In Situ Hypoiodite-Catalyzed Oxidative Rearrangement of Chalcones: Scope and Mechanistic Investigation

It is highly desirable to avoid using rare or toxic metals for oxidative reactions in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Hypervalent iodine compounds are environmentally benign alternatives, but their catalytic use has been quite limited. Herein, the protocol for in situ hypoiodite-catalyzed oxidative rearrangement of chalcones is first realized under mild and metal-free conditions, which provided a nontoxic, environmental-benign, and catalytic alternative to the thallium-based protocol. Also, the applicability and effectiveness of this catalytic protocol got well demonstrated via gram-scale synthesis and product derivatization. What is more, control and NMR tracking experiments were performed to figure out the possible catalytic species and intermediates.

Hypoiodous acid-catalyzed regioselective geminal addition of methanol to vinylarenes: synthesis of anti-Markovnikov methyl acetals

A new metal-free catalytic approach for the synthesis of anti-Markovnikov methyl acetals from vinylarenes based on in situ generated HOI species is reported. The mechanistic investigations provided the solid evidence for the proposed mechanism.

Hypoiodite-mediated cyclopropanation of alkenes

An efficient, transition metal-free procedure for the cyclopropanation of alkenes using malononitrile and the LiI-tBuOCl combination under mild reaction conditions is described. The reaction mechanism most likely involves tBuOI generated in situ from LiI and tBuOCl. The utility of this new methodology has been demonstrated by the synthesis of a potential HIV-1 RT inhibitor.