Hypervalent Iodine-Mediated Synthesis of Spiroheterocycles via Oxidative Cyclization

Catalyst-Substrate Helical Character Matching Determines the Enantioselectivity in the Ishihara-Type Iodoarenes Catalyzed Asymmetric Kita-Dearomative Spirolactonization

Catalyst design has traditionally focused on rigid structural elements to prevent conformational flexibility. Ishihara's elegant design of conformationally flexible C₂-symmetric iodoarenes, a new class of privileged organocatalysts, for the catalytic asymmetric dearomatization (CADA) of naphthols is a notable exception. Despite the widespread use of the Ishihara catalysts for CADAs, the reaction mechanism remains the subject of debate, and the mode of asymmetric induction has not been well established. Here, we report an in-depth computational investigation of three possible mechanisms in the literature. Our results, however, reveal that this reaction is best rationalized by a fourth mechanism called "proton-transfer-coupled-dearomatization (PTCD)", which is predicted to be strongly favored over other competing pathways. The PTCD mechanism is consistent with a control experiment and further validated by applying it to rationalize the enantioselectivities. Oxidation of the flexible I(I) catalyst to catalytic active I(III) species induces a defined C₂-symmetric helical chiral environment with a delicate balance between flexibility and rigidity. A match/mismatch effect between the active catalyst and the substrate's helical shape in the dearomatization transition states was observed. The helical shape match allows the active catalyst to adapt its conformation to maximize attractive noncovalent interactions, including I(III)···O halogen bond, N-H···O hydrogen bond, and π···π stacking, to stabilize the favored transition state. A stereochemical model capable of rationalizing the effect of catalyst structural variation on the enantioselectivities is developed. The present study enriches our understanding of how flexible catalysts achieve high stereoinduction and may serve as an inspiration for the future exploration of conformational flexibility for new catalyst designs.

Asymmetric Direct/Stepwise Dearomatization Reactions Involving Hypervalent Iodine Reagents

A remarkable growth in hypervalent iodine-mediated oxidative transformations as stoichiometric reagents as well as catalysts has been well-documented due to their excellent properties, such as mildness, easy handling, high selectivity, environmentally friendly nature, and high stability. This review aims at highlighting the asymmetric oxidative dearomatization reactions involving hypervalent iodine compounds. The present article summarizes asymmetric intra- and intermolecular dearomatization reactions using chiral hypervalent iodine reagents/catalysts as well as hypervalent iodine-mediated dearomatization reactions followed by desymmetrization.

Radical bromination-induced ipso cyclization-ortho cyclization sequence of N-hydroxylethyl-N-arylpropiolamides

A facile procedure is reported for the synthesis of various 2-bromo-1-phenyl-5,6-dihydro-3H,7aH-benzo[b]pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]oxazin-3-ones via a radical bromination-induced ipso cyclization-ortho cyclization sequence of N-arylpropiolamides in the presence of TBAB and oxone. The radical cyclization sequence involves a radical bromo α-addition into the alkyne, ipso-cyclization, and ortho-trapping of the spirocyclic intermediate.

Alkene Difunctionalization Using Hypervalent Iodine Reagents: Progress and Developments in the Past Ten Years

Hypervalent iodine reagents are of considerable relevance in organic chemistry as they can provide a complementary reaction strategy to the use of traditional transition metal chemistry. Over the past two decades, there have been an increasing number of applications including stoichiometric oxidation and catalytic asymmetric variations. This review outlines the main advances in the past 10 years in regard to alkene heterofunctionalization chemistry using achiral and chiral hypervalent iodine reagents and catalysts.