Preparation of Butadienylpyridines by Iridium-NHC-Catalyzed Alkyne Hydroalkenylation and Quinolizine Rearrangement

Iridium(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of formula Ir(κ2 O,O'-BHetA)(IPr)(η2 -coe) [BHetA=bis-heteroatomic acidato, acetylacetonate or acetate; IPr=1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-carbene; coe=cyclooctene] have been prepared by treating Ir(κ2 O,O'-BHetA)(η2 -coe)2 complexes with IPr. These complexes react with 2-vinylpyridine to afford the hydrido-iridium(III)-alkenyl cyclometalated derivatives IrH(κ2 O,O'-BHetA)(κ2 N,C-C7 H6 N)(IPr) through the iridium(I) intermediate Ir(κ2 O,O'-BHetA)(IPr)(η2 -C7 H7 N). The cyclometalated IrH(κ2 O,O'-acac)(κ2 N,C-C7 H6 N)(IPr) complex efficiently catalyzes the hydroalkenylation of aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkynes and enynes with 2-vinylpyridine to afford 2-(4R-butadienyl)pyridines with Z,E configuration as the major reaction products (yield up to 89 %). In addition, unprecedented (Z)-2-butadienyl-5R-pyridine derivatives have been obtained as minor reaction products (yield up to 21 %) from the elusive 1Z,3gem-butadienyl hydroalkenylation products. These compounds undergo a thermal 6π-electrocyclization to afford bicyclic 4H-quinolizine derivatives that, under catalytic reaction conditions, tautomerize to 6H-quinolizine to afford the (Z)-2-(butadienyl)-5R-pyridine by a retro-electrocyclization reaction.

Cationic Co(I) Catalysts for Regiodivergent Hydroalkenylation of 1,6-Enynes. An Uncommon cis-β-C-H Activation Leads to Z-Selective Coupling of Acrylates

Two intermolecular hydroalkenylation reactions of 1,6-enynes are presented which yield substituted 5-membered carbo- and -heterocycles. This reactivity is enabled by a cationic bis-diphenylphosphinopropane (DPPP)Co^I species which forms a cobaltacyclopentene intermediate by oxidative cyclization of the enyne. This key species interacts with alkenes in distinct fashion, depending on the identity of the coupling partner to give regiodivergent products. Simple alkenes undergo insertion reactions to furnish 1,3-dienes whereby one of the alkenes is tetrasubstituted. When acrylates are employed as coupling partners, the site of intermolecular C-C formation shifts from the alkyne to the alkene motif of the enyne, yielding Z-substituted-acrylate derivatives. Computational studies provide support for our experimental observations and show that the turnover-limiting steps in both reactions are the interactions of the alkenes with the cobaltacyclopentene intermediate via either a 1,2-insertion in the case of ethylene, or an unexpected β-C-H activation in the case of most acrylates. Thus, the H syn to the ester is activated through the coordination of the acrylate carbonyl to the cobaltacycle intermediate, which explains the uncommon Z-selectivity and regiodivergence. Variable time normalization analysis (VTNA) of the kinetic data reveals a dependance upon the concentration of cobalt, acrylate, and activator. A KIE of 2.1 was observed with methyl methacrylate in separate flask experiments, indicating that C-H cleavage is the turnover-limiting step in the catalytic cycle. Lastly, a Hammett study of aryl-substituted enynes yields a ρ value of -0.4, indicating that more electron-rich substituents accelerate the rate of the reaction.

NHC/Nickel(II)-Catalyzed [3+2] Cross-Dimerization of Unactivated Olefins and Methylenecyclopropanes

Cross-dimerization of a methylenecyclopropane (1) and an unactivated alkene (2) with typical hydroalkenylation reactivity was observed for the first time by using a [NHC-Ni(allyl)]BAr^F catalyst (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene). Results show that the C-C cleavage of 1 did not involve a Ni⁰ oxidative addition, which was crucial in former systems. Thus the method reported here emerges as a complementary method for attaining highly chemo- and regioselective synthesis of methylenecyclopentanes (3) with broad scope. An efficient NHC/Ni^II -catalyzed rearrangement of 1 leads to the convergent synthesis of 3 in the presence of 2.

Dual Nickel and Brønsted Acid Catalysis for Hydroalkenylation

A highly regioselective hydroalkenylation of imines or aldehydes with styrene derivatives was realized by dual catalysis with Ni(cod)₂ /PCy₃ and either TsNH₂ or PhB(OH)₂ . This process provides an atom-, step-, and redox-economic pathway towards synthetically useful allylic amines and alcohols, and opens up a new avenue for the design of more versatile coupling reactions.

Bench-Stable N-Heterocyclic Carbene Nickel Precatalysts for C-C and C-N Bond-Forming Reactions

Herein, we introduce a new class of bench-stable N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) nickel-precatalysts for homogeneous nickel-catalysis. The nickel(II) complexes are readily activated to Ni0 in situ under mild conditions, via a proposed Heck-type mechanism. The precatalysts are shown to facilitate carbonyl-ene, hydroalkenylation, and amination reactions.

Brønsted Acid Enabled Nickel-Catalyzed Hydroalkenylation of Aldehydes with Styrene and its Derivatives

A Brønsted acid enabled nickel-catalyzed hydroalkenylation of aldehydes and styrene derivatives has been developed. The Brønsted acid acts as a proton shuttle to transfer a proton from the alkene to the aldehyde, thereby leading to an economical and byproduct-free coupling. A series of synthetically useful allylic alcohols were obtained through one-step reactions from readily available styrene derivatives and aliphatic aldehydes in up to 88 % yield and with high linear selectivity.

Iridium(I)-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydrocarbonation of Alkenes: Efficient Access to Cyclic Systems Bearing Quaternary Stereocenters

A catalytic, versatile and atom-economical C-H functionalization process that provides a wide variety of cyclic systems featuring methyl-substituted quaternary stereocenters is described. The method relies on the use of a cationic Ir^I -bisphosphine catalyst, which promotes a carboxamide-assisted activation of an olefinic C(sp² )-H bond followed by exo-cyclization to a tethered 1,1-disubstituted alkene. The extension of the method to aromatic and heteroaromatic C-H bonds, as well as developments on an enantioselective variant, are also described.

Selective Alkenylation and Hydroalkenylation of Enol Phosphates through Direct C-H Functionalization

An efficient and selective Rh-catalyzed direct CH functionalization reaction of enol phosphates was developed. The method is applicable to a variety of coupling partners, including activated alkenes, alkynes, and allenes, and leads to the formation of various valuable alkenylated and hydroalkenylated enol phosphates through the action of the phosphate directing group. The versatility and utility of the coupling products were demonstrated through further transformations into synthetically useful building blocks.