A Nickel-Diamine/Mesoporous Silica Composite as a Heterogeneous Chiral Catalyst for Asymmetric 1,4-Addition Reactions.

A chiral composite material, derived from the deposition of a chiral nickel-diamine complex via wet impregnation to MCM-41, was shown to be an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for asymmetric 1,4-addition reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with nitroalkenes, and of nitromethane with alkylidenemalonates. It was discovered that MCM-41 enhanced the reactivity and improved the stability of the chiral nickel complex that resides within the mesoporous material.

Construction of dibenzo-fused seven- to nine-membered carbocycles via Brønsted acid-promoted intramolecular Friedel-Crafts-type alkenylation.

Brønsted acid-promoted intramolecular hydroarylation of alkynylbenzenes carrying an arylalkyl group at the ortho-position leads to alkylidenedibenzo[a,d]cycloheptenes, -octenes and -nonenes in up to quantitative yield with complete regioselectivity. The scope and limitation of this reaction and application to the synthesis of tricyclic antidepressants are described.