Transition Metal Catalyzed Decarboxylative Additions of Enolates

Decarboxylative Allylic Alkylation of Phthalides: Stabilized Benzylic Nucleophiles for sp3-sp3 Coupling

A new family of stabilized benzylic nucleophiles for the palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative allylic alkylation reaction has been developed. Allyl esters derived from 3-carboxyphthalides were found to undergo palladium-catalyzed deallylation and decarboxylation under mild reaction conditions, a process facilitated by the formation of a stabilized aromatic anion. The regioselective allylic coupling of this intermediate afforded a variety of functionalized phthalides in 73-96% yields.

Leveraging Fleeting Strained Intermediates to Access Complex Scaffolds

Arynes, strained cyclic alkynes, and strained cyclic allenes were validated as plausible intermediates in the 1950s and 1960s. Despite initially being considered mere scientific curiosities, these transient and highly reactive species have now become valuable synthetic building blocks. This Perspective highlights recent advances in the field that have allowed access to structural and stereochemical complexity, including recent breakthroughs in asymmetric catalysis.

Decarboxylation-triggered homo-Nazarov cyclization of cyclic enol carbonates catalyzed by rhenium complex

Decarboxylative homo-Nazarov cyclization catalyzed by a Lewis acid was achieved using a cyclic enol carbonate bearing a cyclopropane moiety as a substrate. Various substrates were converted into the corresponding multi-substituted cyclohexenones in good yields via decarboxylation, followed by 6-membered ring formation involving cyclopropane-ring-opening.

Bifunctional Urea/Hg(OAc)2-Mediated Synthesis of 4-Aryl-6-oxycarbonyl-2-pyrones and 2-Pyridones from Dithiomalonate and β,γ-Unsaturated α-Keto Esters

Disubstituted 2-pyrones and 2-pyridones were obtained by bifunctional urea-catalyzed Michael addition/lactonization or lactamization followed by a Hg(OAc)₂- or Hg(OAc)₂/DBU-mediated hydrolysis/decarboxylation/dehydrogenation process. This one-pot two-stage protocol enabled the rapid synthesis of 4,6-disubstituted 2-pyrones and 2-pyridones from dithiomalonate and β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters in practical yields under mild reaction conditions. Additionally, the obtained 2-pyridones were facilely transformed to 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyridines in excellent yields.

Enantioselective formation of quaternary carbon stereocenters in natural product synthesis: a recent update

Covering: 2013-2018 Natural products bearing quaternary carbon stereocenters have attracted tremendous interest from the synthetic community due to their diverse biological activities and fascinating molecular architectures. However, the construction of these molecules in an enantioselective fashion remains a long-standing challenge because of the lack of efficient asymmetric catalytic methods for installing these motifs. The rapid progress in the development of new-generation efficient chiral catalysts has opened the door for several asymmetric reactions, such as Michael addition, dearomative cyclization, polyene cyclization, α-arylation, cycloaddition, allylation, for the construction of quaternary carbon stereocenters in a highly enantioselective fashion. These asymmetric catalytic methods have greatly facilitated the synthesis of complex natural products with improved output and overall efficiency. In this concise review, we highlight the progress in the last six years in complex natural product synthesis, in which at least one quaternary carbon stereocenter has been constructed via asymmetric catalytic technologies, with particular emphasis on the analysis of the stereochemical model of each enantioselective transformation.

Superbase-promoted selective carbon-carbon bond cleavage driven by aromatization

A novel selective carbon-carbon single bond cleavage has been disclosed through the copper-catalyzed reaction of 1-alkyl-3-alkylindolin-2-imine hydrochlorides with substituted 1-(bromomethyl)-2-iodobenzenes leading to fused N-heterocycles. Mechanistic studies showed that the intrinsic drive of aromatization and the action of the superbase derived from sodium tert-butoxide and dimethylsulfoxide were the key factors leading to the carbon-carbon single bond cleavage. Furthermore, the obtained N-heterocycles are indoloquinoline derivatives with wide biological activities.

Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Alkynylation of α-Acyloxyketones by C(sp3 )-O Bond Cleavage

Palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative alkynylation of α-acyloxyketones triggered by C(sp³ )-O bond cleavage is disclosed. The decarboxylation strategy featuring a neutral reaction condition enabled an unprecedent catalytic alkynylation of a ketone enolate. The reaction was applied to a variety of substrates, giving desired products in good yields. We successfully obtained X-ray crystallography of a new palladium-enolate intermediate that was synthesized by a reaction of [Pd(cod)(CH₂ TMS)₂ ] with XPhos and α-acyloxyketone at room temperature, indicating facile C(sp³ )-O bond disconnection.

Iridium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Substitution Reactions

In this review, we summarize the origin and advancements of iridium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reactions during the past two decades. Since the first report in 1997, Ir-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reactions have attracted intense attention due to their exceptionally high regio- and enantioselectivities. Ir-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reactions have been significantly developed in recent years in many respects, including ligand development, mechanistic understanding, substrate scope, and application in the synthesis of complex functional molecules. In this review, an explicit outline of ligands, mechanism, scope of nucleophiles, and applications is presented.

Nickel/Copper Dual Catalysis for Sequential Nazarov Cyclization/Decarboxylative Aldol Reaction

A nickel/copper cocatalyzed sequential Nazarov cyclization/decarboxylative aldol reaction is reported. Various β-hydroxycyclopentenones containing three contiguous stereocenters were prepared in good yields with high diastereoselectivities. A gram-scale reaction and further derivatizations were easily achieved to highlight the synthetic utility of this transformation. Preliminary attempts for sequential asymmetric transformation were also conducted.

Stereospecific Decarboxylative Benzylation of Enolates: Development and Mechanistic Insight

A palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative coupling of enol carbonates with diarylmethyl electrophiles that are derived from secondary benzylic alcohols has been developed. This method allows the generation of a variety of β-diaryl ketones through an efficient and highly stereospecific coupling. In addition, detailed mechanistic insight into the coupling suggests that the reaction is a rare example of an intramolecular decarboxylative coupling that proceeds without crossover between reactants.

Rhodium(i)-catalyzed asymmetric [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of 2-alkylenecyclobutanols with cyclic enones through C-C bond cleavage: efficient access to trans-bicyclic compounds

We report a rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric formal intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of 2-alkylenecyclobutanols with α,β-unsaturated cyclic ketones leading to synthetically useful trans-bicyclic molecules. Three consecutive stereogenic centers are formed in a highly enantio- and diastereoselective manner. Stepwise C-C bond cleavage and annulation are likely involved in the reaction pathway. Here, iPr-Duphos is the viable chiral ligand that promotes excellent enantio-control.

Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Deacylative Allylic C-H Alkylation

The first deacylative allylic C-H alkylation has been established by employing the palladium-catalyzed allylic C-H activation and decarboxylative nucleophile generation. A wide scope of nucleophiles are tolerated and densely functionalized alkylation products turn out to be furnished in moderate to good yield. More importantly, this strategy provides an alternative method for the allylic C-H alkylation with less stabilized carbon nucleophiles, and can be further expanded to the synthesis of unconjugated enynes.

Rhodium(i)-catalyzed stereoselective [4+2] cycloaddition of oxetanols with alkynes through C(sp3)-C(sp3) bond cleavage

An efficient and convenient synthesis of highly functionalized dihydropyrans has been achieved through rhodium(i)-catalysed tandem C(sp³)–C(sp³) bond cleavage and annulation of oxetanols with alkynes.

An efficient and convenient synthesis of highly functionalized dihydropyrans has been achieved through rhodium(i)-catalysed tandem C(sp³)–C(sp³) bond cleavage and annulation of oxetanols with alkynes. An enantioselective version was enabled using a Binaphine ligand. Excellent site-selectivity and remarkable enantioretention are obtained for 2-substituted oxetanols.

Enantio- and Diastereoselective Dehydrative "One-Step" Construction of Spirocarbocycles via a Ru/H+ -Catalyzed Tsuji-Trost Approach

Chiral spirocarbocyclic skeletons are ubiquitous in natural products. An intramolecular Tsuji-Trost (T-T) α-allylation of simple cyclic ketones is a reasonable approach to construct chiral spriocarbocyclic motifs; however, it has been a challenging approach despite many excellent intermolecular examples. For the first time, this has been achieved by a Ru/H⁺ combined catalyst that dehydratively cyclizes racemic allylic alcohols comprising a simple ketone via simultaneous activation of the C=O and OH groups. This chiral technology facilitates the construction of various spirocarbocycles containing two contiguous spiro all-carbon quaternary and tertiary stereocenters. Among four possible stereoisomers, one stereoisomer can be selectively produced in high yield, enhancing the feasibility of the T-T strategy, particularly in the synthesis of spirocarbocycles.

Chemoselective acylation of benzimidazoles with phenylacetic acids under different Cu catalysts to give fused five-membered N-heterocycles or tertiary amides

C-N bond formation via a copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative decarboxylative tandem protocol was realized. The phenylacetic acids which contain ortho-X (X = F or Br) on the aromatic ring will render a fused five-membered heterocycle via a tandem aromatic nucleophilic substitution and aerobic oxidative decarboxylative acylation at the C(sp(2))-H bond of benzimidazoles under the Cu(OAc)2/K2CO3/BF3·Et2O catalytic system, while with CuBr as the catalyst and pyridine as the base, N-acylation occurred and tertiary amides were obtained.

Palladium-Catalyzed Double-Decarboxylative Addition to Pyrones: Synthesis of Conjugated Dienoic Esters

An interceptive decarboxylative allylation protocol has been developed utilizing pyrone as a C4 synthon. This palladium-catalyzed transformation difunctionalizes the pyrone moiety by in situ generation and activation of both the electrophile and nucleophile via a double decarboxylation pathway. Ultimately, allyl carbonates react smoothly with 2-carboxypyrone under mild reaction conditions to generate synthetically useful acyclic dienoic esters, forming carbon dioxide as the sole byproduct.

Catalysis by framework zinc in silica-based molecular sieves

Adjustable Zn Lewis acid site distributions in crystalline, microporous zincosilicates were studied spectroscopically and explored for catalytic applications.

Microporous and mesoporous zincosilicates (e.g., CIT-6, VPI-8, Zn-MFI, and Zn-MCM-41) synthesized in the presence of alkali cations contain two broad types of Zn sites: one that is a dication analog of the monocation ion-exchangeable Al-site in aluminosilicates, while the other resembles isolated Zn sites on amorphous silica. The ratio of these sites varies, depending on the synthesis conditions of the zincosilicate. Post-synthetic strategies based on ion-exchange can alter the site distribution towards either population. Furthermore, post-synthetic introduction of isolated Zn sites of the latter type is possible for materials possessing silanol nests. Both types of sites behave as Lewis acid centers in probe-molecule IR spectroscopy, but have very different catalytic properties. Due to the unusually high adsorption energies of Lewis bases on such materials, Lewis acid catalysis is difficult at low temperatures and in solvents bearing Lewis basic functionality. However, at high temperatures, in hydrocarbon solvents, CIT-6 (Zn-beta) is able to selectively catalyze the Lewis-acid-catalyzed Diels–Alder cycloaddition–dehydration reactions of ethylene with methyl 5-(methoxymethyl)furan-2-carboxylate, a furan that can be derived quantitatively by partial oxidation of biomass-based 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Additionally, zinc in silica-based molecular sieves is shown here to enable chemistries previously not accessible with framework Sn-, Ti- and Zr-based Lewis acid sites, e.g., the direct production of dimethyl terephthalate by Diels–Alder cycloaddition–dehydration reactions of ethylene and the dimethyl ester of furan-2,5-dicarboxilic acid.

Transition metal-free decarboxylative alkylation reactions

This review summarizes recent advances in the transition metal-free decarboxylative alkylation of carboxylic acids and their derivatives.

Non-stabilized enolates – versatile nucleophiles in transition metal-catalysed allylic alkylations

This review covers new developments in the transition metal-catalyzed allylic alkylations of non-stabilized enolates, preferentially generated from ketone, esters or amides.

Construction of Enantiopure Taxoid and Natural Product-like Scaffolds Using a C-C Bond Cleavage/Arylation Reaction

An approach to construct enantiopure complex natural product-like frameworks, including the first reported synthesis of a C17 oxygenated taxoid scaffold, is presented. A palladium-catalyzed C-C activation/cross-coupling is utilized to access these structures in a short sequence from (+)-carvone; the scope of this reaction is explored.

Regioswitchable Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Coupling of 1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds

A palladium-catalyzed chemo- and regioselective coupling of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds via an allylic linker has been developed. This reaction, which displays broad substrate scope, forms two C-C bonds and installs two all-carbon quaternary centers. The regioselectivity of the reaction can be predictably controlled by utilizing an enol carbonate of one of the coupling partners.

Palladium-catalyzed C(sp(3))-H Arylation of N-Boc benzylalkylamines via a deprotonative cross-coupling process

Diarylmethylamines are key intermediates and products in the pharmaceutical industry. Herein we disclose a novel method toward the synthesis of these important compounds via CH functionalization. Presented is a reversible deprotonation of N-Boc benzylalkylamines at the benzylic CH with in situ arylation by a NiXantPhos-based palladium catalyst (50-93 % yield, 29 examples). The method is also successful with N-Boc-tetrahydroisoquinolines. The advantages of this method are it avoids strong bases, low temperatures, and the need to transmetallate to main group metals for the coupling.

Evolution of a unified, stereodivergent approach to the synthesis of communesin F and perophoramidine

Expedient synthetic approaches to the highly functionalized polycyclic alkaloids communesin F and perophoramidine are described using a unified approach featuring a key decarboxylative allylic alkylation to access a crucial and highly congested 3,3-disubstituted oxindole. Described are two distinct, stereoselective alkylations that produce structures in divergent diastereomeric series possessing the critical vicinal all-carbon quaternary centers needed for each synthesis. Synthetic studies toward these challenging core structures have revealed a number of unanticipated modes of reactivity inherent to these complex alkaloid scaffolds. Additionally, several novel and interesting intermediates en route to the target natural products, such as an intriguing propellane hexacyclic oxindole encountered in the communesin F sequence, are disclosed. Indeed, such unanticipated structures may prove to be convenient strategic intermediates in future syntheses.

β-Ketophosphonates formation via deesterification or deamidation of cinnamyl/alkynyl carboxylates or amides with H-phosphonates

We report here an unprecedented Fe/Cu synergistically catalyzed deesterificative or deamidative oxyphosphorylation of unsaturated carboxylates or amides with H-phosphonates.

Pd-catalyzed decarboxylative allylic coupling of acetates of Baylis–Hillman alcohols with propiolic acids: a highly regio- and stereoselective synthesis of 1,5-diarylpent-1-en-4-yne derivatives

Pd-catalyzed decarboxylative allylic coupling of acetates of Baylis–Hillman alcohols with alkynyl carboxylic acids leading to the formation of 1,5-diarylpent-1-en-4-ynes in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner has been developed.

Palladium-catalyzed regioselective arylation of 1,1,3-triaryl-2-azaallyl anions with aryl chlorides

A regioselective arylation of 1,1,3-triaryl-2-azaallyl anions with aryl chlorides is described. The palladium-NIXANTPHOS-based catalyst affords diarylmethylamine derivatives in good yield and without product isomerization. A gram scale sequential one-pot ketimine synthesis/arylation protocol was also developed.