The first alpha-fluoroallenylphosphonate, the synthesis of conjugated fluoroenynes, and the stereoselective synthesis of vinylfluorophosphonates using a new multifunctional fluorine-containing building block

NHC-Au-Catalyzed Isomerization of Propargylic B(MIDA)s to Allenes and Double Isomerization of Alkynes to 1,3-Dienes

The synthesis of allenyl boronates is an important yet challenging topic in organic synthesis. Reported herein is an NHC-gold-catalyzed 1,3-H shift toward allenyl boronates synthesis from simple propargylic B(MIDA)s. Mechanistic studies suggest dual roles of the boryl moiety in the reaction: to activate the substrate for isomerization and at the same time, to prevent the allene product from further isomerization. These effects should be a result of α-anion stabilization and α-cation destabilization conferred by the B(MIDA) moiety, respectively. The NHC-Au catalyst, which is commercially available, is also found to be reactive in alkyne-to-1,3-diene isomerization reactions in an atom-economic and base-free manner.

Asymmetric Allenylation of Alkynes mediated by Chiral Organoselenated Reagents under Oxidative Conditions

The reactivity of novel chiral lactamide-substituted diselenide-based reagents under oxidative conditions was exploited to develop a metal-free method for the preparation of enantioenriched allenylamides from simple alkynes in good yields, and with enantiomeric excesses up to 99 %. The key of the success in this method is attributed to the hydrogen-bonded lactamide appendages that ensure configurational stability of chiral vinyl selenoxide intermediates for an optimal enantiotopic β-syn-elimination step.

Combining Hydrodefluorination and Defluorophosphorylation for Chemo- and Stereoselective Synthesis of gem-Fluorophosphine Alkenes

A chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective reaction of trifluoromethyl enones, phenylsilane, and phosphine oxides through a sequential hydrodefluorination and defluorophosphorylation relay is developed for the synthesis of distinctive gem-fluorophosphine alkenes. This multicomponent reaction occurred under transition-metal-free conditions with good functional group tolerance. Moreover, the preinstalled carbonyl auxiliary is important for tuning the reactivity of β-trifluoromethyl enones, thereby enabling controllable and selective functionalization of two fluorine atoms in trifluoromethylated enones.

A zinc-conducting chalcogenide electrolyte

A solid-state zinc-ion battery can fundamentally eliminate dendrite formation and hydrogen evolution on the zinc anode from aqueous systems. However, enabling fast zinc ion ⁺ conduction in solid crystals is thought to be impossible. Here, we demonstrated a fluorine-doping approach to achieving fast Zn²⁺ transport in mesoporous Zn_yS_1-xF_x. The substitutional doping of fluoride ion with sulfide substantially reduces Zn²⁺ migration barrier in a crystalline phase, while mesopore channels with bounded dimethylformamide enable nondestructive Zn²⁺ conduction along inner pore surface. This mesoporous conductor features a high room-temperature Zn²⁺ conductivity (0.66 millisiemens per centimeter, compared with 0.01 to 1 millisiemens per centimeter for lithium solid-state electrolyte) with a superior cycling performance (89.5% capacity retention over 5000 cycles) in a solid zinc-ion battery and energy density (0.04 watt-hour per cubic centimeter) in a solid zinc-ion capacitor. The universality of this crystal engineering approach was also verified in other mesoporous zinc chalcogenide materials, which implies various types of potential Zn²⁺-conducting solid electrolytes.

Electrochemical Fluorination of Vinyl Boronates through Donor-Stabilized Vinyl Carbocation Intermediates

The electrochemical generation of vinyl carbocations from alkenyl boronic esters and boronates is reported. Using easy-to-handle nucleophilic fluoride reagents, these intermediates are trapped to form fully substituted vinyl fluorides. Mechanistic studies support the formation of dicoordinated carbocations through sequential single-electron oxidation events. Notably, this electrochemical fluorination features fast reaction times and Lewis acid-free conditions. This transformation provides a complementary method to access vinyl fluorides with simple fluoride salts such as TBAF.

gem-Heteroatom-Substituted Fluoroalkenes as Mimics of Amide Derivatives or Phosphates: A Comprehensive Review

gem-Heteroatom-substituted fluoroalkenes have received little attention despite their great potential in medicinal chemistry or in fine chemistry. Indeed, due to the electronic and steric similarity between the fluoroalkene moiety and the amide bond as well as the high strength of the carbon-fluorine bond, these gem-heteroatom-substituted fluoroalkenes could be envisioned as stable mimics of various important organic functions, such as phosphates, carbamates, S-thiocarbamates and ureas. We present herein an overview describing the syntheses over the last decade of heteroatom-substituted fluoroalkenes in geminal position. This review will be divided into several sections covering each the common following heteroatom: oxygen-, nitrogen-, sulfur-, phosphorus-, boron- and silicon-substituted fluoroalkenes.

Generation of Axially Chiral Fluoroallenes through a Copper-Catalyzed Enantioselective β-Fluoride Elimination

Herein we report the copper-catalyzed silylation of propargylic difluorides to generate axially chiral, tetrasubstituted monofluoroallenes in both good yields (27 examples >80%) and enantioselectivities (82-98% ee). Compared to previously reported synthetic routes to axially chiral allenes (ACAs) from prochiral substrates, a mechanistically distinct reaction has been developed: the enantiodiscrimination between enantiotopic fluorides to set an axial stereocenter. DFT calculations and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) suggest that β-fluoride elimination from an alkenyl copper intermediate likely proceeds through a syn-β-fluoride elimination pathway rather than an anti-elimination pathway. The effects of the C1-symmetric Josiphos-derived ligand on reactivity and enantioselectivity were investigated. Not only does this report showcase that alkenyl copper species (like their alkyl counterparts) can undergo β-fluoride elimination, but this elimination can be achieved in an enantioselective fashion.

Simple Synthesis of Fluorinated Ene-Ynes via In Situ Generation of Allenes

Fluorination of small molecules is a key route toward modulating reactivity and bioactivity. The 1,3 ene-yne functionality is an important synthon towards complex products, as well as a common functionality in biologically active molecules. Here, we present a new synthetic route towards fluorinated ene-ynes from simple starting materials. We employ gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis to probe the sequential eliminations necessary for this transformation and observe an allene intermediate. The ene-yne products are sufficiently fluorous to enable purification via fluorous extraction. This methodology will allow facile access to functional, fluorous ene-ynes.

Reactivity of allenylphosphonates/allenylphosphine oxides – some new addition/cycloaddition and cyclization pathways

In this paper, we highlight some addition/cycloaddition reactions of allenylphosphonates and allenylphosphine oxides, mostly based on the work done in our laboratory. Thus the electrophilic addition of iodine monochloride (ICl) with allenylphosphine oxides affords cyclic phosphonium salts rather than γ-chloro-β-iodovinylphosphine oxides (NMR, HRMS, X-ray) that exhibit rather unusual downfield shifts in the 31P NMR spectra. These compounds undergo hydrolysis to afford γ-hydroxy-β-iodovinylphosphine oxides; the hydroxymethyl group in these compounds can be oxidized by Dess-Martin periodinane to afford the corresponding aldehyde-substituted vinylphosphine oxides. A [2+2] cycloaddition product of an allenylphosphonate has also been structurally characterized. Other reactions that are highlighted include those leading to (Z)/(E)-β-aminovinylphosphonates, β-ketophosphonates (and their utility in Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction), indolyl/furanyl/isocoumaranyl/naphthyl phosphine oxides, thiophosphorylated phosphonates and azo-substituted coumarin phosphonates.

Highly functionalised (γ-azido/γ-fluoro-β-iodo/)vinyl derivatives from phosphorus based allenes or allenoates: I⋯O halogen bonding interactions

γ-Azido/γ-fluoro-β-iodo-vinyl phosphine oxides/phosphonates/esters/sulphone and a γ-diodoallene were synthesised from phosphorus-based allenes or allenoates or a sulphur based allene; in many cases, I⋯O halogen bonding is observed in the solid state.

Synthesis and Deployment of an Elusive Fluorovinyl Cation Equivalent: Access to Quaternary α-(1'-Fluoro)vinyl Amino Acids as Potential PLP Enzyme Inactivators

Developing specific chemical functionalities to deploy in biological environments for targeted enzyme inactivation lies at the heart of mechanism-based inhibitor development but also is central to other protein-tagging methods in modern chemical biology including activity-based protein profiling and proteolysis-targeting chimeras. We describe here a previously unknown class of potential PLP enzyme inactivators; namely, a family of quaternary, α-(1'-fluoro)vinyl amino acids, bearing the side chains of the cognate amino acids. These are obtained by the capture of suitably protected amino acid enolates with β,β-difluorovinyl phenyl sulfone, a new (1'-fluoro)vinyl cation equivalent, and an electrophile that previously eluded synthesis, capture and characterization. A significant variety of biologically relevant AA side chains are tolerated including those for alanine, valine, leucine, methionine, lysine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. Following addition/elimination, the resulting transoid α-(1'-fluoro)-β-(phenylsulfonyl)vinyl AA-esters undergo smooth sulfone-stannane interchange to stereoselectively give the corresponding transoid α-(1'-fluoro)-β-(tributylstannyl)vinyl AA-esters. Protodestannylation and global deprotection then yield these sterically encumbered and densely functionalized quaternary amino acids. The α-(1'-fluoro)vinyl trigger, a potential allene-generating functionality originally proposed by Abeles, is now available in a quaternary AA context for the first time. In an initial test of this new inhibitor class, α-(1'-fluoro)vinyllysine is seen to act as a time-dependent, irreversible inactivator of lysine decarboxylase from Hafnia alvei. The enantiomers of the inhibitor could be resolved, and each is seen to give time-dependent inactivation with this enzyme. Kitz-Wilson analysis reveals similar inactivation parameters for the two antipodes, L-α-(1'-fluoro)vinyllysine (Ki = 630 ± 20 μM; t1/2 = 2.8 min) and D-α-(1'-fluoro)vinyllysine (Ki = 470 ± 30 μM; t1/2 = 3.6 min). The stage is now set for exploration of the efficacy of this trigger in other PLP-enzyme active sites.

Cu/Pd cooperatively catalyzed tandem C–N and C–P bond formation: access to phosphorated 2H-indazoles

An unprecedented Cu/Pd cooperatively catalyzed tandem C–N/C–P bond formation reaction for the synthesis of phosphorated 2H-indazoles has been developed.

Silver-catalyzed phosphonylation of unprotected propargylic alcohols for the synthesis of allenylphosphoryl compounds

A facile and efficient method for the synthesis of a variety of allenylphosphine oxides by silver-catalyzed phosphonylation of unprotected propargylic alcohols with P(O)H compounds has been established.

Base catalysed intermolecular cyclisation of N-protected o-amino benzaldehyde/acetophenone with phosphorus/sulphur based allenes: facile synthesis of substituted quinolines

Base catalyzed reaction of N-Bz protected o-aminobenzaldehyde with allenylphosphonates affords O-phosphorylated quinolines via a route involving a thermal rearrangement.

Introduction of fluorine and fluorine-containing functional groups

Over the past decade, the most significant, conceptual advances in the field of fluorination were enabled most prominently by organo- and transition-metal catalysis. The most challenging transformation remains the formation of the parent C-F bond, primarily as a consequence of the high hydration energy of fluoride, strong metal-fluorine bonds, and highly polarized bonds to fluorine. Most fluorination reactions still lack generality, predictability, and cost-efficiency. Despite all current limitations, modern fluorination methods have made fluorinated molecules more readily available than ever before and have begun to have an impact on research areas that do not require large amounts of material, such as drug discovery and positron emission tomography. This Review gives a brief summary of conventional fluorination reactions, including those reactions that introduce fluorinated functional groups, and focuses on modern developments in the field.

Stereoselective synthesis of conjugated fluoro enynes

Metalation-electrophilic fluorination of TMS- and TIPS-protected 1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl (BT) propargyl sulfones gave corresponding BT fluoropropargyl sulfones, Julia-Kocienski reagents for the synthesis of fluoro enynes. Both reagents reacted with aldehydes under mild DBU- or LHMDS-mediated conditions, giving high yields of conjugated fluoro enynes with E-stereoselectivity. In comparison to DBU-mediated reactions, stereoselectivity was higher in low-temperature LHMDS-mediated reactions. Two ketones were shown to react as well, using LHMDS as base. In situ removal of the TMS group gave terminal conjugated 2-fluoro 1,3-enynes. Synthetic utility of the fluoro enynes was demonstrated by conversion to internal alkynes and to stereoisomeric fluoro dienes via Sonogashira and Heck couplings.

Selective synthesis of α-fluoro-β-keto- and α-fluoro-β-aminophosphonates via electrophilic fluorination by selectfluor

A series of α-mono- and α,α-difluoro-β-ketophosphonates were synthesized in moderate to good yields with excellent selectivities via electrophilic fluorination by Selectfluor. Subsequently, synthetic potential of the obtained α-monofluoro-β-ketophosphonates was demonstrated by their application in synthesis of α-monofluoro-β-aminophosphonates, useful building blocks in the preparation of phosphapeptides.

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.