Metal-Free S-Arylation of Cysteine Using Arenediazonium Salts.

A mild chemoselective method for S-arylation of cysteine has been developed in an open-flask procedure under metal-free conditions using arenediazonium salts in methanol.

ß-Carbolinone Analogues from the Ugi Silver Mine.

Here we describe a facile, tandem synthetic route for ß-carbolinones, a class of natural products of high biological significance. Commercially available building blocks yield highly diverse analogues in just two simple steps.

Catalyst free synthesis of α-fluoro-ß-hydroxy ketones/α-fluoro-ynols via electrophilic fluorination of tertiary propargyl alcohols using Selectfluor™ (F-TEDA-BF4).

A facile method for the synthesis of α-fluoro-ß-hydroxy ketones/α-fluoro-ynols from tertiary propargyl alcohols under electrophilic fluorination conditions using F-TEDA-BF4 has been presented. The products bear pharmaceutically important α-fluoro ketone, gem-diaryl and fluorohydrin moieties in the same molecule. Interestingly, this catalyst free protocol results in monofluorination.

Triflic acid promoted direct α-alkylation of unactivated ketones using benzylic alcohols via in situ formed acetals.

Direct α-alkylation of unactivated ketones using benzylic alcohols as electrophiles has been achieved at room temperature. This reaction takes place via in situ formed acetal using triflic acid and trimethyl orthoformate. It is believed that methyl vinyl ether formed from the in situ generated dimethyl acetal in the presence of triflic acid undergoes alkylation. Diverse ketones could be alkylated with diarylmethanols, cinnamyl alcohols, and phenyl propargyl alcohols having different electrophilicities.