Photoinduced Divergent Alkylation/Acylation of Pyridine N-Oxides with Alkynes under Anaerobic and Aerobic Conditions

Photoredox-Catalyzed Divergent Radical Cascade Annulations of 1,6-Enynes via Pyridine N-Oxide-Promoted Vinyl Radical Generation

The divergent organophotoredox-catalyzed radical cascade annulation reactions of 1,6-enynes were developed. A series of cyclopropane-fused hetero- and carbo-bicyclic, tricyclic, and spiro-tetracyclic compounds were facilely synthesized from a broad scope of 1,6-enynes and 2,6-lutidine N-oxide under mild and metal-free conditions with blue light-emitting diode light irradiation. The cascade annulation reaction occurs with the intermediacy of a β-oxyvinyl radical, which is produced from photocatalytically generated pyridine N-oxy radical addition to the carbon-carbon triple bond.

Recent Advances in C-H Functionalisation through Indirect Hydrogen Atom Transfer

The functionalisation of C-H bonds has been an enormous achievement in synthetic methodology, enabling new retrosynthetic disconnections and affording simple synthetic equivalents for synthons. Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) is a key method for forming alkyl radicals from C-H substrates. Classic reactions, including the Barton nitrite ester reaction and Hofmann-Löffler-Freytag reaction, among others, provided early examples of HAT. However, recent developments in photoredox catalysis and electrochemistry have made HAT a powerful synthetic tool capable of introducing a wide range of functional groups into C-H bonds. Moreover, greater mechanistic insights into HAT have stimulated the development of increasingly site-selective protocols. Site-selectivity can be achieved through the tuning of electron density at certain C-H bonds using additives, a judicious choice of HAT reagent, and a solvent system. Herein, we describe the latest methods for functionalizing C-H/Si-H/Ge-H bonds using indirect HAT between 2018-2023, as well as a critical discussion of new HAT reagents, mechanistic aspects, substrate scopes, and background contexts of the protocols.

Synthesis of quinoxaline derivatives via aromatic nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen

The electrophilic nature of quinoxaline has been explored in the vicarious nucleophilic substitution (VNS) of hydrogen with various carbanions as nucleophiles in an attempt to develop a general method for functionalizing the heterocyclic ring. Only poorly stabilized nitrile carbanions were found to give the VNS products. 2-Chloroquinoxaline gave products of S_NAr of chlorine preferentially. A variety of quinoxaline derivatives containing cyanoalkyl, sulfonylalkyl, benzyl or ester substituents, including fluorinated ones, have been prepared in the VNS reactions with quinoxaline N-oxide.

Photocatalytic Late-Stage C-H Functionalization

The emergence of modern photocatalysis, characterized by mildness and selectivity, has significantly spurred innovative late-stage C-H functionalization approaches that make use of low energy photons as a controllable energy source. Compared to traditional late-stage functionalization strategies, photocatalysis paves the way toward complementary and/or previously unattainable regio- and chemoselectivities. Merging the compelling benefits of photocatalysis with the late-stage functionalization workflow offers a potentially unmatched arsenal to tackle drug development campaigns and beyond. This Review highlights the photocatalytic late-stage C-H functionalization strategies of small-molecule drugs, agrochemicals, and natural products, classified according to the targeted C-H bond and the newly formed one. Emphasis is devoted to identifying, describing, and comparing the main mechanistic scenarios. The Review draws a critical comparison between established ionic chemistry and photocatalyzed radical-based manifolds. The Review aims to establish the current state-of-the-art and illustrate the key unsolved challenges to be addressed in the future. The authors aim to introduce the general readership to the main approaches toward photocatalytic late-stage C-H functionalization, and specialist practitioners to the critical evaluation of the current methodologies, potential for improvement, and future uncharted directions.

Recent Advances in Catalytic and Technology-Driven Radical Addition to N,N-Disubstituted Iminium Species

Recently, radical chemistry has grown exponentially in the toolbox of organic synthetic chemists. Upon the (re)introduction of modern catalytic and technology-driven strategies, the implementation of highly reactive radical species is currently facilitated while expanding the scope of numerous synthetic methodologies. In this context, this review intends to cover the recent advances in radical-based transformations of N,N-disubstituted iminium substrates that encompass unique reactivities with respect to imines or protonated iminium salts. In particular, we have focused on the literature concerning the dipole type substrates, such as nitrones or azomethine imines, together with the chemistry of N⁺-X^- (X = O, NR) azaarenium dipoles, which proved to be very versatile platforms in that field of research. The N-alkylazaarenium salts were been considered, which demonstrated specific reactivity profiles in radical chemistry.

Aliphatic C-H Functionalization Using Pyridine N-Oxides as H-Atom Abstraction Agents

The alkylation and heteroarylation of unactivated tertiary, secondary, and primary C(sp3)-H bonds was achieved by employing an acridinium photoredox catalyst along with readily available pyridine Noxides as hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) precursors under visible light. Oxygen-centered radicals, generated by single-electron oxidation of the Noxides, are the proposed key intermediates whose reactivity can be easily modified by structural adjustments. A broad range of aliphatic C-H substrates with electron-donating or -withdrawing groups as well as various olefinic radical acceptors and heteroarenes were well tolerated.

HFIP in Organic Synthesis

1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) is a polar, strongly hydrogen bond-donating solvent that has found numerous uses in organic synthesis due to its ability to stabilize ionic species, transfer protons, and engage in a range of other intermolecular interactions. The use of this solvent has exponentially increased in the past decade and has become a solvent of choice in some areas, such as C-H functionalization chemistry. In this review, following a brief history of HFIP in organic synthesis and an overview of its physical properties, literature examples of organic reactions using HFIP as a solvent or an additive are presented, emphasizing the effect of solvent of each reaction.

Visible-Light-Induced C4-Selective Functionalization of Pyridinium Salts with Cyclopropanols

The site-selective C-H functionalization of heteroarenes is of considerable importance for streamlining the rapid modification of bioactive molecules. Herein, we report a general strategy for visible-light-induced β-carbonyl alkylation at the C4 position of pyridines with high site selectivity using various cyclopropanols and N-amidopyridinium salts. In this process, hydrogen-atom transfer between the generated sulfonamidyl radicals and O-H bonds of cyclopropanols generates β-carbonyl radicals, providing efficient access to synthetically valuable β-pyridylated (aryl)ketones, aldehydes, and esters with broad functional-group tolerance. In addition, the mild method serves as an effective tool for the site-selective late-stage functionalization of complex and medicinally relevant molecules.

Photocatalytic redox-neutral arylation of cyclopropanols with cyanoarenes via radical-mediated C–C and C–CN bond cleavage

β-arylated ketones widely exist in many biologically active molecules and natural products. Herein, we disrcibled a photocatalytic redox-neutral arylation of cyclopropanols with cyanoarenes via radical-mediated C–C and C–CN bond cleavage...

Regiodivergent Conversion of Alkenes to Branched or Linear Alkylpyridines

Herein we report a practical protocol for the visible-light-induced regiodivergent radical hydropyridylation of unactivated alkenes using pyridinium salts. This approach provides a unified synthetic platform to control the regioselectivity of the synthesis of linear or branched C4-alkylated pyridines. A remarkable selectivity switch from the anti-Markovnikov to the Markovnikov product can be achieved by the addition of tetrabutylammonium bromide. The versatility of this protocol is further demonstrated based on the late-stage functionalization in pharmaceuticals.

Remote C-H Pyridylation of Hydroxamates through Direct Photoexcitation of O-Aryl Oxime Pyridinium Intermediates

Herein, we report an efficient strategy for the remote C-H pyridylation of hydroxamates with excellent ortho-selectivity by designing a new class of photon-absorbing O-aryl oxime pyridinium salts generated in situ from the corresponding pyridines and hydroxamates. When irradiated by visible light, the photoexcitation of oxime pyridinium intermediates generates iminyl radicals via the photolytic N-O bond cleavage, which does not require an external photocatalyst. The efficiency of light absorption and N-O bond cleavage of the oxime pyridinium salts can be modulated through the electronic effect of substitution on the O-aryl ring. The resultant iminyl radicals enable the installation of pyridyl rings at the γ-CN position, which yields synthetically valuable C2-substituted pyridyl derivatives. This novel synthetic approach provides significant advantages in terms of both efficiency and simplicity and exhibits broad functional group tolerance in complex settings under mild and metal-free conditions.

Alternative and Uncommon Acylating Agents - An Alive and Kicking Methodology

Functionalizing and derivatising organic molecules is a centerpiece in organic synthesis. Succinctly manipulating and installing acyl moieties in organic molecules spurred the interest of chemists owing to its occurrence in natural products, bioactive molecules, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials. Traditionally, access to acylation reaction was achieved by Friedel-Crafts reaction, Schotten-Baumann, and Vilsmeier-Haack acylation, however, these protocols own pitfalls. Further to make the acylation process attractive and environmentally friendly, toluene, aldehydes, alcohols, α-keto acids, amines, amides, esters, ethers, nitriles, alkynes, alkenes, ketenes, N-acylbenzotriazoles, ketones, thioacids, oximes, thiazolium carbinols, PIDA, diacyl disulfides and acyl salts were used as an acyl surrogates/reagents. Amusingly, these acylating reagents are considered uncommon and alternative to carboxylic acids, acid chlorides and acetic anhydrides. This short review aims to encompass the usage of acylating agents in transition-metal, metal-free, light-driven and other demanding conditions, and thus reveals their practicality.

Recent Progress in Enolonium Chemistry under Metal-Free Conditions

Umpolung approach through inversion of the polarity of conventional enolates, has opened up an unprecedented opportunity in the cross-coupling via alkylation. The enolonium equivalents can be accessed either by hypervalent iodine reagents, activation/oxidation of amides, or the oxidation of alkynes. Under umpolung conditions, highly basic conditions required for classical enolate chemistry can be avoided, and they can couple with unmodified nucleophiles such as heteroatom donors and electron-rich arenes.

Visible Light-Driven, Copper-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Cleavage of Cycloalkanones

A visible light-driven, copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative cleavage of cycloalkanones has been presented. A variety of cycloalkanones with varying ring sizes and various α-substituents reacted well to give the distal keto acids or dicarboxylic acids with moderate to good yields.

Photoinduced oxidative cyclopropanation of ene-ynamides: synthesis of 3-aza[n.1.0]bicycles via vinyl radicals

The first photoinduced synthesis of polyfunctionalized 3-aza[n.1.0]bicycles from readily available ene-ynamides and 2,6-lutidine N-oxide using an organic acridinium photocatalyst is reported. Applying a photocatalytic strategy to the reactive distonic cation vinyl radical intermediate from ynamide, a series of bio-valuable 3-azabicycles, including diverse 3-azabicyclio[4.1.0]heptanes and 3-azabicyclo[5.1.0]octanes that are challenging to accomplish using traditional methods, have been successfully synthesized in good to high yields under mild and metal-free conditions. Mechanistic studies are consistent with the photocatalyzed single-electron oxidation of ene-ynamide and the intermediacy of a putative cationic vinyl radical in this transformation. Importantly, this strategy provides new access to the development of photocatalytic vinyl radical cascades for the synthesis of structurally sophisticated substrates.

Visible-Light-Induced Photocatalytic Oxidative Decarboxylation of Cinnamic Acids to 1,2-Diketones

A concerted metallophotoredox catalysis has been realized for the efficient decarboxylative functionalization of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids with aryl iodides in the presence of perylene bisimide dye to afford 1,2-diketones.

Divergent reactivity of sulfinates with pyridinium salts based on one- versus two-electron pathways

One of the main goals of modern synthesis is to develop distinct reaction pathways from identical starting materials for the efficient synthesis of diverse compounds. Herein, we disclose the unique divergent reactivity of the combination sets of pyridinium salts and sulfinates to achieve sulfonative pyridylation of alkenes and direct C4-sulfonylation of pyridines by controlling the one- versus two-electron reaction manifolds for the selective formation of each product. Base-catalyzed cross-coupling between sulfinates and N-amidopyridinium salts led to the direct introduction of a sulfonyl group into the C4 position of pyridines. Remarkably, the reactivity of this set of compounds is completely altered upon exposure to visible light: electron donor-acceptor complexes of N-amidopyridinium salts and sulfinates are formed to enable access to sulfonyl radicals. In this catalyst-free radical pathway, both sulfonyl and pyridyl groups could be incorporated into alkenes via a three-component reaction, which provides facile access to a variety of β-pyridyl alkyl sulfones. These two reactions are orthogonal and complementary, achieving a broad substrate scope in a late-stage fashion under mild reaction conditions.

Visible-Light-Induced 1,3-Aminopyridylation of [1.1.1]Propellane with N-Aminopyridinium Salts

Through the formation of an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex, strain-release aminopyridylation of [1.1.1]propellane with N-aminopyridinium salts as bifunctional reagents enabled the direct installation of amino and pyridyl groups onto bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP) frameworks in the absence of an external photocatalyst. The robustness of this method to synthesize 1,3-aminopyridylated BCPs under mild and metal-free conditions is highlighted by the late-stage modification of structurally complex biorelevant molecules. Moreover, the strategy was extended to P-centered and CF₃ radicals for the unprecedented incorporation of such functional groups with pyridine across the BCP core in a three-component coupling. This practical method lays the foundation for the straightforward construction of new valuable C4-pyridine-functionalized BCP chemical entities, thus significantly expanding the range of accessibility of BCP-type bioisosteres for applications in drug discovery.

Visible light-induced aerobic dioxygenation of α,β-unsaturated amides/alkenes toward selective synthesis of β-oxy alcohols using rose bengal as a photosensitizer

The first visible light-induced aerobic dioxygenation of alkenes for the selective synthesis of β-oxy alcohols was developed using non-toxic rose bengal as a photosensitizer.

Recent Developments in Transition-Metal-Free Functionalization and Derivatization Reactions of Pyridines

Pyridine is an important structural motif that is prevalent in natural products, drugs, and materials. Methods that functionalize and derivatize pyridines have gained significant attention. Recently, a large number of transition-metal-free reactions have been developed. In this review, we provide a brief summary of recent advances in transition-metal-free functionalization and derivatization reactions of pyridines, categorized according to their reaction modes.

1 Introduction

2 Metalated Pyridines as Nucleophiles

2.1 Deprotonation

2.2 Halogen–Metal exchange

3 Activated Pyridines as Electrophiles

3.1 Asymmetric 2-Allylation by Chiral Phosphite Catalysis

3.2 Activation of Pyridines by a Bifunctional Activating Group

3.3 Alkylation of Pyridines by 1,2-Migration

3.4 Alkylation of Pyridines by [3+2] Addition

3.5 Pyridine Derivatization by Catalytic In Situ Activation Strategies

3.6 Reactions via Heterocyclic Phosphonium Salts

4 Radical Reactions for Pyridine Functionalization

4.1 Pyridine Functionalization through Radical Addition Reactions

4.2 Pyridine Functionalization through Radical–Radical Coupling Reactions

5 Derivatization of Pyridines through the Formation of Meisenheimer-Type Pyridyl Anions

6 Conclusion

Redox-regulated divergence in photocatalytic addition of α-nitro alkyl radicals to styrenes

A divergent photocatalytic system for the reaction of α-bromo nitroalkanes with styrene derivatives is established, wherein the generation of the persistent nitroxyl radical as a junctional intermediate and suitable tuning of the redox ability of the system constitute the crucial elements for achieving rigorous control over the possible reaction pathways.

Deoxygenative Amination of Azine-N-oxides with Acyl Azides via [3 + 2] Cycloaddition

A transition-metal-free deoxygenative C-H amination reaction of azine-N-oxides with acyl azides is described. The initial formation of an isocyanate from the starting acyl azide via a Curtius rearrangement can trigger a [3 + 2] dipolar cycloaddition of polar N-oxide fragments to generate the aminated azine derivative. The applicability of this method is highlighted by the late-stage and sequential amination reactions of complex bioactive compounds, including quinidine and fasudil. Moreover, the direct transformation of aminated azines into various bioactive N-heterocycles illustrates the significance of this newly developed protocol.

Copper-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation reaction of β-enaminones and aryl diazonium salts without external oxidant: synthesis of highly functionalized 3H-1,2,4-triazines via homogeneous or heterogeneous strategy

Herein, both homogeneous and heterogeneous strategies were developed to access highly functionalized 3H-1,2,4-triazines using Cu-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation.

Synthesis of 3-(2-quinolyl) chromones from ynones and quinoline N-oxides via tandem reactions under transition metal- and additive-free conditions

The synthesis of 3-(2-quinolyl) chromones from ynones and quinoline N-oxides via a sequential [3+2] cycloaddition/ring-opening/O-arylation reaction under transition metal- and additive-free conditions is reported.

Rose bengal as photocatalyst: visible light-mediated Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indoles with nitroalkenes in water

A novel and facile visible-light-mediated alkylation of indoles and nitroalkenes has been developed. In this protocol, rose bengal acts as a photosensitizer, and environmentally benign water was used as the green and efficient reaction medium. Indoles reacted smoothly with nitroalkenes under the irradiation of visible-light and generated corresponding 3-(2-nitroalkyl)indoles in moderate to good yields (up to 87%).

A novel and facile visible-light-mediated alkylation of indoles and nitroalkenes has been developed.

Visible-Light-Induced Remote C(sp3)-H Pyridylation of Sulfonamides and Carboxamides

Visible-light-induced site-selective C(sp³)-H pyridylation of amides has been accomplished using N-amidopyridinium salts. The N-centered radicals generated by the single-electron reduction of N-amidopyridinium substrates undergo 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer to form alkyl radical intermediates. Excellent C4-selectivity in radical trapping with pyridinium salts is observed for the alkyl radicals to provide δ-pyridyl sulfonamides and γ-pyridyl carboxamides. The utility is demonstrated by offering a practical approach for the late-stage functionalization of complex amide derivatives.