Z-Selective Olefin Synthesis via Iron-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Alkyl Halides with Terminal Arylalkynes

Regio- and enantioselective nickel-alkyl catalyzed hydroalkylation of alkynes

The migratory insertion of metal-hydride into alkene has allowed regioselective access to organometallics, readily participating in subsequent functionalization as one conventional pathway of hydroalkylation, whereas analogous process with feedstock alkyne is drastically less explored. Among few examples, the regioselectivity of metal-hydride insertion is mostly governed by electronic bias of alkynes. To alter the regioselectivity and drastically expand the intermediate pools that we can access, one aspirational design is through alternative nickel-alkyl insertion, providing opposite regioselectivity induced by steric demand. Leveraging in situ formed nickel-alkyl species, we herein report the regio- and enantioselective hydroalkylation of alkynes with broad functional group tolerance, excellent regio- and enantioselectivity, enabling efficient route to diverse valuable chiral allylic amines motifs. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate the aminoalkyl radical species can participate in metal-capture and lead to formation of nickel-alkyl, of which the migratory insertion is key to reverse regioselectivity observed in metal-hydride insertion.

Chemo-, Regio- and Stereoselective Preparation of (Z)-2-Butene-1,4-Diol Monoesters via Pd-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Acyloxylation

(Z)-alkenes are useful synthons but thermodynamically less stable than their (E)-isomers and typically more difficult to prepare. The synthesis of 1,4-hetero-bifunctionalized (Z)-alkenes is particularly challenging due to the inherent regio- and stereoselectivity issues. Herein we demonstrate a general, chemoselective and direct synthesis of (Z)-2-butene-1,4-diol monoesters. The protocol operates within a Pd-catalyzed decarboxylative acyloxylation regime involving vinyl ethylene carbonates (VECs) and various carboxylic acids as the reaction partners under mild and operationally attractive conditions. The newly developed process allows access to a structurally diverse pool of (Z)-2-butene-1,4-diol monoesters in good yields and with excellent regio- and stereoselectivity. Various synthetic transformations of the obtained (Z)-2-butene-1,4-diol monoesters demonstrate how these synthons are of great use to rapidly diversify the portfolio of these formal desymmetrized (Z)-alkenes.

Regio- and Diastereoselective Synthesis of Trisubstituted Alkenes Through Hydroalkylation of Alkynyl Boronamides

Hydroalkylation of alkynes is a powerful method for alkene synthesis. However, regioselectivity has been difficult to achieve in transformations of internal alkynes hindering applications in the synthesis of trisubstituted alkenes. To overcome these limitations, we explored using boryl groups as versatile directing groups that can control the regioselectivity of the hydroalkylation and subsequently be replaced in a cross-coupling reaction. The result of our exploration is a nickel-catalyzed hydroalkylation of alkynyl boronamides that provides access to a wide range of trisubstituted alkenes with high regio- and diastereoselectivity. The reaction can be accomplished with a variety of coupling partners, including primary and secondary alkyl iodides, α-bromo esters, α-chloro phthalimides, and α-chloro boronic esters. Preliminary studies of the reaction mechanism provide evidence for the hydrometalation mechanism and the formation of alkyl radical intermediates.

Stereoselective Copper-Catalyzed Olefination of Imines

Alkenes are an important class of organic molecules found among synthetic intermediates and bioactive compounds. They are commonly synthesized through stoichiometric Wittig-type olefination of carbonyls and imines, using ylides or their equivalents. Despite the importance of Wittig-type olefination reactions, their catalytic variants remain underdeveloped. We explored the use of transition metal catalysis to form ylide equivalents from readily available starting materials. Our investigation led to a new copper-catalyzed olefination of imines with alkenyl boronate esters as coupling partners. We identified a heterobimetallic complex, obtained by hydrocupration of the alkenyl boronate esters, as the key catalytic intermediate that serves as an ylide equivalent. The high E-selectivity observed in the reaction is due to the stereoselective addition of this intermediate to an imine, followed by stereospecific anti-elimination.

Palladium-Catalyzed Aminoalkylative Cyclization Enables Modular Synthesis of Exocyclic 1,3-Dienes

A novel and efficient palladium-catalyzed regioselective and stereodivergent ring-closing reaction of aminoenynes with aldehydes and boronic acids or hydrosilane is developed. This three-component reaction allows for the modular synthesis of a series of exocyclic 1,3-dienes bearing 5- to 8-membered saturated N-heterocycles. The reactions utilize a simple Pd-catalyst and work with broad range of aminoenynes, aldehydes and organometallic reagents under mild reaction conditions. The products represent useful intermediates for chemical synthesis due to the versatility of the conjugated diene. Preliminary mechanistic details of the method are also revealed.

Stereospecific and Regioselective Synthesis of E-Allylic Alcohols through Reductive Cross Coupling of Terminal Alkynes

We have developed a convergent method for the synthesis of allylic alcohols that involves a reductive coupling of terminal alkynes with α-chloro boronic esters. The new method affords allylic alcohols with excellent regioselectivity (anti-Markovnikov) and an E/Z ratio greater than 200:1. The reaction can be performed in the presence of a wide range of functional groups and has a substrate scope that complements the stoichiometric alkenylation of α-chloro boronic esters performed using alkenyl lithium and Grignard reagents. The transformation is stereospecific and allows for the robust and highly selective synthesis of chiral allylic alcohols. Our studies support a mechanism that involves hydrocupration of the alkyne and cross-coupling of the alkenyl copper intermediate with α-chloro boronic esters. Experimental evidence excludes a radical mechanism of the cross-coupling step and is consistent with the formation of a boron-ate intermediate and a 1,2-metalate shift.

Asymmetric anti-Selective Borylalkylation of Terminal Alkynes by Nickel Catalysis

Selective transformation of alkyne triple bonds to double bonds serves as an efficient platform to construct substituted alkenes. While significant advances have been made in its spatiotemporal regulation, achieving a multicomponent enantioselective reaction that requires multifaceted selectivity issues to be overcome is still uncommon. Here, we report an unprecedented asymmetric anti-stereoselective borylcarbofunctionalization of terminal alkynes by nickel catalysis. The utilization of an inexpensive chiral diamine ligand enables the three-component cross-coupling of terminal alkynes, a diboron reagent, and prochiral alkyl electrophiles with high levels of regio-, stereo-, and enantioselectivities. This reaction provides an efficient protocol to access enantioenriched alkenyl esters bearing an α-stereogenic center, is remarkably practical, and has a broad scope and an outstanding functional group compatibility. In addition, the value of this method has been highlighted in a diversity of follow-up stereoretentive derivatizations and the stereoselective concise synthesis of complex drug molecules.

Iron-Catalyzed Reductive Cross-Coupling of Alkyl Electrophiles with Olefins

In terms of its abundance and its minimal toxicity, iron has advantages relative to other transition metals. Although alkyl-alkyl bond construction is central to organic synthesis, examples of iron-catalyzed alkyl-alkyl couplings of alkyl electrophiles are relatively sparse. Herein we report an iron catalyst that achieves cross-coupling reactions of alkyl electrophiles wherein olefins, in the presence of a hydrosilane, are used in place of alkylmetal reagents. Carbon-carbon bond formation proceeds at room temperature, and the method employs commercially available components (Fe(OAc)2 , Xantphos, and Mg(OEt)2 ); interestingly, this set of reagents can be applied directly to a distinct hydrofunctionalization of olefins, hydroboration. Mechanistic studies are consistent with the generation of an alkyl radical from the alkyl electrophile, as well as with reversibility for elementary steps that precede carbon-carbon bond formation (olefin binding to iron and β-migratory insertion).

Stereoselective Synthesis of Trisubstituted Alkenes via Copper Hydride-Catalyzed Alkyne Hydroalkylation

Alkenes are ubiquitous in organic chemistry, yet many classes of alkenes remain challenging to access by current synthetic methodology. Herein, we report a copper hydride-catalyzed approach for the synthesis of Z-configured trisubstituted alkenes with high stereo- and regioselectivity via alkyne hydroalkylation. A DTBM-dppf-supported Cu catalyst was found to be optimal, providing a substantial increase in product yield compared to reactions conducted with dppf as the ligand. DFT calculations show that the DTBM substitution leads to the acceleration of alkyne hydrocupration through combined ground and transition state effects related to preventing catalyst dimerization and enhancing catalyst-substrate dispersion interactions, respectively. Alkyne hydroalkylation was successfully demonstrated with methyl and larger alkyl tosylate electrophiles to produce a variety of (hetero)aryl-substituted alkenes in moderate to high yields with complete selectivity for the Z stereochemically configured products. In the formation of the key C-C bond, computational studies revealed a direct SN2 pathway for alkylation of the vinylcopper intermediate with in situ-formed alkyl iodides.

Cobalt-catalyzed branched selective hydroallylation of terminal alkynes

Here, we reported a cobalt-hydride-catalyzed Markovnikov-type hydroallylation of terminal alkynes with allylic electrophile to access valuable and branched skipped dienes (1,4-dienes) with good regioselectivity. This operationally simple protocol exhibits excellent functional group tolerance and exceptional substrate scope. The reactions could be carried out in gram-scale with TON (turn over number) up to 1160, and the products could be easily derivatized. The preliminary mechanism of electrophilic allylation of α-selective cobalt alkenyl intermediate was proposed based on deuterium labeling experiment and kinetic studies.

Selectively generating “skipped” dienes, where two carbon–carbon double bonds are separated by a saturated carbon center, is an interesting problem in organic chemistry, with few reliable, catalytic methods currently available. Here, the authors report branched selective hydroallylation of terminal alkynes with allylic bromides to form skipped dienes, via cobalt catalysis.

Ligand-Controlled Cobalt-Catalyzed Regiodivergent Alkyne Hydroalkylation

Regiodivergent alkyne hydroalkylation to generate different isomers of an alkene from the same alkyne starting material would be beneficial; however, it remains a challenge. Herein, we report a ligand-controlled cobalt-catalyzed regiodivergent alkyne hydroalkylation. The sensible selection of bisoxazoline (L1) and pyridine-oxazoline (L8) ligands led to reliable and predictable protocols that provided (E)-1,2-disubstituted and 1,1-disubstituted alkenes with high E/Z stereoselectivity and regioisomeric ratio starting from identical terminal alkyne and alkyl halide substrates and produced trisubstituted alkenes in the case of internal alkynes. This method exhibits a broad scope for terminal and internal alkynes with a wide range of activated and unactivated alkyl halides and shows excellent functional group compatibility.

Cu(I)-Catalyzed C-H Alkenylation of Tertiary C(sp3)-H Bonds of 3-Aryl Benzofuran-2(3H)-ones to Give Z- and E-Styrene Containing Quaternary Carbon Centers with 99/1 Regioselectivity

The synthesis of isomerically pure olefins containing all-carbon quaternary centers is a challenging issue. Herein, we developed an efficient protocol for the synthesis of (Z)-olefins (27 examples, yield up to 97%, Z/E up to 99/1) and (E)-olefins (16 examples, yield up to 94%, E/Z up to 99/1) containing all-carbon quaternary centers. This protocol is adopted for the copper-catalyzed regioselective C-H alkenylation of the tertiary C(sp³)-H bond of 3-aryl benzofuran-2(3H)-ones with alkyne and alkenes. A diverse range of functional groups in the substrates is well-tolerated, such as F, Cl, Br, Me, OMe, ester, CF₃, etc. A gram scale experiment was performed in good yield, and the radical mechanisms are also proposed based on the control experiments.

Photoredox/nickel dual catalyzed stereospecific synthesis of distal alkenyl ketones

The selective C-C bond deconstruction/refunctionalization via a photoredox/nickel dual-catalyzed hydroalkylation of alkynes is developed under mild reaction conditions. In this protocol, a broad range of alkyl- and aryl-alkynes could react smoothly with cycloalkanols, affording the corresponding distal and site-specific vinyl-substituted ketones with high yields and excellent regioselectivities. Moreover, DFT calculations verified that the electron-rich behavior of aromatics and weak Brønsted bases have a common effect on the photocatalytic oxidant ring-opening of cyclobutanols.

Iron-Catalyzed Vinylzincation of Terminal Alkynes

Organozinc reagents are among the most commonly used organometallic reagents in modern synthetic chemistry, and multifunctionalized organozinc reagents can be synthesized from structurally simple, readily available ones by means of alkyne carbozincation. However, this method suffers from poor tolerance for terminal alkynes, and transformation of the newly introduced organic groups is difficult, which limits its applications. Herein, we report a method for vinylzincation of terminal alkynes catalyzed by newly developed iron catalysts bearing 1,10-phenanthroline-imine ligands. This method provides efficient access to novel organozinc reagents with a diverse array of structures and functional groups from readily available vinylzinc reagents and terminal alkynes. The method features excellent functional group tolerance (tolerated functional groups include amino, amide, cyano, ester, hydroxyl, sulfonyl, acetal, phosphono, pyridyl), a good substrate scope (suitable terminal alkynes include aryl, alkenyl, and alkyl acetylenes bearing various functional groups), and high chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity. The method could significantly improve the synthetic efficiency of various important bioactive molecules, including vitamin A. Mechanistic studies indicate that the new iron-1,10-phenanthroline-imine catalysts developed in this study have an extremely crowded reaction pocket, which promotes efficient transfer of the vinyl group to the alkynes, disfavors substitution reactions between the zinc reagent and the terminal C-H bond of the alkynes, and prevents the further reactions of the products. Our findings show that iron catalysts can be superior to other metal catalysts in terms of activity, chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity when suitable ligands are used.

Crossed Regio- and Enantioselective Iron-Catalyzed [4+2]-Cycloadditions of Unactivated Dienes

The cyclohexene motif is ubiquitous in nature and specialty chemicals. A straightforward selective access to chiral cyclohexenes from unactivated dienes and dienophiles is not feasible by classical Diels–Alder reaction and constitutes an unsolved synthetic challenge. We report a mild and enantioselective iron‐catalyzed cross‐[4+2]‐cycloaddition of unactivated dienes providing access to chiral 1,3‐substituted vinyl‐cyclohexenes. The development of bis‐dihydroisoquinoline ligands was vital to obtain iron complexes that display high reactivities and excellent chemo‐, regio‐ and enantioselectivities towards the targeted cyclohexenes. A range of diene substrates is well accommodated including feedstocks like butadiene, isoprene and myrcene. The structures of different iron complexes are mapped by X‐ray crystallographic analysis and linked to their performance.

Mechanism of Z-Selective Hydroalkylation of Terminal Alkynes

This paper describes a detailed mechanistic study of the silver-catalyzed Z-selective hydroalkylation of terminal alkynes. Considering the established mechanistic paradigms for Z-selective hydroalkylation of alkynes, we explored a mechanism based on the radical carbometalation of alkynes. Experimental results have provided strong evidence against the initially proposed radical mechanism and have led us to propose a new mechanism for the Z-selective hydroalkylation of alkynes based on boronate formation and a 1,2-metalate shift. The new mechanism provides a rationale for the excellent Z-selectivity observed in the reaction. A series of stoichiometric experiments has probed the feasibility of the proposed elementary steps and revealed an additional role of the silver catalyst in the protodeboration of an intermediate. Finally, a series of kinetic measurements, KIE experiments, and competition experiments allowed us to identify the turnover limiting step and the resting state of the catalyst. We believe that the results of this study will be useful in the further exploration and development of related transformations of alkynes.

Computational study of silver-catalyzed stereoselective hydroalkylation of alkynes: Pauli repulsion controlled Z/E selectivity

The mechanism and origin of stereoselectivity of silver-catalyzed hydroalkylation of alkynes were computationally investigated at the B3LYP-D3BJ/6-311+G(d,p)-SDD//B3LYP/6-31G(d)-LANL2DZ level. The complex of alkynyl trialkylboronate with cationic silver is a key intermediate, which triggers the rate- and stereoselectivity-determining 1,2-migration step. Energy decomposition analysis indicates that the difference of Pauli repulsion dominates the stereoselectivity.

Hydroalkylation of Alkynes: Functionalization of the Alkenyl Copper Intermediate through Single Electron Transfer Chemistry

We have developed a method for the stereoselective coupling of terminal alkynes and α-bromo carbonyls to generate functionalized E-alkenes. The coupling is accomplished by merging the closed-shell hydrocupration of alkynes with the open-shell single electron transfer (SET) chemistry of the resulting alkenyl copper intermediate. We demonstrate that the reaction is compatible with various functional groups and can be performed in the presence of aryl bromides, alkyl chlorides, alkyl bromides, esters, nitriles, amides, and a wide range of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds. Mechanistic studies provide evidence for SET oxidation of the alkenyl copper intermediate by an α-bromo ester as the key step that enables the cross coupling.

Iron-Catalyzed Tertiary Alkylation of Terminal Alkynes with 1,3-Diesters via a Functionalized Alkyl Radical

Direct oxidative C(sp)-H/C(sp³ )-H cross-coupling offers an ideal and environmentally benign protocol for C(sp)-C(sp³ ) bond formations. As such, reactivity and site-selectivity with respect to C(sp³ )-H bond cleavage have remained a persistent challenge. Herein is reported a simple method for iron-catalyzed/silver-mediated tertiary alkylation of terminal alkynes with readily available and versatile 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. The reaction is suitable for an array of substrates and proceeds in a highly selective manner even employing alkanes containing other tertiary, benzylic, and C(sp³ )-H bonds alpha to heteroatoms. Elaboration of the products enables the synthesis of a series of versatile building blocks. Control experiments implicate the in situ generation of a tertiary carbon-centered radical species.

Photoinduced Palladium-Catalyzed Dicarbofunctionalization of Terminal Alkynes

Herein, a conceptually distinct approach was developed that allowed for the dicarbofunctionalization of alkynes at room temperature using simple, bench-stable alkyl iodides and a second molecule of alkyne as coupling partner. Specifically, the photochemical activation of palladium complexes enabled this strategic dicarbofunctionalization via addition of alkyl radicals from secondary and tertiary alkyl iodides and formation of an intermediate palladium vinyl complex that could undergo subsequent Sonogashira reaction with a second alkyne molecule. This alkylation-alkynylation sequence allowed the one-step synthesis of 1,3-enynes including heteroarenes and biologically active compounds with high efficiency without exogenous photosensitizers or oxidants and now opens up pathways towards cascade reactions via photochemical palladium catalysis.

Stereoselective synthesis of fluoroalkylated (Z)-alkene via nickel-catalyzed and iron-mediated hydrofluoroalkylation of alkynes

An efficient nickel-catalyzed, iron-mediated hydrofluoroalkylation of alkynes with bromodifluoroacetate or perfluoroalkyl iodide, which proceeded smoothly to give fluoroalkylated (Z)-alkenes with high stereocontrol (up to 99 : 1 Z/E), was developed.

Iron- and zinc-mediated reductive coupling of styrenes and alkyl bromides: mechanistic investigation using DFT calculations

DFT calculations were performed to explore the mechanism for iron- and zinc-mediated reductive coupling of styrenes and alkyl bromides.

Electroreductive Carbofunctionalization of Alkenes with Alkyl Bromides via a Radical-Polar Crossover Mechanism

Electrochemistry grants direct access to reactive intermediates (radicals and ions) in a controlled fashion toward selective organic transformations. This feature has been demonstrated in a variety of alkene functionalization reactions, most of which proceed via an anodic oxidation pathway. In this report, we further expand the scope of electrochemistry to the reductive functionalization of alkenes. In particular, the strategic choice of reagents and reaction conditions enabled a radical-polar crossover pathway wherein two distinct electrophiles can be added across an alkene in a highly chemo- and regioselective fashion. Specifically, we used this strategy in the intermolecular carboformylation, anti-Markovnikov hydroalkylation, and carbocarboxylation of alkenes-reactions with rare precedents in the literature-by means of the electroreductive generation of alkyl radical and carbanion intermediates. These reactions employ readily available starting materials (alkyl halides, alkenes, etc.) and simple, transition-metal-free conditions and display broad substrate scope and good tolerance of functional groups. A uniform protocol can be used to achieve all three transformations by simply altering the reaction medium. This development provides a new avenue for constructing Csp3-Csp3 bonds.

Photoinduced Deaminative Coupling of Alkylpyridium Salts with Terminal Arylalkynes

A novel and simple Z-alkene synthesis by the photocatalyzed coupling reactions of alkylpyridium salts, which were prepared from primary amines, with terminal aryl alkynes at room temperature is reported here. A wide range of primary amines, which contain different functional groups, were tolerated under these conditions. The mild reaction conditions, broad substrate scope, functional group tolerance, and operational simplicity make this deaminative coupling reaction a valuable method in organic syntheses.

Visible Light-Enabled sp3 -C-H Functionalization with Chloro- and Bromoalkynes: Chemoselective Route to Vinylchlorides or Alkynes

An unprecedented direct atom-economic chemo- and regioselective hydroalkylation of chloroalkynes and an sp3 -C-H alkynylation of bromoalkynes was achieved. The reaction partners are unfunctionalized ethers, alcohols, amides, and even non-activated hydrocarbons. We found that a household fluorescent bulb was able to excite a diaryl ketone, which then selectively abstracts a H-atom from an sp3 -C-H bond. The product of a formal alkyne insertion into the sp3 -C-H bond was obtained with chloroalkynes, providing valuable vinyl chlorides. The photo-organocatalytic hydrogen atom transfer strategy gives rise to a broad range of diversely functionalized olefins. When bromoalkynes are applied in the presence of a base, a chemoselectivity switch to an alkynylation is observed. This reaction can even be performed for the alkynylation of unactivated sp3 -C-H bonds, in this case with a preference of the more substituted carbon. Accompanying quantum chemical calculations indicate a vinyl radical intermediate with pronounced linear coordination of the carbon radical center, thus enabling the formation of both diastereoisomers after H-atom abstraction, suggesting that the (Z)-diastereoisomer is preferred, which supports the experimentally observed (E/Z)-distribution.

Three-Component, Interrupted Radical Heck/Allylic Substitution Cascade Involving Unactivated Alkyl Bromides

Developing efficient and selective strategies to approach complex architectures containing (multi)stereogenic centers has been a long-standing synthetic challenge in both academia and industry. Catalytic cascade reactions represent a powerful means of rapidly leveraging molecular complexity from simple feedstocks. Unfortunately, carrying out cascade Heck-type reactions involving unactivated (tertiary) alkyl halides remains an unmet challenge owing to unavoidable β-hydride elimination. Herein, we show that a modular, practical, and general palladium-catalyzed, radical three-component coupling can indeed overcome the aforementioned limitations through an interrupted Heck/allylic substitution sequence mediated by visible light. Selective 1,4-difunctionalization of unactivated 1,3-dienes, such as butadiene, has been achieved by employing different commercially available nitrogen-, oxygen-, sulfur-, or carbon-based nucleophiles and unactivated alkyl bromides (>130 examples, mostly >95:5 E/Z, >20:1 rr). Sequential C(sp³)-C(sp³) and C-X (N, O, S) bonds have been constructed efficiently with a broad scope and high functional group tolerance. The flexibility and versatility of the strategy have been illustrated in a gram-scale reaction and streamlined syntheses of complex ether, sulfone, and tertiary amine products, some of which would be difficult to access via currently established methods.

Controlling alkyne reactivity by means of a copper-catalyzed radical reaction system for the synthesis of functionalized quaternary carbons

A terminal alkyne is one of the most useful reactants for the synthesis of alkyne and alkene derivatives. Because an alkyne undergoes addition reaction at a C-C triple bond or cross-coupling at a terminal C-H bond. Combining those reaction patterns could realize a new reaction methodology to synthesize complex molecules including C-C multiple bonds. In this report, we found that the reaction of 3 equivalents of terminal alkyne 1 (aryl substituted alkyne) and an α-bromocarbonyl compound 2 (tertiary alkyl radical precursor) undergoes tandem alkyl radical addition/Sonogashira coupling to produce 1,3-enyne compound 3 possessing a quaternary carbon in the presence of a copper catalyst. Moreover, the reaction of α-bromocarbonyl compound 2 and an alkyne 4 possessing a carboxamide moiety undergoes tandem alkyl radical addition/C-H coupling to produce indolinone derivative 5.

Iron-Catalyzed Reductive Vinylation of Tertiary Alkyl Oxalates with Activated Vinyl Halides

We present herein a rare and efficient method for the creation of vinylated all carbon quaternary centers via Fe-catalyzed cross-electrophile coupling of vinyl halides with tertiary alkyl methyl oxalates. The reaction displays excellent functional group tolerance and broad substrate scope, which allows cascade radical cyclization and vinylation to afford complex bicyclic and spiral structural motifs. The reaction proceeds via tertiary alkyl radicals, and the putative vinyl-Br/Fe complexation appears to be crucial for activating the alkene and enabling a possibly concerted radical addition/C-Fe forming process.

Regioselective Hydroalkylation and Arylalkylation of Alkynes by Photoredox/Nickel Dual Catalysis: Application and Mechanism

Alkynes are an important class of organic molecules due to their utility as versatile building blocks in synthesis. Although efforts have been devoted to the difunctionalization of alkynes, general and practical strategies for the direct hydroalkylation and alkylarylation of terminal alkynes under mild reaction conditions are less explored. Herein, we report a photoredox/nickel dual-catalyzed anti-Markovnikov-type hydroalkylation of terminal alkynes as well as a one-pot arylalkylation of alkynes with alkyl carboxylic acids and aryl bromides via a three-component cross-coupling. The results indicate that the transformations proceed via a new mechanism involving a single-electron transfer with subsequent energy-transfer activation pathways. Moreover, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence-spectroscopy measurements, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and wavefunction analysis have been performed to give an insight into the catalytic cycle.

Iron-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Alkyl Iodides with Alkynes To Yield cis-Olefins: Mechanistic Insights from Computation

In a recent study, a new procedure for Z-selective olefin synthesis by reductive coupling of alkyl iodides with terminal alkynes in the presence of iron salts is described. This transformation is representative of many newly developed synthetic routes through the involvement of multiple species and phases, which makes mechanistic insight hard to obtain. Here, we report computational work aimed at exploring the possible reaction pathways. DFT calculations lead to two suggested routes, one involving C-I reduction by metallic zinc and radical addition to the alkyne and the other involving addition of two reduced iron species to the alkyne bond followed by reductive elimination. Comparison to experimental results as well as kinetic modeling is used to discuss the likelihood of these and related mechanisms.

Formation of allylated quaternary carbon centers via C-O/C-O bond fragmentation of oxalates and allyl carbonates

Disclosed herein emphasizes Fe-promoted cross-electrophile allylation of tertiary alkyl oxalates with allyl carbonates that generates all C(sp3)-quaternary centers. The reaction involves fragmentation of tertiary alkyl oxalate C-O bonds to give tertiary alkyl radical intermediates, addition of the radicals to less hindered alkene terminals, and subsequent cleavage of the allyl C-O bonds. Allylation with 2-aryl substituted allyl carbonates was mediated by Zn/MgCl2, and Fe is used to promote the radical addition efficiency. By introduction of activated alkenes, a three-component radical cascade reaction took place.