Unusual (Z)-selective palladium(II)-catalysed addition of aryl boronic acids to vinylaziridines

The palladium(II)-catalysed addition of arylboronic acids to vinylaziridines has been developed. This reaction proceeds via an insertion/ring-opening process to provide (Z)-allylsulfonamides preferentially. This stereoselectivity is complimentary to existing methods that typically proceed via a SN2' mechanism to yield (E)-allylsulfonamides. Electron-deficient arylboronic acids were the optimum substrates for this reaction, while electron-donating groups on the aromatic ring of the boronic acids resulted in moderate yields.

Rhodium-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective oxyamination of dienes via tandem aziridination/ring-opening of dienyl carbamates

The dual role of a Rh(ii) catalyst both as a nitrene transfer agent and as a Lewis acid in the aziridine ring opening allows the regio- and stereoselective oxyamination of dienyl carbamates.

Alkylative ring opening of N-methylaziridinium ions and a formal synthesis of tyroscherin

Alkylative ring-opening reactions of stable 2-substituted N-methylaziridinium ions proceeded with various alkyl- or arylmagnesium bromides in the presence of CuI to yield synthetically valuable and optically pure alkylated acyclic amines in a completely regio- and stereoselective manner. This was applied to a formal synthesis of the cytotoxic natural product tyroscherin.