Silver-Catalyzed Carbofluorination of Olefins and α-Fluoroolefins with Carbamoyl Radicals.

The reactivity of carbamoyl radicals, generated in situ from sodium oxamate salts, has been investigated in the context of radical carbofluorination reactions of olefins and α-fluoroolefins, respectively. Both transformations are catalyzed by silver salts and required the presence of potassium persulfate (K2S2O8) and SelectfluorTM as a radicophilic fluorine source. The reported methods provide a direct access to ß-fluoroamides and ß,ß-difluoroamides.

From Oxygen to Sulfur and Back: Difluoro -H-phosphinothioates as a Turning Point in the Preparation of Difluorinated Phosphinates: Application to the Synthesis of Modified Dinucleotides.

A simple, two-step procedure to convert α,α-difluorinated H-phosphinic acids into the corresponding H-phosphinothioates is described. The usefulness of these species is demonstrated by their transformation into difluorinated phosphinothioyl radicals and their addition onto alkenes. Additionally, sequential treatment of H-phosphinothioates by a strong base and a primary alkyl iodide constitutes an alternate route to the formation of the C-P bond. Both methods efficiently deliver difluorinated phosphinothioates. Similar reactions carried out with the fully oxygenated counterparts clearly indicate the superiority of the sulfur-based species and emphasize the crucial role played by sulfur in the construction of the second C-P bond. Oxidation easily transforms the thereby obtained phosphinothioates into the corresponding phosphinates. The whole strategy is applied to the stereoselective preparation of dinucleotide analogues featuring either a difluorophosphinothioyl or a difluorophosphinyl unit linking the two furanosyl rings.

Conformational Switching of a Foldamer in a Multicomponent System by pH-Filtered Selection between Competing Noncovalent Interactions.

Biomolecular systems are able to respond to their chemical environment through reversible, selective, noncovalent intermolecular interactions. Typically, these interactions induce conformational changes that initiate a signaling cascade, allowing the regulation of biochemical pathways. In this work, we describe an artificial molecular system that mimics this ability to translate selective noncovalent interactions into reversible conformational changes. An achiral but helical foldamer carrying a basic binding site interacts selectively with the most acidic member of a suite of chiral ligands. As a consequence of this noncovalent interaction, a global absolute screw sense preference, detectable by (13)C NMR, is induced in the foldamer. Addition of base, or acid, to the mixture of ligands competitively modulates their interaction with the binding site, and reversibly switches the foldamer chain between its left and right-handed conformations. As a result, the foldamer-ligand mixture behaves as a biomimetic chemical system with emergent properties, functioning as a "proton-counting" molecular device capable of providing a tunable, pH-dependent conformational response to its environment.

A [3 + 3] annelation approach to (+)-rhopaloic acid B.

A general and enantiospecific [3 + 3] reaction toward functionalized pyrans is reported that has been employed in the first enantioselective synthesis of (+)-rhopaloic acid B.

Synthesis of 2-aminoindolizines by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of pyridinium ylides with electron-deficient ynamides.

Electron-deficient ynamides, possessing an ynoate or an ynone moiety, have been successfully involved for the first time in a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with stabilized pyridinium ylides. These reactions afford an efficient and general access toward a variety of substituted 2-aminoindolizines which can serve as useful precursors for the synthesis of other more complex nitrogen heterocycles.

Synthesis of functionalized allenamides from ynamides by enolate Claisen rearrangement.

The Claisen rearrangement of N-Boc glycinates derived from ynamido-alcohols affords an efficient and stereoselective access to highly functionalized allenamides. These compounds undergo silver-catalyzed cyclization to 3-pyrrolines which are useful precursors for the synthesis of substituted pyrrolidines.

Elimination versus ring opening: a convergent route to alkylidene-cyclobutanes.

Functionalized alkylidene-cyclobutanes have been prepared from 2-fluoropyridinyl-6-oxy precursors derived from vinyl cyclobutanols by a radical addition-elimination process. A wide range of functional groups is tolerated, and the alkylidene-cyclobutanes can be further elaborated into cyclopentanones. The limitation of this approach resides in the competition with opening of the cyclobutane ring.

Passerini three-component reaction of alcohols under catalytic aerobic oxidative conditions.

Alcohols instead of aldehydes were used in the Passerini three-component reaction under catalytic aerobic conditions. Mixing alcohols, isocyanides, and carboxylic acids in toluene in the presence of a catalytic amount of cupric chloride, NaNO(2), and TEMPO afforded, under an oxygen atmosphere, the P-3CR adducts in good yields.

Palladium-catalyzed [1,3]-O-to-C rearrangement of pyrans toward functionalized cyclohexanones.

Functionalized cyclohexanones are prepared from cyclic enol ethers via a Pd-catalyzed [1,3]-O-to-C rearrangement reaction. α-Arylketones are generated with excellent diastereocontrol when basic phosphine ligands are used. In contrast, a Lewis acid is required to promote the rearrangement of the alkyl-substituted enol ether systems.

Investigation of an organomagnesium-based [3 + 3] annelation to pyrans and its application in the synthesis of rhopaloic acid A.

A stepwise [3 + 3] annelation reaction has been developed that allows access to pyrans from epoxides. This process involves the addition of an allylmagnesium reagent, itself readily prepared from methallyl alcohol, and a Pd-catalyzed cyclodehydration reaction. The potential of this process to be employed in natural product synthesis has been exemplified by its use in the preparation of rhopaloic acid A.