Metal-Free Aziridination of Styrene Derivatives with Iminoiodinane Catalyzed by a Combination of Iodine and Ammonium Iodide

The Reactions of Alkenes with Phenyl-N-triflylimino-λ3-iodane: Solvent and Oxidant Impact

The reactions of alkenes with phenyl-N-triflylimino-λ3-iodane PhI=NTf (1) have been studied in different conditions. In methylene chloride, in the presence of N-halosuccinimides, the products of mono and bis-triflamidation were obtained. In MeCN, the product of bromotriflamidation (with NBS) with solvent interception or of bis-triflamidation (with NIS) is formed. The reaction with trans-stilbene in acetonitrile with NBS gave rise to cyclization to 2-methyl-4,5-diphenyl-1-triflyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole. In contrast, with NIS as an oxidant, both in CH2Cl2 and MeCN, the major product was 2,3-diphenyl-1-triflylaziridine formed in good yield. With NBS, aziridine is also formed but as a minor product, the major one being a mixture of diastereomers of the product of bromotriflamidation. The reaction of compound 1 with vinylcyclohexane in methylene chloride affords the mixtures of regioisomers of the products of halotriflamidation, whereas in acetonitrile, the products of solvent interception and cyclization to the imidazoline are formed. A mechanism explaining the formation of all isolated products is proposed.

Three-Component Synthesis of Di-Keto Aziridines and Highly Functionalized Alkenes from Sulfoxonium Ylides, Nitrosoarenes, and Alkynes

A catalyst-free one-pot three-component method of sulfoxonium ylides, nitrosoarenes, and alkynes for the synthesis of highly functionalized di-keto aziridines and alkenes is described. This strategy features the catalyst-free and additive-free approach, the employment of safe, more stable, and readily accessible sulfoxonium ylides, which bear a much wider substrate scope as starting materials. In terms of terminal alkynes, a cascade reaction of nitrone formation/1,3-diploar cycloaddition/Baldwin rearrangement is involved to afford a wide variety of di-keto aziridines. However, highly functionalized alkenes could be obtained instead of di-keto aziridines through the same nitrone formation/1,3-diploar cycloaddition and another different rearrangement reaction when internal alkynes are employed as starting materials.

N-Aminopyridinium reagents as traceless activating groups in the synthesis of N-Aryl aziridines

N-functionalized aziridines, which are both useful intermediates and important synthetic targets, can be envisioned as arising from the addition of nitrenes (i.e., NR fragments) to olefinic substrates. The exceptional reactivity of most nitrenes, in particular with respect to unimolecular decomposition, prevents general application of nitrene-transfer to the synthesis of N-functionalized aziridines. Here we demonstrate N-aryl aziridine synthesis via 1) olefin aziridination with N-aminopyridinium reagents to afford N-pyridinium aziridines followed by 2) Ni-catalyzed C-N cross-coupling of the N-pyridinium aziridines with aryl boronic acids. The N-pyridinium aziridine intermediates also participate in ring-opening chemistry with a variety of nucleophiles to afford 1,2-aminofunctionalization products. Mechanistic investigations indicate aziridine cross-coupling proceeds via a noncanonical mechanism involving initial aziridine opening promoted by the bromide counterion of the Ni catalyst, C-N cross-coupling, and finally aziridine reclosure. Together, these results provide new opportunities to achieve selective incorporation of generic aryl nitrene equivalents in organic molecules.

Electrophilic Aminating Agents in Total Synthesis

Classical amination methods involve the reaction of a nitrogen nucleophile with an electrophilic carbon center; however, in recent years, umpoled strategies have gained traction where the nitrogen source acts as an electrophile. A wide range of electrophilic aminating agents are now available, and these underpin a range of powerful C-N bond-forming processes. In this Review, we highlight the strategic use of electrophilic aminating agents in total synthesis.

Intramolecular C-H Amination of N-Alkylsulfamides by tert-Butyl Hypoiodite or N-Iodosuccinimide

1,3-Diamines are an important class of compounds that are broadly found in natural products and are also widely used as building blocks in organic synthesis. Although the intramolecular C-H amination of N-alkylsulfamide derivatives is a reliable method for the construction of 1,3-diamine structures, the majority of these methods involve the use of a transition-metal catalyst. We herein report on a new transition-metal-free method using tert-butyl hypoiodite (t-BuOI) or N-iodosuccinimide (NIS), enabling secondary non-benzylic and tertiary C-H amination reactions to proceed. The cyclic sulfamide products can be easily transformed into 1,3-diamines. Mechanistic investigations revealed that amination reactions using t-BuOI or NIS each proceed via different pathways.

Photoinduced triiodide-mediated [3 + 2] cycloaddition of N-tosyl aziridines and alkenes

A photoinduced triiodide-mediated [3 + 2] cycloaddition of N-Ts aziridines and alkenes is described herein. This operationally simple protocol enables regioselective access to a wide range of substituted pyrrolidines under mild-free conditions.

Sulfonylimino Group Transfer Reaction Using Imino-λ³-iodanes with I₂ as Catalyst Under Metal-free Conditions

A new practical procedure of imination for sulfide has been developed. The treatment of (N-tosylimino)-phenyl-λ³-iodane, PhINTs, with various sulfides in the presence of a catalytic amount of I₂ under metal-free conditions affords the corresponding N-tosylsulfilimine compounds with moderate to good yields. This facile transfer procedure of the sulfonylimino group can also be applied to triphenylphosphine to produce the respective iminotriphenylphosphoranes in high yields. According to the reaction mechanism studies, the process of imination from (N-tosylimino)-phenyl-λ³-iodane to sulfide under the conditions may involve radical steps within the reaction mechanism.

Synthetic approach to skeletally diverse nitrogen heterocycles from dicyano-2-methylenebut-3-enoates

Divergent synthesis of three types of azaheterocycles, including vinylaziridines, pyrroline and 2-aminopyridines, has been achieved through [2 + 1], formal-[4 + 1] and [5 + 1] annulations.

Photo-Induced Aziridination of Alkenes with N-Sulfonyliminoiodinanes

Activation of N-sulfonyliminiodinanes was achieved by photo-irradiation at 375 nm, which enabled the reaction with several alkenes to afford the corresponding aziridines. Mechanistic studies suggested that the reaction would proceed through a stepwise mechanism via radical intermediates rather than through a concerted process.

Facile and Green Synthesis of Saturated Cyclic Amines

Single-nitrogen containing saturated cyclic amines are an important part of both natural and synthetic bioactive compounds. A number of methodologies have been developed for the synthesis of aziridines, azetidines, pyrrolidines, piperidines, azepanes and azocanes. This review highlights some facile and green synthetic routes for the synthesis of unsubstituted, multisubstituted and highly functionalized saturated cyclic amines including one-pot, microwave assisted, metal-free, solvent-free and in aqueous media.

Brønsted Base-Mediated Aziridination of 2-Alkyl-Substituted-1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds and 2-Acyl-Substituted-1,4-Dicarbonyl Compounds by Iminoiodanes

The synthesis of α,α-diacylaziridines and α,α,β-triacylaziridines from reaction of 2-alkyl-substituted-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and 2-acyl-substituted-1,4-dicarbonyl compounds with arylsulfonyliminoiodinanes (ArSO2N=IPh) under Brønsted base-mediated atmospheric conditions is described. The reaction mechanism is thought to involve the formal oxidation of the substrate followed by aziridination of the ensuing α,β-unsaturated intermediate by the hypervalent iodine(iii) reagent.

First graphene oxide promoted metal-free nitrene insertion into olefins in water: towards facile synthesis of activated aziridines

A facile metal-free graphene oxide (GO)-catalyzed synthesis of tosylaziridines using PhINTs as the nitrene source is reported.

Metal-free intermolecular cyclopropanation between alkenes and iodonium ylides mediated by PhI(OAc)2·Bu4NI

A simple and highly effective synthesis of poly substituted cyclopropanes was developed. This metal-free intermolecular reaction between iodonium ylides and alkenes is mediated by PhI(OAc)₂ and Bu₄NI.

Advances in Synthetic Applications of Hypervalent Iodine Compounds

The preparation, structure, and chemistry of hypervalent iodine compounds are reviewed with emphasis on their synthetic application. Compounds of iodine possess reactivity similar to that of transition metals, but have the advantage of environmental sustainability and efficient utilization of natural resources. These compounds are widely used in organic synthesis as selective oxidants and environmentally friendly reagents. Synthetic uses of hypervalent iodine reagents in halogenation reactions, various oxidations, rearrangements, aminations, C-C bond-forming reactions, and transition metal-catalyzed reactions are summarized and discussed. Recent discovery of hypervalent catalytic systems and recyclable reagents, and the development of new enantioselective reactions using chiral hypervalent iodine compounds represent a particularly important achievement in the field of hypervalent iodine chemistry. One of the goals of this Review is to attract the attention of the scientific community as to the benefits of using hypervalent iodine compounds as an environmentally sustainable alternative to heavy metals.

Synthesis of 1,4-amino alcohols by Grignard reagent addition to THF and N-tosyliminobenzyliodinane

The synthesis of 1,4-amino alcohols from THF treated with N-tosyliminobenzyliodinane (PhINTs) followed by a Grignard reagent under mild reaction conditions at room temperature is described herein. Various Grignard reagents were shown to be compatible, furnishing the corresponding 4-substituted-N-1,4-tosylamino alcohols in good to excellent yields. A partial or full detosylation of the N-tosyl-1,4-amino alcohol was observed in instances involving a sterically bulky Grignard reagent, leading to the deprotected 1,4-amino alcohol product in moderate to good yields. The synthetic utility of this protocol was demonstrated by the synthesis of a 5-substituted-N-tosyl-1,5-amino alcohol from THP and the conversion of two examples to their corresponding γ-lactam and pyrrolidine adducts.

Iodine-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Amidation of β,γ-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids with Chloramine Salts Leading to Allylic Amides

The iodine-catalyzed decarboxylative amidation of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids with chloramine salts is described. This method enables the regioselective synthesis of allylic amides from various types of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids containing substituents at the α- and β-positions. In the reaction, N-iodo-N-chloroamides, generated by the reaction of a chloramine salt with I2 , function as a key active species. The reaction provides an attractive alternative to existing methods for the synthesis of useful secondary allylic amine derivatives.

Iminoiodane- and Brønsted base-mediated cross dehydrogenative coupling of cyclic ethers with 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds

A one-pot, two-step approach to prepare 2-tetrahydrofuran and -pyran substituted 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds by PhI=NTs-mediated amination/Brønsted base-catalyzed cross dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction of the cyclic ether and 1,3-dicarbonyl derivative under mild conditions is reported. The reaction is compatible with a variety of cyclic ethers and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, affording the corresponding coupled products in moderate to good yields of up to 80% over two steps.

Enantioselective Enzyme-Catalyzed Aziridination Enabled by Active-Site Evolution of a Cytochrome P450

One of the greatest challenges in protein design is creating new enzymes, something evolution does all the time, starting from existing ones. Borrowing from nature's evolutionary strategy, we have engineered a bacterial cytochrome P450 to catalyze highly enantioselective intermolecular aziridination, a synthetically useful reaction that has no natural biological counterpart. The new enzyme is fully genetically encoded, functions in vitro or in whole cells, and can be optimized rapidly to exhibit high enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) and productivity (up to 1,000 catalytic turnovers) for intermolecular aziridination, demonstrated here with tosyl azide and substituted styrenes. This new aziridination activity highlights the remarkable ability of a natural enzyme to adapt and take on new functions. Once discovered in an evolvable enzyme, this non-natural activity was improved and its selectivity tuned through an evolutionary process of accumulating beneficial mutations.