Acid-catalyzed convenient transformation of 1-aryl-2-pentene-1,4-diones into polyfunctionalized furans

Diastereodivergent and Regioselective Synthesis of Tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b]furans with Four Consecutive Stereocenters

Base-catalyzed diastereodivergent and regioselective domino processes of triketone enones with arylacetaldehydes for the synthesis of tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b]furans with four consecutive stereocenters are reported. Good yields and diastereoselectivities are obtained when DBU is employed as a catalyst; in contrast, Et3N delivers a different diastereomer in excellent diastereoselectivity. This work offers many advantages, including switchable diastereoselectivity, cheap base catalysts, and a simple operation.

The cooperative effect of Lewis pairs in the Friedel–Crafts hydroxyalkylation reaction: a simple and effective route for the synthesis of (±)-carbinoxamine

Lewis acid (with or without a Lewis base) enhances the electrophilicity of aldehydes to react with aromatic π-nucleophiles and generate carbinols.

Gold(I)-catalyzed diastereoselective hydroacylation of terminal alkynes with glyoxals

The reaction of an α-ketoaldehyde and a terminal alkyne in the presence of piperidine and a catalytic amount of AuCl delivers 1,2-dicarbonyl-3-enes, products of the formal hydroacylation of the triple bond. The scope of the method is broad; different aryl substituents on the dicarbonyl unit and on the alkyne are well tolerated. The products can be transformed selectively into vinylquinoxalines. Mechanistic studies, including isotope-labeling experiments, indicate that after an initial A(3) -type conversion to propargylic amines, a subsequent base-mediated alkyne-to-allene isomerization and a hydrolysis of the enamine substructure during the workup deliver the formal hydroacylation products.

Gold-catalyzed synthesis of glyoxals by oxidation of terminal alkynes: one-pot synthesis of quinoxalines

From terminal alkynes to glyoxals: Terminal alkynes can be oxidized under mild conditions by the use of an N-oxide in the presence of a gold catalyst. The intermediate glyoxal derivatives can be transferred in a one-pot procedure to substituted quinoxalines (see scheme).