Recent topics on catalytic transformations of aromatic molecules via η6-arene transition metal complexes

The π-complexation of an arene to a transition metal center delivers many useful reactivities to the arene moiety. Although synthetic methodologies that take advantage of such π-coordination have mostly been developed as stoichiometric processes, there have been considerable recent advances in the catalytic transformations of aromatic molecules through their activation in the form of transition metal η⁶-arene complexes. These advances include the π-coordination catalyzed transformations of aryl-heteroatom and side-chain CH and CC bonds and the palladium-catalyzed CH functionalization in pre-formed transition metal η⁶-arene complexes. This digest paper aims to provide a concise view of these recent advances in the area of transition metal η⁶-arene complexes.     

Intra‐ and intermolecular amidation of C?C unsaturated bonds through palladium‐catalyzed reactions of carbamoyl derivatives

Toward concise access to functionalized amides and lactams, palladium‐catalyzed amidations of alkynes and alkenes with formamide derivatives were developed. Cyanoformamides having an alkynyl group were found to undergo intermolecular cyanoamidation in the presence of palladium catalyst to afford α‐alkylidene lactams. Whereas, when cyanoformamides that possess a 1,1‐disubstituted alkenyl group were used as starting materials, α,α‐disubstituted lactams were obtained. The latter reaction was extended to enantioselective transformation by utilizing optically active phosphoramidites as ligand. Furthermore, chloroformamides having a 1,1,2‐trisubsituted alkenyl group were found to give α‐vinyl‐lactams in the presence of palladium catalyst, base and silver salt. Additionally, formal intermolecular hydroamidation of alkenes was performed through one‐pot hydroboration‐carbamoylation sequence. © 2008 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 8: 386–394; 2008: Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20159     

Concise synthesis of the CDE ring system of tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids using carbophilic Lewis acid-catalyzed hydroamidation and oxidative Friedel-Crafts cyclization

A concise synthesis of the CDE ring system of the tetrahydroisoquinoline antitumor alkaloids such as saframycins, renieramycins, and ecteinascidins has been developed. Both Au(I)-catalyzed intramolecular hydroamidation of alkynylamide and NBS-mediated oxidative Friedel-Crafts cyclization of the resulting 2-ketopiperazine were utilized as key reactions.     

Membrane potential across reverse osmosis membranes under pressure gradient

Membrane potential measurement has been widely used for the characterization of ionic membranes such as ion-exchange membranes without solvent permeability. However, there have been few studies on membrane potentials across pressure-driven processes such as reverse osmosis (RO) membranes with solvent permeability. In the present study, the membrane potential across RO membranes in NaCl and MgCl2 under the pressure gradient, DeltaP=0-0.3 MPa, was measured. The experimental results were analyzed by the theoretical model based on the Donnan equilibrium and the extended Nernst-Planck flux equation considering the pressure effect. The theoretical values agreed well with the experimental ones. This indicates that membrane potential is useful for characterizing the effective charge density of the active layer of RO membranes under pressure gradient.     

One-pot amidation of olefins through Pd-catalyzed coupling of alkylboranes and carbamoyl chlorides

A one-pot synthesis of C1-elongated amides starting from olefins and carbamoyl chlorides has been developed. Alkylboranes, generated by hydroboration of terminal olefins with 9-BBN-H, underwent smooth coupling with carbamoyl chlorides in the presence of palladium catalyst and Cs2CO3.     

Synthesis of helicenes utilizing palladium-catalyzed double C-H arylation reaction

[5]- and [6]helicenes were synthesized in moderate to good yields from Z,Z-bis(bromostilbene)s by palladium-catalyzed double C-H arylation reaction. This method can be applied to the syntheses of helicenes possessing electron-deficient substituents.     

Synthesis of chiral oxime ethers based on regio- and enantioselective allylic substitution catalyzed by iridium-pybox complex

The oxygen atom of oximes acts as a reactive nucleophile in the iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution of unsymmetrical substrates to give the branched oxime ethers. Among several chiral ligands evaluated, the iridium complex of pybox ligand having phenyl group catalyzed the allylic substitution of phosphates with high activity to form the branched oxime ethers with good enantioselectivities.