Synthesis of functionalized siloles from Si-tethered diynes

Aromatic Metamorphosis of Thiophenes by Means of Desulfurative Dilithiation

A new mode of aromatic metamorphosis has been developed, which allows thiophenes and their benzo-fused derivatives to be converted to a variety of exotic heteroles. This transformation involves 1) the efficient generation of key 1,4-dianions by means of desulfurative dilithiation with lithium powder and 2) the subsequent trapping of the dianions with heteroatom electrophiles in a one-pot manner. Via the desulfurative dilithiation, the sulfur atoms of thiophenes are replaced also with a carbon-carbon double bond or a 1,2-phenylene for the construction of benzene rings.

Efficient one-pot synthesis of N-containing heterocycles by multicomponent coupling of silicon-tethered diynes, nitriles, and isocyanides through intramolecular cyclization of iminoacyl-Zr intermediates

An efficient multicomponent synthesis of 5-azaindoles and dihydropyrrolo[3,2-c]azepines was achieved by zirconocene-mediated coupling of silicon-tethered diynes, nitriles, and isocyanides. The synthesis, structures, and intramolecular cyclization of mono- and bis(iminoacyl)--Zr intermediates were investigated to elucidate the reaction process. Upon hydrolysis, the isolated mono(iminoacyl)--Zr intermediates underwent intramolecular cyclization to afford tetrasubstituted 5-azaindoles, whereas intramolecular cyclization of bis(iminoacyl)--Zr intermediates led to the formation of dihydropyrrolo[3,2-c]azepines. The structure of a bis(iminoacyl)--Zr intermediate, formed through insertion of two molecules of CyNC into the Zr--C bond, and structures of two dihydropyrrolo[3,2-c]azepines were characterized by single-crystal X-ray structural analysis.

1,4-Dilithio-1,3-dienes: reaction and synthetic applications

The development of organometallic reagents remains one of the most important frontiers in synthetic chemistry. Commonly used organometallic reagents (such as RLi and RMgBr) are typically monometallic compounds, although they aggregate in many cases. When two carbon-metal bonds are in the same molecule in close proximity, however, these two carbon-metal moieties may exhibit novel reactivity. In this Account, we outline our work on new reactions and synthetic applications of the organo-dilithio reagents 1,4-dilithio-1,3-butadienes. The 1,4-dilithio-1,3-butadienes can be accessed readily in high efficiency with a wide variety of substitution patterns on the butadienyl skeleton. The configuration has been predicted and demonstrated to favor a double dilithium bridging structure in both solution and solid states. The two Li atoms are bridged by a butadiene moiety and are in close proximity. By taking advantage of this unique configuration, we have developed useful and interesting synthetic methodologies. Three types of reactions of 1,4-dilithio-1,3-butadienes, termed dilithio reagents here, have been developed and are discussed. An intramolecular reaction is introduced in the first section. The reaction is a result of the intracooperative effect among the two C-Li moieties, the butadienyl bridge, and the substituents. A useful transformation from silylated 1,4-dilithio-1,3-butadienes to α-lithio siloles is described. Second, we discuss an intermolecular reaction that results from the intercooperative effect of the two C-Li moieties toward substrates. As an example of the formation of functionalized cyclic dianions from the linear dianions of the dilithio reagents and organic substrates, we describe the isolation and structural characterization of a novel type of cyclic dianion; that is, fully substituted oxy-cyclopentadienyl dilithium formed via the reaction of dilithio reagents with CO. We also describe diverse reactions of dilithio reagents with nitriles to form substituted pyridines, tricyclic 1-bipyrrolines, and siloles, demonstrating the remarkable effect of substituents on the butadienyl skeleton. Third, we discuss transmetalation of dilithio reagents to generate other organo-dimetallic compounds. This section focuses on organo-dicopper compounds and their reactivity toward the synthesis of strained ring systems, such as semibullvalenes and twisted four-membered rings, with the metal-mediated C-C bond-forming approach. In addition to these three representative reactions, other useful applications are also briefly introduced. The dimetallic 1,4-dilithio-1,3-butadienes and their transmetalated derivatives provide unique synthetic organometallic reagents that are very different from monometallic reagents, both in terms of reactivity and synthetic application. These organo-dimetallic reagents provide access to interesting and useful compounds that are not available by other means. Moreover, given the possibilities afforded, the study of organo-dimetallic and organo-polymetallic compounds should yield further synthetic applications in the near future.