Iron-catalysed enantioselective carbometalation of azabicycloalkenes.

The first enantioselective carbometalation reaction of azabicycloalkenes has been achieved by iron catalysis to in situ form optically active organozinc intermediates, which are amenable to further synthetic elaborations. The observed chiral induction, along with the DFT and XAS analyses, reveals the direct coordination of the chiral phosphine ligand to the iron centre during the carbon-carbon and carbon-metal bond forming step. This new class of iron-catalysed asymmetric reaction will contribute to the synthesis and production of bioactive molecules.

Iron-catalysed enantioselective Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of racemic alkyl bromides.

The first iron-catalysed enantioselective Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction has been developed. In the presence of catalytic amounts of FeCl2 and (R,R)-QuinoxP*, lithium arylborates are cross-coupled with tert-butyl α-bromopropionate in an enantioconvergent manner, enabling facile access to various optically active α-arylpropionic acids including several nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) of commercial importance. (R,R)-QuinoxP* is specifically able to induce chirality when compared to analogous P-chiral ligands that give racemic products, highlighting the critical importance of transmetalation in the present asymmetric cross-coupling system.

DFT and AFIR Study on the Mechanism and the Origin of Enantioselectivity in Iron-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions.

The mechanism of the full catalytic cycle for Fe-chiral-bisphosphine-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between alkyl halides and Grignard reagents (Nakamura and co-workers, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 7128) was rationalized by using density functional theory (DFT) and multicomponent artificial force-induced reaction (MC-AFIR) methods. The computed mechanism consists of (a) C-Cl activation, (b) transmetalation, (c) C-Fe bond formation, and (d) C-C bond formation through reductive elimination. Our survey on the prereactant complexes suggested that formation of FeII(BenzP*)Ph2 and FeI(BenzP*)Ph complexes are thermodynamically feasible. FeI(BenzP*)Cl complex is the active intermediate for C-Cl activation. FeII(BenzP*)Ph2 complex can be formed if the concentration of Grignard reagent is high. However, it leads to biphenyl (byproduct) instead of the cross-coupling product. This explains why slow addition of Grignard reagent is critical for the cross-coupling reaction. The MC-AFIR method was used for systematic determination of transition states for C-Fe bond formation and C-C bond formation starting from the key intermediate FeII(BenzP*)PhCl. According to our detailed analysis, C-C bond formation is the selectivity-determining step. The computed enantiomeric ratio of 95:5 is in good agreement with the experimental ratio (90:10). Energy decomposition analysis suggested that the origin of the enantioselectivity is the deformation of Ph-ligand in Fe-complex, which is induced by the bulky tert-butyl group of BenzP* ligand. Our study provides important mechanistic insights for the cross-coupling reaction between alkyl halides and Grignard reagents and guides the design of efficient Fe-based catalysts for cross-coupling reactions.

Synthesis of Aryl C-Glycosides via Iron-Catalyzed Cross Coupling of Halosugars: Stereoselective Anomeric Arylation of Glycosyl Radicals.

We have developed a novel diastereoselective iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of various glycosyl halides with aryl metal reagents for the efficient synthesis of aryl C-glycosides, which are of significant pharmaceutical interest due to their biological activities and resistance toward metabolic degradation. A variety of aryl, heteroaryl, and vinyl metal reagents can be cross-coupled with glycosyl halides in high yields in the presence of a well-defined iron complex, composed of iron(II) chloride and a bulky bisphosphine ligand, TMS-SciOPP. The chemoselective nature of the reaction allows the use of synthetically versatile acetyl-protected glycosyl donors and the incorporation of various functional groups on the aryl moieties, producing a diverse array of aryl C-glycosides, including Canagliflozin, an inhibitor of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), and a prevailing diabetes drug. The cross-coupling reaction proceeds via generation and stereoselective trapping of glycosyl radical intermediates, representing a rare example of highly stereoselective carbon-carbon bond formation based on iron catalysis. Radical probe experiments using 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-allyl-α-d-glucopyranosyl bromide (8) and 6-bromo-1-hexene (10) confirm the generation and intermediacy of the corresponding glycosyl radicals. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the observed anomeric diastereoselectivity is attributable to the relative stability of the conformers of glycosyl radical intermediates. The present cross-coupling reaction demonstrates the potential of iron-catalyzed stereo- and chemoselective carbon-carbon bond formation in the synthesis of bioactive compounds of certain structural complexity.

Iron-Catalyzed Enantioselective Cross-Coupling Reactions of α-Chloroesters with Aryl Grignard Reagents.

The first iron-catalyzed enantioselective cross-coupling reaction between an organometallic compound and an organic electrophile is reported. Synthetically versatile racemic α-chloro- and α-bromoalkanoates were coupled with aryl Grignard reagents in the presence of catalytic amounts of an iron salt and a chiral bisphosphine ligand, giving the products in high yields with acceptable and synthetically useful enantioselectivities (er up to 91:9). The produced α-arylalkanoates were readily converted to the corresponding α-arylalkanoic acids with high optical enrichment (er up to >99:1) via simple deprotections/recrystallizations. The results of radical probe experiments are consistent with a mechanism that involves the formation of an alkyl radical intermediate, which undergoes subsequent enantioconvergent arylation in an intermolecular manner. The developed asymmetric coupling offers not only facile and practical access to various chiral α-arylalkanoic acid derivatives, which are of significant pharmaceutical importance, but also a basis of controlling enantioselectivity in an iron-catalyzed organometallic transformation.

Hydroxyapatite-supported Cu(I)-catalysed cyanation of styrenyl bromides with K4[Fe(CN)6]: an easy access to cinnamonitriles.

An efficient cyanation of styrenyl bromides by K(4)[Fe(CN)(6)] has been achieved under the catalysis of hydroxyapatite-supported copper(I) producing a variety of functionalized cinnamonitriles in high yields. The stereochemistry of the styrenyl double bond is preserved during the process providing the same stereoisomer of product.

Cobalt-catalyzed preparation of arylindium reagents from aryl and heteroaryl bromides.

A cobalt-bathophenanthroline catalyst has been developed for the direct preparation of a variety of arylindium reagents from the corresponding aryl and heteroaryl bromides in the presence of indium metal and lithium chloride. The thus-formed arylindium reagents undergo efficient palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with aryl iodides, tolerating various functional groups including hydroxy and free amino groups.

Alumina-supported Cu(II), a versatile and recyclable catalyst for regioselective ring opening of aziridines and epoxides and subsequent cyclization to functionalized 1,4-benzoxazines and 1,4-benzodioxanes.

An easily accessible catalyst, alumina-supported copper(II), efficiently catalyzes the ring opening of aziridines and epoxides followed by cyclization of the corresponding intermediate to produce a variety of functionalized 1,4-benzoxazines and 1,4-benzodioxanes, respectively, in one pot without any ligand in high yields. The ring cleavages of aziridines and epoxides are highly regioselective. The catalyst is inexpensive, non-air-sensitive, environmentally friendly, and recyclable. The function of the catalyst and the reaction pathway are postulated. This protocol is successfully utilized for the formation of three carbon-heteroatom bonds, namely, C-O, C-N, and C-S, in one pot.

Palladium nanoparticle-catalyzed C-N bond formation. A highly regio- and stereoselective allylic amination by allyl acetates.

Palladium nanoparticles, generated in situ from the reaction of palladium(II) chloride, have been demonstrated to be an efficient catalyst for C-N bond formation. A variety of aliphatic and aromatic amines have been allylated by substituted and unsubstituted allyl acetates in high yields by using palladium nanoparticles in the presence of a base without any ligand. The allylations are highly regio- and stereoselective.

Oxidative ortho-C-N fusion of aniline by OsO4. Isolation, characterization of oxo-amido Osmium(VI) complexes, and their catalytic activities for oxidative C-C bond cleavage of unsaturated hydrocarbons.

In an unusual reaction of osmium(VIII) oxide with p-substituted aromatic amines (X-C(6)H(4)-NH(2), where X = Me, H, Cl) in heptane afforded the brown osmium(VI)-oxo complexes [OsO(L)(2)] (1a-c, L = N-aryl-1,2-arylenediamide) in moderate yields. The ligand L is formed in situ via oxidative ortho-C-N fusion of arylamines. The reaction occurs in an inert atmosphere, and a part of Os(VIII) is used up for the oxidation of aromatic amine. Single crystal X-ray structure of a representative complex 1a is solved. The structural analysis has authenticated the ortho-C-N fusion of ArNH(2) resulting in formation of the diamide ligand, L. The complex as a whole is penta-coordinated, and the coordination sphere has a distorted square pyramidal geometry (tau = 0.26). A similar reaction of osmium(VIII) oxide with the preformed N-phenyl-1,2-phenelene diamine produced the complex 1a in nearly quantitative yield. The substituted phenazine, 5-phenyl-3-phenylimino-3,5-dihydro-phenazine-2-ylamine, is obtained as a byproduct of the latter reaction. The complexes, 1a-c, can be reduced in a reversible one-electron step, as probed by cyclic voltammetry. The one electron reduced paramagnetic Os(V) intermediate is, however, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) silent. Solution spectra of the osmium complexes show several multiple transitions in the UV-vis region. Density functional theory calculations were employed to confirm the structural features and to support the spectroscopic assignments. The complex 1a catalyzes oxidation of a wide variety of unsaturated hydrocarbons like alkenes, alkynes, and aldehydes to the corresponding carboxylic acids in the presence of tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) efficiently at room temperature.

Hydroxyapatite-supported palladium-catalyzed efficient synthesis of (E)-2-alkene-4-ynecarboxylic esters. Intense fluorescence emission of selected compounds.

A simple procedure for the synthesis of substituted (E)-2-alkene-4-ynecarboxylic esters has been achieved using hydroxyapatite-supported palladium as efficient catalyst surface. The catalyst is recycled, and the turnover number (TON) based on Pd is 16000. A naphthyl-substituted derivative gives very intense fluorescence emission.

Solvent-controlled highly selective bis- and monoallylation of active methylene compounds by allyl acetate with palladium(0) nanoparticle.

Palladium(0) nanoparticle has been used as an efficient catalyst for the allylation of active methylene compounds. Very efficient bisallylation is achieved for a variety of active methylene compounds by allyl acetate and its derivatives in one stroke in THF solvent. The reaction in water provides monoallylated product selectively by allyl acetate only. The recovered Pd(0) nanoparticle is recycled. A probable mechanism is suggested.