Copper(I)-Catalyzed Indolyl Ynamide Oxidation/Dearomatization: Divergent and Regioselective Synthesis of Valuable Indoline Scaffolds

A highly convenient copper(I)-catalyzed oxidation-initiated cyclopropanation of indolyl ynamide for the rapid construction of indole-fused cyclopropane-lactams is described, which represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first non-noble-metal-catalyzed indolyl ynamide oxidation/dearomatization by the in situ generated α-oxo copper carbenes. Compared to hydrazone and diazo, the use of alkynes as carbene precursors allows cyclopropanation to occur under a safe and convenient pathway. Moreover, this transformation can lead to the divergent synthesis of pentacyclic spiroindolines involving the reversal of ynamide regioselectivity by engineering substrate structures.

Methodological Development and Applications of Tryptamine-Ynamide Cyclizations in Synthesizing Core Skeletons of Indole Alkaloids

Over the past two decades, synthetic strategies for synthesizing the skeletons of various indole alkaloids based on tryptamine-ynamide have been continuously developed and applied to the total syntheses or formal total syntheses of related molecules. In this synopsis, we summarized the cyclization pathways of tryptamine-ynamide under different catalytic conditions, emphasizing the reaction mechanism and applications in the syntheses of indole alkaloids.

Reactivities of α-Oxo BMIDA Gold Carbenes Generated by Gold-Catalyzed Oxidation of BMIDA-Terminated Alkynes

An oxidative strategy is reported to access α-oxo BMIDA gold carbenes directly from BMIDA-terminated alkynes. Besides offering expedient access to seldom studied boryl metal carbenes, these BMIDA gold carbene species undergo facile insertions into methyl, methylene, methine, and benzylic C-H bonds in the absence of the Thorpe-Ingold effect. They also undergo efficient OH insertion, cyclopropanation, and F-C alkylations. This chemistry provides rapid access to structurally diverse α-BMIDA ketones, which are scarcely documented. In combination with DFT studies, the role of BMIDA is established to be an electron-donating group that attenuates the high electrophilicity of the gold carbene center.

Efficient access to 1,3,4-trisubstituted pyrroles via gold-catalysed cycloisomerization of 1,5-diynes

A gold-catalysed cycloisomerization of 1,5-diynes is described, which offers a selective approach to access 1,3,4-trisubstituted pyrroles. In this reaction, the cationic gold catalyst activates the ynamide moiety, initiating the cycloisomerization to produce the pyrrole core, and H₂O acts as an external nucleophile to trap the vinyl cationic species, thus leading to the formation of 1,3,4-trisubstituted pyrroles with high selectivity.

Facile synthesis of the spiro-pyridoindolone scaffold via a gold-catalysed intramolecular alkynol cyclisation/hydroindolylation

A simple approach for the synthesis of pyridoindolone scaffolds with a spiroannulated tetrahydrofuran ring is described. The overall process comprises intramolecular sequential gold-catalysed 5-endo-dig alkynol cycloisomerization and subsequent addition of indole C2 to the in situ generated oxocarbenium cation.

Acid-promoted formal [3 + 2] cyclization/N,O-ketalization of in situ generated ortho-alkynyl quinone methides: access to bridged 2,3-cyclopentanoindoline skeletons

An acid-catalyzed formal [3 + 2] cyclization/N,O-ketalization of in situ formed ortho-alkynyl quinone methides (o-AQMs) and tryptophol derivatives was developed.

Synthesis of polycyclic spiroindolines via the cascade reaction of 3-(2-isocyanoethyl)indoles

Tandem reactions of the yttrium(iii) catalyzed ring-opening reaction of 2,2'-diester aziridines with 3-(2-isocyanoethyl)indoles and the subsequent Friedel-Crafts/Mannich/desulfonylation were reported. A series of polycyclic spiroindolines containing tetrahydro-β-carbolines were obtained in moderate to excellent yields (56-92%) in one step under mild reaction conditions. A possible catalytic mechanism was also proposed.

Palladium-Catalyzed One-Pot Synthesis of Pyrroloindolines from 2-Alkynyl Arylazides and Thioacetamides

A novel and efficient synthetic method for the preparation of various pyrroloindolines from 2-alkynyl arylazides and thioacetamides was developed. The reaction was carried out in a one-pot process under mild reaction conditions to afford the products in moderate to good yields, which has the potential to be used in organic synthesis.

Asymmetric synthesis with ynamides: unique reaction control, chemical diversity and applications

Ynamides are among the most powerful building blocks in organic synthesis and have become invaluable starting materials for the construction of multifunctional compounds and challenging architectures that would be difficult to prepare otherwise. The rapidly growing popularity originates from the unique reactivity and ease of manipulation of the polarized ynamide triple bond, the advance of practical methods for making them, and the simplicity of storage and handling. These attractive features and the demonstration of numerous synthetic applications have spurred the development of intriguing asymmetric reaction strategies during the last decade. An impressive variety of chemo-, regio- and stereoselective carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond forming reactions with ynamides have been developed and now significantly enrich the toolbox of synthetic chemists. This review provides a comprehensive overview of asymmetric ynamide chemistry since 2010 with a focus on the general scope, current limitations, stereochemical reaction control and mechanistic aspects.

Nitrene Transfer and Carbene Transfer in Gold Catalysis

Catalytic transformations involving metal carbenes are considered one of the most important aspects of homogeneous transition metal catalysis. Recently, gold-catalyzed generation of gold carbenes from readily available alkynes represents a significant advance in metal carbene chemistry. This Review summarizes the advances in the gold-catalyzed nitrene-transfer reactions of alkynes with nitrogen-transfer reagents, such as azides, nitrogen ylides, isoxazoles, and anthranils, and gold-catalyzed carbene-transfer reactions, involving oxygen atom-transfer reactions of alkynes with nitro compounds, nitrones, sulfoxides, and pyridine N-oxides, through the presumable α-imino gold carbene and α-oxo gold carbene intermediates, respectively. Gold-catalyzed processes are reviewed by highlighting their product diversity, selectivity, and applicability, and the mechanistic rationale is presented where possible.

Gold-Catalyzed Oxidative Cascade Cyclization of 1,3-Diynamides: Polycyclic N-Heterocycle Synthesis via Construction of a Furopyridinyl Core

A facile and practical approach to construct a furopyridinyl motif through a gold-catalyzed cascade cyclization of easily accessible diynamides is described. This strategy offers a straightforward approach to furo[2,3-c]isoquinoline and 6H-furo[3',2':5,6]pyrido[3,4-b]indole derivatives. The reaction could build up four new bonds and two additional heteroaromatic rings via a single operation. The heterocyclic products show promising blue luminous performance with fluorescence quantum yields up to 75%.

Enantioselective Gold(I)-Catalyzed Hydrative Cyclizations of N-Propargyl-ynamides into 3,6-Dihydropyridinones

This study discloses the first enantioselective variant of the gold(I)-catalyzed hydrative cyclizations of ynamides, which have been implemented by using bis-gold(I) complexes of chiral diphosphines. Starting from N-propargyl-ynamides and water in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid, the cyclization reactions afford N-tosyl-3,6-dihydropyridin-2(1H)-ones in good isolated yields and with high levels of stereocontrol (20 examples, enantiomeric ratios up to 94:6).

Synthesis of Cyclobutane-Fused Angular Tetracyclic Spiroindolines via Visible-Light-Promoted Intramolecular Dearomatization of Indole Derivatives

An intramolecular dearomatization of indole derivatives based on visible-light-promoted [2+2] cycloaddition was achieved via energy transfer mechanism. The highly strained cyclobutane-fused angular tetracyclic spiroindolines, which were typically unattainable under thermal conditions, could be directly accessed in high yields (up to 99%) with excellent diastereoselectivity (>20:1 dr) under mild conditions. The method was also compatible with diverse functional groups and amenable to flexible transformations. In addition, DFT calculations provided guidance on the rational design of substrates and deep understanding of the reaction pathways. This process constituted a rare example of indole functionalization by exploiting visible-light-induced reactivity at the excited states.

N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide as a highly effective Ag(i)-catalyst attenuator for tryptamine-derived ynesulfonamide cycloisomerization

N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide was identified for the first time as a unique Ag(i)-catalyst attenuator in the annulation of a tryptamine-derived ynesulfonamide to an azepino[4,5-b]indole.

Aerobic oxidative alkynylation of H-phosphonates and amides: an efficient route for the synthesis of alkynylphosphonates and ynamides using a recyclable Cu–MnO catalyst

We developed a straightforward, atom-economical and scalable route for the synthesis of alkynylphosphonates and ynamides using a reusable Cu–MnO catalyst.

Gold(i)-catalyzed pathway-switchable tandem cycloisomerizations to indolizino[8,7-b]indole and indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine derivatives

A common strategy was developed to access both indolizino[8,7-b]indole and indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine derivatives from tryptamine-N-ethynylpropiolamide substrates in a switchable fashion via tuning both the electronic effects and steric effects.

A Gold Carbene Manifold to Prepare Fused γ-Lactams by Oxidative Cyclisation of Ynamides

Gold-catalysed oxidative cyclisation reactions of ynamides offer great promise in γ-lactam synthesis but are limited by preferential over-oxidation to form α-keto imides. Evaluating the factors that might limit N-cyclisation pathways led to effective gold-catalysed conditions that allow access to different fused γ-lactams on changing the ynamide N-substituent and accommodate previously incompatible substitution patterns. New and efficient methods for the synthesis of functionalised 3-aryl indoles and cyclohepta[c]pyrrol-1-one derivatives are presented. These conditions illustrate the complementarity of gold catalysis to other metals.

Recent metal-catalysed approaches for the synthesis of cyclopenta[b]indoles

The cyclopenta[b]indole scaffold is ubiquitously present in several bioactive natural products and pharmaceutically interesting compounds. Of the numerous methods known for the synthesis of cyclopenta-fused indoles, this review highlights only the metal-catalysed approaches reported from the year 2015 onwards. This review encompasses our own efforts leading to the synthesis of cyclopentannulated indoles, in addition to the seminal contributions of several other researchers.