Fluorocyclization of Allyl Alcohols and Amines to Access 3-Functionalized Oxetanes and Azetidines

Forging Medium Rings via I(I)/I(III)-Catalyzed Diene Carbofunctionalization

A main-group catalysis-based strategy to access 8-membered carbocycles via the direct carbofunctionalization of 2-phenethyl-substituted 1,3-dienes is disclosed. Through the intervention of an I(I)/I(III) catalysis cycle, the synthesis of densely functionalized, fluorinated benzocyclooctenes can be achieved in an operationally simple manner. Modulating the oxidation/activation regime, and the external nucleophile, the process has been extended to unify the challenging cyclization with formation of allylic C-O, C-N, and C-C bonds (>30 examples). Derivatization of the product benzocyclooctenes is demonstrated together with X-ray conformational analysis, preliminary validation of enantioselective catalysis and a scalable resolution protocol.

BF3·OEt2-mediated nucleophilic fluorocyclization of sulfonyl 3-methylene-oxabenzocyclooctan-6-ones. Diastereocontrolled synthesis of benzofused fluorooxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonanes

We describe a facile-operational, high-yield method for the diastereocontrolled preparation of novel sulfonyl benzofused fluorooxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonanes by a straightforward synthetic route, including (i) NaBH₄-mediated reduction of sulfonyl 3-methylene-oxabenzocyclooctan-6-ones and (ii) BF₃·OEt₂-mediated intramolecular nucleophilic fluorocyclization. The plausible mechanism for the preparation is proposed and discussed. This protocol can easily install a fluoro-atom on the bridged head position in a short time and under mild conditions, resulting in one carbon-carbon and one carbon-fluorine bond formation.

Regio- and Enantioselective Intermolecular Aminofluorination of Alkenes via Iodine(I)/Iodine(III) Catalysis

The regio‐ and enantio‐selective, intermolecular vicinal fluoroamination of α‐trifluoromethyl styrenes has been achieved by enantioselective I^I/I^III catalysis. Leveraging C₂‐symmetric resorcinol‐based aryl iodide catalysts, it has been possible to intercept the transient iodonium intermediate using simple nitriles, which function as both the solvent and nucleophile. In situ Ritter reaction provides direct access to the corresponding amides (up to 89 % yield, e.r. 93 : 7). This main group catalysis paradigm inverts the intrinsic regioselectivity of the uncatalyzed process, thereby providing facile access to tertiary, benzylic stereocenters bearing both CF₃ and F groups. Privileged phenethylamine pharmacophores can be generated in which there is complete local partial charge inversion (CF₃^δ−/F^δ− versus CH₃^δ+/H^δ+). Crystallographic analyses of representative β‐fluoroamide products reveal highly pre‐organized conformations that manifest the stereoelectronic gauche effect.

Updates on hypervalent-iodine reagents in metal-free organic synthesis

Hypervalent iodine (HVI) chemistry is a rapidly growing subdomain of contemporary organic chemistry because of its enormous synthetic applications. The high nucleofugality of the phenyliodonio group (I+Ph) and their radical...

Enantioenriched γ-Aminoalcohols, β-Amino Acids, β-Lactams, and Azetidines Featuring Tetrasubstituted Fluorinated Stereocenters via Palladacycle-Catalyzed Asymmetric Fluorination of Isoxazolinones

Enantiopure fluorine containing β-amino acids are of large biological and pharmaceutical interest. Strategies to prepare β-amino acid derivatives possessing a F-containing tetrasubstituted stereocenter at the α-C atom in a catalytic asymmetric sense are rare, in particular using an enantioselective electrophilic C-F bond formation. In the present study, a highly enantioselective palladacycle-catalyzed fluorination of isoxazolinones was developed. It is demonstrated that isoxazolinones are useful precursors toward enantiopure β-amino acid derivatives by diastereo- and chemoselective reduction. The formed γ-aminoalcohols served as valuable precursors toward β-amino acids, β-amino acid esters, and β-lactams, all featuring tetrasubstituted fluorinated stereocenters. In addition, by this work, enantioenriched fluorinated azetidines were accessible for the first time.

Chlorocyclization/cycloreversion of allylic alcohols to vinyl chlorides

Unprecedented chlorination of allylic alcohols: a simple mix-and-go procedure for the cyclization/cycloreversion of secondary and tertiary allylic alcohols with chloronium ions under mild conditions and practical access to remote carbonyl vinyl chlorides.