Tandem au-catalyzed 3,3-rearrangement-[2 + 2] cycloadditions of propargylic esters: expeditious access to highly functionalized 2,3-indoline-fused cyclobutanes

Metal-catalyzed double migratory cascade reactions of propargylic esters and phosphates

Propargylic esters and phosphates are easily accessible substrates, which exhibit rich and tunable reactivities in the presence of transition metal catalysts. π-Acidic metals, mostly gold and platinum salts, activate these substrates for an initial 1,2- or 1,3-acyloxy and phosphatyloxy migration process to form reactive intermediates. These intermediates are able to undergo further cascade reactions leading to a variety of diverse structures. This tutorial review systematically introduces the double migratory reactions of propargylic esters and phosphates as a novel synthetic method, in which further cascade reaction of the reactive intermediate is accompanied by a second migration of a different group, thus offering a rapid route to a wide range of functionalized products. The serendipitous observations, as well as designed approaches involving the double migratory cascade reactions, will be discussed with emphasis placed on the mechanistic aspects and the synthetic utilities of the obtained products.

In situ generation of nucleophilic allenes by the gold-catalyzed rearrangement of propargylic esters for the highly diastereoselective formation of intermolecular C(sp3)-C(sp2) bonds

New perspectives, in particular for the synthesis of isochromane derivatives (see scheme), are provided by the title reaction. Excellent diastereoselectivites are achieved in this reaction which proceeds through a gold-catalyzed 1,3-acyloxy migration. In some cases exclusively the Z isomer is detected.

Rhodium-catalyzed acyloxy migration of propargylic esters in cycloadditions, inspiration from the recent "gold rush"

Transition metal-catalyzed acyloxy migration of propargylic esters offers versatile entries to allene and vinyl carbene intermediates for various fascinating subsequent transformations. Most π-acidic metals (e.g. gold and platinum) are capable of facilitating these acyloxy migration events. However, very few of these processes involve redox chemistry, which are well-known for most other transition metals such as rhodium. The coupling of acyloxy migration of propargylic esters with oxidative addition, migratory insertion, and reductive elimination may lead to ample new opportunities for the design of new reactions. This tutorial review summarizes recent developments in Rh-catalyzed 1,3- and 1,2-acyloxy migration of propargylic esters in a number of cycloaddition reactions. Related Au- and Pt-catalyzed cycloadditions involving acyloxy migration are also discussed.

Gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,7-enyne esters to structurally diverse cis-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridin-4-yl ketones

A synthetic method that relies on gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,7-enyne esters to prepare highly functionalized cis-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridin-4-yl ketone derivatives in good to excellent yields and as a single regio-, diastereo-, and enantiomer is described. By taking advantage of the distinctive differences in the electronic and steric properties between an NHC (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) and phosphine ligand in the respective gold(I) complexes, a divergence in product selectivity was observed. In the presence of [PhCNAuIPr](+)SbF6(-) (IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidine) as the catalyst, tandem 1,3-acyloxy migration/6-exo-trig cyclization/1,5-acyl migration of the substrate was found to selectively occur to give the δ-diketone-substituted 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine adduct. In contrast, reactions with the gold(I) phosphine complex [MeCNAu(JohnPhos)](+)SbF6(-) (JohnPhos = (1,1'-biphenyl-2-yl)-di-tert-butylphosphine) as the catalyst was discovered to result in preferential 1,3-acyloxy migration/6-exo-trig cyclization/hydrolysis of the 1,7-enyne ester and formation of the cis-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridin-4-yl ketone derivative. The utility of this piperidine forming strategy as a synthetic tool that makes use of 1,7-enyne esters was exemplified by its application to the synthesis of an enantiopure analogue of the bioactive 2,3,4,4a,5,9b-hexahydroindeno[1,2-c]pyridine family of compounds.

Rhodium-catalyzed carbonylation of cyclopropyl substituted propargyl esters: a tandem 1,3-acyloxy migration [5 + 1] cycloaddition

We have developed two different types of tandem reactions for the synthesis of highly functionalized cyclohexenones from cyclopropyl substituted propargyl esters. Both reactions were initiated by rhodium-catalyzed Saucy-Marbet 1,3-acyloxy migration. The resulting cyclopropyl substituted allenes derived from acyloxy migration then underwent [5 + 1] cycloaddition with CO. The acyloxy group not only eased the access to allene intermediates but also provided a handle for further selective functionalizations.

Gold-catalyzed cascade cyclizations of 1,6-diynyl carbonates to benzo[b]fluorenes involving arylation of oxocarbenium ion intermediates and decarboxylative etherification

Rearranged: The described gold-catalyzed cycloisomerizations give access to highly substituted benzo[b]fluorenes under mild reaction conditions (see scheme). Experimental results indicate that the in situ formed oxocarbenium ion intermediates, derived from gold-catalyzed 3,3-rearrangement and 6-endo-dig cyclization, undergo intramolecular arylation and subsequent decarboxylative etherification to furnish the final ether products.

Stereocontrolled 1,3-phosphatyloxy and 1,3-halogen migration relay toward highly functionalized 1,3-dienes

A double migratory cascade reaction of α-halogen-substituted propargylic phosphates to produce highly functionalized 1,3-dienes has been developed. This transformation features 1,3-phosphatyloxy group migration followed by 1,3-shifts of bromine and chlorine as well as the unprecedented 1,3-migration of iodine. The reaction is stereodivergent: (Z)-1,3-dienes are formed in the presence of a copper catalyst, whereas gold-catalyzed reactions exhibit inverted stereoselectivity, producing the corresponding E products.