Zirconium-Catalyzed Hydroalumination of C═O Bonds: Site-Selective De-O-acetylation of Peracetylated Compounds and Mechanistic Insights.

An unprecedented hydroalumination of C ═ O bonds catalyzed by zirconocene dichloride is reported herein and applied to the site-selective deprotection of peracetylated functional substrates. A mixed metal hydride, with 1:1 zirconium/aluminum stoichiometry, is also shown to be the reductive species. A catalytic cycle is finally proposed for this transformation with no precedent in the field of zirconium catalysis.

Tritylium assisted iodine catalysis for the synthesis of unsymmetrical triarylmethanes.

The combined Lewis acid catalytic system, generated from molecular iodine and tritylium tetrafluoroborate effectively catalyzed the Friedel-Crafts (FC) arylation of diarylmethyl sulfides providing an efficient access to various unsymmetrical triarylmethanes. The addition of tritylium and iodine created a more active catalytic system to promote the cleavage of sulfidic C-S bonds.

Electrochemical Intramolecular Oxytrifluoromethylation of N-Tethered Alkenyl Alcohols: Synthesis of Functionalized Morpholines.

An electrochemical intramolecular oxytrifluoromethylation of N-tethered alkenyl alcohols was developed providing straightforward access to CF3-containing morpholines derivatives. The method features mild reaction conditions with direct anodic oxidation of Langlois reagent as a cheap and easy to handle trifluoromethylating reagent. Variously substituted 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)morpholines were obtained in moderate to high yields under constant current electrolysis in an undivided cell.

s-Tetrazine Dyes: A Facile Generation of Photoredox Organocatalysts for Routine Oxidations.

A series of organic dyes derived from s-tetrazine have been synthesized, and their photophysical and electrochemical properties are systematically investigated. Testing these compounds as photoredox catalysts in a model oxidative C-S bond cleavage of thioethers has led us to identify new classes of active s-tetrazines. Moreover, some of them can be formed in situ from commercially available 3,6-dichlorotetrazine, making this photocatalyzed C-S bond functionalization simple and highly practical.

Regio- and Chemoselective Deprotection of Primary Acetates by Zirconium Hydrides.

A combination of DIBAL-H and Cp2ZrCl2 is shown to promote the regioselective cleavage of primary acetates on a broad scope of substrates, ranging from carbohydrates to terpene derivatives, with a high tolerance toward protecting groups and numerous functionalities found in natural products and bioactive compounds. Apart from providing highly valuable building blocks in only two steps from biosourced raw materials, this selective de- O-acetylation should also be strongly helpful to solve selectivity issues in organic synthesis.

Straightforward Entry toward Highly Substituted 2,3-Dihydrobenz[ b]oxepines by Ring Expansion of Benzopyryliums with Donor-Acceptor Diazo Compounds.

Ylide-type reactivity of diazo compounds is exploited in a new way to prepare benzo[ b]oxepines thanks to the formation of three chemical bonds and two contiguous and highly substituted stereocenters in a single pot. This cationic reaction cascade first involves addition of a donor-acceptor-substituted diazo compound to a benzopyrylium. Selective 1,2 migration of the endocyclic C-C bond then results in a ring-expansion and generates a second oxocarbenium that is trapped by a nucleophile added sequentially.

Divergent Access to (1,1) and (1,2)-Azidolactones from Alkenes using Hypervalent Iodine Reagents.

A versatile synthesis of azidolactones through azidation and cyclization of carboxylic acids onto alkenes has been developed. Based on either photoredox or palladium catalysis, (1,1) and (1,2) azido lactones can be selectively synthesized. The choice of catalyst and benziodoxol(on)e reagent serving as azide source was essential to initiate either a radical or Lewis acid mediated process with divergent outcome. These transformations were carried out under mild conditions using a low catalyst loading and gave access to a large scope of azido lactones.

Rhodium(II)-Alkynyl Carbenoids Insertion into Si-H bonds: An Entry to Propargylic Geminal Bis(silanes).

α-Alkynyl-α'-trimethylsilylhydrazones are used as novel Rh(II)-carbenoids precursors. These new carbenoids have shown very good reactivity in Si-H insertion reactions, leading to original propargylic geminal-bis(silanes) in a two-step sequential process.

Recent Progress in Visible-Light Photoredox-Catalyzed Intermolecular 1,2-Difunctionalization of Double Bonds via an ATRA-Type Mechanism.

Radical difunctionalizations of alkenes constitute an efficient method for the construction of complex organic molecules. This synopsis focuses on visible-light catalysis, a recent and very promising technological refinement of this class of transformations. Examples taken from the literature illustrate the use of a variety of (metallic or nonmetallic) systems, which allow us to leverage the energy of readily available visible-light radiation to efficiently create some of the most commonly looked for types of bonds (C-X, C-O, C-N, and C-C) under mild conditions and starting from unsaturated substrates.

Regio-, Diastereo-, and Enantioselective Nitroso-Diels-Alder Reaction of 1,3-Diene-1-carbamates Catalyzed by Chiral Phosphoric Acids.

Chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed asymmetric nitroso-Diels-Alder reaction of nitrosoarenes with carbamate-dienes afforded cis-3,6-disubstituted dihydro-1,2-oxazines in high yields with excellent regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities. Interestingly, we observed that the catalyst is able not only to control the enantioselectivity but also to reverse the regioselectivity of the noncatalyzed nitroso-Diels-Alder reaction. The regiochemistry reversal and asynchronous concerted mechanism were confirmed by DFT calculations.

Room-temperature decarboxylative alkynylation of carboxylic acids using photoredox catalysis and EBX reagents.

Alkynes are used as building blocks in synthetic and medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and materials science. Therefore, efficient methods for their synthesis are the subject of intensive research. Herein, we report the direct synthesis of alkynes from readily available carboxylic acids at room temperature under visible-light irradiation. The combination of an iridium photocatalyst with ethynylbenziodoxolone (EBX) reagents allowed the decarboxylative alkynylation of carboxylic acids in good yields under mild conditions. The method could be applied to silyl-, aryl-, and alkyl- substituted alkynes. It was particularly successful in the case of α-amino and α-oxo acids derived from biomass.

General and practical formation of thiocyanates from thiols.

A new method for the cyanation of thiols and disulfides using cyanobenziodoxol(on)e hypervalent iodine reagents is described. Both aliphatic and aromatic thiocyanates can be accessed in good yields in a few minutes at room temperature starting from a broad range of thiols with high chemioselectivity. The complete conversion of disulfides to thiocyanates was also possible. Preliminary computational studies indicated a low energy concerted transition state for the cyanation of the thiolate anion or radical. The developed thiocyanate synthesis has broad potential for various applications in synthetic chemistry, chemical biology and materials science.