Gold‐Catalyzed Sequential Amination/Annulation Reactions of 2‐Propynyl‐1,3‐dicarbonyl Compounds

Cycloisomerization of π-Coupled Heteroatom Nucleophiles by Gold Catalysis: En Route to Regiochemically Defined Heterocycles

Since the dawn of millennium, catalytic gold chemistry is at the forefront to set off diverse organic reactions via unique activation of π-bonded molecules. Within this purview, cycloisomerization of heteroatom nucleophiles linked to a π-system is one of the well recognized chemistry for the construction of numerous heterocyclic cores. Though the rudimentary aspects of this transformation are reviewed by several groups in different timeline, a holistic view on regiochemistry of such reactions went largely overlooked. Hence, this account emphasizes the gold catalyzed regioselective cycloisomerization of structurally distinctive π-connected hetero-nucleophiles leading to different heterocycles documented in the last two decades. From an application perspective, this account also highlights those methodologies which find a role in the total synthesis of natural products. Wherever appropriate, mechanistic details and contributing factors for selectivity are also discussed.

Synthesis of 2,3-Ring Fused Pyrroles via Cu-Catalyzed 5-exo-dig Annulation of Alkyne-Tethered Enaminones

A copper-catalyzed annulation of alkyne-tethered enaminones for the synthesis of 2,3-ring fused pyrroles is reported. The 5-exo-dig cyclization/olefin migration reaction delivers the multisubstituted pyrroles in 59-99% yields with 16 examples. This strategy features easily available starting materials, mild reaction conditions, and a cheap ligand-free copper catalyst. The atom-economic transformation provides a simple access to a variety of synthetic useful pyrroles and their derivatives.

Electrophilic carbocyclization reactions of 2-(2-alkynylphenyl)amino-1,4-naphthoquinones

Electrophilic carbocylization reactions for the synthesis of 5H-benzo[b]naphtho [2,3-f]azepine-6,11-diones are described.

One-pot synthesis of fused pyrroles through a key gold-catalysis-triggered cascade

A two-step, one-pot synthesis of fused pyrroles is realized by firstly condensing an N-alkynylhydroxammonium salt with a readily enolizable ketone under mild basic conditions and then subjecting the reaction mixture to a gold catalyst, which triggers a cascade reaction involving a facile initial [3.3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the gold-catalysis product, that is, an N,O-dialkenylhydroxamine. The reaction provides a facile access to polycyclic pyrroles in moderate to good yields.

Gold-catalyzed oxidation of arylallenes: Synthesis of quinoxalines and benzimidazoles

A gold-catalyzed oxidation of arylallenes to form α-diketones and aldehydes in good yields is presented. Further directed synthesis of quinoxalines and benzimidazoles, via the condensation of the resulting α-diketones and aldehydes with benzene-1,2-diamine, was achieved in high yields.

One-pot synthesis of 1,2-dihydropyridines: expanding the diverse reactivity of propargyl vinyl ethers

The catalyzed synthesis of 1,2-dihydropyridines starting from easily accessible propargyl vinyl ethers was realized. The reaction sequence involving a transition metal-catalyzed propargyl-Claisen rearrangement, a condensation step, and a Brønsted acid-catalyzed heterocyclization furnishes the highly substituted heterocycles in moderate to excellent yields. Additionally, a practical one-pot protocol toward 1,2-dihydropyridines and 2H-pyrans starting from propargylic alcohols was developed.

Iron-catalyzed synthesis of polysubstituted pyrroles via [4C+1N] cyclization of 4-acetylenic ketones with primary amines

A highly efficient iron-catalyzed approach to polysubstituted pyrroles has been developed through the [4C+1N] cyclization of 4-acetylenic ketones with primary amines, leading to the synthesis of a variety of tetra- and fully-substituted pyrroles as well as fused pyrrole derivatives in good to excellent yields.