Asymmetric Ion Pair Catalysis of 6π Electrocyclizations: Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis of Optically Active 1,4-Dihydropyridazines

Direct Construction of 1,4-Dihydropyridazines and Pyrazoles via Annulation of Alkyl 2-Aroyl-1-chlorocyclopropanecarboxylates

An efficient and chemodivergent synthesis of highly functionalized 1,4-dihydropyridazines and pyrazoles has been accomplished via base-promoted annulation between hydrazones and alkyl 2-aroyl-1-chlorocyclopropanecarboxylates, respectively. This transition-metal-free domino reaction proceeded rapidly under mild basic conditions, affording potentially bioactive 1,4-dihydropyridazine and pyrazole derivatives in moderate yields. The conversion of 1,4-dihydropyridazine to pyrazole was confirmed by adjusting the quantity of the base.

The cyclization/rearrangement of α-hydroxy ketones with trifluoromethyl N-acylhydrazones to synthesize multi-substituted trifluoromethyloxazolines

A highly efficient and metal-free [3+2] cyclization/rearrangement reaction toward the synthesis of multisubstituted trifluoromethyloxazolines from α-hydroxyketones and trifluoromethyl N-acylhydrazones has been developed. The unprecedented rearrangement of the amide fragment under acidic conditions after cleavage of the N-N bond of acylhydrazones has opened up new avenues for the development of reactions involving trifluoromethyl N-acylhydrazones. DFT calculations show that the mechanism involves multiple proton transfer processes.

Trifluoromethylated hydrazones and acylhydrazones as potent nitrogen-containing fluorinated building blocks

Nitrogen-containing organofluorine derivatives, which are prepared using fluorinated building blocks, are among the most important active fragments in various pharmaceutical and agrochemical products. This review focuses on the reactivity, synthesis, and applications of fluoromethylated hydrazones and acylhydrazones. It summarizes recent methodologies that have been used for the synthesis of various nitrogen-containing organofluorine compounds.

Enantioconvergent 6π Electrocyclization Enabled by Photoredox Racemization

This study presents a novel photoredox-enabled enantioconvergent catalytic strategy used to construct chiral 2H-1,3-benzoxazines via an unprecedented oxa-6π electrocyclization utilizing racemic α-substituted glycinates as substrates. The approach leverages a cobalt-based chiral Lewis acid catalyst, which promotes the transformation under thermal or photoredox conditions. While the thermal reaction selectively converts only the (S)-configured glycinates into enantioenriched 2H-1,3-benzoxazines (up to 96:4 e.r.), the addition of 0.5 mol % of a commercially available iridium photocatalyst under visible light irradiation transforms the reaction into an enantioconvergent process. Detailed mechanistic and time course studies of optically pure α-deuterated substrates revealed the presence of an enantiospecific kinetic isotope effect, which helped to clarify the role of both the photo- and chiral Lewis acid catalyst in the reaction sequence. In this dual catalytic system, the photocatalyst promotes a dynamic interconversion between the substrate enantiomers─a process not accessible via ground-state chemistry─while the chiral Lewis acid selectively transforms only the (S)-configured substrates. Further mechanistic evidence for the proposed mechanism is provided by linear free energy relationship analysis, which suggests that the stereodetermining step involves a 6π electrocyclization under both thermal and photoredox conditions.

Synthesis of 4-trifluoromethyl pyridazines via annulation of pyridinium ylides with trifluoroacetyl diazoester

A base promoted annulation of pyridinium ylides with trifluoroacetyl diazoester has been reported. Highly functionalized 4-trifluoromethyl pyridazines were synthesized in good yields without the use of any heavy metal catalysts. The developed methodology was compatible with a variety of important functional groups. Mechanistic studies revealed that trifluoroacetylated hydrazone was an active intermediate of this three-component annulation. Synthetic versatility of the method via aminolysis and condensation toward amide- and pyridazino[4,5-c]pyridazine-derivatives has been showcased.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Atropisomeric Acridinium Salts by the Catalyst‐Controlled Cyclization of ortho ‐Quinone Methide Iminiums

Quinone methides are fundamental intermediates for a wide range of reactions in which catalyst stereocontrol is often achieved by hydrogen bonding. Herein, we describe the feasibility of an intramolecular Friedel–Crafts 6π electrocyclization through ortho‐quinone methide iminiums stereocontrolled by a contact ion pair. A disulfonimide catalyst activates racemic trichloroacetimidate substrates and imparts stereocontrol in the cyclization step, providing a new avenue for selective ortho‐quinone methide iminium functionalization. A highly stereospecific oxidation readily transforms the enantioenriched acridanes into rotationally restricted acridiniums. Upon ion exchange, the method selectively affords atropisomeric acridinium tetrafluoroborate salts in high yields and an enantioenrichment of up to 93 : 7 e.r. We envision that ion‐pairing catalysis over ortho‐quinone methide iminiums enables the selective synthesis of a diversity of heterocycles and aniline derivatives with distinct stereogenic units.

Cascade aza-Wittig/6π-Electrocyclization in the Synthesis of 1,6-Dihydropyridines

A metal-free protocol for the synthesis of substituted 1,6-dihydropyridines with quaternary stereogenic centers via a cascade aza-Wittig/6π-electrocyclization process has been developed. The high functional group compatibility and broad scope of this method were demonstrated by using a wide range of easily available vinyliminophosphoranes and ketones, with yields up to 97%. A modification of the obtained products allowed for an increase in complexity and chemical diversity. Finally, attempts for asymmetric synthesis of 1,6-dihydropyridines are demonstrated.

Carbene-catalyzed enantioselective annulation of dinucleophilic hydrazones and bromoenals for access to aryl-dihydropyridazinones and related drugs

4,5-Dihydropyridazinones bearing an aryl substituent at the C6-position are important motifs in drug molecules. Herein, we developed an efficient protocol to access aryl-dihydropyridazinone molecules via carbene-catalyzed asymmetric annulation between dinucleophilic arylidene hydrazones and bromoenals. Key steps in this reaction include polarity-inversion of aryl aldehyde-derived hydrazones followed by chemo-selective reaction with enal-derived α,β-unsaturated acyl azolium intermediates. The aryl-dihydropyridazinone products accessed by our protocol can be readily transformed into drugs and bioactive molecules.

Polarity inversion of arylidene hydrazones to react with bromoenals via carbene organic catalysis is disclosed. The reaction enantioselectively affords 6-aryl-4,5-dihydropyridazinones and related drugs with proven commercial applications.

Enantio- and Diastereoselective Nucleophilic Addition of N-tert-Butylhydrazones to Isoquinolinium Ions through Anion-Binding Catalysis

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective thiourea-catalyzed dearomatization of isoquinolines employing N-tert-butylhydrazones as neutral α-azo carbanions and masked acyl anion equivalents has been developed. Experimental and computational data supports the generation of highly ordered complexes wherein the chloride behaves as a template for the catalyst, the hydrazone reagent, and the isoquinolinium cation, providing excellent stereocontrol in the formation of two contiguous stereogenic centers. The ensuing selective and high-yielding transformations provide appealing dihydroisoquinoline derivatives.

Brønsted acid-promoted hydroamination of unsaturated hydrazones: access to biologically important 5-arylpyrazolines

A novel and efficient Brønsted acid-promoted hydroamination of hydrazone-tethered olefins has been developed. A variety of pyrazolines have been easily obtained in good to excellent yields with high chemo- and regioselectivity under simple and mild conditions. This method represents a straightforward, facile, and practical approach toward biologically important 5-arylpyrazolines, which are difficult to access by previously reported radical hydroamination of β,γ-unsaturated hydrazones.

An efficient, chemo- and regioselective Brønsted acid-promoted hydroamination reaction of hydrazone-tethered olefins towards 5-arylpyrazolines was developed.

I2-Promoted [4 + 2] cycloaddition of in situ generated azoalkenes with enaminones: facile and efficient synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridazines and pyridazines

A facile and efficient strategy for the synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridazines and pyridazines through I2-promoted [4 + 2] cycloaddition of in situ generated azoalkenes with enaminones has been developed. The switch in selectivity is attributed to the judicious choice of different reaction temperatures. The key features of this work include controllable and selective synthesis, good functional group tolerance, good to excellent reaction yields, metal/base-free conditions, and also applicability to one-pot methodology.

Synthesis of pertrifluoromethyl pyridazine derivatives via a tandem reaction of aryldiazonium salts with hexafluoroacetylacetone

A method for the synthesis of pertrifluoromethyl pyridazine derivatives by the condensation of arenediazonium salts with hexafluoroacetylacetone has been developed.

Zinc-Catalyzed Asymmetric Formal [4+3] Annulation of Isoxazoles with Enynol Ethers by 6π Electrocyclization: Stereoselective Access to 2H-Azepines

6π electrocyclization has attracted interest in organic synthesis because of its high stereospecificity and atom economy in the construction of versatile 5-7-membered cycles. However, examples of asymmetric 6π electrocyclization are quite scarce, and have to rely on the use of chiral organocatalysts, and been limited to pentadienyl-anion- and triene-type 6π electrocyclizations. Described herein is a zinc-catalyzed formal [4+3] annulation of isoxazoles with 3-en-1-ynol ethers via 6π electrocyclization, leading to the site-selective synthesis of functionalized 2H-azepines and 4H-azepines in good to excellent yields with broad substrate scope. Moreover, this strategy has also been used to produce chiral 2H-azepines with high enantioselectivities (up to 97:3 e.r.). This protocol not only is the first asymmetric heptatrienyl-cation-type 6π electrocyclization, but also is the first asymmetric reaction of isoxazoles with alkynes and the first asymmetric catalysis based on ynol ethers.

P-Chiral, N-phosphoryl sulfonamide Brønsted acids with an intramolecular hydrogen bond interaction that modulates organocatalysis

Brønsted acids exemplified by OttoPhosa I (5c) were designed and evaluated in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of quinolines. Their catalytic properties are modulated by an intramolecular hydrogen bond that rigidifies their catalytic cavity, accelerates the reaction rate and improves enantioselectivity.

Copper-Promoted 6- endo-trig Cyclization of β,γ-Unsaturated Hydrazones for the Synthesis of 1,6-Dihydropyridazines

A novel and efficient strategy for the synthesis of 1,6-dihydropyridazines via copper-promoted 6- endo-trig cyclization of readily available β,γ-unsaturated hydrazones have been developed. A series of 1,6-dihydropyridazines have been synthesized by this method with good yields, high functional group tolerance, and remarkable regioselectivity under mild conditions. Importantly, the 1,6-dihydropyridazines can be efficiently converted to biologically important pyridazines in the presence of NaOH.

Mannich reaction of trifluoroacetaldehyde hydrazones: a useful entry to trifluoromethyl substituted heterocycles

N–N bond formation in Ugi processes: from nitric acid to the libraries of nitramines.

N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed [3 + 3] cyclocondensation of bromoenals with hydrazones: highly enantioselective synthesis of dihydropyridazones

The N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed [3 + 3] cyclocondensation of bromoenals and hydrazones is developed to give the corresponding chiral 4,5-dihydropyridazones in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities.

Fluorine effects in organocatalysis - asymmetric Brønsted acid assisted Lewis base catalysis for the synthesis of trifluoromethylated heterocycles exploiting the negative hyperconjugation of the CF3-group

An efficient Brønsted acid assisted Lewis base catalysis protocol for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure trifluoromethylated dihydropyridazines starting from readily available hydrazones and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes has been developed. The reaction exhibits high tolerance towards many functional groups and is applicable to various aliphatic, aromatic and hetero-aromatic α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, and provides the products in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities.

Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryllithium reagents with 2-alkoxy-substituted aryl chlorides: mild and efficient synthesis of 3,3'-diaryl BINOLs

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryllithium reagents with 2-alkoxy-substituted aryl chlorides is described. The reactions proceed under mild conditions with short reaction times and provide a wide range of 2-alkoxy-substituted biaryls. This new methodology is applied to the efficient preparation of 3,3'-diaryl BINOLs and represents the first synthesis of this important class of chiral compounds from the corresponding 3,3'-dichloro BINOLs.

No acid required: 4π and 6π electrocyclization reactions of dienyl diketones for the synthesis of cyclopentenones and 2H-Pyrans

The 1,6-conjugate addition of nucleophiles to dienyl diketones produces either cyclopentenone or 2H-pyran products with high selectivity through either Nazarov (4π) or 6π electrocyclization, respectively. The outcome of the reaction is dependent upon the nature of the nucleophile used. Nucleophiles that are anionic or easily deprotonated exclusively produce cyclopentenones via Nazarov cyclization, whereas the neutral nucleophile DABCO promotes 6π cyclization to afford 2H-pyrans. Experimental evidence is presented for both retro-4π and -6π electrocyclization in these systems, lending support to the bifurcated mechanistic hypothesis proposed for these cyclizations.