A novel iron‐catalyzed direct alkylamination reaction of phenols has been achieved with O‐benzoyl‐N‐alkylhydroxylamines as aminating agents. This protocol provides a facile access to N‐alkyl‐substituted aminophenols though a radical reaction from phenols. The catalytic direct alkylamination operates at room temperature without the need of any ligands and additives to afford the desired products with excellent regioselectivity and functional group tolerance.
An enantioselective hydroxyalkylation of indoles and 7‐azaindole with trifluoromethyl ketones was found to be effectively promoted under high‐pressure conditions with a low loading of Cinchona alkaloids (e.g., 1–3 mol% of cinchonidine). Chiral tertiary alcohols containing a trifluoromethyl group were obtained at 9 kbar with good yield and enantioselectivity up to 89%, whereas usually merely traces of products were detected at atmospheric pressure.
A mild Heck reaction of aryl iodides and olefins was realized by the cooperation of a palladium and a photoredox catalyst under the irradiation of visible light. This protocol works well to synthesize stilbenes with high Z/E ratios and (E)‐cinnamates in the absence of ligands at ambient temperature. Control experiments revealed that palladium salt, visible light and photoredox catalyst were all crucial for the achievement of this cross‐coupling under mild conditions.
We have developed a conceptually and methodologically novel self‐assembled multilayer nickel nanoparticle (NP) catalyst – sulfur‐modified gold‐supported Ni NPs (SANi) – for organic synthesis. The SANi catalyst was easily prepared through a three‐step procedure involving simultaneous in situ metal NP and nanospace organization. This unique method does not require any conventional preformed template for immobilizing and stabilizing NPs. SANi catalyzes carbon‐carbon bond‐forming cross‐coupling, Kumada coupling, and Negishi coupling reactions under ligand‐free conditions and can be used repeatedly for these reactions. Physical analysis of SANi showed that the active species in these reactions are self‐assembled multilayer zerovalent Ni NPs with a size of ∼3 nm.
An efficient ligand‐free copper‐manganese (Cu‐Mn) spinel oxide‐catalyzed direct tandem C−H oxygenation and N‐arylation of benzylamines has been developed. The method has been utilized for the synthesis of medicinally important 2‐arylquinazolin‐4(3H)‐ones. Salient features of this method include recyclable catalyst, no ligand, excellent product yields, shorter reaction times and a broad substrate scope.
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.
The acyloxy group of 2‐acyloxy‐2H‐azirines has been displaced by carboxylic acids to generate the corresponding 2‐acyloxy‐2H‐azirines by using potassium iodide as a promotor. This metal‐free method can be performed with a wide scope of substrates readily generating products in moderate to high yields. It also represents an example of nucleophilic substitution between esters and carboxylic acids under metal‐free reaction conditions for the first time.
A palladium‐catalyzed domino strategy has been developed for the synthesis of 2,3‐disubstituted benzofuran derivatives. This cascade reaction sequence involves intermolecular carbopalladation and C(sp3)−H functionalization followed by isomerization.
A highly efficient chiral N,N′‐dioxide‐zinc(II) complex catalytic system has been developed for the enantioselective aza‐Friedel–Crafts reaction of isatin‐derived ketimines with indoles. A series of enantiomerically enriched 3‐indolyl‐3‐aminooxindoles containing a tetrasubstituted stereocenter were obtained in up to 99% yield with up to 96% ee. Furthermore, control experiments provide a fundamental sight into the mechanism of the reaction.
N‐Tosylhydrazone‐yne‐ene substrates are satisfactorily prepared and their cyclization under rhodium catalysis is evaluated. A cascade process involving rhodium vinyl carbene formation – through carbene/alkyne metathesis – and cyclopropanation has been developed to stereoselectively afford vinylcyclopropanes.
Chiral 1,2‐diamines are privileged structural motifs in organocatalysis, whereas efficient 1,3‐diamine‐derived organocatalysts are very rare. Herein we report a highly efficient camphor‐1,3‐diamine‐derived squaramide organocatalyst. Its catalytic activity in Michael additions of 1,3‐dicarbonyl nucleophiles to trans‐β‐nitrostyrene derivatives provides excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee).
A new copper‐catalyzed, efficient method for the synthesis of heterodiarylmethanes through the coupling of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines with indoles employing N,N‐dimethylformamide as a methylenating reagent has been developed. A library of 3‐(1H‐indol‐3‐ylmethyl)‐imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine derivatives has been synthesized under aerobic reaction conditions. This protocol is also applicable for the synthesis of (4‐imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridin‐3‐ylmethyl)(phenyl)dimethylamines. The method is highly selective for the hetero‐coupling.
A novel and facile iron‐catalyzed tandem annulation of o‐phenylenediamines and diazocarbonyls in water for the construction of polyfunctionalized quinoxalines has been developed. The key strategy includes the one‐pot domino N−H insertion, cyclization, and oxidation reactions. This protocol offers a safe and mild synthetic approach to access a variety of quinoxaline derivatives in high yields. This methodology also allows the formation of biologically interesting pyrazines and benzoquinoxalines.
A cobalt‐catalyzed regioselective C‐3 alkylation of coumarins was realized under mild reaction conditions, during which a variety of substituted coumarins including those containing sensitive functional groups could smoothly undergo the selective C(sp2)−C(sp3) bond formation with a series of cyclic or straight‐chain alkyl ethers.
So far, the direct C−H alkenylation of aromatic nitriles with alkynes has not been achieved. Herein, we discribe the first manganese‐catalyzed C−H alkenylation of aromatic N−H imidates to access mono‐alkenylated aromatic nitriles. The reaction is accelerated by the presence of a catalytic amount of sodium pivalate. This protocol is also highlighted by the simple catalytic system, good compatibility of functional groups, and excellent mono‐/dialkenylation selectivity as well as E/Z stereoselectivity.
2,2‐Difluoro‐1,3‐diketones are introduced as gem‐difluoroenolate precursors for the first example of an organocatalytic asymmetric aldol addition with N‐benzylisatins to form 3‐difluoroalkyl‐3‐hydroxyoxindoles.
Quinolin‐2(1H)‐ones are important chemicals with various applications in pharmaceuticals. In this communication, we have developed a novel and efficient iridium‐catalyzed carbonylative annulation of simple anilines with internal alkynes for the straightforward synthesis of halogen‐containing quinolin‐2(1H)‐ones. The reaction proceeds without preactivation and directing groups through direct N–H and C–H bond activation with a broad substrate scope and high efficiency. Halogen functional groups can be well tolerated here. Remarkably, this is the first example of an iridium‐catalyzed carbonylative C–H activation of anilines.
An iron(III)‐catalyzed C‐3 functionalization of flavones has been achieved using tert‐butyl peroxybenzoate (TBPB)/potassium persulphate (K2S2O8) oxidant combinations with a suitable solvent. In the presence of iron(III)/tert‐butyl peroxybenzoate/potassium persulphate, the reaction of flavones in cycloalkanes afforded exclusive C‐3 cycloalkylation via C –C coupling, whereas the solvent N,N‐dialkylformamide provided C‐3 amidation via C –C coupling. Under identical reaction conditions just by switching the solvent to chlorobenzene, C‐3 methylated flavones were obtained where tert‐butyl peroxybenzoate (TBPB) served as the source of the methyl group.
We have achieved a rare‐metal‐free photo‐aerobic intramolecular dehydrogenative coupling reaction from two C—H bonds of indole with malonate. This catalytic system proceeded at room temperature under visible light irradiation with oxygen in the air as a terminal oxidant, and the cyclization products were obtained in good to excellent yields.
An efficient rhodium(III)‐catalyzed vinylic sp2 C–H bond activation of 7‐azaindoles with alkynes is reported, leading to the controlled synthesis of stereodefined diene and fused polycyclic heteroarene products. The novel strategy for the synthesis of diverse coupling products was controlled by the reaction conditions and the substitutions on the vinyl group.
