Regio- and Enantioselective Synthesis of N-Substituted Pyrazoles by Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Addition to Allenes

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.

Azole-Directed Cobalt-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Alkenes

The azole-directed cobalt-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of alkenes has been developed with high efficiency. With this approach, chiral pyrazole compounds were obtained in quantitative yields and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99 % ee) under mild conditions, and the hydrogenation was conducted on a gram scale with up to 2000 TON. Several useful applications were demonstrated including the convenient introduction of β-chirality to a drug intermediate containing an azole ring.

Advances on Greener Asymmetric Synthesis of Antiviral Drugs via Organocatalysis

Viral infections cause many severe human diseases, being responsible for remarkably high mortality rates. In this sense, both the academy and the pharmaceutical industry are continuously searching for new compounds with antiviral activity, and in addition, face the challenge of developing greener and more efficient methods to synthesize these compounds. This becomes even more important with drugs possessing stereogenic centers as highly enantioselective processes are required. In this minireview, the advances achieved to improve synthetic routes efficiency and sustainability of important commercially antiviral chiral drugs are discussed, highlighting the use of organocatalytic methods.

Enantioselective Addition of Pyrazoles to Dienes*

We report the first enantioselective addition of pyrazoles to 1,3-dienes. Secondary and tertiary allylic pyrazoles can be generated with excellent regioselectivity. Mechanistic studies support a pathway distinct from previous hydroaminations: a Pd⁰ -catalyzed ligand-to-ligand hydrogen transfer (LLHT). This hydroamination tolerates a range of functional groups and advances the field of diene hydrofunctionalization.

Orthogonal Regulation of Nucleophilic and Electrophilic Sites in Pd-Catalyzed Regiodivergent Couplings between Indazoles and Isoprene

Depending on the reactant property and reaction mechanism, one major regioisomer can be favored in a reaction that involves multiple active sites. Herein, an orthogonal regulation of nucleophilic and electrophilic sites in the regiodivergent hydroamination of isoprene with indazoles is demonstrated. Under Pd-hydride catalysis, the 1,2- or 4,3-insertion pathway with respect to the electrophilic sites on isoprene could be controlled by the choice of ligands. In terms of the nucleophilic sites on indazoles, the reaction occurs at either the N¹ - or N² -position of indazoles is governed by the acid co-catalysts. Preliminary experimental studies have been performed to rationalize the mechanism and regioselectivity. This study not only contributes a practical tool for selective functionalization of isoprene, but also provides a guide to manipulate the regioselectivity for the N-functionalization of indazoles.

Enantioselective Aluminum-Free Alkene Hydroarylations through C-H Activation by a Chiral Nickel/JoSPOphos Manifold

Highly enantioselective nickel-catalyzed alkene endo-hydroarylations were accomplished with full selectivity by organometallic C-H activation. The asymmetric assembly of chiral six-membered scaffolds proved viable in the absence of pyrophoric organoaluminum reagents within an unprecedented nickel/JoSPOphos manifold.

Heterobimetallic Catalysis: Platinum-Gold-Catalyzed Tandem Cyclization/C-X Coupling Reaction of (Hetero)Arylallenes with Nucleophiles

Heterobimetallic catalysis offers new opportunities for reactivity and selectivity but still presents challenges, and only a few metal combinations have been explored so far. Reported here is a Pt-Au heterobimetallic catalyst system for the synthesis of a family of multi-heteroaromatic structures through tandem cyclization/C-X coupling reaction. Au-catalyzed 6-endo-cyclization takes place as the first fast step. Pt-Au clusters are proposed to be responsible for the increased reactivity in the second step, that is, the intermolecular nucleophilic addition which occurs through an outer-sphere mechanism by hybrid homogeneous-heterogeneous catalysis.

Chemo-, Regio-, and Stereoselective N-Alkenylation of Pyrazoles/Benzpyrazoles Using Activated and Unactivated Alkynes

Transition-metal-free chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective synthesis of (Z) and (E) styryl pyrazoles and benzpyrazoles by the addition of N-heterocycles onto functionalized terminal and internal alkynes using a super basic solution of KOH/DMSO has been described. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction was governed by time and quantity of the base. The reaction of pyrazoles and benzpyrazoles onto alkynes takes place chemoselectively without affecting the free -NH₂ group of pyrazoles and -OH group of alkynes. The designed protocol was well implemented on alkynes bearing long alkyl chain, an alicyclic ring, hydroxy, ether, and ester functionality, which offer the N-alkenylated products in good yields. This developed methodology also provides easy access for the synthesis of bis-vinylated heterocycles. The presence of free -NH₂, -OH, -COOR, and halo group in styryl pyrazoles, could be further utilized for synthetic elaboration, which is advantageous for biological evaluation. For the first time, we have disclosed the base-mediated conversion of (Z)-styryl pyrazoles to (E)-styryl pyrazoles in KOH/DMSO system. The cis-trans isomerization was supported by the control experiments and deuterium labeling studies.

From Palladium to Brønsted Acid Catalysis: Highly Enantioselective Regiodivergent Addition of Alkoxyallenes to Pyrazolones

A highly enantioselective regiodivergent addition of alkoxyallenes to pyrazolones was developed to afford multiply functionalized alkylated products bearing a quaternary carbon stereocenter in high yields with excellent stereoselectivities. One approach is enabled by palladium catalysis, thus leading to branched allylic pyrazol-5-ones under mild reaction conditions. The other is catalyzed by a chiral Brønsted acid to give linear products exclusively. Moreover, the usefulness of this new method was highlighted by converting the allylic products into other interesting multifunctionalized pyrazolone derivatives which would be of great potential for the exploitation of pharmaceutically important molecules.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Diastereoselective Cyclization of Allenyl-Sulfonylcarbamates: A Stereodivergent Approach to 1,3-Aminoalcohol Derivatives

A diastereoselective and stereodivergent rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular coupling of sulfonylcarbamates with terminal allenes is described and it provides selective access to 1,3-aminoalcohol derivatives, scaffolds found in bioactive compounds. The reaction is compatible with a large range of different functional groups, thus furnishing products with high diastereoselectivities and yields. Moreover, multigram scale reactions, as well as the application of suitable product transformations were demonstrated.

Enantioselective, Stereodivergent Hydroazidation and Hydroamination of Allenes Catalyzed by Acyclic Diaminocarbene (ADC) Gold(I) Complexes

The gold-catalyzed enantioselective hydroazidation and hydroamination reactions of allenes are presented herein. ADC gold(I) catalysts derived from BINAM were critical for achieving high levels of enantioselectivity in both transformations. The sense of enantioinduction is reversed for the two different nucleophiles, allowing access to both enantiomers of the corresponding allylic amines using the same catalyst enantiomer.