Expanding the Scope of Arylsulfonylacetylenes as Alkynylating Reagents and Mechanistic Insights in the Formation of Csp 2 Csp and Csp 3 Csp Bonds from Organolithiums

The Versatile and Strategic O-Carbamate Directed Metalation Group in the Synthesis of Aromatic Molecules: An Update

The aryl O-carbamate (ArOAm) group is among the strongest of the directed metalation groups (DMGs) in directed ortho metalation (DoM) chemistry, especially in the form Ar-OCONEt2. Since the last comprehensive review of metalation chemistry involving ArOAms (published more than 30 years ago), the field has expanded significantly. For example, it now encompasses new substrates, solvent systems, and metalating agents, while conditions have been developed enabling metalation of ArOAm to be conducted in a green and sustainable manner. The ArOAm group has also proven to be effective in the anionic ortho-Fries (AoF) rearrangement, Directed remote metalation (DreM), iterative DoM sequences, and DoM-halogen dance (HalD) synthetic strategies and has been transformed into a diverse range of functionalities and coupled with various groups through a range of cross-coupling (CC) strategies. Of ultimate value, the ArOAm group has demonstrated utility in the synthesis of a diverse range of bioactive and polycyclic aromatic compounds for various applications.

Transition Metal-Free Synthesis of Halobenzo[b]furans from O-Aryl Carbamates via o-Lithiation Reactions

A straightforward and transition metal-free one-pot protocol to synthesize halobenzo[b]furans has been developed employing simple and easily available starting materials such as O-aryl carbamates and alkynylsulfones. The fine-tuning of the different steps involved was key to achieving a successful one-pot procedure. Initially, a directed ortho-lithiation process, which uses the carbamate as the directed metalation group, was crucial in providing access to O-2-alkynylaryl N,N-diethyl carbamates by a direct alkynylation of the o-lithiated carbamate, with arylsulfonylalkynes as electrophilic reagents. Cyclization of the generated o-alkynylaryl carbamates was successfully accomplished through a strategy involving in situ carbamate alkaline hydrolysis under conventional heating or microwave irradiation, coupled with a subsequent heterocyclization step delivering the desired benzo[b]furans. A wide variety of new halobenzo[b]furans has been synthesized and their utility has been demonstrated by their further transformation.

Cross-Dehydrogenative Alkynylation: A Powerful Tool for the Synthesis of Internal Alkynes

Alkynes are among the most fundamentally important organic compounds and are widely used in synthetic chemistry, biochemistry, and materials science. Thus, the development of an efficient and sustainable method for the preparation of alkynes has been a central concern in organic synthesis. Cross-dehydrogenative coupling utilizing E-H and Z-H bonds in two different molecules can avoid the need for prefunctionalization of starting materials and has become one of the most straightforward methods for the construction of E-Z chemical bonds. This Review summarizes recent progress in the preparation of internal alkynes by cross-dehydrogenative coupling with terminal alkynes.

An insight into regioselectivity in the transformation through a ruthenacycle

Ru(0)-Catalysed cross-dimerisation of unsymmetrical internal alkynes with conjugated dienes yields two conjugated trienes depending on the regioselectivity. The regioselectivity is dominantly controlled by the induction effect of the substituents.

An update on the use of sulfinate derivatives as versatile coupling partners in organic chemistry

The use of sulfinic acids and their salts continues to be extensively developed in organic chemistry. This is attributable to their dual capacity for acting as nucleophilic or electrophilic reagents, as well as their ease of preparation and stability on storage. This report highlights the research accomplished since 2015 on this topic, updating a previous review published by our team in 2014.

Photoinduced synthesis of alkylalkynyl sulfones through a reaction of potassium alkyltrifluoroborates, sulfur dioxide, and alkynyl bromides

A photoinduced reaction of potassium alkyltrifluoroborates, sodium metabisulfite, and alkynyl bromides under visible light irradiation at room temperature is developed.

Synthesis, Anti-HBV, and Anti-HIV Activities of 3'-Halogenated Bis(hydroxymethyl)-cyclopentenyladenines

Synthesis of 3'-halogeno analogues (5a-d) of 9-[c-4,t-5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-cyclopent-2-en-r-1-yl]-9H-adenine (BCA, 3) was accomplished by means of dual utilization of the vinyl sulfone functional moieties in both 10 and 16 utilizing a S_N2' conjugate-addition reaction and a sulfur-extrusive stannylation, respectively. Evaluation of the antiviral activities of 5a-d revealed that introduction of a halogeno-substituent into the 3'-position of (-)-BCA diminished its anti-HIV-1 activity but increased the inhibitory activity for the reverse transcriptase of HBV in that the 3'-fluorinated BCA 5d exhibited the highest activity without significant cytotoxicity.

Rise of Conjugated Poly-ynes and Poly(Metalla-ynes): From Design Through Synthesis to Structure-Property Relationships and Applications

Conjugated poly-ynes and poly(metalla-ynes) constitute an important class of new materials with potential application in various domains of science. The key factors responsible for the diverse usage of these materials is their intriguing and tunable chemical and photophysical properties. This review highlights fascinating advances made in the field of conjugated organic poly-ynes and poly(metalla-ynes) incorporating group 4-11 metals. This includes several important aspects of conjugated poly-ynes viz. synthetic protocols, bonding, electronic structure, nature of luminescence, structure-property relationships, diverse applications, and concluding remarks. Furthermore, we delineated the future directions and challenges in this particular area of research.

A novel sulfonamide non-classical carbenoid: a mechanistic study for the synthesis of enediynes

Alkynyl sulfonamides undergo sequential 1,4- then 1,2-addition/rearrangement with lithium acetylides to yield enediynes in the absence of any promoters or catalysts. Mechanistic investigations suggest that the reaction proceeds via 1,4-conjugate addition of the nucleophile to the unsaturated system to give a key alkenyl lithium species which is stabilised by an intramolecular coordination effect by a sulfonamide oxygen atom. This species can be considered a vinylidene carbenoid given the carbon atom bears both an anion (as a vinyllithium) and a leaving group (the sulfonamide). The intramolecular coordination effect serves to stabilise the vinyllithium but activates the sulfonamide motif towards nucleophilic attack by a second mole of acetylide. The resulting species can then undergo rearrangement to yield the enediyne framework in a single operation with concomitant loss of aminosulfinate.

MnO2 -Promoted Oxidative Radical Sulfonylation of Haloalkynes with Sulfonyl Hydrazides: C(sp)-S Bond Formation towards Alkynyl Sulfones

A catalyst-free oxidative radical sulfonylation of haloalkynes with sulfonyl hydrazides is reported. It represents an example of C(sp)-S bond formation using sulfonyl hydrazides as sulfonyl radical sources. Various alkynyl sulfones were synthesized in moderate to good yields. Having MnO₂ as the oxidant is very critical for this transformation. Remarkably, the self-coupling reaction of haloalkynes through C(sp)-C(sp) bond formation is significantly inhibited under the standard reaction conditions.

Acid-mediated sulfonylation of arylethynylene bromides with sodium arylsulfinates: synthesis of (E)-1,2-bis(arylsulfonyl)ethylenes and arylacetylenic sulfones

A solvent-dependent sulfonylation of arylethynylene bromides with sodium arylsulfinates to afford (E)-1,2-bis(arylsulfonyl)ethylenes and arylacetylenic sulfones is described.

“Anti-Michael addition” of Grignard reagents to sulfonylacetylenes: synthesis of alkynes

The addition of Grignard reagents to arylsulfonylacetylenes, which undergoes an “anti-Michael addition”, resulting in their alkynylation under very mild conditions is described.

Direct, Sequential, and Stereoselective Alkynylation of C,C-Dibromophosphaalkenes

The first direct alkynylation of C,C-dibromophosphaalkenes by a reaction with sulfonylacetylenes is reported. Alkynylation proceeds selectively in the trans position relative to the P substituent to afford bromoethynylphosphaalkenes. Owing to the absence of transition metals in the procedure, the previously observed conversion of dibromophosphaalkenes into phosphaalkynes through the phosphorus analog of the Fritsch-Buttenberg-Wiechell rearrangement is thus suppressed. The bromoethynylphosphaalkenes can subsequently be converted to C,C-diacetylenic, cross-conjugated phosphaalkenes by following a Sonogashira coupling protocol in good overall yields. By using the newly described method, full control over the stereochemistry at the P=C double bond is achieved. The substrate scope of this reaction is demonstrated for different dibromophosphaalkenes as well as different sulfonylacetylenes.

Iodine-catalyzed Sulfonylation of Arylacetylenic Acids and Arylacetylenes with Sodium Sulfinates: Synthesis of Arylacetylenic Sulfones

A highly efficient and generally applicable iodine-catalyzed reaction of arylacetylenic acids and arylacetylenes with sodium sulfinates for the synthesis of arylacetylenic sulfones was developed. The methodology has the advantages of a metal-free strategy, easy to handle reagents, functional group tolerance, a wide range of arylacetylenic acids and arylacetylenes, and easy access to arylacetylenic sulfones.

One-pot, three-component arylalkynyl sulfone synthesis

A one-pot three-component protocol for the preparation of arylsulfonyl alkynes through the reaction of ethynyl-benziodoxolone (EBX) reagents, DABSO (DABCO·SO₂), and either organomagnesium reagents or aryl iodides with a palladium catalyst is reported. A broad range of aryl and heteroarylalkynyl sulfones were obtained in 46–85% overall yield.

A straightforward alkynylation of Li and Mg metalated heterocycles with sulfonylacetylenes

Coupling of alkynyl moieties to heterocyclic rings, without using transition metals, can be easily performed by the reaction of aryl or heteroaryl sulfonylacetylenes with heteroaryl-Li compounds or their corresponding less reactive magnesium derivatives.

Mild and phosphine-free iron-catalyzed cross-coupling of nonactivated secondary alkyl halides with alkynyl Grignard reagents

A simple protocol for iron-catalyzed cross-coupling of nonactivated secondary alkyl bromides and iodides with alkynyl Grignard reagents at room temperature has been developed. A wide range of secondary alkyl halides and terminal alkynes are tolerated to afford the substituted alkynes in good yields. A slight modification of the reaction protocol also allows for cross-coupling with a variety of primary alkyl halides.