Palladium-Catalyzed [3 + 2]-C-C/N-C Bond-Forming Annulation

La(OTf)3-Catalyzed [3+2] Cycloaddition Reactions for the Synthesis of Benzo[d]oxazoles/Benzofurans

The La(OTf)3-catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition reactions for the synthesis of benzo[d]oxazoles/benzofurans via quinones and 1,2-di-tert-butyl-3-(cyanimino)diaziridine (1,3-di-tert-butyl-2-cyanoguanidine)/vinyl azides have been explored. A series of 5-hydroxybenzofuran-4-carboxylic acid derivatives and 5-hydroxybenzo[d]oxazole-4-carboxylic acid derivatives were conveniently obtained with high yields and good stereoselectivities, which could be used for further transformations to valuable compounds.

P2O5-Promoted Cyclization of Di[aryl(hetaryl)methyl] Malonic Acids as a Pathway to Fused Spiro[4.4]nonane-1,6-Diones

Conventional spiro-linked conjugated materials are attractive for organic optoelectronic applications due to the unique combination of their optical and electronic properties. However, spiro-linked conjugated materials with conjugation extension directed along the main axis of the molecule are still only rare examples among the vast number of spiro-linked conjugated materials. Herein, the synthesis, leading to π-extended spiro-linked conjugated materials─spiro[4.4]nonane-1,6-diones and spiro[5.5]undecane-1,7-diones─has been developed and optimized. The proposed design concept starts from readily available malonic esters and contains several steps: double alkylation of malonic ester with bromomethylaryl(hetaryl)s; conversion of a malonic ester into the corresponding malonic acid; electrophilic spirocyclization of the latter into the annulated spiro[4.4]nonane-1,6-dione or spiro[5.5]undecane-1,7-dione in the presence of phosphorus pentoxide. On the basis of these insights, the developed method yielded spiro-linked conjugated cores fused with benzene, thiophene, and naphthalene, decorated with active halogen atoms. The structures of the synthesized spirocycles were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Benzene fused spiro[4.4]nonane-1,6-dione decorated with bromine atoms was transformed into V-shape phenylene-thiophene co-oligomer type spirodimers via Stille coupling. The spiro-bis(4-n-dodecylphenyl)-2,2'-bithiophene derivative possessed high photoluminescence properties in both solution and solid state with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) of 38%.

Efficient Piancatelli rearrangement on a large scale using the Zippertex technology under subcritical water conditions

A series of furyl carbinols, which were directly obtained from a bio-sourced raw material, were efficiently transformed into cyclopentenone derivatives in good yields and on a large scale using the Zippertex technology under subcritical water conditions.

Palladium-Catalyzed Stereoselective Aza-Wacker-Heck Cyclization: One-Pot Stepwise Strategy toward Tetracyclic Fused Heterocycles

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular tandem cyclization reactions were conducted for the synthesis of densely cis/cis-fused aza-tetracyclic structures. The process involved a palladium(II)-catalyzed aerobic aza-Wacker reaction, followed by a palladium(0)-catalyzed Heck reaction. The effects of the solvent and benzene substitution pattern on the one-pot, two-step cascade reaction were studied systematically, and a probable mechanism was proposed. Strained pentahydrobenzo[f]cyclopenta[hi]indolizin-6-one and racemic γ-lycorane can also be synthesized rapidly using this palladium-catalyzed aza-Wacker-Heck cyclization reaction.

Switchable selectivity in Pd-catalyzed [3 + 2] annulations of γ-oxy-2-cycloalkenones with 3-oxoglutarates: C-C/C-C vs C-C/O-C bond formation

Two complementary [3 + 2] annulation protocols between 3-oxoglutarates and cyclic γ-oxy-2-cycloalkenones, simply differing on the reaction temperature, are disclosed. These domino transformations allow C-C/O-C or C-C/C-C [3 + 2] annulations at will, via an intermolecular Pd-catalyzed C-allylation/intramolecular O- or C-1,4-addition sequence, respectively. In particular, exploiting the reversibility of the O-1,4-addition step, in combination with the irreversible C-1,4-addition/decarboxylation path, the intramolecular conjugate addition step could be diverted from the kinetic (O-alkylation) to the thermodynamic path (C-alkylation) thanks to a simple temperature increase. Crucial for the success of this bis-nucleophile/bis-electrophile [3 + 2] annulation is its well-defined step chronology in combination with the total chemoselectivity of the former step. This [3 + 2] C-C/O-C bond forming annulation protocol could be also extended to 1,3,5-triketones as well as 1,3-bis-sulfonylpropan-2-one bis-nucleophiles.