Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Heck Carbonylation with a Monodentate Phosphoramidite Ligand: Asymmetric Synthesis of (+)-Physostigmine, (+)-Physovenine, and (+)-Folicanthine

Palladium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Desymmetrization for the Simultaneous Construction of Chiral Phosphorus and Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters

A palladium-catalyzed asymmetric tandem Heck and carbonylation of bisallyl-phosphine oxides has been developed. This desymmetrization process provided an efficient route to the simultaneous synthesis of a chiral P-stereogenic center and a chiral quaternary carbon stereocenter in good yields with good diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

Palladium-Catalyzed Multicomponent Carbonylation of Halides to Acylhydrazones

The current methods for synthesizing acylhydrazones are limited by their multistep processes, narrow substrate scope, low selectivities, and poor yields. Herein, a fundamentally novel approach to bioactive acylhydrazones was developed based on the palladium-catalyzed multicomponent tandem condensation carbonylation of halides with aldehydes and hydrazines. This method provides a useful and efficient strategy for generating grams of various acylhydrazones in a one-pot manner. Mechanistic studies provided evidence of facile carbonylation of halides with the weak nucleophile hydrazones facilitated by a base.

Palladium-Catalyzed Three-Component Cascade Carbonylation Reaction to Construct Benzofuran Derivatives

A novel three-component cyclization carbonylation reaction of iodoarene-tethered propargyl ethers with amine and CO is reported. This palladium-catalyzed cascade reaction undergoes a sequence of oxidative addition, unsaturated bond migration, carbonyl insertion, and nucleophilic attack to deliver the benzofuran skeleton. Both aromatic amines and aliphatic amines could proceed smoothly in this transformation under one atm of CO.

Domino Michael/Oxa-Michael Reactions of the Unsymmetric Double Michael Acceptor for Access to Bicyclic Furo[2,3-b]pyrrole

By creating an unsymmetric double Michael acceptor 1, we were able to synthesize the nonaromatic-fused bicyclic furo[2,3-b]pyrrole nucleus using a domino Michael/oxa-Michael reaction. Adopting benzoyl acetonitrile 2d (CN as the electron-withdrawing group) as a substrate, we discovered a (DHQ)2AQN-catalyzed method for high diastereo- and enantioselectivity of those products. The reaction path has been determined by isolating the reaction intermediates, and density functional theory calculations support these findings. Beyond providing a synthetic approach, this work illustrated the compounds' possible use in antitumor activity.

Recent advances in Pd-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization reactions

Over the past few decades, there have been major developments in transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization reactions, enabling the convenient access to a wide spectrum of structurally diverse chiral carbo- and hetero-cycles, common skeletons found in fine chemicals, natural products, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and materials. In particular, a plethora of enantioselective cyclization reactions have been promoted by chiral palladium catalysts owing to their outstanding features. This review aims to collect the latest advancements in enantioselective palladium-catalyzed cyclization reactions over the past eleven years, and it is organized into thirteen sections depending on the different types of transformations involved.

Palladium-Catalyzed Difluorocarbene Transfer Enabled Divergent Synthesis of γ-Butenolides and Ynones from Iodobenzene and Terminal Alkynes

Herein, we report a ligand-controlled palladium-catalyzed method that enables the synthesis of ynones and γ-butenolides with excellent regioselectivity from the same set of readily available aryl iodides, aryl acetylenes, and BrCF2CO2K. In this reaction, the [PdII]═CF2 does demonstrate electrophilicity and can generate CO readily when reacting with H2O. It is environmentally friendly and safe compared to traditional methods, and the current protocol enables us to afford ynones and γ-butenolides in high yields with excellent functionality tolerance. Moreover, esters can also be obtained with corresponding phenols and alcohols utilizing this strategy. The success of late-stage functionalization of bioactive compounds further illustrates the synthetic utility of this protocol in material development and drug discovery.

Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Intramolecular Heck Dearomative Annulation of Indoles with N-Tosylhydrazones

An elegant Pd(dba)2-catalyzed enantioselective Heck dearomative annulation of indoles and N-tosylhydrazones for the straightforward assembly of structurally diverse optically active indoline scaffolds containing the quaternary carbon centers at the C2 position has been developed. The tandem protocol, which utilized a Pd(dba)2/BINOL-based phosphoramidite ligand as the catalytic system, proceeded smoothly through successive oxidative addition, intramolecular carbon palladation, migratory insertion, and β-elimination sequences, leading to the chiral indoline derivatives in moderate to excellent yields, with excellent enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities. In addition, the synthetic practicability of the catalytic system was underlined by a scaled-up experiment and the late-stage derivatization of the products, thus highlighting the potential applications in synthetic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and material science.

Enantioselective Palladium-Catalyzed Domino Carbonylative Heck Esterification of o-Iodoalkenylbenzenes with Arylboronic Acids

The current investigation presents an innovative palladium-catalyzed asymmetric carbonylative Heck esterification method. This approach facilitates the efficient synthesis of various chiral γ-ketoacid esters by utilizing o-alkenyliodobenzenes and arylboronic acids as primary substrates. This reaction achieves the creation of three carbon-carbon bonds, two carbon-oxygen bonds, and the establishment of a quaternary carbon center within a single step. The α-chiral γ-ketoacid esters were obtained in yields ranging from good to high yields, displaying enantiomeric excesses (ee's) levels up to 92% under mild reaction conditions.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Difunctionalization of Unactivated Alkenes Initiated by Unstabilized Enolates

This report describes the first example of palladium-catalyzed carbonylative difunctionalization of unactivated alkenes initiated by enolate nucleophiles. The approach involves initiation by an unstabilized enolate nucleophile under an atmospheric pressure of CO and termination with a carbon electrophile. This process is compatible with a diverse range of electrophiles, including aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl iodides to yield synthetically useful 1,5-diketone products, which were demonstrated to be precursors for multi-substituted pyridines. A PdI -dimer complex with two bridging CO units was observed although its role in catalysis is not yet understood.

Recent Progress in Asymmetric Domino Intramolecular Cyclization/Cascade Reactions of Substituted Olefins

The domino cyclization/coupling strategy is one of the most effective methods to produce cyclized and multi-functionalized compounds from olefins, which has attracted huge attention from chemists and biochemists especially for its considerable potential of enantiocontrol. Nowadays, more and more studies are developed to achieve difunctionalization of substituted olefins through an asymmetric domino intramolecular cyclization/cascade reaction, which is still an elegant choice to accomplish several synthetic ideas such as complex natural products and drugs. This review surveys the recent advances in this field through reaction type classification. It might serve as useful knowledge desktop for the community and accelerate their research.

Palladium-catalyzed Heck-carbonylation of alkene-tethered carbamoyl chlorides with aryl formates

We report a palladium-catalyzed Heck-carbonylation of alkene-tethered carbamoyl chlorides by utilizing aryl formates as convenient CO surrogates. One C-O and two C-C bonds are constructed to give diversiform esterified oxindoles/γ-lactams bearing an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter under gas-free conditions. This transformation features a wide substrate scope and good functional group tolerance and can be easily applied to late-stage functionalization.

Photoinduced radical cascade domino Heck coupling of N-aryl acrylamide with vinyl arenes enabled by palladium catalysis

Here, a redox-neutral palladium-catalyzed photo-induced radical cascade domino Heck reaction of N-aryl acrylamide with vinyl arenes is described. A diverse range of bioactive oxindoles, featuring an all-carbon quaternary center, were synthesized. The reaction is proposed to proceed via an open-shell intermediate and occurs under mild reaction conditions, exhibiting excellent functional group tolerance. Importantly, the synthesized products can be readily transformed into biologically active molecules, including (±)-physostigmine and (±)-physovenine.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Dearomatization of Indoles to Achieve Carbonyl-Containing Spirocyclic Indolenines Bearing an All-Carbon Quaternary Center

A Pd-catalyzed carbonylative dearomatization via an acyl Pd complex has been developed. Diversified carbonyl-containing spirocyclic indolenines with an all-carbon quaternary center were constructed in an efficient and straightforward way with good to excellent yields. The protocol features a simple catalytic system, operational simplicity, a broad substrate scope, easy scale-up, and versatile transformations. In addition, the asymmetric reaction was initially explored with moderate enantioselectivity.

Regioselective C-H Active Carbonylation via 1,4-Palladium Migration

We report a highly regioselective three-component coupling reaction of styrene, CO gas, and an amine compound to synthesize multisubstituted α,β-unsaturated amides, which involves a palladium-catalyzed sequential 1,4-palladium migration, C(sp²)-H activation, carbonylation, and amination. Salient features of this strategy include the use of 1 atm of CO, excellent stereochemistry, and good functional group tolerance. Further, a series of control experiments and density functional theory calculations were performed to afford some insights for the transfer mechanism.

Visible-Light-Induced 1,7-Enyne Dicyclization: Synthesis of Ester-Substituted Benzo[j]phenanthridines

A novel alkoxycarbonyl-radical-triggered cascade cyclization of 1,7-enynes, with alkyloxalyl chlorides as the ester units, for the synthesis of benzo[j]phenanthridines is described. The reaction conditions exhibit excellent compatibility with a broad range of alkoxycarbonyl radical sources and realize the installation of an ester group in the polycyclic compound. This radical cascade cyclization reaction features excellent functional group tolerance, mild reaction conditions, and good to excellent yields.

Palladium-Catalyzed Regioselective Carbonylation of 2-Trifluoromethyl-1,3-enynes to Multisubstituted Conjugated Dienes

In this communication, a palladium-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective carbonylation of 2-trifluoromethyl-1,3-enynes to afford multisubstituted conjugated dienes has been realized. This protocol features excellent regio- and exclusive (E)-stereoselectivity and a broad substrate scope with both amines and alcohols as the suitable reaction partners and has shown promising functional group tolerance.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylations: Application in Complex Natural Product Total Synthesis and Recent Developments

Carbon monoxide is a cheap and abundant C1 building block that can be readily incorporated into organic molecules to rapidly build structural complexity. In this Perspective, we outline several recent (since 2015) examples of palladium-catalyzed carbonylations in streamlining complex natural product total synthesis and highlight the strategic importance of these carbonylation reactions in the corresponding synthesis. The selected examples include spinosyn A, callyspongiolide, perseanol, schizozygane alkaloids, cephanolides, and bisdehydroneostemoninine and related stemona alkaloids. We also provide our perspective about the recent advancements and future developments of palladium-catalyzed carbonylations.

Pd-Catalyzed Asymmetric 5-exo-trig Cyclization/Cyclopropanation/Carbonylation of 1,6-Enynes for the Construction of Chiral 3-Azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes

We herein disclose a mild and efficient access to chiral 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes via a Pd-catalyzed asymmetric 5-exo-trig cyclization/cyclopropanation/carbonylation of 1,6-enynes. Various nucleophiles, such as alcohols, phenols, amines and water, are well compatible with the reaction system. This reaction forms three C-C bonds, two rings, two adjacent quaternary carbon stereocenters as well as one C-O/C-N bond with excellent regio- and enantioselectivities. The products could be further functionalized to generate a library of 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane frameworks.

Palladium-Catalyzed Defluorinative Coupling of Difluoroalkenes and Aryl Boronic Acids for Ketone Synthesis

The transition-metal-catalyzed carbonylation reaction is a useful approach for ketone synthesis. However, it is often problematic to use exogenous carbonyl reagents, such as gaseous carbon monoxide. In this manuscript, we report a novel palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of gem-difluoroalkenes and aryl boronic acids that yields bioactive indane-type ketones with an all-carbon α-quaternary center. Characterization and stoichiometric reactions of the key intermediates RCF₂ Pd^II support a water-induced defluorination and cross-coupling cascade mechanism. The vinyl difluoromethylene motif serves as an in situ carbonyl precursor which is unprecedented in transition-metal-catalyzed coupling reactions. It is expected to raise broad research interest from the perspectives of ketone synthesis, fluoroalkene functionalization, and rational design of new synthetic protocols based on the unique reactivity of difluoroalkyl palladium(II) species.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Hiyama-Denmark Reaction toward the Synthesis of Aryl Carbonyl-Containing Oxindoles

A palladium-catalyzed domino Heck cyclization/carbonylative Hiyama-Denmark cross-coupling reaction between alkene-tethered aryl iodides and silylcarboxylic acids is presented. This reaction proceeds well without toxic carbon monoxide (CO) gas and has good functional group tolerance, providing an alternative access to carbonyl-containing oxindoles. In this transformation, silylcarboxylic acids play a dual role as a CO source and a nucleophile.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Quaternary Oxindoles: Desymmetrizing Staudinger-Aza-Wittig Reaction Enabled by a Bespoke HypPhos Oxide Catalyst

This paper describes a catalytic asymmetric Staudinger-aza-Wittig reaction of (o-azidoaryl)malonates, allowing access to chiral quaternary oxindoles through phosphine oxide catalysis. We designed a novel HypPhos oxide catalyst to enable the desymmetrizing Staudinger-aza-Wittig reaction through the PIII/PV═O redox cycle in the presence of a silane reductant and an IrI-based Lewis acid. The reaction occurs under mild conditions, with good functional group tolerance, a wide substrate scope, and excellent enantioselectivity. Density functional theory revealed that the enantioselectivity in the desymmetrizing reaction arose from the cooperative effects of the IrI species and the HypPhos catalyst. The utility of this methodology is demonstrated by the (formal) syntheses of seven alkaloid targets: (-)-gliocladin C, (-)-coerulescine, (-)-horsfiline, (+)-deoxyeseroline, (+)-esermethole, (+)-physostigmine, and (+)-physovenine.

Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of Chimonanthus praecox Derivatives

To search for efficient agricultural antifungal lead compounds, 39 Chimonanthus praecox derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their antifungal activities. The structures of target compounds were fully characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS spectra. The preliminary bioassays revealed that some compounds exhibited excellent antifungal activities in vitro. For example, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of compound b15 against Phytophthora infestans was 1.95 µg mL−1, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of compound b17 against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was 1.95 µg mL−1. Therefore, compounds b15 and b17 were identified as the most promising candidates for further study.

Palladium-Catalyzed Intramolecular Heck/Aminocarbonylation of Alkene-Tethered Iodobenzenes with Nitro Compounds: Synthesis of Carbamoyl-Substituted Benzoheterocycles

A palladium-catalyzed intramolecular Heck/aminocarbonylation of alkene-tethered iodobenzenes with nitro compounds has been developed for the synthesis of carbamoyl-substituted benzoheterocycles. Using Mo(CO)₆ as a solid CO source, no external reductant or additives were needed in this procedure. Both nitroarenes and nitroalkanes were well tolerated. A range of carbamoyl-substituted dihydrobenzofurans and indolines were prepared in moderate to high yields.

Tandem utilization of CO2 photoreduction products for the carbonylation of aryl iodides

Photocatalytic CO₂ reduction reaction has been developed as an effective strategy to convert CO₂ into reusable chemicals. However, the reduction products of this reaction are often of low utilization value. Herein, we effectively connect photocatalytic CO₂ reduction and amino carbonylation reactions in series to reconvert inexpensive photoreduction product CO into value-added and easily isolated fine chemicals. In this tandem transformation system, we synthesize an efficient photocatalyst, NNU-55-Ni, which is transformed into nanosheets (NNU-55-Ni-NS) in situ to improve the photocatalytic CO₂-to-CO activity significantly. After that, CO serving as reactant is further reconverted into organic molecules through the coupled carbonylation reactions. Especially in the carbonylation reaction of diethyltoluamide synthesis, CO conversion reaches up to 85%. Meanwhile, this tandem transformation also provides a simple and low-cost method for the ¹³C isotopically labeled organic molecules. This work represents an important and feasible pathway for the subsequent separation and application of CO₂ photoreduction product.

Palladium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Dearomative Carbonylation of Indoles

Herein, we disclose a strategy for the asymmetric dearomatization of N-arylacyl indoles via a palladium-catalyzed tandem Heck/carbonylation, leading to an array of indoline-3-carboxylates bearing vicinal C2-aza-quaternary and C3 tertiary stereocenters in high yields and excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivities. This study is an important advance in the field of asymmetric carbonylation and enantioselective dearomatization reactions.

Enantioselective Palladium-Catalyzed Arylborylation/Cyclization of Alkenes to Access Boryl-Functionalized Heterocyclic Compounds Containing Quaternary Stereogenic Centers

Asymmetric palladium-catalyzed arylboration/cyclization of both nonactivated and activated alkenes with B₂pin₂ was developed. A wide range of N-allyl-o-iodobenzamides and o-iodoacryanilides reacted with B₂pin₂ to afford borylated 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinones and oxindoles, respectively, in high yields with high enantioselectivities. The synthetic utility of this enantioselective protocol was highlighted by synthesizing various chiral 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinone and oxindole derivatives containing quaternary stereogenic carbon centers, including enantioenriched Roche anticancer agent (S)-RO4999200.

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Cascade Arylalkylation of Alkenes with Alkylpyridinium Salts

Herein, we describe a nickel-catalyzed reductive deaminative arylalkylation of tethered alkenes with pyridinium salts as C(sp³) electrophiles. This two-component dicarbofunctionalization reaction enables the efficient synthesis of various benzene-fused cyclic compounds bearing all-carbon quaternary centers. The approach presented in this paper proceeds under mild conditions, tolerating a wide variety of functional groups and heterocycles. It has been used to functionalize complicated molecules at a late stage.

Strategies for total synthesis of bispyrrolidinoindoline alkaloids

Covering up to 2021Complex cyclotryptamine alkaloids with a bispyrrolidino[2,3-b]indoline (BPI) skeleton are an intriguing family of natural products, exhibiting wide systematic occurrences, large structural diversity, and multiple biological activities. Based on their structural characteristics, BPI alkaloids can be classified into chimonanthine-type BPI alkaloids, BPI diketopiperazines, and BPI epipolythiodiketopiperazines. These intricate molecules have captivated great attention soon after their isolation and identification in the 1960s. Due to the structural complexity, the total synthesis of these cyclotryptamine alkaloids is challenging. Nevertheless, remarkable progress has been achieved in the last six decades; in particular, several methods have been successfully established for the construction of vicinal all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. In this review, the structural diversity and chemical synthesis of these BPI alkaloids were summarized. BPI alkaloids are mainly synthesized by the methods of oxidative dimerization, reductive dimerization, and alkylation of bisoxindole. The purpose of this review is to present overall strategies for assembling the BPI skeleton and efforts towards controlling the stereocenters.

Palladium-catalyzed enantioselective carbonylation reactions

Carbonylation, one of the most powerful approaches to the preparation of carbonylated compounds, has received significant attention from researchers active in various fields. Indeed, impressive progress has been made on this subject over the past few decades. Among the various types of carbonylation reactions, asymmetric carbonylation is a straightforward methodology for constructing chiral compounds. Although rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective hydroformylations have been discussed in several elegant reviews, a general review on palladium-catalyzed asymmetric carbonylations is still missing. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent achievements in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric carbonylation reactions. Notably, this review’s contents are categorized by reaction type.

Palladium-catalyzed tandem Heck/carbonylation/aminocarbonylation en route to chiral heterocyclic α-ketoamides

An unprecedented tandem carbonylation/aminocarbonylation triggered by palladium-catalyzed enantioselective Heck-type exocyclopalladation delivering chiral heterocyclic α-ketoamides has been developed.

endo-5-Norbornene-2,3-dimethanol-promoted asymmetric Heck/Suzuki cascade reaction of N-(2-bromophenyl)acrylamides

An endo-5-norbornene-2,3-dimethanol-promoted highly enantioselective palladium-catalyzed Heck/Suzuki cascade reaction of N-(2-bromophenyl)acrylamides has been developed.

Palladium-catalyzed Heck cyclization/allylation with homoallyl alcohols via retro-allylation

A palladium-catalyzed reaction of aryl iodide-tethered alkenes with homoallyl alcohols is reported, providing a convenient and efficient approach to C(sp3)–allylation products.

Nickel-Catalyzed Arylcarbamoylation of Alkenes of N-(o-Iodoaryl)acrylamides with Nitroarenes via Reductive Aminocarbonylation: Facile Synthesis of Carbamoyl-Substituted Oxindoles

Nickel-catalyzed arylcarbamoylation reactions of alkenes of N-(o-haloaryl)acrylamides with CO and nitroarenes via reductive aminocarbonylation to produce carbamoyl-substituted oxindoles with an all-carbon quaternary stereogenic center are presented. Starting with N-(o-haloaryl)acrylamides, simple CO, and inexpensive nitroarenes and using a Ni catalyst, a dinitrogen-based ligand, a Zn reductant, a TMSCl additive, and a base system, this protocol enables the synthesis of various carbamoyl-substituted oxindoles and allows the efficient late-stage derivatization of valuable molecules.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective and Desymmetrizative Pauson-Khand Reaction: Access to Tricyclo[6.2.1.04,11]undecenes

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric desymmetrization Pauson-Khand reaction of C4-alkynyl-tethered cyclohexadienones has been developed as a novel strategy for access to fused 6-5-5 tricycles bearing three consecutive stereogenic centers. An array of chiral tricyclo[6.2.1.0^4,11]undecenes have been synthesized in high yields and enantioselectivities in a single step under mild conditions. This strategy employs readily accessible internal-olefin-containing 1,6-enynes, providing a potentially powerful tool for constructing chiral polycyclic scaffolds of complex molecules containing cyclopentenones and cyclohexenones.

Noncovalent CH-π and π-π Interactions in Phosphoramidite Palladium(II) Complexes with Strong Conformational Preference

The weak noncovalent interactions and flexibility of ligands play a key role in enantioselective metal‐catalyzed reactions. In transition metal complexes and their catalytic applications, the experimental assessment and the design of key interactions is as difficult as the prediction of the enantioselectivities, especially for flexible, privileged ligands such as chiral phosphoramidites. Therefore, the interligand interactions in cis‐Pd^IIL₂Cl₂ phosphoramidite complexes were investigated by NMR spectroscopy and computations. We were able to induce a strong conformational preference by breaking the symmetry of the C₂‐symmetric side chain of one of the ligands, and shift the equilibrium between hetero‐ and homocomplexes towards heterocomplexes because of interligand interactions in the cis‐complexes. The modulation of aryl substituents was exploited, along with the solvent effect. The combined CH–π and π–π interactions reveal design patterns for binding and folding of chiral ligands and catalysts.

Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Intramolecular Heck Carbonylation Reactions: Asymmetric Synthesis of 2-Oxindole Ynones and Carboxylic Acids

Herein, we report a Pd-catalyzed enantioselective domino Heck carbonylation reaction of o-iodoacrylanilides with terminal alkynes and water as the nucleophiles, affording a diversity of β-carbonylated 2-oxindole derivatives bearing a 3,3-disubstituted all-carbon quaternary stereocenter, in high yields (55-99 %) with good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99 % ee). The synthetic utilities of the protocol were demonstrated in the gram-scale synthesis of 2-oxindole-derived ynone 3 ea and carboxylic acid 4 a, as well as the facile synthesis of chiral 2-oxindoles with a pyrazole or isoxazole moiety.

Copper-catalyzed enantioselective carbonylation toward α-chiral secondary amides

Secondary amides are omnipresent structural motifs in peptides, natural products, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals. The copper-catalyzed enantioselective hydroaminocarbonylation of alkenes described in this study provides a direct and practical approach for the construction of α-chiral secondary amides. An electrophilic amine transfer reagent possessing a 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate group was the key to the success. This method also features broad functional group tolerance and proceeds under very mild conditions, affording a set of α-chiral secondary amides in high yields (up to 96% yield) with unprecedented levels of enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee). α,β-Unsaturated secondary amides can also be produced though the method by using alkynes as the substrate.

Efficient access to aliphatic esters by photocatalyzed alkoxycarbonylation of alkenes with alkyloxalyl chlorides

Aliphatic esters are essential constituents of biologically active compounds and versatile chemical intermediates for the synthesis of drugs. However, their preparation from readily available olefins remains challenging. Here, we report a strategy to access aliphatic esters from olefins through a photocatalyzed alkoxycarbonylation reaction. Alkyloxalyl chlorides, generated in situ from the corresponding alcohols and oxalyl chloride, are engaged as alkoxycarbonyl radical fragments under photoredox catalysis. This transformation tolerates a broad scope of electron-rich and electron-deficient olefins and provides the corresponding β-chloro esters in good yields. Additionally, a formal β-selective alkene alkoxycarbonylation is developed. Moreover, a variety of oxindole-3-acetates and furoindolines are prepared in good to excellent yields. A more concise formal synthesis of (±)-physovenine is accomplished as well. With these strategies, a wide range of natural-product-derived olefins and alkyloxalyl chlorides are also successfully employed.

Aliphatic esters are essential constituents of biologically active compounds but their preparation from readily available olefins remains challenging. Here the authors show a strategy to access aliphatic esters from olefins through a unique photocatalyzed alkoxycarbonylation reaction.

Mutasynthesis of Physostigmines in Myxococcus xanthus

The alkaloid physostigmine is an approved anticholinergic drug and an important lead structure for the development of novel therapeutics. Using a complementary approach that merged chemical synthesis with pathway refactoring, we produced a series of physostigmine analogues with altered specificity and toxicity profiles in the heterologous host Myxococcus xanthus. The compounds that were generated by applying a simple feeding strategy include the promising drug candidate phenserine, which was previously accessible only by total synthesis.

Palladium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Markovnikov Hydroxycarbonylation and Hydroalkoxycarbonylation of Vinyl Arenes: Synthesis of 2-Arylpropanoic Acids

Asymmetric hydroxycarbonylation is one of the most fundamental yet challenging methods for the synthesis of carboxylic acids. Herein, we reported the development of a palladium-catalyzed highly enantioselective Markovnikov hydroxycarbonylation of vinyl arenes with CO and water. A monodentate phosphoramidite ligand L6 plays vital role in the reaction. The reaction tolerates a range of functional groups, and provides a facile and atom-economical approach to an array of 2-arylpropanoic acids including several commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The catalytic system has also enabled an asymmetric Markovnikov hydroalkoxycarbonylation of vinyl arenes with alcohols to afford 2-arylpropanates. Mechanistic investigations suggested that the reactions proceed through a palladium-hydride pathway, the hydropalladation is irreversible and is the regio- and enantiodetermining step, while hydrolysis/alcoholysis is probably the rate-limiting step.