Rhodium‐Catalyzed Bis‐Hydroaminomethylation of Linear Aliphatic Alkenes with Piperazine

An efficient protocol was developed to prepare a series of dialkylpiperazines via Rh‐catalyzed bis‐hydroaminomethylation of linear aliphatic alkenes with piperazine. The well‐known Rh/Biphephos catalytic system was applied, yielding the desired dialkylpiperazines within six tandem catalytic steps, already at low catalyst loadings of 0.1 mol%. For the model alkene 1‐octene, good yields and linearities of 80% and 77:23, respectively, were achieved under optimized conditions. Influences on the catalytic system regarding n/iso ratio, possible side reactions and the reaction path are discussed on the basis of yield vs. time plots and parameter optimization. With the developed general protocol, other linear, functionalized and branched substrates were effectively transformed to the corresponding linear N,N‐disubstituted piperazines.

     

A Ruthenium Complex‐Catalyzed Cyclotrimerization of Halodiynes with Nitriles. Synthesis of 2‐ and 3‐Halopyridines

Monohalo‐ and dihalodiynes efficiently undergo [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization with nitriles in the presence of a catalytic amount of the ruthenium complex Cp*RuCl(cod) (10 mol%) to afford the corresponding halopyridines under ambient conditions in good isolated yields (up to 90%). The halopyridines are formed as two separable regioisomers. This is the first example of a direct synthesis of halopyridines from haloalkynes and nitriles.

     

Isomerizing hydroformylation of fatty acid esters: Formation of ω‐aldehydes

The isomerizing hydroformylation of fatty acid esters to oleochemicals with an additional ω‐standing aldehyde group can be performed at a relatively low temperature of 115 °C and a synthesis gas pressure of 20 bar. In the case of oleic acid ester, the best yield of linear aldehyde is 26%; in the case of linoleic acid ester, it is 34%. For both fatty compounds, a strong hydrogenation side reaction is observed, which can be explained by a steering effect of the ester group. The ester function of the fatty compounds makes hydroformylation in the surrounding area of this group impossible. Reactions with the model substances ethyl crotonate and ethyl sorbate showed that hydrogenation predominates, leading to the corresponding saturated compounds.     

Isomerization of fatty acids during deodorization and physical refining — stripping with nitrogen

A gas-liquid chromatography study has been carried out on the methyl esters of trans fatty acids formed by isomerization of the corresponding cis fatty acids during the deodorization of olive, soybean, and sunflower oils. The results expressed as molar fraction are coherent. They enable comparison of the behaviour of the unsaturated fatty acids of several oils in this type of isomerization during this process, using nitrogen as stripping gas.     

Ruthenium carbonyl-complex catalyzed hydroaminomethylation of olefins with carbon dioxide and amines

Use of carbon dioxide as a reactant instead of toxic carbon monoxide in the hydroaminomethylation reaction sequence is demonstrated for the first time. The present Ru₃(CO)₁₂-catalyzed one-pot protocol includes reverse-water–gas-shift (RWGS) reaction, hydroformylation reaction and reductive amination which finally leads to secondary and tertiary amine. The influence of various reaction parameters including the effects of catalytic promotors and phase-transfer-catalysts has been investigated. Finally, an optimum reaction conditions were found by suppressing the major side products to have a variety of amines in excellent yields (up to 98%).     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Addition of α‐Keto Acid Chlorides with Terminal Alkynes

The addition reaction of α‐keto acid chlorides with terminal alkynes proceeds in the presence of (acetylacetonato)dicarbonylrhodium used as catalyst to afford synthetically versatile (Z)‐γ‐chloro‐α‐oxo‐β,γ‐unsaturated ketones regio‐ and stereoselectively.     

Platinum‐Catalyzed Divergent Reactivity of α‐Hydroxyallenes: Synthesis of Dihydrofurans and α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

α‐Allenols were catalytically transformed into dihydrofurans in the presence of platinum dichloride. Notably, using platinum dichloride along with silver triflate as the catalytic system, α,β‐unsaturated ketones were obtained. Therefore, the role of the silver salt may not just consist in the activation of the platinum precatalyst.

     

Synthesis of Spiro[piperidine‐3,3′‐oxindoles] via Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Dearomatization of N‐Propargyl‐ and N‐Homoallenyl‐2‐bromotryptamines

N‐Propargyl‐ and N‐homoallenyl‐2‐bromo‐β‐tryptamines undergo gold(I)‐catalyzed dearomatizing cyclizations to afford 2‐bromospiroindolenines that are in situ hydrolyzed to furnish spirooxindoles in a one‐pot process. Tryptophane derivatives (R²=CO₂Et) led upon cyclization to chiral spirooxindoles in excellent diastereoselectivities.

     

Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Carboaminations of Allenes by N‐Allyltetrahydro‐β‐carbolines: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

N‐Allyltetrahydro‐β‐carbolines bearing a pendant allene undergo unprecedented gold(I)‐catalyzed cyclizations proceeding with an allyl migration from the nitrogen to the allene moiety. The initial product of the gold‐catalyzed cyclization evolves either via isomerization or Cope rearrangement, leading to different scaffolds. Density function theory (DFT) calculations established that the allyl migration occurs in an asynchronous suprafacial manner.

     

Copper‐Catalyzed Trifluoromethylation of Aliphatic N‐Arylhydrazones: A Concise Synthetic Entry to 2‐Trifluoromethylindoles from Simple Aldehydes

The copper‐catalyzed C(sp²) H trifluoromethylation of N,N‐disubstituted hydrazones using the Togni reagent is demonstrated to proceed efficiently for aliphatic aldehyde‐derived substrates. The success of the reactions relied on the choice of the N,N‐diphenylamino group as the terminal hydrazone amino group where N,N‐dialkylamino groups were preferred for (hetero)aromatic aldehyde‐derived substrates. In addition, the trifluoromethylated N‐arylhydrazones are shown to be ideal substrates for Fischer indole synthesis allowing a straightforward, three‐step access to 2‐trifluoromethylindole derivatives from simple aldehydes.

     

[2+2+2]‐Cyclotrimerization of 1‐Cyclopropyl‐1,6‐diynes with Alkynes: Formation of Cyclopropylarenes.

Cyclotrimerization of 1‐cyclopropyl‐1,6‐diynes with various terminal alkynes was tested under catalytic conditions using rhodium and ruthenium catalysts. We observed that the regioselectivity of the reaction, that is, formation of 1,2‐ or 1,3‐regioisomers, was opposite for the two metals. For the ruthenium complex [Cp*Ru(cod)Cl]‐catalyzed reactions the yields were in many cases high with a strong preference for the formation of 1,3‐substituted regioisomers. In the case of catalysis by the rhodium complex [RhCl(PPh₃)₃], 1,2‐substituted products were generally preferred, albeit the selectivity was often modest. However, by changing the ligand environment around the central rhodium atom the regioselectivity as well as yields of the products were significantly improved. For example, by using a combination of the rhodium complex [Rh(cod)₂BF₄] and 1,4‐bis(diphenylphosphino)butane the regioselectivity was changed from 1:1 to 1:12 in favor of the 1,2‐regioisomer. This catalytic system was also applied for synthesis of a substituted 4‐cyclopropyl‐3‐hydroisobenzofuran‐1‐one that could serve as a potential intermediate for preparation of antihypertensive agents.

     

Progress in the Palladium‐Catalyzed α‐Arylation of Ketones with Chloroarenes

Non‐ and deactivated chloroarenes can be coupled with a wide range of ketones to yield the corresponding arylmethyl ketones in good to excellent yields using a palladium(II) acetate/n‐BuPAd₂ catalyst system. Depending on the ketone, the chloroarene/ketone ratio and the base, mono or diarylation can be effected selectively.     

Anaerobic Palladium‐Catalyzed Chemoselective Oxidation of Allylic and Benzylic Alcohols with α‐Bromo Sulfoxide as a Co‐oxidant

A chemoselective palladium‐catalyzed anaerobic oxidation of allylic and benzylic alcohols using an α‐bromo sulfoxide as a co‐oxidant is described for the first time. The catalyst system is simple and has a long life because of the allowance of phosphane ligands under the non‐aerobic conditions. The advantages of the described method include no overoxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids because of the mild conditions applied, the tolerance of oxygen‐sensitive functionalities such as a carbon‐carbon double bond, an organothio group, or a diorganoamino group and the effective preparation of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, resulting from the oxidation of primary and secondary allylic alcohols, since a competitive Heck reaction with the co‐oxidant does not occur.     

A Study of Two Highly Active,Air‐Stable Iron(III)‐μ‐Oxo Precatalysts: Synthetic Scope of Hydrophosphination using Phenyl‐ and Diphenylphosphine

The importance of phosphines in synthetic chemistry cannot be underestimated. Catalytic hydrophosphination offers an ideal method to prepare P−C bonds without the need for harsh reaction conditions or stoichiometric amounts of waste by‐product. We herein report our studies into two biocompatible iron(III) complexes in hydrophosphination chemistry using diphenylphosphine under mild and benign reaction conditions (room temperature, solvent‐free) and our extended exploration of hydrophosphination with phenylphosphine, which can be tuned to operate in the absence of catalyst under thermal conditions for single hydrophosphination or solvent‐free with an iron(III) precatalyst to generate the products of double hydrophosphination.

     

Organo‐ and Iron(0) Catalysis for an Enantioselective Michael Addition–Hemiketalization–Fragmentation Sequence to Protected ω‐Hydroxy‐nitroketones

By combining an organocatalyzed Michael addition of 1,3‐diketones to hydroxy‐nitroolefins with a subsequent, innovative iron(0)‐catalyzed fragmentation, key enantioenriched ketones possessing additional nitro and protected alcohol functions could efficiently be prepared under excellent enantiocontrol (typically 95% ee). The reaction was made possible by the discovery that photochemical activation of iron pentacarbonyl [Fe(CO)₅], a cheap widely available complex, efficiently catalyzed a Claisen‐type fragmentation under mild conditions, avoiding decomposition of the intermediates and products.

     

Mild and Functional Group Tolerant Method for Tandem Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbocyclization–Coupling of ε‐Acetylenic β‐Ketoesters with Aryl Bromides and Chlorides

We report a new protocol for the annulative difunctionalization of acetylenes via tandem carbocyclization–coupling of ε‐acetylenic β‐ketoesters with aryl and heteroaryl bromides and chlorides catalyzed by the palladium species derived from an air‐ and moisture‐stable palladacyclic precatalyst. In the tandem process, the palladium complex combines appropriate carbophilic Lewis acidity and redox activity to catalyze two mechanistically distinct reactions ‐ nucleophilic addition of the enolate to unactivated alkyne, followed by C C coupling. We found that a broad range of electronically varied aryl and heteroaryl bromides and chlorides underwent this reaction with various ε‐acetylenic β‐ketoesters, providing corresponding substituted vinylidenecyclopentanes in high yield with excellent functional group tolerance.