Co2(CO)8-mediated cycloisomerization of arylene 1,7-enynes

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (-)-Spirochensilide A, Part 1: Diastereoselective Synthesis of the ABCD Ring and Stereoselective Total Synthesis of 13(R)-Demethyl Spirochensilide A

A concise and diastereoselective construction of the ABCD ring system of spirochensilide A is described. The key steps of this synthesis are a semipinacol rearrangement reaction to stereoselectively construct the AB ring system bearing two vicinal quaternary chiral centers and a Co-mediated Pauson-Khand reaction to form the spiro-based bicyclic CD ring system. This chemistry leads to the stereoselective synthesis of 13(R)-demethyl spirochensilide A, paving the way for the first asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-spirochensilide A.

Rhodium-catalysed arylative annulation of 1,4-enynes with arylboronic acids

Rhodium(i)-catalysed arylative annulation of 1,4-enynes with arylboronic acids affords 1,1-disubstituted 3-(arylmethylene)indanes via an addition–1,4-rhodium migration–addition sequence.

Cobalt mediated C–H bond functionalization: emerging tools for organic synthesis

This review provides a perspective on C–H bond functionalization mediated by cobalt complexes used in either stoichiometric or catalytic amounts, without the contribution of any other transition metal, for organic synthesis applications.