Rhodium-Catalyzed Highly Enantioselective Hydroboration of Acyclic Tetrasubstituted Alkenes Directed by an Amide

Although progress has been made in enantioselective hydroboration of di- and trisubstituted alkenes over the past decades, enantioselective hydroboration of tetrasubstituted alkenes with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities continues as an unmet challenge since the 1950s due to its extremely low reactivity and the difficulties to simultaneously control the regio- and stereoselectivity of a tetrasubstituted alkene. Here, we report highly regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective catalytic hydroboration of diverse acyclic tetrasubstituted alkenes. The delicate interplay of an electron-rich rhodium complex and coordination-assistance forms a highly adaptive catalyst that effectively overcomes the low reactivity and controls the stereoselectivity. The generality of the catalyst system is exemplified by its efficacy across various tetrasubstituted alkenes with diverse steric and electronic properties.

Silver(I)-Catalyzed Diastereoselective Hydroborylation of Cyclopropenes

An effective (NHC)AgCl catalysis was developed in the hydroborylation of cyclopropenes with B2pin2, delivering a variety of cyclopylboronates in a stereoselective manner, which could be easily transformed for the construction of versatile cyclopropanes. This protocol works effectively under mild reaction conditions in an open-air atmosphere, and it was easy to apply on a gram scale. This novel method in detail was also explored by control experiments, providing a number of key insights. The kinetic process followed by 1H NMR indicated that the reaction was finished in 15 min. Furthermore, the mechanism of silver(I)-catalyzed hydroborylation of cyclopropenes was proposed, with the protonation by methanol as the rate-determining step.

Diastereo- and Enantioselective Hydrophosphination of Cyclopropenes under Lanthanocene Catalysis

The asymmetric hydrophosphination of cyclopropenes with phosphines is of much interest and importance, but has remained hardly explored to date probably because of the lack of suitable catalysts. We report here the diastereo- and enantioselective hydrophosphination of 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes with phosphines by a chiral lanthanocene catalyst bearing the C2 -symmetric 5,6-dioxy-4,7-trans-dialkyl-substituted tetrahydroindenyl ligands. This protocol offers a selective and efficient route for the synthesis of a new family of chiral phosphinocyclopropane derivatives, featuring 100 % atom efficiency, good diastereo- and enantioselectivity, broad substrate scope, and no need for a directing group.

Synthesis and Functionalization of Tertiary Propargylic Boronic Esters by Alkynyllithium-Mediated 1,2-Metalate Rearrangement of Borylated Cyclopropanes

Implementing the use of alkynyllithium reagents in a stereospecific 1,2-metalate rearrangement-mediated ring opening of polysubstituted cyclopropyl boronic esters provides a variety of tertiary pinacol boranes bearing adjacent tertiary or quaternary carbon stereocenters with high levels of diastereomeric purity. The potential of this strategy was demonstrated through a selection of α- and γ-functionalization of the propargyl boronic esters.

Borylated Cyclopropanes as Spring-Loaded Entities: Access to Vicinal Tertiary and Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters in Acyclic Systems

Herein, we present the formation of acyclic frameworks bearing two consecutive stereocenters of either tertiary or quaternary nature starting from easily accessible cyclopropenes. This holistic approach involves a regio- and diastereoselective hydro- or carboborylation of substituted cyclopropenyl esters. Formation of boronate complexes of the latter via the addition of nucleophiles and subsequent stereospecific 1,2-migration with carbon–carbon bond cleavage delivered the title compounds.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Tertiary and Secondary Cyclopropyl Boronates via Cyclopropanation of Enantioenriched Alkenyl Boronic Esters

The cyclopropanation of alkenyl boronates and subsequent derivatization of the boronate handle are a convenient strategy to quickly build molecular complexity and access diverse compounds with a high sp³ fraction. Herein, we describe the asymmetric cyclopropanation of enantioenriched hydrobenzoin-derived alkenyl boronic esters toward the synthesis of tertiary and secondary cyclopropyl boronates.

The transition metal-catalysed hydroboration reaction

This review covers the development of the transition metal-catalysed hydroboration reaction, from its beginnings in the 1980s to more recent developments including earth-abundant catalysts and an ever-expanding array of substrates.

Saturated Boronic Acids, Boronates, and Trifluoroborates: An Update on Their Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry

This review discusses recent advances in the chemistry of saturated boronic acids, boronates, and trifluoroborates. Applications of the title compounds in the design of boron-containing drugs are surveyed, with special emphasis on α-amino boronic derivatives. A general overview of saturated boronic compounds as modern tools to construct C(sp³ )-C and C(sp³ )-heteroatom bonds is given, including recent developments in the Suzuki-Miyaura and Chan-Lam cross-couplings, single-electron-transfer processes including metallo- and organocatalytic photoredox reactions, and transformations of boron "ate" complexes. Finally, an attempt to summarize the current state of the art in the synthesis of saturated boronic acids, boronates, and trifluoroborates is made, with a brief mention of the "classical" methods (transmetallation of organolithium/magnesium reagents with boron species, anti-Markovnikov hydroboration of alkenes, and the modification of alkenyl boron compounds) and a special focus on recent methodologies (boronation of alkyl (pseudo)halides, derivatives of carboxylic acids, alcohols, and primary amines, boronative C-H activation, novel approaches to alkene hydroboration, and 1,2-metallate-type rearrangements).

Synthesis of functionalized cyclopropylboronic esters based on a 1,2-metallate rearrangement of cyclopropenylboronate

A procedure converting tribromocyclopropane to densely functionalized β-selenocyclopropylboronic ester using the 1,2-metallate rearrangement of a boron ate-complex has been developed. Treatment of an in situ-generated cyclopropenylboronic ester ate-complex with phenylselenenyl chloride triggered stereospecific rearrangement to produce functionalized cyclopropanes. DFT calculations for 1,2-metallate rearrangement suggested that the reaction proceeds through a seleniranium intermediate.

Facile assembly of 1,5-diazocan-2-ones via cyclization of tethered sulfonamides to cyclopropenes

The sulfonamide moiety was evaluated as an activating and stabilizing functional group in the metal-templated strain release-driven intramolecular nucleophilic addition of amines to cyclopropenes to generate 1,5-diazocan-2-ones.

Rhodium-catalysed diastereo- and enantio-selective cyclopropanation of α-boryl styrenes

A rhodium-catalyzed diastereo- and enantio-selective cyclopropanation of α-boryl styrenes with α-diazoarylacetates was established. Rh₂(S-PTTL)₄ (0.2 mol%) was found to be effective for the conversion, and 21 diastereopure cyclopropylboronates were prepared in high yields with excellent enantioselectivity (ee up to 99%).

Cobalt-Catalyzed Diastereoselective and Enantioselective Hydrosilylation of Achiral Cyclopropenes

A mild diastereoselective and enantioselective cobalt-catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction of achiral cyclopropenes has been developed. In this protocol, various substituted cyclopropenes and arylsilanes were transformed, in the presence of readily available chiral cobalt complex, into silylcyclopropanes with high selectivities.

Pd-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydroalkynylation of Cyclopropenes

We report herein an easy, mild, and robust Pd-catalyzed enantioselective hydroalkynylation reaction of achiral cyclopropenes. Commercially available Pd(acac)₂ and (R)-DM-BINAP proved to be the best combination to reach high diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

Copper-catalyzed non-directed hydrosilylation of cyclopropenes: highly diastereoselective synthesis of fully substituted cyclopropylsilanes

The non-directed hydrosilylation of cyclopropenes with earth-abundant and environmentally benign base metal catalysis was described.

Recent developments in cyclopropene chemistry

As readily accessible strained carbocycles, cyclopropenes show a diverse range of reactivities, and a lot of novel and useful transformations have been developed.

Controllable Si-C Bond Activation Enables Stereocontrol in the Palladium-Catalyzed [4+2] Annulation of Cyclopropenes with Benzosilacyclobutanes

A novel and unusual palladium-catalyzed [4+2] annulation of cyclopropenes with benzosilacyclobutanes is reported. This reaction occurred through chemoselective Si-C(sp² ) bond activation in synergy with ring expansion/insertion of cyclopropenes to form new C(sp² )-C(sp³ ) and Si-C(sp³ ) bonds. An array of previously elusive bicyclic skeleton with high strain, silabicyclo[4.1.0]heptanes, were formed in good yields with excellent diastereoselectivity under mild conditions. An asymmetric version of the reaction with a chiral phosphoramidite ligand furnished a variety of chiral bicyclic silaheterocycle derivatives with good enantioselectivity (up to 95.5:4.5 er). Owing to the mild reaction conditions, the good stereoselectivity profile, and the ready availability of the functionalized precursors, this process constitutes a useful and straightforward strategy for the synthesis of densely functionalized silacycles.

Cu-Catalyzed Hydroboration of Benzylidenecyclopropanes: Reaction Optimization, (Hetero)Aryl Scope, and Origins of Pathway Selectivity

The copper-catalyzed hydroboration of benzylidenecyclopropanes, conveniently accessed in one step from readily available benzaldehydes, is reported. Under otherwise identical reaction conditions, two distinct phosphine ligands grant access to different products by either suppressing or promoting cyclopropane opening via β-carbon elimination. Computational studies provide insight into how the rigidity and steric environment of these different bis-phosphine ligands influence the relative activation energies of β-carbon elimination versus protodecupration from the key benzylcopper intermediate. The method tolerates a wide variety of heterocycles prevalent in clinical and pre-clinical drug development, giving access to valuable synthetic intermediates. The versatility of the tertiary cyclopropylboronic ester products is demonstrated through several derivatization reactions.

Ruthenium Catalyzed Rearrangement of Ene-cyclopropenes. Divergent Reaction Pathways

The reaction of ene-cyclopropenes with Cp*RuCl(cod) leads to alkenyl bicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes, bicyclo[4.1.0]heptanes, and bicyclo[5.1.0]octanes. This reaction involves a reverse regioselectivity in the cyclopropene opening than with gold chlorides. With gem-disubstituted cyclopropenes, a novel cycloisomerization based on ring-opening nucleophilic attack and rearrangement is observed. Alternatively, some gem-disubstituted cyclopropenes give dimerizations of the intermediate carbene.

Unlocking the catalytic potential of tris(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)borane with microwave irradiation

The catalytic activity of tris(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)borane has been explored in the 1,2-hydroboration reactions of unsaturated substrates.

Highly regio- and diastereoselective Cu-catalyzed hydroborylation and hydrosilylation of difluorocyclopropenes with B2pin2 and PhMe2Si–Bpin

An efficient method for the synthesis of trans-difluorocyclopropyl boronates and silanes through a Cu-catalyzed hydroborylation and hydrosilylation of difluorocyclopropenes was reported.

Metal-Templated Assembly of Cyclopropane-Fused Diazepanones and Diazecanones via exo- trig Nucleophilic Cyclization of Cyclopropenes with Tethered Carbamates

A strain-release-driven, cation-templated nucleophilic 7- and 8- exo-trig-cyclization of tethered Boc-protected amines to cyclopropenes is described. The featured reaction proceeds in diastereo- and regioselective fashion and allows for preparation of the corresponding 2,5-diazabicyclo[5.1.0]octan-6-ones and 2,6-diazabicyclo[6.1.0]nonan-7-ones as sole products in high yields. Preliminary studies on anticancer activities of these novel cyclopropane-fused medium heterocycles were performed.

Directed Cu(I)-Catalyzed Carbomagnesiation of 1-Arylcycloprop-2-ene-1-carboxamides En Route to Densely Substituted Functionalized Cyclopropanes

Copper-catalyzed, directed addition of Grignard reagents across the strained C═C bond of cyclopropene-3-carboxamides was developed. It was demonstrated that the amide functionality serves as an ultimate directing group allowing for highly efficient control of diastereoselectivity of addition including stereoselectivity of electrophilic trapping with prochiral aldehydes. Also, regioselectivity of carbomagnesiation of cyclopropenes with a monosubstituted double bond is investigated. It was shown that in many cases this selectivity is controlled by steric factors and allows for preparation of products with a "reversed" regiochemistry.

Desymmetrization of Cyclopropenes via the Potassium-Templated Diastereoselective 7- exo- trig Cycloaddition of Tethered Amino Alcohols toward Enantiopure Cyclopropane-Fused Oxazepanones with Antimycobacterial Activity

A strain-release-driven, cation-templated intramolecular nucleophilic addition of tethered alkoxides to prochiral cyclopropenes is described. Employment of chiral β- and γ-amino alkoxides allowed for highly diastereoselective assembly of a small series of enantiopure cyclopropane-fused oxazepanones. It was shown that the chiral center at C-4 plays a crucial role in controlling desymmetrization of the cyclopropenyl moiety, instigated by a profound potassium-templated effect. The preliminary biological activities of the new cyclopropane-fused medium heterocycles against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, cancer cells, and fungus were evaluated.