Recent Advances in Cross-Coupling Reactions with Alkyl Halides

Copper-Catalyzed Enantioconvergent Radical N-Alkylation of Diverse (Hetero)aromatic Amines

The 3d transition metal-catalyzed enantioconvergent radical cross-coupling provides a powerful tool for chiral molecule synthesis. In the classic mechanism, the bond formation relies on the interaction between nucleophile-sequestered metal complexes and radicals, limiting the nucleophile scope to sterically uncongested ones. The coupling of sterically congested nucleophiles poses a significant challenge due to difficulties in transmetalation, restricting the reaction generality. Here, we describe a probable outer-sphere nucleophilic attack mechanism that circumvents the challenging transmetalation associated with sterically congested nucleophiles. This strategy enables a general copper-catalyzed enantioconvergent radical N-alkylation of aromatic amines with secondary/tertiary alkyl halides and exhibits catalyst-controlled stereoselectivity. It accommodates diverse aromatic amines, especially bulky secondary and primary ones to deliver value-added chiral amines (>110 examples). It is expected to inspire the coupling of more nucleophiles, particularly challenging sterically congested ones, and accelerate reaction generality.

Copper-Catalyzed Enantioconvergent Radical Suzuki-Miyaura C(sp3)-C(sp2) Cross-Coupling

A copper-catalyzed enantioconvergent Suzuki-Miyaura C(sp³)-C(sp²) cross-coupling of various racemic alkyl halides with organoboronate esters has been established in high enantioselectivity. Critical to the success is the use of a chiral cinchona alkaloid-derived N,N,P-ligand for not only enhancing the reducing capability of copper catalyst to favor a stereoablative radical pathway over a stereospecific S_N2-type process but also providing an ideal chiral environment to achieve the challenging enantiocontrol over the highly reactive radical species. The reaction has a broad scope with respect to both coupling partners, covering aryl- and heteroarylboronate esters, as well as benzyl-, heterobenzyl-, and propargyl bromides and chlorides with good functional group compatibility. Thus, it provides expedient access toward a range of useful enantioenriched skeletons featuring chiral tertiary benzylic stereocenters.

Synthesis of quinolinyl-based pincer copper(ii) complexes: an efficient catalyst system for Kumada coupling of alkyl chlorides and bromides with alkyl Grignard reagents

Well-defined quinolinamide-based pincer copper complexes have been developed and demonstrated in the Kumada coupling reaction of nonactivated alkyl chlorides and bromides with alkyl magnesium chloride.