Intramolecular Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling enables enantiodivergent synthesis of linoxepin

A nickel-catalyzed reductive tandem cyclization of the elaborated β-bromo acetal with a dibenzoxepin scaffold was invented to strategically construct the remaining two rings in linoxepin. The generated diasterodivergent intermediates could be easily converted to both enantiomers of this unique cyclolignan molecule via facile oxidations, thus realizing enantiodivergent total synthesis of linoxepin for the first time.

Synthesis of Vicinal Carbocycles by Intramolecular Nickel-Catalyzed Conjunctive Cross-Electrophile Coupling Reaction

A nickel-catalyzed intramolecular conjunctive cross-electrophile coupling reaction has been established. This method enables the synthesis of 3,5-vicinal carbocyclic rings found in numerous biologically active compounds and natural products. We provide mechanistic experiments that indicate this reaction proceeds through alkyl iodides formed in situ, initiates at the secondary electrophilic center, and proceeds through radical intermediates.

Total synthesis of linoxepin facilitated by Ni-catalyzed tandem reductive cyclization

A nickel-catalyzed reductive cyclization was developed to construct the tricyclic core embedded in linoxepin, a cyclolignan with a unique benzoxepin ring. The generated diasterodivergent acetals could be converted to the...

Total syntheses of (+)-adunctins C and D: assignment of their absolute configurations

The first total synthesis of (+)-adunctin C (ent-1) and (+)-adunctin D (2), two monoterpene-substitued dihydrochalcones isolated from Piper aduncum (Piperaceae), was achieved. A regioselective oxidative [3 + 2] cycloaddition of acylphloroglucinol with (-)-β-phellandrene was developed to construct their unique spirobenzofuran skeleton. The absolute configurations of natural adunctins 1 and 2 were thus assigned through these endeavors.

Intermolecular alkene arylcyanation using BnSCN as a cyanide source via a reductive strategy: access to 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles

Herein, a nickel-catalyzed two-component reductive arylcyanation of aryl (pseudo)halide tethered alkenes using benzyl thiocyanate as a cyanide source via C–S bond activation is developed.

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Aryl Thiocarbonylation of Alkene via Thioester Group Transfer Strategy

Herein reported is a nickel-catalyzed reductive aryl thiocarbonylation of alkene via thioester group transfer strategy by using simple and readily available thioesters. In contrast to traditional activation of weaker C(acyl)-S bond, the C(acyl)-C bond of thioester was selectively cleaved to enable this reaction under mild conditions. Furthermore, this approach features operational simplicity and broad substrate scope, providing a complementary and practical route for thioester synthesis without requiring toxic thiol or CO gas.

Nickel-Catalyzed Dicarbofunctionalization of Alkenes

1,2-Dicarbofunctionalization of alkenes has emerged as an efficient synthetic strategy for preparing substituted molecules by coupling readily available alkenes with electrophiles and/or nucleophiles. Nickel complexes serve as effective catalysts owing to their tendency to undergo facile oxidative addition and slow β-hydride elimination, and their capability to access both two-electron and radical pathways. Two-component alkene functionalization reactions have achieved high chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivities by tethering one of the coupling partners to the alkene substrate. Three-component reactions, however, often incorporate directing groups to control the selectivity. Only a few examples of directing-group-free difunctionalizations of unactivated alkenes have been reported. Therefore, great opportunities exist for the development of three-component difunctionalization reactions with broad substrate scopes and tunable chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivities.

Nickel-catalyzed enantioselective reductive carbo-acylation of alkenes

Recently, transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric dicarbofunctionalization of tethered alkenes has emerged as a powerful method for construction of chiral cyclic carbo- and heterocycles. However, all these reactions rely on facially selective arylmetalation of the pendant olefinic unit. Here, we successfully apply acylnickelation as the enantiodetermining step in the asymmetric nickel-catalyzed reductive carbo-acylation of aryl carbamic chloride-tethered alkenes with primary and secondary alkyl iodides as well as benzyl chlorides as the coupling partners, using manganese as a reducing agent. By circumventing the use of pre-generated organometallics, this reductive strategy enables the synthesis of diverse enantioenriched oxindoles bearing a quaternary stereogenic center under mild reaction conditions with high tolerance of a broad range of functional moieties.

Nickel-Catalyzed Asymmetric Reductive 1,2-Carboamination of Unactivated Alkenes

Starting from diverse alkene-tethered aryl iodides and O-benzoyl-hydroxylamines, the enantioselective reductive cross-electrophilic 1,2-carboamination of unactivated alkenes was achieved using a chiral pyrox/nickel complex as the catalyst. This mild, modular, and practical protocol provides rapid access to a variety of β-chiral amines with an enantioenriched aryl-substituted quaternary carbon center in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities. This process reveals a complementary regioselectivity when compared to Pd and Cu catalysis.

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Arylalkylation via a Migratory Insertion/Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling Cascade

Reported is a nickel-catalyzed reductive arylalkylation of unactivated alkenes tethered to aryl iodides with redox active N-hydroxyphthalimide esters as the alkyl source through successful merging of migratory insertion and decarboxylative cross-coupling in a cascade. This new method avoids the use of pregenerated organometallic reagents and thus enables the synthesis of diverse benzene-fused carbo- and heterocyclic compounds with high tolerance of a wide range of functional groups.

Ni-catalysed reductive arylalkylation of unactivated alkenes

In this protocol Ni-catalysed reductive arylalkylation of unactivated alkenes tethered to aryl bromides with primary alkyl bromides has been accomplished, providing a new path to construct diverse benzene-fused carbo- and heterocyclic cores including indanes, tetrahydroisoquinolines, indolines and isochromanes. Notably, this new method circumvents the pregeneration of organometallics and demonstrates high tolerance to a wide range of functional groups. The preliminary mechanistic investigations suggest a reaction pathway with an intermediate reduction.

Concise Synthesis of (+)-β- and γ-Apopicropodophyllins, and Dehydrodesoxypodophyllotoxin

Herein, we present an expeditous synthesis of bioactive aryldihydronaphthalene lignans (+)-β- and γ-apopicropodophyllins, and arylnaphthalene lignan dehydrodesoxypodophyllotoxin. The key reaction is regiocontrolled oxidations of stereodivergent aryltetralin lactones, which were easily accessed from a nickel-catalyzed reductive cascade approach developed in our group.

Transition Metal-Catalyzed Dicarbofunctionalization of Unactivated Olefins

Transition metal (TM)-catalyzed difunctionalization of unactivated olefins with two carbon-based entities is a powerful method to construct complex molecular architectures rapidly from simple and readily available feedstock chemicals. While dicarbofunctionalization of unactivated olefins has a long history typically with the use of either carbon monoxide to intercept C(sp³ )-[M] (alkyl-TM) species or substrates lacking in β-hydrogen (β-Hs), development of this class of reaction still remains seriously limited due to complications of β-H elimination arising from the in situ-generated C(sp³ )-[M] intermediates. Over the years, different approaches have been harnessed to suppress β-H elimination, which have led to the development of various types of olefin dicarbofunctionalization reactions even in substrates that generate C(sp³ )-[M] intermediates bearing β-Hs with a wide range of electrophiles and nucleophiles. In this review, these developments will be discussed both through the lens of historical perspectives as well as the strategies scrutinized over the years to address the issue of β-H elimination. However, this review article by no means is designed to be exhaustive in the field, and is merely presented to provide the readers an overview of the key reaction developments.

Ni-Catalyzed 1,2-iminoacylation of alkenes via a reductive strategy

The reductive difunctionalization strategy was successfully applied in the Ni-catalyzed 1,2-iminoacylation reaction of oxime ester-tethered olefins with electrophilic acylating reagents, providing an efficient entry to diverse pyrrolines under safe and mild reaction conditions.

Stereoselective synthesis of a Podophyllum lignan core by intramolecular reductive nickel-catalysis

Ni-catalyzed intramolecular coupling for a stereodivergent construction of a THN[2,3-c]furan core embedded in bioactive Podophyllum lignans, is developed.

Ni-catalyzed two-component reductive dicarbofunctionalization of alkenes via radical cyclization

A reductive dicarbofunctionalization of alkenes has been developed and applied to the preparation of substituted carbo- and heterocycles.

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Dicarbofunctionalization of Alkenes

An intermolecular, three-component reductive dicarbofunctionalization of alkenes is presented here. The combination of Ni catalysis with TDAE as final reductant enables the direct formation of Csp³-Csp³ and Csp³-Csp² bonds across a variety of π-systems using two different electrophiles that are sequentially activated with exquisite selectivity under mild reaction conditions.

Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling of α-halocarbonyl derivatives with vinyl bromides

This work describes the vinylation of α-halo carbonyl compounds with vinyl bromides under Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling conditions. While aryl-conjugated vinyl bromides entail pyridine as the sole labile ligand, the alkyl-substituted vinyl bromides require both bipyridine and pyridine as the co-ligands.

A Sn atom-economical approach toward arylstannanes: Ni-catalysed stannylation of aryl halides using Bu3SnOMe

Stannylation of carbon-halogen bonds is one of the most promising and straightforward approaches for the preparation of organostannane compounds. Although a wide variety of methods are now available, all protocols require the use of highly nucleophilic organometals or wasteful stannyl sources like distannanes. Here, we report a new nickel-catalysed stannylation of aryl and alkenyl-halides using Bu3SnOMe as a stannyl source to afford aryl and vinyl-stannanes, respectively. This method enables the stannylation of not only bromides, but also chlorides and triflates to furnish functionalized aryl- and alkenyl-stannanes without the release of wasteful and toxic stannyl byproducts.

Expedient synthesis of chiral α-amino acids through nickel-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling

A novel method for the synthesis of non-natural L- and D-amino acids by a Ni-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling reaction is described. This strategy enables the racemization-free cross-coupling of serine/homoserine- derived iodides with aryl/acyl/alkyl halides. It provides convenient access to varieties of enantiopure and functionalized amino acids, which are important building blocks in bioactive compounds and pharmaceuticals.