Regio- and stereoselective ring-opening reactions of epoxides with indoles and pyrroles in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol

Concise and Free-Metal Access to Lactone-Annelated Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline Derivatives via a 1,2-Rearrangement Step

Here, An efficient approach to obtaining previously unknown furo[2',3':2,3]pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives from readily available 1-R-1-ethynyl-2-vinylisoquinolines is described. The reaction features a simple procedure, occurs in hexaflouroisopropanol and does not require elevated temperatures. It has been found that the addition of glacial acetic acid significantly increases the yields of the target spirolactone products. Using trifluoroethanol instead of hexaflouroisopropanol results in the formation of pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinolines.

Epoxides: Small Rings to Play with under Asymmetric Organocatalysis

Optically pure epoxides are recognized as highly valuable products and key intermediates, useful in different areas from pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries to natural product synthesis and materials science. The predictable fate of the ring-opening process, in terms of stereoselectivity and often of regioselectivity, enables useful functional groups to be installed at vicinal carbon atoms in a desired manner. In this way, products of widespread utility either for synthetic applications or as final products can be obtained. The advent of asymmetric organocatalysis provided a new convenient tool, not only for their preparation but also for the elaboration of this class of heterocycles. In this review, we focus on recent developments of stereoselective organocatalytic ring-opening reactions of meso-epoxides, kinetic resolution of racemic epoxides, and Meinwald-type rearrangement. Examples of asymmetric organocatalytic processes toward specific synthetic targets, which include ring opening of an epoxide intermediate, are also illustrated.

Studies on the Origin of the Stabilizing Effects of Fluorinated Alcohols and Weakly Coordinated Fluorine-Containing Anions on Cationic Reaction Intermediates

Many synthetic methods that use fluorinated alcohols as solvents have been reported, and the fluorinated alcohols have been found to be crucial to the success of these methods. In addition, there have been reports indicating that adding a weakly coordinated fluorine-containing anion, such as BF₄^-, PF₆^-, or SbF₆^-, to fluorinated alcohols can improve yields. The boosting effect of fluorinated alcohols is attributed mainly to hydrogen bond activation. A few studies have suggested that the very polar fluorinated alcohols can stabilize cationic reaction intermediates. However, how they do so and why weakly coordinated fluorine-containing anions improve yields have not been studied in depth. Here, we used quaternary ammonium cations, a quaternary phosphonium cation, and a triaryl-substituted carbocation as models for short-lived cationic intermediates and studied the possible interactions of these cations with fluorinated alcohols and BF₄^-, PF₆^-, or SbF₆^-. On the basis of the results, we propose that the C-F dipoles of fluorinated alcohols and the E-F dipoles (where E is B, P, or Sb) of weakly coordinated fluorine-containing anions stabilized these cations by intermolecular charge-dipole interactions. We deduced that in the same fashion the C-F and E-F dipoles can thermodynamically stabilize cationic reaction intermediates.

HFIP-Promoted Synthesis of Substituted Tetrahydrofurans by Reaction of Epoxides with Electron-Rich Alkenes

In the present work, the employment of fluorinated alcohols, specifically 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP), as solvent and promoter of the catalyst-free synthesis of substituted tetrahydrofuranes through the addition of electron-rich alkenes to epoxydes is described. The unique properties of this fluorinated alcohol, which is very different from their non-fluorinated analogs, allows carrying out this new straightforward protocol under smooth reaction conditions affording the corresponding adducts in moderate yields in the majority of cases. Remarkably, this methodology has allowed the synthesis of new tetrahydrofuran-based spiro compounds as well as tetrahydrofurobenzofuran derivatives. The scope and limitations of the process are also discussed. Mechanistic studies were also performed pointing towards a purely ionic or a SN2-type process depending on the nucleophilicity of the alkene employed.

Friedel-Crafts alkylation with α-bromoarylacetates for the preparation of enantioenriched 2,2-diarylethanols

Highly enantioenriched 2,2-diarylethanols can be efficiently synthesized through the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of (hetero)arenes with configurationally labile α-bromoarylacetates. The substitution of highly diastereoenriched α-bromoarylacetates occurs in the presence of AgOTf, and the subsequent reduction affords diverse 2,2-diarylethanols with high yields and enantioselectivities up to 99 : 1 er. In addition, the application of this asymmetric synthetic methodology to the preparation of highly enantioenriched dihydrobenzofuran and indoline derivatives is demonstrated.

Tryptophol and derivatives: natural occurrence and applications to the synthesis of bioactive compounds

This report presents some fundamental aspects related to the natural occurrence and bioactivity of tryptophol as well as the synthesis of tryptophols and their utilization for the preparation of naturally occurring alkaloid metabolites embedding the indole system.

Epoxy and aziridinyl enolsilanes in diastereoselective inter- and intramolecular Friedel–Crafts alkylations

Diastereoselective Friedel–Crafts reactions of optically pure epoxy enolsilanes afford enantiomerically-enriched β-hydroxy-α-arylketones. Aziridinyl enolsilanes react in an analogous manner.

Enantioselective β-alkylation of pyrroles with the formation of an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter

A substitutionally and configurationally inert octahedral chiral-at-metal iridium complex is reported to be an efficient catalyst for the enantioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylation of 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles at the β-position using nitroacrylates as electrophiles.

Fluorinated alcohol-mediated [4 + 3] cycloaddition reaction of indolyl alcohols with cyclopentadiene

This paper describes a catalyst- and additive-free, [4 + 3] cycloaddition reaction of 3-indolylmethanols with cyclopentadiene in HFIP, producing cyclohepta[b]indole derivatives in high yields and with wide substrate scope.

Regio- and enantioselective friedel-crafts reactions of indoles to epoxides catalyzed by graphene oxide: a green approach

Graphene oxide efficiently promotes high regio- and enantioselective ring opening reactions of aromatic epoxides by indoles addition, in solvent- and metal-free conditions. The Friedel-Crafts products were obtained with enantioselectivity up to 99 % ee. The complete inversion of stereochemistry indicates the occurrence of SN 2-type reaction, which assures high level of enantioselectivity.

Electronic and chelation effects on the unusual C2-methylation of N-(para-substituted)phenylaziridines with lithium organocuprates

Density functional theory calculations with the B3LYP functional were performed for the title ring-opening reaction to understand the intrinsic activating and directing effects of the N-substituents, as well as the electron donating effect of the para-substituted (Y = Cl, H, Me) phenyl group at the more hindered benzylic C2 atom. The N-tosyl group (i.e., N-Tos) or the N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl group (i.e., N-Py) was introduced to activate the ring nitrogen atom (N1) and the para-substituted (Y = Cl, H, Me) phenyl group for the activation of the C2 atom. Conformational searches and geometry optimizations were performed for the N-(para-substituted)phenylaziridines (1∼6). Calculations indicate that the aziridine 6 (i.e., Py/Me) has the most elongated C2-N1 bond intrinsically due to the electronic activating effects, implying the aziridine 6 to be the most potent candidate for the more-hindered C2 opening. Transition states (TSs) were investigated for the prospective ring-opening paths (I∼IV), considering the types of intermolecular push-pull interactions between the N-activated phenylaziridines and the cuprate. The N-Py group provides an unique C2-favored TS along the path IV, which the N-Tos group cannot afford, due to the less charge transfer from the nucleophilic CH 3δ- of the cuprate into the electrophilic C2 atom. Furthermore, the e-donating effect of the para-substituents (Y = Cl, H, Me) enhances the C2 opening for the path IV. This study enables us to understand the unusual ring-opening phenomena in terms of electronic and directing effects and hence may serve as a tool to design substrates for highly regioselective ring openings.

Spirodiepoxide-based cascades: direct access to diverse motifs

Allene epoxide formation/opening reaction sequences enabled direct access to diverse products. Described here are a single flask procedure for allene preparation and allene oxidation/derivatization reactions that give, among others, diendiol, diyndiol, α'-hydroxy-γ-enone, dihydrofuranone, butenolide, and δ-lactone products.