Selective Formal Carbene Insertion into Carbon-Boron Bonds of Diboronates by N-Trisylhydrazones

Bisborylalkanes play important roles in organic synthesis as versatile bifunctional reagents. The two boron moieties in these compounds can be selectively converted into other functional groups through cross-coupling, oxidation or radical reactions. Thus, the development of efficient methods for synthesizing bisborylalkanes is highly demanded. Herein we report a new strategy to access bisborylalkanes through the reaction of N-trisylhydrazones with diboronate, in which the bis(boryl) methane is transformed into 1,2-bis(boronates) via formal carbene insertion. Since the N-trisylhydrazones can be readily derived from the corresponding aldehydes, this strategy represents a practical synthesis of 1,2-diboronates with broad substrate scope. Mechanistic studies reveal an unusual neighboring group effect of 1,1-bis(boronates), which accounts for the observed regioselectivity when unsymmetric 1,1-diboronates are applied.

Transition-Metal-Free Multicomponent Approach to the Regioselective Synthesis of Highly Substituted N-Alkylpyrazoles

An efficient transition-metal-free multicomponent approach to the regioselective synthesis of highly substituted N-alkylpyrazoles through 1,6-addition of pyrazole (in situ generated from α,β-unsaturated aldehyde and hydrazide) to para-Quinone Methides has been developed. The N-alkylpyrazole containing triarylmethanes having several heteroaryl rings (quinoline, pyridine, thiophene) at the central methine carbon atom was developed. This chemical process may be used for large-scale synthesis and provides a novel way to produce triarylmethanes with diverse functional groups.

Photo‐Induced Homologation of Carbonyl Compounds for Iterative Syntheses

We describe a photo-induced reaction for the in situ generation of highly reactive alkyl diazo species from carbonyl precursors via photo-excitation of N-tosylhydrazone anions. The diazo intermediates undergo efficient C-H insertion of aldehydes, leading to the productive synthesis of aldehydes and ketones. The method is applicable to the iterative synthesis of densely functionalized carbonyl compounds through sequential trapping of the diazo species with various aldehydes. The reaction proceeds without the need of any catalyst by light irradiation and features high functional group tolerance. More than 70 examples, some performed on a gram-scale, demonstrate the broad applicability of this reaction sequence in synthesis.

Transition metal-free reductive coupling of allylic sulfonylhydrazones with aryl boronic acids for C(sp3)–C(sp2) bond formation

The reductive coupling between allylic sulfonylhydrazones and aryl boronic acids gives 1,3-diarylpropene systems with good to excellent yields under very simple reaction conditions without metal catalysts and an inert atmosphere.

Transition-Metal-Free Valorization of Biomass-derived Levulinic Acid Derivatives: Synthesis of Curcumene and Xanthorrhizol

Levulinic acid (LA) is acknowledged one of the most promising biomass-derived platform molecules and can be transformed into various value-added chemicals. Here, we report a new reaction process for the valorization of LA derivatives under transition-metal-free condition. The protocol combined with the conversion of the levulinate to tosylhydrazone and base promoted arylation, acylation, and etherification cross-coupling. Moreover, our method was applied to synthesize three biologically active molecules, rac-curcumene, rac-xanthorrhizol and rac-4,7-dimethyl-l-tetralone. This reaction discloses a new avenue for the high-value utilization of platform molecules.

Transition-Metal-Free C(sp2 )-C(sp2 ) Cross-Coupling of Diazo Quinones with Catechol Boronic Esters

A transition-metal-free C(sp² )-C(sp² ) bond formation reaction by the cross-coupling of diazo quinones with catechol boronic esters was developed. With this protocol, a variety of biaryls and alkenyl phenols were obtained in good to high yields under mild conditions. The reaction tolerates various functionalities and is applicable to the derivatization of pharmaceuticals and natural products. The synthetic utility of the method was demonstrated by the short synthesis of multi-substituted triphenylenes and three bioactive natural products, honokiol, moracin M, and stemofuran A. Mechanistic studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the reaction involves attack of the boronic ester by a singlet quinone carbene followed by a 1,2-rearrangement through a stepwise mechanism.

Blue Light-promoted Carbene Transfer Reactions of Tosylhydrazones

Metal-free photochemical carbene-transfer reactions of tosylhydrazones were developed under blue light irradiation at room temperature. This reaction constructs C-X (X=C, N, O, S) bonds and cyclopropanes from readily available and stable starting materials.

Asymmetric Traceless Petasis Borono-Mannich Reactions of Enals: Reductive Transposition of Allylic Diazenes

The traceless Petasis borono-Mannich reaction of enals, sulfonylhydrazines, and allylboronates, catalyzed by chiral biphenols, results in an asymmetric reductive transposition of the in situ generated allylic diazene. Acyclic 1,4-diene products bearing either alkyl- or aryl-substituted benzylic stereocenters are afforded in excellent yields and enantiomeric ratios of up to 99:1. The use of crotylboronates in the reaction results in concomitant formation of two stereocenters in either a 1,4-syn or anti relationship from the corresponding E- or Z-crotylboronate used in the reaction. The use of β-monosubstituted enals in the asymmetric traceless Petasis borono-Mannich reaction of crotylboronates installs tertiary methyl-bearing stereocenters in good yields and high enantioselectivities.

Transition-metal-free intramolecular carbene aromatic substitution/Büchner reaction: synthesis of fluorenes and [6,5,7]benzo-fused rings

Intramolecular aromatic substitution and Büchner reaction have been established as powerful methods for the construction of polycyclic compounds. These reactions are traditionally catalyzed by Rh(II) catalysts with α-diazocarbonyl compounds as the substrates. Herein a transition-metal-free intramolecular aromatic substitution/Büchner reaction is presented. These reactions use readily available N-tosylhydrazones as the diazo compound precursors and show wide substrate scope.