Formation of five- and six-membered heterocyclic rings under radical cyclisation conditions

Metalated isocyanides: formation, structure, and reactivity

Metalated isocyanides are highly versatile organometallics. Central to the reactivity of metalated isocyanides is the presence of two orthogonally reactive carbons, a highly nucleophilic "carbanion" inductively stabilized by a carbene-like isocyanide carbon. The two reactivities are harnessed in the attack of metalated isocyanides on π-electrophiles where an initial nucleophilic attack leads to an electron pair that cyclizes onto the terminal isocyanide carbon in a rapid route to diverse, nitrogenous heterocycles. Harnessing the potent nucleophilicity of metalated isocyanides while preventing electrophilic attack on the terminal isocyanide carbon has largely been driven by empirical heuristics. This review provides a foundational understanding by surveying the formation, structure, and properties of metalated isocyanides. The focus on the interplay between the structure and reactivity of metalated isocyanides is anticipated to facilitate the development and deployment of these exceptional nucleophiles in complex bond constructions.

A combined density functional theory and numerical simulation investigation of levels of chirality transfer and regioselectivity for the radical cyclizations of N-methyl-, N-ethyl- and N-isopropyl-substituted ortho-halo-N-acryloylanilides

There is a high chirality transfer ratio when the N-alkyl substituent is larger in volume than isopropyl.

Copper-catalyzed alkylarylation of activated alkenes using isocyanides as the alkyl source: an efficient radical access to 3,3-dialkylated oxindoles

A novel copper-catalyzed oxidative cyclization of N-arylacrylamides for the synthesis of 3,3-dialkylated oxindoles is described using isocyanides as alkyl radical precursors.

Systemic study on the biogenic pathways of yezo’otogirins: total synthesis and antitumor activities of (±)-yezo’otogirin C and its structural analogues

A systematic study of the biomimetic pathways to yezo’otogirin C under aerobic and anaerobic conditions has been investigated, and both are found to be feasible pathways to the natural product depending on the physiological conditions. Because of the lower activation energy, the aerobic process would be more favorable when the in vivo oxygen level is high. In the course of this study, a highly efficient synthetic route to (±)-yezo’otogirin C has been established in four steps (31% overall yield) from a readily available compound without using any protecting groups. The natural product and its structural analogues exhibited antitumor activities against several human cancer cell lines and appeared to arrest cell cycles in different phases.

A mechanistic study on the SHi reaction at tin atoms in a radical cascade reaction

A kinetic study on the intramolecular direct radical substitution reaction on tin atoms was undertaken.

Substrate and stereocontrolled iodocycloetherification of highly functionalized enantiomerically pure allylic alcohols: application to synthesis of cytotoxic 2-epi jaspine B and its biological evaluation

A mechanistic study on iodocycloetherification of enantiopure allylic alcohols is established. Its application to synthesis of marine cytotoxic 2-epi jaspine B has been demonstrated.

Effect of double-bond substituents on the rate of cyclization of α-carbomethoxyhex-5-enyl radicals

Rate constants have been calculated, and compared with experimental results, for the cyclizations of 1-carbomethoxy-1-methyl-5-hexenyl radicals (2) with various substituents on C6. The calculations have been done by DFT at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory. They show considerable interaction between C5 and the radical centers even in the ground state of all of the radicals 2. Experimentally, the radicals have been generated by H(•) transfer to the corresponding acrylate esters 1 and the yields of cyclized products compared to the calculated rate constants. (The "cyclized products" include those from cyclohydrogenation, 4, and those from cycloisomerization, 9.) Two phenyl substituents on C6 (2i), or a phenyl and a methyl substituent (2g, 2h), increase the rate of cyclization, but a single phenyl substituent on C6 produces a greater increase. The calculations show that the two phenyl substituents are twisted in the transition state for cyclization, while a single phenyl substituent remains flat in that transition state. A methyl substituent on C6 along with a single phenyl causes the phenyl to twist in the transition state and decreases the rate constant for cyclization below that of the H/Ph-substituted 2e, 2f.

Preparation of optically active bicyclodihydrosiloles by a radical cascade reaction

Bicyclodihydrosiloles were readily prepared from optically active enyne compounds by a radical cascade reaction triggered by tris(trimethylsilyl)silane ((Me₃Si)₃SiH). The reaction was initiated by the addition of a silyl radical to an α,β-unsaturated ester, forming an α-carbonyl radical that underwent radical cyclization to a terminal alkyne unit. The resulting vinyl radical attacked the silicon atom in an S_Hi manner to give dihydrosilole. The reaction preferentially formed trans isomers of bicyclosiloles with an approximately 7:3 to 9:1 selectivity.

Experimental and computational study of 6-exo and 7-endo cyclization of aryl radicals followed by tandem S(RN)1 substitution

The reaction of N-allyl-N-(2-halobenzyl)-acetamides and derivatives was investigated in liquid ammonia under irradiation with the nucleophiles Me3Sn(-), Ph2P(-) and O2NCH2(-). Following this procedure, novel substituted 2-acetyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines and substituted 2-acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-benzo[c]azepines were obtained in good yields. These reactions are proposed to occur through the intermediacy of aryl radicals, which by intramolecular 6-exo or 7-endo attack to a double bond cyclize to give aliphatic radicals, which react along the propagation steps of the S(RN)1 chain cycle to afford the cyclic substituted compounds as main products. The reactions were modeled with DFT methods, which provide a rational understanding that relates the product distribution to the structure of the aliphatic radicals proposed as intermediates and the kinetic of their formation.