A direct access to multisubstituted 1,3‐dienes by α‐exclusive alkylidenation of crotonic derivatives has been developed. This protocol, mediated by titanium tetrachloride chelation, features excellent regio‐ and stereoselectivity, mild reaction conditions, easy operation and wide substrate scope. Conversions of the derived dienes to other useful molecules were also explored.
An inexpensive ruthenium‐catalyzed direct C–H olefination of aromatic carboxamides with allyl acetate was developed. This external oxidant‐free protocol provided an efficient route for the synthesis of useful trans‐styrene derivatives in high to excellent yields. The olefination reaction exhibited excellent regioselectivities and allowed the presence of a wide range of functional groups, such as OMe, F, Cl, Br, I, CF3, NMe2, as well as NO2.
A copper(I)‐catalyzed, (diacetoxyiodo)benzene [PhI(OAc)2]‐mediated ring‐expansion/thiolactonization of α‐oxo ketene dithioacetals was efficiently realized via azidation of the internal olefinic C−H bond with sodium azide under mild conditions. Sequential amination, ring‐expansion rearrangement, and thiolactonization occurred to form aminated thiolactones in the presence of acetic anhydride as the additive, while only C−H amination to afford the unprotected enamines occurred when using ammonium sulfide as a reducing additive. The in situ generated vinyl azides were confirmed as the reactive intermediates, which were captured by phenylacetylene to produce triazoles. This protocol provides a concise route to thiolactone derivatives and unprotected enamines.
A palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of activated amides with arylboronic acids has been developed via C–N bond cleavage. This approach demonstrated high tolerance to a variety of alkyl, aryl, heterocyclic and vinyl substituents. Unsymmetrical ketones could be achieved in excellent yield under mild conditions with 1% catalyst loadings.
N‐Alkenylated triazolinone ylides were generated through copper‐catalyzed oxy‐N‐alkenylation of triazolopyridines. The mechanistic course of this aerobic tandem reaction has been experimentally elucidated and primary photophysical data of the ylide products are also given.
The first example of a nickel‐catalyzed C–H trifluoromethylation of electron‐rich heteroarenes, including imidazopyridines, indoles and thiophenes, has been developed with the commercially available and relatively inexpensive industrial raw material iodotrifluoromethane (CF3I) as the trifluoromethylating reagent. The synthetic potential of this method is demonstrated by its successful application to the direct trifluoromethylation of the biologically active molecules melatonin and zolmitriptan.
A copper‐catalyzed three‐component (arenes, iodohydrocarbon, and sulfur powder) synthesis of substituted aryl sulfides has been developed. Water is used as the green solvent in a simple and environmentally friendly procedure. Various functional groups attached to the substrates were well tolerated in this process to afford the corresponding products in moderate to good yields.
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.
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.
A copper‐catalyzed new domino reaction allowed the facile and direct construction of the dibenzo‐fused azepinone ring leading to an array of novel small molecules. The co‐catalyst, ligand or additive free one‐pot method afforded a unique class of functionalized derivatives, one of which showed encouraging PDE4 inhibition in vitro and apoptosis in vivo.
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.
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.
The formation of an amide bond via incorporation of two isocyanide units during a palladium‐catalyzed construction of the indoloquinoline ring afforded N‐substituted 6H‐indolo[2,3‐b]quinoline‐11‐carboxamides as new cytotoxic agents. The solvent and base play a key role in the selective and unprecedented synthesis of this class of amides.
Cobalt‐catalyzed C−H amination of arenes with alkylamines by the assistance of 8‐aminoquinoline as auxiliary through sp2 C−H bond functionalization has been achieved. Attractive features of this protocol include the low loading of the cobalt catalyst and the readily available reagents.
Aryl carbamates were for the first time applied as electrophiles in the cross‐coupling with arylsilanes via nickel or iron catalysis to construct valuable biaryl compounds. This new coupling reaction features a good group tolerance and non‐sensitivity to steric hindrance on both aryl carbamates and arylsilanes.
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.
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.
The nickel‐catalyzed borylation of aryl 2‐pyridyl ethers via the loss of a 2‐pyridyloxy group is described. This method allows a 2‐pyridyloxy group to be used as a convertible directing group in C−H bond functionalization reactions. The nickel catalyst can also borylate arylmethyl 2‐pyridyl ethers, in which the stereochemistry at the benzylic position is retained in the case of chiral secondary benzylic substrates.
The first copper(I)‐catalyzed asymmetric 1,3‐dipolar [3+4] cycloaddition of nitrones with azoalkenes has been developed, affording a variety of biologically important 1,2,4,5‐oxatriazepane derivatives in good yields with exclusive regioselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities.
The first highly enantioselective intramolecular N−H bond insertion was realized by using copper catalysts modified with chiral spirobisoxazoline ligands, which provides a novel strategy for the synthesis of chiral 2‐carboxytetrahydroquinolines. This reaction features fast reaction rate, high yield, high enantioselectivity, and mild reaction conditions.
