Catalytic synthesis of phenols with nitrous oxide.

The development of catalytic chemical processes that enable the revalorization of nitrous oxide (N2O) is an attractive strategy to alleviate the environmental threat posed by its emissions1-6. Traditionally, N2O has been considered an inert molecule, intractable for organic chemists as an oxidant or O-atom transfer reagent, owing to the harsh conditions required for its activation (>150 °C, 50‒200 bar)7-11. Here we report an insertion of N2O into a Ni‒C bond under mild conditions (room temperature, 1.5-2 bar N2O), thus delivering valuable phenols and releasing benign N2. This fundamentally distinct organometallic C‒O bond-forming step differs from the current strategies based on reductive elimination and enables an alternative catalytic approach for the conversion of aryl halides to phenols. The process was rendered catalytic by means of a bipyridine-based ligands for the Ni centre. The method is robust, mild and highly selective, able to accommodate base-sensitive functionalities as well as permitting phenol synthesis from densely functionalized aryl halides. Although this protocol does not provide a solution to the mitigation of N2O emissions, it represents a reactivity blueprint for the mild revalorization of abundant N2O as an O source.

Gold-Catalyzed Reaction of Propargyl Esters and Alkynylsilanes: Synthesis of Vinylallene Derivatives through a Twofold 1,2-Rearrangement.

The reaction of propargyl esters with alkynylsilanes under gold catalysis provides vinylallene derivatives through consecutive [1,2]-acyloxy/[1,2]-silyl rearrangements. Good yields, full atom-economy, broad substrate scope, easy scale-up and low catalyst loadings are salient features of this novel transformation. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations suggest a reaction mechanism involving initial [1,2]-acyloxy rearrangement to generate a gold vinylcarbene intermediate which upon regioselective attack of the alkynylsilane affords a vinyl cation which undergoes a type II-dyotropic rearrangement involving the silyl group and the metal fragment. Preliminary results on the enantioselective version of this transformation are also disclosed.

Trapping para-Quinone Methide Intermediates with Ferrocene: Synthesis and Preliminary Biological Evaluation of New Phenol-Ferrocene Conjugates.

The reaction of para-hydroxybenzyl alcohols with ferrocene in the presence of a catalytic amount of InCl3 provided ferrocenyl phenol derivatives, an interesting class of organometallic compounds with potential applications in medicinal chemistry. This transformation exhibited a reasonable substrate scope delivering the desired products in synthetically useful yields. Evidence of involvement of a para-quinone methide intermediate in this coupling process was also provided. Preliminary biological evaluation demonstrated that some of the ferrocene derivatives available by this methodology exhibit significant cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines with IC50 values within the range of 1.07⁻4.89 µM.

Recent Developments in Coinage Metal Catalyzed Transformations of Stabilized Vinyldiazo Compounds: Beyond Carbenic Pathways.

Transition metal-catalyzed transformations of vinyldiazo compounds have become a versatile tool in organic synthesis. Although several transition metals have been investigated for this purpose, this field has been mainly dominated by dirhodium catalysts. Remarkable levels of chemo-, regio-, diastereo- and enantioselectivity have been reached in some of these rhodium-catalyzed transformations. In the last few years coinage metals have also emerged as useful catalysts in transformations involving vinyldiazo compounds. In some cases, highly efficient catalyst-dependent protocols arising from divergent mechanistic pathways have been reported. In this Personal Account, we aim to showcase recent advances in metal coinage catalyzed transformations of vinyldiazoacetates, an exciting field of research to which our group has actively contributed in the last few years.

Synthesis of Functionalized Ferrocene Derivatives from Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes.

The TfOH-catalyzed reaction of aryl-substituted donor-acceptor cyclopropane derivatives with ferrocene provided new functionalized ferrocene derivatives. This process exhibited a reasonable scope with respect to the cyclopropane component affording the corresponding alkylated ferrocene derivatives in useful yields. An alternative approach to these functionalized ferrocene derivatives involving arylation of a ferrocene-decorated donor-acceptor cyclopropane derivative is also disclosed. Both processes rely on a facile regioselective ring-opening of the donor-acceptor cyclopropane.