Cascade Palladium-Catalyzed Direct Intramolecular Arylation/Alkene Isomerization Sequences: Synthesis of Indoles and Benzofurans

Deconstructive Reorganization: De Novo Synthesis of Hydroxylated Benzofuran

An unprecedented deconstructive reorganization strategy for the de novo synthesis of hydroxylated benzofurans from kojic acid- or maltol-derived alkynes is reported. In this reaction, both the benzene and furan rings were simultaneously constructed, whereas the pyrone moiety of the kojic acid or maltol was deconstructed and then reorganized into the benzene ring as a six-carbon component. Through this strategy, at least one free hydroxyl group was introduced into the benzene ring in a substitution-pattern tunable fashion without protection-deprotection and redox adjustment. With this method, a large number of hydroxylated benzofuran derivatives with different substitution-patterns have been prepared efficiently. This methodology has also been shown as the key step in a collective total synthesis of hydroxylated benzofuran-containing natural products (11 examples).

Facile preparation of indoles and 1,2-benzothiazine 1,1-dioxides: nucleophilic addition of sulfonamides to bromoacetylenes and subsequent palladium-catalyzed cyclization

Bromine as a double agent: The bromine atom in 1-bromo-1-alkynes works as an electron-withdrawing group to effect the nucleophilic addition of sulfonamides. It again plays a pivotal role in the palladium-catalyzed cyclization of the resultant (Z)-2-(sulfonylamino)-1-bromoalkenes into nitrogen heterocycles (see scheme).