The Blaise reaction

Photocatalytic Radical Coupling of Organoborates with α-Halogenated Electron-Poor Olefins

Herein, we report the visible-light-mediated addition of organoborates to α-halogenated electron-poor olefins enabled by an environmentally benign metal-free catalyst. The method accommodates a variety of boronic acid derivatives as well as alkenes and delivers the corresponding saturated α-halo-derivatives in up to 90% yields. The obtained products are high-value building blocks in organic synthesis, allowing for a variety of follow-up transformations.

Palladium-catalyzed direct construction of oxazoline-containing polycyclic scaffolds via tandem addition/cyclization of nitriles and arylboronic acids

An efficient construction of oxazoline-containing polycyclic scaffolds through a Pd-catalyzed addition/cyclization of (hetero)arene tethered O-acyl cyanohydrin units and arylboronic acids is described.

Substituted 9-Diethylaminobenzo[a]phenoxazin-5-ones (Nile Red Analogues): Synthesis and Photophysical Properties

Nile Red is a benzo[a]phenoxazone dye containing a diethylamino substituent at the 9-position. In recent years, it has become a popular histological stain for cellular membranes and lipid droplets due to its unrivaled fluorescent properties in lipophilic environments. This makes it an attractive lead for chemical decoration to tweak its attributes and optimize it for more specialized microscopy techniques, e.g., fluorescence lifetime imaging or two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy, to which Nile Red has never been optimized. Herein, we present synthesis approaches to a series of monosubstituted Nile Red derivatives (9-diethylbenzo[a]phenoxazin-5-ones) starting from 1-naphthols or 1,3-naphthalenediols. The solvatochromic responsiveness of these fluorophores is reported with focus on how the substituents affect the absorption and emission spectra, luminosity, fluorescence lifetimes, and two-photon absorptivity. Several of the analogues emerge as strong candidates for reporting the polarity of their local environment. Specifically, the one- and two-photon excited fluorescence of Nile Red turns out to be very responsive to substitution, and the spectroscopic features can be finely tuned by judiciously introducing substituents of distinct electronic character at specific positions. This new toolkit of 9-diethylbenzo[a]phenoxazine-5-ones constitutes a step toward the next generation of optical molecular probes for advancing the understanding of lipid structures and cellular processes.

Synthesis of the Ring C Pyrrole of Native Chlorophylls and Bacteriochlorophylls

As part of a program to develop practical syntheses of members of the family of (bacterio)chlorophylls, two routes to 2-iodo-3-methyl-4-(3-methoxy-1,3-dioxopropyl)pyrrole, a precursor of the universal ring C, have been developed. The β-ketoester of ring C is expected to give rise to ring E upon Knoevenagel condensation and Nazarov cyclization with a ring D constituent as demonstrated in an analogue synthesis. Two viable routes were developed beginning with N-TIPS-pyrrole or with 4-oxo-2-pentene and TosMIC, affording multi-gram-quantities of this ostensibly simple pyrrole.

Synthesis of the Sex Pheromone of the Oleander Scale ( Aspidiotus nerii)

A total synthesis of the oleander scale [ Aspidiotus nerii (Bouche)] sex pheromone, the unique sesquiterpenoid containing a cyclobutane moiety of this class of compounds, has been developed. In order to implement this sex pheromone as a new environmentally friendly tool to manage this pest, a more cost-effective, multigram synthesis was required. This new synthetic route, having a Blaise reaction, iron-catalyzed carbon-carbon coupling, and [2 + 2] photocycloaddition reactions as key steps, provides a general access to 4-alkyl lactones as well as a robust access to the target sex pheromone. Starting from readily available compounds as 3-hydroxypropanenitrile, ethyl bromoacetate, and 2-acetyl butyrolactone, the synthetic sequence afforded the A. nerii sex pheromone with minimum intermediate purification and good overall yield in nine linear steps.

Minor enantiomer recycling – a strategy to improve enantioselectivity

In enantioselective reactions, the major, desired enantiomer is commonly obtained along with the minor, undesired enantiomer. By continuous recycling of this undesired enantiomer back to starting material, products with improved enantiomeric purity can be obtained. Such in situ minor enantiomer recycling can be accomplished by coupling the catalytic reaction to an exergonic transformation of a sacrificial reagent. The method has been applied to the synthesis of O-acylated cyanohydrins, which serve as starting materials for a variety of biologically active compounds.

One-step preparation of O-(α-bromoacyl) cyanohydrins by minor enantiomer recycling: synthesis of 4-amino-2(5H)-furanones

O-(α-Bromoacyl) cyanohydrins were prepared in a single step from a range of different aldehydes in combination with α-bromoacyl cyanides. By the use of a cyclic procedure where the two minor diastereoisomers from a chiral Lewis acid-catalyzed reaction undergo Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB)-catalyzed hydrolysis followed by dehydrocyanation to regenerate the starting material, the products were obtained in good to high yields and in most cases with excellent diastereoselectivites. The synthetic importance of these compounds was demonstrated by the synthesis of 4-amino-2(5H)-furanones, a class of compounds that have shown both biological activity and utility as synthetic intermediates. This transformation was achieved by an intramolecular Blaise reaction, which gave the products in high to excellent yields and enantiomeric ratios.

Chemoselective intramolecular alkylation of the Blaise reaction intermediates: tandem one-pot synthesis of exo-cyclic enaminoesters and their applications toward the synthesis of N-heterocyclic compounds

The intramolecular alkylative reactivity and N/C selectivity of the various Blaise reaction intermediates, which are formed from the reaction of the Reformatsky reagents with ω-chloroalkyl nitriles, did not reach the synthetic potential as an entry to exo-cyclic enaminoesters. To circumvent this issue, various additives were investigated, among which the addition of NaHMDS dramatically enhanced the reactivity and N/C selectivity. This modification provided a highly efficient route for the synthesis of various N-fused heterocyclic compounds, as it requires only two steps from nitriles.

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular trapping of the Blaise reaction intermediate for tandem one-pot synthesis of indole derivatives

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular N-arylative and N-alkylative/N-arylative trappings of the Blaise reaction intermediates could be a new route to construct the indole moiety in a tandem one-pot manner from nitriles.