Memory of Axial Chirality in Aryl Radical Phosphanylations

Construction of Bidentate Phosphines Enabled by Photoinduced Reductive Diphosphination of Alkenes

The diphosphination of alkenes through a radical pathway offers a promising approach for the rapid construction of aryl bisphosphines. However, such a synthetic strategy has not been successfully applied to the preparation of alkyl bisphosphines, partially due to the difficulties in the generation of phosphorus-centered radicals from common alkyl phosphine compounds. We herein demonstrate that this challenge can be overcome by hiring Janus-faced chlorophosphine as the phosphine source that can act as not only a radical precursor to generate phosphine-centered radicals but also a radicalphile to capture alkyl radicals. With this novel strategy, a photocatalyzed reductive diphosphination reaction has been established, allowing for a straightforward synthesis of both aryl and alkyl 1,2-bisphosphines from readily accessible alkenes and chlorophosphines.

Radical Phosphorylation of Aliphatic C-H Bonds via Iron Photocatalysis

The synthesis of tertiary phosphines(III) has been a long-standing challenge in synthetic chemistry because of inevitable issues including harsh conditions, sensitive organometallic reagents, and prefunctionalized substrates in traditional synthesis. Herein, we report a strategically novel C(sp3)-H bond phosphorylation that enables the assembly of structurally diverse tertiary phosphines(III) from industrial phosphine(III) sources under mild photocatalytic conditions. The merger of ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) of FeCl3 with the hydrogen atom-transfer (HAT) process is the key for the generation of alkyl radicals from hydrocarbons. Strikingly, this catalytic system can be successfully applied for the polymerization of electron-deficient alkenes.

Recent advances in electrochemical C—H phosphorylation

The activation of C–H bond, and its direct one-step functionalization, is one of the key synthetic methodologies that provides direct access to a variety of practically significant compounds. Particular attention is focused on modifications obtained at the final stages of the synthesis of complicated molecules, which requires high tolerance to the presence of existing functional groups. Phosphorus is an indispensable element of life, and phosphorus chemistry is now experiencing a renaissance due to new emerging applications in medicinal chemistry, materials chemistry (polymers, flame retardants, organic electronics, and photonics), agricultural chemistry (herbicides, insecticides), catalysis (ligands) and other important areas of science and technology. In this regard, the search for new, more selective, low-waste synthetic routes become relevant. In this context, electrosynthesis has proven to be an eco-efficient and convenient approach in many respects, where the reagents are replaced by electrodes, where the reactants are replaced by electrodes, and the applied potential the applied potential determines their “oxidizing or reducing ability”. An electrochemical approach to such processes is being developed rapidly and demonstrates some advantages over traditional classical methods of C-H phosphorylation. The main reasons for success are the exclusion of excess reagents from the reaction system: such as oxidants, reducing agents, and sometimes metal and/or other improvers, which challenge isolation, increase the wastes and reduce the yield due to frequent incompatibility with these functional groups. Ideal conditions include electron as a reactant (regulated by applied potential) and the by-products as hydrogen or hydrocarbon. The review summarizes and analyzes the achievements of electrochemical methods for the preparation of various phosphorus derivatives with carbon-phosphorus bonds, and collects data on the redox properties of the most commonly used phosphorus precursors. Electrochemically induced reactions both with and without catalyst metals, where competitive oxidation of precursors leads to either the activation of C-H bond or to the generation of phosphorus-centered radicals (radical cations) or metal high oxidation states will be examined. The review focuses on publications from the past 5 years.

Atroposelective Catalytic Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation Reaction for Axially Chiral Anilides with Achiral Morita-Baylis-Hillman Carbonates

A highly efficient method to access axially chiral anilides through asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction with achiral Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates by using a biscinchona alkaloid catalyst was reported. Through the atroposelective approach, a broad range of axially chiral anilide products with different acyl groups, such as substituted phenyl, naphthyl, alkyl, enyl, styryl, and benzyl, were generated with very good yields, moderate to excellent cis: trans ratios, and good to excellent enantioselectivities. The reaction can be scaled up, and the synthetic utility of axially chiral anilides was proved by transformations. Moreover, the linear free energy relationship analysis was introduced to investigate the reaction.

Enantioselective N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution of Anilides

The N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed enantioselective kinetic resolution of anilides (a kind of hemiaminals) is reported. Upon exposure to the reaction in the presence of an NHC precatalyst and base, catalytic C-O bond formation occurs, providing axially chiral isoindolinones in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.

A combined density functional theory and numerical simulation investigation of levels of chirality transfer and regioselectivity for the radical cyclizations of N-methyl-, N-ethyl- and N-isopropyl-substituted ortho-halo-N-acryloylanilides

There is a high chirality transfer ratio when the N-alkyl substituent is larger in volume than isopropyl.

Selectivity-switchable construction of benzo-fused polycyclic compounds through a gold-catalyzed reaction of enyne-lactone

A gold-catalyzed selectivity-switchable reaction of enyne-lactone is reported. The choice of the gold complex is the key for the chemoselectivity.

A biphenyl containing two electron-donating and two electron-accepting moieties: a rigid and small donor–acceptor–donor ladder system

A small ladder-type donor–acceptor–donor π-system, a biphenyl furnishing two phosphine oxide bridges and two amino groups, showed significantly red-shifted absorption and fluorescence.

Asymmetric synthesis of axially chiral anilides by Pd-catalyzed allylic substitutions with P/olefin ligands

Palladium-catalyzed allylic substitutions of ortho-substituted anilides using P/olefin ligands were achieved to afford chiral anilides with up to 84% ee.

Homolytic substitution at phosphorus for C-P bond formation in organic synthesis

Organophosphorus compounds are important in organic chemistry. This review article covers emerging, powerful synthetic approaches to organophosphorus compounds by homolytic substitution at phosphorus with a carbon-centered radical. Phosphination reagents include diphosphines, chalcogenophosphines and stannylphosphines, which bear a weak P–heteroatom bond for homolysis. This article deals with two transformations, radical phosphination by addition across unsaturated C–C bonds and substitution of organic halides.

Rotational isomers of N-methyl-N-arylacetamides and their derived enolates: implications for asymmetric Hartwig oxindole cyclizations

The rotational preferences of N-(2-bromo-4,6-dimethylphenyl)-N-methyl 2-phenylpropanamide were studied as a model of precursors for Hartwig asymmetric oxindole cyclizations. The atropisomers of this compound were separated by flash chromatography, and then the enantiomers were resolved and the interconversions of the stereocenter and the N-Ar axis were studied. Under thermal conditions, the axis is very stable. Under the basic conditions of the Hartwig cyclization, both the stereocenter and the chiral axis equilibrate via enolate formation. The N-Ar rotation barrier of a 2-phenylacetamide analogue was reduced from 31 kcal mol(-1) in the precursor to 17 kcal mol(-1) in the enolate. Reasons for this dramatic barrier reduction and implications of both N-Ar and amide C-N rotations for Hartwig cyclizations are discussed.

Polarity-mismatched addition of electrophilic carbon radicals to an electron-deficient acceptor: cascade radical addition-cyclization-trapping reaction

The polarity-mismatched perfluoroalkyl radical addition to electron-deficient alkenes was studied. For this study, several substrates having two polarity-different radical acceptors were employed to investigate the regiochemical courses of cascade reaction. In the case of substrate 1 having a methacryloyl moiety, we found polarity-mismatched perfluoroalkylation giving 15a-e as a major course over the polarity-matched perfluoroalkylation giving 16a-e. Moreover, in the case of substrates 2-7, perfluoroalkyl radicals selectively added to an electron-deficient alkene moiety of 2-7, to give polarity-mismatched perfluoroalkylation products without the formation of regioisomers. Next, the control of enantioselectivity was studied. In the case of substrates 1 and 3, the reaction proceeded with good enantioselectivities by employing a chiral Lewis acid, prepared from chiral box ligand 24 and Zn(OTf)(2). For direct comparison, we also studied the reaction with other carbon radicals, derived from ICH(2)CO(2)Et, ICH(2)CN, BrC(CO(2)Et)(2)Me, and CCl(3)Br, which have electrophilic character.

Lewis acid-mediated radical cyclization: stereocontrol in cascade radical addition-cyclization-trapping reactions

An efficient approach for achieving radical cyclizations by using hydroxamate ester as a coordination tether with Lewis acid was studied. The chiral Lewis acid-mediated cascade radical addition-cyclization-trapping reaction proceeded smoothly with good enantio- and diastereoselectivities, providing various chiral γ-lactams.