Recent Applications of Acyclic (Diene)iron Complexes and (Dienyl)iron Cations in Organic Synthesis

Iso-Pentadienyl Carbonate as a Five Carbon Synthon in Manganese(I)-Catalyzed Selective Linear 1,3-Dienylation

Selective linear 1,3-dienylations are essential transformations, and numerous synthetic efforts have been documented. However, a general method enabling access to electron-rich, -poor, and biologically relevant dienyl molecules is in high demand. Hence, we report a straightforward method of manganese(I)-catalyzed C-H dienylation of arenes by using iso-pentadienyl carbonate as a five carbon synthon. This is a highly unprecedented report for selective linear 1,3-dienylation using manganese C-H activation catalysis. Our method facilitates the synthesis of varieties of dienes, including those suitable for normal or inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reactions, dienyl glycoconjugates, and unnatural amino acids. Extensive mechanistic studies, including isolation of C-H activated organo-manganese complex and isotopic analyses, have supported the proposed mechanism of this dienylation. The synthetic applicability of this method eased to deliver a 6/6/5-fused tricyclic nagilactone scaffold.

Iron(0) tricarbonyl η4-1-azadiene complexes and their catalytic performance in the hydroboration of ketones, aldehydes and aldimines via a non-iron hydride pathway

Six iron(0) tricarbonyl complexes (1a-f) with a η⁴-1-azadiene moiety were prepared and their performance in the hydroboration of unsaturated organic compounds was investigated. All the complexes exhibit catalytic activity towards hydroboration of ketones, aldehydes and aldimines with pinacolborane (HBpin) as a hydride source to lead to secondary alcohols, primary alcohols, and secondary amines, respectively, after hydrolysis of the hydroboration products. Of the iron(0) tricarbonyl complexes, complex 1e is the most robust one and was employed throughout the catalytic investigation. Its preference towards the three types of substrates is as follows: aldimines > aldehydes ≫ ketones. In total, 24 substrates were examined for the catalytic hydroboration reactivity and generally, isolation yields ranging from 40% to 95% were achieved. Mechanistic investigation suggests that the catalytic hydroboration of the substrates proceeds via intramolecular hydride transfer without going through an Fe-H intermediate. As indicated by ¹H NMR spectroscopic monitoring, the substrates and the borane agent bind to the iron centre and the imine N atom, respectively, which facilitates the hydride transfer by activating the B-H bond and polarizing the double bond of the substrates.

Metal–ligand bonding in tricarbonyliron(0) complexes bearing thiochalcone ligands

Bonding interactions between iron and thiochalcones in a series of recently synthesized complexes were analyzed using various theoretical methods.

Dicarbonyl{[(E,E)-(2,3,4,5-η)-6-methoxy-6-oxo-2,4-hexadienyl]triphenylphosphonium}(triphenylphosphane-κP)iron(1+) hexafluoridophosphate

In the title compound, [Fe(C25H24O2P)(C18H15P)(CO)2]PF6, the Fe atom adopts a square-based pyramidal coordination geometry with the carbonyl groups and the two C=C bonds of the diene defining the basal sites and the phosphane ligand the apical position. The diene ligand has an E,E geometry, with the phosphonium fragment pointed away from the Fe atom. The crystal structure displays C—H...F and C—H...O hydrogen bonding. The PF6 − anion is rotationally disordered over four orientations.

Reactivity of (1-methoxycarbonylpentadienyl)iron(1+) cations with hydride, methyl, and nitrogen nucleophiles

The reaction of tricarbonyl and (dicarbonyl)triphenylphosphine (1-methoxycarbonyl-pentadientyl)iron(1+) cations 7 and 8 with methyl lithium, NaBH₃CN, or potassium phthalimide affords (pentenediyl)iron complexes 9a-c and 11a-b, while reaction with dimethylcuprate, gave (E,Z-diene)iron complexes 10 and 12. Oxidatively induced-reductive elimination of 9a-c gave vinylcyclopropanecarboxylates 17a-c. The optically active vinylcyclopropane (+)-17a, prepared from (1S)-7, undergoes olefin cross-metathesis with excess (+)-18 to yield (+)-19, a C9-C16 synthon for the antifungal agent ambruticin. Alternatively reaction of 7 with methanesulfonamide or trimethylsilylazide gave (E,E-diene)iron complexes 14d and e. Huisgen [3+2] cyclization of the (azidodienyl)iron complex 14e with alkynes afforded triazoles 25a-e.

Stereochemical requirements of oxidative cyclizations in extended iterative organoiron-mediated routes to alkaloids

Oxidative cyclization by reaction of benzylic and phenolic OH groups on tricarbonyl(η(4)-cyclohexa-1,3-diene)iron(0) complexes has been achieved with the hypervalent iodine oxidant PIFA which was shown to be compatible with the tricarbonyliron complex. The reaction proceeds with substrates with the nucleophilic substituent on the opposite face of the ligand to the iron. IBX gives efficient oxidation of the benzyl alcohol to the aldehyde in the presence of the Fe(CO)(3) group. Reduction of 1-arylcyclohexadienyliron(1+) complexes with sodium borohydride to access the endo series also gave a novel rearranged 2-aryl reduction product with a 5-endo OMe group. The cis relative stereochemistry of the oxidative cyclization product, the exo delivery of hydride to the 1-arylcyclohexadienyliron(1+) complex, and the 2-aryl-5-endo-methoxy relative stereochemistry of the rearranged product were proved by X-ray crystallography.

Synthesis and applications of tricarbonyliron complexes of dendralenes

[3]Dendralene and [4]dendralene are converted smoothly into tricarbonyliron complexes. The structures of four complexes analyzed by DFT and single-crystal X-ray analysis show that, in contrast to free hydrocarbons, complexed dendralenes prefer a roughly in-plane conformation. The complexes are stable towards Fe(CO)(3) group migration up to 150 °C. The synthetic value of Fe(CO)(3) complexation in the dendralene series is demonstrated through a variety of selective synthetic manipulations (Diels-Alder reaction, dipolar cycloaddition, Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation, dihydroxylation, olefin cross metathesis) that are not achievable by direct transformation of the free hydrocarbons. Application to the synthesis of a previously unreported, highly reactive linear/cross-conjugated hydrocarbon is also described.

Nicholas reactions in the construction of cyclohepta[de]naphthalenes and cyclohepta[de]naphthalenones. The total synthesis of microstegiol

The application of the Nicholas reaction chemistry of 2,7-dioxygenated naphthalenes in the synthesis of cyclohepta[de]napthalenes and in the synthesis of (±)-microstegiol (1) is presented. The substitution profile of Nicholas monosubstitution (predominantly C-1) and disubstitution reactions (predominantly 1,6-) on 2,7-dioxygenated napthalenes is reported. Application of a 1,8-dicondensation product and selected C-1 monocondensation products to the construction of cyclohepta[de]naphthalenes by way of ring closing metathesis and intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reactions, respectively, is described. Deprotection of the C-7 oxygen function to the corresponding naphthol allows tautomerization to cyclohepta[de]naphthalene-1-ones upon seven-membered-ring closure in most cases, and replacement of the C-2 oxygen function in the naphthalene by a methyl group ultimately allows the synthesis of (±)-microstegiol.