Rapid Assembly of Functionalized Hydrodibenzofurans via Semipinacol Rearrangements

HNTf2-Catalyzed Synthesis of Hydrodibenzofurans by an Epoxidation/Semipinacol Rearrangement Cascade

Described here is a highly efficient synthesis of hydrodibenzofurans, an important structural unit lacking general access, in particular, with contiguous quaternary stereocenters. In the presence of HNTf₂ as the superior catalyst and mCPBA as an oxidant, the readily available styrene substrates underwent a one-pot cascade process comprising epoxidation, semipinacol rearrangement, and hemiketal formation to furnish hydrodibenzofurans with good efficiency and diastereoselectivity.

N-Morpholinomethyl-5-lithiotetrazole: A Reagent for the One-Pot Synthesis of 5-(1-Hydroxyalkyl)tetrazoles

An efficient, one-pot method for the preparation of 5-(1-hydroxyalkyl)tetrazoles is reported. N-Morpholinomethyl-5-lithiotetrazole, generated by the deprotonation of 4-(N-tetrazolylmethyl)morpholine with LiHMDS, undergoes addition to ketones and aldehydes (both aromatic and aliphatic) to form 5-(1-hydroxyalkyl)tetrazoles in a high yield, after acidic workup. The reported protocol displays a broad substrate scope and functional group tolerance, avoids the use of cyanide- or azide-based reagents, and provides access to sterically congested and unsaturated tetrazoles, which are difficult to access by other means.

A catalytic asymmetric one-pot [3+2] cyclization/semipinacol rearrangement sequence: an efficient construction of a multi-substituted 3H-spiro[benzofuran-2,1′-cyclopentane] skeleton

We report an asymmetric construction of multi-substituted 3H-spiro[benzofuran-2,1’-cyclopentane]s with three new stereocenters and two new ring systems.

Recent applications of the 1,2-carbon atom migration strategy in complex natural product total synthesis

1,2-Carbon atom rearrangement has been broadly applied as a guiding strategy in complex molecule assembly. As it entails the carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom bond migration between two vicinal atoms, this type of reaction is capable of generating structural complexity through a molecular skeletal reorganization. This review will focus on recent employment of this strategy in the total synthesis of natural products, highlighting the exceptional utility of such synthetic methodologies in the construction of intricate carbocycles, heterocycles or structurally complex motifs from synthetically more accessible precursors.

Asymmetric conjugate additions of 2-substituted benzofuran-3(2H)-ones to α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by chiral copper complexes

A highly enantioselective conjugate addition of 2-substituted benzofuran-3(2H)-ones to α,β-unsaturated ketones promoted by chiral copper complexes has been developed.

Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Oxidative Dearomatization of Naphthols with Quinones

A highly enantioselective oxidative dearomatization of naphthols with quinones catalyzed by a chiral spirocyclic phosphoric acid is described. The strategy provides concise access to enantioenriched cyclohexadienones with a quinone moiety. Remarkably, the obtained products could be easily transformed to a potentially useful dihydronaphtho[2,1-b]benzofuran scaffold.