Ruthenium pincer-catalyzed synthesis of substituted γ-butyrolactones using hydrogen autotransfer methodology

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Epoxides with Primary Alcohols via Hydrogen Transfer Catalysis

Herein, we report the ruthenium-catalyzed synthesis of β-alkylated secondary alcohols via the regioselective ring-opening of epoxides with feedstock primary alcohols. The reaction utilized alcohol as the carbon source and the terminal reductant. Kinetic and labeling experiments elucidate the hydrogen transfer catalysis that operates via tandem Markovnikov selective transfer hydrogenation of terminal epoxides and hydrogen transfer-mediated cross-coupling of the resulting alcohol with primary alcohol substrates. A broad scope (40 examples including drugs/natural product derivatives) and excellent regioselectivity for a variety of substrates were shown.

Aryl iodine-catalysed divergent synthesis of isobenzofuranones and isocoumarins via oxidative 1,2-aryl migration/elimination

The divergent synthesis of isobenzofuranones and isocoumarins was realized from the reaction of 2-alkenyl benzoic acids and mCPBA in the presence of catalytic aryl iodine and (±)-10-camphorsulfonic acid (CSA). The organocatalytic oxidative reaction is assumed to undergo a cascade process involving lactonization, 1,2-aryl migration and elimination enabled by a modified Koser reagent generated in situ.

Phenalenyl Radical: Smallest Polycyclic Odd Alternant Hydrocarbon Present in the Graphene Sheet

Phenalenyl, a zigzag-edged odd alternant hydrocarbon unit can be found in the graphene nanosheet. Hückel molecular orbital calculations indicate the presence of a nonbonding molecular orbital (NBMO), which originates from the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) arising from 13 carbon atoms of the phenalenyl molecule. Three redox states (cationic, neutral radical, and anionic) of the phenalenyl-based molecules were attributed to the presence of this NBMO. The cationic state can undergo two consecutive reductions to result in neutral radical and anionic states, stepwise, respectively. The phenalenyl-based radicals were found as crucial building blocks and attracted the attention of various research fields such as organic synthesis, material science, computation, and device physics. From 2012 onward, a strategy was devised using the cationic state of phenalenyl-based molecules and in situ generated phenalenyl radicals, which created a new domain of catalysis. The in situ generated phenalenyl radicals were utilized for the single electron transfer (SET) process resulting in redox catalysis. This emerging range of applications rejuvenates the more than six decades-old phenalenyl chemistry. This review captures such developments ranging from fundamental understanding to multidirectional applications of phenalenyl-based radicals.

A Review of the Pharmacological Activities and Recent Synthetic Advances of γ-Butyrolactones

γ-Butyrolactone, a five-membered lactone moiety, is one of the privileged structures of diverse natural products and biologically active small molecules. Because of their broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological activities, synthetic methods for γ-butyrolactones have received significant attention from synthetic and medicinal chemists for decades. Recently, new developments and improvements in traditional methods have been reported by considering synthetic efficiency, feasibility, and green chemistry. In this review, the pharmacological activities of natural and synthetic γ-butyrolactones are described, including their structures and bioassay methods. Mainly, we summarize recent advances, occurring during the past decade, in the construction of γ-butyrolactone classified based on the bond formation in γ-butyrolactone between (i) C5-O1 bond, (ii) C4-C5 and C2-O1 bonds, (iii) C3-C4 and C2-O1 bonds, (iv) C3-C4 and C5-O1 bonds, (v) C2-C3 and C2-O1 bonds, (vi) C3-C4 bond, and (vii) C2-O1 bond. In addition, the application to the total synthesis of natural products bearing γ-butyrolactone scaffolds is described.

Cyclometalated Ruthenium Pincer Complexes as Catalysts for the α-Alkylation of Ketones with Alcohols

Ruthenium PNP pincer complexes bearing supplementary cyclometalated C,N‐bound ligands have been prepared and fully characterized for the first time. By replacing CO and H⁻ as ancillary ligands in such complexes, additional electronic and steric modifications of this topical class of catalysts are possible. The advantages of the new catalysts are demonstrated in the general α‐alkylation of ketones with alcohols following a hydrogen autotransfer protocol. Herein, various aliphatic and benzylic alcohols were applied as green alkylating agents for ketones bearing aromatic, heteroaromatic or aliphatic substituents as well as cyclic ones. Mechanistic investigations revealed that during catalysis, Ru carboxylate complexes are predominantly formed whereas neither the PNP nor the CN ligand are released from the catalyst in significant amounts.

Nanolayered cobalt-molybdenum sulphides (Co-Mo-S) catalyse borrowing hydrogen C-S bond formation reactions of thiols or H2S with alcohols

Nanolayered cobalt-molybdenum sulphide (Co-Mo-S) materials have been established as excellent catalysts for C-S bond construction. These catalysts allow for the preparation of a broad range of thioethers in good to excellent yields from structurally diverse thiols and readily available primary as well as secondary alcohols. Chemoselectivity in the presence of sensitive groups such as double bonds, nitriles, carboxylic esters and halogens has been demonstrated. It is also shown that the reaction takes place through a hydrogen-autotransfer (borrowing hydrogen) mechanism that involves Co-Mo-S-mediated dehydrogenation and hydrogenation reactions. A novel catalytic protocol based on the thioetherification of alcohols with hydrogen sulphide (H2S) to furnish symmetrical thioethers has also been developed using these earth-abundant metal-based sulphide catalysts.

Nickel-Catalyzed Alkylation of Ketone Enolates: Synthesis of Monoselective Linear Ketones

Herein we have developed a Ni-catalyzed protocol for the synthesis of linear ketones. Aryl, alkyl, and heteroaryl ketones as well as alcohols yielded the monoselective ketones in up to 90% yield. The catalytic protocol was successfully applied in to a gram-scale synthesis. For a practical utility, applications of a steroid derivative, oleyl alcohol, and naproxen alcohol were employed. Preliminary catalytic investigations involving the isolation of a Ni intermediate and defined Ni-H species as well as a series of deuterium-labeling experiments were performed.

Cobalt-Catalyzed α-Alkylation of Ketones with Primary Alcohols

An ionic cobalt-PNP complex is developed for the efficient α-alkylation of ketones with primary alcohols for the first time. A broad range of ketone and alcohol substrates were employed, leading to the isolation of alkylated ketones with yields up to 98%. The method was successfully applied to the greener synthesis of quinoline derivatives while using 2-aminobenzyl alcohol as an alkylating reagent.

Hydrogen Borrowing Catalysis with Secondary Alcohols: A New Route for the Generation of β-Branched Carbonyl Compounds

A hydrogen borrowing reaction employing secondary alcohols and Ph* (Me₅C₆) ketones to give β-branched carbonyl products is described (21 examples). This new C-C bond forming process requires low loadings of [Cp*IrCl₂]₂, relatively low temperatures, and up to 2.0 equiv of the secondary alcohol. Substrate-induced diastereoselectivity was observed, and this represents the first example of a diastereoselective enolate hydrogen borrowing alkylation. By utilizing the Ph* group, the β-branched products could be straightforwardly cleaved to the corresponding esters or amides using a retro-Friedel-Crafts reaction. Finally, this protocol was applied to the synthesis of fragrance compound (±)-3-methyl-5-phenylpentanol.

Hydrogen autotransfer and related dehydrogenative coupling reactions using a rhenium(i) pincer catalyst

A novel rhenium complex bearing a non-innocent PNP pincer ligand was prepared.

First-row transition metal complexes of ENENES ligands: the ability of the thioether donor to impact the coordination chemistry

The reactions of two variants of ENENES ligands, E(CH₂)₂NH(CH)₂SR, where E = 4-morpholinyl, R = Ph (a), Bn (b) with MCl₂ (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) in coordinating solvents (MeCN, EtOH) affords isolable complexes, whose magnetic susceptibility measurements suggest paramagnetism and a high-spin formulation.

An annulative transfer hydrogenation strategy enables straightforward access to tetrahydro fused-pyrazine derivatives

A ruthenium-catalyzed annulative transfer hydrogenation strategy, enabling straightforward access to tetrahydro fused-pyrazine derivatives from N-heteroaryl diamines and vicinal diols, is demonstrated.