N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed cascade annulation reaction of o-vinylarylaldehydes with nitrosoarenes: one-step assembly of functionalized 2,3-benzoxazin-4-ones

Nitroso-azomethine(ene) reaction enabled annulations of nitrosoarenes, azomethines and alkenes

An unprecedented example of a nitroso-azomethine(ene) reaction is reported. Nitroso-azomethine(ene) reaction-mediated unprecedented annulation of nitrosoarenes, azomethines, and alkenes to furnish arylquinolines via arene functionalization of nitrosoarene has been developed. DFT studies provided mechanistic insights into the newly developed nitroso-azomethine(ene) reaction.

NHC-catalyzed covalent activation of heteroatoms for enantioselective reactions

Covalent activation of heteroatoms enabled by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) organic catalysts for enantioselective reactions is evaluated and summarized in this review. To date, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms can be activated in this manner to react with another substrate to construct chiral carbon-heteroatom bonds with high optical enantioselectivities. The activation starts with addition of an NHC catalyst to the carbonyl moiety (aldehyde or imine) of substrates that contain heteroatoms. The key in this approach is the formation of intermediates covalently bound to the NHC catalyst, in which the heteroatom of the substrate is activated as a nucleophilic reactive site.

Lewis acid catalyzed reactivity switch: pseudo three-component annulation of nitrosoarenes and (epoxy)styrenes

A Lewis acid catalyzed annulation reaction via arene functionalization of nitrosoarenes and C-C cleavage of (epoxy)styrene to provide arylquinolines is reported. The Lewis acid catalyst altered the annulation pattern providing arylquinolines instead of oxazolidines. The reaction with styrene resulted in a mixture of 2,4-diarylquinoline and 4-arylquinoline, while only 3-arylquinoline was formed from the reaction of epoxystyrene.

Deoxygenation of nitrosoarene by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC): an elusive Breslow-type intermediate bridging carbene and nitrene

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) activates and deoxygenates nitrosoarene (ArNO) to afford arylnitrene (ArN), thereby portraying a fundamental route connecting two 6e- species. A combination of spectroscopic and computational studies suggests that the interaction of ArNO with NHC affords a transient 2,2'-diamino imine-N-oxide as a key intermediate in ArNO deoxygenation.

Two macrocycle-based sensors for anions sensing

Two macrocyclic bis-benzimidazolium salts 2 and 4 (23-membered for 2 and 25-membered for 4) were prepared, and their structures were confirmed by X-ray crystallography, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The research of anion recognitions using 2 or 4 as hosts were carried out with the methods of fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopy, 1H NMR titrations, MS and IR spectra. The experiment results show that 2 can detect acetate anion and 4 can detect nitrate anion with favorable selectivity and sensitivity.

A new fluorescent–colorimetric chemosensor for cobalt(ii) ions based on bis-benzimidazolium salt with three anthraquinone groups

A novel colorimetric chemosensor was prepared, and its recognition performance for Co²⁺ was investigated by the fluorescence method and color change.

Recent advances in N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalysed benzoin reactions

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have emerged as a powerful class of organocatalysts that mediate a variety of organic transformations. The Benzoin reaction constitutes one of the earliest known carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions catalysed by NHCs. The rapid growth of NHC catalysis in general has resulted in the development of a variety of benzoin and benzoin-type reactions. An overview of such NHC-catalysed benzoin reactions is presented.

Changing the reaction pathway by NHC/Brønsted base cooperative catalysis: highly stereoselective synthesis of multifunctional benzo[a]fluoren-11-ones from the dimerization of 2-(aroylvinyl)arylaldehydes

The unprecedented NHC/Brønsted base-cocatalyzed dimerization reaction of 2-(aroylvinyl)arylaldehydes was reported. In the presence of a triazole carbene catalyst alone, no reaction of 2-(aroylvinyl)arylaldehydes was observed. However, the combination of triazole carbene and 4-methoxyphenolate efficiently catalyzed the dimerization of 2-(aroylvinyl)arylaldehydes to proceed through a benzoin-Michael-Michael reaction cascade, producing 6-aroyl-5-(aroylmethyl)-11a-hydroxybenzo[a]fluoren-11-ones as the sole diastereomers in good yields.

NHC-catalyzed oxidative cyclization reaction for the synthesis of 3-substituted phthalides

An efficient NHC-catalyzed domino oxidation/oxa-Michael addition reaction of 2-alkenylbenzaldehydes has been developed to afford 3-substituted phthalides bearing a C3-stereogenic center with a broad substrate scope and wide functional group tolerance.