Cu-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of tertiary benzylic copper complexes and their in situ addition to carbonyl compounds

Cooperative Cu/Pd-Catalyzed 1,5-Boroacylation of Cyclopropyl-Substituted Alkylidenecyclopropanes

A Cu/Pd-cocatalyzed 1,5-boroacylation of cyclopropyl-substituted ACPs with B2pin2 and acid chlorides has been developed. Using cyclopropyl-substituted ACPs as the starting material, a broad range of 1,5-boroacylated products with multiple functional groups was prepared in good yields with excellent regio- and stereoselectively. Both aromatic and aliphatic acid chlorides were tolerated in this reaction.

Copper-catalyzed 1,2-Borylacylation of 1,3-Enynes: synthesis of β-Alkynyl ketones

A copper catalyzed 1,2-borylacylation of 1,3-enynes with B₂pin₂ and acid chlorides has been developed. Using readily available 1,3-enynes, B₂pin₂ and acid chlorides as substrates, a range of highly functionalized α,α-disubstituted β-alkynyl ketones were readily prepared under mild conditions in moderate to good yields. The borylacylated products can be easily derivatized to give several valuable structures. Notably, treatment of the products with NaBO₃·4H₂O provided 1,2-allenyl ketones, which is proposed to proceed via a retro-aldol process of the corresponding homopropargyl alcohols.

Acyclic Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters through Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Enantioselective Functionalization of Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

Acyclic quaternary carbon stereocenters occur frequently in natural products, bioactive molecules, and pharmaceutical compounds. Construction of a carbon stereogenic center attached to four different carbons with defined spatial arrangement is a daunting challenge in asymmetric catalysis. Significant efforts have been directed towards the stereoselective construction of such acyclic quaternary carbon stereocenters. In particular, catalytic generation of acyclic quaternary carbon stereocenters through functionalization of unsaturated hydrocarbons is an extremely attractive approach because unsaturated hydrocarbons are easily accessible both in industry and in organic synthesis. In this short review, we summarize the recent advances achieved in this research area, with the aim to inspire future development.

1 Introduction

2 Acyclic Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters through Functionalization of Allenes

3 Acyclic Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters through Functionalization of Dienes

4 Acyclic Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters through Functionalization of Mono-alkenes

5 Acyclic Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters through Functionalization of Alkynes

6 Summary and Outlook

First-Row d-Block Element-Catalyzed Carbon-Boron Bond Formation and Related Processes

Organoboron reagents represent a unique class of compounds because of their utility in modern synthetic organic chemistry, often affording unprecedented reactivity. The transformation of the carbon-boron bond into a carbon-X (X = C, N, and O) bond in a stereocontrolled fashion has become invaluable in medicinal chemistry, agrochemistry, and natural products chemistry as well as materials science. Over the past decade, first-row d-block transition metals have become increasingly widely used as catalysts for the formation of a carbon-boron bond, a transformation traditionally catalyzed by expensive precious metals. This recent focus on alternative transition metals has enabled growth in fundamental methods in organoboron chemistry. This review surveys the current state-of-the-art in the use of first-row d-block element-based catalysts for the formation of carbon-boron bonds.

Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Borylacylation of Styrene and Indene Derivatives

The enantioselective copper-catalyzed borylacylation of aryl olefins with acyl chlorides and bis-(pinacolato)diboron is reported. This three-component reaction involves an enantioselective syn-borylcupration of the aryl olefin, followed by a nucleophilic attack on the acyl chloride. This reaction proceeds with a 2 mol % catalyst loading and is generally completed within 30 min at room temperature. Because the boron moiety can be converted into versatile functional groups and the carbonyl group is a ubiquitous functional group, the resulting chiral β-borylated ketones are versatile intermediates in organic synthesis.

Transition metal catalyzed asymmetric multicomponent reactions of unsaturated compounds using organoboron reagents

Asymmetric multicomponent reactions allow stitching several functional groups in an enantioselective and atom economical manner. The introduction of boron-based reagents as a multicomponent coupling partner has its own merits. In addition to being non-toxic and highly stable, organoboron compounds can be easily converted to other functional groups in a stereoselective manner. In the last decade several transition metal catalyzed asymmetric multicomponent strategies have been evolved using boron based reagents. This review will discuss the merits and scope of multicomponent strategies based on their difference in the reaction mechanism and transition metals involved.

Beyond Carbon: Enantioselective and Enantiospecific Reactions with Catalytically Generated Boryl- and Silylcopper Intermediates

Catalytic asymmetric C-C bond formation with alkylcopper intermediates as carbon nucleophiles is now textbook chemistry. Related chemistry with boron and silicon nucleophiles where the boryl- and accordingly silylcopper intermediates are catalytically regenerated from bench-stable pronucleophiles had been underdeveloped for years or did not even exist until recently. Over the past decade, asymmetric copper catalysis employing those main-group elements as nucleophiles rapidly transformed into a huge field in its own right with an impressive breadth of enantioselective C-B and C-Si bond-forming reactions, respectively. Its current state of the art does not have to shy away from comparison with that of boron's and silicon's common neighbor in the periodic table, carbon. This Outlook is not meant to be a detailed summary of those manifold advances. It rather aims at providing a brief conceptual summary of what forms the basis of the latest exciting progress, especially in the area of three-component reactions and cross-coupling reactions.

Cu-Catalyzed Diastereo- and Enantioselective Reactions of γ,γ-Disubstituted Allyldiboron Compounds with Ketones

A catalytic diastereo- and enantioselective method for the preparation of complex tertiary homoallylic alcohols containing a vicinal quaternary carbon stereogenic center and a versatile alkenylboronic ester is disclosed. Transformations are promoted by 5 mol % of a readily available copper catalyst bearing a bulky monodentate phosphoramidite ligand, which is essential for attaining both high dr and er. Reactions proceed with a wide variety of ketones and allylic 1,1-diboronate reagents, which enables the efficient preparation of diverse array of molecular scaffolds.

Copper-catalyzed borylamidation of vinyl arenes with isocyanates

A copper-catalyzed borylative amidation of vinyl arenes with isocyanates and bis(pinacolato)diboron has been developed.

The Mechanism of Copper-Catalyzed Trifunctionalization of Terminal Allenes

A highly selective copper-catalyzed trifunctionalization of allenes has been established based on diborylation/cyanation with bis(pinacolato)diboron (B₂ pin₂ ) and N-cyano-N-phenyl-p-toluenesulfonamide (NCTS). The Cu-catalyzed trifunctionalization of terminal allenes is composed of three catalytic reactions (first borocupration, electrophilic cyanation, and second borocupration) that provide a densely functionalized product with regio-, chemo- and diastereoselectivity. Allene substrates have multiple reaction-sites, and the selectivities are determined by the suitable interactions (e.g., electronic and steric demands) between the catalyst and substrates. We employed DFT calculations to understand the cascade copper-catalyzed trifunctionalization of terminal allenes, providing densely-functionalized organic molecules with outstanding regio-, chemo- and diastereoselectivity in high yields. The selectivity challenges presented by cumulated π-systems are addressed by systematic computational studies; these give insight to the catalytic multiple-functionalization strategies and explain the high selectivities that we see for these reactions.

Ni-Catalyzed Arylboration of Unactivated Alkenes: Scope and Mechanistic Studies

A method for the Ni-catalyzed arylboration of unactivated monosubstituted, 1,1-disubstituted, and trisubstituted alkenes is disclosed. The reaction is notable in that it converts highly substituted alkenes, aryl bromides, and diboron reagents to products that contain a quaternary carbon and a synthetically versatile carbon-boron bond with control of stereoselectivity and regioselectivity. In addition, the method is demonstrated to be useful for the synthesis of saturated nitrogen heterocycles, which are important motifs in pharmaceutical compounds. Finally, due to the unusual reactivity demonstrated, the mechanistic details of the reaction were studied with both computational and experimental techniques.

Cu-Catalyzed SN2' Substitution of Propargylic Phosphates with Vinylarene-Derived Chiral Nucleophiles: Synthesis of Chiral Allenes

A new Cu-catalyzed enantioselective three-component (i.e., styrenes, B₂pin₂, and propargylic phosphates) allenylation via an S_N2' substitution of propargylic electrophiles with vinylarene-derived chiral nucleophiles is presented. This method provides an efficient and enantioselective approach to access a range of optically pure di-(1,1-), tri-, and tetra-substituted allenes with α-central chirality and axial chirality in excellent chemo-, regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities.

Catalyst-Controlled 1,2- and 1,1-Arylboration of α-Alkyl Alkenyl Arenes

Two methods are reported for the 1,2- and 1,1-arylboration of α-methyl vinyl arenes. In the case of 1,2-arylboration, the formation of a quaternary center occurred through a rare cross-coupling reaction of a tertiary organometallic complex. 1,1-Arylboration was enabled by catalyst optimization and occurred through a β-hydride elimination/reinsertion cascade. Enantioselective variants of both processes are presented as well as mechanistic investigations.

Cu-catalyzed regioselective borylcyanation of 1,3-dienes

Catalytic regioselective generation of an allyl–Cu complex through Cu–B(pin) (pin = pinacolato) addition to 1,3-dienes followed by reaction with an electrophilic cyanation reagent to afford multifunctional organoboron compounds is presented.