Gold-Catalyzed Deoxygenative Nazarov Cyclization of 2,4-Dien-1-als for Stereoselective Synthesis of Highly Substituted Cyclopentenes

Advances in the synthesis of rearranged homoisoflavonoids

Rearranged homoisoflavonoids constitute a unique group of natural products, renowned for their structural diversity and complexity. These compounds, derived from modifications in the 3-benzylchroman skeleton, are categorized into four subclasses: brazilin, caesalpin, protosappanin, and scillascillin homoisoflavonoids. This review examines the advancements in the total synthesis of these complex structures, aiming to highlight the challenges and opportunities encountered. A comparative analysis of the strategies employed thus far to synthesize these compounds provides a comprehensive understanding of the progress in this field.

Hydroxymethylation hydroxylation of 1,3-diarylpropene through a catalytic diastereoselective Prins reaction: cyclization logic and access to brazilin core

A catalytic diastereoselective Prins reaction for hydroxymethylation and hydroxylation of 1,3-diarylpropene was successfully utilized to prepare various 1,3-dioxanes 7 in 14-88% yields. Take advantage of the synthetic intermediate 7h, the key B/C rings in brazilin core could be constructed by the sequential of Friedel-Crafts/Ullmann-Ma rather than Ullmann-Ma/Friedel-Crafts reactions.

Disproportionation-Inspired Construction of Highly Functionalized Bicyclo[3.2.1]octanes

The formation of one unavoidable byproduct in traditional disproportionation reactions limits their applications in synthesis. Inspired by convergent disproportionation, we develop an iodine-induced cyclization and oxidation of allylic alcohols to produce highly functionalized bicyclo[3.2.1]octanes through creation of six new bonds. Guided by the mechanism, we elaborated a variety of other bicyclo[3.2.1]octanes bearing distinct groups with presynthesized dienes and enones as the starting materials. This work provides a divergent access to bicyclo[3.2.1]octane frameworks.

Acid-Promoted Iso-Nazarov Cyclization of Conjugated trans-Dienones and Dienals for the Synthesis of 2-Cyclopentenones

The acid-promoted cyclization of all-trans linearly conjugated dienones and dienals constitutes a synthetic strategy for the construction of 2-cyclopentenones.

Domino Semipinacol/Iterative Aldol/Iso-Nazarov Cyclization to Triaryl-cyclopentenone: Enantioselective Synthesis of Combretastatin A-4 Analogues

A facile domino strategy has been developed for the synthesis of a biologically active cyclopent-2-enone core containing combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) analogues from aryloxirane and aryl aldehyde. This one-pot method involves a sequence of semipinacol rearrangement, iterative aldol condensation, and iso-Nazarov cyclization reactions. The scope of this methodology is further shown in the enantioselective synthesis of 5-hydroxy-cyclopent-2-enones using the Sharpless AD catalyst. Biological studies reveal that (S)-enantiomers exhibit better inhibitory activity against cell proliferation than (R)-enantiomers.

Gold(I)-Catalyzed Nucleophilic Allylation of Azinium Ions with Allylboronates

Gold(I)-catalyzed nucleophilic allylations of pyridinium and quinolinium ions with various allyl pinacolboronates are reported. The reactions are completely selective with respect to the site of the azinium ion that is attacked, to give various functionalized 1,4-dihydropyridines and 1,4-dihydroquinolines. Evidence suggests that the reactions proceed through nucleophilic allylgold(I) intermediates formed by transmetalation from allylboronates. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided mechanistic insight.

Enantioselective synthesis of 1-aminoindene derivatives via asymmetric Brønsted acid catalysis

We describe a catalytic asymmetric iminium ion cyclization reaction of simple 2-alkenylbenzaldimines using a BINOL-derived chiral N-triflyl phosphoramide. The corresponding 1-aminoindenes and tetracyclic 1-aminoindanes are formed in good yields and high enantioselectivities. Further, the chemical utility of the obtained enantiopure 1-aminoindene is demonstrated for the asymmetric synthesis of (S)-rasagiline.

Total synthesis of (-)-brazilane via a lipase-catalyzed desymmetrisation reaction

Herein, we described the asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-brazilane, an optically active natural product. The key steps of this synthetic approach are a lipase-catalyzed desymmetrisation reaction of a prochiral diol using vinyl acetate to prepare a chiral primary alcohol and a trifluoroacetic acid-catalyzed one pot intramolecular tandem Prins/Friedel-Crafts reaction used to construct the cis-fused chromane and indane framework.

Pentannulation of N-heterocycles by a tandem gold-catalyzed [3,3]-rearrangement/Nazarov reaction of propargyl ester derivatives: a computational study on the crucial role of the nitrogen atom

The tandem gold(I)-catalyzed rearrangement/Nazarov reaction of enynyl acetates in which the double bond is embedded in a piperidine ring was computationally and experimentally studied. The theoretical calculations predict that the position of the propargylic acetate substituent has a great impact on the reactivity. In contrast to our previous successful cyclization of the 2-substituted substrates, where the nitrogen favors the formation of the cyclized final product, the substitution at position 3 was computed to have a deleterious effect on the electronic properties of the molecules, increasing the activation barriers of the Nazarov reaction. The sluggish reactivity of 3-substituted piperidines predicted by the calculations was further confirmed by the results obtained with some designed substrates.

An allenylidene Au(i) catalyst derived from triazole units and its initial application

An allenylidene Au(i) catalyst based on triazolylidene moieties, featuring the high σ-donating ability (comparable to that of other NHC ligands) and largely enhanced π-accepting ability of its ligand, was developed for the first time. As compared with the extant gold complexes such as IPrAuCl, Ph3PAuCl and (PhO)3PAuCl, these allenylidene Au(i) catalysts exhibited superior catalytic activities in the gold-catalyzed Nazarov reaction of aryl enones.

Synthesis of Polysubstituted Cyclopentene and Cyclopenta[ b]carbazole Analogues from Unsymmetrical 4-Arylidene-3,6-diarylhex-2-en-5-ynal and Indole Derivatives via an Iodine Mediated Electrocyclization Reaction

An efficient method for the synthesis of polysubstituted cyclopentene and cyclopenta[ b]carbazole derivatives through the iodine-promoted electrocyclization of substituted indoles and 4-arylidene-3,6-diarylhex-2-en-5-ynal derivatives is reported. Polysubstituted cyclopentene derivatives were produced through 4π electrocyclization reactions with indole, 7-methylindole, and 5-bromoindole as coupling partners, whereas cyclopenta[ b]carbazole derivatives were produced via 6π electrocyclization in the case of methoxy (-OMe)-substituted indoles. The methods reported herein diastereo- and regioselectively proceed under straightforward and mild conditions.

Facile construction of diverse polyheterocyclic scaffolds via gold-catalysed dearomative spirocyclization/1,6-addition cascade

A post-Ugi gold-catalysed chemo- and diastereo-selective cascade dearomative spirocyclization/1,6-addition sequence is disclosed for the facile synthesis of diverse fused polyheterocyclic scaffolds bearing indole, pyrrole, benzothiophene, furan or electron-rich arene cores.

Iodine-Catalyzed Iso-Nazarov Cyclization of Conjugated Dienals for the Synthesis of 2-Cyclopentenones

Molecular iodine was identified as an efficient catalyst for the cycloisomerization of conjugated dienals to substituted 2-cyclopentenones. DFT calculations suggested an unexpected concerted character for this cyclization.

Design and synthesis of a hybrid framework of indanone and chromane: total synthesis of a homoisoflavanoid, brazilane

A chemical backbone of tetracyclic homoisoflavanoid natural products such as brazilin inspired us to design a new chemical scaffold, 6a,11b-dihydroindeno[2,1-c]chromen-7(6H)-one, which is a hybrid structure of indanone and chromane. Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of 4-chloro-2H-chromene-3-carbaldehydes with (hetero)aryl boronic acids was employed as a means to introduce a wide variety of (hetero)aryl groups as the D ring and intramolecular Friedel-Crafts acylation was utilized to construct the C ring of this skeleton. Total synthesis of the natural product, brazilane, was also demonstrated via this new chemical framework.

The iso-Nazarov reaction

The acid-promoted cycloisomerization of conjugated dienals and linearly-conjugated dienones for the synthesis of five-membered ring systems is reviewed.

cis-Diastereoselective synthesis of chroman-fused tetralins as B-ring-modified analogues of brazilin

We have synthesized a series of cis-6a,7,8,12b-tetrahydro-6H-naphtho[2,1-c]chromen-6a-ols as B-ring-modified analogues of (±)-brazilin. A completely regio- and cis-diastereoselective intramolecular Friedel–Crafts epoxy–arene cyclization of 1-tetralone-derived glycidyl ethers catalyzed by Brønsted acids was used as the key step. Our worries concerning the formation of cis–trans product mixtures and their probable conversion to naphthopyran derivatives via dehydration of the tertiary hydroxy group were laid to rest. Additionally, the angular hydroxy group of one of the synthesized products has been reductively removed by a diastereoselective method which should be useful in future for preparing libraries of chroman-fused tetralins with trans-stereochemistry at the ring junction.

Cooperative Catalysis: Calcium and Camphorsulfonic Acid Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Diynols

The first transition metal-free cycloisomerization of easily accessible diynols is presented as a novel approach to bicyclic 2H-pyrans. As a one-step protocol, the reaction proceeds in a single reaction cascade by intertwining mechanistic fragments borrowed from transition metal-catalyzed Claisen rearrangment of vinyl ethers with our own work on allenyl/propargyl cation rearrangements and a 6π-oxo-electrocylization. It is enabled by a new cooperative catalytic system that combines a simple Ca(2+) catalyst with camphorsulfonic acid.

Gold(I)-catalyzed dearomative Rautenstrauch rearrangement: enantioselective access to cyclopenta[b]indoles

A highly enantioselective dearomative Rautenstrauch rearrangement catalyzed by cationic (S)-DTBM-Segphosgold(I) is reported. This reaction provides a straightforward method to prepare enantioenriched cyclopenta[b]indoles. These studies show vast difference in enantioselectivity in the reactions of propargyl acetates and propargyl acetals in the chiral ligand-controlled Rautenstrauch reaction.

Cationic cyclizations and rearrangements promoted by a heterogeneous gold catalyst

A heterogeneous gold catalyst with remarkable activity for promoting the electrophilic reactions of aryl vinyl ketones and aryl dienyl ketones is described. The catalyst is easy to prepare, is robust, and can be recycled. Low loadings are effective for different types of cationic reactions, including Nazarov cyclizations, lactonizations, and [1,2] shifts.

Gold-catalyzed [2+2+1] cycloaddition of 1,6-diyne carbonates and esters with aldehydes to 4-(cyclohexa-1,3-dienyl)-1,3-dioxolanes

A synthetic method to stereoselectively prepare 4-(cyclohexa-1,3-dienyl)-1,3-dioxolanes in good to excellent yields by gold(I)-catalyzed [2+2+1] cycloaddition of 1,6-diyne carbonates and esters with aldehydes is described. The cascade process involves 1,2-acyloxy migration followed by cyclopropenation and cycloreversion. This leads to an unprecedented [2+2+1] cycloaddition of the resulting alkenylgold carbenoid species, examples of which are extremely rare, with two aldehyde molecules at catalyst loadings as low as 1 mol %. The usefulness of this cycloisomerization chemistry was further demonstrated by the transformation of one example to the corresponding phenol.

Gold-catalyzed cyclization of allenyl acetal derivatives

The gold-catalyzed transformation of allenyl acetals into 5-alkylidenecyclopent-2-en-1-ones is described. The outcome of our deuterium labeling experiments supports a 1,4-hydride shift of the resulting allyl cationic intermediates because a complete deuterium transfer is observed. We tested the reaction on various acetal substrates bearing a propargyl acetate, giving 4-methoxy-5-alkylidenecyclopent-2-en-1-ones 4 via a degradation of the acetate group at the allyl cation intermediate.

Gold(I)-catalyzed enantioselective carboalkoxylation of alkynes

A highly enantioselective carboalkoxylation of alkynes catalyzed by cationic (DTBM-MeO-Biphep)gold(I) complexes is reported. Various optically active β-alkoxyindanone derivatives were obtained in good yields with high enantioselectivities. Furthermore, this methodology was extended to the enantioselective synthesis of 3-methoxycyclopentenones. The reaction is proposed to proceed through an enantioselective cyclization of intermediates containing vinylgold(I) and prochiral oxocarbenium moieties.

Beyond the Divinyl Ketone: Innovations in the Generation and Nazarov Cyclization of Pentadienyl Cation Intermediates

The requirement for new strategies for synthesizing five-membered carbocycles has driven an expansion in the study of the Nazarov cyclization. This renewed interest in the reaction has led to the discovery of several interesting new methods for generating the pentadienyl cation intermediate central to the cyclization. Methods reviewed include carbon-heteroatom ionization, functionalization of a double bond, nucleophilic addition, or electrocyclic ring opening. Additional variations employ unconventional substrates to produce novel pentacycles, such as the iso- and imino-Nazarov. Herein, we provide an overview of these unconventional, yet highly useful versions of the Nazarov cyclization.

Gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,6-diyne carbonates and esters to 2,4a-dihydro-1H-fluorenes

A synthetic method to prepare 2,4a-dihydro-1H-fluorenes efficiently from gold(I)-catalyzed 1,2-acyloxy migration/cyclopropenation/Nazarov cyclization of 1,6-diyne carbonates and esters is described. The suggested reaction pathway provides rare examples of [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement in this class of compounds as well as the involvement of an in situ formed cyclopropene intermediate in gold catalysis. Experimental and ONIOM(QM:QM') [our own n-layered integrated molecular orbital and molecular mechanics(quantum mechanics:quantum mechanics')] computational studies based on the proposed Au carbenoid species provide insight into this unique selectivity.

Chiral gold complex-catalyzed hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of diazenes: highly enantioselective and general for dienes

A chiral gold(I) complex-catalyzed highly regio- and enantioselective azo hetero-Diels-Alder reaction has been developed. The chiral gold(I) complex acting as a Lewis acid exhibits high efficiency in the activation of urea-based diazene dienophiles. Moreover, this chiral gold catalyst also rendered a cascade intramolecular enyne cycloisomerization/asymmetric azo-HDA reaction.

Mechanistic and sterochemical insights on the Pt-catalyzed rearrangement of oxiranylpropargylic esters to cyclopentenones

A mechanism for the rearrangement of oxiranylpropargylic esters to cyclopentenones catalyzed by PtCl(2) is proposed based on DFT calculations (M06/6-31++G(d,p)). Although the basic steps are coincidental with those proposed by Sarpong et al., who characterized a 2H-pyran as intermediate, calculations have revealed other intricate details of this complex rearrangement. The 2H-pyran is proposed to result from the ring-opening of a bicyclic oxonium ion that follows the nucleophilic capture by the epoxide of a platinum carbene generated by an initial Pt-mediated 1,2-propargylic rearrangement. The key steps in the evolution of this system are the electrocyclic ring-opening of the 2H-pyran to a α-methoxycarbonyl dienone and an iso-Nazarov ring closure. Prior to those, changes in hapticity and in the conformation of the dienone are required in order to produce the helical conformation needed to generate a single diastereomer of the cyclopentenone product obtained experimentally. The metal is needed well beyond the first step of the mechanism, and both electrocyclic reactions are favored by coordination to the metal when compared to their uncomplexed counterparts. Moreover, we have experimentally demonstrated that the rearrangement is stereoconvergent, a feature that is traced back to the initial configuration of the epoxide, which determines the somewhat counterthermodynamic placement of the metal syn to the methyl group of the stereogenic center in the 2H-pyran intermediate. Finally, starting from enantiopure oxiranylpropargylic ester 13, a racemate of cyclopentenone (R*,S*)-16 was obtained. Thus, the sequence does not proceed with memory of chirality, and the absolute stereochemical information is already lost at the stage of the 2H-pyran 14.