Photocatalytic Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Enabled Radical Cyclization for Isoquinoline-1,3-diones Synthesis

Radical cyclization has been demonstrated to be an efficient method to access functionalized heterocycles from easily accessible raw materials. Described herein is the development of a photocatalytic proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) strategy for the synthesis of isoquinoline-1,3-diones using readily prepared naphthalimide (NI)-based organic photocatalysts. The process features free metal-complex photocatalysts, acids, and mild reaction conditions. This mild radical cyclization protocol has a broad substrate scope and can be effectively applied to a variety of medicinally relevant substrates. Furthermore, control experiments were conducted to elucidate the mechanism of this visible light-induced methodology.

Pd-Catalyzed Cascade Cyclization/Thiocarbonylation with Thioformates: Synthesis of Thioester-Functionalized Oxindoles

A Pd-catalyzed thiocarbonylative cyclization of N-(o-iodoaryl)acrylamides with easily accessible thioformates has been developed. The reaction has a wide substrate scope with good yields and represents a powerful route to the synthesis of thioester-functionalized oxindoles. Both S-aryl and alkyl thioformates as the thioester sources were well tolerated. The active Pd-CO intermediate may play an important role in the transformation process.

Catalytic Dienylation: An Emergent Strategy for the Stereoselective Construction of Conjugated Dienes and Polyenes

Stereoselective construction of conjugated dienes and polyenes has remained an enduring synthetic problem, due to the central roles they play in natural product synthesis, methodology, and medicine. This review focuses on the recent developments in dienylation as an emerging strategy for the direct installation of unsaturated four carbon atom units of conjugated π-systems, outlining the regio- and stereoselectivity, as well as the synthetic scope of reactions with various dienylating reagents and the mechanistic implications of the catalytic cross-coupling processes that are used to enable dienylation.

Stereoselective Construction of Unsymmetrically Linked Heterocycles via Palladium-Catalyzed Alkyne Insertion/Cycloimidoylation Cascade

A novel strategy to access unsymmetrically linked heterocycles via palladium-catalyzed acylcycloimidoylation of alkyne-tethered carbamoyl chlorides with isocyanides has been developed. Functionalized isocyanides were successfully applied as imine-containing heterocycle precursors to capture the vinyl-Pd^II intermediate, which was generated from a syn-carbopalladation of alkyne, followed by subsequent intramolecular C-H bond activation/imidoylative Heck reactions. Methylene oxindoles within Z-tetrasubstituted olefins were obtained in high yields with excellent stereoselectivities. Broad functional groups were well tolerated under mild reaction conditions.

Pd-Catalyzed Cascade Intramolecular Heck Cyclization/Dearomatization of Indoles for the Construction of Two All-Carbon Quaternary Centers

A facile Pd-catalyzed cascade of intramolecular Heck cyclization/alkylpalladium activated dearomatization of aryl alkyne-tethered indole is described. In this single step two nonadjacent all-carbon quaternary centers, two nitrogen-containing heterocycles, and three C(sp²)-C(sp³) bonds are efficiently furnished. These products could also undergo 5-to-6 ring migration-expansion reaction under Brønsted-acid conditions to transform into the benzo[c]carbazole skeletons.

Palladium-catalyzed Heck cyclization/carbonylation with formates: synthesis of azaindoline-3-acetates and furoazaindolines

We report herein a palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization/carbonylation to access ester-functionalized azaindolines, applying formates as a convenient carbonyl source. All four azaindoline isomers were constructed, exhibiting good functional group compatibility. On this basis, modifying the starting tether on the aminopyridine led to furoazaindolines via an intramolecular reductive cyclization after the palladium-catalyzed process.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Z to E Geometrical Isomerization of 1,3-Dienes

An efficient cobalt-catalyzed geometrical isomerization of 1,3-dienes is described. In the combination of a CoCl₂ precatalyst with an amido-diphosphine-oxazoline ligand, the geometrical isomerization of E/Z mixtures of 1,3-dienes proceed in a stereoconvergent manner, affording (E) isomers in high stereoselectivity. This facile transformation features a broad substrate scope with good functional group tolerance and could be scaled up to the gram scale smoothly with a catalyst loading of 1 mol %.

Palladium-catalyzed Heck cyclization/allylation with homoallyl alcohols via retro-allylation

A palladium-catalyzed reaction of aryl iodide-tethered alkenes with homoallyl alcohols is reported, providing a convenient and efficient approach to C(sp3)–allylation products.

Nickel-Catalyzed Arylcarbamoylation of Alkenes of N-(o-Iodoaryl)acrylamides with Nitroarenes via Reductive Aminocarbonylation: Facile Synthesis of Carbamoyl-Substituted Oxindoles

Nickel-catalyzed arylcarbamoylation reactions of alkenes of N-(o-haloaryl)acrylamides with CO and nitroarenes via reductive aminocarbonylation to produce carbamoyl-substituted oxindoles with an all-carbon quaternary stereogenic center are presented. Starting with N-(o-haloaryl)acrylamides, simple CO, and inexpensive nitroarenes and using a Ni catalyst, a dinitrogen-based ligand, a Zn reductant, a TMSCl additive, and a base system, this protocol enables the synthesis of various carbamoyl-substituted oxindoles and allows the efficient late-stage derivatization of valuable molecules.

An Efficient Approach for 3,3-Disubstituted Oxindoles Synthesis: Aryl Iodine Catalyzed Intramolecular C-N Bond Oxidative Cross-Coupling

Herein, we report the first intramolecular C-N bond formation of phenylpropanamide derivatives via organocatalytic oxidative reactions, affording 3,3-disubstituted oxindole derivatives with up to 99% yield. The high efficiency of this reaction is exemplified by the transition metal-free mild conditions and the ability to perform the reaction on a gram scale. Meanwhile, the DFT calculation of the catalytic oxidative transformation pathway has also been studied.

Palladium-Catalyzed Aryl-Furanylation of Alkenes: Synthesis of Benzofuran-Containing 3,3-Disubstituted Oxindoles

A novel palladium-catalyzed aryl-furanylation of alkenes is described. This protocol provided a straightforward route to the synthesis of various benzofuran-containing 3,3-disubstitutedoxindole derivatives bearing a quarternary carbon center. In the cascade process, one C(sp²)-O bond, two C(sp²)-C(sp³) bonds, an oxindole, and a furan ring are formed in a single chemical operation.

Domino Heck/Hiyama cross-coupling: trapping of the σ-alkylpalladium intermediate with arylsilanes

A palladium-catalyzed domino Heck cyclization/Hiyama coupling reaction by the trapping of the σ-alkylpalladium intermediate with arylsilanes is described. A wide range of aryl-tethered alkenes and arylsilanes are all compatible with the reaction conditions. This approach shows good yields and excellent functional group tolerance, presenting a more practical and sustainable alternative to the conventional domino Heck cyclization/Suzuki coupling reaction.

Copper-catalyzed enantioselective arylboronation of activated alkenes leading to chiral 3,3′-disubstituted oxindoles

Copper-catalyzed asymmetric arylboronation of activated alkenes for producing highly enantioenriched 3-boroalkyl oxindoles and incorporating pharmacophores is depicted.

Selective synthesis of acylated caprolactam via sequential Michael addition/palladium-catalyzed alpha-arylation of ketones

A formal [6 + 1] annulation reaction provides an efficient route enabling rapid access to diverse caprolactams by the double C–C bond formation of the same site from methyl ketones.