Explicit Mechanism of Rh(I)-Catalyzed Asymmetric C-H Arylation and Facile Synthesis of Planar Chiral Ferrocenophanes.

Mechanism-guided reaction development is a well-appreciated research paradigm in chemistry since the merging of mechanistic knowledge would accelerate the discovery of new synthetic methods. Low-valent transition metals such as Pd(0)- and Rh(I)-catalyzed C-H arylation with aryl (pseudo)halides is among the enabling reactions for the exclusive cross-coupling of two different aryl partners. However, different from the situation of Pd(0)-catalysis, the mechanism of Rh(I)-catalyzed C-H arylation is underexplored. The sequence of the elementary steps of aryl C-H activation and oxidative addition of aryl (pseudo)halides remains unclear. Herein, we report comprehensive experimental and computational studies toward explicit mechanistic understandings of Rh(I)-catalyzed intermolecular asymmetric C-H arylation between 2-pyridinylferrocenes and aryl bromides. The identification of each elementary step in the catalytic cycle and the structural characterization of the key intermediates and transition states allow the rational design and development of challenging intramolecular reactions. The successful realization of this reaction mode set the foundation for the facile synthesis of planar chiral [m]ferrocenophanes (m = 6-8), a class of rarely explored target molecules with strained structures and intriguing molecular topology.

Transition-metal mediated carbon-sulfur bond activation and transformations: an update.

Carbon-sulfur bond cross-coupling has become more and more attractive as an alternative protocol to establish carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. Diverse transformations through transition-metal-catalyzed C-S bond activation and cleavage have recently been developed. This review summarizes the advances in transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling via carbon-sulfur bond activation and cleavage since late 2012 as an update of the critical review on the same topic published in early 2013 (Chem. Soc. Rev., 2013, 42, 599-621), which is presented by the categories of organosulfur compounds, that is, thioesters, thioethers including heteroaryl, aryl, vinyl, alkyl, and alkynyl sulfides, ketene dithioacetals, sulfoxides including DMSO, sulfones, sulfonyl chlorides, sulfinates, thiocyanates, sulfonium salts, sulfonyl hydrazides, sulfonates, thiophene-based compounds, and C[double bond, length as m-dash]S functionality-bearing compounds such as thioureas, thioamides, and carbon disulfide, as well as the mechanistic insights. An overview of C-S bond cleavage reactions with stoichiometric transition-metal reagents is briefly given. Theoretical studies on the reactivity of carbon-sulfur bonds by DFT calculations are also discussed.

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Annulation of Acetophenone O-Acetyl Oximes with Allenoates through Arene C-H Activation: An Access to Isoquinolines.

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed annulation of acetophenone O-acetyl oximes with allenoates was achieved, affording isoquinolines in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivities under redox-neutral conditions. Allenoates acted as the C2 synthons in the annulation reaction. The present synthetic methodology features good functional group tolerance and avoids metal salts as the external oxidants. The proposed mechanism suggests that the reaction proceeds through arene C-H activation, allene insertion, and C-N coupling.

Amide Bond Formation Assisted by Vicinal Alkylthio Migration in Enaminones: Metal- and CO-Free Synthesis of α,ß-Unsaturated Amides.

Amide bond formation is one of the most important transformations in organic synthesis, drug development, and materials science. Efficient construction of amides has been among the most challenging tasks for organic chemists. Herein, we report a concise methodology for amide bond (-CONH-) formation assisted by vicinal group migration in alkylthio-functionalized enaminones (α-oxo ketene N, S-acetals) under mild conditions. Simple treatment of such enaminones with PhI(OAc)2 at ambient temperature in air afforded diverse multiply functionalized α,ß-unsaturated amides including ß-cyclopropylated acrylamides, in which a wide array of functional groups such as aryl, (hetero)aryl, alkenyl, and alkyl can be conveniently introduced to a ketene moiety. The reaction mechanism was investigated by exploring the origins of the amide oxygen and carbon atoms as well as isolation and structural characterization of the reaction intermediates. The amide bond formation reactions could also be efficiently performed under solventless mechanical milling conditions.

α,ß-Unsaturated N-Acylindoles: An Alternative Class of Michael Acceptors and Their Application in Asymmetric Borylation.

Copper(I)-catalyzed enantioselective borylation of α,ß-unsaturated N-acylindoles as well as N-acylpyrroles was efficiently achieved by means of bis(pinacolato)diboron (B2pin2), affording the enantioenriched products in excellent yields with up to 99% ee. The present work provides an alternative class of Michael acceptors, that is, α,ß-unsaturated N-acylindoles, for potential asymmetric transformations.

Copper-promoted direct C-H alkoxylation of S,S-functionalized internal olefins with alcohols.

Copper-promoted direct C-H alkoxylation of S,S-functionalized internal olefins, that is, α-oxo ketene dithioacetals, was efficiently achieved with alcohols as the alkoxylating agents, (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (PhI(OAc)2) as the oxidant, and benzoquinone (BQ) as the co-oxidant. The alkoxylated olefins were thus constructed and applied for the synthesis of alkoxylated N-heterocycles. The polarization of the olefinic carbon-carbon double bond by the electron-donating dialkylthio and electron-withdrawing α-oxo functionalities plays a crucial role in making such C-H alkoxylation reactions to occur under mild conditions. Mechanistic studies implicate a single-electron-transfer (SET) reaction pathway involved in the overall catalytic cycle.

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Annulative Coupling of Sulfoxonium Ylides and Allenoates: An Arene C-H Activation/Cyclopropanation Cascade.

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed annulative coupling of sulfoxonium ylides with allenoates was achieved, forming highly functionalized cyclopropanes with a quaternary carbon center by means of the sulfoxonium ylide functionality as a traceless bifunctional directing group and C4 synthon via an arene C-H activation and cyclopropanation cascade. The protocol features simultaneous formation of three new C-C bonds in one pot with excellent diastereoselectivity. The resultant cyclopropanation products could be further transformed to diverse synthetically useful compounds.

Palladium-Catalyzed C-S Bond Cleavage with Allenoates: Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted 2-Alkenylfuran Derivatives.

Palladium-catalyzed C-S cleavage of tetrasubstituted internal alkene α-oxo ketene dithioacetals was realized with allenoates as the coupling partners, efficiently affording tetrasubstituted 2-alkenylfuran derivatives with excellent regioselectivity under mild conditions. Allenoates acted as C1 synthons in the desulfurative [4 + 1] annulation.

Photoredox-Catalyzed C-H Arylation of Internal Alkenes to Tetrasubstituted Alkenes: Synthesis of Tamoxifen.

Visible-light-induced direct C-H arylation of S,S-functionalized internal alkenes, that is, α-oxo ketene dithioacetals and analogues, has been efficiently realized with aryldiazonium salts (ArN2BF4) as coupling partners and Ru(bpy)3Cl2·6H2O as photosensitizer at ambient temperature. The strategy to activate the internal olefinic C-H bond by both the alkylthio and electron-withdrawing functional groups was investigated. The synthetic protocol was successfully applied to the synthesis of all-carbon tetrasubstituted alkenes including tamoxifen.

Iron-Catalyzed Oxidative C-H Functionalization of Internal Olefins for the Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted Furans.

Tetrasubstituted furans were efficiently synthesized from Fe(OAc)2-catalyzed C-H/C-H cross-dehydrogenative-coupling (CDC) reactions of activated carbonyl methylenes with S,S-functionalized internal olefins, that is, α-oxo ketene dithioacetals and analogues, under oxidative conditions. ß-Ketoesters, 1,3-dicarbonyls, ß-keto nitrile, and amide derivatives were used as the coupling partners. The resultant alkylthio- and carbonyl-functionalized furans could be further transformed to diverse arylated furan derivatives and furan-fused N-heterocycles, respectively. The control experiments have revealed a radical reaction pathway.

Copper-Catalyzed Formal Carbene Migratory Insertion into Internal Olefinic C═C Bonds with N-Tosylhydrazones To Access Iminofuran and 2(3H)-Furanone Derivatives.

Efficient copper-catalyzed formal carbene migratory insertion into the olefinic C═C bonds of internal olefins, that is, α-oxo ketene N,S-acetals, has been achieved by means of N-tosylhydrazones of ketones as the carbene precursors. Iminofuran derivatives were obtained and further transformed to the corresponding 2(3H)-furanones and 4-oxobutanoates (γ-ketoesters), respectively, under mild conditions. In a similar fashion, α-thioxo ketene N,S-acetals reacted with N-tosylhydrazones of ketones to afford iminothiophenes. It is suggested that formal carbene migratory insertion into the olefinic C═C bond is involved in the overall catalytic cycle, demonstrating a new type of carbene insertion reaction for five-membered heterocycle construction.