A HMPA-H2O mediated oxygenative carbocyclization of 2-alkynylphenyl-substituted p-quinone methides to indenones

Herein, we report a transition-metal and base-free protocol to access a wide range of functionalized indenone derivatives through a HMPA-H2O-mediated oxygenative annulation of 2-alkynylphenyl-substituted p-quinone methides. This method worked effectively for most of the p-QMs investigated and the corresponding indenone derivatives were obtained in moderate to good yields. This methodology was further extended to the formal synthesis of one of the resveratrol based natural products, (±)-isopaucifloral F.

Visible-light-induced photocatalyst-free cascade cyclization of 3-(2-(ethynyl)phenyl)quinazolinones to sulfonated quinolino[2,1-b]quinazolinones

A visible-light-induced K2S2O8-promoted cascade sulfonation/cyclization reaction was established using 3-(2-(ethynyl)phenyl)quinazolinones as efficient substrates under mild conditions. A series of sulfonated quinolino[2,1-b]quinazolinones were successfully synthesized under transition-metal- and photocatalyst-free conditions. Notably, this strategy has the advantages of room temperature and simple operation, easy scale-up, and good functional group tolerance.

Photo-induced phosphorylation/cyclization of N-homoallyl and N-allyl aldehyde hydrazones to access phosphorylated tetrahydropyridazines and dihydropyrazoles

A photocatalytic radical carbophosphorylation/cyclization of N-homoallyl aldehyde hydrazones with phosphine oxides was developed under metal-free conditions, achieving phosphorylated tetrahydropyridazines in yields up to 95%. Phosphorylated dihydropyrazoles were also constructed, by reacting N-allyl aldehyde hydrazones with phosphine oxides under the same conditions.

Catalytic Radical-Triggered Annulation/Iododifluoromethylation of Enynones for the Stereospecific Synthesis of 1-Indenones

A new Pd(II)-catalyzed annulation/iododifluoromethylation of enynones has been developed for the synthesis of versatile 1-indanones with moderate to good yields (26 examples). The present strategy enabled the concomitant incorporation of two important difluoroalkyl and iodo functionalities into 1-indenone skeletons with (E)-stereoselectivity. The mechanistic pathway was proposed, consisting of the difluoroalkyl radical-triggered α,β-conjugated addition/5-exo-dig cyclization/metal radical cross-coupling/reductive elimination cascade.

Synthesis of Trifluoromethylated γ-Lactams through Radical Cascades of N-Cyano Alkenes with CF3SO2Na

We report herein a facile strategy to synthesize trifluoromethylated γ-lactams through trifluoromethylcarbonylation of N-cyano alkenes using readily available CF₃SO₂Na as the CF₃ radical source. A range of trifluoromethyl-containing γ-lactams was obtained in good yields. This transition-metal-free protocol is demonstrated with mild conditions, broad substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, convenient reagents, and an easy-to-handle operating system.

Visible-Light-Promoted Phosphorylation/Cyclization of 1-Acryloyl-2-cyanoindoles in Green Solvent

A visible-light-induced persulfate-promoted cascade phosphorylation/cyclization reaction to access various phosphorylated pyrrolo[1,2-a]indolediones under mild conditions was developed. Notably, the transformation was carried out with diethyl carbonate/H₂O as a green medium at room temperature. More impressively, traditional metal catalysts and photocatalysts could be effectively avoided. The reactions are simple to operate, easy to scale up, and have good functional group tolerance.

Cyclization/hydrolysis of 1,5-enenitriles initiated by sulfonyl radicals in the aqueous phase in the presence of the I2/TBHP system

A novel cyclization/hydrolysis of 1,5-enenitriles for the synthesis of valuable pyrrolidine-2,4-diones in the aqueous phase using I₂ as the catalyst and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxidant is reported. In the presence of the I₂/TBHP system, sulfonyl hydrazides produce sulfonyl radicals, which undergo radical addition, intramolecular cyclization, hydrogen abstraction, and hydrolysis to give the final products. The use of the inexpensive and environmentally friendly I₂/TBHP catalytic oxidation system in the aqueous phase makes it a benign and sustainable strategy.

Iron-Promoted Oxidative Alkylation/Cyclization of Ynones with 4-Alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines: Access to 2-Alkylated Indenones

An iron-promoted oxidative tandem alkylation/cyclization of ynones with 4-alkyl-substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines for the efficient synthesis of 2-alkylated indenones is described. The process occurs via oxidative homolysis of a C-C σ-bond in 1,4-dihydropyridines to generate an alkyl radical followed by the addition of C-C triple bonds in ynones and intramolecular cyclization. A wide range of alkyl radicals could be efficiently transferred to generate a series of synthetically useful 2-alkylated indenones with excellent selectivity under mild conditions.

Palladium-catalyzed radical cascade cyanoalkylsulfonylation/cyclization of 3-arylethynyl-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-carbonitriles with cyclobutanone oxime esters and DABSO

A palladium-catalyzed radical cascade cyanoalkylsulfonylation/cyclization of 3-arylethynyl-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-carbonitriles with DABCO·(SO₂)₂ and cyclobutanone oxime esters via cleavage of a C-C single bond and insertion of SO₂ was described. A series of cyanoalkylsulfone-containing cyclopenta[gh]phenanthridines were obtained in moderate-to-good yields, thus featuring mild reaction conditions, a broad substrate scope, and a high functional group tolerance.

Excited-state cobaloxime catalysis enabled scalable oxidant-free dehydrogenative C–H phosphinoylation of undirected heterocycles

Visible-light-induced excited-state cobalt catalysis enables C(sp2)–H/C(sp3)–H phosphinoylation accompanied by H2 evolution. The reaction achieves the late-stage modification of more than 10 distinct classes of heterocycles and arenes.

Photoinduced Phosphorylation/Cyclization of Cyanoaromatics for Divergent Access to Mono- and Diphosphorylated Polyheterocycles

The visible-light-driven switchable phosphorylation of cyanoaromatics with the 1,6-enyne moiety for the diverse and selective synthesis of phosphorylated polyheterocycles, including phosphorylated aminophosphonates, iminophosphonates, and ketones, has been described. Importantly, these photocatalytic transformations feature good functional group tolerance and high regio- and chemoselectivities under mild reaction conditions. These findings might stimulate the exploration of new photocatalytic utilizations of P(O)-H compounds by employing CN-containing substrates as the radical acceptors.

The construction of benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones from N-methacryloyl-2-phenylbenzoimidazoles through radical strategies

Benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-one constitutes a structurally unique class of tetracyclic N-heterocycles that are found throughout a myriad of biologically active natural products, pharmaceutical compounds, and functional materials. Various synthetic routes for the preparation of benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones have been reported. In particular, the use of N-methacryloyl-2-phenylbenzoimidazoles to construct benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones through various radical strategies have attracted widespread attention due to the versatility and simple preparation of raw materials, as well as the step-economy and mild reaction conditions. Using representative examples, we highlight significant progress in the synthesis of benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones, including the selection of the catalytic system, substrate scope, mechanistic understanding, and applications. The contents of this review focus on the development of C-, S-, P-, and Si-centered radical addition-intramolecular cyclization strategies.

Base mediated synthesis of functionalized 2-(alkynyl)arylnitriles and their molecular docking study with aromatase receptor

A simple, efficient, and transition metal-free approach to synthesize functionalized 2-(alkynyl)benzonitriles has been developed using suitably functionalized 2H-pyran-2-ones and 4-phenyl/trimethylsilanyl-but-3-yn-2-ones as precursors. The reaction proceeds in the presence of a base at room temperature to yield internal as well as terminal alkynes. The structure of the synthesized compound was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. The molecular docking study was performed to evaluate the binding mode of action of newly synthesized alkyne derivatives with known human breast cancer target receptor aromatase (PDB ID: 3EQM).

Functionalization of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines via radical reactions

The recent advances in radical reactions for the direct functionalization of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines are reviewed.

Regioselective synthesis of indenones via nickel-catalyzed Larock annulations

A highly effective approach for the synthesis of indenones via nickel-catalyzed Larock annulations of substituted 2-formylphenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate with alkynes has been developed.

Nitriles as radical acceptors in radical cascade reactions

The application of the cyano group as a radical acceptor in the cascade reactions for the construction of various important heterocycles and carbocycles was summarized.

2-Alkynylarylnitrile: An Emerging Precursor for the Generation of Carbo- and Heterocycles

In the pursuit of a coherent synthetic route for the synthesis of carbo- and heterocycles, 2-alkynylarylnitrile has been recognized as a useful and versatile building block in organic synthesis due to the dual capacity of this precursor to act with a nucleophilic of electrophilic nature. The alkynes implanted at the ortho position improved the reactivity of the substrate for tandem cyclization and annulations, which led to the synthesis of diverse and complex cyclic compounds. This mini review summarizes the literature on the synthetic transformations of 2-alkynylarylnitrile into biologically relevant heterocycles as well as carbocycles such as isoindoles, isoquinolines, naphthalenes, and indenones as well as building blocks for the synthesis of various natural products. We hope that this concise review will be a promissory entry for future research in this area.

Visible-Light-Induced Phosphorylation of Imidazo-Fused Heterocycles under Metal-Free Conditions

A metal-free and base-free procedure for the phosphorylation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines with phosphine oxides under the irradiation of visible light at room temperature in green solvent was reported, featuring mild and sustainable conditions, convenient operation, as well as good functional group compatibility.

Construction of P-Chiral Alkenylphosphine Oxides through Highly Chemo-, Regio-, and Enantioselective Hydrophosphinylation of Alkynes

Alkenylphosphine oxides have a wide spectrum of practical applications. However, chemo-, regio-, and enantiocontrolled construction of this structural motif still constitutes a significant synthetic challenge. Here we show that these compounds can be efficiently accessed by using a palladium/Xiao-Phos catalytic system, which leads to the highly regioselective formation of the anti-Markovnikov adducts through addition of a secondary phosphine oxide to an alkyne. Diverse (hetero)aryl and alkyl alkynes, as well as both terminal and internal alkynes can be employed as substrates. The kinetic resolution process makes it possible to produce alkenylphosphine oxide and recovered secondary phosphine oxides with high ee values. Further transformations of these two P-chiral scaffolds confirm the high practicability and application prospect of our synthetic strategies. Initial mechanistic studies strongly suggested that hydropalladation is likely responsible for the conversion process.

Copper-Catalyzed Annulation-Cyanotrifluoromethylation of 1,6-Enynes Toward 1-Indanones via a Radical Process

A new Cu(II)-catalyzed annulation-cyanotrifluoromethylation of 1,6-enynes with Togni's reagent and trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) has been established, enabling the direct construction of trifluoromethylated 1-indanones with an all-carbon quaternary center in good yields. This reaction was performed by using low-cost Cu(OTf)₂ as the catalyst and Togni's reagent as both the radical initiator and a CF₃ source, providing an efficient protocol for building up an 1-indanone framework with wide functional group compatibility. The reaction mechanism was proposed through a radical triggered addition/5-exo-dig cyclization/oxidation/nucleophilic cascade.

TBPB-initiated cascade cyclization of 3-arylethynyl-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-carbonitriles with sulfinic acids: access to sulfone-containing cyclopenta[gh]phenanthridines

A novel TBPB-initiated cascade cyclization of 3-arylethynyl-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-carbonitriles with sulfinic acids via C-S, C-C and C-N bond formation for the synthesis of 3-sulfonated cyclopenta[gh]phenanthridines under metal-free conditions has been developed. This protocol features mild conditions, good functional group tolerance and a broad substrate scope. By using this protocol, a variety of potentially bioactive 3-sulfonated cyclopenta[gh]phenanthridines were facilely synthesized via direct annulation.

Manganese(iii)-promoted tandem phosphinoylation/cyclization of 2-arylindoles/2-arylbenzimidazoles with disubstituted phosphine oxides

A simple and practical method for the synthesis of phosphoryl-substituted indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones and benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones through manganese(iii)-promoted tandem phosphinoylation/cyclization of 2-arylindoles or 2-arylbenzimidazoles with disubstituted phosphine oxides was developed. In this transformation, new C-P bond and C-C bond were constructed simultaneously under silver-free conditions, exhibiting a broad substrate scope. It was noted that not only diarylphosphine oxides but also dialkyl and arylalkyl-phosphine oxides were compatible with the conditions.

A phosphoryl radical-initiated Atherton–Todd-type reaction under open air

A phosphoryl radical-initiated Atherton–Todd-type reaction enables the phosphorylation of alcohols, phenols, and amines under mild reaction conditions.

Silver-Catalyzed Nitration/Annulation of α-Alkynyl Arylols toward 3-Nitrated Benzofurans

A silver-catalyzed nitration/annulation of α-alkynyl arylols is reported by using tert-butyl nitrite (TBN) as a NO₂ radical precursor, from which a set of 3-nitrated benzofurans were synthesized with moderate to good yields. This transformation initiated by an in situ generated NO₂ radical proceeds efficiently under mild and neutral redox conditions, which provides a new pathway toward the 3-nitrobenzofuran framework via catalytic difunctionalization of internal alkynes.

Mn(III)-Mediated Cascade Cyclization of 3-Isocyano-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-carbonitrile with Arylboronic Acid: Construction of Pyrrolopyridine Derivatives

A Mn(III) mediated cascade cyclization of new designed multifunctionalized 3-isocyano-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-carbonitrile with arylboronic acid to construct pyrrolopyridine derivatives is developed. A series of pyrroloporidine compounds have been constructed through the formation of two new C-C bonds and one C-N bond via a radical pathway.

Silver-catalyzed nitration/annulation of 2-alkynylanilines for a tunable synthesis of nitrated indoles and indazole-2-oxides

Two new types of silver-catalyzed nitration–annulations of 2-alkynylanilines with tert-butyl nitrite (TBN) were reported, leading to the selective formation of a variety of nitrated indoles and indazole-2-oxides.

Silver-mediated radical phosphorylation/cyclization of N-allylbenzamides to access phosphoryl-substituted dihydroisoquinolones

A silver-mediated phosphorylation/cyclization of N-allylbenzamides with phosphine oxides for the synthesis of phosphoryl-substituted dihydroisoquinolones was developed.

Lanthanide-Catalyzed Tandem Insertion of Secondary Amines with 2-Alkynylbenzonitriles: Synthesis of Aminoisoindoles

A lanthanide-catalyzed intermolecular hydroamination of 2-alkynylbenzonitriles with secondary amines has been disclosed, providing a streamlined access to a range of aminoisoindoles in moderate to excellent yields. The salient features of this reaction include high bond-formation efficiency, mild reaction conditions, 100 % atomic efficiency and good functional group tolerance. This methodology has also been successfully applied to the construction of other nitrogen-containing compounds, such as 5 H-imidazo[2,1-a]isoindoles and isoquinolines. A plausible mechanism for the formation of aminoisoindoles involving initial N-H activation by a lanthanide complex followed by C≡N insertion into a Ln-N bond to form an amidinate lanthanide intermediate, which undergoes the cyclization is proposed.

Synthesis of Difluoromethylated and Phosphorated Spiro[5.5]trienones via Dearomative Spirocyclization of Biaryl Ynones

Copper- or silver-catalyzed cascade radical addition/dearomative spirocyclization of biaryl ynones with fluoroalkyl bromides or diethylphosphite has been realized for the first time. This method provides a novel and step-economical protocol for the divergent synthesis of a wide range of difluoromethylated or monofluoromethylated and phosphorated spiro[5.5]trienones in moderate to high yields.

A radical cyclization cascade of 2-alkynylbenzonitriles with sodium arylsulfinates

We report an efficient approach to synthesize sulfonated indenones via a radical cascade cyclization of 2-alkynylbenzonitriles with sodium arylsulfinates.

Recent advances in radical transformations of internal alkynes

This review highlights the recent progress in the radical transformation of internal alkynes and focuses on the reaction mechanisms by carbon/heteroatom-centered triggered additions, and offers a comprehensive overview on the existing procedures and employed methodologies.