Synthesis and Application of β-Substituted Pauson-Khand Adducts: Trifluoromethyl as a Removable Steering Group

Fluorinated Imines in Tandem and Cycloaddition Reactions

The chemistry of fluorinated compounds has experienced extraordinary growth in recent decades due to the many and varied properties which many of the compounds that contain fluorinated groups possess. Among all of them, fluorinated chiral imines, in particular the Ellman's imines, are of great importance since they are some of the most interesting building blocks for the synthesis of a large number of enantioenriched carbocycles and heterocycles with extraordinary biological and synthetic properties. This personal account covers the most significant results obtained in our research group in the last two decades concerning asymmetric tandem reactions, paying special attention to the intramolecular aza-Michael reaction (IMAMR), diversity oriented synthesis (DOS), asymmetric tandem reactions involving a p-tolylsulfinyl group as chiral inducer and cycloaddition processes, in particular, the Pauson-Khand reaction, [2+2+2]-cycloadditions and metathesis reactions, starting mainly from enyne compounds and through the use of fluorinated chiral N-sulfinyl imines and their derivatives as starting materials.

Pauson-Khand reaction of fluorinated compounds

The Pauson-Khand reaction (PKR) is one of the key methods for the construction of cyclopentenone derivatives, which can in turn undergo diverse chemical transformations to yield more complex biologically active molecules. Despite the increasing availability of fluorinated building blocks and methodologies to incorporate fluorine in compounds with biological interest, there have been few significant advances focused on the fluoro-Pauson-Khand reaction, both in the inter- and intramolecular versions. Furthermore, the use of vinyl fluorides as olefinic counterparts had been completely overlooked. In this review, we collect the advances both on the stoichiometric and catalytic intermolecular and intramolecular fluoro-Pauson-Khand reaction, with special attention to the PKR of enynes containing a fluoride moiety.

P-Stereogenic Amino-Phosphines as Chiral Ligands: From Privileged Intermediates to Asymmetric Catalysis

Among chiral phosphines, P-stereogenic phosphines provide unparalleled activity and selectivity and have thus emerged as "state-of-the-art" ligands for asymmetric hydrogenation and other industrially relevant processes. However, the synthesis of this type of ligand implies lengthy multistep sequences, which are a hurdle for many laboratories. There is a lack of methods for the rapid construction of P-stereogenic phosphine ligands. In this respect, P-stereogenic synthons that can be rapidly incorporated into a given ligand scaffold are highly desirable. Over the last 10 years, our group has unveiled that P-stereogenic aminophosphines can be rapidly assembled in a convenient fashion from the corresponding primary aminophosphine and/or the corresponding phosphinous acid.Using cis-1-amino-2-indanol as chiral auxiliary, we devised a multigram synthesis of tert-butylmethylaminophosphine borane and tert-butylmethylphosphinous acid borane, which are key intermediate synthons. Primary aminophosphine works as nucleophilic intermediates at nitrogen. From this synthon, aminodiphosphine (MaxPHOS) and secondary imino phosphoranes (SIP) ligands were synthesized. These ligands exhibit a tautomeric equilibrium between the PH and NH forms, and because of that, they do not undergo oxidation in air. NH/PH tautomerism does not jeopardize their configurational stability, and most importantly, in the presence of a metal source, the equilibrium is shifted toward the NH form, thus allowing coordination through phosphorus. Rh-MaxPHOS and Rh-SIP complexes have been used in asymmetric hydrogenation and [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions with outstanding results. On the other hand, P-stereogenic phosphinous acid, upon activation, serves as an electrophilic reagent with amine nucleophiles, allowing S_N2 reactions at phosphorus with complete inversion of configuration. This coupling technology exhibits a great potential because it allows the incorporation of the P*-phosphine fragment in numerous ligand structures, provided there is an amino group with which to react. In a mild and efficient process, phosphinous acid has been coupled to hydrazine to yield C₂ diphosphines and to chiral benzoimidazole-amines to yield P-stereogenic benzoimidazole-phosphine ligands. The most powerful ligand system, however, arises from the condensation of three independent fragments: our phosphinous acid borane, an amino acid, and an amino alcohol, which yields a library of phosphino-oxazoline ligands named MaxPHOX. The corresponding Ir-MaxPHOX catalyst library was applied with excellent results in the asymmetric hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated esters, 2-aryl allyl phthalimides, unfunctionalized tetrasubstituted alkenes, cyclic enamides, and N-aryl and N-methyl imines. It also has found application in asymmetric isomerization of alkenes.Overall, we developed key P-stereogenic building blocks that can be incorporated stereospecifically to ligand scaffolds and demonstrated that integration of the P*-aminophosphine fragment in a given catalytic system provides structural diversity that can be a critical contribution to obtaining optimal results and selectivity.

Phosphine-Free Ru-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Addition of Benzoic Acids to Trifluoromethylated Alkynes toward Facile Access to Trifluoromethyl Group-Substituted (E)-Enol Esters

A combination of ruthenium catalyst with silver salt and copper salt was proved to be a highly efficient protocol for the direct addition reaction of benzoic acids with unsymmetrical trifluoromethylated internal alkynes. Diverse trifluoromethyl group-substituted (E)-enol esters were readily obtained for a broad substrate scope in moderate to good yields with excellent regio- and stereoselectivities under mild reaction conditions.

Trimethylsilyl-Protected Alkynes as Selective Cross-Coupling Partners in Titanium-Catalyzed [2+2+1] Pyrrole Synthesis

Trimethylsilyl (TMS)-protected alkynes served as selective alkyne cross-coupling partners in titanium-catalyzed [2+2+1] pyrrole synthesis. Reactions of TMS-protected alkynes with internal alkynes and azobenzene under the catalysis of titanium imido complexes yielded pentasubstituted 2-TMS-pyrroles with greater than 90 % selectivity over the other nine possible pyrrole products. The steric and electronic effects of the TMS group were both identified to play key roles in this highly selective pyrrole synthesis. This strategy provides a convenient method to synthesize multisubstituted pyrroles as well as an entry point for further pyrrole diversification through facile modification of the resulting 2-silyl pyrrole products, as demonstrated through a short formal synthesis of the marine natural product lamellarin R.

Recent Advances in the Pauson-Khand Reaction

The Pauson-Khand [2+2+1] cycloaddition of alkynes, alkenes, and carbon monoxide has been a vibrant area of research for more than 40 years. This review highlights recent achievements in the Pauson-Khand reaction, particularly in catalytic and asymmetric variants. Discussion of regioselectivity and advances in substrate scope is also presented.

Cu-Catalyzed C-H Trifluoromethylation of 3-Arylprop-1-ynes for the Selective Construction of Allenic Csp(2)-CF3 and Propargyl Csp(3)-CF3 Bonds

A new method has been developed for the Cu-catalyzed C-H trifluoromethylation of 3-arylprop-1-ynes for the selective construction of allenic Csp(2)-CF3 and propargyl Csp(3)-CF3 bonds. The selective formation of allenic Csp(2)-CF3 and propargyl Csp(3)-CF3 bonds can be controlled by modifying the reaction conditions.

Gold(I) catalysed sequential dehydrative cyclisation/intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition of alkynyldienols onto activated alkynes/alkenes: a facile route to substituted norbornadienes/norbornenes

One-pot synthesis of highly substituted norbornadienes/norbornenes via gold-catalysed dehydrative cyclisation of alkynyldienols, followed by intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition of in situ generated cyclopentadiene and activated alkynes/alkenes is described. The precursors, alkynyldienols, are obtained via sequential Sonogashira cross-coupling of 3-bromoenals, alkyne addition and reduction. Yields of the enynals and multisubstituted norbornadienes in all the cases are good to excellent.

Copper-mediated oxidative difluoromethylation of terminal alkynes with TMSCF2H

A copper-mediated oxidative coupling of terminal alkynes and TMSCF₂H has been described for the preparation of various difluoromethylated alkynes.

Recent progress in direct introduction of fluorinated groups on alkenes and alkynes by means of C-H bond functionalization

The direct introduction of fluorine and fluorinated building blocks has recently attracted a lot of attention and particularly the direct functionalization of alkenes and alkynes. This review will highlight the major progress recently made in that field, with a focus on photocatalyzed transformations, base-promoted processes, and transition metal-catalyzed functionalization of alkenes and alkynes. Special attention will be paid to explanations of the reaction mechanisms.

Catalytic C-H α-trifluoromethylation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

A copper(I)-catalyzed, regioselective C-H α-trifluoromethylation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds using Togni's reagent was developed. Diverse substrates, including enones as well as α,β-unsaturated esters, thioesters, and amides, stereospecifically afforded the corresponding (E)-α-trifluoromethylated products in moderate to high yields. Further, this method was applied to the C-H trifluoromethylation of drugs.

Pauson-Khand reaction of internal dissymmetric trifluoromethyl alkynes. Influence of the alkene on the regioselectivity

The scope of the Pauson-Khand reaction (PKR) of internal trifluoromethyl alkynes, previously described with norbornadiene, is expanded to norbornene and ethylene. A thorough structural analysis of the resulting PK adducts has been carried out to unveil that α-trifluoromethylcyclopentenones are preferred in all cases, independently of the electronic properties of the alkyne. The regioselectivity observed with norbornadiene and ethylene is higher than in the case of norbornene.