Cycloisomerization of 1,n-Enynes Via Carbophilic Activation

Visible-Light-Induced Radical Sulfonylative-Cyclization Cascade of 1,6-Enynol Derivatives with Sulfinic Acids: A Sustainable Approach for the Synthesis of 2,3-Disubstituted Benzoheteroles

Benzoheteroles are promising structural scaffolds in the realm of medicinal chemistry, but sustainable synthesis of 2,3-difunctionalized benzoheterole derivatives is still in high demand. Indeed, we have conceptually rationalized the intrinsic reactivity of propargylic-enyne systems for the flexible construction of 2,3-disubstituted benzoheteroles through radical sulfonylative-cyclization cascade under organophotoredox catalysis. We hereby report an efficient visible-light-induced sulfonyl radical-triggered cyclization of 1,6-enynols with sulfinic acids under the dual catalytic influence of 4CzIPN and NiBr2⋅DME, which led to the formation of 2,3-disubstituted benzoheteroles in good to high yields. Additionally, the Rose Bengal (RB)-catalyzed radical sulfonylative-cycloannulation of acetyl-derived 1,6-enynols with sulfinic acids under blue LED irradiation allowed to access 3-(E-styryl)-derived benzofurans and benzothiophenes in moderate to good yields. The scope and limitations of the present strategies were successfully established using different classes of 1,6-enynols and sulfinic acids bearing various sensitive functional groups, yielding the desired products in a highly stereoselective fashion. Plausible mechanistic pathways were also proposed based on the current experimental and control experiments.

Unified Radical Sulfonylative-Annulation of 1,6-Enynols with Sodium Sulfinates: A Modular Synthesis of 2,3-Disubstituted Benzoheteroles

Benzoheteroles are valuable scaffolds in medicinal chemistry, but the direct synthesis of 3-vinyl benzoheterole analogues remains unexplored. A rationally designed new class of 1,6-enyne-containing propargylic alcohols has been prepared for the modular synthesis of 3-alkenyl benzoheteroles. Ag-catalyzed cascade radical sulfonylative-cycloannulation of 1,6-enynols with sodium sulfinates is realized to access a wide variety of 2,3-disubstituted benzoheteroles in good to high yields. Moreover, a three-component coupling of 1,6-enynols, aryldiazonium salts, and Na₂S₂O₅ (as an SO₂ surrogate) has been achieved to deliver benzoheterole derivatives in moderate to good yields. Of note, a scalable reaction and late-stage synthetic transformations were successfully demonstrated. A plausible mechanism is also presented based on the existing experimental results and control experiments.

Indium(III)-Catalyzed Stereoselective Synthesis of Tricyclic Frameworks by Cascade Cycloisomerization Reactions of Aryl 1,5-Enynes

The indium(III)-catalyzed cascade cycloisomerization reaction of 1,5-enynes with pendant aryl nucleophiles is reported. The reaction proceeds in cascade under mild reaction conditions, using InI₃ (5 mol %) as a catalyst with a range of 1,5-enynes furnished with aryl groups (phenyl and phenol) at alkene (E and Z isomers) and with terminal and internal alkynes. Using 1-bromo-1,5-enynes, a one-pot sequential indium-catalyzed cycloisomerization and palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling with triorganoindium reagents were developed. The double cyclization is stereospecific and operates via a biomimetic cascade cation-olefin through 1,5-enyne cyclization (6-endo-dig) and subsequent C-C hydroarylation or C-O phenoxycyclization. Density functional theory (DFT) computational studies on 1,5-enynyl aryl ethers support a two-step mechanism where the first stereoselective 1,5-enyne cyclization produces a nonclassical carbocation intermediate that evolves to the tricyclic reaction product through a S_EAr mechanism. Using this approach, a variety of tricyclic heterocycles such as benzo[b]chromenes, phenanthridines, xanthenes, and spiroheterocyclic compounds are efficiently synthesized with high atom economy.

Brønsted Acid-Catalyzed Enantioselective Cycloisomerization of Arylalkynes

The first example of an enantioselective carbocyclization of an alkyne-containing substrate catalyzed by chiral Brønsted acids was achieved. The use of the 2-hydroxynaphthyl substituent on the alkyne as a directing group constituted the key parameter enabling both efficient regioselective protonation of the carbon-carbon triple bond and chiral induction. The key cationic intermediate could be depicted either as a cationic vinylidene ortho-quinone methide or a stabilized vinyl cation. Atropoisomeric phenanthrenes derivatives were produced in high yields and good enantioselectivities under mild, metal-free reaction conditions in the presence of chiral N-triflylphosphoramide catalysts. The carbenic nature of the cationic intermediate was also exploited to describe an example of alkyne/alkane cycloisomerization.

Total Synthesis of Cryptotrione

The total synthesis of cryptotrione (1) was enabled by substrate-controlled diastereoselective construction of the bicyclo[3.1.0]hexene framework through platinum-catalyzed enyne cycloisomerization and Lewis acid induced polyene cyclization to construct the abietane-type tricyclic diterpene skeleton. The stereogenic tertiary carbon center in the side chain was installed in a diastereodivergent manner by conjugate addition reactions.

Dearomatization of Indole via Intramolecular [3 + 2] Cycloaddition: Access to the Pentacyclic Skeleton of Strychons Alkaloids

An efficient method to build various multisubstituted polycyclic indoline-annulated normal to medium-size rings through dearomatization of indole via a tandem 1,2-acyloxy migration/intramolecular [3 + 2] cycloaddition process is described. The pentacyclic skeleton of strychnine could be synthesized via this tandem cycloaddition and a further Mannich reaction. This approach would provide a novel strategy to the synthesis of strychons alkaloids.

Metal-catalyzed enyne cycloisomerization in natural product total synthesis

Enyne cycloisomerization has become a powerful and attractive strategy for the construction of cyclic compounds, thus possessing great potential for applications in total synthesis of natural products and pharmaceuticals.

Gold carbenes, gold-stabilized carbocations, and cationic intermediates relevant to gold-catalysed enyne cycloaddition

Cationic gold complexes in which gold is bound to a formally divalent carbon atom, typically formulated as gold carbenes or α-metallocarbenium ions, have been widely invoked in a range of gold-catalyzed transformations, most notably in the gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,n-enynes. Although the existence of gold carbene complexes as intermediates in gold-catalyzed transformations is supported by a wealth of indirect experimental data and by computation, until recently no examples of cationic gold carbenes/α-metallocarbenium ions had been synthesized nor had any cationic intermediates generated via gold-catalyzed enyne cycloaddition been directly observed. Largely for this reason, there has been considerable debate regarding the electronic structure of these cationic complexes, in particular the relative contributions of the carbene (LAu(+)[double bond, length as m-dash]CR2) and α-metallocarbenium (LAu-CR2(+)) forms, which is intimately related to the extent of d → p backbonding from gold to the C1 carbon atom. However, over the past ∼ seven years, a number of cationic gold carbene complexes have been synthesized in solution and generated in the gas phase and cationic intermediates have been directly observed in the gold-catalyzed cycloaddition of enynes. Together, these advances provide insight into the nature and electronic structure of gold carbene/α-metallocarbenium complexes and the cationic intermediates generated via gold-catalyzed enyne cycloaddition. Herein we review recent advances in this area.

Combinatorial approach to chiral tris-ligated carbophilic platinum complexes: application to asymmetric catalysis

A straightforward methodology for the synthesis of libraries of chiral tris-ligated cationic platinum complexes and their in situ evaluation as asymmetric carbophilic catalysts in a model domino hydroarylation/cyclization reaction of a 1,6-enyne was developed. A catalyst-generation process based on a combination of a monodentate and a bidentate phosphorus ligand allowed the formation of 108 chiral complexes. One-pot screening of the stereoinduction obtained with this library in a test domino addition/cyclization reaction validated this approach and stressed the key role played by the monodentate ligand partner in obtaining high enantioselectivities. In the case of two challenging substrate/nucleophile combinations, the combinatorial approach resulted in a significant gain in enantioselectivity.

Mechanistic examination of AuIII-mediated 1,5-enyne cycloisomerization by AuBr2(N-imidate)(NHC)/AgX precatalysts – is the active catalyst AuIII or AuI?

The role of Au^I and Au^III species in 1,5-enyne cycloisomerization reactions has been examined in this paper.

Experimental evaluation of the electron donor ability of a gold phosphine fragment in a gold carbene complex

Bond length deformations within the cyclopropyl ring of a gold cyclopropyl(methoxy)carbene complex provide an experimental measure of the electron donor ability of the gold phosphine fragment.