction of N-Ethoxycarbonyl-N-Propargylanilines

An alternative Au(I)-catalyzed synthetic route to functionalized 1,2-dihydroquinolines is reported. This novel approach is based on the use of N-ethoxycarbonyl protected-N-propargylanilines as building blocks that rapidly undergo the IMHA reaction affording the 6-endo cyclization product in good to high yields. In the presence of N-ethoxycarbonyl-N-propargyl-meta-substituted anilines, the regiodivergent cyclization at the ortho-/para-position is achieved by the means of catalyst fine tuning.     

Dimethyl carbonate: an environmentally friendly solvent for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)/methyltrioxorhenium (CH3ReO3, MTO) catalytic oxidations

Environmentally friendly oxidations of various organic compounds with the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)/methyltrioxorhenium (CH₃ReO₃, MTO) catalytic system have been described in dimethyl carbonate (DMC), a cheap commercially available and benign chemical having interesting solvating properties, low toxicity and high biodegradability. Oxidations proceeded with good conversions and in good yields. Spectrophotometric analysis demonstrated that the [CH₃ReO(O-O)₂] complex was formed in DMC and that it was stable for several days at room temperature.     

Oxidation of aromatic aldehydes and ketones by H2O2/CH3ReO3 in ionic liquids: a catalytic efficient reaction to achieve dihydric phenols

A convenient and efficient application of hydrogen peroxide/methyltrioxorhenium in ionic liquids [bmim]BF₄ and [bmim]PF₆ for the oxidation of hydroxylated and methoxylated benzaldehydes and acetophenones to the corresponding phenols is described. Good yields of products were obtained in short reaction times.     

2,5,7-Trisubstituted benzo[b]furans through a copper- and/or palladium-catalyzed assembly and functionalization process

A straightforward approach to the synthesis of 2,5,7-trisubstituted benzo[b]furans from 2-bromo- and 2-chloro-6-iodo-4-substituted phenols through a consecutive copper- and/or palladium-catalyzed assembly and functionalization process is described. Functionalization at the C(7) position is carried out by Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling and C-N bond forming reactions.     

Electronic properties of mononuclear, dinuclear, and polynuclear cobaltacarboranes: electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical studies

Electronic interactions and metal-metal communication in a wide range of cobaltacarborane-hydrocarbon complexes containing one to six metal centers, and exhibiting a variety of modes of inter-cage connectivity and molecular architectures, have been investigated via cyclic voltammetry, controlled potential coulometry, and UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry. The properties of mixed-valent Co(III)/Co(IV) and Co(II)/Co(III) species that are generated on oxidation or reduction of dinuclear and polynuclear Co(III) complexes were examined and classified as Robin-Day Class I (localized), Class II (partially delocalized), or Class III (fully delocalized) systems. The extent of metal-metal communication between metallacarborane cage units is strongly influenced by the type of intercage connection (e.g., cage B-B or Cp-Cp); the vertexes involved (equatorial vs apical); the nature of the linking unit, if any; and the presence of substituents on the carborane cages. In multi-tripledecker complexes where three CpCo(C(2)B(3)H(4))CoCp units are linked through a central triethynyl benzene connector, the data suggest that Co-Co electronic communication is extensive (Class III) within individual sandwich units while intersandwich delocalization is weak or absent. An extended Hückel study of CpCoC(2)B(4)H(6) double-decker and CpCo(C(2)B(3)H(5))CoCp triple-decker sandwich model complexes shows significant differences in the orbital contributions involved in the HOMO and LUMO of the former vs the latter type. The calculations afford additional insight into the electronic structures and properties of these systems as elucidated by the experimental studies.     

Sequential alkylation/cyclization/isomerization of ethyl 3-(o-trifluoroacetamidoaryl)-1-propargylic esters: a new route to 2-acyl- and 2-ethoxycarbonyl-3-alkenyl indoles

The reaction of ethyl 3-(o-trifluoroacetamidoaryl)-1-propargylic esters with ethyl iodoacetate or α-bromoacetophenone in the presence of K₂CO₃ in DMSO provides a new simple access to 2-acyl- and 2-ethoxycarbonyl-3-alkenyl indoles.