Intramolecular Carboamination of Aminodienes to N-Heterocycles via C-N Bond Activation.

The catalytic transformation of ubiquitous but inert C-N bonds is highly appealing in synthetic chemistry, but the efficient cleaving inert C-N bond and simultaneous incorporation of both the cleaved C-moiety and N-moiety into the desired products has been a long-standing formidable challenge so far. Here, we developed a radical-addition triggered cyclization and C-N bond cleavage process enabled by the unique I2 /Ni or benzyl halide/Ni-catalytic system, allowing the formal insertion of diene into the inert C-N bond. This reaction features high atom economy and enables an expedient annulative carboamination of aminodienes to diverse pyrrolidines, piperidines, and tetrahydroisoquinolines. Mechanistic studies have revealed that the reaction is initiated via the generation of a benzyl radical and the formation of quaternary ammonium salt is key for the C-N bond cleavage.

Palladium-Catalyzed Ring-Closing Aminoalkylative Amination of Unactivated Aminoenynes.

An efficient strategy for preventing the ß-hydride elimination of alkylpalladium species by ligation of the palladium with adjacent amino-group was developed, which enabled a novel palladium-catalyzed ring-closing aminoalkylative amination of unactivated aminoenynes. The reaction is amenable to aminals, as well as aliphatic aldehydes with secondary amines, which provides straightforward access to structurally diverse exocyclic allenic amines bearing 5 to 12-membered N-heterocycles. With chiral phosphoramidite-ligated palladium complex as the catalyst, an enantioselective variant was achieved with up to 93 % ee. Simultaneously, synthetic transformations of the chiral products were also conducted to afford structurally unique spirodiamines including one pharmaceutically active molecule via axial-to-central chirality transfer.

Copper-Catalyzed Claisen Rearrangement with AIBN and Allylic Alcohols.

A novel and succinct method for the synthesis of N-cyanomethyl amides from allylic alcohols with AIBN as the nitrile source is developed. Owing to the coordination effect with the copper catalyst, a ketenimine intermediate is formed via couplings of isobutyronitrile radicals. The copper-activated ketenimine could subsequently be intercepted by allylic alcohols and undergo Claisen rearrangement to furnish N-cyanomethyl amides. Further functional group transformations of the N-cyanomethyl amide products are also described.

Palladium-Catalyzed Ring-Closing Reaction for the Synthesis of Saturated N-Heterocycles with Aminodienes and N,O-Acetals.

An efficient palladium-catalyzed ring-closing reaction of aminodienes with N,O-acetals for the synthesis of saturated N-heterocycles is described. The reaction is consistently operated at room temperature and tolerates a wide range of functional groups with volatile MeOH as the sole byproduct. This method provides rapid and practical access to a broad range of saturated N-heterocycles with diverse structural backbones that are useful building blocks in natural product synthesis and drug discovery.

Palladium-Catalyzed Ring-Closing Reaction via C-N Bond Metathesis for Rapid Construction of Saturated N-Heterocycles.

The ring-closing reactions based on chemical bond metathesis enable the efficient construction of a wide variety of cyclic systems which receive broad interest from medicinal and organic communities. However, the analogous reaction with C-N bond metathesis as a strategic fundamental step remains an unanswered challenge. Herein, we report the design of a new fundamental metallic C-N bond metathesis reaction that enables the palladium-catalyzed ring-closing reaction of aminodienes with aminals. The reactions proceed efficiently under mild conditions and exhibit broad substrate generality and functional group compatibility, leading to a wide variety of 5- to 16-membered N-heterocycles bearing diverse frameworks and functional groups.

Epoxide-Mediated Stevens Rearrangements of α-Amino-Acid-Derived Tertiary Allylic, Propargylic, and Benzylic Amines: Convenient Access to Polysubstituted Morpholin-2-ones.

A new strategy has been established for the synthesis of polysubstituted morpholin-2-ones through Stevens rearrangements of tertiary amines via in situ activation with epoxides. A range of α-amino acid-derived tertiary allylic, propargylic, and benzylic amines reacted with epoxides in the presence of zinc halide catalysts to afford structurally diverse allyl-, allenyl-, and benzyl-substituted morpholin-2-ones, respectively, in moderate-to-good yields with high regioselectivity. The process involves [2,3]- and [1,2]-Stevens rearrangements of quaternary ammonium ylide intermediates and constitutes a very convenient method to prepare polysubstituted morpholin-2-ones through tandem formation of C-N, C-O, and C-C bonds. Moreover, replacing epoxides with aziridines permitted the synthesis of polysubstituted piperazin-2-ones.

Silver-catalyzed chemodivergent assembly of aminomethylated isochromenes and naphthols.

A silver-catalyzed chemodivergent cyclization of alkyne-tethered aldehydes with aminals to aminomethylated 1H-isochromenes and naphthols is described by tuning the reaction conditions. The reaction exhibits broad substrate generality and functional group compatibility. Mechanistic studies have disclosed that the aminomethylated naphthols are generated from the resulting N,O-aminal containing isochromenes via a silver-catalyzed unusual rearrangement process.

Highly regioselective and diastereodivergent aminomethylative annulation of dienyl alcohols enabled by a hydrogen-bonding assisting effect.

A ligand-controlled palladium-catalyzed highly regioselective and diastereodivergent aminomethylative annulation of dienyl alcohols with aminals has been established, which allows for producing either cis- or trans-disubstituted isochromans in good yields with complete regioselectivity and good to excellent diastereoselectivity. Moreover, the chiral cis-products were also obtained in good yields with up to 94% ee by using a chiral phosphinamide as the ligand. Mechanistic studies revealed that the hydroxyl group plays a key role in facilitating the Pd-catalyzed Heck insertion regioselectively taking place across the internal C[double bond, length as m-dash]C bond of conjugated dienes.

Palladium-Catalyzed Aminomethylative Oppolzer-Type Cyclization of Enynes: Access to Aminomethylated Benzofulvenes.

A novel palladium-catalyzed Oppolzer-type cyclization reaction aided by the aminomethyl cyclopalladated complex has been developed, which provides rapid access to functionalized benzofulvenes with excellent stereoselectivity. The corresponding products can undergo Diels-Alder reaction with maleimides, providing a series of complex polycyclic compounds with excellent regio- and stereoselectivities.

Palladium-Catalyzed Aminomethylation and Cyclization of Enynol to O-Heterocycle Confined 1,3-Dienes.

The rational tuning of the electrophilicity of the allylpalladium intermediates enables the regioselectively intramolecular 1,2-addition of enynol in the presence of aminal. This aminomethylation and cyclization reaction via C-N bond activation and intramolecular nucleophilic addition provides a rare example for the synthesis of O-containing heterocycle-confined 1,3-dienes, which is of synthetic potential for further derivatization. The method possesses broad substrate generality as well as functional group compatibility and efficiently affords a wide range of desired products with 5-, 6-, and 8-membered O-containing heterocycles with various functional groups.

Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Cyclization of Aminodiazoesters with Aldehydes to 3-Carboxylate-N-Heterocycles.

A Brønsted acid catalyzed cyclization of aminodiazoesters with aldehydes is described. This reaction features broad substrate generality and functional group compatibility, affording a wide range of 5-7-membered 3-carboxylate-N-heterocycles containing different functional groups. The title products are able to be further elaborated through simple functional group transformations to produce synthetically useful N-heterocycles.

Palladium-Catalyzed Chemoselective Aminomethylative Cyclization and Aromatizing Allylic Amination: Access to Functionalized Naphthalenes.

A palladium-catalyzed chemoselective aminomethylative cyclization and aromatizing allylic amination of enyne-tethered allylic alcohols with aminals is described. Under the reaction conditions, the cationic vinyl allylpalladium species undergoes selective migratory insertion of alkenes rather than reductive elimination with nucleophiles. This strategy provides an efficient and unique approach to the construction of functionalized naphthalenes, which are important building blocks in synthetic organic chemistry. Mechanistic studies have revealed that the selective sequential migratory insertion of enyne and alkene is crucial for the cyclization.

Triple-Bond Insertion Triggers Highly Regioselective 1,4-Aminomethylamination of 1,3-Enynes with Aminals Enabled by Pd-Catalyzed C-N Bond Activation.

A highly chemo- and regioselective 1,4-aminomethylamination of simple enynes with aminals to allenic 1,5-diamines by taking advantage of C-N bond activation has been reported. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions and can be performed under lower catalyst loading (0.1 mol %) with high efficiency and broad substrate scope.

Catalyst-Free Aminomethylamination of o-Hydroxystyrenes with Aminals to 1,3-Diamines.

A new catalyst-free protocol for aminomethylamination of o-hydroxystyrenes with simple aminals is described. This direct and operationally simple method provides a fundamentally novel and rapid approach for the synthesis of 1,3-diamines. This novel reaction occurs under mild reaction conditions and provides a fundamentally unique and efficient strategy for the synthesis of 1,3-diamines with good to excellent yields.

Palladium-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Difunctionalization of Aminoalkenes with Aminals as Oxidants and Electrophiles.

A novel palladium-catalyzed aminomethylamination of aminoalkenes with an aminal, functioning not only as an aminomethylation reagent but also as an oxidant, was developed. This direct and operationally simple protocol provides a fundamentally novel and unique approach toward the synthesis of 2-(2-aminoethyl)indoles and 2-(2-aminoethyl)pyrrolidines, which are important building blocks in synthetic organic chemistry. The unity of this method was highlighted by the rapid synthesis of Alosetron, a drug used for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.