Stereospecific Ring Contraction of Bromocycloheptenes through Dyotropic Rearrangements via Nonclassical Carbocation-Anion Pairs

Stereoinvertive SN1 Through Neighboring Group Participation

Neighboring group participation, the assistance of non-conjugated electrons to a reaction center, is a fundamental phenomenon in chemistry. In the framework of nucleophilic substitution reactions, neighboring group participation is known to cause rate acceleration, first order kinetics (SN1), and retention of configuration. The latter phenomenon is a result of double inversion: the first one when the neighboring group displaces the leaving group, and the second when a nucleophile substitutes the neighboring group. This powerful control of stereoretention has been widely used in organic synthesis for more than a century. However, neighboring group participation may also lead to inversion of configuration, a phenomenon which is often overlooked. Herein, we review this unique mode of stereoinversion, dividing the relevant reactions into three classes with the aim to introduce a fresh perspective on the different modes of stereoinversion via neighboring group participation as well as the factors that control this stereochemical outcome.

Desymmetrization of Inert meso-Diethers through Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation with Grignard Reagents

We have developed a highly regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective Cu-catalyzed desymmetrization of inert meso-diethers using Grignard reagents. Moreover, previous inaccessible sterically hindered organometallic reagents are realized in the reaction with broad secondary alkyl Grignard reagents. Finally, detailed control experiments and density functional theory calculations revealed the desymmetrization of meso-diethers exploits a direct anti-SN2' pathway, in the absence of an in situ-generated allyl bromine intermediate. The following oxidative addition is the crucial rate-determining and enantioselectivity-determining step.

Discovery of a Formal Dyotropic Rearrangement during Acid-Mediated Dioxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonanone Formation

A new reaction mechanism for the construction of dioxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonanone skeletons via a cation cascade has been proposed and examined by DFT and ab initio computations. This mechanism features the following steps: (1) intramolecular Friedel-Crafts-type cyclization with a methyl oxocarbenium cation formed by carboxylate disconnection, (2) electron-rich aromatic ring assisted methoxide loss followed by lactone formation, and (3) stepwise dyotropic rearrangement resulting in skeletal isomerization from a dioxabicyclo[3.2.2]nonanone to the dioxabicyclo[4.2.1]nonanone product observed experimentally. The high regioselectivity and driving force for the overall rearrangement were rationalized, and Lewis and Brønsted acid mediated reactivities were compared.

Copper-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution of racemic/meso substrates

The synthesis of enantiomerically pure compounds is a pivotal subject in the field of chemistry, with enantioselective catalysis currently standing as the primary approach for delivering specific enantiomers. Among these strategies, Cu-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution (AAS) is significant and irreplaceable, especially when it comes to the use of non-stabilized nucleophiles (pK a > 25). Although Cu-catalyzed AAS of prochiral substrates has also been widely developed, methodologies involving racemic/meso substrates are highly desirable, as the substrates undergo dynamic processes to give single enantiomer products. Inspired by the pioneering work of the Alexakis, Feringa and Gennari groups, Cu-catalyzed AAS has been continuously employed in deracemization and desymmetrization processes for the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched products. In this review, we mainly focus on the developments of Cu-catalyzed AAS with racemic/meso substrates over the past two decades, providing an explicit outline of the ligands employed, the scope of nucleophiles, the underlying dynamic processes and their practical applications.

Taming nonclassical carbocations to control small ring reactivity

Prediction of the outcome of ring opening of small organic rings under cationic conditions can be challenging due to the intermediacy of nonclassical carbocations. For example, the solvolysis of cyclobutyl or cyclopropylmethyl derivatives generates up to four products on nucleophilic capture or elimination via cyclopropylcarbinyl and bicyclobutonium ions. Here, we show that such reaction outcomes can be controlled by subtle changes to the structure of nonclassical carbocation. Using bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes as cation precursors, the regio- and stereochemistry of ring opening is shown to depend on the degree and nature of the substituents on the cationic intermediates. Reaction outcomes are rationalized using computational models, resulting in a flowchart to predict product formation from a given cation precursor.

Nature-inspired catalytic asymmetric rearrangement of cyclopropylcarbinyl cation

In nature, cyclopropylcarbinyl cation is often involved in cationic cascade reactions catalyzed by natural enzymes to produce a great number of structurally diverse natural substances. However, mimicking this natural process with artificial organic catalysts remains a daunting challenge in synthetic chemistry. We report a small molecule-catalyzed asymmetric rearrangement of cyclopropylcarbinyl cations, leading to a series of chiral homoallylic sulfide products with good to excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 99% enantiomeric excess). In the presence of a chiral SPINOL-derived N-triflyl phosphoramide catalyst, the dehydration of prochiral cyclopropylcarbinols occurs rapidly to generate symmetrical cyclopropylcarbinyl cations, which are subsequently trapped by thione-containing nucleophiles. A subgram-scale experiment and multiple downstream transformations of the sulfide products are further pursued to demonstrate the synthetic utility. Notably, a few heteroaromatic sulfone derivatives could serve as "covalent warhead" in the enzymatic inhibition of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 main protease.

Cyclopropylcarbinyl-to-Homoallyl Carbocation Equilibria Influence the Stereospecificity in the Nucleophilic Substitution of Cyclopropylcarbinols

The synthesis of quaternary homoallylic halides and trichloroacetates from cyclopropylcarbinols, as reported by Marek (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 5543-5548), is one of the few reported examples of stereospecific nucleophilic substitution involving chiral bridged carbocations. However, for the phenyl-substituted substrates, poor specificity is observed and mixtures of diastereomers are obtained. To understand the nature of the intermediates involved and explain the loss of specificity for certain substrates, we have performed a computational investigation of the reaction mechanism using ωB97X-D optimizations and DLPNO-CCSD(T) energy refinements. Our results indicate that cyclopropylcarbinyl cations are stable intermediates in this reaction, while bicyclobutonium structures are high-energy transition structures that are not involved. Instead, multiple rearrangement pathways of cyclopropylcarbinyl cations were located, including ring openings to homoallylic cations. The activation barriers required to reach such structures are correlated to the nature of the substituents; while direct nucleophilic attack on the chiral cyclopropylcarbinyl cations is kinetically favored for most systems, the rearrangements become competitive with nucleophilic attack for the phenyl-substituted systems, leading to a loss of specificity through rearranged carbocation intermediates. As such, stereospecific reactions of chiral cyclopropylcarbinyl cations depend on the energies required to access their corresponding homoallylic structures, from which selectivity is not guaranteed.

Ring contraction in synthesis of functionalized carbocycles

Carbocycles are a key and widely present structural motif in organic compounds. The construction of structurally intriguing carbocycles, such as highly-strained fused rings, spirocycles or highly-functionalized carbocycles with congested stereocenters, remains challenging in organic chemistry. Cyclopropanes, cyclobutanes and cyclopentanes within such carbocycles can be synthesized through ring contraction. These ring contractions involve re-arrangement of and/or small molecule extrusion from a parental ring, which is either a carbocycle or a heterocycle of larger size. This review provides an overview of synthetic methods for ring contractions to form cyclopropanes, cyclobutanes and cyclopentanes en route to structurally intriguing carbocycles.

Fehér P, Stirling A, Czégény Z, Bényei A, Novák Z. Synthesis of Hydrofluoroolefin-Based Iodonium Reagent via Dyotropic Rearrangement and Its Utilization in Fluoroalkylation

[1,2]-shift of atoms in alkyl fragments belongs to the class of dyotropic rearrangements. Various atoms, including halogens can be involved in the migration, however participation of iodine is unprecedented. Herein, we report our experimental and DFT studies on the oxidation triggered dyotropic rearrangement of iodo and chloro functions via butterfly-type transition state to demonstrate the migrating ability of λ3 -iodane centre. With the exploitation of dyotropic rearrangement we designed and synthesized a novel fluoroalkyl iodonium reagent from industrial feedstock gas HFO-1234yf. We demonstrated that the hypervalent reagent serves as an excellent fluoroalkylation agent for various amines and nitrogen heterocycles.

The benefits of Cu Kβ radiation for the single-crystal X-ray structure determination of crystalline sponges

The crystalline sponge method facilitates the X-ray structure determination of samples that do not crystallize or are too sparsely available to afford viable crystallization. By including these materials in a metal-organic framework, the structure of the guest molecules can be determined. Some of the inherent difficulties of this method are discussed and the use of Cu Kβ radiation is presented as a simple and effective means to improve the quality of the diffraction data that can be obtained from a sponge crystal.

On the mechanism of the dyotropic expansion of hydrindanes into decalins

A combined computational/experimental approach has revealed key mechanistic aspects in a recently reported dyotropic expansion of hydrindanes into decalins. While computer simulations had already anticipated the need for acid catalysis for making this reaction feasible under the mild conditions used in the laboratory, this work places the dyotropic step not into the reaction flask but at a later step, during the work up instead. With this information in hand the reaction has been optimized by exploring the performance of different activating agents and shown to be versatile, particularly in steroid related chemistry due to the two scaffolds that this reaction connects. Finally, the scope of the reaction has been significantly broadened by showing that this protocol can also operate in the absence of the fused six-member ring.

Absolute Configuration Determination from Low ee Compounds by the Crystalline Sponge Method. Unusual Conglomerate Formation in a Pre-Determined Crystalline Lattice

When chiral compounds with low enantiomeric excess (ee, R:S=m:n) were absorbed into the void of the crystalline sponge (CS), enantiomerically pure [(R)_m (S)_n ] chiral composites were formed, changing the centrosymmetric space group into non-centrosymmetric one. The absolute configuration of the analyte compounds was elucidated with a reasonable Flack (Parsons) parameter value. This phenomenon is characteristic to the "post-crystallization" in the pre-determined CS crystalline lattice, seldom found in common crystallization where the crystalline lattice is defined by an analyte itself. The results highlight the potential of the CS method for absolute configuration determination of low ee samples, an often encountered situation in asymmetric synthesis studies.

Application of Crystalline Matrices for the Structural Determination of Organic Molecules

While single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) is one of the most powerful structural determination techniques for organic molecules, the requirement of obtaining a suitable crystal for analysis limits its applicability, particularly for liquids and amorphous solids. The emergent use of preformed porous crystalline matrices that can absorb organic compounds and stabilize them via host-guest interactions for observation via SC-XRD offers a way to overcome this hindrance. A topical and current discussion of SC-XRD in organic chemistry and the use of preformed matrices for the in crystallo analysis of organic compounds, with a particular focus on the absolute structure determination of chiral molecules, is presented. Preformed crystalline matrices that are covered include metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as used in the crystalline sponge method, metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs, coordination cages), porous organic materials (POMs)/porous organic molecular crystals (POMCs), and biological scaffolds. An outlook and perspective on the current technology and on its future directions is provided.

Desymmetrization of meso-Dibromocycloalkenes through Copper(I)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Substitution with Organolithium Reagents

The highly regio- and enantioselective (up to >99:1 dr, up to 99:1 er) desymmetrization of meso-1,4-dibromocycloalk-2-enes using asymmetric allylic substitution with organolithium reagents to afford enantioenriched bromocycloalkenes (ring size of 5 to 7) has been achieved. The cycloheptene products undergo an unusual ring contraction. The synthetic versatility of this Cu(I)-catalyzed reaction is demonstrated by the concise stereocontrolled preparation of cyclic amino alcohols, which are privileged chiral structures in natural products and pharmaceuticals and widely used in synthesis and catalysis.