Enantioselective Nickel-Catalyzed Alkyne-Azide Cycloaddition by Dynamic Kinetic Resolution

Spot the difference in reactivity: a comprehensive review of site-selective multicomponent conjugation exploiting multi-azide compounds

Going beyond the conventional approach of pairwise conjugation between two molecules, the integration of multiple components onto a central scaffold molecule is essential for the development of high-performance molecular materials with multifunctionality. This approach also facilitates the creation of functionalized molecular probes applicable in diverse fields ranging from pharmaceuticals to polymeric materials. Among the various click functional groups, the azido group stands out as a representative click functional group due to its steric compactness, high reactivity, handling stability, and easy accessibility in the context of multi-azide scaffolds. However, the azido groups in multi-azide scaffolds have not been well exploited for site-specific use in molecular conjugation. In fact, multi-azide compounds have been well used to conjugate to the same multiple fragments. To circumvent problems of promiscuous and random coupling of multiple different fragments to multiple azido positions, it is imperative to distinguish specific azido positions and use them orthogonally for molecular conjugation. This review outlines methods and strategies to exploit specific azide positions for molecular conjugation in the presence of multiple azido groups. Illustrative examples covering di-, tri- and tetraazide click scaffolds are included.

Direct Organocatalytic Chemoselective Synthesis of Pharmaceutically Active 1,2,3-Triazoles and 4,5'-Bitriazoles

Carbonyl-containing 1,4,5-trisubstituted- and 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles are well-known for their wide range of applications in pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry, but their high-yielding metal-free synthesis has always remained challenging, as no comprehensive protocol has been outlined to date. Owing to their structural and medicinal importance, herein, we synthesized various carbonyl-containing 1,4,5-trisubstituted- and 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles and unsymmetrical 4,5'-bitriazoles with high yields and chemo-/regioselectivity from the library of 2,4-diketoesters and azides in a sequential one-pot manner through the combination of organocatalytic enolization, in situ [3 + 2]-cycloaddition, and hydrolysis reactions. The commercial availability of the starting materials/catalysts, diverse substrate scope, performance in a one-pot manner, chemo-/regioselectivity of organo-click reaction, quick synthesis of unsymmetrical 4,5'-bitriazoles, a large number of synthetic applications, and numerous medicinal applications of carbonyl-containing 1,2,3-triazoles are the key attractions of this metal-free organo-click work.

BioLindlar Catalyst: Ene-Reductase-Promoted Selective Bioreduction of Cyanoalkynes to Give (Z)-Cyanoalkenes

The direct synthesis of alkenes from alkynes usually requires the use of transition-metal catalysts. Unfortunately, efficient biocatalytic alternatives for this transformation have yet to be discovered. Herein, the selective bioreduction of electron-deficient alkynes to alkenes catalysed by ene-reductases (EREDs) is described. Alkynes bearing ketone, aldehyde, ester, and nitrile moieties have been effectively reduced with excellent conversions and stereoselectivities, observing clear trends for the E/Z ratios depending on the nature of the electron-withdrawing group. In the case of cyanoalkynes, (Z)-alkenes were obtained as the major product, and the reaction scope was expanded to a wide variety of aromatic substrates (up to >99 % conversion, and Z/E stereoselectivities of up to >99/1). Other alkynes containing aldehyde, ketone, or ester functionalities also proved to be excellent substrates, and interestingly gave the corresponding (E)-alkenes. Preparative biotransformations were performed on a 0.4 mmol scale, producing the desired (Z)-cyanoalkenes with good to excellent isolated yields (63-97 %). This novel reactivity has been rationalised through molecular docking by predicting the binding poses of key molecules in the ERED-pu-0006 active site.

Enantioselective copper-catalyzed azidation/click cascade reaction for access to chiral 1,2,3-triazoles

Chiral 1,2,3-triazoles are highly attractive motifs in various fields. However, achieving catalytic asymmetric click reactions of azides and alkynes for chiral triazole synthesis remains a significant challenge, mainly due to the limited catalytic systems and substrate scope. Herein, we report an enantioselective azidation/click cascade reaction of N-propargyl-β-ketoamides with a readily available and potent azido transfer reagent via copper catalysis, which affords a variety of chiral 1,2,3-triazoles with up to 99% yield and 95% ee under mild conditions. Notably, chiral 1,5-disubstituted triazoles that have not been accessed by previous asymmetric click reactions are also prepared with good functional group tolerance.

Stereocontrol in an intermolecular Schmidt reaction of equilibrating hydroxyalkyl allylic azides

A selective intermolecular Schmidt reaction of equilibrating hydroxyalkyl allylic azides is reported to afford N-hydroxyalk-1-en-3-yl lactams in modest to high yields. For prochiral and chiral ketones, modest to high 1,5-diastereoselectivity was achieved, and the mechanistic analysis is supported by DFT calculation.

Palladium-Catalyzed Tandem Cyclization of Bromoalkynes, Anilines and CO: Access to 1,3-Substituted Maleimides

A novel palladium-catalyzed three-component carbonylation reaction for the assembly of various 1,3-substituted maleimide derivatives from haloalkynes and simple anilines. The nucleophilic addition reaction of haloalkynes, anilines and CO, and insertion of carbonyl have been achieved sequentially in this reaction. The high chemo- and regioselectivities, as well as no need of expensive ligands or additives further illustrate the synthetic value of this approach.

Multicomponent cyclization with azides to synthesize N-heterocycles

Heterocyclic compounds, both naturally derived and synthetically produced, constitute a wide variety of biologically active and industrially important compounds. The synthesis and application of heterocyclic compounds have garnered significant attention and experienced rapid growth in recent decades. Organic azides, due to their unique properties and distinctive reactivity, have become a convenient chemical tool for achieving a wide range of heterocycles such as triazoles and tetrazoles. Importantly, the field of multicomponent reaction (MCR) chemistry provides a convergent approach to access various N-heterocyclic scaffolds, offering novelty, diversity, and complexity. However, the exploration of MCR pathways to N-heterocyclic compounds remains incomplete. Here, we review the use of multicomponent reactions for the preparation of N-heterocycles. A wide range of reactions based on azides for the synthesis of various types of N-heterocyclic systems have been developed.

Asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed click cycloaddition to access C-N axially chiral N-triazolyl indoles

The copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction is regarded as a prime example of "click chemistry", but the asymmetric click cycloaddition of internal alkynes still remains challenging. A new asymmetric Rh-catalyzed click cycloaddition of N-alkynylindoles with azides was developed, providing atroposelective access to C-N axially chiral triazolyl indoles, a new type of heterobiaryl, with excellent yields and enantioselectivity. This asymmetric approach is efficient, mild, robust and atom-economic, and features very broad substrate scope with easily available Tol-BINAP ligands.

Construction of Axial Chirality via Click Chemistry: Rh-Catalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis of 1-Triazolyl-2-Naphthylamines

A modular and practical click chemistry for atroposelective synthesis of 1-triazolyl-2-naphthylamines is developed. In this protocol, a variety of aromatic or aliphatic azides, and 1-alkynyl-2-naphthylamines could be assembled into valuable 1-triazlyl-2-naphthylamine scaffolds via a [3 + 2] cycloaddition under Rh-catalysis. This asymmetric click technology features easily accessible starting materials, mild reaction conditions, facile scalability, and good enantioselectivity. The good thermostability of products showcases great applicable potential, and the synthetic transformations further expand the molecular diversity of atropisomers.

Versatile Synthetic Platform for 1,2,3-Triazole Chemistry

1,2,3-Triazole scaffolds are not obtained in nature, but they are still intensely investigated by synthetic chemists in various fields due to their excellent properties and green synthetic routes. This review will provide a library of all synthetic routes used in the past 21 years to synthesize 1,2,3-triazoles and their derivatives using various metal catalysts (such as Cu, Ni, Ru, Ir, Rh, Pd, Au, Ag, Zn, and Sm), organocatalysts, metal-free as well as solvent- and catalyst-free neat syntheses, along with their mechanistic cycles, recyclability studies, solvent systems, and reaction condition effects on regioselectivity. Constant developments indicate that 1,2,3-triazoles will help lead to future organic synthesis and are useful for creating molecular libraries of various functionalized 1,2,3-triazoles.

Cascade Cope/Winstein Rearrangements: Synthesis of Azido-Cycloheptadienes from Dialkenylcyclopropanes Possessing a Vinyl Azide

cis-1,2-Dialkenylcyclopropanes incorporating a vinyl azide, generated by Knoevenagel condensations between the corresponding cyclopropanecarbaldehydes and α-azido ketones, undergo cascade Cope and Winstein [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements, under mild conditions. The sequence allows access to diversely substituted 1,4-cycloheptadienes armed with a secondary allylic azide with up to three stereocenters.

Asymmetric Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition with Ir(I)/Squaramide Cooperative Catalysis: Atroposelective Synthesis of Axially Chiral Aryltriazoles

An Ir(I)/squaramide cooperative catalytic strategy for atroposelective synthesis of axially chiral aryltriazoles has been developed for the first time. Diverse structurally novel aryltriazole skeletons that cannot be accessed by traditional click reactions were synthesized in good yields with excellent enantioselectivity. Both enantiomers were easily obtained from a pair of diastereoisomeric natural quinidine- and quinine-derived squaramides. A significant Ir(I)/squaramide coordination activation, but no self-quenching phenomenon was observed in this metal/organo cooperative catalytic system.

Enantioselective Rh-Catalyzed Azide-Internal-Alkyne Cycloaddition for the Construction of Axially Chiral 1,2,3-Triazoles

Significant advances have been achieved for the construction of chiral skeletons containing 1,2,3-triazoles via transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric azide-alkyne cycloaddition; however, most of them have been limited to terminal alkynes in the synthesis of central chirality via desymmetrization and dynamic/dynamic kinetic resolution. Enantioselective transition-metal-catalyzed azide-internal-alkyne cycloaddition is extremely limited. Moreover, the construction of a challenging five-membered (hetero)biaryl axially chiral molecule via transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric azide-internal-alkyne cycloaddition is still underexplored. Herein, we first report an atroposelective and atom-economical synthesis of axially chiral 1,4,5-trisubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles, directly acting as core chiral units of challenging five-membered atropisomers, via the enantioselective Rh-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (E-RhAAC) of internal alkynes and azides. The reaction demonstrates excellent functional group tolerance, forging a variety of C-C axially chiral 1,2,3-triazoles under mild conditions with moderate to excellent yields (up to 99% yield) and generally high to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) along with specific regiocontrol. The origin of regio- and enantioselectivity control is disclosed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, providing new guidance for the facile construction of axially chiral compounds.

Catalytic Enantioselective Construction of Chiroptical Boron-Stereogenic Compounds

The construction of main group heteroatom-stereogenic compounds is of great importance due to their intriguing chemical, physical, biological, and stereoelectronic properties. Despite that organoboron compounds are widely used in organic chemistry, the creation of a tetrahedral boron-stereogenic center in one enantiomeric form remains highly challenging. Given the labile nature of ligands attached to the tetracoordinate boron atom, only a handful of enantioenriched boron-stereogenic compounds have been reported via resolution or a chiral substrate-induced diastereoselective approach. To date catalytic asymmetric synthesis of boron-stereogenic compounds has remained unknown. Here, we demonstrate the first catalytic enantioselective construction of boron-stereogenic compounds via an asymmetric copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. This enantioselective CuAAC reaction not only gives access to a wide range of novel highly functionalized boron-stereogenic heterocycles in high yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities but also produces optically active terminal alkyne and triazole moieties with various potential application prospects. Further transformation of the chiral tetracoordinate boron compounds delivers several complex heterocyclic entities bearing boron-stereogenic centers without the loss of enantiopurity. Moreover, the X-ray structure, the barrier to racemization, and the HOMO/LUMO gap of selected tetracoordinate boron compounds are investigated. Notably, these novel N,N π-conjugated boron-stereogenic compounds exhibit bright fluorescence. The optical properties, including circular dichroism, quantum yield, and circular polarized luminescence spectroscopies, are examined. These features expand the chemical space of the chiroptical boron-based dye platform, which could have great potential applications in chiral optoelectronic materials.

Selective hydroboration of equilibrating allylic azides

The iridium(I)-catalyzed hydroboration of equilibrating allylic azides is reported to provide only the anti-Markovnikov product of alk-1-ene isomers in good yields and with good functional group tolerance.

Taming the reactivity of alkyl azides by intramolecular hydrogen bonding: site-selective conjugation of unhindered diazides

The intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the α-azido secondary acetamides (α-AzSAs) enabled site-selective integration onto the diazide modular hubs even without steric hindrance.