Copper-Catalyzed Domino Phosphorylation/Cyclization of ortho-Alkynylketones for Accessing Phosphorylated 1H-Isochromenes

An effective and economical copper-catalyzed approach for the synthesis of phosphorylated 1H-isochromenes is reported. This method is the first example of focus on ketone phosphonylation to establish a C-P bond and 6-endo-dig cyclization to construct a C-O bond between aryl- and alkyl-substituted alkynylketones and H-phosphinate esters, H-phosphites, and H-phosphine oxides, resulting in chemo- and regioselective phosphorylated 1H-isochromenes with moderate to excellent yields under smooth reaction conditions.

Determination of pKa Values of C-H Bonds in Polar Fluorinated Arenes Referred to a New CF3SO2-Substituted Anchor Compound

pKa values of C-H bonds remain unreported and challenging in fluorous solvents because of these solvents' unique physicochemical properties, although they have been measured, theorized and predicted successfully in water and common organic solvents. Herein, a new CF3SO2-substituted anchor compound designed for matching the physicochemical properties of polar fluorinated arenes is synthesized. Its self-dissociation constants in these solvents are used as bases for experimentally determining the pKa values of 36 C-H compounds in them. These experimentally determined pKa values exhibit excellent linear free-energy relationships and correlate well with their corresponding DFT-calculated values. These data indicate that the polar fluorinated arenes are thermodynamically more favorable for deprotonation of ketone derivatives than acetonitrile as reaction media, resulting in enhanced deprotonation-promoted CO2 fixation. The pKa values determined in this work can be used as an important guidance tool for reactions involving the formation and cleavage of C-H bonds in polar fluorinated arenes.

Hierarchical surface-modification of nano-Cu toward one pot H-transfer-coupling-cyclization-CO2 fixation tandem reactions

Fixation of CO2 into dihydroisobenzofuran derivatives has enormous applications in both production of natural products and antidepressant drugs, and reducing the green-house effect. However, the relatively complicated multi-step processes limit the further expansion of such a valuable CO2 conversion strategy. Herein, we hierarchically modify the surface of Cu nanoparticles (NPs) with Ag NPs and the robust metal-organic framework (MOF), ZIF-8, and report the presence of the Cu-Ag yolk-shell nanoalloy based heterogeneous catalysts, Cu@Ag and Cu@Ag@ZIF-8. The latter exhibits a crystalline "raisin bread" structure and specific synergic activity for catalyzing the tandem reactions of intra-molecular H-transfer, C-C and C-O coupling, cyclization, and carboxylation from CO2, leading to the first non-homogeneous preparation of dihydroisobenzofuran derivatives in high yield, selectivity, and recyclability under mild conditions. Theoretical calculations elucidate the tandem reaction pathway synergically catalyzed by Cu@Ag@ZIF-8, which offers insights for designing multiphase catalysts towards both organic synthesis and CO2 fixation through tandem processes in one pot.

Time and Temperature Dependent Palladium-Catalyzed Stereo- and Regioselective Alkoxy-arylation of Triple Bonds: Synthesis of (E)/(Z)-1,1-Disubstituted-3-(1-Phenylalkylidene)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofurans

The development of synthetic strategies enabling the stereo- and regio-selective synthesis of organic molecules is indispensable in the pharmaceutical industry. This work describes a stereo- and regioselective synthesis of (E)/(Z)-1,1-disubstituted-3-(1-arylalkylidene)-1,3-dihydroisobenzofurans catalyzed by palladium. The DHIBFs are achieved from readily available aryl bromides and ortho-alkyne tertiary alcohols via intermolecular aryl Heck coupling and intramolecular oxo-cyclization of the suitably situated hydroxyl group. Significantly, it was demonstrated that a Z-isomer was formed as a substantial isomer at 80 °C for 6 h, whereas the stable E-isomer was the predominant one at slightly vigorous conditions (100 °C for 12 h). In addition, careful observation has also led to the realization that this double isomerization from Z- to E-isomer was triggered in the NMR tube itself in CDCl₃ at room temperature. Significantly, this protocol, for the first time, enabled the synthesis of heavily substituted dihydroisobenzofurans, especially, bearing a tetra-substituted double bond.

Light-Promoted Organic Transformations Utilizing Carbon-Based Gas Molecules as Feedstocks

Carbon-based gas molecules are readily available feedstocks and are widely used in industry as building blocks or fuels. However, their application in the synthesis of fine chemicals has been hampered due to operational complexity, poor reaction efficiency and selectivity. Recent development of photoredox-promoted transformations using such gaseous reagents has received considerable attention from the synthetic community. In this review, efforts in developing light-promoted organic transformations using carbon-based natural gases as C1 or C2 feedstocks and to overcome the associated challenges are briefly summarized.

Palladium-Catalyzed Cascade Decarboxylative Amination/6-endo-dig Benzannulation of o-Alkynylarylketones with N-Hydroxyamides To Access Diverse 1-Naphthylamine Derivatives

An efficient and practical one-pot strategy to produce highly substituted 1-naphthylamines via sequential palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative amination/intramolecular 6-endo-dig benzannulation reactions has been described. In this reaction, a broad range of electron-rich, electron-neutral, and electron-deficient o-alkynylarylketones react well with N-hydroxyl aryl/alkylamides to give a diversity of 1-naphthylamines in good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. The gram-scale synthesis, with benefits such as undiminished product yield and easy transformation, illustrated the practicality of this method.

C-H Bond Carboxylation with Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a nontoxic, renewable, and abundant C₁ source, whereas C-H bond functionalization represents one of the most important approaches to the construction of carbon-carbon bonds and carbon-heteroatom bonds in an atom- and step-economical manner. Combining the chemical transformation of CO₂ with C-H bond functionalization is of great importance in the synthesis of carboxylic acids and their derivatives. The contents of this Review are organized according to the type of C-H bond involved in carboxylation. The primary types of C-H bonds are as follows: C(sp)-H bonds of terminal alkynes, C(sp² )-H bonds of (hetero)arenes, vinylic C(sp² )-H bonds, the ipso-C(sp² )-H bonds of the diazo group, aldehyde C(sp² )-H bonds, α-C(sp³ )-H bonds of the carbonyl group, γ-C(sp³ )-H bonds of the carbonyl group, C(sp³ )-H bonds adjacent to nitrogen atoms, C(sp³ )-H bonds of o-alkyl phenyl ketones, allylic C(sp³ )-H bonds, C(sp³ )-H bonds of methane, and C(sp³ )-H bonds of halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons. In addition, multicomponent reactions, tandem reactions, and key theoretical studies related to the carboxylation of C-H bonds are briefly summarized. Transition-metal-free, organocatalytic, electrochemical, and light-driven methods are highlighted.

Synergistic silver/scandium catalytic spiroketalization of β-alkynyl ketones for the atom economical synthesis of skeletally diverse spirocyclic isochromenes

Two types of new synergistic silver/scandium catalytic spiroketalizations of β-alkynyl ketones have been achieved, delivering a variety of skeletally diverse spirocyclic isochromenes in generally good yields.

Photochemical Carboxylation of Activated C(sp3 )-H Bonds with CO2

From ugly duckling to beautiful C1: Although CO₂ may represent an ideal C1 source, it is challenging to use it as a raw material and direct carboxylation with CO₂ has mainly been confined to highly reactive species. However, recent significant breakthroughs have been made in photochemical carboxylation of challenging, un-acidic, C(sp³ )-H bonds, including benzylic, allylic and amine C-H bonds.

Water-assisted metal-free catalyzed cyclization of 2-alkynylarylketones: a facile approach to indenones

A facile approach starting from 2-alkynylarylketones was developed for the construction of functionalized indenones under metal-free and water-assisted conditions.

Regioselective Reversal in the Cyclization of 2-Diazo-3,5-dioxo-6-ynoates (Ynones, Ynamide): Construction of γ-Pyrones and 3(2H)-Furanones Starting from Identical Materials

The AgSbF₆-catalyzed cyclization of 2-diazo-3,5-dioxo-6-ynoates (ynones, ynamide) in alcoholic solvents affords γ-pyrones, whereas the AgOAc-catalyzed cyclization in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) produces 3(2H)-furanones. The cyclization reactions proceeded cleanly under mild reaction conditions, and the desired γ-pyrones or 3(2H)-furanones were obtained in excellent yield. It was observed for the first time that both the catalyst and solvent play key roles in the selective formation. This unique method for the reversal of regioselectivity proved to be highly efficient except for substrates with aliphatic and Me₃Si groups at the triple bond position.

Silver-catalyzed carboxylation

The recent studies of the silver-catalyzed carboxylation reactions using carbon dioxide are described.

Double carboxylation of o-alkynyl acetophenone with carbon dioxide

A copper-catalyzed double carboxylation of o-alkynyl acetophenone using carbon dioxide via a carboxylation/intramolecular cyclization/second carboxylation sequence to afford 1(3H)-isobenzofuranylidene dicarboxylic esters in good yields is developed.

Silver-catalysed reactions of alkynes: recent advances

Silver is a less expensive noble metal. Superior alkynophilicity due to π-coordination with the carbon-carbon triple bond makes silver salts ideal catalysts for alkyne-based organic reactions. This review highlights the progress in alkyne chemistry via silver catalysis primarily over the past five years (ca. 2010-2014). The discussion is developed in terms of the bond type formed with the acetylenic carbon (i.e., C-C, C-N, C-O, C-Halo, C-P and C-B). Compared with other coinage metals such as Au and Cu, silver catalysis is frequently observed to be unique. This critical review clearly indicates that silver catalysis provides a significant impetus to the rapid evolution of alkyne-based organic reactions, such as alkynylation, hydrofunctionalization, cycloaddition, cycloisomerization, and cascade reactions.

DBU-promoted carboxylative cyclization of o-hydroxy- and o-acetamidoacetophenone

The carboxylative cyclization of o-hydroxy- and o-acetamidoacetophenone with carbon dioxide promoted by the organic base 1,8-diazabicycloundec-7-ene (DBU) is reported. This reaction provides convenient access to the biologically important compounds 4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one and 4-hydroxy-2(1H)-quinolinone in moderate to good yields using carbon dioxide as the carboxylation reagent. An acyl migration from nitrogen to carbon is observed in the reaction of o-acetamidoacetophenone.

Upgrading carbon dioxide by incorporation into heterocycles

Carbon dioxide is commonly regarded as the primary greenhouse gas, but from a synthetic standpoint can be utilized as an alternative and sustainable C1 synthon in organic synthesis rather than a waste. This results in the production of organic carbonates, carboxylic acids, and derivatives. Recently, CO2 has emerged as an appealing tool for heterocycle synthesis under mild conditions without using stoichiometric amounts of organometallic reducing reagents. This Minireview summarizes recent advances on methodologies for CO2 incorporation into N-, O-, and C-nucleophiles to provide various heterocycles, including cyclic carbamates, benzoxazine-2-one, 4-hydroxyquinolin-2-one, quinazoline-2,4(1 H,3 H)-diones, benzimidazolones, α-alkylidene cyclic carbonate.