An Efficient CuCN-Catalyzed Synthesis of Optically Active 2,3-Allenols from Optically Active 1-Substituted 4-Chloro-2-butyn-1-ols

Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Quaternary Isochromanes by Oxidative Aminocatalysis and Gold Catalysis

A novel strategy that combines oxidative aminocatalysis and gold catalysis allows the preparation of chiral α-quaternary isochromanes, a motif that is prevalent in natural products and synthetic bioactive compounds. In the first step, α-branched aldehydes and propargylic alcohols are transformed into α-quaternary ethers with excellent optical purities (>90 % ee) via oxidative umpolung with DDQ and an amino acid-derived primary amine catalyst. Subsequent gold(I)-catalyzed intramolecular hydroarylation affords the isochromane products with retention of the quaternary stereocenter. A second approach explores the use of allylic alcohols as reaction partners for the oxidative coupling to furnish α-quaternary ethers with generally lower enantiopurities. Stereoretentive cyclization to isochromane products is achieved via intramolecular Friedel-Crafts type alkylation with allylic acetates as a reactive handle. A number of synthetic elaborations and a biological study on these α-quaternary isochromanes highlight the potential applicability of the presented method.

Intramolecular Propargylic Ene Reaction of Benzyne En Route to Highly Functionalized Allenes and Allenamides

A variety of highly functionalized allenes and allenamides are prepared by intramolecular propargylic ene reactions of benzynes. Specific benzyne precursors having a chlorodiisopropylsilyl group serve as platforms to link with various propargyl alcohols via a Si–O bond, thereby expanding the scope of this reaction. Also demonstrated is a complete transmission of point to axial chirality to give a chiral, non-racemic allenamide.

Catalytic Enantioconvergent Allenylation of Aldehydes with Propargyl Halides

α-Allenol is a versatile synthon in organic synthesis. The catalytic asymmetric synthesis of α-allenols from readily available starting materials remains a prominent challenge, especially when simultaneous control over axial and central chirality is required. Herein, we describe the Cr-catalyzed enantioconvergent allenylation of aldehydes with racemic propargyl halides to rapidly access a wide range of chiral α-allenols with adjacent axial and central chiralities. This method features excellent regio-, diastereo- and enantioselectivity control with broad substrate scope, and provides facile access to all four stereoisomers when allied with a Mitsunobu reaction. Preliminary mechanistic studies support radical-based reaction pathways. The synthetic utility is demonstrated by the application in late-stage functionalization and the formal total synthesis of (+)-varitriol.

Cu-Catalyzed SN2' Substitution of Propargylic Phosphates with Vinylarene-Derived Chiral Nucleophiles: Synthesis of Chiral Allenes

A new Cu-catalyzed enantioselective three-component (i.e., styrenes, B₂pin₂, and propargylic phosphates) allenylation via an S_N2' substitution of propargylic electrophiles with vinylarene-derived chiral nucleophiles is presented. This method provides an efficient and enantioselective approach to access a range of optically pure di-(1,1-), tri-, and tetra-substituted allenes with α-central chirality and axial chirality in excellent chemo-, regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities.

Asymmetric synthesis of α-chiral β-hydroxy allenes: copper-catalyzed γ-selective borylative coupling of vinyl arenes and propargyl phosphates

Copper-catalyzed enantioselective coupling of vinyl arenes with bis(pinacolato)diboron (B₂pin₂) and propargylic phosphates is presented.

Convenient synthesis of allenylphosphoryl compounds via Cu-catalysed couplings of P(O)H compounds with propargyl acetates

A novel Cu-catalysed substitution reaction of propargyl acetates with P(O)H compounds is developed to afford allenylphosphoryl compounds in high yields. A plausible mechanism involving the nucleophilic interception of Cu-allenylidene intermediates is proposed.

Harmony of CdI2with CuBr for the one-pot synthesis of optically active α-allenols

A highly efficient one-pot synthesis of chiral α-allenols from propargylic alcohols, aldehydes and pyrrolidine induced by CuBr and (R,R_a)-N-PINAP or (R,S_a)-N-PINAP and CdI₂has been developed.

Bifunctionalized allenes. Part XIII. A convenient and efficient method for regioselective synthesis of phosphorylated α-hydroxyallenes with protected and unprotected hydroxy group

The paper describes a convenient and efficient method for regioselective synthesis of phosphorylated α-hydroxyallenes using an atom economical [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of intermediate propargyl phosphites or phosphinites. These can be readily prepared via reaction of protected alkynols with dimethyl chlorophosphite or chlorodiphenyl phosphine respectively in the presence of a base.

Scope and mechanistic analysis of the enantioselective synthesis of allenes by rhodium-catalyzed tandem ylide formation/[2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement between donor/acceptor carbenoids and propargylic alcohols

Rhodium-catalyzed reactions of tertiary propargylic alcohols with methyl aryl- and styryldiazoacetates result in tandem reactions, consisting of oxonium ylide formation followed by [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement. This process competes favorably with the standard O-H insertion reaction of carbenoids. The resulting allenes are produced with high enantioselectivity (88-98% ee) when the reaction is catalyzed by the dirhodium tetraprolinate complex, Rh(2)(S-DOSP)(4). Kinetic resolution is possible when racemic tertiary propargylic alcohols are used as substrates. Under the kinetic resolution conditions, the allenes are formed with good diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity (up to 6.1:1 dr, 88-93% ee), and the unreacted alcohols are enantioenriched to 65-95% ee. Computational studies reveal that the high asymmetric induction is obtained via an organized transition state involving a two-point attachment: ylide formation between the alcohol oxygen and the carbenoid and hydrogen bonding of the alcohol to a carboxylate ligand. The 2,3-sigmatropic rearrangement proceeds through initial cleavage of the O-H bond to generate an intermediate with close-lying open-shell singlet, triplet, and closed-shell singlet electronic states. This intermediate would have significant diradical character, which is consistent with the observation that the 2,3-sigmatropic rearrangement is favored with donor/acceptor carbenoids and more highly functionalized propargylic alcohols.

Density functional theory study of (13)C NMR chemical shift of chlorinated compounds

The use of the standard density functional theory (DFT) leads to an overestimation of the paramagnetic contribution and underestimation of the shielding constants, especially for chlorinated carbon nuclei. For that reason, the predictions of chlorinated compounds often yield too high chemical shift values. In this study, the WC04 functional is shown to be capable of reducing the overestimation of the chemical shift of Cl-bonded carbons in standard DFT functionals and to show a good performance in the prediction of (13)C NMR chemical shifts of chlorinated organic compounds. The capability is attributed to the minimization of the contributions that intensively increase the chemical shift in the WC04. Extensive computations and analyses were performed to search for the optimal procedure for WC04. The B3LYP and mPW1PW91 standard functionals were also used to evaluate the performance. Through detailed comparisons between the basis set effects and the solvent effects on the results, the gas-phase GIAO/WC04/6-311+G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) was found to be specifically suitable for the prediction of (13)C NMR chemical shifts of chlorides in both chlorinated and non-chlorinated carbons. Further tests with eight molecules in the probe set sufficiently confirmed that WC04 was undoubtedly effective for accurately predicting (13) C NMR chemical shifts of chlorinated organic compounds.

How easy are the syntheses of allenes?

This short review highlights some of the recent important developments on the synthesis of allenes and its applications on the synthesis of some allenic natural products and allenic-based optoelectronic materials.