Copper(II)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Intramolecular Cyclization of N-Alkenylureas

Copper-Catalyzed Intramolecular Oxidative Amination of Unactivated Internal Alkenes

A copper-catalyzed oxidative amination of unactivated internal alkenes has been developed. The Wacker-type oxidative alkene amination reaction is traditionally catalyzed by a palladium through a mechanism involving aminopalladation and β-hydride elimination. Replacing the precious and scarce palladium with a cheap and abundant copper for this transformation has been challenging because of the difficulty associated with the aminocupration of internal alkenes. The combination of a simple copper salt, without additional ligand, as the catalyst and Dess-Martin periodinane as the oxidant, promotes efficiently the oxidative amination of allylic carbamates and ureas bearing di- and trisubstituted alkenes leading to oxazolidinones and imidazolidinones. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggested a hybrid radical-organometallic mechanism involving an amidyl radical cyclization to form the key C-N bond.

Copper-catalyzed oxidative carbon–heteroatom bond formation: a recent update

This review updates recent advances in Cu-catalyzed (anaerobic) oxidative carbon–heteroatom bond formation on sp³- and sp²-C–H bonds as well as alkenes, classified according to the types of stoichiometric oxidants.

Highly efficient nitrogen chelated ruthenium carbene metathesis catalysts

Highly efficient nitrogen chelated ruthenium carbene metathesis catalysts containing an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and a carbonyl group have been developed.

Catalyst-Controlled Amino- versus Oxy-Acetoxylation of Urea-Tethered Alkenes: Efficient Synthesis of Cyclic Ureas and Isoureas

A catalyst-controlled vicinal amino- versus oxy-acetoxylation of alkenes with PhI(OAc)2 as the oxidant is described. The divergent synthesis of cyclic ureas and isoureas was achieved in good yields under mild conditions employing ambident urea nucleophiles. Both terminal and internal alkenes are compatible with this reaction protocol.

Copper-catalyzed diamination of unactivated alkenes with hydroxylamines

A copper-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective diamination of unactivated alkenes has been developed with O-acylhydroxylamines as electrophilic nitrogen sources and oxidants. This method provides the first example of metal-catalyzed alkene diamination for directly installing an electron-rich amino group and extends the diamination scope for the synthesis of diverse 1,2-diamines. It offers a rapid and efficient approach to construct a wide range of 1,2-diamines that are an important structural motif in organic synthesis, medicines, catalysts and ligands.