Electrophilic cyclization of unsaturated amides

Oxidative Spirocyclization of β-Furyl Amides for the Assembly of Spiro-γ-butenolide-γ-butyrolactones

The synthesis of heretofore unknown γ-spirobutenolides has been achieved via an m-CPBA-mediated oxidation of β-furyl amides. The reaction employs a tethered amide, ostensibly a poorly reactive carbonyl, as a nontraditional nucleophile resulting in spirolactone formation and concurrent amide cleavage. The transformation exhibits functional group tolerance and compatibility with complex compounds. In situ 1H NMR spectroscopic studies reveal the identities of key intermediates in the oxidation-spirolactonization-oxidation cascade, suggesting a plausible mechanistic pathway. The distinct diastereofaces of the electrophilic butenolide product may be used for diastereoselective cycloaddition and conjugate addition reactions.

The applications of catalytic asymmetric halocyclization in natural product synthesis

Catalytic asymmetric halocyclization of olefinic substrate has evolved rapidly and been well utilized as a practical strategy for constructing enantioenriched cyclic skeletons in natural product synthesis.

Halogen-Induced Controllable Cyclizations as Diverse Heterocycle Synthetic Strategy

In organic synthesis, due to their high electrophilicity and leaving group properties, halogens play pivotal roles in the activation and structural derivations of organic compounds. Recently, cyclizations induced by halogen groups that allow the production of diverse targets and the structural reorganization of organic molecules have attracted significant attention from synthetic chemists. Electrophilic halogen atoms activate unsaturated and saturated hydrocarbon moieties by generating halonium intermediates, followed by the attack of carbon-containing, nitrogen-containing, oxygen-containing, and sulfur-containing nucleophiles to give highly functionalized carbocycles and heterocycles. New transformations of halogenated organic molecules that can control the formation and stereoselectivity of the products, according to the difference in the size and number of halogen atoms, have recently been discovered. These unique cyclizations may possibly be used as efficient synthetic strategies with future advances. In this review, innovative reactions controlled by halogen groups are discussed as a new concept in the field of organic synthesis.

Stereoselective three-component cascade synthesis of α-substituted 2,4-dienamides from gem-difluorochloro ethanes

Herein, we describe a new transition metal-free Claisen rearrangement for the synthesis of α-substituted 2,4-dienamides. The one-pot, stereoselective three-component cascade reaction between a series of propargyl alcohols, amines, and gem-difluorochloro ethane derivatives afforded various polysubstituted 2,4-dienamides in good yields. This synthetic method for 1,1-captodative dienes, α-substituted 2,4-dienamides, can be utilized for preparing pharmaceutical analogues containing an indolin-2-one or lactone moiety.

Formal Synthesis of ent-Cephalotaxine Using a One-Pot Parham-Aldol Sequence

A short formal synthesis of ent-Cephalotaxine is achieved. The approach features a new Lewis acid-mediated [2,3]-Stevens rearrangement of N-allylated prolineamide to generate a key quaternary stereogenic center. Additionally, a one-pot Parham-aldol sequence was developed to rapidly assemble two of the four rings in the cephalotaxine core.

Cascade Oxidation/Halogenoaminocyclization Reaction of Trifluoromethylated Homoallylic N-Acylhydrazines: Metal-free Synthesis of CF3-Substituted Pyrazolines

An efficient and practical cascade oxidation/halogenoaminocyclization of trifluoromethylated homoallylic N-acylhydrazines is developed. The protocol enables an efficient access to various biologically interesting CF₃-containing pyrazoline compounds from readily accessible trifluoromethylated homoallylic N-acylhydrazines in good to excellent yields under mild conditions without any other additives or catalysts. The produced pyrazoline compounds can be further manipulated to other more complicated derivatives through transformation of residual halogen atom.

An unexpected Bromolactamization of Olefinic Amides Using a Three-Component Co-catalyst System

Reaction between (N,N-dimethylamino)pyridine and isocyanate unexpectedly produced a three-component mixture. By using this mixture as an unprecedented three-component catalyst system, a facile and selective bromolactamization of olefinic amides has been developed. The protocol confers enhanced selectivity of N- over O-cyclization, leading to the formation of a structurally diverse range of lactams including both small and medium ring sizes.

Visible-light-induced photocatalytic oxytrifluoromethylation of N-allylamides for the synthesis of CF3-containing oxazolines and benzoxazines

A visible-light-induced photocatalytic oxytrifluoromethylation reaction of N-allylamides has been developed for the efficient synthesis of CF3-containing oxazolines and benzoxazines under mild reaction conditions.

Mechanism, kinetics and selectivity of selenocyclization of 5-alkenylhydantoins: an experimental and computational study

The mechanism and selectivity of a bicyclic hydantoin formation by selenium-induced cyclization are investigated. The proposed mechanism involves the intermediates formed by an electrophilic addition of the selenium reagent on a double bond of the starting 5-alkenylhydantoin prior the cyclization. These intermediates are readily converted into the more stable cyclic seleniranium cations. A key step of the mechanism is an intramolecular cyclization which is realized through an anti-attack of the internal nucleophile, the amidic nitrogen, to the seleniranium cation yielding the intermediate imidazolinium cations. Their deprotonation is followed by the formation of the fused bicyclic reaction products. Important intermediates and key transition states are studied by using density functional theory (DFT) methods. The pathways of the reaction are investigated in detail. There are two regioselective pathways related to 5-exo and 6-endo products. Theoretical calculations and the monitoring of the cyclization reaction using (1)H NMR spectroscopy are in a good agreement with the proposed mechanism and are consistent with our experimental results. The preferred pathway for formation of 5-exo products is confirmed.

7-endo selenocyclization reactions on chiral 3-prenyl and 3-cinnamyl-2-hydroxymethylperhydro-1,3-benzoxazine derivatives. A way to enantiopure 1,4-oxazepanes

Enantiopure 1,4-oxazepane derivatives have been prepared by selenocyclofunctionalization of chiral 3-prenyl- and 3-cinnamyl-2-hydroxymethyl-substituted perhydro-1,3-benzoxazine derivatives. The 7-endo-cyclization occurs in high yields and diastereoselection. The regio- and stereochemistry of the cyclization products was dependent on the substitution pattern of the double bond, the nature of the hydroxyl group and the experimental conditions.

Anti-Diastereoselective Synthesis of CF3-Containing Spirooxazolines and Spirooxazines via Regiospecific Trifluoromethylative Spirocyclization by Photoredox Catalysis

A novel synthesis of CF3-containing spirooxazolines and spirooxazines has been developed. Regiospecific trifluoromethylative spirocyclization (CF3-spirocyclization) of cyclic alkenes bearing an amide pendant mediated by photoredox catalysis is a useful strategy for construction of a C(sp(3))-CF3 bond and an spirooxazoline or spirooxazine ring onto C═C bonds via a single step. The key intermediate is α-CF3-substituted carbocationic species smoothly generated from single-electron-transfer (SET) photoredox processes, which results in diastereoselective spirocyclization. This is the first example of synthesis of CF3-containing spirooxazolines and spirooxazines in anti-fashion with respect to the CF3 group and the oxygen atom of the spirocycles.

Cu-catalyzed intramolecular aryl-etherification reactions of alkoxyl alkynes with diaryliodonium salts via cleavage of a stable C–O bond

Cu-catalyzed aryl-etherification reactions of alkoxyl alkynes with diaryliodonium salts are realized to produce oxo-heterocyclesviacleavage of a stable C–O bond.

CuX2-mediated oxybromination/aminochlorination of unsaturated amides: synthesis of iminolactones and lactams

A CuX₂-mediated halocyclization of γ,δ-unsaturated amides for the synthesis of functionalized iminolactones and lactams respectively is described.

Stereoselective bromocyclization of allylated aldoxime ethers

The intramolecular bromoamination of allylated aldoxime ethers leads first to isoxazolidinium salts which then undergo a skeletal rearrangement to form bromo-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-oxazines. Aliphatic aldoxime ethers with α-protons undergo multiple brominations before rearrangement.

Study on the total synthesis of velbanamine: Chemoselective dioxygenation of alkenes with PIFA via a stop-and-flow strategy

A "stop-and-flow" strategy was developed for the chemoselective dioxygenation of alkenes with a PIFA-initiated cyclization. This method is conceived for the desymmetrization of seco-diene, and a series of substituted 5-hydroxymethyl-γ-lactones were constructed after hydrolysis. This strategy also differentiates terminally substituted alkenes and constitutes a potentially novel synthetic approach for the efficient synthesis toward velbanamine.

Silver-catalyzed radical aminofluorination of unactivated alkenes in aqueous media

We report herein a mild and catalytic intramolecular aminofluorination of unactivated alkenes. Thus, with the catalysis of AgNO3, the reactions of various N-arylpent-4-enamides with Selectfluor reagent in CH2Cl2/H2O led to the efficient synthesis of 5-fluoromethyl-substituted γ-lactams. A mechanism involving silver-catalyzed oxidative generation of amidyl radicals and silver-assisted fluorine atom transfer was proposed.

Catalytic desymmetrization of cyclohexadienes by asymmetric bromolactonization

Asymmetric bromolactonization of prochiral cyclohexadiene derivatives with N-bromosuccimide proceeded in the presence of (DHQD)(2)PHAL as a chiral catalyst to afford the corresponding bromolactones with up to 93% ee. This reaction was also applicable to the kinetic resolution of a racemic cyclic ene-carboxylic acid, where the starting material was recovered with high enantioselectivity.

Methods for direct alkene diamination, new & old

The 1,2-diamine moiety is a ubiquitous structural motif present in a wealth of natural products, including non-proteinogenic amino acids and numerous alkaloids, as well as in pharmaceutical agents, chiral ligands and organic reagents. The biological activity associated with many of these systems and their chemical utility in general has ensured that the development of methods for their preparation is of critical importance. While a wide range of strategies for the preparation of 1,2-diamines have been established, the diamination of alkenes offers a particularly direct and efficient means of accessing these systems. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of all methods of direct alkene diamination, metal-mediated or otherwise.

Copper-catalyzed iminoiodane-mediated aminolactonization of olefins: application to the synthesis of 5,5-disubstituted butyrolactones

A copper(I)-catalyzed reaction of a variety of 4-aryl-pent-4-enoates with nosyliminoiodane generated in situ provides the corresponding 5-aryl-5-nosylamidomethylbutyrolactones. The reaction presumably proceeds via an aziridine intermediate, which could be isolated in one case.