Quinone-mediated hydrogen anode for non-aqueous reductive electrosynthesis.

Electrochemical synthesis can provide more sustainable routes to industrial chemicals1-3. Electrosynthetic oxidations may often be performed 'reagent-free', generating hydrogen (H2) derived from the substrate as the sole by-product at the counter electrode. Electrosynthetic reductions, however, require an external source of electrons. Sacrificial metal anodes are commonly used for small-scale applications4, but more sustainable options are needed at larger scale. Anodic water oxidation is an especially appealing option1,5,6, but many reductions require anhydrous, air-free reaction conditions. In such cases, H2 represents an ideal alternative, motivating the growing interest in the electrochemical hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) under non-aqueous conditions7-12. Here we report a mediated H2 anode that achieves indirect electrochemical oxidation of H2 by pairing thermal catalytic hydrogenation of an anthraquinone mediator with electrochemical oxidation of the anthrahydroquinone. This quinone-mediated H2 anode is used to support nickel-catalysed cross-electrophile coupling (XEC), a reaction class gaining widespread adoption in the pharmaceutical industry13-15. Initial validation of this method in small-scale batch reactions is followed by adaptation to a recirculating flow reactor that enables hectogram-scale synthesis of a pharmaceutical intermediate. The mediated H2 anode technology disclosed here offers a general strategy to support H2-driven electrosynthetic reductions.

Benzylic Photobromination for the Synthesis of Belzutifan: Elucidation of Reaction Mechanisms Using In Situ LED-NMR.

A detailed mechanistic understanding of a benzylic photobromination en route to belzutifan (MK-6482, a small molecule for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma associated with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome) has been achieved using in situ LED-NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with kinetic analysis. Two distinct mechanisms of overbromination, namely, the ionic and radical pathways, have been revealed by this study. The behavior of the major reaction species, including reactants, intermediates, products, and side products, has been elucidated. Comprehensive understanding of both pathways informed and enabled mitigation of a major process risk: a sudden product decomposition. Detailed knowledge of the processes occurring during the reaction and their potential liabilities enabled the development of a robust photochemical continuous flow process implemented for commercial manufacturing.

Photon Equivalents as a Parameter for Scaling Photoredox Reactions in Flow: Translation of Photocatalytic C-N Cross-Coupling from Lab Scale to Multikilogram Scale.

With the development of new photocatalytic methods over recent decades, the translation of these chemical reactions to industrial-production scales using continuous-flow reactors has become a topic of increasing interest. In this context, we describe our studies toward elucidating an empirically derived parameter for scaling photocatalytic reactions in flow. By evaluating the performance of a photocatalytic C-N cross-coupling reaction across multiple reactor sizes and geometries, it was demonstrated that expressing product yield as a function of the absorbed photon equivalents provides a predictive, empirical scaling parameter. Through the use of this scaling factor and characterization of the photonic flux within each reactor, the cross-coupling was scaled successfully from the milligram scale in batch to a multi-kilogram reaction in flow.

Oxyfunctionalization of the Remote C-H Bonds of Aliphatic Amines by Decatungstate Photocatalysis.

Aliphatic amines, oxygenated at remote positions within the molecule, represent an important class of synthetic building blocks to which there are currently no direct means of access. Reported herein is an efficient and scalable solution that relies upon decatungstate photocatalysis under acidic conditions using either H2 O2 or O2 as the terminal oxidant. By using these reaction conditions a series of simple and unbiased aliphatic amine starting materials can be oxidized to value-added ketone products. Lastly, NMR spectroscopy using in situ LED-irradiated samples was utilized to monitor the kinetics of the reaction, thus enabling direct translation of the reaction into flow.

Studies toward Total Synthesis of (±)-Caldaphnidine C via One-Pot Sequential Intramolecular Vilsmeier-Haack and Azomethine Ylide 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition.

An application of a one-pot sequential Vilsmeier-Haack cyclization and intramolecular azomethine ylide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition toward the total synthesis of (±)-caldaphnidine C is presented. It allowed an efficient formation of three cycles with perfect control of four of the five newly created stereogenic centers including one all-carbon quaternary center. Two synthetic strategies to produce the key-step precursor, the investigation and optimization of the cyclization partners (nucleophile, azomethine ylide, and dipolarophile), and further derivatization of the cycloadduct are reported.

Acridinium-Based Photocatalysts: A Sustainable Option in Photoredox Catalysis.

The emergence of visible light photoredox catalysis has enabled the productive use of lower energy radiation, leading to highly selective reaction platforms. Polypyridyl complexes of iridium and ruthenium have served as popular photocatalysts in recent years due to their long excited state lifetimes and useful redox windows, leading to the development of diverse photoredox-catalyzed transformations. The low abundances of Ir and Ru in the earth's crust and, hence, cost make these catalysts nonsustainable and have limited their application in industrial-scale manufacturing. Herein, we report a series of novel acridinium salts as alternatives to iridium photoredox catalysts and show their comparability to the ubiquitous [Ir(dF-CF3-ppy)2(dtbpy)](PF6).

A continuous-flow process for the synthesis of artemisinin.

Isolation of the most effective antimalarial drug, artemisinin, from the plant sweet wormwood, does not yield sufficient quantities to provide the more than 300 million treatments needed each year. The high prices for the drug are a consequence of the unreliable and often insufficient supply of artemisinin. Large quantities of ineffective fake drugs find a market in Africa. Semisynthesis of artemisinin from inactive biological precursors, either dihydroartemisinic acid (DHAA) or artemisinic acid, offers a potentially attractive route to increase artemisinin production. Conversion of the plant waste product, DHAA, into artemisinin requires use of photochemically generated singlet oxygen at large scale. We met this challenge by developing a one-pot photochemical continuous-flow process for the semisynthesis of artemisinin from DHAA that yields 65 % product. Careful optimization resulted in a process characterized by short residence times. A method to extract DHAA from the mother liquor accumulated during commercial artemisinin extractions, a material that is currently discarded as waste, is also reported. The synthetic continuous-flow process described here is an effective means to supplement the limited availability of artemisinin and ensure increased supplies of the drug for those in need.

Continuous synthesis and purification by direct coupling of a flow reactor with simulated moving-bed chromatography.

Continuous synthesis meets continuous purification to produce pure products from crude reaction mixtures. In the nucleophilic aromatic substitution of 2,4-difluoronitrobenzene with morpholine the desired monosubstituted product can be continuously separated from the byproducts in a purity of over 99 % by coupling a flow reactor to a simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography module.

Continuous flow photolysis of aryl azides: Preparation of 3H-azepinones.

Photolysis of aryl azides to give nitrenes, and their subsequent rearrangement in the presence of water to give 3H-azepinones, is performed in continuous flow in a photoreactor constructed of fluorinated ethylene polymer (FEP) tubing. Fine tuning of the reaction conditions using the flow reactor allowed minimization of secondary photochemical reactions.

Synthesis of Islatravir Enabled by a Catalytic, Enantioselective Alkynylation of a Ketone.

The synthesis of the potent anti-HIV investigational treatment islatravir is described. The key step in this synthesis is a highly enantioselective catalytic asymmetric alkynylation of a ketone. This reaction is a rare example of the asymmetric addition of an alkyne nucleophile to a ketone through ligand-accelerated catalysis that was performed on a greater than 100 g scale. By leveraging a multienzyme cascade, a highly diastereoselective aldol-glycosylation was used to complete the target in eight steps.

Highly efficient continuous flow reactions using singlet oxygen as a "green" reagent.

Described is a new method for the efficient in situ production of singlet oxygen in a simple continuous flow photochemical reactor. The extremely large interfacial area generated by running the biphasic mixture in a narrow channel at a high flow rate ensures high throughput as well as fast and efficient oxidation of various alkenes, 1,3-dienes, and thioethers on a preparative scale.

Synthesis of the tetracyclic core of daphnilactone B-type and yuzurimine-type alkaloids.

The core of daphnilactone B-type and yuzurimine-type alkaloids was synthesized in only 16 steps from a known ß-allyl-γ-butyrolactone. The key sequence of Vilsmeier-Haack cyclization and intramolecular azomethine ylide cycloaddition allowed the construction of, in a single step, three of the five rings common to all alkaloids found in both of these classes with perfect chemocontrol.

Continuous flow thermolysis of azidoacrylates for the synthesis of heterocycles and pharmaceutical intermediates.

An efficient, safe and scalable procedure for the continuous flow thermolysis of azidoacrylates to yield indoles has been developed and was applied to the synthesis of related heterocycles. The scalability of the process was demonstrated in the continuous flow synthesis of a precursor to the DAAO inhibitor 4H-furo[3,2-b]pyrrole-5-carboxylic acid.

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of substituted pyrrolidines using a sequence of azomethine ylide cycloaddition and nucleophilic cyclization.

Although cycloadditions of azomethine ylides usually give mixtures of endo/exo adducts, we successfully tuned the mechanistic path of a new reaction cascade to afford substituted pyrrolidines in high yields and diastereomeric purity. This was achieved by forcing the demetalation of tin- or silicon-substituted iminium ions, followed by azomethine ylide cycloaddition and nucleophilic cyclization. Structural complexity is thus built rapidly in a fully controlled one-pot reaction cascade.

A versatile cascade of intramolecular Vilsmeier-Haack and azomethine ylide 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition toward tricyclic cores of alkaloids.

In the pursuit of synthetic efficiency, we developed an innovative one-pot transformation of linear substrates into bi- and tricyclic adducts using a cascade of amide activation, nucleophilic cyclization, azomethine ylide generation, and subsequent inter- or intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Despite the high density and variety of functional groups on the substrates, the sequence occurred with perfect chemoselectivity with good to excellent yields.

Competition between alkenes in intramolecular ketene-alkene [2 + 2] cycloaddition: what does it take to win?

In the course of developing a new synthetic methodology using ketenes in sequential cycloaddition steps, we were faced with a competition problem with molecules containing a ketene tethered to more than one reacting partner. To pinpoint the electronic and tethering requirements for a chemoselective reaction, we undertook a series of ketene-alkene [2 + 2] cycloaddition competition experiments. Those experiments were conducted on molecules containing either two identical alkenes having different tether lengths or two alkenes having the same tether length but being electronically different. We demonstrated that the reaction is much faster for forming five-membered rings than six-membered rings and calculated the Hammett constant rho for intramolecular ketene-alkene [2 + 2] cycloadditions to be -1.39.