Gold-Catalyzed Formal Cycloaddition of 2-Ethynylbenzyl Ethers with Organic Oxides and α-Diazoesters

Triflic Acid-Catalyzed Synthesis of Indole-Substituted Indane Derivatives via In Situ Formed Acetal-Facilitated Nucleophilic Addition and 4π-Electron-5-Carbon Electrocyclization Sequence

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of indole-substituted indanes from o-alkenylbenzaldehydes under acetalization conditions has been presented. The cyclization occurs via a nucleophilic addition of indole on the oxacarbenium ion generated from acetal formed under the reaction condition followed by a conrotatory 4π-electrocyclization reaction, which takes care of the exclusive diastereoselectivity observed during the cyclization step. Olefin geometry of o-alkenylbenzaldehyde and the amount of indole play a decisive role in the success of this cyclization process.

Gold-Catalyzed Synthesis of Diaza-hexatrienes Via Diazo Attack at Vinylgold Carbenes: An Easy Access to 1H-Pyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine-5-ones

This work reports a gold-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of highly substituted E-configured 2,3-diaza-1,3,5-hexatrienes using α-diazo nitriles and cyclopropene derivatives; such products arise from an atypical diazo attack of α-aryldiazo nitriles at vinylgold carbenes. For these 2,3-diaza-1,3,5-hexatrienes, we develop a novel anionic cyclization of derivatives of one family to form 1H-pyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine-5-ones.

Consecutive O-S/N-S Bond Cleavage in Gold-Catalyzed Rearrangement Reactions of Alkynyl N-Sulfinylimines

Gold-catalyzed reactions of alkynyl N-sulfinylimines were used to produce the corresponding 2H-azirines possessing sulfenyl and acyl groups at the 3-position of the azirine ring in good to excellent yields. These reactions involved internal transfer of the sulfinyl oxygen atom to form a thiooxime intermediate tethered to an α-oxo gold carbene moiety. Subsequent insertion of the carbene into the N-S bond resulted in ring construction.

Nitrene Transfer and Carbene Transfer in Gold Catalysis

Catalytic transformations involving metal carbenes are considered one of the most important aspects of homogeneous transition metal catalysis. Recently, gold-catalyzed generation of gold carbenes from readily available alkynes represents a significant advance in metal carbene chemistry. This Review summarizes the advances in the gold-catalyzed nitrene-transfer reactions of alkynes with nitrogen-transfer reagents, such as azides, nitrogen ylides, isoxazoles, and anthranils, and gold-catalyzed carbene-transfer reactions, involving oxygen atom-transfer reactions of alkynes with nitro compounds, nitrones, sulfoxides, and pyridine N-oxides, through the presumable α-imino gold carbene and α-oxo gold carbene intermediates, respectively. Gold-catalyzed processes are reviewed by highlighting their product diversity, selectivity, and applicability, and the mechanistic rationale is presented where possible.

Wolff Rearrangement of Oxidatively Generated α-Oxo Gold Carbenes: An Effective Approach to Silylketenes

Gold-catalyzed oxidations of alkynes by N-oxides offer direct access to reactive α-oxo gold carbene intermediates from benign and readily available alkynes instead of hazardous diazo carbonyl compounds. Despite various versatile synthetic methods developed based on this strategy, one of the hallmarks of α-oxo carbene/carbenoid chemistry, that is, the Wolff rearrangement, has not been realized in this context. This study discloses the first examples that show the Wolff rearrangement can be readily realized by α-oxo gold carbenes oxidatively generated from TBS-terminated alkynes (TBS=tert-butyldimethylsilyl). The thus-generated silylketenes can be either isolated pure or subsequently trapped by various internal or external nucleophiles in one pot to afford α-silylated carboxylic acids, their derivatives, or TBS-substituted allenes.

Recent advances in catalytic asymmetric intermolecular oxidation of alkynes

In recent years, gold-metal-catalyzed intermolecular alkyne oxidation by an N-oxide oxidant, which presumably involves a gold carbenoid intermediate, has attracted increasing attention because it circumvents the employment of hazardous and potentially explosive diazocarbonyl compounds as starting materials for carbene generation.

Gold-catalyzed oxidative cycloalkenations of alkynes with quinoline N-oxides

This work reports gold-catalyzed oxidative cycloalkenations of phenyl propargyl ethers and phenoxyalkynes with quinoline N-oxides to afford 4-alkylidenechroman-2-ones and 3-alkylidenebenzofuran-2-ones respectively.

Gold-catalyzed stereoselective dearomatization/metal-free aerobic oxidation: access to 3-substituted indolines/oxindoles

An unprecedented dearomatization of indoles with diazoesters has been developed via cationic gold(i) catalysis. The functionalization selectively occurs at the C3-position to deliver methylene indole derivatives in good yields with excellent Z-selectivity, demonstrating unusual reactivity and selectivity compared with other noble metal catalysis. Importantly, simply followed by silica gel adsorption, an unprecedented metal-free aerobic oxidation occurs for indoles bearing N-electron donating substituents, providing a novel and efficient approach towards 3-substituted indolin-2-ones with a newly formed quaternary stereocenter in excellent stereoselectivity. Notably, these processes afford direct and selective access to a variety of valuable intermediates from abundant feedstock chemicals.

Unveiling the mechanisms and secrets of chemoselectivities in Au(i)-catalyzed diazo-based couplings with aryl unsaturated aliphatic alcohols

The mechanisms and origins of the unsaturated-aliphatic-alcohols-modulated chemoselectivity of Au-catalyzed carbene transfers from diazo compounds are disclosed by DFT studies.

A silver-catalyzed three-component reaction via stabilized cation: synthesis of polysubstituted tetrahydronaphthols and tetrahydronaphthylamines

An efficient method for the synthesis of polysubstituted tetrahydronaphthols and tetrahydronaphthylamines via a stabilized cation intermediate has been developed.

Gold-Catalyzed Oxidation Terminal Alkyne: An Approach to Synthesize Substituted Dihydronaphthalen-2(1H)-ones and Phenanthrenols

A facile gold-catalyzed oxidation terminal alkynes to synthesize substituted dihydronaphthalen-2(1H)-ones 3 and phenanthrenols 5 was realized. Various useful structures and drug precursors were generated in up to 99% yield under mild condition and low catalyst loading.

Gold/silver-catalyzed controllable regioselective vinylcarbene insertion into O–H bonds

The controllable regioselective vinylcarbene insertion into O–H bonds of 2-pyridones/benzyl alcohols has been realized.

Gold-catalyzed highly regio- and enantioselective vinylcarbene insertion into O–H bonds of 2-pyridones

The first gold-catalyzed enantioselective carbene insertion into O–H bonds has been achieved.

Flexible Tetrahydropyran Synthesis from Homopropargylic Alcohols Using Sequential Pd-Au Catalysis

A flexible synthetic method toward highly substituted tetrahydropyran is reported. The key transformation involves atom-efficient sequential metal catalysis consisting of Pd-catalyzed addition of homopropargylic alcohols to alkoxyallene and the subsequent gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization. Notably, this method gives access to both 2,6-cis- and 2,6-trans-tetrahydropyrans possessing diverse substitution patterns.

Gold-Catalyzed Formal [4+1]/[4+3] Cycloadditions of Diazo Esters with Triazines

Reported herein is the unprecedented gold-catalyzed formal [4+1]/[4+3] cycloadditions of diazo esters with hexahydro-1,3,4-triazines, thus providing five- and seven-membered heterocycles in moderate to high yields under mild reaction conditions. These reactions feature the use of a gold complex to accomplish the diverse annulations and the first example of the involvement of a gold metallo-enolcarbene in a cycloaddition. It is also the first utilization of stable triazines as formal dipolar adducts in the carbene-involved cycloadditions. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the triazines reacted directly, rather than as formaldimine precursors, in the reaction process.