gem-Diborylalkanes: recent advances in their preparation, transformation and application.

Recently, gem-diborylalkanes have attracted much attention as versatile building blocks and fundamental intermediates in organic synthesis, because they enable multiple C-C bond construction and further transformation at C-B bonds. Importantly, gem-diborylalkanes can be utilised as bisnucleophilic partners in a variety of chemo-selective C-C bond-forming reactions. This review describes recent developments in synthesising gem-diborylalkanes in complex molecules along with their chemical transformation. In the first part of the review the different synthetic approaches used to synthesise gem-diborylalkanes are described. In the second part, an overview of the chemoselective transformation of gem-diborylalkanes into various functionalized materials is discussed along with one-carbon homologation of diborylmethane via a selective uni- and bidirectional method.

Nitrile-assisted oxidation over oxidative-annulation: Pd-catalyzed α,ß-dehydrogenation of α-cinnamyl ß-keto nitriles.

A palladium-catalyzed oxidation reaction is disclosed where the nitrile functionality on the substrate simply changes the course of the reaction. Our previous finding showed that using the Pd(ii)-catalyst in the presence of benzoquinone as an oxidant, 2-cinnamyl-1,3-dicarbonyls provides functionalized furans via oxidative cyclization. When a nitrile group is replaced with one of the carbonyl functionalities of the same substrate, the oxidative cyclization was completely suppressed; instead, the oxidation at the α,ß-position occurred to provide α,ß,γ,δ-diene containing ß-keto nitriles.

Synthesis of Functionalized Benzo[b]furans via Oxidative Cyclization of o-Cinnamyl Phenols.

Disclosed herein is an efficient synthetic route for the synthesis of functionalized 2-benzyl benzo[b]furans via a regioselective 5-exo-trig intramolecular oxidative cyclization of ortho-cinnamyl phenols using [PdCl2(CH3CN)2] as catalyst and benzoquinone as an oxidant. Further, a sequential ortho-cinnamylation of phenols using cinnamyl alcohols catalyzed by Re2O7, followed by an oxidative cyclization using the above Pd catalyst, is performed. The reaction showed broad substrate scope with good to excellent yields.

Cobalt-catalyzed aryl C-H activation and highly regioselective intermolecular annulation of sulfonamides with allenes.

Herein we describe a cobalt-catalyzed C-H activation of aryl and heteroaryl sulfonamides and their intermolecular heteroannulation reaction with allenes, providing a convergent strategy for the synthesis of biologically interesting heterocyclic scaffolds. Carbometallation of allenes proceeds selectively through a Co-alkenyl pathway for a wide range of electron-poor and electron-rich allenes.

Synthesis of air- and moisture-stable, storable chiral oxorhenium complexes and their application as catalysts for the enantioselective imine reduction.

Air-/moisture-stable, crystalline, and storable chiral salicyloxazoline based oxorhenium(V) complexes have been synthesized and their catalytic application for the asymmetric reduction of ketimines using hydrosilane as hydride source is disclosed. A broad substrate scope, high yields, and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99 %) are attained. Furthermore, the syntheses of enantiopure α-amino esters, γ- and δ-lactams, and isoindolinones have also been carried out using this methodology. Finally, the method has been applied to synthetic targets of pharmaceutical relevance, such as R-(+)-salsolidine and R-(+)-crispine A.

Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Cycloisomerization of 2-Cinnamyl-1,3-Dicarbonyls: Synthesis of Functionalized 2-Benzyl Furans.

A new palladium-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative cycloisomerization of readily available starting materials, 2-cinnamyl-1,3-dicarbonyls, has been demonstrated for the creation of structurally diverse 2-benzyl furans. The cycloisomerization occurs by a regioselective 5-exo-trig pathway. The reaction shows a broad substrate scope with good to excellent yields. Furthermore, a one-pot procedure has been executed by using readily available cinnamyl alcohols and 1,3-diketones.

Synthesis of functionalized indoles via palladium-catalyzed aerobic oxidative cycloisomerization of o-allylanilines.

An efficient strategy for the synthesis of 3-substituted 2-benzylindoles from stable and readily available o-allylanilines, prepared from anilines and allyl alcohols, has been developed. The reaction occurred via a regioselective 5-exo-trig intramolecular oxidative cycloisomerization using Pd(OAc)2 as catalyst and molecular oxygen as an oxidant. The reaction showed a broad substrate scope with good to excellent yields.

Chemoselective C-benzylation of unprotected anilines with benzyl alcohols using Re2O7 catalyst.

An unprecedented dehydrative C-C bond formation between unprotected anilines with benzyl alcohols is disclosed. Re2O7 catalyst (5 mol %) at elevated reaction temperature (80 °C) provided C-benzylanilines with high to excellent yields and with good chemoselectivities (over N-alkylation). A probable mechanism has been proposed based on mechanistic studies.

Direct substitution of hydroxy group of π-activated alcohols with electron-deficient amines using Re2O7 catalyst.

The first example of simple Re(2)O(7)-catalyzed direct dehydrative coupling between allylic alcohols with electron-deficient amines has been achieved under mild and open flask conditions. The protocol has also been successfully applied to benzylic and propargylic alcohols. The mechanistic proof for the S(N)1-type process has also been provided.