Trimethyl phosphite as a trap for alkoxy radicals formed from the ring opening of oxiranylcarbinyl radicals. Conversion to alkenes. Mechanistic applications to the study of C-C versus C-O ring cleavage

Unlocking the Potential of β-Fragmentation of Aminophosphoranyl Radicals for Sulfonyl Radical Reactions

Exploiting β-scission in aminophosphoranyl radicals for radical-mediated transformations has been a longstanding challenge. In this study, we investigated the untapped potential of β-fragmentation in aminophosphoranyl radicals by leveraging the unique properties of the P-N bond and the substituents of P(III) reagents. Our approach carefully considers factors such as cone angle and electronic properties of phosphine and employs density functional theory (DFT) calculations to probe structural and molecular orbital influence. We successfully induced β-fragmentation through N-S bond cleavage of aminophosphoranyl radicals under visible light and mild conditions, generating a range of sulfonyl radicals derived from pyridinium salts via the photochemical activity of electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes. This innovative synthetic strategy exhibits broad applicability, including late-stage functionalization, and paves the way for valuable sulfonyl radical-mediated reactions, such as alkene hydrosulfonylation, difunctionalization, and pyridylic C-H sulfonylation.

Selective Approaches to α- and β-Arylated Vinyl Ethers

We developed simple and efficient protocols for palladium‐catalyzed regioselective α‐ and β‐arylations of structurally diverse vinyl ethers. Both catalytic methods proceed under relatively mild reactions conditions applying to a broad substrate range including more complex compounds providing arylated glucal or isochromene. Lacking the common requirement of a large reagent excess, the transformations are highly economic and limiting the waste production. Results from computational studies (DFT) provided insight into the key factors determining the pronounced regioselectivities of the investigated reactions.

Phosphine/Photoredox Catalyzed Anti-Markovnikov Hydroamination of Olefins with Primary Sulfonamides via α-Scission from Phosphoranyl Radicals

New strategies to access radicals from common feedstock chemicals hold the potential to broadly impact synthetic chemistry. We report a dual phosphine and photoredox catalytic system that enables direct formation of sulfonamidyl radicals from primary sulfonamides. Mechanistic investigations support that the N-centered radical is generated via α-scission of the P-N bond of a phosphoranyl radical intermediate, formed by sulfonamide nucleophilic addition to a phosphine radical cation. As compared to the recently well-explored β-scission chemistry of phosphoranyl radicals, this strategy is applicable to activation of N-based nucleophiles and is catalytic in phosphine. We highlight application of this activation strategy to an intermolecular anti-Markovnikov hydroamination of unactivated olefins with primary sulfonamides. A range of structurally diverse secondary sulfonamides can be prepared in good to excellent yields under mild conditions.

Phosphoranyl Radical Fragmentation Reactions Driven by Photoredox Catalysis

Photocatalytic generation of phosphoranyl radicals is fast emerging as an essential method for the generation of diverse and valuable radicals, typically via deoxygenation or desulfurization processes. This Perspective is a comprehensive evaluation of all studies using phosphoranyl radicals as tunable mediators in photoredox catalysis, highlighting how two distinct methods for phosphoranyl radical formation (radical addition and nucleophilic addition) can be used to generate versatile radical intermediates with diverse reactivity profiles.

Dark-Binding Process Relevant to Preventing Photosensitized Oxidation: Conformation-Dependent Light and Dark Mechanisms by a Dual-Functioning Diketone

Few photosensitizers function in both light and dark processes as they usually have no function when the lights are turned off. We hypothesized that light and dark mechanisms in an α-diketone will be decoupled by dihedral rotation in a conformation-dependent binding process. Successful decoupling of these two functions is now shown. Namely, anti- and syn-skewed conformations of 4,4'-dimethylbenzil promote photosensitized alkoxy radical production, whereas the syn conformation promotes a binding shutoff reaction with trimethyl phosphite. Less rotation of the diketone is better suited to the photosensitizing function since phosphite binding arises through the syn conformer of lower stability. The dual function seen here with the α-diketone is generally not available to sensitizers of limited conformational flexibility, such as porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and fullerenes.

(Z)-Selective Enol Triflation of α-Alkoxyacetoaldehydes: Application to Synthesis of (Z)-Allylic Alcohols via Cross-Coupling Reaction and [1,2]-Wittig Rearrangement

The stereoselective transformation of α-alkoxyacetoaldehydes to the corresponding (Z)-vinyl triflates was achieved by treatment with phenyl triflimide and DBU. The stereochemistry was explained by the "syn-effect," which was attributed primarily to an σ → π* interaction. The β-alkoxy vinyl triflates obtained were applied to the stereoselective synthesis of structurally diverse (Z)-allylic alcohols via transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction and [1,2]-Wittig rearrangement.

Synthesis of Epoxyquinol A and Related Molecules: Probing Chemical Reactivity of Epoxyquinol Dimers and 2H-Pyran Precursors

Total syntheses of the epoxyquinoid dimers, epoxyquinols A, B, and epoxytwinol A (RKB-3564 D), have been accomplished employing [4 + 2] and [4 + 4] dimerization of 2H-pyran epoxyquinol monomers. Modifications of 2H-pyran precursors have been explored, including alteration of epoxy alcohol and diene stereochemistry. A stable 2H-pyran prepared by alteration of the epoxyquinol 2H-pyran nucleus was evaluated as a diene in Diels-Alder cycloaddition with reactive dienophiles. Extensive studies for improving the [4 + 4] dimerization of selectively protected 2H-pyran monomers to afford the novel epoxyquinoid dimer epoxytwinol A were carried out, and valuable insight regarding competitive [4 + 2] and [4 + 4] dimerization processes has been obtained. In addition, chemical reactivities and structural modifications of epoxyquinol dimers have been evaluated, including [2 + 2] photocycloaddition and [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement, indicating the possibility for production of novel structural diversity from dimeric epoxyquinoid natural product frameworks.