Preparation of 6-Monohalo-β-cyclodextrin Derivatives with Selectively Methylated Rims via Diazonium Salts

A series of 6-monohalo (Cl, Br, and I) β-cyclodextrin derivatives with various types of methylations were synthesized via a diazotization/nucleophilic displacement reaction from the corresponding methylated cyclodextrin amines. All four starting compounds (6A-amino-6A-deoxy derivatives of native β-CD, per-6-O-methyl-, per-2,3-O-methyl-, and per-2,3,6-O-methyl-β-CD) were found to have different reactivities under the same reaction conditions. Unsubstituted and fully per-O-methylated cyclodextrin amines undergo fast transformation, giving lower yields of the monohalogenated product. The selectively methylated cyclodextrin amines react remarkably slower and provide almost complete conversion into the desired monohalogenated compound. A pure product was, in several cases, successfully isolated with simple purification techniques (extraction and precipitation), allowing large-scale preparations. This new method opens the way for preparing poorly investigated monofunctionalized selectively methylated cyclodextrins.

Development of copper-catalyzed deaminative esterification using high-throughput experimentation

Repurposing of amine and carboxylic acid building blocks provides an enormous opportunity to expand the accessible chemical space, because amine and acid feedstocks are typically low cost and available in high diversity. Herein, we report a copper-catalyzed deaminative esterification based on C-N activation of aryl amines via diazonium salt formation. The reaction was specifically designed to complement the popular amide coupling reaction. A chemoinformatic analysis of commercial building blocks demonstrates that by utilizing aryl amines, our method nearly doubles the available esterification chemical space compared to classic Fischer esterification with phenols. High-throughput experimentation in microliter reaction droplets was used to develop the reaction, along with classic scope studies, both of which demonstrated robust performance against hundreds of substrate pairs. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that this new esterification is suitable for late-stage diversification and for building-block repurposing to expand chemical space.

O-Methylation of carboxylic acids with streptozotocin

The clinically used DNA-alkylating drug streptozotocin (STZ) was investigated using a simple work-up as an O-methylating agent to transform various carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids and phosphorous acids into corresponding methyl esters, and did so with yields of up to 97% in 4 h at room temperature. Good substrate tolerance was observed, and benefited from the mild conditions and compatibility of the reaction with water.

Understanding the regioselectivity of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles alkylation

A novel rational to account for the selectivity of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazole alkylation.

Alkylation of 5-Substituted 1H-Tetrazoles via the Diazotization of Aliphatic Amines

A new alkylation reaction of monosubstituted tetrazoles via the diazotization of aliphatic amines is reported. This method enables preferential formation of 2,5-disubstituted tetrazoles. A one-pot 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition/diazotization sequence starting from widely available nitriles is also described. Azide residues are quenched in the second step with the nitrite reagent, thus limiting the intrinsic risk associated with trimethylsilyl azide. The reaction conditions were compatible with several functional groups, including thiocyanates, which afford preferentially disubstituted 2-alkyl-5-(substituted-thio)tetrazoles.

A comprehensive review of flow chemistry techniques tailored to the flavours and fragrances industries

Due to their intrinsic physical properties, which includes being able to perform as volatile liquids at room and biological temperatures, fragrance ingredients/intermediates make ideal candidates for continuous-flow manufacturing. This review highlights the potential crossover between a multibillion dollar industry and the flourishing sub-field of flow chemistry evolving within the discipline of organic synthesis. This is illustrated through selected examples of industrially important transformations specific to the fragrances and flavours industry and by highlighting the advantages of conducting these transformations by using a flow approach. This review is designed to be a compendium of techniques and apparatus already published in the chemical and engineering literature which would constitute a known solution or inspiration for commonly encountered procedures in the manufacture of fragrance and flavour chemicals.

Systematic Evaluation of 1,2-Migratory Aptitude in Alkylidene Carbenes

Alkylidene carbenes undergo rapid inter- and intramolecular reactions and rearrangements, including 1,2-migrations of β-substituents to generate alkynes. Their propensity for substituent migration exerts profound influence over the broader utility of alkylidene carbene intermediates, yet prior efforts to categorize 1,2-migratory aptitude in these elusive species have been hampered by disparate modes of carbene generation, ultrashort carbene lifetimes, mechanistic ambiguities, and the need to individually prepare a series of ¹³C-labeled precursors. Herein we report on the rearrangement of ¹³C-alkylidene carbenes generated in situ by the homologation of carbonyl compounds with [¹³C]-Li-TMS-diazomethane, an approach that obviates the need for isotopically labeled substrates and has expedited a systematic investigation (¹³C{¹H} NMR, DLPNO-CCSD(T)) of migratory aptitudes in an unprecedented range of more than 30 alkylidene carbenes. Hammett analyses of the reactions of 26 differentially substituted benzophenones reveal several counterintuitive features of 1,2-migration in alkylidene carbenes that may prove of utility in the study and synthetic application of unsaturated carbenes more generally.

Protecting-group-free synthesis of hydroxyesters from amino alcohols

The synthesis of hydroxyesters from carboxylic acids and unprotected amino alcohols in both continuous flow and batch processes is reported. The formation of a transient diazonium species with a dinitrite reagent is key in this transformation. The reaction conditions are compatible with a variety of functional groups.

Etherification of phenols by amines via transient diazonium intermediates

In this paper, the synthesis of alkyl aryl ethers from electron poor phenols and amines, using 1,3-propanedinitrite, is described. Due to the mild conditions, functionalized primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl groups were successfully introduced, denoting a highly tolerant process that allows for unprotected alcohols and acetals. The reaction is thought to proceed through the formation of a diazonium intermediate that undergoes subsequent SN2 or SN1 reactions.

Alkynes and Nitrogen Compounds: Useful Substrates for the Synthesis of Pyrazoles

The easy preparation and functionalization of pyrazoles associated with their innumerable biological properties have made this class of N-heterocycles very attractive for the development of new synthetic routes and applications. The cyclization reactions of alkynes and nitrogen compounds represent a powerful tool for the preparation of pyrazoles. This Review covers the recent advances in the preparation of pyrazoles by reacting alkynes and nitrogen compounds under transition-metal-catalyzed or metal-free conditions.

Influence of sulfonyl substituents on the decomposition of N-sulfonylhydrazones at room temperature

A systematic investigation on the influence of sulfonyl substituents on the decomposition of N-sulfonylhydrazones at room temperature is described.

Retracted Article: Molybdenum-silver co-catalyzed cycloaddition of alkynes with N-isocyanoiminotriphenylphosphorane (NIITP): an efficient strategy for the synthesis of monosubstituted pyrazoles

A highly efficient synthesis of monosubstituted pyrazoles from alkynes and N-isocyanoiminotriphenylphosphorane (NITTP) is developed via molybdenum-silver co-catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition.

Continuous flow chemistry: where are we now? Recent applications, challenges and limitations

A general outlook of the changing face of chemical synthesis is provided in this article through recent applications of continuous flow processing in both industry and academia. The benefits, major challenges and limitations associated with the use of this mode of processing are also given due attention as an attempt to put into perspective the current position of continuous flow processing, either as an alternative or potential combinatory technology for batch processing.

Continuous Visible-Light Photoflow Approach for a Manganese-Catalyzed (Het)Arene C-H Arylation

Manganese photocatalysts enabled versatile room-temperature C-H arylation reactions by means of continuous visible-light photoflow, thus allowing for efficient C-H arylations in 30 minutes with ample scope. The robustness of the manganese-catalyzed photoflow strategy was shown by visible light-induced gram-scale synthesis, clearly outperforming the batch performance.

The Generation of Diazo Compounds in Continuous-Flow

Toxic, cancerogenic and explosive-these attributes are typically associated with diazo compounds. Nonetheless, diazo compounds are nowadays a highly demanded class of reagents for organic synthesis, yet the concerns with regards to safe and scalable transformations of these compounds are still exceptionally high. Lately, the research area of the continuous-flow synthesis of diazo compounds attracted significant interest and a whole variety of protocols for their "on-demand" preparation have been realized to date. This concept article focuses on the recent developments using continuous-flow technologies to access diazo compounds; thus minimizing risks and hazards when working with this particular class of compounds. In this article we discuss these concepts and highlight different pre-requisites to access and to perform downstream functionalization reaction.

Unsymmetrical difunctionalization of cyclooctadiene under continuous flow conditions: expanding the scope of ring opening metathesis polymerization

Functionalized cyclooctenes (FCOEs) are important monomers in ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). Herein, a new library of disubstituted FCOEs bearing adjacent heteroatoms were synthesized and applied in ROMP. To address the issues associated with the handling of the reactive thienyl chloride intermediate, a two-step continuous flow method has been developed to prepare 5-thio-6-chlorocyclooctene compounds from abundant cyclooctadiene starting materials. These newly synthesized FCOE monomers were subsequently polymerized through ROMP, giving rise to a range of functionalized polymers with high molecular weights. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the thermal properties of these polymers could be fine-tuned by changing the functional groups in the FCOE monomers. We expect that this functionalization-polymerization strategy will enable the preparation of a range of polymeric materials with complex structures.

C–H functionalisation of aldehydes using light generated, non-stabilised diazo compounds in flow

Here we explore further the use of oxadiazolines, non-stabilised diazo precursors which are bench stable, in direct, non-catalytic, aldehyde C–H functionalisation reactions under UV photolysis in flow and free from additives.

Catalytic Asymmetric Roskamp Reaction of Silyl Diazoalkane: Synthesis of Enantioenriched α-Silyl Ketone

A catalytic enantioselective Roskamp reaction of silyl diazoalkane to synthesize a highly optically active α-silyl ketone from aldehydes is described. In the presence of a chiral oxazaborolidinium ion catalyst, the reaction provides α-chiral silyl ketones with good yields (up to 97%) and high enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee). In addition, a one-pot procedure using an asymmetric Roskamp/reduction strategy gives highly optically active syn-β-hydroxysilane in good yields (up to 94%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) and syn stereoselectivities (>20:1).

A Unified Continuous Flow Assembly-Line Synthesis of Highly Substituted Pyrazoles and Pyrazolines

A rapid and modular continuous flow synthesis of highly functionalized fluorinated pyrazoles and pyrazolines has been developed. Flowing fluorinated amines through sequential reactor coils mediates diazoalkane formation and [3+2] cycloaddition to generate more than 30 azoles in a telescoped fashion. Pyrazole cores are then sequentially modified through additional reactor modules performing N-alkylation and arylation, deprotection, and amidation to install broad molecular diversity in short order. Continuous flow synthesis enables the safe handling of diazoalkanes at elevated temperatures, and the use of aryl alkyne dipolarphiles under catalyst free conditions. This assembly line synthesis provides a flexible approach for the synthesis of agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, as demonstrated by a four-step, telescoped synthesis of measles therapeutic, AS-136A, in a total residence time of 31.7 min (1.76 g h^-1).