Über die Synthese von α-Azidoestern und geminalen Triaziden

Alkyliodines in High Oxidation State: Enhanced Synthetic Possibilities and Accelerated Catalyst Turn-Over

In contrast to aryliodine(III) compounds, which have matured into a particularly attractive class of oxidants in modern synthesis, the synthetic potential of related alkyliodine(III) derivatives has remained widely underestimated. This is surprising since several unique synthetic possibilities arise directly from the low stability of their central carbon-iodine bond. In this respect, these high-oxidation-state iodine compounds resemble environmentally benign variants of the prominent metal counterparts such as those derived from palladium, nickel and copper. This Concept article summarizes the general reactivity trends in alkyliodine(III) chemistry and discusses selected examples of their strategic use as highly reactive, transient species in organic synthesis and homogeneous catalysis.

A Synthetic Route Toward Tetrazoles: The Thermolysis of Geminal Diazides

A new synthetic route toward the tetrazole core is described, which is based on a general fragmentation pattern that was found in a range of compounds featuring geminal diazido units. Through a simple two-step procedure, the synthesis of structurally diverse target compounds containing a tetrazole, such as tetrazoloquinoxalinones, benzoylaryltetrazoles, tetrazolotriazinones, and tetrazoloazepinones, was easily accomplished, starting from broadly accessible substrates (i.e., oxindoles, diarylethanones, pyrazolones, and phenanthrols). The initial oxidative diazidation reaction with iodine and sodium azide under mild conditions is followed by the thermal fragmentation under microwave irradiation, leading to the tetrazole products. Noteworthy, an experimental solution is presented in which the potentially hazardous diazide intermediates are not isolated and the concentration of crude reaction mixtures containing diazides is not required to achieve the tetrazoles in good yields.

Iron-Catalyzed Direct Diazidation for a Broad Range of Olefins

Reported herein is a new iron-catalyzed diastereoselective olefin diazidation reaction which occurs at room temperature (1-5 mol% of catalysts and d.r. values of up to >20:1). This method tolerates a broad range of both unfunctionalized and highly functionalized olefins, including those that are incompatible with existing methods. It also provides a convenient approach to vicinal primary diamines as well as other synthetically valuable nitrogen-containing building blocks which are difficult to obtain with alternative methods. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction may proceed through a new mechanistic pathway in which both Lewis acid activation and iron-enabled redox-catalysis are crucial for selective azido-group transfer.