Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Coupling of Aryl Iodides and Benzyl Acetylenes to 3-Alkylidenefuran-2-ones under Mild Conditions and Its Density Functional Theory Modeling

Recyclable Copper(I)-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Trialkylsilylethynes and N-Tosylhydrazones Leading to the Formation of C(sp)-C(sp3) Bonds

A highly efficient heterogeneous copper(I)-catalyzed cross-coupling of trialkylsilylethynes with N-tosylhydrazones has been achieved in dioxane at 90-110 °C via the Cu carbene migratory insertion with an SBA-15-immobilized l-proline-Cu(I) complex [SBA-15-l-Proline-CuI] as the catalyst and LiO^tBu as the base, leading to the formation of C(sp)-C(sp³) bonds. The reaction generates a wide variety of alkyltrialkylsilylalkynes in moderate to high yields. This new heterogenized copper(I) complex exhibits a comparable catalytic efficiency to homogeneous CuI and can be easily recovered through a simple centrifugation process and is recyclable up to 12 times without a remarkable loss of activity.

Computational determination of the mechanism of the Pd-catalyzed formation of isatoic anhydrides from o-haloanilines, CO, and CO2

The palladium-catalyzed annulation of o-haloanilines with carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), discovered by Wen-Zhen Zhang and co-workers, provides a convenient method to synthesize isatoic anhydrides. We explored the mechanism of this reaction, particularly the order of the reaction of CO and CO₂ and the effect of the base, using density functional theory (DFT) calculations (ωB97X-D and M06). It was found that the base-assisted N-H bond activation through a concerted metalation-deprotonation (CMD) mechanism is a requisite for carboxylation, and the carboxylation proceeds via the nucleophilic attack of the (Pd)NH nitrogen on CO₂. The results show that carbonylation occurs prior to carboxylation, because the facile and exergonic carbonylation greatly decreases the energies of the following intermediates and transition states. The mechanistic exploration of the alternative pathways (e.g., mono-carbonylation and carboxylation) and the comparison with the annulation mechanism of the o-iodobenzylamine substrate further demonstrate the perfect cooperation of CO and CO₂ in constructing an anhydride moiety for o-haloanilines.

Soft Heteroleptic N-Heterocyclic Carbene Palladium(II) Species for Efficient Catalytic Routes to Alkynones via Carbonylative Sonogashira Coupling

N,N'-Substituted di-isopropyl (NHC-1), benzyl-isopropyl (NHC-2), and adamantyl-isopropyl (NHC-3) benzimidazolium salts react with palladium(II) bromide in pyridine to afford the corresponding trans-dibromidopyridinepalladium(II) complexes Pd-C1, Pd-C2, and Pd-C3 in high yields. A distorted square planar geometry for Pd-C2 and Pd-C3 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The palladium(II) complexes show a remarkably higher catalytic activity and selectivity, compared to the literature data, in carbonylative Sonogashira coupling reactions of aryl iodides and aryl diiodides with aryl alkynes, alkyl alkynes, and dialkynes. Excellent yields with as low as 0.03 mol % loading of the catalyst were obtained. In the series of benzimidazolium (NHC) precursors, the ¹H NMR signals of the α hydrogen show a consistent probing of the N-substituent donor strength. The density functional theory (DFT) quantum mechanical descriptors of the frontier orbitals were calculated. A linear correlation of the calculated absolute softness of the complexes versus the calculated percent buried volume (%V _bur) of their corresponding ligands was obtained. The catalytic activity experimental data are consistent with the hard soft acid base (HSAB)-predicted high affinity of the softest Pd-C3 complex for soft substrates, such as aryl iodides.

Stereoselective synthesis of E-3-(arylmethylidene)-5-(alkyl/aryl)-2(3H)-furanones by sequential hydroacyloxylation-Mizoroki–Heck reactions of iodoalkynes

Stereoselective hydroacyloxylation of iodoalkynes with β-aryl cinnamic acids and subsequent Mizoroki–Heck reaction provides an efficient route to substituted 2(3H)-furanones.

Pd-catalysed carbonylative annulation of salicylaldehydes with benzyl chlorides using N-formylsaccharin as a CO surrogate

A highly efficient synthesis of 3-arylcoumarins by Pd-catalysed carbonylative cyclisation of salicylaldehydes with benzyl chlorides using N-formylsaccharin as a CO source is developed.