Reversibility of 1,4-Metal Migration in Cp*RhIII and Cp*IrIII Complexes

Rhodium(iii)-catalyzed diverse [4 + 1] annulation of arenes with 1,3-enynes via sp3/sp2 C-H activation and 1,4-rhodium migration

Nitrogen-rich heterocyclic compounds have a profound impact on human health. Despite the numerous synthetic methods, diversified, step-economic, and general synthesis of heterocycles remains limited. C-H bond functionalization catalyzed by rhodium(iii) cyclopentadienyls has proven to be a powerful strategy in the synthesis of diversified heterocycles. Herein we describe rhodium(iii)-catalyzed sp2 and sp3 C-H activation-oxidative annulations between aromatic substrates and 1,3-enynes, where alkenyl-to-allyl 1,4-rhodium(iii) migration enabled the generation of electrophilic rhodium(iii) π-allyls via remote C-H functionalization. Subsequent nucleophilic trapping of these species by various sp2-hybridized N-nucleophiles delivered three classes (external salts, inner salts, and neutral azacycles) of five-membered azacycles bearing a tetrasubstituted saturated carbon center, as a result of [4 + 1] annulation with the alkyne being a one-carbon synthon. All the reactions proceeded under relatively mild conditions with broad substrate scope, high efficiency, and excellent regioselectivity. The synthetic applications of this protocol have also been demonstrated, and experimental studies have been performed to support the proposed mechanism.

Nickel-Catalyzed Decarbonylative Alkylation of Aroyl Fluorides Assisted by Lewis-Acidic Organoboranes

Herein, nickel-catalyzed decarbonylative C-F bond alkylation of aroyl fluorides with organoboron reagents is reported. Aroyl fluorides are more chemically stable than the corresponding aroyl chlorides and can be readily synthesized from the corresponding carboxylic acids. The fluoronickel intermediate formed via oxidative addition interacts with Lewis-acidic trialkylboranes, and the subsequent decarbonylative alkylation proceeds. This new synthetic methodology allows 1,2-bifunctionalization of aromatic carboxylic acids via palladium-catalyzed ortho-C-H arylation. In addition, an unprecedented 1,4-nickel migration on ortho-arylated aroyl fluorides was observed. As a demonstration of the synthetic utility of the present reaction, the sequential 1-alkyl-2-arylation of 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid was accomplished via chemoselective alkylation at a fluorocarbonyl moiety and the subsequent C-O bond arylation at an acetoxy group.

Chromium-catalyzed migratory arylmagnesiation of unactivated alkynes

The first example of 1,4-chromium migration was observed in the addition of an aryl Grignard reagent to an unactivated alkyne.

All-Carbon [3+3] Oxidative Annulations of 1,3-Enynes by Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed C-H Functionalization and 1,4-Migration

1,3-Enynes containing allylic hydrogens cis to the alkyne function as three-carbon components in rhodium(III)-catalyzed, all-carbon [3+3] oxidative annulations to produce spirodialins. The proposed mechanism of these reactions involves the alkenyl-to-allyl 1,4-rhodium(III) migration.

Remote rearrangement of the metal center in a (η6-C6Me6)Ru(ii) complex

Reaction of [(η⁶-C₆Me₆)Ru(Ph)(PMe₃)]⁺ with internal alkynes gave rise to the 1,4-Ru migration to form the o-vinylaryl complex, providing the first example of 1,4-metal migration of a group 8 metal center; in one case further isomerization to an η³-allyl complex was observed.

The isomerization of allylrhodium intermediates in the rhodium-catalyzed nucleophilic allylation of cyclic imines

Allylrhodium species generated from potassium allyltrifluoroborates can undergo isomerization by 1,4-rhodium(I) migration to give more complex isomers, which then react with cyclic imines to provide products with up to three new stereochemical elements. High enantioselectivities are obtained using chiral diene-rhodium complexes.

Catalytic 1,4-rhodium(III) migration enables 1,3-enynes to function as one-carbon oxidative annulation partners in C-H functionalizations

1,3-Enynes containing allylic hydrogens cis to the alkyne are shown to act as one-carbon partners, rather than two-carbon partners, in various rhodium-catalyzed oxidative annulations. The mechanism of these unexpected transformations is proposed to occur through double C-H activation, involving a hitherto rare example of the 1,4-migration of a Rh(III) species. This phenomenon is general across a variety of substrates, and provides a diverse range of heterocyclic products.

Iridium-catalyzed arylative cyclization of alkynones by 1,4-iridium migration

1,4-Metal migrations enable the remote functionalization of C-H bonds, and have been utilized in a wide variety of valuable synthetic methods. The vast majority of existing examples involve the 1,4-migration of palladium or rhodium. Herein, the stereoselective synthesis of complex polycycles by the iridium-catalyzed arylative cyclization of alkynones with arylboronic acids is described. To our knowledge, these reactions involve the first reported examples of 1,4-iridium migration.