Direct Access to Versatile Electrophiles via Catalytic Oxidative Cyanation of Alkenes

Ni-catalyzed reductive cyanation of alkenyl tosylates and triflates

Herein, we disclose the nickel-catalyzed reductive cyanation of alkenyl tosylates and triflates. Both cyclic and acyclic alkenyl nitriles are produced in moderate to good yield using 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-methylmalononitrile (MeO-MPMN), a novel transnitrilation, or nitrile transfer, reagent. A robustness screen was undertaken to demonstrate the functional group tolerance of this method.

An Organocopper(III) Fluoride Triggering C-CF3 Bond Formation

Copper(III) fluorides are catalytically competent, yet elusive, intermediates in cross-coupling. The synthesis of [PPh4 ][CuIII (CF3 )3 F] (2), the first stable (isolable) CuIII -F, was accomplished via chloride addition to [CuIII (CF3 )3 (py)] (1) yielding [PPh4 ][CuIII (CF3 )3 Cl(py)] (1⋅Cl), followed by treatment with AgF. The CuIII halides 1⋅Cl and 2 were fully characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction (Sc-XRD) and elemental analysis (EA). Complex 2 proved capable of forging C-CF3 bonds from silyl-capped alkynes. In-depth mechanistic studies combining probes, theoretical calculations, trapping of intermediate 4a ([PPh4 ][CuIII (CF3 )3 (C≡CPh)]) and radical tests unveil the key role of the CuIII acetylides that undergo facile 2e- reductive elimination furnishing the trifluoromethylated alkynes (RC≡CCF3 ), which are industrially relevant synthons in drug discovery, pharma and agrochemistry.

Thiourea-Mediated Stereospecific Deoxygenation of Cyanoepoxides to Access Highly Diastereopure Alkenyl Nitriles

A practical and efficient protocol for synthesis of >99% diastereopure Z- and E-alkenyl nitriles is developed, through tetramethylthiourea-mediated stereospecific deoxygenation of respective cis- and trans-cyanoepoxides in ethanol. The desired products are obtained in excellent yields.

Iron(II) Phthalocyanine-Catalyzed Olefination of Aldehydes with Diazoacetonitrile: A Novel Approach to Construct Alkenyl Nitriles

A novel synthetic approach to preparing alkenyl nitriles via the olefination of aldehydes with diazoacetonitrile catalyzed by iron(II) phthalocyanine in the presence of PPh3 has been developed. A broad variety of aldehydes are efficiently transformed into the corresponding products with the high yields of 75%-97%. And it is also suitable for its gram-scale preparation. The suggested mechanism involves the transformation of the phosphazine to ylide by iron(II) phthalocyanine.

Unified metal-free intermolecular Heck-type sulfonylation, cyanation, amination, amidation of alkenes by thianthrenation

Direct and site-selective C-H functionalization of alkenes under environmentally benign conditions represents a useful and attractive yet challenging transformation to access value-added molecules. Herein, a unified protocol for a variety of intermolecular Heck-type functionalizations of Csp2-H bond of alkenes has been developed by thianthrenation. The reaction features metal-free and operationally simple conditions for exclusive cine-selective C-H functionalization of aliphatic and aryl alkenes to forge C-C, C-N, C-P, and C-S bonds at room temperature, providing a general protocol for intermolecular Heck-type reaction of alkenes with nucleophiles (Nu = sulfinates, cyanides, amines, amides). Alkenes undergo cine-sulfonylation, cyanation, amination to afford alkenyl sulfones, alkenyl nitriles and enamines.

Site-Selective sp2 C-H Cyanation of Allenes via Copper-Catalyzed Radical Relay

Compared with the extensively reported hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) at sp3 C-H, abstraction of hydrogen atoms at the sp2 carbon is extremely rare. Here, we communicate the site-selective cyanation of the sp2 C-H bond of allenes using the strategy of copper-catalyzed radical relay. The reactions afford various allenyl nitriles directly from simple allenes with a broad substrate scope and a remarkable functional group compatibility under mild conditions. These reactions exhibit excellent site-selectivity toward sp2 C-H, which can be attributed to the unique pocket created by the Cu-bound nitrogen-centered radical. The favorable HAT on sp2 C-H is due to crucial hydrogen bonding between the fluoride bonded to the Cu(II) center and the hydrogen atom at the allylic position. These features enable the late-stage functionalization of druglike bioactive molecules containing an allene motif.

C-H Bond Functionalization of N-Heteroarenes Mediated by Selectfluor

Herein, recent developments for Selectfluor-mediated C-H functionalization of N-heteroarenes are described. This type of C-H bond activation is an attractive and competitive alternative to traditional methodologies, allowing the functionalization of a variety of chemical functions. In addition, Selectfluor is a more sustainable and economically accessible oxidant compared with expensive/toxic metals or hazardous peroxides. For a practical understanding, the current review classified systematically the reported strategies in four subsections as follows: (1) carbon-carbon formation, (2) carbon-nitrogen bond formation, (3) carbon-chalcogen bond, and (4) carbon-halogen bond formation. Mechanistic aspects and reaction conditions are fully discussed to provide an understanding of the aspects that govern C-H functionalization in N-heteroarenes mediated by Selectfluor.

Aryl acrylonitriles synthesis enabled by palladium-catalyzed α-alkenylation of arylacetonitriles with vinyl halides/triflates

Aryl acrylonitriles are an important subclass of acrylonitriles in the medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical industry. Herein, an efficient synthesis of aryl acrylonitrile derivatives using a Palladium/NIXANTPHOS-based catalyst system was developed. This approach furnishes a variety of substituted and functionalized aryl acrylonitriles (up to 95% yield). The scalability of the transformation and the synthetic versatility of aryl acrylonitrile were demonstrated.

Selectfluor and TBAX (Cl, Br) Mediated Oxidative Chlorination and Bromination of Olefins

Herein, we report the first metal-free and molecular halogen reagent-free dihomohalogenation methodology by using Selectfluor as an oxidant and tetrabutylammonium bromide/chloride salts as a halogen source. This effective strategy provides various fluorine-free halogenated products easily in quantitative yields from alkenes, alkynes, and natural products.

Eosin Y-Catalyzed Visible-Light-Induced Hydroperfluoroalkylation of Electron-Deficient Alkenes

The eosin Y-catalyzed hydroperfluoroalkylation of electron-deficient alkenes is described herein. The reaction proceeded smoothly under visible light irradiation and selectively afforded a hydroperfluoroalkylated product. Various perfluoroalkyl bromides and electron-deficient olefins can be used in this reaction, and all chemicals required for this reaction are safe and readily available.

Copper-Catalyzed Regioselective Iodoformylation of Terminal Alkynes to Access Versatile Electrophiles (E)-β-Iodo-α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes

Herein, we describe a method for synthesizing (E)-β-iodo-α,β-unsaturated aldehydes via the iodoformylation of terminal alkynes with TMSCF₃ and NaI. This synthetic method uses inexpensive and easy-to-handle chemical feedstocks and employs a commercially available CuI catalyst. It can transform a broad range of terminal alkynes into bis-electrophile (E)-β-iodo-α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with excellent chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity. Moreover, it was demonstrated that this protocol has abundant organic reactivity.

Direct Synthesis of Biphenyl-2-carbonitriles by Rh(III)-Catalyzed C-H Hiyama Cross-Coupling in Water

This method represents an efficient rhodium(III)-catalyzed o-C-H arylation of readily available benzimidate derivatives with diverse arylsilanes in water as a sustainable solvent, enabling the straightforward synthesis of potentially useful biphenyl-2-carbonitrile derivatives. This silicon-based protocol employs benzimidates as both an efficacious directing group and the source of a nitrile group.

Nickel-Catalyzed Chemo- and Regioselective Arylcyanation of β,γ-Unsaturated Amides

A nickel-catalyzed intermolecular arylcyanation of 8-aminoquinolinyl β,γ-unsaturated amides is reported. The three-component reaction directly afforded diverse β-cyano γ-aryl amides with exclusive chemo- and regioselectivity. The synthetic practicality of this approach is further demonstrated through multigram scale reaction, expanded transformations of the nitrile product, late-stage modification of complex molecules, and direct drug synthesis.

Copper(II)-Catalyzed Selective CAr-H Bond Formylation: Synthesis of Dialdehyde Aniline

A simple and efficient method for the synthesis of dialdehyde aniline in good yields (up to 83%) is explored using Cu(OTf)₂ as the catalyst, Selectfluor as the radical initiator, and DMSO as both the carbon and oxygen sources. Experimental studies indicate that the reaction is achieved by the formylation of two C_Ar-H bonds, first at the para-position and then at the ortho-position. A possible mechanism is proposed, including the thermal homolysis of Selectfluor, the Cu(II)-facilitated formylation of the C_Ar-H bonds, and the hydrolysis of the amide under alkaline conditions in air atmosphere.

Current Advances in Meerwein-type Radical Alkene Functionalizations

Alkene functionalizations via Meerwein arylations are becoming increasingly attractive, especially since a variety of mild and sustainable methods for aryl radical generation are available today. This entails a broad spectrum of substrates and radical scavengers, as well as convenient synthetic routes to relevant precursors for further transformations. The present review focuses on recent advances in Meerwein-type alkene functionalizations and gives insights into the key mechanistic details of the respective reactions.

1 Introduction

2 Hydroarylation and Carboarylation

3 Carboamination, Carbooxygenation, and Carbothiolation

4 Carbohalogenation

5 Conclusion and Outlook

Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Diarylfumaronitriles via Tandem Michael Addition and Oxidation under K3Fe(CN)6/O2 System

An efficient formal alkenyl C-H cyanation reaction has been developed for the general synthesis of unsymmetrical diarylfumaronitriles in good to excellent yields. The reaction was achieved through tandem Michael addition and an oxidative process. The merits of this transformation include the use of K₃Fe(CN)₆ as a safe and nontoxic cyanide source, without an external noble metal catalyst, oxygen-involved reactions, easily available raw materials, good functional group tolerance, high stereoselectivity, and potential further application of the products.

The Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction for non-electron-deficient olefins enabled by photoredox catalysis

A strategy for overcoming the limitation of the Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) reaction, which is only applicable to electron-deficient olefins, has been achieved via visible-light induced photoredox catalysis in this report.

Insights into the chemistry and therapeutic potential of acrylonitrile derivatives

Acrylonitrile is a fascinating scaffold widely found in many natural products, drugs, and drug candidates with various biological activities. Several drug molecules such as entacapone, rilpivirine, teriflunomide, and so forth, bearing an acrylonitrile moiety have been marketed. In this review, diverse synthetic strategies for constructing desired acrylonitriles are discussed, and the different biological activities and medicinal significance of various acrylonitrile derivatives are critically evaluated. The information gathered is expected to provide rational guidance for the development of clinically useful agents from acrylonitriles.

Practical Synthesis of (Z)-α,β-Unsaturated Nitriles via a One-Pot Sequential Hydroformylation/Knoevenagel Reaction

Herein, the synthesis of (Z)-α,β-unsaturated nitriles by a sequential hydroformylation/Knoevenagel reaction has been first developed. A variety of crude α-olefins from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, internal and special olefins, as well as alkynes could be transformed into value-added alkenyl nitriles (39 examples) up to 90% yield. Remarkably, compared with commonly used tedious multistep reactions, the one-pot protocol features cheap and easily available raw materials, excellent chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity, very mild reaction conditions, and easy scale-up production.

Synthesis and Characterization of Bidentate (P^N)Gold(III) Fluoride Complexes: Reactivity Platforms for Reductive Elimination Studies

A new family of cationic, bidentate (P^N)gold(III) fluoride complexes has been prepared and a detailed characterization of the gold-fluoride bond has been carried out. Our results correlate with the observed reactivity of the fluoro ligand, which undergoes facile exchange with both cyano and acetylene nucleophiles. The resulting (P^N)arylgold(III)C(sp) complexes have enabled the first study of reductive elimination on (P^N)gold(III) systems, which demonstrated that C(sp² )-C(sp) bond formation occurs at higher rates than those reported for analogous phosphine-based monodentate systems.

Chemoproteomic-enabled phenotypic screening

The ID of disease-modifying, chemically accessible targets remains a central priority of modern therapeutic discovery. The phenotypic screening of small-molecule libraries not only represents an attractive approach to identify compounds that may serve as drug leads but also serves as an opportunity to uncover compounds with novel mechanisms of action (MoAs). However, a major bottleneck of phenotypic screens continues to be the ID of pharmacologically relevant target(s) for compounds of interest. The field of chemoproteomics aims to map proteome-wide small-molecule interactions in complex, native systems, and has proved a key technology to unravel the protein targets of pharmacological modulators. In this review, we discuss the application of modern chemoproteomic methods to identify protein targets of phenotypic screening hits and investigate MoAs, with a specific focus on the development of chemoproteomic-enabled compound libraries to streamline target discovery.

Recent Advances in Copper-Catalyzed Radical C–H Bond Activation Using N–F Reagents

This Short Review is aimed at giving an update in the area of copper-catalyzed C–H functionalization involving nitrogen-centered radicals generated from substrates containing N–F bonds. These processes include intermolecular Csp3–H bond functionalization, remote Csp3–H bond functionalization via intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), and Csp2–H bond functionalization, which might be of potential use in industrial applications in the future.

1 Introduction

2 Intermolecular Csp3–H Functionalization

3 Remote Csp3–H Functionalization

4 Csp2–H Functionalization

5 Conclusion

An Activity-Guided Map of Electrophile-Cysteine Interactions in Primary Human T Cells

Electrophilic compounds originating from nature or chemical synthesis have profound effects on immune cells. These compounds are thought to act by cysteine modification to alter the functions of immune-relevant proteins; however, our understanding of electrophile-sensitive cysteines in the human immune proteome remains limited. Here, we present a global map of cysteines in primary human T cells that are susceptible to covalent modification by electrophilic small molecules. More than 3,000 covalently liganded cysteines were found on functionally and structurally diverse proteins, including many that play fundamental roles in immunology. We further show that electrophilic compounds can impair T cell activation by distinct mechanisms involving the direct functional perturbation and/or degradation of proteins. Our findings reveal a rich content of ligandable cysteines in human T cells and point to electrophilic small molecules as a fertile source for chemical probes and ultimately therapeutics that modulate immunological processes and their associated disorders.

Direct Access to Highly Enantioenriched α-Branched Acrylonitriles through a One-Pot Sequential Asymmetric Michael Addition/Retro-Dieckmann/Retro-Michael Fragmentation Cascade

A highly enantioselective synthesis of α-branched acrylonitriles is reported featuring a one-pot sequential asymmetric Michael addition/retro-Dieckmann/retro-Michael fragmentation cascade. The method, which relies on a solid, bench-stable, and commercially available acrylonitrile surrogate, is practical, scalable, and highly versatile and provides a direct access to a wide range of enantioenriched nitrile-containing building blocks. Most importantly, the method offers a new tool to incorporate an acrylonitrile moiety in an asymmetric fashion.

Copper(i)-catalyzed intermolecular cyanoarylation of alkenes: convenient access to α-alkylated arylacetonitriles

A novel Cu(i)-catalyzed intermolecular cyanoarylation of alkenes with diaryliodonium salts as a radical arylating reagent and tetra-butylammonium cyanide as an electrophilic cyanating reagent was established. A broad range of α-alkylated arylacetonitriles were efficiently constructed in good to excellent yields under base- and oxidant-free and mild conditions.

Dual electrocatalysis enables enantioselective hydrocyanation of conjugated alkenes

Chiral nitriles and their derivatives are prevalent in pharmaceuticals and bioactive compounds. Enantioselective alkene hydrocyanation represents a convenient and efficient approach for synthesizing these molecules. However, a generally applicable method featuring a broad substrate scope and high functional group tolerance remains elusive. Here, we address this long-standing synthetic problem using dual electrocatalysis. Using this strategy, we leverage electrochemistry to seamlessly combine two canonical radical reactions—cobalt-mediated hydrogen-atom transfer and copper-promoted radical cyanation—to accomplish highly enantioselective hydrocyanation without the need for stoichiometric oxidants. We also harness electrochemistry’s unique feature of precise potential control to optimize the chemoselectivity of challenging substrates. Computational analysis uncovers the origin of enantio-induction, for which the chiral catalyst imparts a combination of attractive and repulsive non-covalent interactions to direct the enantio-determining C–CN bond formation. This work demonstrates the power of electrochemistry in accessing new chemical space and providing solutions to pertinent challenges in synthetic chemistry.

Regio- and Stereoselective Thianthrenation of Olefins To Access Versatile Alkenyl Electrophiles

Herein, we report a regioselective alkenyl electrophile synthesis from unactivated olefins that is based on a direct and regioselective C-H thianthrenation reaction. The selectivity is proposed to arise from an unusual inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction. The alkenyl sulfonium salts can serve as electrophiles in palladium- and ruthenium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions to make alkenyl C-C, C-Cl, C-Br, and C-SCF3 bonds with stereoretention.

Recent Advances in the Application of Selectfluor as a "Fluorine-free" Functional Reagent in Organic Synthesis

Selectfluor, [1-chloromethyl-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo-[2.2.2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate)], is not only an important electrophilic fluorinating agent but also a facile and efficient "fluorine-free" functional reagent in other organic reactions. In this Minireview, we will present a brief history of Selectfluor as a transition metal oxidant, fluorine cation and radical initiator in "fluorine-free" functionalizations over the last five years.

Theoretical study on functionalized acrylonitrile compounds with a large second-order nonlinear optical response

The nonlinear optical properties of the studied compounds were studied with the help of DFT calculations.

Functionalized Acrylonitriles with Aggregation-Induced Emission: Structure Tuning by Simple Reaction-Condition Variation, Efficient Red Emission, and Two-Photon Bioimaging

Acrylonitriles with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics have been found to show promising applications in two-photon biomedical imaging. Generally, elaborate synthetic efforts are required to achieve different acrylonitriles with distinct functionalities. In this work, we first reported the synthesis of two different group-functionalized AIE-active acrylonitriles (TPAT-AN-XF and 2TPAT-AN) obtained simply by mixing the same reactants at different temperatures using a facile and transition metal-free synthetic method. These two AIE luminogens (AIEgens) exhibit unique properties such as bright red emission in the solid state, large Stokes shift, and large two-photon absorption cross section. Water-soluble nanoparticles (NPs) of 2TPAT-AN were prepared by a nanoprecipitation method. In vitro imaging data show that 2TPAT-AN NPs can selectively stain lysosome in live cells. Besides one-photon imaging, remarkable two-photon imaging of live tumor tissues can be achieved with high resolution and deep tissue penetration. 2TPAT-AN NPs show high biocompatibility and are successfully utilized in in vivo long-term imaging of mouse tumors with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, the present work is anticipated to shed light on the preparation of a library of AIE-active functionalized acrylonitriles with intriguing properties for biomedical applications.

Reductive C-C Coupling from α,β-Unsaturated Nitriles by Intercepting Keteniminates

We present an atom-economic strategy to catalytically generate and intercept nitrile anion equivalents using hydrogen transfer catalysis. Addition of α,β-unsaturated nitriles to a pincer-based Ru-H complex affords structurally characterized κ-N-coordinated keteniminates by selective 1,4-hydride transfer. When generated in situ under catalytic hydrogenation conditions, electrophilic addition to the keteniminate was achieved using anhydrides to provide α-cyanoacetates in high yields. This work represents a new application of hydrogen transfer catalysis using α,β-unsaturated nitriles for reductive C-C coupling reactions.

E- and Z-, di- and tri-substituted alkenyl nitriles through catalytic cross-metathesis

Nitriles are found in many bioactive compounds, and are among the most versatile functional groups in organic chemistry. Despite many notable recent advances, however, there are no approaches that may be used for preparation of di- or trisubstituted alkenyl nitriles. Related approaches which are broad in scope and can deliver the desired products in high stereoisomeric purity are especially scarce. Here, we describe the development of several efficient catalytic cross-metathesis strategies, which provide direct access to a considerable range of Z- or E-disubstituted cyano-substituted alkenes or their corresponding trisubstituted variants. Depending on the reaction type, a molybdenum-based monoaryloxide pyrrolide (MAP) or chloride (MAC) complex may be the optimal choice. The utility of the approach, enhanced by an easy-to-apply protocol for utilization of substrates bearing an alcohol or a carboxylic acid moiety, is highlighted in the context of applications to synthesis of biologically active compounds.

Direct C–H/C–H cross-coupling of benzimidates with heteroarenes to access biheteroaryl-2-carbonitriles

A rhodium(iii)-catalyzed oxidative C–H/C–H cross-coupling of benzimidates with various heteroarenes has been devloped to directly furnish biheteroaryl-2-carbonitriles.

A Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution cascade via an asymmetric desymmetrization for the synthesis of bicyclic dihydrofurans

Chiral bicyclic dihydrofurans bearing two vicinal carbon stereocenters have been synthesized in high yields and with up to 97% ee via a Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution cascade and an asymmetric desymmetrization process.