Synthesis of indoles via palladium[0]-mediated Ullmann cross-coupling of o-halonitroarenes with alpha-halo-enones or -enals

Ethylene Polymerizations Catalyzed by Fluorinated "Sandwich" Diimine-Nickel and Palladium Complexes

Nickel and palladium complexes bearing "sandwich" diimine ligands with perfluorinated aryl caps have been synthesized, characterized, and explored in ethylene polymerization reactions. The X-ray crystallographic analysis of the precatalysts 16 and 6b shows differences from their nonfluorinated analogues 17 and 19, with the perfluorinated aryl caps centered precisely over the nickel and palladium centers, which results in higher buried volumes of the metal centers relative to the nonfluorinated analogues. The sandwich diimine-palladium complexes 5a and 5b containing perfluorinated aryl caps polymerize ethylene in a controlled fashion with activities that are substantially increased compared with their nonfluorinated analogues. Migratory insertion rates in relevant methyl ethylene complexes agree with the activities exhibited in bulk polymerization experiments. DFT studies suggest that facility of ethylene rotation from its preferred orientation perpendicular to the Pd-alkyl bond into a parallel in-plane conformation contributes to the higher polymerization activity for 5b relative to 18a. For these palladium systems, polymer molecular weights can be controlled via hydrogen addition (hydrogenolysis), which is unusual for late-transition-metal-catalyzed olefin polymerizations with no catalyst deactivation occurring. Sandwich diimine-nickel complexes 6a and 6b with perfluorinated aryl caps show ethylene polymerization activities that are about half of those of classical tetraisopropyl-substituted catalyst 2 but again are more active than the analogous nonfluorinated sandwich complexes. Ethylene polymerizations exhibit living behavior, and branched ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylenes (UHMWPEs) with very low-molecular-weight distributions (less than 1.1) are obtained. The activated nickel catalysts are stable in the absence of monomer and show good long-term stability at 25 °C.

Application of Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions in Organic Synthesis

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Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions have gained a continuously growing interest of synthetic organic chemists. The present review gives a brief account of applications of the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in comprehensive synthesis, viz., the Heck, Stille, Suzuki–Miyaura, Negishi, Sonogashira, Buchwald–Hartwig, Ullmann and the Oxidative, decarboxylative cross-coupling reactions, with particular emphasis on the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds.

Direct C-H α-Arylation of Enones with ArI(O2CR)2 Reagents

α-Arylation of α,β-unsaturated ketones constitutes a powerful synthetic transformation. It is most commonly achieved via cross-coupling of α-haloenones, but this stepwise strategy requires prefunctionalized substrates and expensive catalysts. Direct enone C-H α-arylation would offer an atom- and step-economical alternative, but such reports are scarce. Herein we report the metal-free direct C-H arylation of enones mediated by hypervalent iodine reagents. The reaction proceeds via a reductive iodonium Claisen rearrangement of in situ-generated β-pyridinium silyl enol ethers. The aryl groups are derived from ArI(O₂CCF₃)₂ reagents, which are readily accessed from the parent iodoarenes. The reaction is tolerant of a wide range of substitution patterns, and the incorporated arenes maintain the valuable iodine functional handle. Mechanistic investigations implicate arylation via an umpoled "enolonium" species and show that the presence of a β-pyridinium moiety is critical for the desired C-C bond formation.

Sequential Michael Addition/Electrophilic Alkynylation: Synthesis of α-Alkynyl-β-Substituted Ketones and Chromanones

We describe the synthesis of α-alkynyl-β-substituted cyclic ketones and analogue chromanones via one-pot Michael addition/hypervalent iodine-based α-alkynylation. Cu(I)-catalyzed Michael addition using either alkyl-aluminum or Grignard reagents, followed by diastereoselective electrophilic alkynylation of the resulting enolate by 1-ethynyl-1λ³,2-benziodoxol-3(1H)-one (EBX) resulted in the α-alkynyl-β-substituted cyclic ketones or chromanones within 34-89% yield (16 examples). The reaction was successfully upscaled to the 5 mmol scale, and further functionalization of a model alkynylated ketone was demonstrated.

Direct Synthesis of α-Iodoenones by IPy2BF4-Promoted Rearrangement of Propargylic Esters

A direct access to α-iodoeones from iodonium ion and propargylic tosylates or acetates is described. Bis(pyridine) iodonium tetrafluoroborate (IPy₂BF₄, Barluenga's reagent) promotes the rearrangement of these propargylic alcohol derivatives in mild conditions. The transformation gives β-unsubstituted, β-monosubstituted, and β,β-disubstituted α-iodoenones in high yields. β-Substituted α-iodoenones are obtained with excellent ( Z)-selectivity.

Reductive Cyclization of o-Nitroarylated-α,β-unsaturated Aldehydes and Ketones with TiCl3/HCl or Fe/HCl Leading to 1,2,3,9-Tetrahydro-4 H-carbazol-4-ones and Related Heterocycles

Compounds such as 3, the product of a palladium[0]-catalyzed Ullmann cross-coupling of o-iodonitrobenzene and 2-iodocyclohex-2-en-1-one, undergo complementary modes of reductive cyclization depending upon the conditions employed. Thus, on treatment with hydrogen in the presence of palladium on carbon, the tetrahydrocarbazole 4 is formed, while reaction of the same substrate (3) with TiCl₃ in acetone affords the 1,2,3,9-tetrahydro-4 H-carbazol-4-one 6.

The Palladium-Catalyzed Ullmann Cross-Coupling Reaction: A Modern Variant on a Time-Honored Process

Cross-coupling reactions, especially those that are catalyzed by palladium, have revolutionized the way in which carbon-carbon bonds can be formed. The most commonly deployed variants of such processes are the Suzuki-Miyaura, Mizoroki-Heck, Stille, and Negishi cross-coupling reactions, and these normally involve the linking of an organohalide or pseudohalide (such as a triflate or nonaflate) with an organo-metallic or -metalloid such as an organo-boron, -magnesium, -tin, or -zinc species. Since the latter type of coupling partner is often prepared from the corresponding halide, methods that allow for the direct cross-coupling of two distinct halogen-containing compounds would provide valuable and more atom-economical capacities for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. While the venerable Ullmann reaction can in principle achieve this, it has a number of drawbacks, the most significant of which is that homocoupling of the reaction partners is a competitive, if not the dominant, process. Furthermore, such reactions normally occur only under forcing conditions (viz., often at temperatures in excess of 250 °C). As such, the Ullmann reaction has seen only limited application in this regard, especially as a mid- to late-stage feature of complex natural product synthesis. This Account details the development of the palladium-catalyzed Ullmann cross-coupling reaction as a useful method for the assembly of a range of heterocyclic systems relevant to medicinal and/or natural products chemistry. These couplings normally proceed under relatively mild conditions (<100 °C) over short periods of time and, usually, to the exclusion of (unwanted) homocoupling events. The keys to success are the appropriate choice of coupling partners, the form of the copper metal employed, and the choice of reaction solvent. At the present time, the cross-coupling partners capable of engaging in the title reaction are confined to halogenated and otherwise electron-deficient arenes and, as complementary reactants, α- or β-halogenated, α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, ketones, esters, lactones, lactams, and cycloimides. Nitro-substituted (and halogenated) arenes, in particular, serve as effective participants in these reactions, and the products of their coupling with the above-mentioned carbonyl-containing systems can be manipulated in a number of different ways. Depending on the positional relationship between the nitro and carbonyl groups in the cross-coupling product, the reduction of the former group, which can be achieved under a range of different conditions, provides, through intramolecular nucleophilic addition reactions, including Schiff base condensations, access to a diverse range of heterocyclic systems. These include indoles, quinolines, quinolones, isoquinolines, carbazoles, and carbolines. Tandem variants of such cyclization processes, in which Raney cobalt is used as a catalyst for the chemoselective reduction (by dihydrogen) of nitro and nitrile groups (but not olefins), allow for the assembly of a range of structurally challenging natural products, including marinoquinoline A, (±)-1-acetylaspidoalbidine, and (±)-gilbertine.

Palladium-Catalyzed Ullmann Cross-Coupling of β-Iodoenones and β-Iodoacrylates with o-Halonitroarenes or o-Iodobenzonitriles and Reductive Cyclization of the Resulting Products To Give Diverse Heterocyclic Systems

The palladium-catalyzed Ullmann cross-coupling of β-iodoenones and β-iodoacrylates such as 5 (X = I) with o-halonitroarenes and o-iodobenzonitriles including 2 affords products such as compound 7. These can be engaged in a range of reductive cyclization reactions leading to heterocyclic frameworks such as 3,4-benzomorphan derivative 43.

Cyclohepta[b]indoles: A Privileged Structure Motif in Natural Products and Drug Design

Seven-membered rings fused with an indole are termed cyclohepta[b]indoles. Compounds exhibiting this structure motif display a broad spectrum of biological activities, ranging from inhibition of adipocyte fatty-acid-binding protein (A-FABP), deacetylation of histones, inhibition of leukotriene production p53, antituberculosis activities, and anti-HIV activities. These biological profiles are found in natural products containing the cyclohepta[b]indole motif, as well as in pharmaceuticals that contain this structure motif. Therefore, the biology of molecules derived from the skeleton of cyclohepta[b]indoles, as well as cyclopenta- and cyclohexa[b]indoles, has attracted considerable interest from the pharmaceutical industry as potential therapeutics in recent years. This is reflected by more than two dozen patents that have been issued in the past decade, solely based on the cyclohepta[b]indole structure motif. The efficient preparation of highly functionalized and unsymmetrically substituted cyclohepta[b]indoles has therefore become of central interest for synthetic organic chemists. Historically, this structure motif most often has been prepared by means of a Fischer indole synthesis. Although very robust and useful, this reaction poses certain limitations. Especially unsymmetrically functionalized cyclohepta[b]indoles are not suitable for a Fischer indole type synthesis, since product mixtures are inevitable. Therefore, novel methodologies to overcome these synthetic obstacles have been developed in recent years. This Account introduces all natural products and pharmaceutical compounds exhibiting the cyclohepta[b]indole motif. The structural variability within cyclohepta[b]indole alkaloids in combination with the broad range of organisms where these alkaloids have been isolated from, strongly suggests that the cyclohepta[b]indole is somehow a "privileged" structure motif. The organisms producing these compounds range from evergreen trees (actinophyllic acid) to cyanobacteria (ambiguinines). The synthetic methodologies to construct these molecular scaffolds (natural and unnatural in origin) are in turn highlighted and discussed with regard to their potential to access highly functionalized and unsymmetrical cyclohepta[b]indoles, for which they specifically have been designed. The methods are classified with respect to reaction type and whether or not they are enantioselective. Finally, the syntheses of cyclohepta[b]indole natural products are presented, thereby in each case, focusing on the construction of this structure motif in the course of the respective total synthesis. As a conclusion, we end by contrasting the methodological progress in the field with the actual successful application of the newly developed methods to the synthesis of complex structures to pinpoint the urgent requirement for further synthetic development for efficient synthetic design of this "privileged" structure motif.

Diborane-Mediated Deoxygenation of o-Nitrostyrenes To Form Indoles

A mild, transition metal-free, diborane-mediated deoxygenation of nitro groups was discovered that in situ generates nitrosoarene reactive intermediates. This new reactivity mode of B2pin2 was leveraged to construct indoles from o-nitrostyrenes through a reductive-cyclization reaction that exhibits a Hammett ρ-value of +0.97 relative to σpara values. Our new deoxygenation reaction is efficient, practical, and scaleable, enabling access to a broad range of indoles.

Axially Chiral Bifunctional 8,8'-Biquinolyl: Synthesis of 7,7'-Dihydroxymethyl-8,8'-biquinolyl via Pd-Catalyzed Double C-H Oxidation of 7,7'-Dimethyl-8,8'-biquinolyl

Bifunctional C2-symmetric 7,7'-dihydroxymethyl-8,8'-biquinolyl (2) was synthesized in short steps via (i) Cu/Pd-catalyzed homo coupling of 7-methyl-8-bromoquinoline and (ii) Pd(II)-catalyzed double C-H oxidation. Axial chirality of 2 and its synthetic precursor 7,7'-dimethyl-8,8'-biquinolyl (3) is stable. Optically active 2 was obtained through separation of racemic 2 by chiral column HPLC or Pd(II)-catalyzed double C-H oxidation of optically active 3. The absolute stereochemistry of enantiomers of 2 and 3 was determined using the exciton chirality method.

Approaches to prepare perfluoroalkyl and pentafluorophenyl copper couples for cross-coupling reactions with organohalogen compounds

The reactions of iodoperfluoroalkanes CnF2n+1I (n = 2, 3, 4) and n-BuLi at low temperatures give NMR spectroscopic evidence for LiCnF2n+1 which were converted into LiCu(CnF2n+1)2 derivatives upon treatment with 0.5 mol copper(i) bromide, CuBr. An alternative route to obtain perfluoroorgano copper couples, Cu(Rf)2Ag (Rf = n-C3F7, n-C4F9, C6F5) was achieved from the reactions of the corresponding perfluoroorgano silver(i) reagents, AgRf, and elemental copper through redox transmetallations. The composition of the resulting reactive intermediates was investigated by means of (19)F NMR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry. Perfluoro-n-propyl and perfluoro-n-butyl copper-silver reagents prepared by the oxidative transmetallation route exhibited good properties in C-C bond formation reactions with acid chlorides even under moderate conditions. Substitution of bromine directly bound to aromatics for perfluoroalkyl groups was achieved at elevated temperatures, while success in halide substitution reactions using lithium copper couples remained poor.

Amine-Catalyzed Highly Regioselective and Stereoselective C(sp(2) )-C(sp(2) ) Cross-Coupling of Naphthols with trans-α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes

A metal-free C(sp(2) )-C(sp(2) ) cross-coupling approach to highly congested (E)-α-naphtholylenals from simple naphthols and enals is described. The mild reaction conditions with pyridine hydrobromideperbromide (PHBP) as the bromination reagent in the presence of piperidine or diphenylprolinol trimethylsilyl (TMS) ether as promoters enable the process in good yields and with high chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity. The process involves an unprecedented pathway of in situ regioselective 4-bromination of 1-naphthols and the subsequent unusual aromatic nucleophilic substitution of the resulting 4-bromo-1-naphthols with the α-C(sp(2) ) of enals through a Michael-type Friedel-Crafts alkylation-dearomatization followed by a cyclopropanation ring-opening cascade process. The noteworthy features of this strategy are highlighted by the highly efficient creation of a C(sp(2) )-C(sp(2) ) bond from readily available unfunctionalized naphthols and enals catalyzed by non-metal, readily available cyclic secondary amines under mild reaction conditions.

An iodine-promoted Meyer–Schuster rearrangement for the synthesis of α-iodo unsaturated ketones

A facile and efficient iodine-promoted Meyer–Schuster rearrangement of propargyl alcohols for the synthesis of α-iodo-α,β-unsaturated ketones is presented.

Formation of Cyclohepta[b]indole Scaffolds via Heck Cyclization: A Strategy for Structural Analogues of Ervatamine Group of Indole Alkaloid

Ervatamine, silicine, methuenine, etc., are naturally occurring alkaloids that exhibit antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-HIV activities. Indole fused with a seven-membered carbocyclic ring is a commonly observed structural feature among this series of bioactive compounds. This work describes a strategic approach for the synthesis of cyclohepta[b]indole structural scaffolds. The synthetic strategy consists of a solvent-free Baylis-Hillman reaction of 2-bromobenzaldehydes, followed by iodine-catalyzed C-alkylation of indole with the Baylis-Hillman adducts. Finally, intramolecular Heck coupling reaction using Pd(OAc)2 as catalyst in the presence of benzyltrimethylammonium bromide under microwave condition produced the desired cyclohepta[b]indole derivatives.