Formic Acid-Driven Rapid and Green Anti-Markovnikov Hydrothiolation of Styrenes

Synthesis of Sulfur-Containing Analogues of Hedychenone, a Labdane Diterpenoid from Hedychium spicatum

The labdane diterpene hedychenone, isolated from Hedychium spicatum, is an example of a furan-containing natural product. Herein, a new and efficient method for the synthesis of 19 new thio analogues of hedychenone is reported. The present methodology exhibits a broad substrate scope with good to excellent yields without metal or base under mild reaction conditions. The natural compound 1 and four semisynthetic derivatives (3a, 3b, 3i, and 3j) exhibited strong α-glucosidase inhibition activity with IC₅₀ values of 15.93 ± 0.29, 9.70 ± 0.33, 11.82 ± 0.06, 12.23 ± 0.33, and 12.15 ± 0.14 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, compound 3e (6.0 ± 0.04 mm; zone of inhibition) displayed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. This study increases the chemical diversity of bioactive hedychenone derivatives and provides a direction for the development of antidiabetic agents.

Solvent-mediated switching between oxidative addition and addition–oxidation: access to β-hydroxysulfides and β-arylsulfones by the addition of thiols to olefins in the presence of Oxone

Solvent-switching allows formation of either β-hydroxy-2-arylethyl aryl sulfides or 2-arylethyl aryl sulfones exclusively in thiol–ene ‘click’ reactions conducted with Oxone.

Reported Catalytic Hydrofunctionalizations that Proceed in the Absence of Catalysts: The Importance of Control Experiments

The enlarged landscape of catalysis lies in the heart of chemistry. As the journey has set a milestone in organic synthesis, its darker side has not entered into the limelight. Studies disclose that the reported reactions by using catalysts were also attainable in the absence of catalysts in many cases. This article presents a literature collection that includes the significance of control experiments in hydrofunctionalization reactions. Systematic analysis reveals that the catalysts are ambiguous and might be unessential in chemical reactions enlisted here.