Accessing Highly Substituted Indoles via B(C6F5)3-Catalyzed Secondary Alkyl Group Transfer.

Herein, we report a synthetic method to access a range of highly substituted indoles via the B(C6F5)3-catalyzed transfer of 2° alkyl groups from amines. The transition-metal-free catalytic approach has been demonstrated across a broad range of indoles and amine 2° alkyl donors, including various substituents on both reacting components, to access useful C(3)-alkylated indole products. The alkyl transfer process can be performed using Schlenk line techniques in combination with commercially available B(C6F5)3·nH2O and solvents, which obviates the requirement for specialized equipment (e.g., glovebox).

B(C6 F5 )3 -Catalyzed E-Selective Isomerization of Alkenes.

Herein, we report the B(C6 F5 )3 -catalyzed E-selective isomerization of alkenes. The transition-metal-free method is applicable across a diverse array of readily accessible substrates, giving access to a broad range of synthetically useful products containing versatile stereodefined internal alkenes. The reaction mechanism was investigated by using synthetic and computational methods.

Electron deficient borane-mediated hydride abstraction in amines: stoichiometric and catalytic processes.

The manipulation of amino C-H bonds has garnered significant interest from the synthetic community due to its inherently high atom, step and redox economy. This Tutorial Review summarises the ability of boranes to mediate hydride abstraction from α-amino and γ-amino conjugated C-H bonds. Borane-mediated hydride abstraction results in the generation of reactive iminium hydridoborate salts that participate in a variety of stoichiometric and catalytic processes. The reactions that have utilised this unusual reactivity include those that manipulate amino scaffolds (including dehydrogenation, racemisation, isomerisation, α- and ß-functionalisation, and C-N bond cleavage) and those that use amine-based reagents (transfer hydrogenation, and alkylation).

The role of streptavidin and its variants in catalysis by biotinylated secondary amines.

Here, we combine the use of host screening, protein crystallography and QM/MM molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how the protein structure affects iminium catalysis by biotinylated secondary amines in a model 1,4 conjugate addition reaction. Monomeric streptavidin (M-Sav) lacks a quaternary structure and the solvent-exposed reaction site resulted in poor product conversion in the model reaction with low enantio- and regioselectivities. These parameters were much improved when the tetrameric host T-Sav was used; indeed, residues at the symmetrical subunit interface were proven to be critical for catalysis through a mutagenesis study. The use of QM/MM simulations and the asymmetric dimeric variant D-Sav revealed that both Lys121 residues which are located in the hosting and neighboring subunits play a critical role in controlling the stereoselectivity and reactivity. Lastly, the D-Sav template, though providing a lower conversion than that of the symmetric tetrameric counterpart, is likely a better starting point for future protein engineering because each surrounding residue within the asymmetric scaffold can be refined for secondary amine catalysis.

Ball-Milling-Enabled Reactivity of Manganese Metal*.

Efforts to generate organomanganese reagents under ball-milling conditions have led to the serendipitous discovery that manganese metal can mediate the reductive dimerization of arylidene malonates. The newly uncovered process has been optimized and its mechanism explored using CV measurements, radical trapping experiments, EPR spectroscopy, and solution control reactions. This unique reactivity can also be translated to solution whereupon pre-milling of the manganese is required.

Streptavidin-Hosted Organocatalytic Aldol Addition.

In this report, the streptavidin-biotin technology was applied to enable organocatalytic aldol addition. By attaching pyrrolidine to the valeric motif of biotin and introducing it to streptavidin (Sav), a protein-based organocatalytic system was created, and the aldol addition of acetone with p-nitrobenzaldehyde was tested. The conversion of substrate to product can be as high as 93%. Although the observed enantioselectivity was only moderate (33:67 er), further protein engineering efforts can be included to improve the selectivity. These results have proven the concept that Sav can be used to host stereoselective aldol addition.

Manganese-Catalyzed N-Alkylation of Sulfonamides Using Alcohols.

An efficient manganese-catalyzed N-alkylation of sulfonamides has been developed. This borrowing hydrogen approach employs a well-defined and bench-stable Mn(I) PNP pincer precatalyst, allowing benzylic and simple primary aliphatic alcohols to be employed as alkylating agents. A diverse range of aryl and alkyl sulfonamides undergoes mono- N-alkylation in excellent isolated yields (32 examples, 85% average yield).

Recent advances in homogeneous borrowing hydrogen catalysis using earth-abundant first row transition metals.

The review highlights the recent advances (2013-present) in the use of earth-abundant first row transition metals in homogeneous borrowing hydrogen catalysis. The utility of catalysts based on Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu to promote a diverse array of important C-C and C-N bond forming reactions is described, including discussion on reaction mechanisms, scope and limitations, and future challenges in this burgeoning area of sustainable catalysis.

A Benzyne Insertion Approach to Hetisine-Type Diterpenoid Alkaloids: Synthesis of Cossonidine (Davisine).

The hetisine-type natural products exhibit one of the most complex carbon skeletons within the diterpenoid alkaloid family. The use of network analysis has enabled a synthesis strategy to access alkaloids in this class with hydroxylation on the A-ring. Key transformations include a benzyne acyl-alkylation to construct a key fused 6-7-6 tricycle, a chemoselective nitrile reduction, and sequential C-N bond formations using a reductive cyclization and a photochemical hydroamination to construct an embedded azabicycle. Our strategy should enable access to myriad natural and unnatural products within the hetisine-type.

FLP-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation of Silyl Enol Ethers.

Herein we report the first catalytic transfer hydrogenation of silyl enol ethers. This metal free approach employs tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TMP) as a commercially available FLP catalyst system and naturally occurring γ-terpinene as a dihydrogen surrogate. A variety of silyl enol ethers undergo efficient hydrogenation, with the reduced products isolated in excellent yields (29 examples, 82 % average yield).

Reactivity and Selectivity of Iminium Organocatalysis Improved by a Protein Host.

There has been growing interest in performing organocatalysis within a supramolecular system as a means of controlling reaction reactivity and stereoselectivity. Here, a protein is used as a host for iminium catalysis. A pyrrolidine moiety is covalently linked to biotin and introduced to the protein host streptavidin for organocatalytic activity. Whereas in traditional systems stereoselectivity is largely controlled by the substituents added to the organocatalyst, enantiomeric enrichment by the reported supramolecular system is completely controlled by the host. Also, the yield of the model reaction increases over 10-fold when streptavidin is included. A 1.1 Šcrystal structure of the protein-catalyst complex and molecular simulations of a key intermediate reveal the chiral scaffold surrounding the organocatalytic reaction site. This work illustrates that proteins can be an excellent supramolecular host for driving stereoselective secondary amine organocatalysis.

Asymmetric Isothiourea-Catalysed Formal [3+2] Cycloadditions of Ammonium Enolates with Oxaziridines.

A highly enantioselective Lewis base-catalysed formal [3+2] cycloaddition of ammonium enolates and oxaziridines to give stereodefined oxazolidin-4-ones in high yield is described. Employing an enantioenriched oxaziridine in this process leads to a matched/mis-matched effect with the isothiourea catalyst and allowed the synthesis of either syn- or anti-stereodefined oxazolidin-4-ones in high d.r., yield and ee. Additionally, the oxazolidin-4-one products have been derivatised to afford functionalised enantioenriched building blocks.

Regiodivergent Lewis base-promoted O- to C-carboxyl transfer of furanyl carbonates.

Triazolinylidenes promote γ-selective C-carboxylation (up to 99 : 1 regioselectivity) in the O- to C-carboxyl transfer of furanyl carbonates in contrast to DMAP that promotes preferential α-C-carboxylation with moderate regiocontrol (typically 60 : 40 regioselectivity). The generality of this process is described and a simple mechanistic and kinetic model postulated to account for the observed regioselectivity.

Organocatalytic Lewis base functionalisation of carboxylic acids, esters and anhydrides via C1-ammonium or azolium enolates.

This tutorial review highlights the organocatalytic Lewis base functionalisation of carboxylic acids, esters and anhydrides via C1-ammonium/azolium enolates. The generation and synthetic utility of these powerful intermediates is highlighted through their application in various methodologies including aldol-lactonisations, Michael-lactonisations/lactamisations and [2,3]-rearrangements.

Isothiourea-mediated asymmetric functionalization of 3-alkenoic acids.

Isothiourea HBTM-2.1 promotes the catalytic asymmetric α-functionalization of 3-alkenoic acids through formal [2 + 2] cycloadditions with N-tosyl aldimines and formal [4 + 2] cycloadditions with either 4-aryltrifluoromethyl enones or N-aryl-N-aroyl diazenes, providing useful synthetic building blocks in good yield and with excellent enantiocontrol (up to >99% ee). Stereodefined products are amenable to further synthetic elaboration through manipulation of the olefinic functionality.

2-Arylacetic anhydrides as ammonium enolate precursors.

Readily prepared 2-arylacetic anhydrides act as convenient ammonium enolate precursors in isothiourea (HBTM-2.1)-mediated catalytic asymmetric intermolecular Michael addition-lactonisation processes, giving diverse synthetic building blocks in good yield with high diastereo- and enantiocontrol (up to 98 : 2 dr and >99% ee).

Organocatalytic Michael addition-lactonisation of carboxylic acids using α,ß-unsaturated trichloromethyl ketones as α,ß-unsaturated ester equivalents.

Isothiourea HBTM-2.1 catalyses the Michael addition-lactonisation of 2-aryl and 2-alkenylacetic acids and α,ß-unsaturated trichloromethyl ketones. Ring-opening of the resulting dihydropyranones and subsequent alcoholysis of the CCl3 ketone with an excess of methanol gives a range of diesters in high diastereo- and enantioselectivity (up to 95 : 5 dr and >99% ee). Sequential addition of two different nucleophiles to a dihydropyranone gives the corresponding differentially substituted diacid derivative.

Stereospecific asymmetric N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed redox synthesis of trifluoromethyl dihydropyranones and mechanistic insights.

N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed redox asymmetric hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of α-aroyloxyaldehydes with ß-trifluoromethyl enones generates synthetically useful dihydropyranones containing a stereogenic trifluoromethyl substituent in good yields (up to 81%) and excellent diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity (up to >95:5 dr and >99% ee). The process is stereospecific, with use of either (E)- or (Z)-ß-trifluoromethyl enones forming syn- or anti-dihydropyranone products, respectively. Mechanistic studies through in situ kinetic analysis of the reaction reveal key differences in reactivity between chiral NHC precursor 1 and an achiral NHC precursor.

Isothiourea-mediated one-pot synthesis of functionalized pyridines.

Acids to bases: The synthesis of 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyridines from (phenylthio)acetic acid and a range of α,ß-unsaturated ketimines is reported. This process proceeds by intermolecular Michael addition/lactamization, thiophenol elimination, and N- to O-sulfonyl migration, giving 2-sulfonate-substituted pyridines which are readily derivatized to generate structural diversity.

Deconstructive Functionalization of Unstrained Cycloalkanols via Electrochemically Generated Aromatic Radical Cations.

Herein we report an electrochemical approach for the deconstructive functionalization of cycloalkanols, where various alcohols, carboxylic acids, and N-heterocycles are employed as nucleophiles. The method has been demonstrated across a broad range of cycloalkanol substrates, including various ring sizes and substituents, to access useful remotely functionalized ketone products (36 examples). The method was demonstrated on a gram scale via single-pass continuous flow, which exhibited increased productivity in relation to the batch process.