Metal-Free Synthesis of Indolopyrans and 2,3-Dihydrofurans Based on Tandem Oxidative Cycloaddition

Aerobic oxidative C-C bond formation through C-H bond activation catalysed by flavin and iodine

We report a metal/light-free aerobic oxidative C-C bond formation using sp3 C-H bond activation of tetrahydroisoquinolines catalyzed by flavin and iodine. The dual catalytic system enabled the oxidative Mannich and aza-Henry reactions by the cross-dehydrogenative coupling between two sp3 C-H bonds. Furthermore, the flavin-iodine-coupled catalysis was applied to the synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines through the sequential oxidative 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and dehydrogenative aromatization. The biomimetic flavin catalysis efficiently activates molecular oxygen; thus the non-metal dual catalytic system enables green oxidative transformation using molecular oxygen as an environmentally friendly terminal oxidant which generates benign water.

Chemodivergent Synthesis of Aza-Heterocycles with a Quarternary Carbon Center via [4 + 1] Annulation between Azoalkenes and α-Bromo Carbonyl Compounds

An efficient [4 + 1] annulation reaction between in situ generated azoalkene intermediates and α-bromocarbonyls has been established. A series of skeletally diverse aza-heterocycles with a functionalized quaternary center were obtained in up to 89% yield under mild conditions.

Metal-free synthesis of gem-difluorinated heterocycles from enaminones and difluorocarbene precursors

A cascade strategy to synthesise gem-difluorinated 2H-furans from reactions of BrCF₂CO₂Et with enaminones has been described. The reactions tolerate a wide variety of functional groups under metal-free conditions. An active aminocyclopropane is proposed to be a key intermediate through the cyclopropanation of difluorocarbene with enaminones, which further triggers a regioselective C-C bond cleavage in situ to afford the corresponding gem-difluorinated 2H-furans.

Copper(I)-Catalyzed Direct Oxidative Annulation of 1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds with Maleimides: Access to Polysubstituted Dihydrofuran Derivatives

An efficient annulation method for the synthesis of polysubstituted dihydrofurans from 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and maleimides is described. The reactions can afford furo[2,3-c]pyrrole derivatives with satisfactory yields. The developed strategy realizes the direct oxidative double C(sp³)-H functionalization in the presence of copper(I) salts and 2-(tert-butylperoxy)-2-methylpropane. Meanwhile, this protocol features a mild reaction condition and simple catalytic system. A reaction mechanism involving a single electron oxidation is also proposed.