DABCO-catalyzed synthesis of trifluoromethylated furans from propargyl alcohols and methyl 2-perfluoroalkynoate.

The DABCO-catalyzed reaction of propargyl alcohols with methyl 2-perfluoroalkynoate to give trifluoromethylated furans in up to 98% yield under mild conditions has been developed. The established allene-enol and control experiments indicate that the reaction should proceed through a Michael addition and Claisen rearrangement/cyclization process.

Highly selective synthesis of (E)-3-methyl-1-trialkylsilyl-3-en-1-ynes via trans-selective alkynylation catalyzed by Cl2Pd(DPEphos) and stereospecific methylation with methylzincs catalyzed by Pd(tBu3P)2.

[reaction: see text] trans-Selective (>or=98%) monoalkynylation of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes and 1,1-dichloro-1-alkenes catalyzed by Cl(2)Pd(DPEphos) followed by stereospecific methylation with Me(2)Zn or MeZnX (X= Cl or Br) catalyzed by Pd((t)()Bu(3)P)(2) provides an efficient and stereoselective (>or=98%) route to 5, convertible to a wide variety of enynes and conjugated dienes. In the cases of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes, the Sonogashira alkynylation may also be satisfactory, but it is distinctly less satisfactory than the alkynylzinc reaction in cases where 1,1-dichloro-1-alkenes are used.

Palladium-catalyzed aminations of aryl halides with phosphine-functionalized imidazolium ligands.

A series of 1-(2-diphenylphosphinoferrocenyl)ethyl-3-substituted imidazolium iodides [3-substituent = methyl (1a); isopropyl (1b); tert-butyl (1c); 1-adenosyl (1d); cyclohexyl (1e); 2,6-dimethylphenyl (1f); 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl (1g); 2,6-diisopropylphenyl (1h)] have been prepared and evaluated as ligands in the palladium-catalyzed aminations of aryl halides with various amines. The scope of the coupling process was carried out for various aryl bromides and chlorides with the catalysts generated in situ from a mixture of Pd(OAc)2 and in the presence of a base. NaO t Bu was found the choice of base in combination with dioxane, toluene, or DME as solvent, although NaOH or Cs2CO3 promoted the coupling of 4-bromotoluene with morpholine in moderate conversion. The steric hindrance from the 3-substituent of imidazolium in the hybrid-bidentate chelating system was found to be only beneficial to the substrates without ortho-substituents. The more sterically hindered 1d or 1h promoted the coupling of bromobenzene with morpholine in nearly quantitative conversion with 0.2 mol% of palladium loading in the presence of NaO t Bu at 110 degrees C, and 94% of conversion was afforded with the less sterical demanding 1a for a longer time. However, for the substrates with ortho-substituents, higher conversions were achieved with 1a. The Pd(OAc)2/1d catalytic system was also active for deactivated aryl chloride, and 71% isolated yield for the desired product was realized for coupling of 4-chloroanisole with morpholine at 2 mol% of catalyst loading. The developed catalyst system has been applied successfully to the synthesis of a key building block for a type of functional polymers.