Substitution at the α-carbons of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds: anti-Michael addition

Palladium-Catalyzed anti-Michael-Type Hydroamination of N-(Quinolin-8-yl)acrylamide with 2-Pyridones

Here we report a palladium-catalyzed anti-Michael-type hydroamination of N-(quinolin-8-yl)acrylamide with 2-pyridones. The use of a palladium catalyst enables the α-addition of 2-pyridones, resulting in the formation of a range of N-substituted 2-pyridone carboxamides with yields ranging from 10% to 80%. Derivatization of the products highlights the utility of this transformation. Preliminary mechanistic investigations suggest that the reaction proceeds through the direct addition of a nitrogen atom of 2-pyridones, ruling out other pathways such as O-to-N-alkyl migration.

Palladium-Catalyzed anti-Michael-Type (Hetero)arylation of Acrylamides

This paper reports a direct α-(hetero)arylation of acrylamides through an inverse electron-demand nucleophilic addition, specifically an anti-Michael-type addition. The introduction of a quinolyl directing group facilitates the nucleophilic addition of (hetero)arenes to the α-position of acrylamides. The quinolyl directing group effectively suppresses undesired β-hydrogen elimination and is removable for subsequent derivatization. The presented method provides an atom economical synthesis of α-(hetero)arylamide with a high degree of functional group tolerance.

Mechanism of sugar degradation product 5-hydroxymethylfurfural reducing the stability of anthocyanins

The coexistence of anthocyanin with the sugar degradation product 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is inevitable during the processing and storage of anthocyanin-rich juices. It was determined from our study that lower concentrations of 5-HMF have little effect on the stability of Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), and even cause a slight increase for a short period of time. As the concentration of 5-HMF increased, the retention of C3G decreased and the color of the solution changed from orange-red to purple-red. The reaction sites of 5-HMF and C3G in its hemiketal form were predicted by quantum chemical calculations in order to investigate the pathways of action of the two. The degradation mechanism of 5-HMF on anthocyanin was verified by Ultraviolet and Visible spectrophotometer and Ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Therefore, this article provides further theoretical support for the study of the effect of furfural compounds, which are sugar degradation products, on the stability of anthocyanins.

Biomimetic Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (-)-Robustanoids A and B and Analogues

We report a step-economical, enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-robustanoid B and (-)-robustanoid A and four novel natural product-like compounds. Our strategy relied on our biosynthetic hypothesis and on a novel complexity generation methodology, namely, the one-pot hydroxylative double cyclization reaction. The latter consists of a modified 3,3-dimethyldioxirane-triggered epoxidation-epoxide-ring-opening cyclization reaction cascade and Trost's regioselectivity umpolung methodology ("anti-Michael addition").

Highly Regioselective Synthesis of Oxindolyl-Pyrroles and Quinolines via a One-Pot, Sequential Meyer-Schuster Rearrangement, Anti-Michael Addition/C(sp3)-H Functionalization, and Azacyclization

A one-pot, sequential Meyer-Schuster (MS) rearrangement of oxindole-derived propargyl alcohols to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated enones and their anti-Michael addition, followed by intramolecular azacyclization is described in a highly regioselective manner using Ca(OTf)₂ as the promoter. Further, we described the one-pot MS rearrangement, followed by C_(sp³)-H functionalization of 2-methyl azaarenes at α-carbon of these doubly activated alkenes. Control experiments and computational calculations were performed to propose the reaction mechanism.

Multicomponent reactions of phosphines, enynedioates and benzylidene malononitriles generated highly substituted cyclopentenes through an unexpected phosphine α-addition-δ-evolvement of an anion pathway

Multicomponent reactions of phosphines, enynedioates and benzylidene malononitriles provide highly substituted syn-selective cyclopentenes appending the phosphorus ylide moiety in good yield with a diastereoselectivity of up to 100% through resonance-derived 1,5-dipolar species as the key intermediates, via the nucleophilic α(δ')-attack of phosphines toward enynedioates followed by addition to benzylidene malononitriles and 5-exo-dig cyclization. Through computational analyses, the overall reactions for the formation of syn- and anti-diastereomers are both exothermic with 65.6 and 66.3 kcal mol(-1) at the B3LYP-D3/6-31G(d) level of theory and were found to be kinetically controlled, which favours the formation of syn-diastereomers.

Recent developments of ketene dithioacetal chemistry

Ketene dithioacetals are versatile intermediates in organic synthesis. Extensive research, since the last decade, has given rise to new prospects in their chemistry. The objective of this review is twofold: first, to highlight the new prospects in the chemistry of functionalized ketene dithioacetals, and second, to provide an intrinsic link between ketene dithioacetal groups and a variety of other functional groups, which has brought out many new facts that will assist in future designs.

α(δ')-Michael addition of alkyl amines to dimethyl (E)-hex-2-en-4-ynedioate: synthesis of α,β-dehydroamino acid derivatives

The direct nucleophilic addition of alkyl amines to the α(δ')-carbon atom of dimethyl (E)-hex-2-en-4-ynedioate to generate α,β-dehydroamino acid derivatives is reported. Herein, we have studied the reactivity of various primary and secondary alkyl amines in the α-selective nucleophilic conjugate addition to conjugated dimethyl (E)-hex-2-en-4-ynedioate. The reaction with primary alkyl amines gives only the (2E,4E)-stereoisomer, while that with secondary alkyl amines gives the (2E,4E) and (2Z,4E)-stereoisomers of dimethyl (2-alkylamino)-muconic ester.

Mechanism study of the intramolecular anti-Michael addition of N-alkylfurylacrylacetamides

The mechanism of the intramolecular nucleophilic addition of N-alkylfurylacrylacetamides is investigated by density functional theory calculations. Three possible reaction pathways have been considered based on possible conformations of the same reactant, which undergoes three stages, including hydrogen elimination by the base NaH, followed by the nucleophilic addition of N(-) on C(α) (C(β)) via an anti-Michael (Michael) mechanism, and then proton transfer affords the final product Pr-5 (Pr-6). The pathway corresponding to the reactant with the most stable conformation is found to be the most favorable one. The rate-determining step of the intramolecular nucleophilic addition is the nucleophilic addition of N(-) on C(α) (C(β)) featuring a cyclic ring transition state. Solvent effects are considered at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level in solvent DMSO, and the results suggest that the relative reaction trends are consistent with the gas-phase reaction. Furthermore, the difference of the energy barriers explains the origin of the regioselectivity of the experiment. Finally, the effects of the substituent on N1 and C(β) to the regioselectivity have been discussed.

Arylsulfonylacetylenes as alkynylating reagents of Csp2-H bonds activated with lithium bases

Chameleon: a new strategy for the synthesis of a wide variety of alkynyl derivatives by the reaction of substituted arylsulfonylacetylenes with organolithium species is described. The high yields, the simplicity of the experimental procedure, the broad scope of this reaction, and the formation of C(sp)-C(sp2) bonds without using transition metals are the main features of this methodology.

1H and 13C NMR spectral study of some 3-aryl-5r-aryl-6t-carbethoxycyclohex-2-enones-a study of four-bond 1H-1H couplings

Nine 3-aryl-5r-aryl-6t-carbethoxycyclohex-2-enones 2a-2i have been synthesized. For all these compounds, (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra have been recorded. For two compounds, 2D spectra have been recorded. The spectral data suggest that these compounds adopt sofa conformation in solution with H-5, H-6 and H-4t occupying axial-like positions and H-4c occupying equatorial-like positions. In 3-phenyl-5r-(o-chlorophenyl)-6t-carbethoxycylohex-2-enone (2b), the o-chlorophenyl group is oriented such that the chlorine atom is in between H-4c and H-5. Allylic coupling of H-2 is observed only with H-4t. Evidence has been obtained for four-bond coupling between 1,3-diaxial and 1,3-axial-equatorial protons.