Conjugate Addition of Grignard Reagents to Thiochromones Catalyzed by Copper Salts: A Unified Approach to Both 2-Alkylthiochroman-4-One and Thioflavanone.

Grignard reagents undergo conjugate addition to thiochromones catalyzed by copper salts to afford 2-substituted-thiochroman-4-ones, both 2-alkylthiochroman-4-ones and thioflavanones (2-arylthiochroman-4-ones), in good yields with trimethylsilyl chloride (TMSCl) as an additive. The best yields of 1,4-adducts can be attained with CuCN∙2LiCl as the copper source. Excellent yields of 2-alkyl-substituted thiochroman-4-ones and thioflavanones (2-aryl substituted) are attained with a broad range of Grignard reagents. This approach works well with both alkyl and aromatic Grignard reagents, thus providing a unified synthetic approach to privileged 2-substituted thiochroman-4-ones and a potential valuable precursor for further synthetic applications towards many pharmaceutically active molecules. The use of commercially available and/or readily prepared Grignard reagents will expedite the synthesis of a large library of both 2-alkyl substituted thiochroman-4-ones and thioflavanones for additional synthetic applications.

Development of Conjugate Addition of Lithium Dialkylcuprates to Thiochromones: Synthesis of 2-Alkylthiochroman-4-ones and Additional Synthetic Applications.

Lithium dialkylcuprates undergo conjugate addition to thiochromones to afford 2-alkylthiochroman-4-ones in good yields. This approach provide an efficient and general synthetic approach to privileged sulfur-containing structural motifs and valuable precursors for many pharmaceuticals, starting from common substrates-thiochromones. Good yields of 2-alkyl-substituted thiochroman-4-ones are attained with lithium dialkylcuprates, lithium alkylcyanocuprates or substoichiometric amount of copper salts. The use of commercially available inexpensive alkyllithium reagents will expedite the synthesis of a large library of 2-alkyl substituted thiochroman-4-ones for additional synthetic applications.

Rhodium(I)-Complexes Catalyzed 1,4-Conjugate Addition of Arylzinc Chlorides to N-Boc-4-pyridone.

Rhodium(I)-complexes catalyzed the 1,4-conjugate addition of arylzinc chlorides to N-Boc-4-pyridone in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane (TMSCl). A combination of [RhCl(C2H4)2]2 and BINAP was determined to be the most effective catalyst to promote the 1,4-conjugate addition reactions of arylzinc chlorides to N-Boc-4-pyridone. A broad scope of arylzinc reagents with both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents on the aromatic ring successfully underwent 1,4-conjugate addition to N-Boc-4-pyridone to afford versatile 1,4-adducts 2-substituted-2,3-dihydropyridones in good to excellent yields (up to 91%) and excellent ee (up to 96%) when (S)-BINAP was used as chiral ligand.

Conjugate addition reactions of N-carbamoyl-4-pyridones and 2,3-dihydropyridones with Grignard reagents in the absence of Cu(I) salts.

N-Boc- and N-ethoxycarbonyl-4-pyridones and the resulting 2,3-dihydropyridones undergo 1,4-addition reactions with Grignard reagents in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane (TMSCl) or BF3·Et2O in excellent yields. Copper catalysis is not required, and mechanistic considerations suggest that the reaction is proceeding by a conjugate addition pathway rather than by a pathway involving 1,2-addition to an intermediate pyridinium ion. TMSCl-mediated conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to 2-substituted-2,3-dihydropyridones gives the trans-2,6-disubstitued piperidinones stereoselectively, while cuprate reagents give either the trans or cis diastereomers or mixtures.

Progress on the Cu-Catalyzed 1,4-Conjugate Addition to Thiochromones.

Carbon-carbon bond formation is one of the most important tools in synthetic organic chemists' toolbox. It is a fundamental transformation that allows synthetic chemists to synthesize the carbon framework of complex molecules from inexpensive simple starting materials. Among the many synthetic methodologies developed for the construction of carbon-carbon bonds, organocopper reagents are one of the most reliable organometallic reagents for this purpose. The versatility of organocuprate reagents or the reactions catalyzed by organocopper reagents were demonstrated by their applications in a variety of synthetic transformations including the 1,4-conjugate addition reactions. Sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds are a much less studied area compared to oxygen-containing heterocycles but have gained more and more attention in recent years due to their rich biological activities and widespread applications in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and material science. This paper will provide a brief review on recent progress on the synthesis of an important class of sulfur-heterocycles-2-alkylthiochroman-4-ones and thioflavanones via the conjugate additions of Grignard reagents to thiochromones catalyzed by copper catalysts. Recent progress on the synthesis of 2-substituted thiochroman-4-ones via alkynylation and alkenylation of thiochromones will also be covered in this review.

Regio- and stereoselectivity in the reactions of organometallic reagents with an electron-deficient and an electron-rich vinyloxirane: applications for sequential bis-allylic substitution reactions in the generation of vicinal stereogenic centers.

Vinyloxiranes provide opportunities for bis-allylic substitution reactions and the generation of new vicinal stereogenic centers if regio- and stereocontrol can be achieved. Ethyl (E)-4,5-epoxy-2-hexenoate affords excellent S(N)2':S(N)2 regioselectivity and anti:syn product diastereoselectivity with dialkyzinc reagents in the presence of CuCN, and conversion of the resultant allylic alcohol to the acetate affords good syn:anti product diastereoselectivity in S(N)2'-selective allylic substitutions with alkylcyanocuprates in THF. (E)-1-(tert-Butyldimethylsilyloxy)-2,3-epoxy-4-hexenonate gives excellent S(N)2':S(N)2 regioselectivity and anti:syn product diastereoselectivity with dialkyzinc reagents in THF or DMF or Grignard reagents in Et(2)O/THF (10/1) in the presence of CuCN. Conversion of the product allylic alcohol into the allylic phosphate affords excellent S(N)2' regioselectivity and syn:anti product diastereoselectivity with lithium alkylcyanocuprates for primary and secondary alkyl transferable ligands, while S(N)2 regioselectivity is observed for the tert-butyl ligand. Reaction conditions have been developed for regio- and stereocontrolled bis-allylic substitution reactions on both electron-rich and electron-deficient alkenyloxiranes, providing a methodology for the generation of vicinal alkane stereogenic centers.

Oxidative Coupling of Enolates, Enol Silanes and Enamines: Methods and Natural Product Synthesis.

The oxidative coupling of enolates, enol silanes, and enamines provides a direct method for the construction of useful 1,4-dicarbonyl synthons. Despite being first reported in 1935, with subsequent important advances beginning in the 1970's, the development of this powerful reaction into a reliable methodology was somewhat limited. In recent years, there have been a number of reports from several research groups demonstrating advances in several neglected areas of oxidative coupling. This microreview summarizes these new advances in methodology and provides an overview of recent natural product syntheses that showcase the power of these transformations.

Enantioselective synthesis of biphenols from 1,4-diketones by traceless central-to-axial chirality exchange.

A method for the enantioselective synthesis of biphenols from readily prepared 1,4-diketones is reported. Key to the success of this method is the highly selective transfer of central to axial chirality during a double aromatization event triggered by BF(3)·OEt(2). On the basis of X-ray crystallographic data, a stereochemical model for this chirality exchange process is put forth.

Enantioselective total synthesis and studies into the configurational stability of bismurrayaquinone A.

Lost in rotation: the concise strategy of the first enantioselective total synthesis of bismurrayaquinone A utilized traceless stereochemical exchange to form an enantioenriched biphenyl core that was elaborated in a bidirectional manner to the natural product. Observed racemization on an unsuccessful initial route prompted studies into the configurational stability of bismurrayaquinone A and related biquinones.

Conjugate addition reactions of N-carbamoyl-4-pyridones with organometallic reagents.

N-carbamoyl-4-pyridones undergo conjugate addition reactions with organocuprates and organozincates to afford 2-substituted-2,3-dihydro-4-pyridones providing a direct synthetic approach to substituted piperidines and piperidones. Good to excellent yields of conjugate adducts are achieved with lithium dialkylcuprates, alkylcyanocuprates, RLi/CuCN (0.3 equiv), and trialkylzincates with copper catalysis. Copper catalysis in the conjugate addition of Grignard reagents affords modest yields of conjugate adducts. An enantioenriched phosphoramidite ligand promotes the copper catalyzed conjugate addition of Et(2)Zn to a N-carbamoyl-4-pyridone with an er of 91.5:8.5.

Tandem regio- and stereoselective organocuprate-mediated bis-allylic substitutions.

anti-5-Acetoxy-4-halo-alpha,beta-enoates undergo sequential or tandem reactions with two different magnesium cuprate reagents to afford anti-2,3-dialkyl-4,5-enoates in high chemical yield and with excellent diastereoselectivity. The one-pot tandem procedure can be achieved with 30 mol % of CuCN and affords a rapid stereoselective combinatorial approach to vicinal disubstituted gamma,delta-enoates containing functionality at either end of the carbon chain for subsequent functional group elaboration. The methodology should provide a powerful practical strategy for acyclic stereoselection.

A rapid divergent synthesis of highly substituted delta-lactones.

[reaction: see text] Nucleophilic 1,2-addition of (Z)-gamma-silyloxyvinylzinc reagents to ethyl glyoxylate followed by desilylation and cyclization affords 3,6-dihydro-3-hydroxypyran-2-ones in good chemical yields. In situ formation of allylic phosphates followed by reaction with RCu(CN)Li reagents affords substituted 5,6-dihydropyran-2-ones. The parent compound, 3,6-dihydro-3-hydroxypyran-2-one, undergoes allylic phosphate formation, cuprate-mediated allylic substitution, and 1,4-conjugate addition to afford trans-4,5-disubstituted tetrahydropyran-2-ones in a one-pot process.

Hydroxyl-directed cyclizations of 1,6-enynes.

The palladium-catalyzed, hydroxyl-directed cyclization reactions of 1,6-enynes provide a highly diastereoselective process for the syntheses of stereochemically defined cyclopentanes. Consistently high levels of cis-selectivity are possible using homopropargyl alcohols in contrast to the corresponding propargyl alcohols. Hydroborylative enyne cyclizations coupled with this directing group effect provide a useful method for the syntheses of multifaceted compounds bearing all carbon quaternary centers.