One-Step Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Substituted Dihydrofurans from the Carbonate Derivatives of γ-Hydroxy-α,β-unsaturated Sulfones

Ligand-Controlled Regiodivergence for Catalytic Stereoselective Semireduction of Allenamides

Ligand-controlled regiodivergence has been developed for catalytic semireduction of allenamides with excellent chemo- and stereocontrol. This system also provides an example of catalytic regiodivergent semireduction of allenes for the first time. The divergence of the semireduction is enabled by ligand switch with the same palladium pre-catalyst under operationally simple and mild conditions. Monodentate ligand XPhos exclusively promotes selective 1,2-semireduction to afford allylic amides, while bidentate ligand BINAP completely switched the regioselectivity to 2,3-semireduction, producing (E)-enamide derivatives.

Regiocontrolled Synthesis of α-Sulfonylmethyl o-Nitrostyrenes via ZnI2-Mediated Sulfonylation and AgNO2/Pd(PPh3)4-Promoted o-Nitration

We report herein the AgNO₂/Pd(PPh₃)₄-promoted regiocontrolled o-nitration of α-sulfonylmethylstyrenes in MeNO₂ with good yields. The o-nitration process provides a series of sulfonyl o-nitrostyrenes. Substituted α-sulfonylmethylstyrenes were synthesized from ZnI₂-mediated sulfonylation of substituted α-methylstyrenes and sodium sulfinates (RSO₂Na) in MeCN with good to excellent yields. The structures of the key products were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. A plausible mechanism has been proposed herein.

Highly enantioselective synthesis of α,α-dialkylmalonates by phase-transfer catalytic desymmetrization

A novel enantioselective synthetic method for the construction of a quaternary carbon center from malonates via phase-transfer catalytic (PTC) alkylation has been developed. The asymmetric α-alkylation of diphenylmethyl tert-butyl α-alkylmalonates with alkylating agents under phase-transfer catalysis conditions (aq 50% KOH, toluene, 0 °C) in the presence of (S,S)-3,4,5-trifluorophenyl-NAS bromide (8) as PTC catalyst afforded the corresponding α,α-dialkylmalonates in high chemical (up to 99%) and optical yields (up to 97% ee) which could be readily converted to versatile chiral intermediates. Notably, the direct double α-alkylations of diphenylmethyl tert-butyl malonate also provided the corresponding α,α-dialkylmalonates without loss of enantioselectivity. The synthetic potential of this method has been demonstrated by the preparation of α,α-dialkylamino acid and oxindole systems.

Ring-enlargement of dimethylaminopropenoyl cyclopropanes: an efficient route to substituted 2,3-dihydrofurans

A convenient and efficient synthesis of substituted dihydrofurans is developed via ring-enlargement of 1-dimethylaminopropenoyl-1-carbamoyl/benzoyl cyclopropanes catalyzed by ammonium acetate in acetic acid with high regio- and stereoselectivity. Some of the newly synthesized substituted dihydrofurans are subjected to further synthetic transformation in the presence of NaOH (aq) in ethanol to afford the corresponding 5-aryl-2,3-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]pyridin-4(5H)-ones in high yields.

Pd(0)-Catalyzed Coupling−Cyclization of 2-(2‘,3‘-Allenyl)acetylacetates and Organic Halides: An Efficient Synthesis of 4,5-Dihydrofuran Derivatives

[reaction: see text] Highly chemo- and regioselective Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling-cyclization of 2-(2',3'-allenyl)acetylacetates with organic halides using K3PO4 as base in DMF efficiently afforded 4,5-dihydrofuran derivatives in moderate to excellent yields, with a selectivity of >97:3.

Asymmetric synthesis of cyclopropanes and dihydrofurans based on phosphine oxide chemistry

The asymmetric synthesis of gamma-azido trans-cyclopropyl ketones is accomplished via a short, simple and efficient sequence. The cyclopropanation step is achieved by an intramolecular nucleophilic ring closure, with a diphenylphosphinate leaving group, to give trans-cyclopropane exclusively. beta-Keto-diphenylphosphine oxides cyclise to form optically active dihydrofurans. All possible diastereoisomers of dihydrofurans can be prepared selectively starting from the same olefin.

Regioselective Synthesis of Trisubstituted 2,3-Dihydrofurans from Donor−Acceptor Cyclopropanes or from Reaction of the Corey Ylide with α-Sulfenyl-, α-Sulfinyl-, or α-Sulfonylenones

[reactions: see text] Regioselective synthesis of 2,4,5- or 3,4,5-trisubstituted 2,3-dihydrofurans has been realized by using donor-acceptor cyclopropanes or by a Corey ylide reaction with alpha-sulfenyl-, alpha-sulfinyl-, or alpha-sulfonylenones. The method allowed a straightforward synthesis of the natural product calyxolane B.

Asymmetric Synthesis of 2,3-Dihydrofurans and of Unsaturated Bicyclic Tetrahydrofurans through α-Elimination and Migratory Cyclization of Silyloxy Alkenyl Aminosulfoxonium Salts. Generation and Intramolecular O,Si-Bond Insertion of Chiral Disubstituted β-Silyloxy Alkylidene Carbenes

Treatment of the bis(allylsulfoximine)titanium complexes derived from the beta-methyl-substituted acyclic allylic sulfoximines 13a and 13b with aldehydes gave with high selectivities the corresponding sulfoximine-substituted homoallylic alcohols which were isolated as the silyl ethers 15a-h. Methylation of sulfoximines 15a-h afforded the aminosulfoxonium salts 5a-h which upon treatment with LiN(H)tBu gave in high yields the enantio- and diastereomerically pure silyl-substituted 2,3-dihydrofurans 4a-h. Treatment of the titanium complexes derived from the cyclic allylic sulfoximines 17a, 17b, and ent-17c with p-MeOC(6)H(4)CHO delivered with high selectivities the corresponding sulfoximine-substituted cyclic homoallylic alcohols which were isolated as the silyl ethers 18a, 18b, and ent-18c, respectively. Methylation of sulfoximines 18a, 18b, and ent-18c furnished the aminosulfoxonium salts 8a, 8b, and ent-8c, respectively, whose treatment with LiN(H)t-Bu gave the enantio- and diastereomerically pure fused bicyclic 2,3-dihydrofurans 6a, 6b, and ent-6c, respectively, in good yields. It is proposed that the 1-alkenyl aminosulfoxonium salts 5a-h, 8a, 8b, and ent-8c react with the base under alpha-elimination and formation of the acyclic and cyclic beta-silyloxy alkylidene carbenes 2a-h, 7a, 7b, and ent-7c, respectively, which then undergo a 1,5-O,Si-bond insertion and 1,2-silyl migration. The cyclic aminosulfoxonium salts 8a, 8b, and ent-8c upon treatment with 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-7-undecene did not undergo an alpha-elimination but suffered a novel migratory cyclization with formation of the enantio- and diastereomerically pure bicyclic tetrahydrofurans 9a, 9b, and ent-9c, respectively. It is proposed that the 1-alkenyl sulfoxonium salts 8a, 8b, and ent-8c are isomerized to the allylic aminosulfoxonium salts 10a, 10b, and ent-10c, respectively, which then suffer an intramolecular substitution of the (dimethylamino)sulfoxonium group by the silyloxy group followed by a desilylation. The syntheses of the 2,3-dihydrofurans 4a-h, 6a, and 6b and of the tetrahydrofurans 9a and 9b are accompanied by the formation of sulfinamide 16 of >or=98% ee, which can be converted via sulfoxide 28 of >or=98% to the starting sulfoximine 11 of >or=98% ee.

Stereoselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted 2,3-dihydrofurans by one-step cyclization of beta-ketosulfides of benzothiazole and aldehydes in ionic liquids

A stereoselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted 2,3-dihydrofurans was carried out in n-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate ([bpy(+)][BF(4)(-)]) as solvent. The reaction proceeds smoothly in one step starting from simple materials such as aldehydes and beta-ketosulfides of benzothiazole. A comparison between several ionic liquids (ILs) is presented, and the role of the benzothiazolyl moiety is discussed. Workup proved to be very easy and recycling of IL possible.