Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Electron-Poor Terminal Alkynes with Arylboronic Acids under Ligand-Free and Aerobic Conditions

Metal-free photoinduced generation and alkynylation of carbamoyl radicals: a facile synthesis of alkynyl amides

A metal-free photoinduced alkynylation of carbamoyl radicals with hypervalent iodine(III) reagents for a facile synthesis of alkynyl amides is described. This protocol features good functional group tolerance and a broad substrate scope for direct synthesis of alkynyl amide derivatives in good to excellent yields under mild and redox-neutral reaction conditions. The synthetic application is demonstrated by the late-stage installation of alkynyl amides into natural products and active pharmaceutical relevant molecules. The mechanistic studies indicated the simultaneous existence of photoredox catalytic and direct photoexcited processes, and the quantum yields confirmed the occurrence of the radical chain propagation process.

Transition metal-catalyzed transformations of 2-formylarylboronic acids

2-Formylarylboronic acids are easily available precursors in organic chemistry. Different types of transition metal catalysts, such as Pd(0), Pd(II), Rh(I), Ir(I), Ni(II), Cu(I), Cu(II), and Co(II), can efficiently catalyze coupling reactions of 2-formylarylboronic acids with other organic reactants. In this review, we describe the synthesis of a diverse range of carbocyclic and heterocyclic compounds, as well as acyclic compounds, via transition metal-catalyzed reactions of 2-formylarylboronic acids over the past two decades.

A General and Highly Versatile Heterogeneous Pd-Catalyzed Oxidative Aminocarbonylation of Alkynes with Aromatic and Aliphatic Amines

An efficient heterogeneous catalytic system for the oxidative aminocarbonylation of alkynes and amines in the presence of CO/O2 to afford substituted propiolamides has been developed. The active nanocatalyst, [Pd/Mg3Al-LDH]-300(D), is composed by Pd nanoaggregates (2-3 nm average particle size) stabilized over a partially dehydrated [Mg3Al-LDH] matrix. The methodology has resulted widely applicable, being the first catalytic system, either homogeneous or heterogeneous, able to activate not only aliphatic amines but also poorly-nucleophilic aromatic amines. In fact, >60 substituted propiolamides have been synthesized in good to excellent isolated yields through this methodology, being 27 novel compounds. An important characterization effort (XRD, 27Al MAS NMR, TGA, TPD-CO2, BET area, XPS, HAADF-HRSTEM and HRTEM) and optimization of the synthesis conditions of the optimal catalyst has been performed. This study, together with a series of kinetic and mechanistic essays, indicates that the optimal catalyst is composed by Pd(0) species stabilized in a partially dehydrated/dehydroxylated LDH material with a Mg/Al molar ratio of 3 and a small crystallite size. All the experimental data indicates that the in situ formation of [PdI2] active species in the material surface together with the presence of a matrix with the optimal acid/base properties are key aspects of this process.

Tetrabutylammonium Bromide (TBAB)-Promoted, Pd/Cu-Catalyzed Sonogashira Coupling of N-Tosyl Aryltriazenes

Sonogashira coupling of N-tosyl aryltriazenes is reported to offer arylalkynes in yields up to 92% with the aid of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as a dual activator for both the palladium catalyst and aryltriazenes. Common functional groups could be well tolerated, although large electronic effects from alkynes were observed. TBAB-assisted oxidative addition of palladium(0) to aryltriazene instead of in situ formed arylhalide has been proposed to initiate the catalytic cycle.

Cis-Selective Double Spirocyclization via Dearomatization and Isomerization under Thermodynamic Control

Spiro compounds have been considered key scaffolds for pharmaceutical applications. Although many synthetic methods exist for monospirocycles, fewer approaches are known for dispirocycles. Here, we report a highly cis-selective method for constructing a 5/6/5-dispirocyclic structure containing pyrrolidine and γ-lactam rings with various substituents from a series of N-arylpropiolamides. The high cis-selectivity would result from isomerization under thermodynamic control. Cis- and trans-diastereomers can be in equilibrium, favoring cis-adducts.

Polygonapholine: A Total Synthesis Questions the Identity for the Purported Structure of the Natural Product

Polygonapholine was isolated in 1997 from the Polygonatum alte-lobatum rhizome. Based on spectroscopic data, it was assigned a structure comprising an unusual cis-2,6-disubstituted bis-aryl morpholine ring to which is attached a (Z)-4-hydroxycinnamate as an amide and an (E)-4-hydroxycinnamate as an ester. Being a meso compound, polygonapholine should not exhibit an optical rotation as reported. A total synthesis of the purported morpholine alkaloid presented herein reveals discrepancies between the synthetic and the natural product casting doubt on the originally proposed structure.

Selectfluor-mediated construction of 3-arylselenenyl and 3,4-bisarylselenenyl spiro[4.5]trienones via cascade annulation of N-phenylpropiolamides with diselenides

A cascade annulation of N-phenylpropiolamides with diselenides leading to the construction of 3-arylselenenyl spiro[4.5]trienones was realized under mild conditions with Selectfluor as the sole oxidant.

Unexpected Substituent Effects in Spiro-Compound Formation: Steering N-Aryl Propynamides and DMSO toward Site-Specific Sulfination in Quinolin-2-ones or Spiro[4,5]trienones

A highly substituent-dependent rearrangement allows for the novel and SOCl₂-induced divergent synthesis of 3-methylthioquinolin-2-ones and 3-methylthiospiro[4.5]trienones through intramolecular electrophilic cyclization of N-aryl propyamides. DMSO acts as both solvent and sulfur source, and use of DMSO-h₆/d₆ enables the incorporation of SCH₃ or SCD₃ moieties to the 3-position of the heterocyclic framework. Different para-substituents trigger divergent reaction pathways leading to the formation of quinolin-2-ones for mild substituents and spiro[4,5]trienones for both electron-withdrawing and -donating substituents, respectively. On the basis of both computational and experimental results, a new mechanism has been put forward that accounts for the exclusive spirolization/defluorination process and the surprising substituent effects.

Straightforward Functionalization of Sulfur-Containing Peptides via 5- and 6-endo-dig Cyclization Reactions

We present a simple and convenient method for the generation of sulfenyl electrophiles from peptides containing S–S or S–H bonds by employing N-chlorosuccinimide. The corresponding sulfenyl electrophiles are further utilized in 5- and 6-endo-dig cyclization reactions yielding indolizinium salts, indoles, benzo[b]furans, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and isocoumarins, as well as quinolinones bearing a glutathione moiety. PAH derivatives can be used as selective fluorescent dyes for the visualization of lipid droplets in living cells.

PhI(OCOCF3)2-Mediated Construction of a 2-Spiropseudoindoxyl Skeleton via Cascade Annulation of 2-Sulfonamido-N-phenylpropiolamide Derivatives

A cascade annulation of 2-sulfonamido-N-phenylpropiolamide derivatives leading to the construction of the 2-spiropseudoindoxyl skeleton was realized under mild conditions with phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA) as the sole oxidant. This metal-free spirocyclization process is suggested to encompass a sequential C(sp²)-C(sp) and C(sp²)-N bond formation with the concomitant introduction of a carbonyl oxygen.

Palladium–N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed synthesis of 2-ynamides via oxidative aminocarbonylation of alkynes with amines

Palladium–NHC compounds catalyzing the oxidative aminocarbonylation of alkynes and amines have been developed with oxygen as the benign oxidant under mild reaction conditions, which led to an efficient approach toward the formation a series of alphatic and aromatic 2-ynamides with high atom efficiency.

Palladium-catalysed Hiyama Cross-coupling Reaction of Alkynyl Halides with Aryltrialkoxysilanes under Aerobic Conditions

A palladium-catalysed Hiyama cross-coupling reaction of alkynyl halides with aryltrialkoxysilanes has been developed. Catalysed by bis(dibenzylideneacetone)palladium and in the presence of silver fluoride and potassium bicarbonate, a variety of alkynyl halides (I, Br and Cl), whether electron-deficient or electron-rich, underwent the cross-coupling reaction with aryltrialkoxysilanes at room temperature to afford the corresponding alkynes in moderate to good yields.

Nickel-catalyzed oxidative coupling of alkynes and arylboronic acids using the metal–organic framework Ni2(BDC)2(DABCO) as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst

The first Ni-catalyzed oxidative coupling of alkynes and arylboronic acids.

Controlled in situ fabrication of Ag2O/AgO thin films by a dry chemical route at room temperature for hybrid solar cells

Silver oxides (Ag₂O and AgO) have attracted increasing attention as potential solar cell materials for photovoltaic devices due to their ideal bandgap and non-toxicity.

Au(I)/Au(III)-catalyzed Sonogashira-type reactions of functionalized terminal alkynes with arylboronic acids under mild conditions

A straightforward, efficient, and reliable redox catalyst system for the Au(I)/Au(III)-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of functionalized terminal alkynes with arylboronic acids under mild conditions has been developed.