Stereoselective Synthesis of Complex Polyenes through Sequential α-/β-C-H Functionalization of trans-Styrenes

Sequential C-H functionalization of molecules containing multiple C-H bonds can efficiently lead to structural diversity. Herein we present the first chelation-assisted sequential α-/β-C-H functionalization of E-styrenes with simple alkenes and alkynes in excellent regio- and stereo-selectivity. The process involves α C-H functionalization by six-membered exo-cyclopalladation to result in tri- and tetrasubstituted 1,3-dienes and β C-H functionalization through seven-membered endo-cyclopalladation to produce tetra- and pentasubstituted 1,3,5-trienes in up to 97 % yield with up to >99/1 E/Z selectivity, both enabled by the chelation assistance of pyrazinamide. The protocol is demonstrated to be widely applicable, tolerant to a wide range of functional groups and bioactive fragments, and suitable for gram-scale synthesis as well as one-pot and two step preparation of trienes. Mechanistic experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to elucidate the selectivity and reactivity.

Synthesis of silyl indenes by ruthenium-catalyzed aldehyde- and acylsilane-enabled C-H alkylation/cyclization

A ruthenium-catalyzed C-H alkylation/cyclization sequence is presented to prepare silyl indenes with atom and step-economy. This domino reaction is triggered by acyl silane-directed C-H activation, and an aldehyde controlled the following enol cyclization/condensation other than β-H elimination. The protocol tolerates a broad substitution pattern, and the further synthetic elaboration of silyl indenes allows access to a diverse range of interesting indene and indanone derivatives.

Recent Advances in Alkenyl sp2 C-H and C-F Bond Functionalizations: Scope, Mechanism, and Applications

Alkenes and their derivatives are featured widely in a variety of natural products, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials. Significant efforts have been made toward the development of new and practical methods to access this important class of compounds by selectively activating the alkenyl C(sp²)-H bonds in recent years. In this comprehensive review, we describe the state-of-the-art strategies for the direct functionalization of alkenyl sp² C-H and C-F bonds until June 2022. Moreover, metal-free, photoredox, and electrochemical strategies are also covered. For clarity, this review has been divided into two parts; the first part focuses on currently available alkenyl sp² C-H functionalization methods using different alkene derivatives as the starting materials, and the second part describes the alkenyl sp² C-F bond functionalization using easily accessible gem-difluoroalkenes as the starting material. This review includes the scope, limitations, mechanistic studies, stereoselective control (using directing groups as well as metal-migration strategies), and their applications to complex molecule synthesis where appropriate. Overall, this comprehensive review aims to document the considerable advancements, current status, and emerging work by critically summarizing the contributions of researchers working in this fascinating area and is expected to stimulate novel, innovative, and broadly applicable strategies for alkenyl sp² C-H and C-F bond functionalizations in the coming years.

Chemodivergent Synthesis of Indeno[1,2-b]indoles and Isoindolo[2,1-a]indoles via Mn(III)-Mediated or Electrochemical Intramolecular Radical Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling

Chemodivergent synthesis of indeno[1,2-b]indoles and isoindolo[2,1-a]indoles from the same starting materials involving radical cross-dehydrogenative couplings have been developed. Mn(OAc)₃·2H₂O selectively promoted an intramolecular radical C-H/C-H dehydrogenative coupling reaction to provide indeno[1,2-b]indoles, while an intramolecular radical C-H/N-H dehydrogenative coupling reaction could proceed via electrochemistry to deliver isoindolo[2,1-a]indoles. Plausible mechanisms of the chemodivergent reactions were proposed.

Cobalt(III)-Catalyzed Regio- and Chemoselective [4 + 2]-Annulation of N-Chlorobenzamides/Acrylamides with 1,3-Dienes at Room Temperature

Co(III)-catalyzed regio- and chemoselective redox-neutral C-H annulation of arylamides/acrylamides with 1,3-dienes is described. The present annulation reaction was well suited with a less-reactive 1,3-butadiene. By employing this protocol, pharmaceutically important 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinones were synthesized in good yields. Furthermore, the prepared 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinones were converted into highly important oxirane derivatives in good yields. A plausible mechanistic cycle is proposed and supported by a competition experiment and kinetic isotopic effect (KIE) studies.

Divergent Reactivity of α,α-Disubstituted Alkenyl Hydrazones: Bench Stable Cyclopropylcarbinyl Equivalents

Herein we report the divergent reactivity of 2,2-dialkyl-3-(E)-alkenyl N-tosylhydrazones using Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling conditions, which enable the Z-selective synthesis of 3-aryl-1,4-dienes and gem-dialkyl vinylcyclopropanes. We found that the dialkylbiaryl phosphine ligand SPhos was the optimal ligand for this transformation producing skipped dienes in up to 83% isolated yield. The ratio of skipped diene to vinylcyclopropane is dependent on both the structure of the α,α-disubstituted hydrazones and the aryl halide partner. Using sterically encumbered aryl bromides provided the trans-cyclopropane products selectively in up to 69% yield. The reaction is stereospecific and stereoselective and occurs alongside a competing 1,2-alkenyl group migration pathway.

Access to axially chiral aryl 1,3-dienes by transient group directed asymmetric C-H alkenylations

We present a Pd-catalyzed atroposelective preparation of aryl 1,3-dienes from readily available styrenes and olefins through aldehyde derived transient chiral auxiliary, proceeding by enantioselective olefinic C-H alkenylation of styrenes via...

Regio- and stereo-selective olefinic C–H functionalization of aryl alkenes in ethanol

We report on α- and β-olefinic C–H alkenylation of 2-alkenyl benzylamine/benzoic acid derivatives in ethanol to afford aryl dienes/trienes with excellent selectivities, proceeding through 6-/7-membered exo-/endo-cyclometallation.

Iridium-catalysed branched-selective hydroacylation of 1,3-dienes with salicylaldehydes

Herein, we report an iridium-catalyzed branched-selective hydroacylation of 1-aryl 1,3-dienes with salicylaldehydes under mild conditions with no need of phosphine ligands. With this protocol, a series of α-branched β,γ-unsaturated o-hydroxyacetophenones with biological potentials were synthesized in high efficiency with excellent regioselectivities. When simple 1,3-butadiene or isoprene instead of 1-aryl 1,3-dienes were used, exclusive linear-selective hydroacylation products were obtained.

Ruthenium-catalyzed C-H amination of aroylsilanes

Acylsilane represents a valuable synthon in synthetic chemistry. We report on ruthenium(ii)-catalyzed ortho-C-H amination of aroylsilanes to provide facile access to synthetically useful imidobenzoylsilanes and tosyl-amidobenzoylsilanes. The protocols, with broad substrate scope and excellent functional group tolerance, are enabled with the weak chelation-assistance of acylsilane via C-H cyclometallation.

Iridium-Catalyzed Hydroarylation via C-H Bond Activation

Hydroarylation reactions via C-H activation, which compensate for shortcomings of classical methods based on the Friedel-Crafts reaction, is one of the most attractive methods to synthesize substituted arenes. This Personal Account reviews our recent studies on iridium-catalyzed intermolecular hydroarylation of vinyl ethers, alkynes, bicycloalkenes, and 1,3-dienes, and intramolecular hydroarylation of m-allyloxyphenyl ketones, where asymmetric addition reactions are included. A cationic iridium catalyst, which is generated from chloroiridium [IrCl] and NaBAr^F ₄ [Ar^F =3,5-(CF₃ )₂ C₆ H₃ ], or a hydroxoiridium [Ir(OH)] complex is effective in catalyzing the hydroarylation depending on the substrates. 1,5-Cyclooctadiene (cod), chiral dienes, and conventional bisphosphines function as ligands controlling the high reactivity and selectivity of the catalysts in the hydroarylation. H/D exchange reaction of alkenes by use of a key intermediate of the hydroarylation reaction is also described.

Chromium-Catalyzed Selective Dimerization/Hydroboration of Allenes to Access Boryl-Functionalized Skipped (E,Z)-Dienes

A chromium-catalyzed dimerization/hydroboration of allenes is developed to access synthetically versatile boryl-functionalized skipped dienes with a catalyst generated in situ from CrCl₂ and a pyridine-2,6-diimine ligand ^mes PDI. A variety of allenes reacted with pinacolborane (HBpin) to afford the corresponding boryl-functionalized (E,Z)-1,4-dienes in high yields and with excellent selectivity. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies suggest that this chromium-catalyzed reaction probably proceeds through a chromium(I) hydride intermediate.

Recent advances in transition metal-catalyzed olefinic C–H functionalization

Recent advances during 2015–2020 in the field of metal-catalyzed olefinic C–H functionalization are organized according to the metal center of the catalyst, with an emphasis on the similarities and differences among different catalysts.

Recent advances in chelation-assisted site- and stereoselective alkenyl C–H functionalization

This review highlights recent advances in vicinal- and geminal-group-directed alkenyl C–H functionalizations which proceeded by endo- and exo-cyclometallation.

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Brook Rearrangement Involved Domino Sequence Enabled by Acylsilane-Aldehyde Corporation

A ruthenium-catalyzed [1,2]-Brook rearrangement involved domino sequence is presented to prepare highly functionalized silyloxy indenes with atomic- and step-economy. This domino reaction is triggered by acylsilane-directed C-H activation, and the aldehyde controlled the subsequent enol cyclization/Brook Rearrangement other than β-H elimination. The protocol tolerates a broad substitution pattern, and the further synthetic elaboration of silyloxy indenes allows access to a diverse range of interesting indene and indanone derivatives.

Stereoselective and Atom-Economic Alkenyl C-H Allylation/Alkenylation in Aqueous Media by Iridium Catalysis

A practical and atom-economic protocol for the stereoselective preparation of various 1,4- and 1,3-diene skeletons through iridium-catalyzed directed olefinic C-H allylation and alkenylation of NH-Ts acrylamides in water was developed. This reaction tolerated a wide scope of substrates under simple reaction conditions and enabled successful gram-scale preparation. Furthermore, an asymmetric variant of this reaction giving enantioenriched 1,4-dienes was achieved employing a chiral diene-iridium complex as the catalyst.

Generation of (Z)-β-alkenyl alkylsulfones via a copper-catalyzed decarboxylative alkylsulfonylation

A copper-catalyzed three-component reaction of acrylamides, sulfur dioxide and phenyliodine(iii) dicarboxylates is developed. The conversion using phenyliodine dicarboxylates as alkyl radical precursors provides diverse (Z)-β-alkenyl alkylsulfones.

Iridium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions of Alkenes by Hydrogen Transfer

A range of Ru-, Rh-, or Pd-catalyzed vinylic C-H/C-H cross-coupling reactions of olefins have been demonstrated to provide 1,3-dienes, using a quantitative amount of metal oxidants. Although transfer hydrogenation and C-H alkenylation are two important areas that evolved independently, we herein report the first iridium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of alkenes by integration of directed C(alkenyl)-H alkenylation and transfer hydrogenation to obviate the usage of a metal oxidant, employing a hydrogen acceptor such as inexpensive chloranil.

Bidentate auxiliary-directed alkenyl C–H allylation via exo-palladacycles: synthesis of branched 1,4-dienes

An alkenyl C–H allylation by exo-palladacycle is demonstrated to produce branched skipped dienes, employing alkenyl amides and allyl carbonates.