CsOH catalyzed aerobic oxidative synthesis of p-quinols from multi-alkyl phenols under mild conditions

Metal-Free Oxidative Annulation of Phenols and Amines: A General Synthesis of Benzoxazoles

The ubiquity of benzoxazoles in natural products, drugs, and functional materials has stimulated numerous efforts toward their synthesis; however, the developed methods rely on prefunctionalized substrates and lack generality. Under metal-free conditions, a highly general synthesis of benzoxazoles direct from abundant and easily available phenols and amines is developed via a modular phenol functionalization controlled by TEMPO. In the reaction, various phenols and primary amines with a broad range of functional groups are compatible, producing structurally and functionally diverse benzoxazoles (64 examples) without or with trace observation of the byproducts of phenol transformation with amines. The practical synthesis, especially for drug tafamidis, demonstrates decisive advantages in generality, selectivity, efficiency, and atom- and step-economies over traditional methods, even in the cases of low yields. Mechanistically, the radical adducts of TEMPO with ortho-cyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-one radicals rather than the well-recognized cyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-diones may serve as intermediates.

Crystal structure of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(4-chlorobenzylidene)cyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-one, C21H25ClO

C21H25ClO, orthorhombic, Pna21 (no. 33), a = 14.152(2) Å, b = 22.112(3) Å, c = 6.0109(7) Å, V = 1880.9(4) Å3, Z = 4, R gt (F) = 0.0586, wR ref(F 2) = 0.1227, T = 150 K.

Computational exploration of copper catalyzed vinylogous aerobic oxidation of unsaturated compounds

Selective oxidation is one of the most important and challenging transformations in both academic research and chemical industry. Recently, a highly selective and efficient way to synthesize biologically active γ-hydroxy-α,β-unsaturated molecules from Cu-catalyzed vinylogous aerobic oxidation of α,β- and β,γ-unsaturated compounds has been developed. However, the detailed reaction mechanism remains elusive. Herein, we report a density functional theory study on this Cu-catalyzed vinylogous aerobic oxidation of γ,γ-disubstituted α,β- and β,γ-unsaturated isomers. Our computational study unveils detailed mechanism for each elementary step, i.e. deprotonation, O2 activation, and reduction. Besides, the origin of regioselectivity, divergent reactivities of substrates as well as reducing agents, and the byproduct generation have also been investigated. Notably, the copper catalyst retains the + 2 oxidation state through the whole catalytic cycle and plays essential roles in multiple steps. These findings would provide hints on mechanistic studies and future development of transition metal-catalyzed aerobic oxidation reactions.

A thermal decarboxylative Cloke–Wilson rearrangement of dispirocyclopropanes derived from para-quinone methides and bromo-Meldrum's acids: an approach to synthesize spirobutyrolactone para-dienones

An unprecedented approach to synthesize spirobutyrolactone para-dienones from para-quinone methides and bromo-Meldrum's acids has been developed.

Oxygenation via C-H/C-C Bond Activation with Molecular Oxygen

The selective oxidation of organic molecules is a fundamentally important component of modern synthetic chemistry. In the past decades, direct oxidative C-H and C-C bond functionalization has proved to be one of the most efficient and straightforward methods to synthesize complex products from simple and readily available starting materials. Among these oxidative processes, the use of molecular oxygen as a green and sustainable oxidant has attracted considerable attention because of its highly atom-economical, abundant, and environmentally friendly characteristics. The development of new protocols using molecular oxygen as an ideal oxidant is highly desirable in oxidation chemistry. More importantly, the oxygenation reaction of simple molecules using molecular oxygen as the oxygen source offers one of the most ideal processes for the construction of O-containing compounds. Aerobic oxidation and oxygenation by enzymes, such as monooxygenase, tyrosinase, and dopamine β-monooxygenase, have been observed in some biological C-H bond hydroxylation processes. Encouraged by these biological transformations, transition-metal- or organocatalyst-catalyzed oxygenation through dioxygen activation has attracted academic and industrial prospects. In this Account, we describe some advances from our group in oxygenation via C-H/C-C bond activation with molecular oxygen as the oxidant and oxygen source for the synthesis of O-containing compounds. Under an atmosphere of O₂ (1 atm) or air (1 atm), we have successfully incorporated one or two O atoms from O₂ into simple and readily available substrates through C-H, C-C, C═C, and C≡C bond cleavage by transition-metal catalysis, organocatalysis, and photocatalysis. Moreover, we have devised cyclization reactions with molecular oxygen to construct O-heterocycles. Most of these transformations can tolerate a broad range of functional groups. Furthermore, on the basis of isotope labeling experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance spectral analysis, and other mechanistic studies, we have demonstrated that a single electron transfer process via a carbon radical, peroxide radical, or hydroxyl radical is involved in these aerobic oxidation and oxygenation reactions. These protocols provide new approaches for the green synthesis of various α-keto amides, α-keto esters, esters, ketones, aldehydes, formamides, 2-oxoacetamidines, 2-(1H)-pyridones, phenols, tertiary α-hydroxy carbonyls, p-quinols, β-azido alcohols, benzyl alcohols, tryptophols, and oxazoles, which have potential applications in the preparation of natural products, bioactive compounds, and functional materials. In most cases, inexpensive and low-toxicity Cu, Fe, Mn, or NHPI was found to be an efficient catalyst for the transformation. The high efficiency, low cost, high oxygen atom economy, broad substrate scope, and practical operation make the developed oxygenation system very attractive and practical. Moreover, the design of new types of molecular-oxygen- or air-based oxidation and oxygenation reactions can be anticipated.

NHPI and palladium cocatalyzed aerobic oxidative acylation of arenes through a radical process

Molecular oxygen, the most environmentally friendly oxidant, was used as the terminal oxidant for palladium-catalyzed radical oxidative acylation of arenes.