Copper-catalyzed [1,3]-nitrogen rearrangement of O-aryl ketoximes via oxidative addition of N–O bond in inverse electron flow†

The [1,3]-nitrogen rearrangement reactions of O-aryl ketoximes were promoted by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-copper catalysts and BF₃·OEt₂ as an additive, affording ortho-aminophenol derivatives in good yields. The reaction of substrates with electron-withdrawing substituents on the phenol moiety are accelerated by adding silver salt and modifying the substituent at the nitrogen atom. Density functional theory calculations suggest that the rate-determining step of this reaction is the oxidative addition of the N–O bond of the substrate to the copper catalyst. The negative ρ values of the substituent at both the oxime carbon and phenoxy group indicate that the donation of electrons by the oxygen and nitrogen atoms accelerates the oxidative addition.

[1,3]-Nitrogen rearrangement reactions of O-aryl ketoximes was catalytically promoted by IPrCuBr and BF₃·OEt₂. The oxidative addition of the N–O bond to the Cu catalyst is accelerated by donation of electrons from both nitrogen and oxygen atoms.

μ-Oxo-Hypervalent-Iodine-Catalyzed Oxidative C-H Amination for Synthesis of Benzolactam Derivatives

Benzolactams have unique biological activity and high utility in the synthesis of valuable compounds with direct applicability to oxindole alkaloids and antibacterial agents. Despite recent advances in organic chemistry and the growing number of reported methods for synthesizing benzolactams, their preparation still requires a multistep process. C-H amination reactions can convert aromatic C(sp²)-H bonds directly to C(sp²)-N bonds, and this direct approach to C-N bond formation offers effective access to benzolactams. Hypervalent iodine reagents are promising tools for achieving oxidative C-H amination. Motivated by our ongoing research efforts toward the development of useful hypervalent-iodine-mediated oxidative transformations, we herein describe an effective intramolecular oxidative C-H amination reaction based on μ-oxo hypervalent iodine catalysis for the synthesis of benzolactams bearing various functional groups.

Synthesis of meta-Substituted Anilines via Copper-Catalyzed [1,3]-Methoxy Rearrangement

meta-Substituted anilines were efficiently synthesized via copper-catalyzed [1,3]-methoxy rearrangement of N-methoxyanilines followed by Michael addition of nucleophiles to the in situ generated ortho-quinol imine. The present reaction exhibits excellent applicability of para-substituents, such as vinyl, methylthio, ester, and bromo, and carbon nucleophiles, such as 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene, N-methylindole, and dimethyl malonate. Thus, the present rearrangement can resolve problems stemming from oxidation reactions, such as the use of stoichiometric amounts of oxidants and low compatibility of electron-withdrawing groups.

Discrete Existence of Singlet Nitrenium Ions Revisited: Computational Studies of Non-Aryl Nitrenium Ions and Their Rearrangements

Nitrenium ion species are examined using computational methods (DFT, MP2, coupled-cluster, and a composite method, CBS-APNO) with a particular emphasis on nonaromatic species (i.e., those lacking an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring in direct conjugation with the formal nitrenium ion center.) The substitution of the N+ center with alkyl, alkoxy, vinyl, acyl, and sulfonyl, among others, was evaluated. For these species, three properties are considered. (1) The stability of the nitrenium ions to unimolecular isomerizations such as 1,2 alkyl or H shifts; to the extent that the singlet states could be characterized as discrete minima on the potential energy surface (PES), (2) the effect of the substituents on singlet-triplet energy splitting as well as (3) the relative stabilities of the nitrenium ions as defined by N-hydration enthalpies (RR'N+ + H2O → RR'NOH2 +). Nearly all simple alkyl and di-alkyl nitrenium ion singlet states are predicted to rearrange without detectable barriers, largely through 1,2 H or alkyl shifts. Methyl and N,N-dimethylnitrenium ion singlet states could be characterized as formal minima on the PES. However, these species show small or insignificant barriers to isomerization. Disubstituted nitrenium ions that include an alkyl group and a conjugating substituent such as alkoxyl, vinyl, or phenyl show meaningful barriers to isomerization and are thus predicted to possess nontrivial lifetimes in solution. Alkyl groups substantially stabilize the singlet state relative to the situation in the parent nitrenium ion NH2 + to the point where the two states are nearly degenerate. Other groups that interact with the nitrenium ion center decrease the ΔE st in the order formoyl < vinyl < phenyl < alkoxy ∼ sulfonyl < cyclopropyl ∼ cyclobutyl. The latter two substituents interact strongly with the (singlet) nitrenium ion center through the formation of a nonclassical bonding reminiscent of the bisected cyclopropylcarbinyl ion case for carbocations. When singlet-state stability is evaluated in the context of N-hydration enthalpies, it is found that the ordering is acyl < vinyl < alkoxyl < phenyl < cyclopropyl and cyclobutyl.

Oxamidation of Unsaturated O-Alkyl Hydroxamates: Synthesis of the Madangamine Diazatricylic (ABC Rings) Skeleton

A novel approach to the diazatricyclic madangamine ABC ring system and the synthesis of an advanced, differentially protected intermediate for the synthesis of madangamine D is reported. Central to the success of this approach is the iodine(III)-mediated intramolecular oxamidation of an unsaturated O-methyl hydroxamate, a π-N⁺-type cyclization which proceeds in high yield and with complete regioselectivity to generate the 2-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (morphan) system encompassing rings A and C.

[3 + 2] Cycloaddition of aza-oxyallyl cations with aldehydes

We report here the [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of in situ-generated aza-oxyallyl cations with commercially available aldehydes.

Study on the total synthesis of velbanamine: Chemoselective dioxygenation of alkenes with PIFA via a stop-and-flow strategy

A "stop-and-flow" strategy was developed for the chemoselective dioxygenation of alkenes with a PIFA-initiated cyclization. This method is conceived for the desymmetrization of seco-diene, and a series of substituted 5-hydroxymethyl-γ-lactones were constructed after hydrolysis. This strategy also differentiates terminally substituted alkenes and constitutes a potentially novel synthetic approach for the efficient synthesis toward velbanamine.