Rhodium-Catalyzed Oxidative Synthesis of Quinoline-Fused Sydnones via 2-fold C–H Bond Activation

Rh(III)-Catalyzed Synthesis of Indazolo[2,3-a]quinolines: Vinylene Carbonate as C1 and C2 Building Blocks

A rhodium-catalyzed cyclization of azobenzenes and vinylene carbonate via C-H bond activation to construct indazolo[2,3-a]quinolines has been developed. This protocol offers an efficient method for synthesis of the titled products in good yields with broad functional group tolerance. In this reaction, three C-C bonds and C-N bond are formed in one pot, and vinylene carbonate (VC) acts as C1 and C2 synthons as well as "vinylene transfer" agent and acylation reagent in the construction of target-fused heterocycles. Moreover, the products exhibit favorable fluorescence properties, which indicate their potential application as fluorescent materials and biosensors.

Rediscovering Bacon's hydrazine/phenylhydrazine mediated cyclization of 2,2'-dicarbonylbi(hetero)aryls: construction of (5-azo)-/indazolo[2,3-a]quinolines

Hydrazine/phenylhydrazine-mediated reductive dicarbonyl coupling reactions have been carried out under mild conditions to provide polycyclic aromatic compounds and azo-substituted polyaromatic compounds. This method has a broad substrate scope with good functional group compatibility.

Cationic π-extended heteroaromatics via a catalytic C-H activation annulative alkyne-insertion sequence

Cationic π-conjugated organic molecules have broad applications in materials science as next-generation organic materials. The annulative alkyne-insertion π-extension (AAIPEX) strategy has emerged as a promising synthetic approach for the rapid synthesis of cationic polycyclic heteroaromatic compounds (cPHACs) in a single step. The AAIPEX reaction provides a synthetic shortcut to achieve complex organic molecules from simple (hetero)arene templates and alkynes as π-extending partners, which would otherwise be difficult to achieve using traditional methods. In general, a step-economic AAIPEX protocol proceeds via C-H activation of unfunctionalized heteroarene templates, followed by alkyne insertion-annulation to furnish cPHACs. In this Feature Article, recent progress in the AAIPEX strategy to construct cPHACs is described along with brief illustrations of the resulting cPHACs in luminescence-related applications.

Recent advances in Cu-catalyzed transformations of internal alkynes to alkenes and heterocycles

Numerous metal-catalyzed reactions involving internal alkynes and aimed towards synthetically and pharmacologically important alkenes and heterocycles have appeared in the literature. Among these, Cu-catalyzed reactions have a special place, which has prompted the investigation and development of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions. These reactions possess wide scope, and during the paths of these reactions, either stable or in situ intermediates are formed via the addition of Cu as a core catalyst or synergistic catalyst. In this review, we aim to report different contributions relating to Cu-catalyzed reactions of internal alkynes for the synthesis of different valuable alkenes and heterocycles which have appeared in the literature in the last decade. We anticipate that this appraisal will deliver basic insights for the further advancement of Cu-catalyzed reactions in organic chemistry.

Heterohelicenes through 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Sydnones with Arynes: Synthesis, Origins of Selectivity, and Application to pH-Triggered Chiroptical Switch with CPL Sign Reversal

Regioselective access to heterohelicenes through the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of sydnones with arynes is described. Novel access to sydnones and poly(hetero)aromatic aryne precursors allowed the introduction of chemical diversity over multiple positions of the helical scaffolds. The origins of the unconventional regioselectivity during the cycloaddition steps was systematically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, unveiling the key features that control this reactivity, namely, face-to-face (π···π) or edge-to-face (C-H···π) interactions, primary orbital interactions and distortion from coplanarity in the transition structures (TSs) of the transformation. From the library of 24 derivatives synthesized, a pyridyl containing derivative displayed reversible, red-shifted, pH-triggered chiroptical switching properties, with CPL-sign reversal. It is found that protonation of the helicene causes a change of the angle between the electric and magnetic dipole moments related to the S₁ → S₀ transition, resulting in this rare case of reversible CPL sign inversion upon application of an external stimulus.

Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Directing Group Assisted (Hetero)aryl C-H Functionalization: Construction of C-C/C-Heteroatom Bonds

Transition-metal-catalyzed C-H functionalization is one of the fascinating scientific fronts in organic synthesis for the formation of conjugated arenes and has emerged as a benchmark to revolutionize the synthetic enterprise since past decades. In this realm, chelation-guided functionalization of C-H bonds using an exogenous directing group has received considerable attention recently for the expedient regioselective construction of C-C and C-heteroatom bonds as an efficient and sustainable alternative. This article outlines our contribution towards a wide variety of transformations that have been achieved by the directed C-H functionalization through the fine tuning of catalytic systems.

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed C-H Bond Functionalization of 2-Pyridones with Alkynes: Switchable Alkenylation, Alkenylation/Directing Group Migration and Rollover Annulation

Cp*Rh(III)-catalyzed chelation-assisted direct C-H bond functionalization of 1-(2-pyridyl)-2-pyridones with internal alkynes that can be controlled to give three different products in good yields has been realized. Depending on the reaction conditions, solvents and additives, the reaction pathway can be switched between alkenylation, alkenylation/directing group migration and rollover annulation. These reaction manifolds allow divergent access to a variety of valuable C6-alkenylated 1-(2-pyridyl)-2-pyridones, (Z)-6-(1,2-diaryl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)vinyl)pyridin-2(1H)-ones and 10H-pyrido[1,2-a][1,8]naphthyridin-10-ones from the same starting materials. These protocols exhibit excellent regio- and stereoselectivity, broad substrate scope, and good tolerance of functional groups. A combination of experimental and computational approaches have been employed to uncover the key mechanistic features of these reactions.

Rhodium(iii)-catalyzed annulation of 3-arylquinazolinones with alkynes via double C–H activation: an efficient route for quinolino[2,1-b]quinazolinones

An effective method for the synthesis of quinolino[2,1-b]quinazolinones has been described.

Enantioselective Twofold C-H Annulation of Formamides and Alkynes without Built-in Chelating Groups

Twofold C-H annulation of readily available formamides and alkynes without built-in chelating groups was achieved. Ni-Al bimetallic catalysis enabled by a bulky BINOL-derived chiral secondary phosphine oxide (SPO) ligand proved to be critical for high reactivity and high selectivity. This reaction uses readily available formamides as starting materials and provides a concise synthetic pathway to a broad range of chiral ferrocenes in 40-98 % yield and 93-99 % ee.

[3 + 2]-Cycloaddition reaction of sydnones with alkynes

This review covers all known examples of [3 + 2]-cycloaddition between sydnones and both terminal as well as internal alkynes/cycloalkynes taken from literature since its discovery by Huisgen in 1962 up to the current date. Except enumeration of synthetic applications it also covers mechanistic studies, catalysis, effects of substituents and reaction conditions influencing reaction rate and regioselectivity.

Rh-Catalyzed regioselective C–H activation and C–C bond formation: synthesis and photophysical studies of indazolo[2,3-a]quinolines

Rh(iii)-Catalyzed oxidative annulation of 2-aryl-2H-indazoles with alkynes and their photophysical studies are reported with high quantum yields.

C–H activation-annulation on the N-heterocyclic carbene platform

This review highlights the initial development of a new C–H activation–annulation chemistry accessible on the metal–N-heterocyclic carbene platform.

Transition metal-free controlled synthesis of bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]ethyl-decorated heterocycles

The metal- and irradiation-free C–H bis(triflyl)ethylation reactions of a variety of heterocycles including marketed drugs have been accomplished.

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Annulation of Pyridinones with Alkynes via Double C-H Activation: A Route to Functionalized Quinolizinones

A Rh(III)-catalyzed oxidative annulation of pyridin-2(1H)-ones with alkynes via double C-H activation to produce highly functionalized 4H-quinolizin-4-ones is disclosed. This reaction features easily available starting materials, simple manipulation, a relatively wide substrate scope, and good functional group tolerance. The application of this protocol is demonstrated by the synthesis of a known fluorescent quinolizino[3,4,5,6-ija]quinolinium salt.