Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydroamination of Aminoallenes: an Approach to Vinyl Substituted Heterocycles

Metal free regio - and stereoselective semireduction of CF3-substituted N-allenamides

We developed a chemoselective metal-free access for the 1,2- and 2,3-semireduction of CF3-N-allenamides. The enamide functionality of CF3-substituted N-allenamides could be efficiently reduced by Et3SiH/BF3·OEt2 in total regioselectivity and good stereoselectivity, whereas DBU promoted the isomerization of the resulting allyl amide leading exclusively to the E-configurated enamide.

Non-Decarboxylative Ruthenium-Catalyzed Rearrangement of 4-Alkylidene-isoxazol-5-ones to Pyrazole- and Isoxazole-4-carboxylic Acids

Treatment of 4-(2-hydroaminoalkylidenyl)- and 4-(2-hydroxyalkylidenyl)-substituted isoxazol-5(4H)-ones with catalytic amounts of [RuCl2(p-cymene)]2, without any additive, afforded pyrazole- and isoxazole-4-carboxylic acids, respectively. The presence of an intramolecular H-bond in these substrates was the key to divert the classical mechanism toward a ring-opening non-decarboxylative path that is expected to generate a vinyl Ru-nitrenoid intermediate, the cyclization of which affords the rearranged products. A gram scale protocol demonstrated the synthetic applicability of this transformation.

One-Pot anti-Michael Regio- and Stereoselective Hydroamination of Activated N-Allenamides

N-Allenamides, substituted by an ester at the γ-position, were obtained through addition of terminal ynamides with ethyl diazoacetate under copper catalysis for the first time. Regio- and stereoselective hydroamination of those activated N-allenamides provided exclusively E-configured captodative enamimes through a one-pot anti-Michael addition. Numerous ynamides as well as various secondary amines were adapted in this process.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Diastereoselective Cyclization of Allenyl-Sulfonylcarbamates: A Stereodivergent Approach to 1,3-Aminoalcohol Derivatives

A diastereoselective and stereodivergent rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular coupling of sulfonylcarbamates with terminal allenes is described and it provides selective access to 1,3-aminoalcohol derivatives, scaffolds found in bioactive compounds. The reaction is compatible with a large range of different functional groups, thus furnishing products with high diastereoselectivities and yields. Moreover, multigram scale reactions, as well as the application of suitable product transformations were demonstrated.

Copper(II)-Catalyzed Alkoxyhalogenation of Alkynyl Ureas and Amides as a Route to Haloalkylidene-Substituted Heterocycles

A highly effective synthesis of haloalkylidene-substituted heterocycles by copper(II)-catalyzed cyclization of alkynyl ureas and secondary amides has been developed. The reaction, which involves a catalytic amount of CuCl2 and a stoichiometric amount of N-halosuccinimide, occurs selectively through an alkoxyhalogenation process. Alternatively, alkoxychlorination and alkoxybromination reactions can be performed working solely with stoichiometric CuCl2 and CuBr2, respectively.