Mechanism and Origin of the Unexpected Chemoselectivity in Fluorocyclization of o-Styryl Benzamides with a Hypervalent Fluoroiodane Reagent

Diastereodivergent nucleophile-nucleophile alkene chlorofluorination

The selective hetero-dihalogenation of alkenes provides useful building blocks for a broad range of chemical applications. Unlike homo-dihalogenation, selective hetero-dihalogenation reactions, especially fluorohalogenation, are underdeveloped. Current approaches combine an electrophilic halogen source with a nucleophilic halogen source, which necessarily leads to anti-addition, and regioselectivity has only been achieved using highly activated alkenes. Here we describe an alternative, nucleophile-nucleophile approach that adds chloride and fluoride ions over unactivated alkenes in a highly regio-, chemo- and diastereoselective manner. A curious switch in the reaction mechanism was discovered, which triggers a complete reversal of the diastereoselectivity to promote either anti- or syn-addition. The conditions are demonstrated on an array of pharmaceutically relevant compounds, and detailed mechanistic studies reveal the selectivity and the switch between the syn- and anti-diastereomers are based on different active iodanes and which of the two halides adds first.

Predicting bond dissociation energies of cyclic hypervalent halogen reagents using DFT calculations and graph attention network model

Although hypervalent iodine(III) reagents have become staples in organic chemistry, the exploration of their isoelectronic counterparts, namely hypervalent bromine(III) and chlorine(III) reagents, has been relatively limited, partly due to challenges in synthesizing and stabilizing these compounds. In this study, we conduct a thorough examination of both homolytic and heterolytic bond dissociation energies (BDEs) critical for assessing the chemical stability and functional group transfer capability of cyclic hypervalent halogen compounds using density functional theory (DFT) analysis. A moderate linear correlation was observed between the homolytic BDEs across different halogen centers, while a strong linear correlation was noted among the heterolytic BDEs across these centers. Furthermore, we developed a predictive model for both homolytic and heterolytic BDEs of cyclic hypervalent halogen compounds using machine learning algorithms. The results of this study could aid in estimating the chemical stability and functional group transfer capabilities of hypervalent bromine(III) and chlorine(III) reagents, thereby facilitating their development.

Theoretical Study on the Origin of Abnormal Regioselectivity in Ring-Opening Reaction of Hexafluoropropylene Oxide

That nucleophiles preferentially attack at the less sterically hindered carbon of epoxides under neutral and basic conditions has been generally accepted as a fundamental rule for predicting the regioselectivity of this type of reaction. However, this rule does not hold for perfluorinated epoxides, such as hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO), in which nucleophiles were found to attack at the more hindered CF₃ substituted β-C rather than the fluorine substituted α-C. In this contribution, we aim to shed light on the nature of this intriguing regioselectivity by density functional theory methods. Our calculations well reproduced the observed abnormal regioselectivities and revealed that the unusual regiochemical preference for the sterically hindered β-C of HFPO mainly arises from the lower destabilizing distortion energy needed to reach the corresponding ring-opening transition state. The higher distortion energy required for the attack of the less sterically hindered α-C results from a significant strengthening of the C(α)-O bond by the negative hyperconjugation between the lone pair of epoxide O atom and the antibonding C-F orbital.

BF3·OEt2-mediated nucleophilic fluorocyclization of sulfonyl 3-methylene-oxabenzocyclooctan-6-ones. Diastereocontrolled synthesis of benzofused fluorooxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonanes

We describe a facile-operational, high-yield method for the diastereocontrolled preparation of novel sulfonyl benzofused fluorooxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonanes by a straightforward synthetic route, including (i) NaBH₄-mediated reduction of sulfonyl 3-methylene-oxabenzocyclooctan-6-ones and (ii) BF₃·OEt₂-mediated intramolecular nucleophilic fluorocyclization. The plausible mechanism for the preparation is proposed and discussed. This protocol can easily install a fluoro-atom on the bridged head position in a short time and under mild conditions, resulting in one carbon-carbon and one carbon-fluorine bond formation.

Fluorinations of unsymmetrical diaryliodonium salts containing ortho-sidearms; influence of sidearm on selectivity

Activated aromatics were reacted with two different fluoroidoane reagents 1 and 2 in the presence of triflic acid to prepare only the para-substituted diaryliodonium salts. With fluoroiodane 1 the unsymmetrical diaryliodonium salts contained an ortho-propan-2-ol sidearm, whereas the alcohol sidearm was eliminated to form an ortho-styrene sidearm in the reaction with fluoroiodane 2. Only the diaryliodonium salts containing a styrene sidearm were fluorinated successfully to deliver para-fluorinated aromatics in good yields.

Aerobic removal of iodinated contrast medium by nano-sized zero-valent iron: A combination of oxidation and reduction

The removal performance and mechanisms of diatrizoate (DTA), a typical iodinated contrast medium, from water by nano-sized zero-valent iron (nZVI) under aerobic conditions were investigated in this study. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and transformation products were detected with electron spin resonance and liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. Furthermore, the effects of several operational parameters on DTA removal were illustrated. The results showed that nZVI had a much higher DTA removal ability compared to microscale zero-valent iron (mZVI) in the presence of oxygen. Moreover, the detection of ROS and I^- as well as the analysis of intermediate products suggested a combination of oxidation and reduction pathways for DTA removal by nZVI under aerobic conditions. Additionally, a high dosage of nZVI and acidic conditions led to the enhancement of DTA removal, while nZVI aging, as well as chloride and nitrate ions in the solution, had negative effects on the degradation of DTA by nZVI in the presence of oxygen.

Catalytic, Enantioselective 1,2-Difluorination of Cinnamamides

The enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of 1,2-difluorides via chiral aryl iodide-catalyzed difluorination of cinnamamides is reported. The method uses HF-pyridine as a fluoride source and mCPBA as a stoichiometric oxidant to turn over catalyst, and affords compounds containing vicinal, fluoride-bearing stereocenters. Selectivity for 1,2-difluorination versus a rearrangement pathway resulting in 1,1-difluorination is enforced through anchimeric assistance from a N- tert-butyl amide substituent.

On the activation of hypercoordinate iodine(iii) compounds for reactions of current interest

Central to the reactivity of hypercoordinate iodine as a continually emerging compound for organic transformation is its activation by various additives. We wish to present the current understanding on bonding and activation modes under different reaction conditions involving hypercoordinate iodine(iii) compounds.

Silver or cerium-promoted free radical cascade difunctionalization of o-vinylanilides with sodium aryl- or alkylsulfinates

An efficient cascade oxysulfonylation of o-vinylanilides with sodium aryl- or alkylsulfinates was developed for the synthesis of sulfonated benzoxazines.

Difluorinative ring expansions of benzo-fused carbocycles and heterocycles are achieved withp-(difluoroiodo)toluene

Fluorination of exocyclic alkenes and allenes withp-TolIF₂gives ring-expanded β,β-difluoridesviaa 1,2-phenyl shift.

[18F]fluoro-benziodoxole: a no-carrier-added electrophilic fluorinating reagent. Rapid, simple radiosynthesis, purification and application for fluorine-18 labelling

An electrophilic ¹⁸F transfer reagent was synthetized by rapid, operationally simple ligand exchange from a hypervalent iodine and [¹⁸F]TBAF.

Selectivity-switchable construction of benzo-fused polycyclic compounds through a gold-catalyzed reaction of enyne-lactone

A gold-catalyzed selectivity-switchable reaction of enyne-lactone is reported. The choice of the gold complex is the key for the chemoselectivity.

Activation of the hypervalent fluoroiodane reagent by hydrogen bonding to hexafluoroisopropanol

Hexafluoroisopropan-2-ol is an excellent solvent for promoting fluorinations with the stable hypervalent fluoroiodane reagent without any transition metals or TREAT-HF activators.

Copper-catalyzed radical cascade oxyalkylation of olefinic amides with simple alkanes: highly efficient access to benzoxazines

A copper-catalyzed C(sp³)-H bond functionalization of simple alkanes with olefinic amides was developed for the efficient synthesis of important benzoxazine derivatives. It involves new C-C and C-O bond formation in one step via a radical cascade process.

Dehalogenation of diatrizoate using nanoscale zero-valent iron: impacts of various parameters and assessment of aerobic biological post-treatment

The potential of nanoscale zero-valent iron for dehalogenation of iodinated contrast media was demonstrated.

Mechanism of Silver-Mediated Geminal Difluorination of Styrenes with a Fluoroiodane Reagent: Insights into Lewis-Acid-Activation Model

Fluorination mediated by the cyclic hypervalent fluoroiodane reagent (1) often requires an exogenous Lewis acid. The widely accepted Lewis-acid-activation model is that a given Lewis acid binds to the oxygen atom of 1 (O-coordination) to polarize the I-O bond. Computational studies of silver-mediated geminal difluorination of styrenes with 1 reveal a new "F-coordination" model that is energetically much preferred over the commonly accepted "O-coordination" model. The calculations rationalize the regioselective formation of the geminal difluorination product.