Reactivity and Selectivity in Catalytic Reactions of Enoldiazoacetamides. Assessment of Metal Carbenes as Intermediates

First-Generation Organic Reaction Intermediates in Zeolite Chemistry and Catalysis

Zeolite chemistry and catalysis are expected to play a decisive role in the next decade(s) to build a more decentralized renewable feedstock-dependent sustainable society owing to the increased scrutiny over carbon emissions. Therefore, the lack of fundamental and mechanistic understanding of these processes is a critical "technical bottleneck" that must be eliminated to maximize economic value and minimize waste. We have identified, considering this objective, that the chemistry related to the first-generation reaction intermediates (i.e., carbocations, radicals, carbenes, ketenes, and carbanions) in zeolite chemistry and catalysis is highly underdeveloped or undervalued compared to other catalysis streams (e.g., homogeneous catalysis). This limitation can often be attributed to the technological restrictions to detect such "short-lived and highly reactive" intermediates at the interface (gas-solid/solid-liquid); however, the recent rise of sophisticated spectroscopic/analytical techniques (including under in situ/operando conditions) and modern data analysis methods collectively compete to unravel the impact of these organic intermediates. This comprehensive review summarizes the state-of-the-art first-generation organic reaction intermediates in zeolite chemistry and catalysis and evaluates their existing challenges and future prospects, to contribute significantly to the "circular carbon economy" initiatives.

Recent advances in transition-metal-catalyzed carbene insertion to C-H bonds

C-H functionalization has been emerging as a powerful method to establish carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. Many efforts have been devoted to transition-metal-catalyzed direct transformations of C-H bonds. Metal carbenes generated in situ from transition-metal compounds and diazo or its equivalents are usually applied as the transient reactive intermediates to furnish a catalytic cycle for new C-C and C-X bond formation. Using this strategy compounds from unactivated simple alkanes to complex molecules can be further functionalized or transformed to multi-functionalized compounds. In this area, transition-metal-catalyzed carbene insertion to C-H bonds has been paid continuous attention. Diverse catalyst design strategies, synthetic methods, and potential applications have been developed. This critical review will summarize the advance in transition-metal-catalyzed carbene insertion to C-H bonds dated up to July 2021, by the categories of C-H bonds from aliphatic C(sp³)-H, aryl (aromatic) C(sp²)-H, heteroaryl (heteroaromatic) C(sp²)-H bonds, alkenyl C(sp²)-H, and alkynyl C(sp)-H, as well as asymmetric carbene insertion to C-H bonds, and more coverage will be given to the recent work. Due to the rapid development of the C-H functionalization area, future directions in this topic are also discussed. This review will give the authors an overview of carbene insertion chemistry in C-H functionalization with focus on the catalytic systems and synthetic applications in C-C bond formation.

Theoretical study on the mechanism, chemo- and enantioselectivity of the Ag- vs. Rh-catalyzed intramolecular carbene transfer reaction of diazoacetamides

DFT calculations reveal the mechanism, as well as the origins of chemoselectivity and enantioselectivity in the Ag vs. Rh catalyzed intramolecular carbene transfer reaction.

Asymmetric Intramolecular Dearomatization of Nonactivated Arenes with Ynamides for Rapid Assembly of Fused Ring System under Silver Catalysis

Arene dearomatization is a straightforward method for converting an aromatic feedstock into functionalized carbocycles. Enantioselective dearomatizations of chemically inert arenes, however, are quite limited and underexplored relative to those of phenols and indoles. We developed a method for diazo-free generation of silver-carbene species from an ynamide and applied it to the dearomatization of nonactivated arenes. Transiently generated norcaradiene could be trapped by intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition, synthesizing polycycles with five consecutive stereogenic centers. This protocol constitutes the first highly enantioselective reaction based on the diazo-free generation of silver-carbene species. Mechanistic investigations revealed a dearomatization followed by two different classes of pericyclic reactions, as well as the origin of the chemo- and enantioselectivity.

Atypical Dearomative Spirocyclization of β-Naphthols with Diazoacetamides Using a Silver Catalyst

A chemoselective dearomatization of the less reactive benzenoid unit in β-naphthol was developed. Spirocyclization with a reductant constructs a pivotal structure for drug candidates. One-pot oxidative conversion enabled the tandem dearomatization of β-naphthol, producing conjugated tetraenone variants. The potential utility of the product as an F^--selective anion sensor was also demonstrated. Theoretical studies revealed the intermediacy of silver-carbenoid species leading to chemoselective spirocyclization over arene cyclopropanation.

Silver-Catalyzed, Chemo- and Enantioselective Intramolecular Dearomatization of Indoles to Access Sterically Congested Azaspiro Frameworks

An asymmetric dearomatization of indoles bearing α-diazoacetamide functionalities was developed for synthesizing high-value spiro scaffolds. A silver phosphate chemoselectively catalyzed the sterically challenging dearomatization, whereas more typically used metal catalysts for carbene transfer reactions, such as a rhodium complex, were not effective and instead resulted in a Büchner ring expansion or cyclopropanation. Mechanistic studies indicated that the spirocyclization occurred through a silver-assisted asynchronous concerted process and not via a silver-carbene intermediate. Analyses based on natural bond orbital population and a distortion/interaction model indicated that the degree of C-Ag mutual interaction is crucial for achieving a high level of enantiocontrol. In addition, an oxidative disconnection of a C(sp³)-C(sp²) bond in the product provided unconventional access to the corresponding chiral spirooxindole.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Vinylcyclopropa[b]indolines via a Rh-Migration Strategy

A mild rhodium catalytic system has been developed to synthesize vinylcyclopropa[b]indolines through cyclopropanation of indoles with vinyl carbenoids generated from ring opening of cyclopropenes in situ. By employing a Rh-migration strategy, the products can be obtained with good to excellent E:Z ratios (≤99:1) and complete diastereoselectivity (≤99:1). This method is easy, has a low catalyst loading, and works for a broad range of functionalities.

Recent developments in cyclopropene chemistry

As readily accessible strained carbocycles, cyclopropenes show a diverse range of reactivities, and a lot of novel and useful transformations have been developed.

Metal-Dependent Umpolung Reactivity of Carbenes Derived from Cyclopropenes

Metal carbenes, divalent carbon species, are versatile intermediates that enable novel synthetic pathways. These species exhibit either electrophilic or nucleophilic character, depending on the carbene and metal fragments. Although the metal carbene reactivity is regulated by the metal, the umpolung of carbene reactivity by changing metal remains challenging. Here, we report a unique metal-induced de novo umpolung of carbene reactivity, wherein a carbene precursor can be transformed into either an electrophilic carbene or a nucleophilic carbenoid, depending on the metal promoters. Thus, a chemodivergent reaction of isatins and cyclopropenes is developed. Under the promotion of Zn²⁺ halides, a nucleophilic zinc carbenoid is formed and trapped by isatins to produce oxindole derivatives containing an alkenyl halide moiety. Using Rh₂(esp)₂ as a catalyst, the reaction delivers oxindoles carrying a dihydrofuran unit. This work provides a facile approach to harness the metal carbene reactivity and is critical for the development of diversity-oriented synthesis.

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Metals reverse the reactivity of carbenes

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Nucleophilic zinc carbenoids

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Reactive carbenoid and ylide intermediates are trapped by electrophiles

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Chemodivergent synthesis

Ruthenium Catalyzed Rearrangement of Ene-cyclopropenes. Divergent Reaction Pathways

The reaction of ene-cyclopropenes with Cp*RuCl(cod) leads to alkenyl bicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes, bicyclo[4.1.0]heptanes, and bicyclo[5.1.0]octanes. This reaction involves a reverse regioselectivity in the cyclopropene opening than with gold chlorides. With gem-disubstituted cyclopropenes, a novel cycloisomerization based on ring-opening nucleophilic attack and rearrangement is observed. Alternatively, some gem-disubstituted cyclopropenes give dimerizations of the intermediate carbene.

Highly stereoselective intramolecular Buchner reaction of diazoacetamides catalyzed by a Ru(ii)–Pheox complex

This work reports the first efficient enantioselective intramolecular Buchner reaction of diazoacetamides.

A Gold Carbene Manifold to Prepare Fused γ-Lactams by Oxidative Cyclisation of Ynamides

Gold-catalysed oxidative cyclisation reactions of ynamides offer great promise in γ-lactam synthesis but are limited by preferential over-oxidation to form α-keto imides. Evaluating the factors that might limit N-cyclisation pathways led to effective gold-catalysed conditions that allow access to different fused γ-lactams on changing the ynamide N-substituent and accommodate previously incompatible substitution patterns. New and efficient methods for the synthesis of functionalised 3-aryl indoles and cyclohepta[c]pyrrol-1-one derivatives are presented. These conditions illustrate the complementarity of gold catalysis to other metals.

Rhodium(ii)-catalysed generation of cycloprop-1-en-1-yl ketones and their rearrangement to 5-aryl-2-siloxyfurans

A new mechanistic pathway for the formation of 2,5-disubstituted furans from cycloprop-1-en-1-yl ketones generated from silyl-protected enoldiazoketones.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Sulfur Ylides via in Situ Generated Iodonium Ylides

A convenient strategy for the synthesis of sulfur ylides via rhodium-catalyzed coupling of in situ generated iodonium ylides with sulfides or sulfoxides has been developed. A wide range of sulfur ylides were obtained in moderate to good yields from inexpensive sulfur compounds and active methylene compounds with a short reaction time (MW, 5-10 min) or 12-16 h at rt. Furthermore, these sulfoxonium ylides were used as novel acceptor/acceptor carbenes for N-H insertion reactions.

Catalytic Divergent [3+3]- and [3+2]-Cycloaddition by Discrimination Between Diazo Compounds

Highly selective divergent cycloaddition reactions of enoldiazo compounds and α-diazocarboximides catalyzed by copper(I) or dirhodium(II) have been developed. With tetrakis(acetonitrile)copper(I) tetrafluoroborate as the catalyst epoxypyrrolo[1,2-a]azepine derivatives were prepared in good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities through the first reported [3+3]-cycloaddition of a carbonyl ylide. Use of Rh2 (pfb)4 or Rh2 (esp)2 directs the reactants to regioselective [3+2]-cycloaddition generating cyclopenta[2,3]pyrrolo[2,1-b]oxazoles with good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities.

Cycloaddition reactions of enoldiazo compounds

Enoldiazo esters and amides have proven to be versatile reagents for cycloaddition reactions that allow highly efficient construction of various carbocycles and heterocycles. Their versatility is exemplified by (1) [2+n]-cycloadditions (n = 3, 4) by the enol silyl ether units of enoldiazo compounds with retention of the diazo functionality to furnish α-cyclic-α-diazo compounds that are themselves subject to further transformations of the diazo functional group; (2) [3+n]-cycloadditions (n = 1-5) by metallo-enolcarbenes formed by catalytic dinitrogen extrusion from enoldiazo compounds; (3) [2+n]-cycloadditions (n = 3, 4) by donor-acceptor cyclopropenes generated in situ from enoldiazo compounds that produce cyclopropane-fused ring systems. The role of dirhodium(ii) and the emergence of copper(i) catalysts are described, as are the different outcomes of reactions initiated with these catalysts. This comprehensive review on cycloaddition reactions of enoldiazo compounds, with emphasis on methodology development, mechanistic insight, and catalyst-controlled chemodivergence, aims to provide inspiration for future discoveries in the field and to catalyze the application of enoldiazo reagents by the wider synthetic community.

Chemoselective Asymmetric Intramolecular Dearomatization of Phenols with α-Diazoacetamides Catalyzed by Silver Phosphate

We report asymmetric dearomatization of phenols using Ag carbenoids from α-diazoacetamides. The Ag catalyst promoted intramolecular dearomatization of phenols, whereas a Rh or Cu catalyst caused C-H insertion and a Büchner reaction. Studies indicated Ag carbenoids have a carbocation-like character, making their behavior and properties unique. Highly enantioselective transformations using Ag carbenoids have not been reported. We achieved a Ag carbenoid-mediated chemo- and highly enantioselective phenol dearomatization with substrate generality for the first time.

Catalytic Asymmetric [3+1]-Cycloaddition Reaction of Ylides with Electrophilic Metallo-enolcarbene Intermediates

The first asymmetric [3+1]-cycloaddition was successfully achieved by copper(I) triflate/double-sidearmed bisoxazoline complex catalyzed reactions of β-triisopropylsilyl-substituted enoldiazo compounds with sulfur ylides. This methodology delivered a series of chiral cyclobutenes in good yields with high enantio- and diastereoselectivities (up to 99 % ee, and >20:1 d.r.). Additionally, the [3+1]-cycloaddition of catalytically generated metallo-enolcarbenes was successfully extended to reaction with a stable benzylidene dichlororuthenium complex.

Palladium-catalysed intramolecular carbenoid insertion of α-diazo-α-(methoxycarbonyl)acetanilides for oxindole synthesis

A novel, selective palladium-catalysed carbenoid C(aryl)–H insertion of α-diazo-α-(methoxycarbonyl)acetanilides leading to oxindoles is described.

Zinc-Catalyzed Synthesis of Conjugated Dienoates through Unusual Cross-Couplings of Zinc Carbenes with Diazo Compounds

Zinc-catalyzed selective cross-coupling of two carbene sources, such as vinyl diazo compounds and enynones, enabled the synthesis of conjugated dienoate derivatives. This reaction involved the unprecedented coupling of a zinc furyl carbene with vinyl diazo compounds through the γ-carbon. Alternatively, dienoates were also prepared by a commutative cross-coupling of zinc vinyl carbenes generated from cyclopropenes and simple diazo compounds.