A Novel Sc(OTf)3 -Catalyzed (2+2+1)-Cycloannulation/Aza-Friedel-Crafts Alkylation Sequence toward Multicyclic 2-Pyrrolines

Electrophilic Epoxidation of α,β-Unsaturated Oximes with Dioxiranes and Ring Opening of the Epoxides

α,β-Unsaturated oximes underwent electrophilic epoxidation with in-situ-generated dimethyldioxirane to give the corresponding epoxides in good yields. This reaction is an example of "carbonyl umpolung" by transformation of α,β-unsaturated ketones to their oximes. Nucleophilic ring-opening reactions of the epoxides afforded α-substituted products. Shi asymmetric epoxidation of the oximes proceeded with moderate enantioselectivity.

Direct synthesis of pentasubstituted pyrroles and hexasubstituted pyrrolines from propargyl sulfonylamides and allenamides

Multisubstituted pyrroles are important fragments that appear in many bioactive small molecule scaffolds. Efficient synthesis of multisubstituted pyrroles with different substituents from easily accessible starting materials is challenging. Herein, we describe a metal-free method for the preparation of pentasubstituted pyrroles and hexasubstituted pyrrolines with different substituents and a free amino group by a base-promoted cascade addition-cyclization of propargylamides or allenamides with trimethylsilyl cyanide. This method would complement previous methods and support expansion of the toolbox for the synthesis of valuable, but previously inaccessible, highly substituted pyrroles and pyrrolines. Mechanistic studies to elucidate the reaction pathway have been conducted.

Au(I)-Catalyzed Pictet-Spengler Reactions All around the Indole Ring

Au(I) complexes catalyze iso-Pictet-Spengler reactions. Ethylamine or methylamine chains were introduced at C2, C4, or the nitrogen atom of the indole ring, and the corresponding substrates were reacted in the presence of aldehydes and catalytic amounts of Au(I) complexes, leading to a variety of polycyclic scaffolds. Selectivity could be achieved in the course of a double iso-Pictet-Spengler reaction involving two successive aldehydes, leading to highly complex molecules.

Synthesis and practical applications of 2-(2-nitroalkyl)pyrroles

Functionalization of pyrroles introducing a 2-nitroalkyl moiety allows the formation of nitro-containing compounds to be used as pivotal intermediates for the synthesis of bioactive compounds. The reaction of pyrroles with nitroalkenes under the Friedel-Crafts conditions allows a direct entry to 2-(2-nitroalkyl)pyrroles. This approach can also be used for the preparation of enantioenriched derivatives exploiting asymmetric catalysis. In a complementary fashion, the Henry reaction between 2-formylpyrroles and nitroalkanes generates the corresponding nitroaldol products which upon dehydration and reduction of the intermediate 2-pyrrolylnitroethene efficiently afford 2-(2-nitroalkyl)pyrroles. This review article summarizes the most relevant procedures for the preparation of 2-(2-nitroalkyl)pyrroles during the last two decades as well as their significant practical applications.

Rate Dependence on Inductive and Resonance Effects for the Organocatalyzed Enantioselective Conjugate Addition of Alkenyl and Alkynyl Boronic Acids to β-Indolyl Enones and β-Pyrrolyl Enones

Two key factors bear on reaction rates for the conjugate addition of alkenyl boronic acids to heteroaryl-appended enones: the proximity of inductively electron-withdrawing heteroatoms to the site of bond formation and the resonance contribution of available heteroatom lone pairs to stabilize the developing positive charge at the enone β-position. For the former, the closer the heteroatom is to the enone β-carbon, the faster the reaction. For the latter, greater resonance stabilization of the benzylic cationic charge accelerates the reaction. Thus, reaction rates are increased by the closer proximity of inductive electron-withdrawing elements, but if resonance effects are involved, then increased rates are observed with electron-donating ability. Evidence for these trends in isomeric substrates is presented, and the application of these insights has allowed for reaction conditions that provide improved reactivity with previously problematic substrates.

Thioether Ligand-Enabled Cationic Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Electrophilic C-H Arylation of α,β-Unsaturated Oxime Ethers

The use of the cationic palladium(II) catalyst realized electrophilic C-H arylation of α,β-unsaturated O-SEM oximes with arylboronic acids. This Pd-catalyzed electrophilic C-H arylation is facilitated by employing alkyl aryl thioether ligands, and optimization of the ligand structure greatly improves the yield. The resulting α,β-unsaturated oximes would provide access to multisubstituted heterocyclic compounds.

Iron(III)-Catalyzed (4 + 2)-Cycloannulation of 2-Hydroxy Ketoxime Ethers with Indol-2-ylamides: Synthesis of Indole-Fused 2-Piperidinones

A highly regio- and diastereoselective (4 + 2)-cycloannulation process of indanone-derived 2-hydroxy ketoxime ethers with 1,4-bisnucleophilic indol-2-ylamides has been developed. In the presence of 5 mol % FeCl₃, densely functionalized 2-piperidinones containing two new σ-bonds and two vicinal quaternary stereogenic centers were formed under mild reaction conditions in a one-pot operation. Moreover, most of the products directly precipitated out of the solution and were isolated by simple filtration without purification by column chromatography.

Metal-mediated synthesis of pyrrolines

The five-membered, nitrogen-containing pyrroline ring is a privileged structure. This ring is present in many bioactive compounds from natural sources. Pyrrolines-the dihydro derivatives of pyrroles-have three structural isomer classes, depending on the location of the double bond: 1-pyrrolines (3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrroles), 2-pyrrolines (2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrroles) and 3-pyrrolines (2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrroles). This review aims to describe the latest advances for the synthesis of pyrrolines by transition metal-catalyzed cyclizations. Only reactions in which the pyrroline ring is formed by metal promotion are described. Transformations of the pyrroline ring in other heterocycles, and the structural manipulations of the pyrroline itself are not discussed. The review is organized into three parts, each covering the metal-mediated synthesis of the three pyrroline isomers. Each part is subdivided according to the metal involved, and concludes with a brief description of notable biological activities within the class.

Lewis acid-catalyzed Friedel–Crafts reactions toward highly versatile, α-quaternary oxime ethers

Tertiary 2-hydroxy oxime ethers are converted into α-functionalized, all-carbon-substituted products under Lewis acid catalysis in a S_N1-reaction.