α-N-Heteroarylation and α-Azidation of Ketones via Enolonium Species

Catalytic Ring Expanding Difluorination: An Enantioselective Platform to Access β,β-Difluorinated Carbocycles

Cyclic β,β-difluoro-carbonyl compounds have a venerable history as drug discovery leads, but limitations in the synthesis arsenal continue to impede chemical space exploration. This challenge is particularly acute in the arena of fluorinated medium rings where installing the difluoromethylene unit subtly alters the ring conformation by expanding the internal angle (∠C-CF2-C>∠C-CH2-C): this provides a handle to modulate physicochemistry (e.g. pKa). To reconcile this disparity, a highly modular ring expansion has been devised that leverages simple α,β-unsaturated esters and amides, and processes them to one-carbon homologated rings with concomitant geminal difluorination (6 to 10 membered rings, up to 95 % yield). This process is a rare example of the formal difluorination of an internal alkene and is enabled by sequential I(III)-enabled O-activation. Validation of enantioselective catalysis in the generation of unprecedented medium ring scaffolds is reported (up to 93 : 7 e.r.) together with X-ray structural analyses and product derivatization.

Simple, catalytic C(sp3)-H azidation using the C-H donor as the limiting reagent

C-N bonds play a critical role in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and materials sciences, necessitating ever-better methods to forge this linkage. Here we report a simple procedure for direct C(sp3)-H azidation using iron or manganese catalysis and a nucleophilic azide source. All reagents are commercially available, the experimental procedure is simple, and we can use the C-H donor substrate as the limiting reagent, a challenge for many C-H azidation methods. Preliminary experiments are consistent with a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT)/radical ligand transfer (RLT) radical cascade mechanism and a wide variety of substrates can be azidated in moderate to high yields.

2-Nitro-cyclopropyl-1-carbonyl Compounds from Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds and Nitromethane via Enolonium Species

2-Nitrocyclopropanes bearing ketones, amides, esters, and carboxylic acids in the 1 position may be accessed as single diastereoisomers in one operation from the corresponding unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The source of the nitro-methylene component is nitromethane. The reaction proceeds at room temperature under mild conditions. The products may be converted into, e.g., cyclopropyl-amino acids in a single step. Both nitrocyclopropanes and amino-cyclopropanes are unique moieties found in biologically active compounds and natural products.

2-Fluoroenones via an Umpolung Morita-Baylis-Hillman Reaction of Enones

Several methods have been reported for the formation of 2-fluoroenones. However, all these methods involve laborious multiple-step sequences with resulting low overall yields. In this paper, we report the first formal enone-α-H to F substitution, leading to 2-fluoroenones in a single step from ubiquitous enones in 63-90% yield. The reaction is applicable to a wide range of aromatic and alkenyl enones and is carried out at room temperature using HF-pyridine complex as the fluoride source. Mechanistic investigations support that the reaction takes place through a rare umpolung Morita-Baylis-Hillman-type mechanism.

An Expedient Method for the Umpolung Coupling of Enols with Heteronucleophiles**

In this paper, we present an unprecedented and general umpolung protocol that allows the functionalization of silyl enol ethers and of 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds with a large range of heteroatom nucleophiles, including carboxylic acids, alcohols, primary and secondary amines, azide, thiols, and also anionic carbamates derived from CO₂. The scope of the reaction also extends to carbon‐based nucleophiles. The reaction relies on the use of 1‐bromo‐3,3‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dihydro‐1λ³[d][1,2]iodaoxole, which provides a key α‐brominated carbonyl intermediate. The reaction mechanism has been studied experimentally and by DFT, and we propose formation of an unusual enolonium intermediate with a halogen‐bonded bromide.

Sulfur(iv)-mediated umpolung α-heterofunctionalization of 2-oxazolines

The α-umpolung of carbonyl compounds significantly expands the boundaries of traditional carbonyl chemistry. Despite various umpolung methods available today, reversing the inherent reactivity of carbonyls still remains a substantial challenge. In this article, we report the first use of sulfonium salts, in lieu of well-established hypervalent iodines, for the carbonyl umpolung event. The protocol enables the incorporation of a wide variety of heteroatom nucleophiles into the α-carbon of 2-oxazolines. The success of this investigation hinges on the following factors: (1) the use of sulfoxides, which are abundant, structurally diverse and tunable, and easily accessible, ensures the identification of a superior oxidant namely phenoxathiin sulfoxide for the umpolung reaction; (2) the "assembly/deprotonation" protocol previously developed for rearrangement reactions in our laboratory was successfully applied here for the construction of α-umpoled 2-oxazolines.

A General Method for α-Oxyacylation of Vinyl Ketones Using Koser's Reagent

A direct general method for the preparation of α-oxyacylated vinyl ketones using Koser's hypervalent iodine reagent is reported. A variety of acyloxy groups from long-chain aliphatic, aromatic, α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids have been installed efficiently for the first time. The oxyacylated adducts were used for the preparation of densely functionalized chiral δ-lactones and cyclopentenes using carbene organocatalysis.

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization-Inspired Room Temperature (sp3)C-N Coupling

A simple nonphotochemical procedure is reported for Cu(I)-catalyzed C-N coupling of aliphatic halides with amines and amides. The process is loosely based on the Goldberg reaction but takes place readily at room temperature. It uses Cu(I)Br, a commonly used and inexpensive atom transfer radical polymerization precatalyst, along with the cheap ligand N,N,N',N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, to activate the R-X bond of the substrate via inner-sphere electron transfer. The procedure brings about productive C-N bond formation between a range of alkyl halide substrates with heterocyclic aromatic amines and amides. The mechanism of the coupling step, which was elucidated through application of computational methods, proceeds via a unique Cu(I) → Cu(II) → Cu(III) → Cu(I) catalytic cycle, involving (a) inner-sphere electron transfer from Cu(I) to the alkyl halide to generate the alkyl radical; (b) successive coordination of the N-nucleophile and the radical to Cu(II); and finally reductive elimination. In the absence of a nucleophile, debrominative homocoupling of the alkyl halide occurs. Control experiments rule out S_N-type mechanisms for C-N bond formation.

Formal Enone α-Arylation via I(III)-Mediated Aryl Migration/Elimination

A formal enone α-arylation is described. This metal-free transformation relies on the I(III)-mediated skeletal reorganization of silyl enol ethers and features mild conditions, good yields, and high stereoselectivities for β-substituted enones.

Recent discoveries on the structure of iodine(iii) reagents and their use in cross-nucleophile coupling

This perspective article discusses structural features of iodine(iii) compounds as a prelude to presenting their use as umpolung reagents, in particular as pertains to their ability to promote the selective coupling of two nucleophilic species via 2e^- oxidation.

Access to Vinyl Ethers and Ketones with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents as Oxy-Allyl Cation Synthetic Equivalents

We report an Umpolung strategy of enol ethers to generate oxy-allyl cation equivalents based on the use of hypervalent iodine reagents. Under mild basic conditions, the addition of nucleophiles to aryloxy-substituted vinylbenziodoxolone (VBX) reagents, easily available in two steps from silyl alkynes, resulted in the stereoselective formation of substituted aryl enol ethers. The reaction was most efficient with phenols as nucleophiles, but preliminary results were also achieved for C- and N- nucleophiles. In absence of external nucleophiles, the 2-iodobenzoate group of the reagent was transferred. The obtained aryl enol ethers could then be transformed into α-difunctionalized ketones by oxidation. The described "allyl cation"-like reactivity contrast with the well-established "vinyl-cation" behavior of alkenyl iodonium salts.

Access to α-Pyrazole and α-Triazole Derivatives of Ketones from Oxidative Heteroarylation of Silyl Enolethers

The synthesis of α-pyrazole and α-triazole derivatives of ketones by the ceric ammonium nitrate-mediated oxidative coupling of enolsilanes with heteroarenes is reported. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions to provide a diversity of products, including sterically hindered fully substituted derivatives.

α-Functionalisation of Ketones Through Metal-Free Electrophilic Activation

Triflic anhydride mediated activation of acetophenones leads to highly electrophilic intermediates that can undergo a variety of transformations when treated with nucleophiles. This electrophilic ketone activation gives access to α‐arylated and α‐oxyaminated acetophenones under metal‐free conditions in moderate to excellent yields and enables extension to the synthesis of arylated morpholines via generation of vinylsulfonium salts. Computational investigations confirmed the transient existence of intermediates derived from vinyl triflates and the role of the oxygen atoms at the para position of aromatic ring in facilitating their stabilisation.

Direct Umpolung Morita-Baylis-Hillman like α-Functionalization of Enones via Enolonium Species

Herein we report on the umpolung of Morita-Baylis-Hillman type intermediates and application to the α-functionalization of enone C-H bonds. This reaction gives direct access to α-chloro-enones, 1,2-diketones and α-tosyloxy-enones. The latter are important intermediates for cross-coupling reaction and, to the best of our knowledge, cannot be made in a single step from enones in any other way. The proposed mechanism is supported by spectroscopic studies. The key initial step involves conjugate attack of an amine (DABCO or pyridine), likely assisted by hypervalent iodine acting as a Lewis acid leading to formation of an electrophilic β-ammonium-enolonium species. Nucleophilic attack by acetate, tosylate, or chloride anion is followed by base induced elimination of the ammonium species to give the noted products. Hydrolysis of α-acetoxy-enones lead to formation of 1,2-diketones. The α-tosyl-enones participate in Negishi coupling reactions under standard conditions.

Azido-Enolonium Species in C-C and C-N Bond-Forming Coupling Reactions

Vinyl azides react with boron trifluoride activated Koser's hypervalent iodine reagent to afford azido-enolonium species. These previously unknown azido-enolonium species react efficiently with aromatic compounds, allyltrimethylsilane, and azoles under mild conditions, with no need for a transition-metal catalyst, forming C-C and C-N bonds to give a variety of α-functionalized ketones. The intermediacy of the proposed azido-enolonium species is supported by spectroscopic studies.

C-H Insertion by Alkylidene Carbenes To Form 1,2,3-Triazines and Anionic [3 + 2] Dipolar Cycloadditions To Form Tetrazoles: Crucial Roles of Stereoelectronic and Steric Effects

The synthesis of 1,2,3-triazines and bicyclic tetrazoles from α-azido ketones is described. The common intermediate generated from lithiated trimethylsilyldiazomethane and α-azido ketones diverges depending on the steric bulk of the substituents. The formation of 1,2,3-triazines via a C-H insertion of alkylidene carbene to form 3-azidocyclopropene, followed by its rearrangement, is supported by density functional theory calculations. Tetrazole formation proceeds via a facile anionic [3 + 2] dipolar cycloaddition between a lithiated diazo moiety and an azido group facilitated by the chelation of a lithium ion.

Direct C-H α-Arylation of Enones with ArI(O2CR)2 Reagents

α-Arylation of α,β-unsaturated ketones constitutes a powerful synthetic transformation. It is most commonly achieved via cross-coupling of α-haloenones, but this stepwise strategy requires prefunctionalized substrates and expensive catalysts. Direct enone C-H α-arylation would offer an atom- and step-economical alternative, but such reports are scarce. Herein we report the metal-free direct C-H arylation of enones mediated by hypervalent iodine reagents. The reaction proceeds via a reductive iodonium Claisen rearrangement of in situ-generated β-pyridinium silyl enol ethers. The aryl groups are derived from ArI(O₂CCF₃)₂ reagents, which are readily accessed from the parent iodoarenes. The reaction is tolerant of a wide range of substitution patterns, and the incorporated arenes maintain the valuable iodine functional handle. Mechanistic investigations implicate arylation via an umpoled "enolonium" species and show that the presence of a β-pyridinium moiety is critical for the desired C-C bond formation.

Stereoselective synthesis of alkyl-, aryl-, vinyl- and alkynyl-substituted Z-enamides and enol ethers

Enamides and enol ethers are valuable building blocks in synthetic chemistry, yet their stereoselective synthesis can be challenging. Herein, we report a new stereoselective synthesis of vinyl, aryl, alkynyl, alkyl and thio-substituted Z-enamides and enol ethers based on the use of vinylbenziodoxolone (VBX) reagents. The stable VBX reagents were synthesized by stereoselective addition of N- or O-nucleophiles on the corresponding alkynyl reagents in the presence of a catalytic amount of cesium carbonate. The VBX reagents were used in palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings at room temperature to access Z-enamides and enol ethers.

NH2OH-HCl-Mediated Umpolung α-Methylsulfonylation of α-Sulfonyl Ketones with Methylsulfoxides: Synthesis of α,β-Bis-sulfonyl Arylketones

In this paper, a novel and efficient route for the synthesis of α,β-bis-sulfonyl arylketones via an NH₂OH-HCl-mediated intermolecular umpolung α-methylsulfonylation of α-sulfonyl ketones with methylsulfoxides is described. A plausible mechanism is proposed and discussed. Various reaction conditions for this efficient, one-pot, environmentally friendly transformation were investigated.

A Two-Step Protocol for Umpolung Functionalization of Ketones Via Enolonium Species

α-Functionalization of ketones via umpolung of enolates by hypervalent iodine reagents is an important concept in synthetic organic chemistry. Recently, we have developed a two-step strategy for ketone enolate umpolung that has enabled the development of methods for chlorination, azidation, and amination using azoles. In addition, we have developed C-C bond-forming arylation and allylation reactions. At the heart of these methods is the preparation of the intermediate and highly reactive enolonium species prior to addition of a reactive nucleophile. This strategy is thus reminiscent of the preparation and use of metal enolates in classical synthetic chemistry. This strategy allows the use of nucleophiles that would otherwise be incompatible with the strongly oxidizing hypervalent iodine reagents. In this paper we present a detailed protocol for chlorination, azidation, N-heteroarylation, arylation, and allylation. The products include motifs prevalent in medicinally active products. This article will greatly assist others in using these methods.