(Phenoxyimine)nickel-Catalyzed C(sp2)-C(sp3) Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling: Evidence for a Recovering Radical Chain Mechanism.

Phenoxyimine (FI)-nickel(II)(2-tolyl)(DMAP) compounds were synthesized and evaluated as precatalysts for the C(sp2)-C(sp3) Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling of (hetero)arylboronic acids with alkyl bromides. With 5 mol % of the optimal (MeOMeFI)Ni(Aryl)(DMAP) precatalyst, the scope of the cross-coupling reaction was established and included a variety of (hetero)arylboronic acids and alkyl bromides (>50 examples, 33-97% yield). A ß-hydride elimination-reductive elimination sequence from reaction with potassium isopropoxide base, yielding a potassium (FI)nickel(0)ate, was identified as a catalyst activation pathway that is responsible for halogen atom abstraction from the alkyl bromide. A combination of NMR and EPR spectroscopies identified (FI)nickel(II)-aryl complexes as the resting state during catalysis with no evidence for long-lived organic radical or odd-electron nickel intermediates. These data establish that the radical chain is short-lived and undergoes facile termination and also support a "recovering radical chain" process whereby the (FI)nickel(II)-aryl compound continually (re)initiates the radical chain. Kinetic studies established that the rate of C(sp2)-C(sp3) product formation was proportional to the concentration of the (FI)nickel(II)-aryl resting state that captures the alkyl radical for chain propagation. The proposed mechanism involves two key and concurrently operating catalytic cycles; the first involving a nickel(I/II/III) radical propagation cycle consisting of radical capture at (FI)nickel(II)-aryl, C(sp2)-C(sp3) reductive elimination, bromine atom abstraction from C(sp3)-Br, and transmetalation; and the second involving an off-cycle catalyst recovery process by slow (FI)nickel(II)-aryl → (FI)nickel(0)ate conversion for nickel(I) regeneration.

Mechanistic Investigations of Phenoxyimine-Cobalt(II)-Catalyzed C(sp2)-C(sp3) Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling.

The mechanism of phenoxyimine (FI)-cobalt-catalyzed C(sp2)-C(sp3) Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling was studied using a combination of kinetic measurements and catalytic and stoichiometric experiments. A series of dimeric (FI)cobalt(II) bromide complexes, [(4-CF3PhFI)CoBr]2, [(4-OMePhFI)CoBr]2, and [(2,6-diiPrPhFI)CoBr]2, were isolated and characterized by 1H and 19F NMR spectroscopies, solution and solid-state magnetic susceptibility, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY). One complex, [(4-CF3PhFI)CoBr]2, was explored as a single-component precatalyst for C(sp2)-C(sp3) Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling. Addition of potassium methoxide to [(4-CF3PhFI)CoBr]2 generated the corresponding (FI)cobalt(II) methoxide complex as determined by 1H and 19F NMR and EPR spectroscopies. These spectroscopic signatures were used to identify this compound as the resting state during catalytic C(sp2)-C(sp3) coupling. Variable time normalization analysis (VTNA) of in situ catalytic 19F NMR spectroscopic data was used to establish an experimental rate law that was first-order in a (FI)cobalt(II) precatalyst, zeroth-order in the alkyl halide, and first-order in an activated potassium methoxide-aryl boronate complex. These findings are consistent with turnover-limiting transmetalation that occurs prior to activation of the alkyl bromide electrophile. The involvement of boronate intermediates in transmetalation was corroborated by Hammett studies of electronically differentiated aryl boronic esters. Together, a cobalt(II)/cobalt(III) catalytic cycle was proposed that proceeds through a "boronate"-type mechanism.

Orange Light-Driven C(sp2)-C(sp3) Cross-Coupling via Spin-Forbidden Ir(III) Metallaphotoredox Catalysis.

We report the development and characterization of a library of Ir(III) photocatalysts capable of undergoing spin-forbidden excitation (SFE) under orange light irradiation (595 nm). These catalysts were successfully applied to the construction of synthetically valuable C(sp2)-C(sp3) bonds inaccessible with existing methods of low-energy light-driven dual nickel/photoredox catalysis, demonstrating the synthetic utility of this photocatalyst family. The photocatalysts are capable of accessing both oxidatively and reductively activated coupling partners, illustrated through deaminative arylation and potassium alkyl trifluoroborate cross-coupling reactions with aryl halides. We demonstrate diverse substrate scopes of both cross-coupling paradigms under mild conditions in the first example of low-energy light-driven C(sp2)-C(sp3) metallaphotoredox coupling.

Coupling-Condensation Strategy for the Convergent Synthesis of an Imidazole-Fused 2-Aminoquinoline NLRP3 Agonist.

The development of a convergent route to the NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 3) agonist BMS-986299 is reported. The synthesis relies on a key Miyaura borylation and a tandem Suzuki-Miyaura coupling between an iodoimidazole and an o-aminochloroarene, followed by acid-mediated cyclization to afford the aminoquinoline core. The subsequent Boc cleavage and regioselective acylation afford the target compound. Two routes to the iodoimidazole intermediate are presented, along with the synthesis of the o-aminochloroarene via Negishi coupling. The convergent six-step route leads to an 80% reduction in process mass intensity compared to the linear enabling synthesis.

Sleepiness Moderates the Associations between Personality and Financial Risk Tolerance and Spending Habits among College Students.

OBJECTIVES: Personality and sleep characteristics are related to financial attitudes and behaviors. However, to our knowledge no study has examined how personality and sleep may be conjointly associated with these financial outcomes. The present study examined sleepiness as a moderator of the associations between college students' personality traits and financial risk tolerance and spending habits. METHODS: Undergraduates (N = 177, 77% women, 78% White) self-reported their personality traits and sleepiness using well-established questionnaires. Financial attitudes and behaviors were assessed via students' self-reported responses to a set of scenarios assessing risk tolerance as well as their spending habits over the prior two weeks. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses were run. Across five significant two-way interactions, high levels of sleepiness exacerbated risk for greater financial risk tolerance and higher spending among those characterized by high open-mindedness and low neuroticism, whereas low sleepiness increased protection for lower risk tolerance and less spending among those high in agreeableness and conscientiousness. CONCLUSIONS: Sleepiness may act as both a vulnerability and protective factor in relations between personality and financial attitudes and behaviors. Improvements in sleepiness, which is modifiable via intervention, may have significant implications for individuals' financial well-being.

Phenoxythiazoline (FTz)-Cobalt(II) Precatalysts Enable C(sp2 )-C(sp3 ) Bond-Formation for Key Intermediates in the Synthesis of Toll-like Receptor 7/8 Antagonists.

Evaluation of the relative rates of the cobalt-catalyzed C(sp2 )-C(sp3 ) Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling between the neopentylglycol ester of 4-fluorophenylboronic acid and N-Boc-4-bromopiperidine established that smaller N-alkyl substituents on the phenoxyimine (FI) supporting ligand accelerated the overall rate of the reaction. This trend inspired the design of optimal cobalt catalysts with phenoxyoxazoline (FOx) and phenoxythiazoline (FTz) ligands. An air-stable cobalt(II) precatalyst, (FTz)CoBr(py)3 was synthesized and applied to the cross-coupling of an indole-5-boronic ester nucleophile with a piperidine-4-bromide electrophile that is relevant to the synthesis of reported toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 antagonist molecules including afimetoran. Addition of excess KOMe⋅B(Oi Pr)3 improved catalyst lifetime due to attenuation of alkoxide basicity that otherwise resulted in demetallation of the FI chelate. A first-order dependence on the cobalt precatalyst and a saturation regime in nucleophile were observed, supporting turnover-limiting transmetalation and the origin of the observed trends in N-imine substitution.

Overcoming Photochemical Limitations in Metallaphotoredox Catalysis: Red-Light-Driven C-N Cross-Coupling.

Aryl amination is an essential transformation for medicinal, process, and materials chemistry. In addition to classic Buchwald-Hartwig amination conditions, blue-light-driven metallaphotoredox catalysis has emerged as a valuable tool for C-N cross-coupling. However, blue light suffers from low penetration through reaction media, limiting its scalability for industrial purposes. In addition, blue light enhances unwanted side-product formation in metallaphotoredox catalysis, namely hydrodehalogenation. Low-energy light, such as deep red (DR) or near-infrared (NIR), offers a solution to this problem as it can provide enhanced penetration through reaction media as compared to higher-energy wavelengths. Herein, we show that low-energy light can also enhance the desired reactivity in metallaphotoredox catalysis by suppressing unwanted hydrodehalogenation. We hypothesize that the reduced side product is formed by direct photolysis of the aryl-nickel bond by the high-energy light, leading to the generation of aryl radicals. Using deep-red or near-infrared light and an osmium photocatalyst, we demonstrate an enhanced scope of (hetero)aryl bromides and amine-based nucleophiles with minimal formation of hydrodehalogenation byproducts.

A Process Chemistry Benchmark for sp2-sp3 Cross Couplings.

As sp2-sp3 disconnections gain acceptance in the medicinal chemist's toolbox, an increasing number of potential drug candidates containing this motif are moving into the pharmaceutical development pipeline. This raises a new set of questions and challenges around the novel, direct methodologies available for forging these bonds. These questions gain further importance in the context of process chemistry, where the focus is the development of scalable processes that enable the large-scale delivery of clinical supplies. In this paper, we describe our efforts to apply a wide variety of standard, photo-, and electrochemical sp2-sp3 cross-coupling methods to a pharmaceutically relevant intermediate and optimize each through a combination of high throughput and mechanistically guided experimentation. With data regarding the performance, benefits, and limitations of these novel methods, we evaluate them against a more traditional two-step palladium-catalyzed process. This work reveals trends and similarities between these sp2-sp3 bond-forming methods and suggests a path forward for further refinements.

Pd- and Ni-Based Systems for the Catalytic Borylation of Aryl (Pseudo)halides with B2(OH)4.

Despite recent advancements in metal-catalyzed borylations of aryl (pseudo)halides, there is a continuing need to develop robust methods to access both early-stage and late-stage organoboron intermediates amendable for further functionalization. In particular, the development of general catalytic systems that operate under mild reaction conditions across a broad range of electrophilic partners remains elusive. Herein, we report the development and application of three catalytic systems (two Pd-based and one Ni-based) for the direct borylation of aryl (pseudo)halides using tetrahydroxydiboron (B2(OH)4). For the Pd-based catalyst systems, we have identified general reaction conditions that allow for the sequestration of halide ions through simple precipitation that results in catalyst loadings as low as 0.01 mol % (100 ppm) and reaction temperatures as low as room temperature. We also describe a complementary Ni-based catalyst system that employs simple unligated Ni(II) salts as an inexpensive alternative to the Pd-based systems for the borylation of aryl (pseudo)halides. Extrapolation of all three systems to a one-pot tandem borylation/Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling is also demonstrated on advanced intermediates and drug substances.

Utilizing Native Directing Groups: Mechanistic Understanding of a Direct Arylation Leads to Formation of Tetracyclic Heterocycles via Tandem Intermolecular, Intramolecular C-H Activation.

A mechanistic study on a direct arylation using a native picolylamine directing group is reported. Kinetic studies determined the concentration dependence of substrates and catalysts, as well as catalyst degradation, which led to the development of a new set of reaction conditions capable of affording a robust kinetic profile. During reaction optimization, a small impurity was observed, which was determined to be a dual C-H activation product. A second set of conditions were found to flip the selectivity of the C-H activation to form this tetracycle in high yield. A catalytic cycle is proposed for the intermolecular/intramolecular C-H activation pathway.

Decarboxylative Intramolecular Arene Alkylation Using N-(Acyloxy)phthalimides, an Organic Photocatalyst, and Visible Light.

An intramolecular arene alkylation reaction has been developed using the organic photocatalyst 4CzIPN, visible light, and N-(acyloxy)phthalimides as radical precursors. Reaction conditions were optimized via high-throughput experimentation, and electron-rich and electron-deficient arenes and heteroarenes are viable reaction substrates. This reaction enables access to a diverse set of fused, partially saturated cores which are of high interest in synthetic and medicinal chemistry.

Ni-Catalyzed Carbon-Carbon Bond-Forming Reductive Amination.

This report describes a three-component, Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling that enables the convergent synthesis of tertiary benzhydryl amines, which are challenging to access by traditional reductive amination methodologies. The reaction makes use of iminium ions generated in situ from the condensation of secondary N-trimethylsilyl amines with benzaldehydes, and these species undergo reaction with several distinct classes of organic electrophiles. The synthetic value of this process is demonstrated by a single-step synthesis of antimigraine drug flunarizine (Sibelium) and high yielding derivatization of paroxetine (Paxil) and metoprolol (Lopressor). Mechanistic investigations support a sequential oxidative addition mechanism rather than a pathway proceeding via α-amino radical formation. Accordingly, application of catalytic conditions to an intramolecular reductive coupling is demonstrated for the synthesis of endo- and exocyclic benzhydryl amines.

An Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Duocarmycin SA.

An efficient, concise enantioselective total synthesis of the potent antitumor antibiotic (+)-duocarmycin SA is described. The invented route is based on a disconnection strategy that was devised to facilitate rapid and efficient synthesis of key core compounds to enable preclinical structure-activity relationship investigations. The key tricycle core was constructed with a highly enantioselective indole hydrogenation to set the stereocenter and a subsequent hitherto unexplored vicarious, nucleophilic-substitution/cyclization sequence to effectively forge a final indole ring. Additionally, the development of a stable sulfonamide protecting group capable of mild chemoselective cleavage greatly enhanced sequence yield and throughput. An understanding of key reaction parameters ensured a robust, reproducible sequence easily executable on decagram scales to this highly promising class of compounds.

Enantioselective Synthesis of a γ-Secretase Modulator via Vinylogous Dynamic Kinetic Resolution.

Two efficient asymmetric routes to γ-secretase modulator BMS-932481, under investigation for Alzheimer's disease, have been developed. The key step for the first route involves a challenging enantioselective hydrogenation of an unfunctionalized trisubstituted alkene to establish the benzylic stereocenter, representing a very rare case of achieving high selectivity on a complex substrate. The second route demonstrates the first example of a vinylogous dynamic kinetic resolution (VDKR) ketone reduction, where the carbonyl and the racemizable stereocenter are not contiguous, but are conjugated through a pyrimidine ring. Not only did this transformation require both catalyst and substrate control to correctly establish the two stereocenters, but it also necessitated that the nonadjacent benzylic center of the ketone substrate be more acidic than that of the alcohol product to make the process dynamic. DFT computations aided the design of this novel VDKR pathway by reliably predicting the relative acidities of the intermediates involved.

Catalytic functionalization of unactivated primary C-H bonds directed by an alcohol.

New synthetic methods for the catalytic functionalization of C-H bonds have the potential to revolutionize the synthesis of complex molecules. However, the realization of this synthetic potential requires the ability to functionalize selectively one C-H bond in a compound containing many such bonds and an array of functional groups. The site-selective functionalization of aliphatic C-H bonds is one of the greatest challenges that must be met for C-H bond functionalization to be used widely in complex-molecule synthesis, and processes catalysed by transition-metals provide the opportunity to control selectivity. Current methods for catalytic, aliphatic C-H bond functionalization typically rely on the presence of one inherently reactive C-H bond, or on installation and subsequent removal of directing groups that are not components of the desired molecule. To overcome these limitations, we sought catalysts and reagents that would facilitate aliphatic C-H bond functionalization at a single site, with chemoselectivity derived from the properties of the catalyst and site-selectivity directed by common functional groups contained in both the reactant and the desired product. Here we show that the combination of an iridium-phenanthroline catalyst and a dihydridosilane reagent leads to the site-selective γ-functionalization of primary C-H bonds controlled by a hydroxyl group, the most common functional group in natural products. The scope of the reaction encompasses alcohols and ketones bearing many substitution patterns and auxiliary functional groups; this broad scope suggests that this methodology will be suitable for the site-selective and diastereoselective functionalization of complex natural products.

Improving Robustness: In Situ Generation of a Pd(0) Catalyst for the Cyanation of Aryl Bromides.

Conditions have been developed for the palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl bromides utilizing the air-stable XantPhos-PdCl2 precatalyst. By employing a trialkylamine as a reducing agent, the active Pd(0) species is generated in situ, alleviating the need to employ the air-sensitive Pd2(dba)3. Twenty-two substituted benzonitriles have been synthesized using this method.

Zinc Acetate-Promoted Buchwald-Hartwig Couplings of Heteroaromatic Amines.

Zinc salts have been shown to promote the Buchwald-Hartwig coupling of azaindoles and azaindazoles with heteroaryl chlorides to provide the corresponding 1-aryl-1H-azaindoles and 1-aryl-1H-azaindazoles. The substrate scope and mechanistic aspects of this reaction were explored.

α-Alkylation and Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Tetralone via Hydrogen Borrowing and Dynamic Kinetic Resolution Strategy Using a Single Iridium(III) Complex.

Here we present a novel strategy for the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched tetrahydronaphthalen-1-ols. The reaction proceeds via an alkylation (via hydrogen borrowing) and ammonium formate-mediated asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (via dynamic kinetic resolution), giving alkylated tetralols in high yields and good enantio- and diastereoselectivity across a diverse range of both alcohol and tetralone substrates. Additionally, these products were successfully derivatized to several complex molecules, demonstrating the utility of the tetrahydronaphthalen-1-ol.

Synthetic studies on the icetexones: enantioselective formal syntheses of icetexone and epi-icetexone.

Two strategies for the synthesis of the icetexane diterpenoids icetexone and epi-icetexone that rely on Ga(III)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of alkynyl indene substrates to yield fused [6-7-6] tricycles have been explored. In the first approach, access to a tricycle bearing a gem-dimethyl group paved the way for explorations of C-H functionalization of one of the methyl groups in close proximity to a hydroxyl-directing group. This approach was ultimately unsuccessful and led only to ring cleaved products. In the second approach, an alkynyl indene substrate bearing a cyano substituent was utilized, which was effective in providing a functional handle to access the icetexone subclass of diterpenoids. A key epoxide opening/diazene rearrangement sequence was utilized to complete a formal synthesis of icetexone and epi-icetexone, which is discussed in detail. Furthermore, the cyano-containing substrate has been prepared in enantioenriched form using a Rh-catalyzed conjugate addition reaction, which now provides a route to the enantioselective synthesis of these natural products.

Metallaphotoredox-Mediated Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling of α-Oxy Morpholine Carboxylic Acids and (Hetero)Aryl Halides.

A decarboxylative C(sp2)-C(sp3) cross-coupling reaction of α-oxy carboxylic acids using dual nickel/photoredox catalysis has been developed for the synthesis of complex morpholines and other saturated heterocycles, affording direct entry to scaffolds of interest in drug discovery. This chemistry can be applied to the coupling of an array of (hetero)aryl halides and α-heteroatom acids, providing C(sp2)-C(sp3)-coupled products in modest to excellent yields and enabling access to intermediates that can be further derivatized to multivector architectures.