Enantioselective CuH-Catalyzed Hydroacylation Employing Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids as Aldehyde Surrogates

Modular synthesis of 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles from nitrones and acrylic acids

We developed a modular synthesis for 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles, utilising readily accessible nitrones and acrylic acids. This approach facilitates the preparation of a diverse array of oxindoles through the variation of the starting materials. We demonstrated the applicability of this method through a gram-scale reaction and a synthesis of esermethole.

Chiral bisphosphine Ph-BPE ligand: a rising star in asymmetric synthesis

Chiral 1,2-bis(2,5-diphenylphospholano)ethane (Ph-BPE) is a class of optimal organic bisphosphine ligands with C2-symmetry. Ph-BPE with its excellent catalytic performance in asymmetric synthesis has attracted much attention of chemists with increasing popularity and is growing into one of the most commonly used organophosphorus ligands, especially in asymmetric catalysis. Over two hundred examples have been reported since 2012. This review presents how Ph-BPE is utilized in asymmetric synthesis and how powerful it is as a chiral ligand or even a catalyst in a wide range of reactions including applications in the total synthesis of bioactive molecules.

Light-Driven Enantioselective Carbene-Catalyzed Radical-Radical Coupling

An enantioselective carbene-catalyzed radical-radical coupling of acyl imidazoles and racemic Hantzsch esters is disclosed. This method involves the coupling of an N-heterocyclic carbene-derived ketyl radical and a secondary sp3 -carbon radical and allows access to chiral α-aryl aliphatic ketones in moderate-to-good yields and enantioselectivities without any competitive epimerization. The utility of this protocol is highlighted by the late-stage functionalization of various pharmaceutical compounds and is further demonstrated by the transformation of the enantioenriched products to biologically relevant molecules. Computational investigations reveal the N-heterocyclic carbene controls the double-facial selectivity of the ketyl radical and the alkyl radicals, respectively.

CuH-Catalyzed Selective N-Methylation of Amines Using Paraformaldehyde as a C1 Source

Copper hydride (CuH) complexes have been proposed as key intermediates in synthesis and catalysis. Herein, we developed a highly efficient strategy for CuH-catalyzed N-methylation of aromatic and aliphatic amines using paraformaldehyde and polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) under mild reaction conditions. The reaction proceeded smoothly without additives to furnish the corresponding N-methylated products using cyclic(alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC)CuH as a reaction intermediate, which results from a reaction between PMHS and (CAAC)CuCl.

A Quadruple Catalysis Enabling Intermolecular Branch-Selective Hydroacylation of Styrenes

A quadruple N-heterocyclic carbene/cobalt/photoredox/Brønsted base catalysis to realize branch-selective hydroacylation of styrenes with aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes is demonstrated. This protocol allows access to branched ketones from readily available materials in an atom-economical manner. The quadruple catalysis can transfer a formyl hydrogen of aldehydes as a hydrogen radical equivalent onto the terminal carbon of an alkene by controlled electron and proton transfers.

A Catalytic Method for the Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Quaternary Ketones, α-Ketoesters and Aldehydes

A practical method for the efficient and enantioselective preparation of versatile ketones and aldehydes that contain an α-quaternary stereocenter is described. Reactions utilize simple carboxylic acid or ester starting materials, a monodentate chiral phosphine, and afford a variety of aryl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and alkyl-substituted ketone and aldehyde products in 25-94 % yield and 90 : 10 to >99 : 1 enantiomeric ratio. Reactions proceed by acyl substitution with in situ formed chiral allylic nucleophiles, and display selectivity and conversion dependence on a protic additive. The utility of the approach is demonstrated through several product transformations.

Stereospecific Acylative Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling: General Access to Optically Active α-Aryl Carbonyl Compounds

A novel strategy for the stereospecific Pd-catalyzed acylative cross-coupling of enantiomerically enriched alkylboron compounds has been developed. The protocol features an extremely high level of enantiospecificity to allow facile access to synthetically challenging and valuable chiral ketones and carboxylic acid derivatives. The use of a sterically encumbered and electron-rich phosphine ligand proved to be crucial for the success of the reaction. Furthermore, on the basis of experimental and computational studies, a unique mechanism for the transmetalation, assisted by the noncovalent interactions of the C(sp³)-based organoboron reagent, has been identified.

Exogenous Ligand-Free NiH-Catalyzed Hydroacylation of Aryl Alkenes with Aroyl Fluorides

Acyl fluorides have emerged as efficient acyl group donors, but these attractive reagents have rarely been utilized in transition-metal-catalyzed hydroacylation. Herein we report a nickel hydride-catalyzed hydroacylation of aryl alkenes using aroyl fluorides. The reaction proceeds without recourse to an exogenous ligand under mild conditions. The synthetic utility of the present method is demonstrated by the glovebox-free, gram-scale reaction and the late-stage derivatization of complex molecules containing pharmaceutical frameworks.

CuH-Catalyzed Enantioselective Reductive Coupling of 1,3-Dienes and Trifluoromethyl Ketoimines or α-Iminoacetates

The intermolecular addition of allylic copper species generated from diene and copper hydride remains elusive. Herein copper hydride catalyzed asymmetric cross reductive coupling of conjugated dienes and ketoimines including trifluoromethyl ketoimines and α-iminoacetates was first achieved using chiral Ph-BPE as the ligand, providing rapid access to structurally and optically enriched homoallylic amines containing two vicinal stereogenic centers with up to 95% yield, 99% ee, and 11:1 diastereoselectivities.

Synthesis of α,β-unsaturated ketones through nickel-catalysed aldehyde-free hydroacylation of alkynes

α,β-Unsaturated ketones are common feedstocks for the synthesis of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and natural products. Transition metal-catalysed hydroacylation reactions of alkynes using aldehydes have been recognised as an atom-economical route to access α,β-unsaturated ketones through chemoselective aldehydic C-H activation. However, the previously reported hydroacylation reactions using rhodium, cobalt, or ruthenium catalysts require chelating moiety-bearing aldehydes to prevent decarbonylation of acyl-metal-hydride complexes. Herein, we report a nickel-catalysed anti-Markovnikov selective coupling process to afford non-tethered E-enones from terminal alkynes and S-2-pyridyl thioesters in the presence of zinc metal as a reducing agent. Utilization of a readily available thioester as an acylating agent and water as a proton donor enables the mechanistically distinctive and aldehyde-free hydroacylation of terminal alkynes. This non-chelation-controlled approach features mild reaction conditions, high step economy, and excellent regio- and stereoselectivity.

Asymmetric benzylic C(sp3)-H acylation via dual nickel and photoredox catalysis

Asymmetric C(sp3)-H functionalization is a persistent challenge in organic synthesis. Here, we report an asymmetric benzylic C-H acylation of alkylarenes employing carboxylic acids as acyl surrogates for the synthesis of α-aryl ketones via nickel and photoredox dual catalysis. This mild yet straightforward protocol transforms a diverse array of feedstock carboxylic acids and simple alkyl benzenes into highly valuable α-aryl ketones with high enantioselectivities. The utility of this method is showcased in the gram-scale synthesis and late-stage modification of medicinally relevant molecules. Mechanistic studies suggest a photocatalytically generated bromine radical can perform benzylic C-H cleavage to activate alkylarenes as nucleophilic coupling partners which can then engage in a nickel-catalyzed asymmetric acyl cross-coupling reaction. This bromine-radical-mediated C-H activation strategy can be also applied to the enantioselective coupling of alkylarenes with chloroformate for the synthesis of chiral α-aryl esters.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Markovnikov-Selective Radical Hydroacylation of Unactivated Alkenes with Acylphosphonates

Acylphosphonates having the 5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxophosphinanyl skeleton are developed as efficient intermolecular radical acylation reagents, which enable the cobalt-catalyzed Markovnikov hydroacylation of unactivated alkenes at room temperature under mild conditions. The protocol exhibits broad substrate scope and wide functional group compatibility, providing branched ketones in satisfactory yields. A mechanism involving the Co-H mediated hydrogen atom transfer and subsequent trapping of alkyl radicals by acylphosphonates is proposed.

Enantioselective C2-Allylation of Benzimidazoles Using 1,3-Diene Pronucleophiles

Although substituted benzimidazoles are common substructures in bioactive small molecules, synthetic methods for their derivatization are still limited. Previously, several enantioselective allylation reactions of benzimidazoles were reported that functionalize the nucleophilic nitrogen atom. Herein we describe a reversal of this inherent selectivity toward N-allylation by using electrophilic N-OPiv benzimidazoles with readily available 1,3-dienes as nucleophile precursors. This CuH-catalyzed approach utilizes mild reaction conditions, exhibits broad functional-group compatibility, and exclusively forms the C2-allylated product with excellent stereoselectivity.

Enantioselective Synthesis of β-Amino Acid Derivatives Enabled by Ligand-Controlled Reversal of Hydrocupration Regiochemistry

A Cu-catalyzed enantioselective hydroamination of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds for the synthesis of β-amino acid derivatives was achieved through ligand-controlled reversal of the hydrocupration regioselectivity. While the hydrocupration of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds to form α-cuprated species has been extensively investigated, we report herein that, in the presence of an appropriate ancillary chiral ligand, the opposite regiochemistry can be observed for cinnamic acid derivatives, leading to the delivery of the copper to the β-position. This copper can react with an electrophilic aminating reagent, 1,2-benzisoxazole, to provide enantioenriched β-amino acid derivatives, which are important building blocks for the synthesis of natural products and bioactive small molecules.

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Cephanolide A

The first asymmetric total synthesis of cephanolide A, a complex hexacyclic C₁₈ dinorditerpenoid from cephalotaxus sinensis, was achieved. The synthesis features a convergent strategy, which provides a flexible approach to prepare the biogenetically cephalotaxus diterpenoids and structurally related derivatives for biological studies. A mild intramolecular Prins cyclization was developed to construct the central hexahydrofluorenol skeleton (A-B-C ring), which relies on the originally proposed hydroacylation strategy. A remote hydroxy group directed hydrogenation was applied to stereospecifically reduce the tetra-substituted enone unit. A sequence of ring forming steps, including lactonization, cation mediated etherification and Friedel-Crafts cyclization, was efficiently utilized to forge the cage-like skeleton.

Streamlined Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Substituted β,γ-Unsaturated Ketones and Either of the Corresponding Tertiary Homoallylic Alcohol Diastereomers

A widely applicable, practical, and scalable strategy for efficient and enantioselective synthesis of β,γ-unsaturated ketones that contain an α-stereogenic center is disclosed. Accordingly, aryl, heteroaryl, alkynyl, alkenyl, allyl, or alkyl ketones that contain an α-stereogenic carbon with an alkyl, an aryl, a benzyloxy, or a siloxy moiety can be generated from readily available starting materials and by the use of commercially available chiral ligands in 52-96% yield and 93:7 to >99:1 enantiomeric ratio. To develop the new method, conditions were identified so that high enantioselectivity would be attained and the resulting α-substituted NH-ketimines, wherein there is strong C═N → B(pin) coordination, would not epimerize before conversion to the derived ketone by hydrolysis. It is demonstrated that the ketone products can be converted to an assortment of homoallylic tertiary alcohols in 70-96% yield and 92:8 to >98:2 dr-in either diastereomeric form-by reactions with alkyl-, aryl-, heteroaryl-, allyl-, vinyl-, alkynyl-, or propargyl-metal reagents. The utility of the approach is highlighted through transformations that furnish other desirable derivatives and a concise synthesis route affording more than a gram of a major fragment of anti-HIV agents rubriflordilactones A and B and a specific stereoisomeric analogue.

Cu-Catalyzed Regioselective C-H Alkylation of Benzimidazoles with Aromatic Alkenes

Herein we report a novel Cu-catalyzed regioselective C2-H alkylation of benzimidazoles with aromatic alkenes. The reaction features exclusive regioselectivity and broad substrate scope in the intermolecular alkylation of benzimidazoles with terminal and internal aromatic alkenes, constituting a modular access toward benzimidazole-containing 1,1-di(hetero)aryl alkanes. The intramolecular C2-H alkylation of benzimidazoles with aromatic alkenes has been achieved in an endo-selective manner. The enantioselective C2 alkylation of benzimidazoles has also been realized with moderate to good stereocontrol.

CuH-Catalyzed Asymmetric Reductive Amidation of α,β-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids

The direct enantioselective copper hydride (CuH)-catalyzed synthesis of β-chiral amides from α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids and secondary amines under mild reaction conditions is reported. The method utilizes readily accessible carboxylic acids and tolerates a variety of functional groups in the β-position including several heteroarenes. A subsequent iridium-catalyzed reduction to γ-chiral amines can be performed in the same flask without purification of the intermediate amides.

CuH-Catalyzed Olefin Functionalization: From Hydroamination to Carbonyl Addition

In organic synthesis, ligand-modified copper(I) hydride (CuH) complexes have become well-known reagents and catalysts for selective reduction, particularly toward Michael acceptors and carbonyl compounds. Recently, our group and others have found that these hydride complexes undergo migratory insertion (hydrocupration) with relatively unactivated and electronically unpolarized olefins, producing alkylcopper intermediates that can be leveraged to forge a variety of useful bonds. The resulting formal hydrofunctionalization reactions have formed the basis for a resurgence of research in CuH catalysis. This Account chronicles the development of this concept in our research group, highlighting its origin in the context of asymmetric hydroamination, evolution to more general C-X bond-forming reactions, and applications in the addition of olefin-derived nucleophiles to carbonyl derivatives.Hydroamination, the formal insertion of an olefin into the N-H bond of an amine, is a process of significant academic and industrial interest, due to its potential to transform widely available alkenes and alkynes into valuable complex amines. We developed a polarity-reversed strategy for catalytic enantioselective hydroamination relying on the reaction of olefins with CuH to generate chiral organocopper intermediates, which are intercepted by electrophilic amine reagents. By engineering the auxiliary ligand, amine electrophile, and reaction conditions, the scope of this method has since been extended to include many types of olefins, including challenging internal olefins. Further, the scope of amine reagents has been expanded to enable the synthesis of primary, secondary, and tertiary amines as well as amides, N-alkylated heterocycles, and anilines. All of these reactions exhibit high regio- and stereoselectivity and, due to the mild conditions required, excellent tolerance for heterocycles and polar functional groups.Though the generation of alkylcopper species from olefins was originally devised as a means to solve the hydroamination problem, we soon found that these intermediates could react efficiently with an unexpectedly broad range of electrophiles, including alkyl halides, silicon reagents, arylpalladium species, heterocycles, and carbonyl derivatives. The general ability of olefins to function as precursors for nucleophilic intermediates has proved particularly advantageous in carbonyl addition reactions because it overcomes many of the disadvantages associated with traditional organometallic reagents. By removing the need for pregeneration of the nucleophile in a separate operation, CuH-catalyzed addition reactions of olefin-derived nucleophiles feature improved step economy, enhanced functional group tolerance, and the potential for catalyst control over regio- and stereoselectivity. Following this paradigm, feedstock olefins such as allene, butadiene, and styrene have been employed as reagents for asymmetric alkylation of ketones, imines, and aldehydes.

Evidence for Simultaneous Dearomatization of Two Aromatic Rings under Mild Conditions in Cu(I)-Catalyzed Direct Asymmetric Dearomatization of Pyridine

Bis(phosphine) copper hydride complexes are uniquely able to catalyze direct dearomatization of unactivated pyridines with carbon nucleophiles, but the mechanistic basis for this result has been unclear. Here we show that, contrary to our initial hypotheses, the catalytic mechanism is monometallic and proceeds via dearomative rearrangement of the phenethylcopper nucleophile to a Cpara-metalated form prior to reaction at heterocycle C4. Our studies support an unexpected heterocycle-promoted pathway for this net 1,5-Cu-migration beginning with a doubly dearomative imidoyl-Cu-ene reaction. Kinetics, substituent effects, computational modeling, and spectroscopic studies support the involvement of this unusual process. In this pathway, the CuL₂ fragment subsequently mediates a stepwise Cope rearrangement of the doubly dearomatized intermediate to the give the C4-functionalized 1,4-dihydropyridine, lowering a second barrier that would otherwise prohibit efficient asymmetric catalysis.

Synthesis of Pyrroles through the CuH-Catalyzed Coupling of Enynes and Nitriles

Herein, we describe an efficient method to prepare polysubstituted pyrroles via a copper hydride (CuH)-catalyzed enyne-nitrile coupling reaction. This protocol accommodates both aromatic and aliphatic substituents and a broad range of functional groups, providing a variety of N-H pyrroles in good yields and with high regioselectivity. We propose that the Cu-based catalyst promotes both the initial reductive coupling and subsequent cyclization steps. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to elucidate the reaction mechanism.

Direct Use of Carboxylic Acids in the Photocatalytic Hydroacylation of Styrenes To Generate Dialkyl Ketones

A general protocol for the hydroacylation of styrenes from aliphatic carboxylic acids is reported. These reactions proceed via β-scission of a phosphoranyl radical that is accessed by photoredox catalysis, followed by addition of the resulting acyl radical to the styrenyl olefin. We show that phosphine tunability is critical for efficient intermolecular coupling due to competitive quenching of the photocatalyst by the olefin. Primary, secondary, and structurally rigid tertiary carboxylic acids all generate valuable unsymmetrical dialkyl ketones.

2-Azadienes as Enamine Umpolung Synthons for the Preparation of Chiral Amines

The development of new strategies for the preparation of chiral amines is an important objective in organic synthesis. In this Synpacts, we summarize our approach for catalytically accessing nucleophilic aminoalkyl metal species from 2-azadienes, and its application in generating a number of important but elusive chiral amine scaffolds. Reductive couplings with ketones and imines afford 1,2-amino tertiary alcohols and 1,2-diamines, respectively, whereas fluoroarylations of gem-difluoro-2-azadienes deliver α-trifluoromethylated benzylic amines.

A redox-neutral synthesis of ketones by coupling of alkenes and amides

The direct synthesis of ketones via carbon-carbon bond formation represents one of the most important challenges in organic synthesis. Hydroacylation of alkenes offers perhaps the most efficient and atom-economical approach for the preparation of ketones employing carbonyl compounds and alkenes as feedstocks. State-of-the-art hydroacylation is typically achieved by a transition metal-catalysed coupling of an aldehyde and an alkene but is plagued by competing decarbonylation, requiring the installation of directing groups in the aldehyde reactant. Herein, we present a method for the hydroacylation of alkenes employing amides in a metal-free regime, proceeding by a new mechanism and offering orthogonal reactivity to the conventional, metal-catalysed alternatives.

Regio- and Enantioselective Formal Hydroamination of Enamines for the Synthesis of 1,2-Diamines

The asymmetric formal hydroamination of enamines using a CuH catalyst is reported. The method provides a straightforward and efficient approach to the synthesis of chiral 1,2-dialkyl amines in good yields with high levels of enantioselectivities for a broad range of substrates, and should have significant value for the preparation of molecules bearing a 1,2-diamine motif.

A Radical Approach to Anionic Chemistry: Synthesis of Ketones, Alcohols, and Amines

Historically accessed through two-electron, anionic chemistry, ketones, alcohols, and amines are of foundational importance to the practice of organic synthesis. After placing this work in proper historical context, this Article reports the development, full scope, and a mechanistic picture for a strikingly different way of forging such functional groups. Thus, carboxylic acids, once converted to redox-active esters (RAEs), can be utilized as formally nucleophilic coupling partners with other carboxylic derivatives (to produce ketones), imines (to produce benzylic amines), or aldehydes (to produce alcohols). The reactions are uniformly mild, operationally simple, and, in the case of ketone synthesis, broad in scope (including several applications to the simplification of synthetic problems and to parallel synthesis). Finally, an extensive mechanistic study of the ketone synthesis is performed to trace the elementary steps of the catalytic cycle and provide the end-user with a clear and understandable rationale for the selectivity, role of additives, and underlying driving forces involved.

Nickel-catalyzed exo-selective hydroacylation/Suzuki cross-coupling reaction

The first nickel-catalyzed intramolecular hydroacylation/Suzuki cross coupling cascade of o-allylbenzaldehydes with a broad range of phenylboronic acid neopentyl glycol esters has been developed.