Accessing Both Retention and Inversion Pathways in Stereospecific, Nickel-Catalyzed Miyaura Borylations of Allylic Pivalates.

We have developed a stereospecific, nickel-catalyzed Miyaura borylation of allylic pivalates, which delivers highly enantioenriched α-stereogenic γ-aryl allylboronates with good yields and regioselectivities. Our complementary sets of conditions enable access to either enantiomer of allylboronate product from a single enantiomer of readily prepared allylic pivalate substrate. Excellent functional group tolerance, yields, regioselectivities, and stereochemical fidelities are observed.

Unprecedented Intramolecular [4 + 2]-Cycloaddition between a 1,3-Diene and a Diazo Ester.

Diazo compounds that are well-known to undergo [3 + 2]-cycloaddition provide the first examples of the previously unknown [4 + 2]-cycloaddition with dienes that occur thermally under mild conditions and in high yields. Reactions are initiated from reactants prepared from propargyl aryldiazoacetates that undergo gold(I)-catalyzed rearrangement to activated 1,3-dienyl aryldiazoacetates. These reactions proceed to mixtures of both [4 + 2]-cycloaddition and the 1,3-dienyl aryldiazoacetate after long reaction times.

Enantioselective copper-catalyzed alkynylation of benzopyranyl oxocarbenium ions.

We have developed highly enantioselective, copper-catalyzed alkynylations of benzopyranyl acetals. By using a copper(I) catalyst equipped with a chiral bis(oxazoline) ligand, high yields and enantioselectivities are achieved in the alkynylation of widely available, racemic isochroman and chromene acetals to deliver α-chiral oxygen heterocycles. This method demonstrates that chiral organometallic nucleophiles can be successfully used in enantioselective additions to oxocarbenium ions.

Enantiospecific, nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings of allylic pivalates and arylboroxines.

We have developed an enantiospecific, nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of unsymmetric 1,3-disubstituted allylic pivalates with arylboroxines. The success of this reaction relies on the use of BnPPh2 as a supporting ligand for the nickel(0) catalyst and NaOMe as a base. This method shows excellent functional group tolerance and broad scope in both the allylic pivalate and arylboroxine, enabling the preparation of 1,3-diaryl allylic products in high yields with excellent levels of regioselectivity and stereochemical fidelity.

Nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings of benzylic pivalates with arylboroxines: stereospecific formation of diarylalkanes and triarylmethanes.

We have developed a stereospecific nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of benzylic pivalates with arylboroxines. The success of this reaction relies on the use of Ni(cod)2 as the catalyst and NaOMe as a uniquely effective base. This reaction has broad scope with respect to the arylboroxine and benzylic pivalate, enabling the synthesis of a variety of diarylalkanes and triarylmethanes in good to excellent yields and ee's.

Copper-catalyzed enantioselective additions to oxocarbenium ions: alkynylation of isochroman acetals.

We have developed an enantioselective, copper(I)-catalyzed addition of terminal alkynes to racemic isochroman acetals. This method is one of the first transition-metal-catalyzed approaches to enantioselective additions to prochiral oxocarbenium ions. In this reaction, TMSOTf is used to form the oxocarbenium ion in situ under conditions compatible with simultaneous formation of the chiral copper acetylide.