Access to Isoxazolidines through Visible-Light-Induced Difunctionalization of Alkenes

Access to Chromenopyrrolidines Enabled by Organophotocatalyzed [2 + 2 + 1] Annulation of Chromones with N-Arylglycines

A facile approach toward chromenopyrrolidines was achieved under mild conditions via organophotocatalyzed aerobic decarboxylative [2 + 2 + 1] annulation of chromones with N-arylglycines, in which N-arylglycines perform dual roles (i.e., radical precursor and methylene provider). Mechanistic studies suggested that a Giese-type radical addition and consequent Mannich pathway were likely responsible for the annulation reaction.

Overcoming Back Electron Transfer in the Electron Donor-Acceptor Complex-Mediated Visible Light-Driven Generation of α-Aminoalkyl Radicals from Secondary Anilines

An additive-free, visible light-driven annulation between N-aryl amino acids and maleimide to form tetrahydroquinolines (THQs) is disclosed. Photochemical activation of an electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complex between amino acids and maleimides drives the reaction, and aerobic oxygen acts as the terminal oxidant in the net oxidative process. A range of N-aryl amino acids and maleimides have been investigated as substrates to furnish the target THQ in good to excellent yield. Mechanistic investigations, including titration and UV-vis studies, demonstrate the key role of the EDA complex as the photoactive species.

Additive-free synthesis of fused tricyclic cyanoisoxazolidines using in situ formed cyanonitrones

Herein, we disclose the first report on the generation of cyanonitrone in situ from diazoacetonitrile and nitrosoarene, and its subsequent [3+2] cycloaddition with oxabicyclic alkenes to access fused tricyclic cyanoisoxazolidines. Further, this methodology could be extended to access fused tricyclic trifluoromethylated and phosphonylated isoxazolidines. Surprisingly, the reductive ring-opening of cyanoisoxazolidines was followed by a spontaneous lactonization to produce fused tricyclic amino lactones. Moreover, the N-O bond of the obtained tricyclic trifluoromethylated isoxazolidines could be cleaved to obtain 1,3-amino alcohols.

Photo-induced redox cascade reaction of nitroarenes and amines

A photo-induced redox cascade reaction has been developed for the chemoselective construction of isoxazolidine derivatives from stable and easily available nitroarenes and amines.

Organophotoredox-Catalyzed Sulfurization of Alkenes and Alkynes: Selective and Controlled Synthesis of Sulfoxides, β-Hydroxysulfoxides, and β-Keto Sulfides

A visible-light organophotoredox-catalyzed sulfurization of alkenes and alkynes with aromatic and heteroaromatic thiols using eco-friendly air (O₂) as the sole oxidant has been demonstrated. The established method delivers a novel, benign, and metal-free strategy for the difunctionalization of alkenes and alkynes using organophotoredox catalyst Eosin Y. The selective and controlled synthetic approach shows good substrate generality to afford sulfoxides, β-hydroxysulfoxides, and β-keto sulfides in high yield and excellent regioselectivity.

Direct decarboxylative Giese reactions

The quest to find milder and more sustainable methods to generate highly reactive, carbon-centred intermediates has led to a resurgence of interest in radical chemistry. In particular, carboxylic acids are seen as attractive radical precursors due their availability, low cost, diversity, and sustainability. Moreover, the corresponding nucleophilic carbon-radical can be easily accessed through a favourable radical decarboxylation process, extruding CO₂ as a traceless by-product. This review summarizes the recent progress on using carboxylic acids directly as convenient radical precursors for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds via the 1,4-radical conjugate addition (Giese) reaction.

Catalyst-free visible light-induced decarboxylative amination of glycine derivatives with azo compounds

A visible light-induced, catalyst-free decarboxylative amination of glycine derivatives with azo compounds was achieved to deliver functionalized aminals under mild reaction conditions.

Hydrazones as Substrates in the Synthesis of Isoxazolidines via a KOH-Promoted One-Pot Three-Component Cycloaddition with Nitroso Compounds and Olefins

Hydrazones have been employed as the starting materials in a KOH-mediated one-pot three-component cycloaddition with readily accessible nitroso compounds and olefins to construct various isoxazolidines. Compared with diazo compounds as starting materials, this methodology could afford a wider range of products in good to excellent yields and diastereoselectivities for most substrates, and hydrazones are cheaper, more accessible, and safer substrates. The experimental study shows that the choice of suitable hydrazones is crucial.

A visible-light-induced thiol addition/aerobic oxidation cascade reaction of epoxides and thiols for the synthesis of β-hydroxylsulfoxides

A photochemical thiol addition/aerobic oxidation cascade reaction has been developed. This protocol enables efficient oxidative coupling of epoxides and thiols to access structurally valuable β-hydroxylsulfoxides. A broad range of functional groups are compatible to obtain moderate to good yields of the target products. Mechanistic studies revealed a sequential reaction pathway involving base-promoted thiol addition of thiols to epoxides and visible-light-induced aerobic oxygenation of thioethers.

Photoredox Catalytic Phosphite-Mediated Deoxygenation of α-Diketones Enables Wolff Rearrangement and Staudinger Synthesis of β-Lactams

A novel visible-light-driven catalytic activation of C=O bonds by exploiting the photoredox chemistry of 1,3,2-dioxaphospholes, readily accessible from α-diketones and trialkyl phosphites, is reported. This mild and environmentally friendly strategy provides an unprecedented and efficient access to the Wolff rearrangement reaction which traditionally entails α-diazoketones as precursors. The resulting ketenes could be precisely trapped by alcohols/thiols to give α-aryl (thio)acetates and by imines to afford the valuable β-lactams in up to 99 % yields.

Efficient copper(i)-catalyzed oxidative intermolecular 1,2-estersulfenylation of styrenes with peroxyesters and disulfides

A simple and practical method for the synthesis of thio-substituted esters through copper(i)-catalyzed intermolecular 1,2-estersulfenylation of styrenes with peroxyesters and disulfides was developed. In this transformation, two new C-S bond and C-O bond were constructed simultaneously under a copper catalyst system, and the transformation exhibits a broad substrate scope and good functional group compatibility. In addition, this method can also be applied to arylthiols. It should be noted that peroxyesters not only acted as nucleophilic reagents but also as oxidants.

NBS/DBU-Promoted One-Pot Three-Component Cycloaddition of Malonic Acid Derivatives, Nitrosoarenes, and Alkenes: Synthesis of Isoxazolidines

A general DBU-mediated one-pot three-component cycloaddition reaction of easily accessible malonic acid derivatives, nitrosoarenes, and alkenes has been successfully established with the aid of NBS to provide direct access to highly functionalized isoxazolidine derivatives with generally good to excellent yields, broad functional group tolerance, and excellent regio- and diastereo-selectivities under mild conditions. The mechanism study shows that the NBS-mediated formation of bromomalonic acid derivatives from malonic acid derivatives and DBU-promoted synthesis of nitrone intermediates via the reaction of bromomalonic acid derivatives with nitrosoarenes are key steps.

N-Alkyl nitrones as substrates for access to N-aryl isoxazolidines via a catalyst-free one-pot three-component reaction with nitroso compounds and olefins

N-Alkyl nitrones are used as starting materials to construct N-aryl isoxazolidines, instead of N-alkyl isoxazolidines or N–H 1,3-oxazinanes via a catalyst-free one-pot three-component reaction with nitrosoarenes and olefins.

Synthesis of isoxazolidines via catalyst-free one-pot three-component cycloaddition of sulfoxonium ylides, nitrosoarenes and alkenes

A general and practical strategy for the construction of various keto-substituted isoxazolidines via one-pot three-component reaction of easily accessible, safer and more stable sulfoxonium ylides, nitrosoarenes and olefins is described.

ArNMeCH(SiMe3)2: a useful precursor of formal α-aminoalkyl diradicals in visible-light-mediated homo- and hetero-diaddition with alkenes

ArNMeCH(SiMe₃)₂ has been developed as a useful precursor of a formal α-aminoalkyl diradical in Ru(bpy)₃Cl₂-catalzyed addition with alkenes under visible-light-mediated photoredox conditions. This approach leads to homo-diaddition with two identical alkenes in one-pot, or hetero-diaddition with two different alkenes via a sequential operation.