Gold(I)-Catalyzed Claisen Rearrangement of Allenyl Vinyl Ethers: Missing Transition States Revealed through Evolution of Aromaticity, Au(I) as an Oxophilic Lewis Acid, and Lower Energy Barriers from a High Energy Complex

Facile access to trifluoromethyl propargyl alcohol by metal-free transfer hydrogenation and cyanation of alkynyl ketones

We report an efficient synthetic route to the metal-free hydroboration and cyanosilylation of a wide range of alkynyl trifluoromethyl ketones using pinacolborane (4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane) and trimethylsilyl cyanide under mild reaction conditions at ambient temperature. These highly effective hydroboration and cyanosilylation reactions lead to the corresponding alkynyl trifluoromethyl propargyl alcohols after hydrolysis. In addition, trifluoromethyl (CF3) group-based pharmaceutically active enflicoxib analogs were synthesized from propargyl alcohol.

Gold(I)-Catalyzed Reactions of exo-Glycals with Propargyl Esters toward C-1 Alkenyl Spirocyclopropyl Carbohydrates

An atom-economic and diazo-free strategy for the construction of novel pseudo anomeric C-1 alkenyl spirocyclopropyl sugars is described. Leveraging the 1,2-migration pathway of propargyl esters under gold(I) catalysis, easily available exo-glycals undergo β-selective alkenylcarbenoid insertion in moderate to excellent yields. Preferential activation of propargyl moieties and concerted [2 + 1] insertion are both favored through ligand choice and electron enrichment of esters. Stereocontrol using conformational bias and rearrangement are also demonstrated.

Gold-Catalyzed Arylative Cope Rearrangement

Cope rearrangements have garnered significant attention owing to their ability to undergo structural reorganization in stereoselective manner. While substantial advances have been achieved over decades, these rearrangements remained applicable exclusively to parent 1,5-hexadienes. Herein, we disclose the gold-catalyzed arylative Cope rearrangement of 1,6-heptadienes via a cyclization-induced [3,3]-rearrangement employing ligand-enabled gold redox catalysis. Detailed mechanistic investigations including several control experiments, cross-over experiment, HRMS analysis, 31P NMR and DFT studies have been performed to underpin the mechanism.

Zwitterionic Bergman cyclization triggered polymerization gives access to metal-graphene nanoribbons using a boron metal couple

With the rapid growth in artificial intelligence, designing high-speed and low-power semiconducting materials is of utmost importance. This investigation provides a theoretical basis to access covalently bonded transition metal-graphene nanoribbon (TM-GNR) hybrid semiconductors whose DFT-computed bandgaps were much narrower than the commonly used pentacene. Systematic optimization of substrates containing remotely placed boryl groups and the transition metals produced the zwitterions via ionic Bergman cyclization (i-BC) and unlocked the polymerization of metal-substituted polyenynes. Aside from i-BC, the subsequent steps were barrierless, which involved structureless transition regions. Multivariate analysis revealed the strong dependence of activation energy and the cyclization mode on the electronic nature of boron and Au(I). Consequently, three regions corresponding to radical Bergman (r-BC), ionic Bergman (i-BC), and ionic Schreiner-Pascal (i-SP) cyclizations were identified. The boundaries between these regions corresponded to the mechanistic shift induced by the three-center-three-electron (3c-3e) hydrogen bond, three-center-four-electron (3c-4e) hydrogen bond, and vacant p-orbital on boron. The ideal combination for cascade polymerization was observed near the boundary between i-BC and i-SP.

Yb(OTf)3 catalyzed [1,3]-rearrangement of 3-alkenyl oxindoles

A Yb(OTf)₃ catalyzed [1,3]-rearrangement of 3-alkenyl oxindoles was achieved, affording a variety of multifunctional 3-ylideneoxindoles with good yields and Z/E selectivities (64%-89% yield, 78 : 22->99 : 1 Z/E). Importantly, an operationally simple, one-pot sequential catalytic synthesis of 3-ylideneoxindoles was also developed. Additionally, a cross [1,3]-rearrangement experiment and nonracemic transformation were also carried out, which indicated a concerted rearrangement mechanism of this methodology.

Mechanistic Investigation of a Synthetic Route to Biaryls by the Sigmatropic Rearrangement of Arylsulfonium Species

A comprehensive mechanistic investigation was conducted on the coupling reaction of aryl sulfoxides with phenols by using trifluoroacetic anhydride to yield biaryls. NMR experiments revealed that our previously proposed mechanism, which consists of a cascade of an interrupted Pummerer reaction and a rate-determining [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement, is reasonable. The electronic effects of the substrates were also evaluated to elucidate the nature of the rearrangement step. Based on experimental observations and theoretical calculations, we conclude that the rearrangement is highly asynchronous and stepwise rather than concerted when electron-rich phenols are employed for the reaction.

Alkynophilicity of Group 13 MX3 Salts: A Theoretical Study

The concept of alkynophilicity is revisited with group 13 MX₃ metal salts (M = In, Ga, Al, B; X = Cl, OTf) using M06-2X/6-31+G(d,p) calculations. This study aims at answering why some of these salts show reactivity toward enynes that is similar to that observed with late-transition-metal complexes, notably Au(I) species, and why some of them are inactive. For this purpose, the mechanism of the skeletal reorganization of 1,6-enynes into 1-vinylcyclopentenes has been computed, including monomeric ("standard") and dimeric (superelectrophilic) activation. Those results are confronted with deactivation pathways based on the dissociation of the M-X bond. The role of the X ligand in the stabilization of the intermediate nonclassical carbocation is revealed, and the whole features required to make a good π-Lewis acid are discussed.

Chiral Fe(ii) complex catalyzed enantioselective [1,3] O-to-C rearrangement of alkyl vinyl ethers and synthesis of chromanols and beyond

A highly efficient enantioselective [1,3] O-to-C rearrangement of racemic vinyl ethers that operates under mild conditions was developed. This method with chiral ferrous complex catalyst provided an efficient access to a wide range of chromanols with high yields and excellent enantioselectivities. In addition, an important urological drug (R)-tolterodine and others were easily obtained after simple transformations.

Exploring the Mechanism of Catalysis with the Unified Reaction Valley Approach (URVA)—A Review

The unified reaction valley approach (URVA) differs from mainstream mechanistic studies, as it describes a chemical reaction via the reaction path and the surrounding reaction valley on the potential energy surface from the van der Waals region to the transition state and far out into the exit channel, where the products are located. The key feature of URVA is the focus on the curving of the reaction path. Moving along the reaction path, any electronic structure change of the reacting molecules is registered by a change in their normal vibrational modes and their coupling with the path, which recovers the curvature of the reaction path. This leads to a unique curvature profile for each chemical reaction with curvature minima reflecting minimal change and curvature maxima, the location of important chemical events such as bond breaking/forming, charge polarization and transfer, rehybridization, etc. A unique decomposition of the path curvature into internal coordinate components provides comprehensive insights into the origins of the chemical changes taking place. After presenting the theoretical background of URVA, we discuss its application to four diverse catalytic processes: (i) the Rh catalyzed methanol carbonylation—the Monsanto process; (ii) the Sharpless epoxidation of allylic alcohols—transition to heterogenous catalysis; (iii) Au(I) assisted [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of allyl acetate; and (iv) the Bacillus subtilis chorismate mutase catalyzed Claisen rearrangement—and show how URVA leads to a new protocol for fine-tuning of existing catalysts and the design of new efficient and eco-friendly catalysts. At the end of this article the pURVA software is introduced. The overall goal of this article is to introduce to the chemical community a new protocol for fine-tuning existing catalytic reactions while aiding in the design of modern and environmentally friendly catalysts.

Gold(I) Catalyzed Dearomative Claisen Rearrangement of Allyl, Allenyl Methyl, and Propargyl Aryl Ethers

Claisen rearrangements of allyl aryl ethers to generate enones bearing all carbon quaternary centers are accelerated by Ph₃PAuNTf₂ under mild conditions in good yields. Multiple C-C bond containing variants of the allyl fragment are viable, including alkylidenecyclopropanes, allenes, and alkynes, which generate all-carbon stereogenic centers substituted with vinyl cyclopropanes, 1,3-butadienyl, and allenyl substituents, respectively, for subsequent synthetic manipulation. With allyl phenyl ethers, the product of the [3,3] rearrangements can be trapped by a tandem [4 + 2] cycloaddition to generate complex molecular scaffolds from readily available, achiral starting materials.

Computational insights into the S3 transfer reaction: A special case of double group transfer reaction featuring bicyclically delocalized aromatic transition state geometries

An unusual pericyclic process that involves the intermolecular transfer of thiozone (S₃ ) is computationally described. The process can be considered as a special case of double group transfer reaction whereby the two migrating groups are connected to the same substituent, taking place in a concerted manner via transition states featuring two five-membered C₂ S₃ rings fused together. Analysis of the aromaticity at the TS geometries by computing NICS values at the (3,+1) RCPS as well as ACID calculations confirms the aromatic character of each C₂ S₃ ring, thus resulting in bicyclically delocalized aromatic structures. The free energy barriers for the transfer of S₃ are relatively similar (40-50 kcal mol^-1 ) to those computed for typical double H group transfer reactions. The similarities and differences between these processes have been further analysed by applying ASM-EDA and NBO approaches to the model reactions between ethene and ethane, and ethene and 1,2,3-trithiolane. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Indium triflate catalysed 3-aza-Cope rearrangement of amino acid derived α,β-unsaturated esters to alkylidene oxindoles

The first examples of amino acid derived α,β-unsaturated esters to Z-alkylidene oxindoles via 3-aza-Cope rearrangement using In(OTf)₃ are reported.

The effect of the metal fragment on the aromaticity and synchronicity of the gold(i)-catalysed divinylcyclopropane-cycloheptadiene rearrangement

The gold(i)-catalysed divinylcyclopropane-cycloheptadiene rearrangement has been studied computationally within the Density Functional Theory framework. Regardless of the ligand directly attached to the transition metal (L = phosphine, phosphite and N-heterocyclic carbene), the process is found to occur concertedly via endo-boatlike transition structures. The influence of the transition metal fragment on the transformation is analysed and compared to the corresponding uncatalysed process in terms of the computed activation barriers, synchronicity and aromaticity of the associated transition states.

Gold(i) catalyzed [1,3] O → C rearrangement of benzylvinyl ethers

A simple procedure for the preparation of 3-(hetero)arylpropionaldehydes has been developed employing a gold-catalyzed [1,3]-rearrangement of vinyl ethers.

Mechanistic Studies of Gold and Palladium Cooperative Dual-Catalytic Cross-Coupling Systems

Double-label crossover, modified-substrate, and catalyst comparison experiments in the gold and palladium dual-catalytic rearrangement/cross-coupling of allenoates were performed in order to probe the mechanism of this reaction. The results are consistent with a cooperative catalysis mechanism whereby 1) gold activates the substrate prior to oxidative addition by palladium, 2) gold acts as a carbophilic rather than oxophilic Lewis acid, 3) competing olefin isomerization is avoided, 4) gold participates beyond the first turnover and therefore does not serve simply to generate the active palladium catalyst, and 5) single-electron transfer is not involved. These experiments further demonstrate that the cooperativity of both gold and palladium in the reaction is essential because significantly lower to zero conversion is achieved with either metal alone in comparison studies that examined multiple potential gold, palladium, and silver catalysts and precatalysts. Notably, employment of the optimized cocatalysts, PPh3AuOTf and Pd2dba3, separately (i.e., only Au or only Pd) results in zero conversion to product at all monitored time points compared to quantitative conversion to product when both are present in cocatalytic reactions.

Gold(i)-catalysed [1,3] O→C rearrangement of allenyl ethers

Gold standard: a simple and rapid access to the α-substituted acryl aldehydes has been provided by developing a gold-catalysed [1,3] rearrangement of the allenyl ethers importantly with a record turnover frequency = 4600 h⁻¹ (at 0.05 mol% of the catalyst concentration) in homogeneous gold(i) catalysis.

Stereocontrolled synthesis of (E,Z)-dienals via tandem Rh(I)-catalyzed rearrangement of propargyl vinyl ethers

A novel Rh(I)-catalyzed approach to functionalized (E,Z) dienals has been developed via tandem transformation where a stereoselective hydrogen transfer follows a propargyl Claisen rearrangement. Z-Stereochemistry of the first double bond suggests the involvement of a six-membered cyclic intermediate whereas the E-stereochemistry of the second double bond stems from the subsequent protodemetalation step giving an (E,Z)-dienal.