The scope and limitations of intramolecular Nicholas and Pauson-Khand reactions for the synthesis of tricyclic oxygen- and nitrogen-containing heterocycles.

We studied the scope and limitations of a tandem intramolecular Nicholas/Pauson-Khand strategy for the synthesis of tricyclic oxygen- and nitrogen-containing heterocycles. This methodology enables conversion of simple acyclic starting materials into a series of previously unknown heterocyclic architectures. For the preparation of cyclic ethers (Z = O), tricyclic [5,6,5]- through [5,9,5]-systems (m = 1, n = 1-4) are available with the [5,7,5]- and [5,8,5]-systems amenable to quick and efficient synthesis. Tricyclic [5,7,5]- and [5,8,5]-amine-containing (Z = NTs) heterocycles can be successfully prepared. Attempts to make larger ring systems (Z = O, m = 2; Z = O, n = 5; or Z = NTs, n = 4-5) or prepare lactones via Nicholas reactions with carboxylic acid nucleophiles (available via oxidation of alcohol nucleophiles, Z = O) result in decomposition or dimerization. The latter process enables formation of 14-, 16-, and 18-membered ring diolides when using carboxylic acid nucleophiles. We also investigated the use of chiral amine promoters in the Pauson-Khand step but found no asymmetric induction.

Benchmark study of DFT functionals for late-transition-metal reactions.

The performance of a wide variety of DFT exchange-correlation functionals for a number of late-transition-metal reaction profiles has been considered. Benchmark ab-initio reference data for the prototype reactions Pd + H2, Pd + CH4, Pd + C2H6 (both C-C and C-H activation), and Pd + CH3Cl are presented, while ab-initio data of lesser quality were obtained for the catalytic hydrogenation of acetone and for the low-oxidation-state and high-oxidation-state mechanisms of the Heck reaction. "Kinetics" functionals such as mPW1K, PWB6K, BB1K, and BMK clearly perform more poorly for late-transition-metal reactions than for main-group reactions, as well as compared to general-purpose functionals. There is no single "best functional" for late-transition-metal reactions, but rather a cluster of several functionals (PBE0, B1B95, PW6B95, and TPSS25B95) that perform about equally well; if main-group thermochemical performance is additionally considered, then B1B95 and PW6B95 emerge as the best performers. TPSS25B95 and TPSS33B95 offer attractive performance compromises if weak interactions and main-group barrier heights, respectively, are also important. In the ab-initio calculations, basis set superposition errors (BSSE) can be greatly reduced by ensuring that the metal spd shell has sufficient radial flexibility in the high-exponent range. Optimal HF percentages in hybrid functionals depend on the class of systems considered, increasing from anions to neutrals to cations to main-group barrier heights; transition-metal barrier heights represent an intermediate situation. The use of meta-GGA correlation functionals appears to be quite beneficial.

Regioselective alkene carbon-carbon bond cleavage to aldehydes and chemoselective alcohol oxidation of allylic alcohols with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by [cis-Ru(II)(dmp)2(H2O)2]2+ (dmp = 2,9-dimethylphenanthroline).

[reaction: see text] [cis-Ru(II)(dmp)2(H2O)2]2+ (dmp = 2,9-dimethylphenanthroline) was found to be a selective oxidation catalyst using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Thus, primary alkenes were very efficiently oxidized via direct carbon-carbon bond cleavage to the corresponding aldehydes as an alternative to ozonolysis. Secondary alkenes were much less reactive, leading to regioselective oxidation of substrates such as 4-vinylcyclohexene and 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene at the terminal position. Primary allylic alcohols were chemoselectively oxidized to the corresponding allylic aldehydes, e.g., geraniol to citral.

Nicholas reactions with carboxylic acids for the synthesis of macrocyclic diolides.

[reaction: see text] We have developed a new strategy for the preparation of diolides using a cascade of Nicholas reactions. The carboxylic acid nucleophiles in these reactions are virtually unstudied participants in transformations of this type. Using this methodology, a 16-membered cobalt-complexed cyclic diyne is available in 28% yield over eight steps (an average of 85% per step). We can also easily access the uncomplexed diolide in one additional step.

Tandem intramolecular Nicholas and Pauson-Khand reactions for the synthesis of tricyclic oxygen-containing heterocycles.

[reaction: see text] Simple acyclic enynes can be easily converted into tricyclic ethers upon treatment with Co2(CO)8 followed by Nicholas and Pauson-Khand reactions. Tricyclic [5,8,5]- and [5,7,5]-systems can be prepared in high overall yields in only seven synthetic steps.