Regio- and Stereoselective Electro-Mediated Carboalkoxylation of 1,3-Dienes.

1,3-Dienes are versatile raw materials for building molecular complexity. We report herein mild conditions for the regio- and stereoselective [only the () isomer obtained] 1,4-carboalkoxylation of 1,3-dienes. This electrochemical multicomponent reaction provides an eco-efficient and straightforward access to a diverse range of ()-polyfunctionalized allyl ether products, without requiring any metal catalyst.

Organocatalytic Strategy for a Formal 1,6-Conjugate Hydroxylation.

Thanks to the versatile vinylogous hexafluoro -propyl acrylate molecular platforms, a regio- and enantioselective sulfa-Michael reaction was achieved upon organocatalytic conditions, allowing the subsequent amidation, one-pot oxidation, and Mislow-Bravermann-Evans [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement along with a 1,3-chirality transfer, leading eventually to a formal asymmetric 1,6-hydroxylation sequence.

Auto tandem triple cascade organocatalysis: access to bis-lactone and butenolide derivatives.

The synthesis of bis-lactone and butenolide derivatives was described using alkylidene Meldrum's acid as nucleophiles. The process operates in a triple cascade through an auto tandem catalysis promoted by DBU.

Iron-catalyzed decarboxylative radical addition to chiral azomethine imines upon visible light.

Herein, we disclose an eco-efficient redox-neutral iron-catalyzed decarboxylative radical addition to chiral azomethine imines upon visible light (427 nm) giving cyclic hydrazine derivatives with dr ranging from 82 : 18 to >96 : 4. This earth-abundant metal promoted sequence proceeds efficiently under ligand-free conditions based on a LMCT process and opens a route to new chiral heterocycles.

Vinylogous and stereoselective domino synthesis of pyrano[2,3-]pyrroles from alkylidene meldrum's acids.

A domino Vinylogous aza-Michael-Aldol-Cyclocondensation (aza-VMAC) reaction was achieved with a series of alkylidene Meldrum's acid derivatives under simple operational conditions paving the way to novel pyrano[2,3-]pyrroles in an excellent diasteroselectivity (>96 : 4), encompassing the relative control of three contiguous stereocenters.

Synthesis of α-Chloroarylacetic Acid via Electrochemical Carboxylation of α,α-Dichloroarylmethane Derivatives.

The electrocarboxylation of α,α-dichloroarylmethane derivatives in the presence of CO was achieved, providing several α-chloroarylacetic acid derivatives with modest yields but high selectivity (chlorinated vs. non-chlorinated or dicarboxylic acid products). The obtained products were then involved in several chemical transformations, underlining their potential as versatile intermediates in synthetic chemistry.

An Organocatalytic and Stereoselective Vinylogous Domino Process towards Thiochromans.

A highly diastereoselective organocatalyzed domino vinylogous sulfa-Michael-aldol-cyclocondensation (VMAC) reaction has been developed using alkylidene Meldrum's acid as dienes highlighting two vinylogous steps, an unprecedented sulfa-1,6-conjugate addition and a diastereoselective aldol reaction triggering a formal (4+2) cycloaddition. This work opens a new route towards bio-relevant and original tricyclic thiochroman derivatives.

Recent Advances in Catalytic and Technology-Driven Radical Addition to ,-Disubstituted Iminium Species.

Recently, radical chemistry has grown exponentially in the toolbox of organic synthetic chemists. Upon the (re)introduction of modern catalytic and technology-driven strategies, the implementation of highly reactive radical species is currently facilitated while expanding the scope of numerous synthetic methodologies. In this context, this review intends to cover the recent advances in radical-based transformations of ,-disubstituted iminium substrates that encompass unique reactivities with respect to imines or protonated iminium salts.

Diastereoselective addition of redox active esters to azomethine imines by electrosynthesis.

Thanks to metal- and catalyst-free electrochemical conditions in an undivided cell, a series of readily available redox-active -(acyloxy)phthalimide esters led to an efficient and highly stereoselective addition (85 : 15 to 95 : 5 dr) of putative radical species to chiral (racemic and enantioenriched) C5-substituted azomethine imines to provide an array of 31 polyaminated hydrazine derivatives as a single diastereoisomer.

Amine-Directed Palladium-Catalyzed C-H Halogenation of Phenylalanine Derivatives.

Invited for the cover of this issue are Jean-François Brière, Cédric Schneider, Guillaume Journot and co-workers from the COBRA laboratory and Oril Industrie (Normandy, France). The image shows the progression from questioning how to easily and regioselectively introduce halogen atoms to amino acids to the discovery of a catalytic functional-group-directed C-H halogenation of phenylalanine derivatives. Read the full text of the article at 10.

Amine-Directed Palladium-Catalyzed C-H Halogenation of Phenylalanine Derivatives.

An efficient primary-amine-directed, palladium-catalyzed C-H halogenation (X=I, Br, Cl) of phenylalanine derivatives is reported on a range of quaternary amino acid (AA) derivatives thanks to suitable conditions employing trifluoroacetic acid as additive. The extension of this original native functionality-directed ortho-selective halogenation was even demonstrated with the more challenging native phenylalanine as tertiary AA.

Organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of β-amino sulfonic acid derivatives.

An unprecedented enantioselective conjugate addition reaction of sodium bisulfite to various nitrostyrenes occurred upon the influence of a bifunctional amino-thiourea organocatalyst; a strategy that opens a straightforward route to unprotected chiral taurine derivatives thanks to the reduction of the obtained β-nitroethanesulfonic acids into the corresponding amino derivatives.

The Catalytic Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,6-Diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane-2,7-diones.

A straightforward synthesis of original 1,6-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane-2,7-diones was achieved through a DBU-organocatalyzed multicomponent Knoevenagel-aza-Michael-Cyclocondensation reaction which takes advantage of an unprecedented highly regio- and diastereoselective conjugate addition of pyridazinones to alkylidene Meldrum's acid intermediates.

Alkylidene Meldrum's Acids as Platforms for the Vinylogous Synthesis of Dihydropyranones.

Upon Brønsted base organocatalysis, ketone-derived alkylidene Meldrum's acids proved to be competent vinylogous platforms able to undergo a formal (4+2) cycloaddition reaction with dihydro-2,3-furandione, providing an unprecedented route to 3,6-dihydropyran-2-ones as spiro[4.5]decane derivatives with up to 98 % ee thanks to the commercially available Takemoto catalyst. Preliminary investigation showed that this reaction could be extended to other activated ketones, establishing these alkylidene Meldrum's acids as a novel C4-synthon in the vinylogous series.

Organocatalytic Multicomponent Synthesis of α/β-Dipeptide Derivatives.

A straightforward multicomponent Knoevenagel-aza-Michael-cyclocondensation reaction involving readily available hydroxamic acid-derived from naturally occurring α-amino acids allows a diversity-oriented synthesis of novel isoxazolidin-5-ones possessing an N-protected α-amino acid pendant with good to high diastereoselectivities thanks to a match effect with a chiral organocatalyst. These diversely substituted heterocycles, easily isolated as a single diastereoisomer, proved to be versatile platforms for the formation of an array of α/β-dipeptide fragments.

Enantioselective catalytic synthesis of α-aryl-α-SCF-β-amino acids.

We herein report a novel entry towards chiral α-SCF3-β2,2-amino acids by carrying out the ammonium salt-catalyzed α-trifluoromethylthiolation of isoxazolidin-5-ones. This approach allowed for high enantioselectivities and high yields and the obtained heterocycles proved to be versatile platforms to access other targets of potential interest.

Organocatalytic aza-Michael Reaction to 3-Vinyl-1,2,4-triazines as a Valuable Bifunctional Platform.

An unprecedented catalytic aza-Michael addition to substituted 3-vinyl-1,2,4-triazines, as original bifunctional platforms for the domino conjugate addition inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder ( ihDA/ rDA) reaction, was achieved using the highly acidic triflimide as an organocatalyst. Based on the use of alkoxyamine nucleophiles, this sequence not only highlights a rare example of the catalytic aza-Michael reaction to alkenylazaarenes but also proves to be useful for the elaboration of an array of biorelevant tetrahydro-[1,6]-naphthyridines.

A Unique (3+2) Annulation Reaction between Meldrum's Acid and Nitrones: Mechanistic Insight by ESI-IMS-MS and DFT Studies.

The fragile intermediates of the domino process leading to an isoxazolidin-5-one, triggered by unique reactivity between Meldrum's acid and an N-benzyl nitrone in the presence of a Brønsted base, were determined thanks to the softness and accuracy of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry coupled to ion mobility spectrometry (ESI-IMS-MS). The combined DFT study shed light on the overall organocatalytic sequence that starts with a stepwise (3+2) annulation reaction that is followed by a decarboxylative protonation sequence encompassing a stereoselective pathway issue.

Domino Aza-Michael-ih-Diels-Alder Reaction to Various 3-Vinyl-1,2,4-triazines: Access to Polysubstituted Tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridines.

A straightforward domino aza-Michael-inverse-electron-demand-hetero-Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder reaction between primary and secondary propargylamine derivatives and 3-vinyl-1,2,4-triazines is developed highlighting not only the uniqueness of this dual-heterocyclic platform but also a novel and unprecedented path to polysubstituted tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridine scaffolds.

Enantioselective Phase-Transfer Catalyzed α-Sulfanylation of Isoxazolidin-5-ones: An Entry to β -Amino Acid Derivatives.

An unprecedented enantioselective α-functionalization of C4-substituted N-alkoxycarbonyl isoxazolidin-5-ones, readily available platforms from Meldrum's acid derivatives, by N-sulfanylphthalimide (PhthSR) electrophiles was achieved upon an efficient phase-transfer catalytic approach, mediated by a commercial N-spiro quaternary ammonium catalyst. Two catalytic activities of the in situ formed R N Phth species were highlighted, the phtalimidate being involved in the anion metathesis event and likely as a Brønsted base. This sequence offers a straightforward access to α,α-disubstituted isoxazolidinones, which turned out to be useful precursors of α-sulfanyl-β -amino acid derivatives.

Organocatalyzed Multicomponent Synthesis of Isoxazolidin-5-ones.

An unprecedented multicomponent organocatalyzed Knoevenagel-aza-Michael-cyclocondensation reaction between Meldrum's acid, hydroxylamines, and aldehydes afforded a straightforward entry to a large array of racemic and syn-diastereoenriched isoxazolidinones as synthetically useful scaffolds. This process revealed a markedly facile aza-Michael-cyclocondensation sequence as a key domino reaction between RCO2NHOH and transient alkylidene Meldrum's acid upon Brønsted base catalysis.

Sequential Michael Addition and Enamine-Promoted Inverse Electron Demanding Diels-Alder Reaction upon 3-Vinyl-1,2,4-triazine Platforms.

An original one-pot Michael addition-ihDA/rDA sequence was achieved from 3-vinyl-1,2,4-triazine platforms used as unprecedented Michael acceptors. This sequence provides a novel access to functionalized [2,3]-fused pyridine derivatives via a unique enamine promoted intramolecular ihDA reaction of 1,2,4-triazine intermediates.

Stereocontrolled lithiation/trapping of chiral 2-alkylideneaziridines: investigation into the role of the aziridine nitrogen stereodynamics.

The origin of the stereoselectivity in the lithiation/trapping of 2-alkylideneaziridines bearing a chiral group as the nitrogen substituent was investigated. Optimal reaction conditions were discovered by in situ FT-IR monitoring. In addition, it has been found that the solvent and the alkene substitution pattern are important factors able to impart a switch in stereoselectivity.

Organocatalysed multicomponent synthesis of pyrazolidinones: Meldrum's acid approach.

We discovered a novel organocatalysed multicomponent domino Knoevenagel-aza-Michael-cyclocondensation reaction leading to an unprecedented straightforward synthesis of 1,5-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octane-2,6-diones.

Organocatalysed decarboxylative protonation process from Meldrum's acid: enantioselective synthesis of isoxazolidinones.

An asymmetric organocatalysed decarboxylative protonation reaction allowed a straightforward synthesis of α-substituted isoxazolidin-5-ones from readily available 5-substituted Meldrum's acids. This process is initiated by an anionic formal (3+2) cycloaddition-fragmentation, generated in-situ from a sulfone-amide precursor which also served as a latent source of proton.