Stereospecific Synthesis of Highly Substituted Piperazines via an One-Pot Three Component Ring-Opening Cyclization from N-Activated Aziridines, Anilines, and Propargyl Carbonates

HKUST-1 Metal Organic Framework as an Efficient Dual-Function Catalyst: Aziridination and One-Pot Ring-Opening Transformation for Formation of β-Aryl Sulfonamides with C-C, C-N, C-S, and C-O Bonds

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are extensively used in catalysis due to their robust structure, well-defined periodic reaction centers, and high porosity. We report Cu₃(BTC)₂·(H₂O)₃ (HKUST-1) as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for aziridination of alkene and ring-opening reaction of activated aziridines. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the transfer of a nitrogen group from PhINTs to olefins and its analogue to give aziridines takes place at the coordinatively unsaturated Cu(II) site of Cu₃(BTC)₂-MOF; however, the ring opening of activated aziridines is controlled by the Cu(II) Lewis acid site, and generation of coordinative unsaturation by thermal activation of the MOF is not necessarily important. The key advantage of this catalytic approach is the direct formation of C-C, C-N, C-O, and C-S bonds yielding β-aryl sulfonamide derivatives through a simultaneous aziridination ring-opening reaction of the alkene in one pot using a single catalyst.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Hexahydroimidazo[1,2-a]quinolines via SN2-Type Ring-Opening Hydroarylation-Hydroamination Cascade Cyclization of Activated Aziridines with N-Propargylanilines

A novel synthetic approach for the construction of 1,2,3,3a,4,5-hexahydroimidazo[1,2-a]quinolines in good yields (up to 75%) with excellent stereoselectivity (dr up to 94:6, ee up to >99%) under one-pot domino ring-opening cyclization (DROC) conditions has been developed. The DROC protocol proceeds through a Lewis acid catalyzed S_N2-type ring-opening of activated aziridines with N-propargylanilines followed by intramolecular cyclization comprising concomitant hydroarylation and hydroamination steps in a domino fashion.

Stereoselective Syntheses of Highly Functionalized Imidazolidines and Oxazolidines via Ring-Opening Cyclization of Activated Aziridines and Epoxides with Amines and Aldehydes

A mild one-pot stereospecific synthetic route to highly functionalized imidazolidines and oxazolidines via S_N2-type ring-opening of the corresponding activated aziridines and epoxides with amines followed by p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA)-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization with aldehydes has been developed. The methodology tolerates a variety of functional groups and furnishes the desired products in high yields (up to 92%) with excellent stereoselectivities (de, ee > 99%). Interestingly, imidazolidines were formed as the cis-isomers, whereas oxazolidines were produced as trans-isomers exclusively.

Diastereoselective Construction of 2-Aminoindanones via an In(OTf)3-Catalyzed Domino Reaction

An In(OTf)₃-catalyzed domino reaction involving sequential oxidative ring opening of aziridines by using the solvent dimethyl sulfoxide and intramolecular Michael addition has been developed for the modular synthesis of 2-aminoindanone compounds by the formation of one new C═O bond and one new C-C bond. The notable feature of this strategy includes broad substrate scope, excellent trans-diastereoselectivities, highly functionalized products, and mild conditions. The catalyst In(OTf)₃ plays an important role in the formation of the indanone ring.