Formate-Mediated Cross-Electrophile Reductive Coupling of Aryl Iodides and Bromopyridines.

Two catalytic systems for the formate-mediated cross-electrophile reductive coupling of 4-iodoansiole with 6-bromopyridines are described. Using homogenous rhodium or heterogeneous palladium catalysts, the product of reductive biaryl cross-coupling could be formed in moderate yield with excellent levels of chemoselectivity.

Direct Conversion of Primary Alcohols to 1,2-Amino Alcohols: Enantioselective Iridium-Catalyzed Carbonyl Reductive Coupling of Phthalimido-Allene via Hydrogen Auto-Transfer.

The first catalytic enantioselective carbonyl (α-amino)allylations are described. Phthalimido-allene 1 and primary alcohols 2a-2z, 2a'-2c' engage in hydrogen auto-transfer-mediated carbonyl reductive coupling by way of (α-amino)allyliridium-aldehyde pairs to form vicinal amino alcohols 3a-3z, 3a'-3c' with high levels of regio-, anti-diastereo-, and enantioselectivity. Reaction progress kinetic analysis and isotopic labeling studies corroborate a catalytic cycle involving turnover-limiting alcohol dehydrogenation followed by rapid allene hydrometalation.

Mechanism of Enolate Transfer between Si and Cu.

Exchange of X (F, Cl, OMe) and a substituted enolate chain between SiMe3 and various CuI complexes was examined. Reaction mechanisms pass through a cyclic transition state in which the reaction coordinate is associated with rotation of the SiMe3 moiety. The dependence of the thermodynamic and kinetic features on the nature of the active and ancillary ligands was examined. Formation of copper enolate is shown to be favored when stabilized enolates are used. Replacement of F by Cl reverses the preference of the reaction. This is associated with the small difference between the Cu-Cl and Si-Cl bond energies, in contrast to other Si-X bonds, which are systematically stronger than their Cu-X analogues.

Diastereoselective Palladium-Catalyzed (3 + 2)-Cycloadditions from Cyclic Imines and Vinyl Aziridines.

The synthesis of cyclic imidazolidines via two N-C bond-forming sequences has been developed. The transformation goes through a (3 + 2)-cycloaddition reaction in the presence of catalytic amounts of palladium by combining several vinyl aziridines and cyclic N-sulfonyl imines. Interestingly, the use of LiCl as additive allowed the improvement of diastereoselectivities when less encumbered substrates were used. The imidazolidine derivatives that bear aminal cores are isolated in high yields (15 examples, up to 96% yield) and diastereoselectivities (up to >20:1).

Catalytic nucleophilic 'umpoled' π-allyl reagents.

After seminal Tsuji-Trost reactions (palladium catalyzed allylation of nucleophiles via π-allyl intermediates as electrophiles), the idea of reversal reactivity of π-allyl intermediates (i.e. π-allyl as nucleophiles) has been stated since the eighties. Thanks to different transition metal sources and the modification of their electronic environment through the use of additives and ligands, such 'reactivity switch' of π-allyl intermediates proved its powerfulness allowing high control in regio-, diastereo- and enantio-selectivities. These methodologies have thus emerged as efficient methods in the catalytic enantioselective allylation of carbonyl compounds and imines with a deep impact on natural product and/or drug elaboration. This tutorial review highlights the concept of 'umpoled' reactivity of π-allyl intermediates, relying on selected recent examples.

Stereospecific Hydrogenolysis of Lactones: Application to the Total Syntheses of (R)-ar-Himachalene and (R)-Curcumene.

A straightforward strategy for the syntheses of curcumene and ar-himachalene is reported. Synthetic highlights include a catalytic and asymmetric vinylogous Mukaiyama reaction and a stereospecific hydrogenolysis of a tertiary benzylic center using Pd/C or Ni/Raney catalysts. Notably, using Ni/Raney, the stereoselectivity outcome (inversion vs retention) of the hydrogenolysis depends on the tertiary benzylic alcohol substitution.