P(NMe2)3-Mediated Reductive (1 + 4) Annulation Reaction of Isatins with Nitroalkenes: An Access to Spirooxindolyl Isoxazoline N-Oxides and Their Corresponding Isoxazolines

Umpolung Approach to Aldol Products via Isoxazoline N-Oxides as Intermediates

A two-step umpolung approach to the diastereoselective synthesis of aldols was developed, in which a conjugated nitroalkene is used as the synthetic equivalent of the enolonium cation, while a sulfur ylide acts as the equivalent of the α-carbinol anion. The resulting isoxazoline N-oxides undergo catalytic reductive cleavage to aldols under mild conditions at room temperature and under 1 atm hydrogen pressure. The efficiency of the method was demonstrated by the synthesis of a series of polysubstituted β-hydroxyketones that are difficult to synthesize using the classical aldol reaction. The developed approach allows for the regiodivergent assembly of aldols by selecting a nitroalkene isomer with the appropriate position of the C,C double bond.

Efficient Synthesis of Cyanohydrin Esters: P(NMe2)3 Mediated Direct Deoxygenation of Acyl Cyanides with Carboxylic Acids

An efficient synthesis of cyanohydrin esters via a P(NMe2)3 mediated direct deoxygenation process has been exploited, circumventing the release or transformation of the CN─ anion during the reaction. This approach possesses a broad scope and acts as a powerful supplement for the construction of diverse cyanohydrin esters. It offers advantages such as mild conditions, straightforward operations, and excellent scalability, affirming the feasibility and versatility of this approach and highlighting its potential in practical synthesis.

Sequential In Situ-Formed Kukhtin-Ramirez Adduct and P(NMe2)3-Catalyzed O-Phosphination of α-Dicarbonyls with P(O)-H

O-Phosphination of α-dicarbonyls via sequential in situ formation of a Kukhtin-Ramirez adduct and a P(NMe2)3-catalyzed process has been exploited for the synthesis of α-phosphoryloxy carbonyls. A range of P(O)-H derivatives, including diarylphosphine oxides, arylphosphinates, and phosphinates, are competent candidates to be introduced into the α-dicarbonyls in this transformation, and various α-phosphoryloxy carbonyls are obtained. This approach possesses advantages of mild conditions, simple operations, atom economy, high efficiency, and gram-scale synthesis, which make it promising in the synthesis toolbox.

A Formal (4 + 2) Cycloaddition of Phosphorus Ylides: Synthesis of Aromatic and Heteroaromatic 1,2-Diesters and Diones

Heteroarylmethylenephosphorus ylides underwent Michael addition with alkynediones and alkynediesters, followed by intramolecular cyclization and elimination of triphenylphosphine oxide to afford 1,2-diaroylbenzenes and 1,2-alkoxycarbonylcarbo- and heterocycles. The analogous (4 + 2) cycloaddition led to the formation of 2,3-diaroylquinolines.

Cooperative Palladium-Catalyzed and P(NEt2)3-Mediated (4+1) Annulation of Isatins with 2-Hydroxymethylallylcarbonates

P(NR2)3-promoted transformations of isatins with electron-withdrawing alkenes have received consistently attention over the last decades. However, no example involving chemical transformations of nonactivated or weakly activated alkenes is discovered in...

Five-Membered Hetarene N-Oxides: Recent Advances in Synthesis and Reactivity

Five-membered heterocyclic N-oxides attract special attention due to their significant potential applications in medicinal chemistry and advanced materials science. In this regard, novel methods for their synthesis and functionalization are in constant demand. In this short review, recent state-of-the-art achievements in the chemistry of isoxazoline N-oxides, 1,2,3-triazole 1-oxides and 1,2,5-oxadiazole 2-oxides are summarized. The main routes involving transition-metal-catalyzed and metal-free functionalization protocols along with mechanistic considerations are outlined. The transformations of these hetarene N-oxide rings as precursors to other nitrogen heterocyclic systems are also presented.

1 Introduction

2 Isoxazoline N-Oxides

3 1,2,3-Triazole 1-Oxides

4 1,2,5-Oxadiazole 2-Oxides

5 Conclusion

Oxyphosphonium Enolate Equilibria in a (4+1)-Cycloaddition Approach toward Quaternary C3-Spirooxindole Assembly

An efficient and convergent (4+1)-cycloaddition strategy toward the construction of spirooxindole benzofurans that involves the intermediacy of an isatin-derived oxyphosphonium enolate is presented. Mechanistic investigations employing in situ NMR analysis of the reaction mixture revealed a correlation between phosphonium enolate structure and product distribution that was heavily influenced by the solvent and reaction temperature.

Nucleophilic Migratory Cyclopropenation of Activated Alkynes: A Nonmetal Approach to Unbiased Cyclopropenes

An unprecedented reductive [2 + 1] annulation of α-keto esters with alkynones mediated by P(NMe₂)₃ is described. Although this nonmetal cyclopropenation is a nucleophilic process, attributed to the ester migration via a formal [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of Kukhtin-Ramirez adducts and alkynones followed by a fragmentation, cyclopropenes with an unbiased alkene scaffold are formed in good to excellent yields, thus providing a promising complementarity to electrophilic metal-catalyzed cyclopropenation.

PIII-Mediated intramolecular cyclopropanation and metal-free synthesis of cyclopropane-fused heterocycles

The carbene-like reactivity of the Kukhtin–Ramirez adduct enables the first reductive intramolecular cyclopropanation, which provides easy access to highly functionalized cyclopropane-fused heterocycles.

P(NMe2)3 mediated cyclopropanation of α-methylene-β-lactams for rapid syntheses of spirocyclopropyl β-lactams

A P(NMe₂)₃-promoted cyclopropanation of a C3-substituted α-methylene-β-lactam provides a rapid and user-friendly method to obtain pharmaceutically intriguing spirocyclopropyl β-lactams under mild reaction conditions.

Chemoselective P(NMe2)3-Mediated Reductive Epoxidation between Two Different Carbonyl Electrophiles: Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Unsymmetrical Epoxides

Herein, we report a chemoselective P(NMe₂)₃-mediated reductive epoxidation of α-dicarbonyl compounds such as isatins, α-keto esters, and α-diketones with aldehydes and ketones, leading to an efficient synthesis of a wide range of highly functionalized unsymmetrical epoxides in moderate to excellent yields and diastereoselectivities. The Kukhtin-Ramirez adduct, which is exclusively generated in situ from an α-dicarbonyl compound and P(NMe₂)₃, plays a key role in governing the chemoselectivity. It represents the first practical synthesis of unsymmetrical epoxides via direct reductive epoxidation of two different carbonyl electrophiles and also complements the existing methods of generating epoxides.

Construction of α-methoxyimidoyl ketonitrones via phosphite-mediated addition of α-keto N-tert-butanesulfinyl imidates to nitrosoarenes

A dimethyl phosphite-mediated addition of α-keto N-tert-butanesulfinyl imidates to nitrosoarenes was developed. Nitrosoarenes were successfully used as electrophiles to trap aza-enolate intermediates that were generated from nucleophilic addition of deprotonated phosphite to α-keto N-tert-butanesulfinyl imidates and following phospha-Brook rearrangement, allowing efficient construction of ketonitrones with excellent (Z)-geometries.

Chemoselective phosphine-catalyzed cyanoacylation of α-dicarbonyl compounds: a general method for the synthesis of cyanohydrin esters with one quaternary stereocenter

A chemoselective phosphine-catalyzed cyanoacylation of α-dicarbonyl compounds with acyl cyanides is reported.