A regio‐ and enantioselective copper‐catalyzed 1,4‐conjugate addition of trimethylaluminium to linear δ‐aryl‐substituted α,β,γ,δ‐unsaturated alkyl ketones was developed. A series of γ,δ‐unsaturated alkyl ketones were obtained in good yields with high regio‐ and enantioselectivity (up to 88% ee and 96:4 dr). Expansion of the reaction scope to substrates containing aromatic heterocycles also afforded good yields and enantioselectivities (up to 91% ee) with very high regioselectivities, exclusively providing the single 1,4‐products.
A novel one‐pot reaction which combines halogenation, decarboxylation/desulfonamidation with oxidation has been developed. Diverse valuable 3,3‐dihalo‐2‐oxindole compounds can be produced rapidly and safely with isolated yields of up to 98% under mild conditions.
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.
The synthesis of biologically relevant homophthalimide and 3‐aminoisocoumarin nuclei via palladium‐catalyzed carbonylation of 2‐(2‐iodoaryl)acetamides has been developed. The degree of N‐substitution on the starting amide substrate dictates whether C−N or C−O coupling takes place in the final step of the catalytic cycle giving rise to each type of heterocycle. The introduction of a second C−halogen bond in the starting acetamides allows a catalytic cascade double carbonylation involving a C−H activation step to give fused heterocyclic structures.
Catalyzed by a Cinchona‐based thiourea, the [3+2] cycloadditions of barbiturate‐based olefins with 3‐isothiocyanatooxindoles proceeded readily, and furnished dispirobarbiturates in excellent chemical yields with excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities. The absolute configuration of dispirobarbiturates was firmly confirmed by an X‐ray single crystal structure analysis. A reaction mechanism was proposed to account for the enantioselective formation of dispirobarbiturates.
A domino reaction of palladium(II)‐catalyzed dual C–H functionalization with subsequent intramolecular annulation is presented. This method provides a convenient synthesis of a range of symmetrical and unsymmetrical biologically important (E)‐bisindole‐2‐ones under extremely mild reaction conditions – room temperature, green oxidant and no additive. The reaction mechanism is elucidated in light of the yield values as well as additional control experiment results.
A catalyst‐controlled regiodivergent dehydrogenative Heck reaction of 4‐arylthiophene/furan‐3‐carboxylates has been realized. Use of a palladium catalyst led to the C‐5 alkenylation through electronic palladation, while a ruthenium catalyst favored the C‐2 alkenylation with the assistance of a directing group. This reaction exhibited good to excellent regioselectivities.
A rotor‐stator homogenizer was found to be an effective mixing tool that accelerated solid‐liquid phase‐transfer reactions. In the asymmetric alkylation under phase‐transfer conditions using the homogenizer, a considerably high turnover frequency was observed.
The copper‐catalyzed reaction of 5‐substituted penta‐1,4‐diyn‐3‐yl acetates with P(O)H compounds to efficiently give a new class of phosphonyl diynes is reported. The reaction may take place through a regioselective nucleophilic attack of phosphorus nucleophiles on Cu‐allenylidene intermediates to form allenyl intermediates followed by a rapid allene‐alkyne isomerization process. The synthetic utility of the obtained products is demonstrated.
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‐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.
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.
A new synthetic method for α‐alkynyl‐α,β‐unsaturated esters is presented herein. The method is based on a copper(I)‐catalyzed three‐component reaction of a terminal alkyne, diazoesters and aldehydes. The reaction is featured by mild conditions, high yields and excellent stereoselectivity. Cu(I) carbene migratory insertion is proposed as the key step in the transformation.
A facile method to synthesize 3‐halobenzo‐heterocyclic‐2‐carbonyl compounds is described. Mechanistic studies suggested that a halo‐cyclization process, which generated the unstable spiro‐acetal transition state and readily convertible to the corresponding carbonyl compound might be involved. Diverse 3‐halobenzo‐heterocyclic‐2‐carbonyl compounds could be synthesized with up to 95 % yield in mild conditions with inexpensive starting materials.
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.
4H‐Pyran units are frequently present in molecules with significant biological and pharmaceutical activities. Herein, we present the first enantioselective formal [3+3] cycloaddition between 2‐(1‐alkynyl)‐2‐alken‐1‐ones and β‐keto esters catalyzed by a cyclohexyldiamine‐based thiourea‐tertiary amine bifunctional catalyst. Under the mild and eco‐friendly conditions, a wide range of polysubstituted 4H‐pyrans were obtained in moderate yields with good enantioselectivities.
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.
By the design of suitable starting materials, a silver(I)‐catalyzed epoxide ring‐opening/1,2‐acyl migration/cyclization cascade has been developed, which allowed us to systematically prepare unsymmetrical 3‐formylfurans. Various 3‐formylfurans were prepared in good to excellent yields. In addition, the distinct fluorescence properties of 3‐formylfurans in solution and the solid state are disclosed.
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.
