Microwave-accelerated and efficient synthesis of structurally diverse N-(2,2-diphenylvinyl)-β-oxoamides

N-(2,2-Diphenylvinyl)-β-oxoamides are both the structural moiety of biologically active compounds and important synthetic intermediates. Structurally diverse N-(2,2-diphenylvinyl)-β-oxoamides are prepared efficiently from 2-diazo-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and N-alkyl-2,2-diphenylaziridines via an electrophilic ring opening reaction under two different reaction conditions of reflux and microwave irradiation. 2-Diazo-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds undergo the Wolff rearrangement under heating to generate α-oxoketenes, which electrophilically react with N-alkylaziridines to directly produce structurally diverse N-(2,2-diphenylvinyl)-β-oxoamides in good to excellent yields under microwave irradiation. Microwave irradiation accelerates the reaction obviously and efficiently. Both 2-diazo-1,3-diketones and alkyl 2-diazo-3-oxoalkanoates work well. The reaction is catalyst-free and highly atom economical, involves only loss of nitrogen and does not require additives. The products are useful synthons for the convenient preparation of multisubstituted β-lactam derivatives.

Rh(III)-Catalyzed C-H Activation/Intramolecular Cyclization: Access to N-Acyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-carbazol-4(9H)-ones from Cyclic 2-Diazo-1,3-diketones and N-Arylamides

A Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation/cyclization cascade reaction is described. The reaction involves cyclic 2-diazo-1,3-diketones and N-arylamides, and it proceeds via an intermolecular C-C bond formation and subsequent intramolecular C-N bond formation. A variety of N-acyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-carbazol-4(9H)-ones were obtained under mild conditions in good to excellent yields (65-90%). Key features of this strategy include high-efficiency, operational simplicity, scalability, and broad functional-group tolerance. In addition, H2O and N2 are the only byproducts. Carbazole derivatives with free NH groups can be easily obtained through N-deprotection reactions.

Total Synthesis of (±)-Cermizine B

A practical synthesis of (±)-cermizine B was achieved. The nine-step synthesis mainly comprised two uninterrupted Michael additions including a highly diastereoselective 1,4-addition of 2-picoline to methyl 4-methyl-6-oxocyclohex-1-ene-1-carboxylate, Krapcho decarboxylation, a double reductive amination that resulted in ring closure and dearomatization of pyridine in 24% overall yield.

Direct carboxamidation of cyclic 2-diazo-1,3-diketones by Rh2(OAc)4-catalyzed isocyanide insertion–hydrolysis

A novel and efficient strategy for the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-6-oxocyclohex-1-enecarboxamides through a Rh₂(OAc)₄-catalyzed direct carboxamidation of cyclic 2-diazo-1,3-diketones has been developed.

Synthesis of 2-Arylimino-6,7-dihydrobenzo[d][1,3]oxathiol-4(5H)-ones via Rh2(OAc)4-Catalyzed Reactions of Cyclic 2-Diazo-1,3-diketones with Aryl Isothiocyanates

A convenient and efficient synthesis of 2-arylimino-6,7-dihydrobenzo[d][1,3]oxathiol-4(5H)-ones was developed via a Rh₂(OAc)₄-catalyzed reaction of cyclic 2-diazo-1,3-diketones and aryl isothiocyanates in acetone at 60 °C. This reaction uses readily available stable cyclic 2-diazo-1,3-diketones as a starting material and generates the desired products in good to excellent yields (78-93%). The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions, produces only N₂ as the byproduct, and features a broad substrate scope. A plausible mechanism for this reaction is also discussed.

Bis-Michael Acceptors as Novel Probes to Study the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE Pathway

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a master regulator that promotes the transcription of cytoprotective genes in response to oxidative/electrophilic stress. Various Michael-type compounds were designed and synthesized, and their potency to activate the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway was evaluated. Compounds bearing two Michael-type acceptors proved to be the most active. Tether length and rigidity between the acceptors was crucial. This study will help to understand how this feature disrupts the interaction between Keap1 and Nrf2.

Addition of silylated nucleophiles to α-oxoketenes

A general evaluation of silylated nucleophiles to intercept transient α-oxoketenes generated by microwave-assisted Wolff rearrangement of 2-diazo-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds is presented.

Tandem catalysis in domino olefin cross-metathesis/intramolecular oxa-conjugate cyclization: concise synthesis of 2,6-cis-substituted tetrahydropyran derivatives

Herein, we describe the concise synthesis of 2,6-cis-substituted tetrahydropyran derivatives based on a domino olefin cross-metathesis/intramolecular oxa-conjugate cyclization (CM/IOCC) reaction. We have found that the domino CM/IOCC of δ-hydroxy olefins with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (e.g., trans-crotonaldehyde or N-acryloyl-2,5-dimethylpyrrole) could be efficiently achieved in the presence of the second-generation Hoveyda-Grubbs catalyst under elevated temperature conditions, directly affording 2,6-cis-substituted tetrahydropyrans in excellent yields with synthetically useful diastereoselectivity ("auto-tandem catalysis"). In addition, we have found that the domino CM/IOCC of δ-hydroxy olefins with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds could be achieved simply by performing CM in the presence of a Brønsted acid in CH(2)Cl(2) at 25-35 °C, which delivered 2,6-cis-substituted tetrahydropyrans in good yields with excellent diastereoselectivity ("orthogonal-tandem catalysis"). To understand the mechanism of auto-tandem catalysis in the domino CM/IOCC reaction, we have investigated the role of ruthenium hydride complexes in the IOCC of a ζ-hydroxy α,β-unsaturated ketone as a model case.

Transition-metal-free α-arylation of β-keto amides via an interrupted insertion reaction of arynes

Direct α-arylation reactions of secondary β-keto amides with arynes, generated by fluoride-induced elimination of ortho-silyl aryltriflates, are described. The transformation proceeds via an interrupted insertion reaction of arynes and leads to densely functionalized aromatic compounds exhibiting a chiral 'all carbon' quaternary center under transition-metal-free conditions. An organocatalytic asymmetric version of the reaction also proved possible, affording the proof of concept that arynes can be involved in enantioselective transformations.