Arene CH Bond Functionalization Coupling with Cyclization of Allenes

Rh(iii)-Catalyzed [5 + 1] annulation of 2-alkenylanilides and 2-alkenylphenols with allenyl acetates

Herein, we report a mild and highly regioselective Rh(iii)-catalyzed non-oxidative [5 + 1] vinylic C-H annulation of 2-alkenylanilides with allenyl acetates, which has been elusive so far. The reaction proceeds via vinylic C-H activation, regioselective 2,3-migratory insertion, β-oxy elimination followed by nucleophilic cyclization to get direct access to 1,2-dihydroquinoline derivatives. The strategy was also successfully extended to C-H activation of 2-alkenylphenols for constructing chromene derivatives. In the overall [5 + 1] annulation, the allene serves as a one carbon unit. The acetate group on the allene is found to be crucial both for controlling the regio- and chemoselectivity of the reaction and also for facilitating β-oxy elimination. The methodology was scalable and also further extended towards late stage functionalization of various natural products.

Rh(III)-Catalyzed and synergistic dual directing group-enabled redox-neutral [3+3] annulation of N-phenoxyacetamides with α-allenols

By virtue of α-allenols as innovative three-carbon annulation components, the Rh(III)-catalyzed redox-neutral C-H coupling of N-phenoxyacetamides with α-allenols has been realized for the assembly of 4-alkylidene chroman-2-ol frameworks via an unusual [3+3] annulation. This transformation features good functional group tolerance, specific regio-/chemoselectivity and potential synthetic utility. Mechanistic studies reveal that synergistic coordination modes between the dual directing groups (-ONHAc and -OH) and the rhodium metal center account for the observed exclusive selectivity.

Deciphering the Chameleonic Chemistry of Allenols: Breaking the Taboo of a Onetime Esoteric Functionality

The allene functionality has participated in one of the most exciting voyages in organic chemistry, from chemical curiosities to a recurring building block in modern organic chemistry. In the last decades, a special kind of allene, namely, allenol, has emerged. Allenols, formed by an allene moiety and a hydroxyl functional group with diverse connectivity, have become common building blocks for the synthesis of a wide range of structures and frequent motif in naturally occurring systems. The synergistic effect of the allene and hydroxyl functional groups enables allenols to be considered as a unique and sole functionality exhibiting a special reactivity. This Review summarizes the most significant contributions to the chemistry of allenols that appeared during the past decade, with emphasis on their synthesis, reactivity, and occurrence in natural products.

Cobalt-Catalyzed C8-Dienylation of Quinoline-N-Oxides

An efficient Cp*Co^III -catalyzed C8-dienylation of quinoline-N-oxides was achieved by employing allenes bearing leaving groups at the α-position as the dienylating agents. The reaction proceeds by Co^III -catalyzed C-H activation of quinoline-N-oxides and regioselective migratory insertion of the allene followed by a β-oxy elimination, leading to overall dienylation. Site-selective C-H activation was achieved with excellent selectivity under mild reaction conditions, and 30 mol % of a NaF additive was found to be crucial for the efficient dienylation. The methodology features high stereoselectivity, mild reaction conditions, and good functional-group tolerance. C8-alkenylation of quinoline-N-oxides was achieved in the case of allenes devoid of leaving groups as coupling partners. Furthermore, gram-scale preparation and preliminary mechanistic experiments were carried out to gain insights into the reaction mechanism.

3d metallaelectrocatalysis for resource economical syntheses

Resource economy constitutes one of the key challenges for researchers and practitioners in academia and industries, in terms of rising demand for sustainable and green synthetic methodology. To achieve ideal levels of resource economy in molecular syntheses, novel avenues are required, which include, but are not limited to the use of naturally abundant, renewable feedstocks, solvents, metal catalysts, energy, and redox reagents. In this context, electrosyntheses create the unique possibility to replace stoichiometric amounts of oxidizing or reducing reagents as well as electron transfer events by electric current. Particularly, the merger of Earth-abundant 3d metal catalysis and electrooxidation has recently been recognized as an increasingly viable strategy to forge challenging C-C and C-heteroatom bonds for complex organic molecules in a sustainable fashion under mild reaction conditions. In this review, we highlight the key developments in 3d metallaelectrocatalysis in the context of resource economy in molecular syntheses until February 2020.

Formal Lossen Rearrangement/Alkenylation or Annulation Cascade of Heterole Carboxamides with Alkynes Catalyzed by CpRhIII Complexes with Pendant Amides

It has been established that a cyclopentadienyl (Cp) Rh^III complex with two aryl groups and a pendant amide moiety catalyzes the formal Lossen rearrangement/alkenylation cascade of N-pivaloyl heterole carboxamides with internal alkynes, leading to alkenylheteroles. Interestingly, the use of sterically demanding internal alkynes afforded not the alkenylation but the [3+2] annulation products ([5,5]-fused heteroles). In these reactions, the pendant amide moiety of the CpRh^III complex may accelerate the formal Lossen rearrangement. The use of five-membered heteroles may deter reductive elimination to form strained [5,5]-fused heteroles; instead, protonation proceeds to give the alkenylation products. Bulky alkyne substituents accelerate the reductive elimination to allow the formation of the [5,5]-fused heteroles.

Rh(III)-Catalyzed Redox-Neutral [4+2] Annulation for Direct Assembly of 3-Acyl Isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones as Potent Antitumor Agents

By virtue of an efficient rhodium(III)-catalyzed redox-neutral C-H activation/ring-opening of a strained ring/[4+2] annulation cascade of N-methoxybenzamides with propargyl cycloalkanols, diverse 3-acyl isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones were directly obtained in good yields and with excellent functional group compatibility. Additionally, their antitumor activities against various human cancer cells including HepG2, A549, MCF-7 and SH-SY5Y were evaluated and the action mechanism of the selected compound was also investigated in vitro. The results revealed that these products possessed a potent efficacy, by inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner, suggesting that such compounds can serve as promising candidates for anti lung cancer drug discovery.

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Directed C-H Dienylation of Anilides with Allenes Leads to Highly Conjugated Systems

Allenes are unique coupling partners in transition-metal-catalyzed C-H functionalization leading to a variety of products via alkenylation, allenylation, allylation, and annulation reactions. The outcome is governed by both the reactivity of the allene and the formation and stability of the organometallic intermediate. An efficient Rh(III)-catalyzed, weakly coordinating group-directed dienylation of electronically unbiased allenes is developed using an N-acyl amino acid as a ligand. Further elaboration of the dienylated products to construct polycyclic compounds is also described.

The mechanism and origin of the regioselectivity of cobalt-catalyzed annulation of allenes with benzamide: a computational study

Thrimurtulu et al. recently reported unprecedented cobalt-catalyzed annulation of allenes with benzamide (N. Thrimurtulu, A. Dey, D. Maiti, C. M. R. Volla, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2016, 55, 12361-12365). In this reaction, the substituent on the allene controls the regioselectivity for the formation of either dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-one or isoquinolin-1(2H)-one. In the present study, density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the detailed reaction mechanism and the origin of the experimentally observed regioselectivity. A systematic search shows that the electronic and steric effects of the substituent on the allene determine which of the two allene insertions is followed, and thus determine the regioselectivity. The bulky diphenylphosphonate and two phenyl substituents of the allenylphosphonate and diarylallene favor C1[double bond, length as m-dash]C2 insertion, which eventually leads to the formation of isoquinolin-1(2H)-one. In contrast, for the arylallene, which has a relatively electron-rich C2[double bond, length as m-dash]C3 bond, C2[double bond, length as m-dash]C3 insertion is favored and eventually leads to the formation of dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-one. The calculations also explain why annulation rather than hydroarylation of benzamide with allenylphosphonate occurs with a cobalt catalyst.

Cobalt-catalyzed C–H activation and regioselective intermolecular annulation with allenes

An efficient Co(ii)-catalyzed intermolecular annulation of N-(quinolin-8-yl)benzamide with allenes for the synthesis of novel isoquinolin-1(2H)-one scaffolds has been developed.

Cobalt-catalyzed aryl C–H activation and highly regioselective intermolecular annulation of sulfonamides with allenes

Cobalt(ii)-catalyzed C–H activation of aryl and heteroaryl sulfonamides and their intermolecular heteroannulation reaction with allenes was described providing a convergent strategy for the synthesis of biologically interesting heterocyclic scaffolds.

Asymmetric SN2′-type C–H functionalization of arenes with propargylic alcohols

The first example of transition metal-catalyzed stereo-defined syn-β-OH elimination! A [Cp*RhCl₂]₂-catalyzed allenylation reaction of available arenes with propargylic alcohols afforded fully substituted allenes with excellent ees.

A Simple and Versatile Amide Directing Group for C-H Functionalizations

Achieving selective C-H activation at a single and strategic site in the presence of multiple C-H bonds can provide a powerful and generally useful retrosynthetic disconnection. In this context, a directing group serves as a compass to guide the transition metal to C-H bonds by using distance and geometry as powerful recognition parameters to distinguish between proximal and distal C-H bonds. However, the installation and removal of directing groups is a practical drawback. To improve the utility of this approach, one can seek solutions in three directions: 1) Simplifying the directing group, 2) using common functional groups or protecting groups as directing groups, and 3) attaching the directing group to substrates via a transient covalent bond to render the directing group catalytic. This Review describes the rational development of an extremely simple and yet broadly applicable directing group for Pd(II) , Rh(III) , and Ru(II) catalysts, namely the N-methoxy amide (CONHOMe) moiety. Through collective efforts in the community, a wide range of C-H activation transformations using this type of simple directing group have been developed.

Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Annulation between ortho-Alkenylphenols and Allenes. Key Role of the Metal Geometry in Determining the Reaction Outcome

2-Alkenylphenols react with allenes, upon treatment with catalytic amounts of Pd(II) and Cu(II), to give benzoxepine products in high yields and with very good regio- and diastereoselectivities. This contrasts with the results obtained with Rh catalysts, which provided chromene-like products through a pathway involving a β-hydrogen elimination step. Computational studies suggest that the square planar geometry of the palladium is critical to favor the reductive elimination process required for the formation of the oxepine products.

Pd(II)-catalyzed C-H functionalizations directed by distal weakly coordinating functional groups

Ortho-C(sp(2))-H olefination and acetoxylation of broadly useful synthetic building blocks phenylacetyl Weinreb amides, esters, and ketones are developed without installing an additional directing group. The interplay between the distal weak coordination and the ligand-acceleration is crucial for these reactions to proceed under mild conditions. The tolerance of longer distance between the target C-H bonds and the directing functional groups also allows for the functionalizations of more distal C-H bonds in hydrocinnamoyl ketones, Weinreb amides, and biphenyl Weinreb amides. Mechanistically, the coordination of these carbonyl groups and the bisdentate amino acid ligand with Pd(II) centers provides further evidence for our early hypothesis that the carbonyl groups of the potassium carboxylate are responsible for the directed C-H activation of carboxylic acids.

Rhodium-catalyzed C-H functionalization-based approach to eight-membered lactams

A Rh(iii) catalyzed formal [4 + 2 + 2] cyclization of N-pivaloyloxybenzamides 1 with 1,6-allene-enes 2 by C-H functionalization is reported. The reactions occur at room temperature and are compatible with air and moisture with a tolerance of many synthetically useful functional groups. The follow-up modifications of the products have been demonstrated. After careful mechanistic studies and DFT calculation, a reaction mechanism was proposed.

Rhodium-catalyzed (5+1) annulations between 2-alkenylphenols and allenes: a practical entry to 2,2-disubstituted 2H-chromenes

Readily available alkenylphenols react with allenes under rhodium catalysis to provide valuable 2,2-disubstituted 2H-chromenes. The whole process, which involves the cleavage of one C-H bond of the alkenyl moiety and the participation of the allene as a one-carbon cycloaddition partner, can be considered a simple, versatile, and atom-economical (5+1) heteroannulation. The reaction tolerates a broad range of substituents both in the alkenylphenol and in the allene, and most probably proceeds through a mechanism involving a rhodium-catalyzed C-C coupling followed by two sequential pericyclic processes.