Radical Perfluoroalkylation of Arenes via Carbanion Intermediates.

The use of sodium dithionite with perfluoroalkyl iodides under basic conditions facilitates the direct perfluoroalkylation of arenes with pendant benzylic electron-withdrawing groups. This occurs via attack of the arene on the electrophilic perfluoroalkyl radical, through the donation of electron density from a benzylic anion. The substrate scope was expanded beyond benzylic nitriles with cyclic substrates bearing electron-withdrawing groups at the benzylic position-enforcing donation of electron density to the aromatic ring and enabling attack on the perfluoroalkyl radical.

Discovery of Annulating Reagents Enabling the One-Step and Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of Cyclopentyl and Cyclohexyl Cores.

The use of the unprecedented annulating reagents methyl N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)-4-chlorobutanimidate and methyl N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)-5-bromopentanimidate enables the diastereoselective preparation of 5- and 6-membered carbocycles bearing three contiguous stereocenters. These synthons undergo cycloaddition with a variety of Michael acceptors to form cyclopentane/cyclohexane rings with excellent stereochemical control, generating only one of the eight possible diastereomers. This novel methodology has enabled the highly enantioselective and high yielding synthesis of novel chemotypes of pharmacological relevance.

One-Step Diastereoselective Pyrrolidine Synthesis Using a Sulfinamide Annulating Reagent.

This communication highlights the use of chiral sulfinamides as nitrogen nucleophiles in intermolecular aza-Michael reactions. When chiral sulfinamides are coupled to a chloroethyl group, the corresponding novel annulating reagents can be used to streamline the stereoselective synthesis of complex pyrrolidine-containing molecules. As a result, it has enabled a medicinal chemistry campaign for the synthesis of biologically active RORγt inverse agonists.

A Claisen approach to 4'-Ed4T.

An efficient, stereoselective synthesis of 4'-Ed4T is demonstrated. The synthesis is highlighted by a regioselective TMSOTf-mediated acetal opening, a Claisen rearrangement to set the key 4'-stereocenter as well as the olefin, and a one-pot nonaflation/elimination to deliver the alkyne moiety. The synthesis proceeds in eight steps from 5-methyluridine and occurs in 37% overall yield.

Stille reactions catalytic in tin: a "Sn-F" route for intermolecular and intramolecular couplings.

Polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) made hypercoordinate by KF(aq) allows Me(3)SnH to be recycled during a Pd(0)-catalyzed hydrostannation/Stille cascade. Starting with a variety of alkynes, in situ vinyltin formation is followed by Stille reaction with aryl, styryl, benzyl, or vinyl electrophiles present in the reaction mixture. Both inter- and intramolecular versions of the process are possible with tin loads of approximately 6 mol %. Regeneration of the organotin hydride is believed to proceed through a Me(3)SnF intermediate. Given the aggregated nature of organotin fluorides and the ability to use these organotins in substoichiometric quantities, the hazards and purification problems associated with the removal of organotin wastes from reaction mixtures are minimized.

PMHS-mediated couplings of alkynes or benzothiazoles with various electrophiles: application to the synthesis of (-)-akolactone A.

Polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) in combination with CsF facilitates the cross-coupling of alkynes or benzothiazoles with an array of vinyl, styryl, and aryl halides or nonaflates as well as acid chlorides. Experimental and spectroscopic evidence indicates that these reactions involve the in situ generation of a siloxyl intermediate. These cross-couplings proceed relatively quickly at room temperature and under amine-free conditions. To demonstrate the applicability of the method, a total synthesis of the cyctotoxic butanolide (-)-akolactone A was carried out.