Synthesis of Functionalized α,α-Disubstituted β-Alkynyl Esters from Allenoates through an Alkynylenolate Intermediate

Lithium Enolate with a Lithium-Alkyne Interaction in the Enantioselective Construction of Quaternary Carbon Centers: Concise Synthesis of (+)-Goniomitine

We report a method for direct enantioselective alkylation of 3-alkynoic and 2,3-alkendioic acids that form quaternary stereogenic centers, and application of this method to the total enantioselective synthesis of a complex alkaloid (+)-goniomitine. The methods were effective in the alkylation of both 3-alkynoic acids, 2,3-alkendioic acids substrates with a broad range of heterocyclic and functionalized alkyl group substituents. Accompanying crystallographic studies provide mechanistic insight into the structure of well-defined chiral aggregates, highlighting cation-π interactions between lithium and alkyne groups.

Total Synthesis and Structural Revision of the 6,11-Epoxyisodaucane Natural Sesquiterpene Using an Anionic 8π Electrocyclic Reaction

A new synthetic strategy that forms a seven-membered carbocycle using an anionic 8π electrocyclic reaction facilitated the first total synthesis of the 6,11-epoxyisodaucane natural sesquiterpene in 9.0% yield over 10 steps in the longest linear sequence. The misassigned proposed stereochemistry was corrected by the synthesis of both the proposed structure and its C6 epimer. In addition, the 5-7-fused ring system was concisely constructed by tandem decyanation/five-membered-ring formation from an epoxynitrile.

Copper-catalyzed 1,2-Borylacylation of 1,3-Enynes: synthesis of β-Alkynyl ketones

A copper catalyzed 1,2-borylacylation of 1,3-enynes with B₂pin₂ and acid chlorides has been developed. Using readily available 1,3-enynes, B₂pin₂ and acid chlorides as substrates, a range of highly functionalized α,α-disubstituted β-alkynyl ketones were readily prepared under mild conditions in moderate to good yields. The borylacylated products can be easily derivatized to give several valuable structures. Notably, treatment of the products with NaBO₃·4H₂O provided 1,2-allenyl ketones, which is proposed to proceed via a retro-aldol process of the corresponding homopropargyl alcohols.

Base-Mediated Intramolecular Cyclization of α-Nitroethylallenic Esters as a Synthetic Route to 5-Hydroxy-3-pyrrolin-2-ones

An unprecedented Cs₂CO₃-mediated intramolecular cyclization/rearrangement cascade that transforms α-nitroethylallenic esters to functionalized pyrrolin-2-ones has been uncovered. This reaction provides a new and practical approach for the synthesis of medicinally privileged 5-hydroxy-3-pyrrolin-2-ones under mild conditions. The broad potential of this new method was demonstrated by an efficient Au/Ag-catalyzed heteroarylation of 5-hydroxy-3-pyrrolin-2-ones employing electron-rich heteroarenes to furnish heteroaryl-lactam derivatives.

Diversification reactions of γ-silyl allenyl esters: selective conversion to all-carbon quaternary centers and γ-allene dicarbinols

The unique reactivity of γ-silyl allenyl esters is described. Taking advantage of the silyl group as a fluoride acceptor, these allenoates readily underwent addition to a variety of electrophiles to selectively yield products with all-carbon quaternary centers or allenoate dicarbinols. These dicarbinols were subsequently converted to novel highly substituted 6-hydro-2-pyrones.

Selective syntheses of diversely substituted 2-hydroxy-4′-hydroxybenzophenones through [4 + 2] or [3 + 3] annulation of penta-3,4-dien-2-ones with 3-formylchromones

A selective synthesis of 2-hydroxy-4′-hydroxybenzophenones or their 3′-acylated counterparts via the cascade reactions of 3-formylchromones with diversely substituted penta-3,4-dien-2-ones is presented.

Synthesis of 3-(4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)acrylates through the tandem reaction of 3-(2-buta-2,3-dienoylphenoxy)acrylates

A straightforward and efficient synthesis of 2-substituted 3-(4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)acrylates through base-catalyzed tandem reaction of the readily available 3-(2-buta-2,3-dienoylphenoxy)acrylates under extremely mild conditions has been developed.

Selective syntheses of Δ(α,β) and Δ(β,γ) butenolides from allylic cyclopropenecarboxylates via tandem ring expansion/[3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements

Allylic cyclopropenecarboxylates undergo ring expansion reactions to give 2-allyloxyfuran intermediates, which subsequently rearrange to Δ(β,γ) butenolides via a Claisen rearrangement or to the corresponding Δ(α,β) butenolides via further Cope rearrangement. Also described are methods for chirality transfer in the rearrangement of nonracemic allylic esters.

Use of Linear Free Energy Relationships (LFERs) to elucidate the mechanisms of reaction of a γ-methyl-β-alkynyl and an ortho-substituted aryl chloroformate ester

The specific rates of solvolysis of 2-butyn-1-yl-chloroformate (1) and 2-methoxyphenyl chloroformate (2) are studied at 25.0 °C in a series of binary aqueousorganic mixtures. The rates of reaction obtained are then analyzed using the extended Grunwald-Winstein (G-W) equation and the results are compared to previously published G-W analyses for phenyl chloroformate (3), propargyl chloroformate (4), p-methoxyphenyl choroformate (5), and p-nitrophenyl chloroformate (6). For 1, the results indicate that dual side-by-side addition-elimination and ionization pathways are occurring in some highly ionizing solvents due to the presence of the electron-donating γ-methyl group. For 2, the analyses indicate that the dominant mechanism is a bimolecular one where the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate is rate-determining.