Access to benzo-fused nine-membered heterocyclic alkenes with a trifluoromethyl carbinol moiety via a double decarboxylative formal ring-expansion process under palladium catalysis

Palladium-catalyzed stereoselective (3 + 2) cycloaddition of vinylethylene carbonates with cyclic N-sulfonyl ketimines

A diastereoselective (3 + 2) cycloaddition of N-sulfonyl ketimines with vinylethylene carbonates (VECs) in the presence of Pd2dba3·CHCl3 and PPh3 has been developed. The reaction of various substituted VECs and diverse cyclic N-sulfonyl ketimines proceeded smoothly under mild conditions, giving highly functionalized oxazolidine frameworks in good to excellent yields with moderate to good diastereoselectivities. With the use of spiroketal-based diphosphine SKP as a chiral ligand, an asymmetric version of the current (3 + 2) cycloaddition was achieved, and chiral products were obtained in >99% ee in most cases.

Pd/LA-catalyzed decarboxylation enabled exclusive [5 + 2] annulation toward N-aryl azepanes and DFT insights

A practical approach towards the synthesis of non-fused N-aryl azepane derivatives with diversity is described. DFT calculations revealed the origins of this unusual exclusive [5 + 2] rather than empirical [3 + 2] annulation process.

Enantioselective total synthesis of furofuran lignans via Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic cycloadditon of vinylethylene carbonates with 2-nitroacrylates

Herein, a practical and efficient approach to tetrahydrofurans with three-stereocenters has been developed through Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic cycloaddition of vinylethylene carbonates (VECs) with 2-nitroacrylates under mild conditions. By using this asymmetric catalytic reaction as a key step, several furofuran lignans with stereodivergency have been effectively synthesized through 5- or 6-step sequences from readily available starting materials.

Diastereoselective synthesis of CF3-dihydrobenzofurans by [4+1] annulation of in situ-generated CF3-o-quinone methides and sulfur ylides

An efficient and highly diastereoselective synthesis of CF₃-dihydrobenzofurans by the reaction of in situ-generated CF₃-oQMs in the presence of a base with sulphur ylides is put forward. The generality of the present developed method was well studied with diverse substrates to access the corresponding products in excellent yields. The highly reactive CF₃-oQM has been utilized first time for the annulation reaction.

The first [4 + 1] annulation reaction of in situ-generated highly electrophilic CF₃-ortho-quinone methides with sulphur ylides has been put forth under mild reaction conditions to access CF₃-dihydrobenzofurans.

Divergent Strategy for Diastereocontrolled Synthesis of Small- and Medium-Ring Architectures

Nitrogen and oxygen medium rings, in particular nine-membered rings, epitomize a unique area of chemical space that occurs in many natural products and biologically appealing compounds. The scarcity of 8- to 12-membered rings among clinically approved drugs is indicative of the difficulties associated with their synthesis, principally owing to the unfavorable entropy and transannular strain. We report here a scandium triflate-catalyzed reaction that allows for a modular access to a diverse collection of nine-membered ring heterocycles in a one-pot cascade and with complete diastereocontrol. This cascade features an intramolecular addition of an acyl group-derived enol to a α,β-unsaturated carbonyl moiety, leading to N- and O-derived medium-ring systems. Computational studies using the density functional theory support the proposed mechanism. Additionally, a one-pot cascade leading to hexacyclic chromeno[3',4':2,3]indolizino[8,7-b]indole architectures, with six fused rings and four contiguous chiral centers, is reported. This novel cascade features many concerted events, including the formation of two azomethine ylides, [3 + 2]-cycloaddition, 1,3-sigmatropic rearrangement, Michael addition, and Pictet-Spengler reaction among others. Phenotypic screening of the resulting oxazonine collection identified chemical probes that regulate mitochondrial membrane potential, adenosine 5'-triphosphate contents, and reactive oxygen species levels in hepatoma cells (Hepa1-6), a promising approach for targeting cancer and metabolic disorders.

Diverting β-Hydride Elimination of a π-Allyl PdII Carbene Complex for the Assembly of Disubstituted Indolines via a Highly Diastereoselective (4 + 1)-Cycloaddition

A Pd⁰-catalyzed formal (4 + 1)-cycloaddition approach to 2,3-disubstituted dihydroindoles is described. The diastereoselective formation of dihydroindoles that is highlighted by a carbene migratory insertion/reductive elimination sequence proceeding via a π-allyl Pd^II-species compliments existing methods of indoline assembly.

Asymmetric Synthesis of 3,3'-Tetrahydrofuryl Spirooxindoles via Palladium-Catalyzed [3+2] Cycloadditions of Methyleneindolinones with Vinylethylene Carbonates

A palladium-catalyzed asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of methyleneindolinones with vinylethylene carbonates has been successfully developed, which provides a highly efficient method for the synthesis of structurally diverse 3,3'-tetrahydrofuryl spirooxindoles in high yields (≤99%) with excellent stereoselectivities (>20:1 dr, ≤99% ee). Furthermore, this methodology shows a wide substrate scope and high utility in diversity-oriented synthesis.

Palladium-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Cross-Coupling of Vinylethylene Carbonates with Ketimine Esters to Generate (Z)-Tri- and Tetra-substituted Allylic Amino Acid Derivatives

Herein we report the palladium-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective cross-coupling of vinylethylene carbonates with ketimine esters to construct allylic amino acid scaffolds. This operationally simple protocol furnished (Z)-tri- and tetra-substituted allylic amino acid derivatives in good to excellent yields with distinguished geometric control under mild reaction conditions and proved to be sufficient in large-scale synthesis while retaining excellent reactivity and stereoselectivity, highlighting the practical value of this transformation.

Two Catalytic Annulation Modes via Cu-Allenylidenes with Sulfur Ylides that Are Dominated by the Presence or Absence of Trifluoromethyl Substituents

We disclose the Cu-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of 3-methyl-3-propargyl-indolines, which contain a quaternary stereogenic carbon center, via the decarboxylative [4 + 1] annulation of 4-methyl-4-propargyl-benzoxazinanones with variety of sulfur ylides. The reaction proceeds predominantly through a γ-attack at the Cu-allenylidene intermediates by sulfur ylides to provide the corresponding indolines in good yield and high enantioselectivity (up to 91% ee). In contrast, the reaction of 4-trifluoromethyl-4-propargyl-benzoxazinanones with sulfur ylides delivers 3-trifluoromethyl-2-functionalized indoles in good to high yield via an unexpected α-attack at the Cu-allenylidene intermediates. Control over the α/γ-attack at the Cu-allenylidene intermediates by the same interceptors was achieved for the first time by the use of trifluoromethyl substituents.

Regiodivergent construction of medium-sized heterocycles from vinylethylene carbonates and allylidenemalononitriles

Medium-sized heterocycles exist in a broad spectrum of biologically active natural products and medicinally important synthetic compounds. The construction of medium-sized rings remains challenging, particularly the assembly of different ring sizes from the same type of substrate. Here we report palladium-catalyzed, regiodivergent [5 + 4] and [5 + 2] annulations of vinylethylene carbonates and allylidenemalononitriles. We describe the production of over 50 examples of nine- and seven-membered heterocycles in high isolated yields and excellent regioselectivities. We demonstrate the synthetic utility of this approach by converting a nine-membered ring product to an interesting polycyclic caged molecule via a [2 + 2] transannulation. Mechanistic studies suggest that the [5 + 2] annulation proceeds through palladium-catalyzed ring-opening/re-cyclization from the [5 + 4] adducts.

Here we report palladium-catalyzed, regiodivergent [5 + 4] and [5 + 2] annulations of vinylethylene carbonates and allylidenemalononitriles affording over 50 medium-sized heterocycles in high isolated yields with excellent regioselectivities.

π-Coordinating Chiral Primary Amine/Palladium Synergistic Catalysis for Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation

We report an arene-containing chiral primary amine as a dual aminocatalyst and ligand: the π-coordinating aminocatalyst/palladium synergistic catalysis for asymmetric allylic alkylation of α-branched β-ketocarbonyls. The use of arene-containing chiral primary amine catalyst led to not only enhanced reaction rate but also reversed chiral induction compared with its sterically bulky derivative. Both enantiomers of the allylic adducts bearing acyclic all-carbon quaternary stereocenters could be obtained from the same configured chiral aminocatalysts with high efficiency and excellent regio-, stereo-, and enantioselectivity. Mechanistic studies revealed a distinctive Pd-arene π-coordination mode for effective catalysis. The π-coordinating chiral primary amine catalyst could be successfully applied in the asymmetric allylation reactions of vinylethylene carbonates, vinyl epoxides, or simple allylic alcohols.

Facile access to versatile aza-macrolides through iridium-catalysed cascade allyl-amination/macrolactonization

Direct access to benzo-fused aza-macrolides was successfully realised via the first iridium-catalysed intermolecular decarboxylative couplings of vinylethylene carbonates with isatoic anhydrides under relatively mild conditions.

Palladium-catalyzed enantioselective [5 + 4] annulation of ortho-quinone methides and vinylethylene carbonates

Highly enantioselective [5 + 4] annulations of ortho-quinone methides with vinylethylene carbonates are enabled by asymmetric palladium catalysis for the synthesis of chiral nine-membered benzo-heterocycles.

Palladium-catalysed decarboxylative annulations of vinylethylene carbonates leading to diverse functionalised heterocycles

This review provides an overview of the palladium-catalysed diverse cyclisations of VECs over the past five years, which could offer powerful synthetic tools to access various functionalised heterocycles.

Formal Synthesis of Indolizidine and Quinolizidine Alkaloids from Vinyl Cyclic Carbonates

Cyclic carbonates have long been considered relatively inert molecules acting as protecting groups in complex multistep synthetic routes. This study shows that a concise, yet modular synthesis of indolizidine and quinolizidine alkaloids can be developed from vinyl-substituted cyclic carbonate (VCC) intermediates. Through a highly stereoselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction, these alkaloid motifs can be assembled in four synthetic and only two column purification steps. The combined results help to further advance functionalized cyclic carbonates as useful and reactive intermediates in natural product synthesis.

An Update of Transition Metal-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Transformations of Cyclic Carbonates and Carbamates

Functionalized cyclic organic carbonates and carbamates are frequently used in a number of transition metal-catalyzed decarboxylative reactions for the construction of interesting molecules. These decarboxylative transformations have attracted more and more research attention in recent years mainly due to their advantages of less waste generation and versatile reactivities. On the basis of previous reviews on this hot topic, the present review will focus on the development of transition metal-catalyzed decarboxylative transformations of functionalized cyclic carbonates and carbamates in the last two years.

Gold-Catalyzed Bicyclic Annulations of 2-Alkynylbenzaldehydes with Vinyldiazo Carbonyls that Serve as Five-atom Building Units

This work reports gold-catalyzed bicyclic annulations of 2-alkynyl-1-carbonylbenzenes with vinyldiazo ketones that serve as five-atom building units. The importance of these reactions is to access 4,5-dihydro-benzo[g]indazoles, which form the structural cores of various bioactive molecules. According to our mechanistic analysis, we postulate initial [5+4]-cycloadditions between benzopyrilium intermediates and vinyldiazo ketones, followed by 6-π-electrocyclizations to achieve the excellent stereoselectivity.

Stereoselective Convergent Synthesis of Tetrahydro-5 H-benzo[ c]fluorene via Nine-Membered Ring-Closing Metathesis and Transannular Acid-Mediated Cyclization/Nucleophilic Addition

The diene methyl ethers or acetates, constructed from the Li-Br exchange/addition reactions of 2-vinylbenzaldehydes and 2-(but-3-en-1-yl)bromoarenes followed by etherification or acetylation of the corresponding alcohols, smoothly underwent the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) by using Hoveyda-Grubbs II as a catalyst to provide the corresponding benzannulated ( Z)-cyclononenes as single products in good yields (up to 75%). The ensuing one-pot acid-mediated transannular cyclization/nucleophilic addition at C7 furnished the corresponding tetrahydro-5 H-benzo[ c]fluorenes as single stereoisomers with the exclusive cis stereochemistry at the ring junction (C5-C6) and trans at the site of nucleophilic attack (C6-C7) on the three contiguous stereogenic centers in good to excellent yield (up to 94%). The developed strategy was general; the reaction conditions were compatible with hydride, azide, and electron-rich aromatics as nucleophiles. In addition, various methoxylated benzannulated cyclononene acetates could be employed as substrates. Thus, tetrahydro-5 H-benzo[ c]fluorenes could be prepared in four steps from appropriately substituted bromoarenes and benzaldehydes in good yields (up to 56%) with excellent stereo- and regio-control.

Enantioselective [3 + 2] Cycloaddition Reaction of Ethynylethylene Carbonates with Malononitrile Enabled by Organo/Metal Cooperative Catalysis

The first catalytic asymmetric decarboxylative [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of ethynylethylene carbonates with malononitrile has been developed successfully by an organo/copper cooperative system. This strategy led to a series of optically active polysubstituted dihydrofurans in good yields with high levels of enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield, 97% ee). The presence of the terminal alkynyl and the cyano group in the dihydrofuran products provides a wide scope for further structural transformations. More importantly, this organo/metal cooperative catalytic system will broaden the substrate scope and enable fundamentally new reactions.