Meta-Selective Copper-Catalyzed C-H Arylation of Pyridines and Isoquinolines through Dearomatized Intermediates

C(sp2)-H functionalization offers an efficient strategy for the synthesis of various elaborated N-containing heteroarenes. Along these lines, oxazino pyridines that can be readily prepared from pyridines, have been introduced as powerful substrates in radical- and ionic-mediated meta-C-H functionalization. However, the regioselective meta-C-H arylation of pyridines remains a great challenge. Herein, a copper-catalyzed meta-selective C-H arylation of pyridines and isoquinolines through bench-stable dearomatized intermediates is reported. Electrophilic aryl-Cu(III) species, generated from readily accessible aryl I(III) reagents, enable the efficient meta-arylation of a broad range of pyridines and isoquinolines. The method also allows the meta-selective alkenylation of these heteroarenes using the corresponding alkenyl I(III)-reagents. Late-stage arylation of drug-derived pyridines and larger-scale experiments demonstrate the potential of this synthetic methodology.

Stereoselective Direct N-Trifluoropropenylation of Heterocycles with a Hypervalent Iodonium Reagent

The availability and synthesis of fluorinated enamine derivatives such as N-(3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl)heterocycles are challenging, especially through direct functionalization of the heterocyclic scaffold. Herein, a stereoselective N-trifluoropropenylation method based on the use of a bench-stable trifluoropropenyl iodonium salt is described. This reagent enables the straightforward trifluoropropenylation of various N-heterocycles under mild reaction conditions, providing trifluoromethyl enamine type moieties with high stereoselectivity and efficiency.

Three-Component Reaction for the Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Propargyl Ethers

Multicomponent reactions provide efficient means to access molecular complexity. Herein, we report a copper-catalyzed three-component reaction of diazo compounds, alcohols and ethynyl benziodoxole (EBX) reagents for the synthesis of propargyl ethers. Extensive variations of the three partners of the reaction is possible, leading to highly functionalized and structurally diverse products under mild conditions. Alkynylation of a copper ylide intermediate is postulated as key step for this transformation.

Design of Trifluoroalkenyl Iodonium Salts for a Hypervalency-Aided Alkenylation-Cyclization Strategy: Metal-Free Construction of Aziridine Rings

The synthesis of fluorinated compounds and their use as pharmaceutical ingredients or synthetic building blocks have been in the focus of chemical and medicinal research. However, the efficient synthesis of trifluoromethylated nitrogen heterocycles is sometimes challenging. Herein, we disclose a simple aziridination process that relies on the use of amines and novel alkenyl iodonium reagents for the synthesis of strained, trifluoromethylated heterocycles. With the utilization of a newly designed and bench-stable but highly reactive hypervalent alkenyl iodonium species, these three-membered-ring heterocyclic compounds can be efficiently constructed from simple amines under mild conditions in the absence of transition-metal catalysts. The special reactivity of the new trifluoropropenyl synthon towards nucleophilic centers could be exploited in more general cyclization and alkenylation reactions in the future.

Alkenylation of C(sp3 )-H Bonds by Zincation/Copper-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling with Iodonium Salts

α-Vinylation of phosphonates, phosphine oxides, sulfones, sulfonamides, and sulfoxides has been achieved by selective C-H zincation and copper-catalyzed C(sp³ )-C(sp² ) cross-coupling reaction using vinylphenyliodonium salts. The vinylation transformation proceeds in high efficiency and stereospecificity under mild reaction conditions. This zincative cross-coupling reaction represents a general alkenylation strategy, which is also applicable for α-alkenylation of esters, amides, and nitriles in the synthesis of β,γ-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.

Electronic Structures of Mono-Oxidized Copper and Nickel Phosphasalen Complexes

Non-innocent ligands render the determination of the electronic structure in metal complexes difficult. As such, a combination of experimental techniques and quantum chemistry are required to correctly elucidate them. This paper deals with the one-electron oxidation of copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes featuring a phosphasalen ligand (Psalen), which differs from salen analogues by the presence of iminophosphorane groups (P=N) instead of imines. Various experimental techniques (X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, NMR, EPR, and UV/Vis spectroscopies, and magnetic measurements) as well as quantum chemical calculations were used to define the electronic structure of the oxidized complexes. These can be modified by a small change in the ligand structure, that is, the replacement of a tert-butyl group by a methoxy on the phenoxide ring. The different techniques have allowed quantifying the amount of spin density located on the metal center and on the Psalen ligands. All complexes were found to possess a multi-configurational ground state, in which the ratio of the +II versus +III oxidation state of the metal center, and therefore the phenolate versus phenoxyl radical ligand character, varies upon the substituents. The tert-butyl group favors a strong localization on the metal center whereas with the methoxy group the metallic configurations decrease and the ligand configurations increase. The importance of the geometrical considerations compared with the electronic substituent effect is highlighted by the differences observed between the solid-state (EPR, magnetic measurements) and solution characterizations (EPR and NMR data).