C(sp)-H Carbonylative Cyclization of Hydrazones with CO: Synthesis of Pyrazolone Derivatives.

A novel method is reported to synthesize various pyrazolones through transition-metal-free and redox-neutral 1°, 2°, or 3° C(sp)-H carbonylative cyclization using 1 atm of CO as a green carbonyl source, featuring good functional group tolerance, a broad substrate scope, facile scalability, and easy product transformation. The utility of this method could be demonstrated by the applications in preparing useful synthetic intermediates and bioactive compounds.

Catalytic Asymmetric Dearomatization by Visible-Light-Activated [2+2] Photocycloaddition.

A novel method for the catalytic asymmetric dearomatization by visible-light-activated [2+2] photocycloaddition with benzofurans and one example of a benzothiophene is reported, thereby providing chiral tricyclic structures with up to four stereocenters including quaternary stereocenters. The benzofurans and the benzothiophene are functionalized at the 2-position with a chelating N-acylpyrazole moiety which permits the coordination of a visible-light-activatable chiral-at-rhodium Lewis acid catalyst. Computational molecular modeling revealed the origin of the unusual regioselectivity and identified the heteroatom in the heterocycle to be key for the regiocontrol.

Highly Regio- and Enantioselective Copper-Catalyzed Reductive Hydroxymethylation of Styrenes and 1,3-Dienes with CO.

Herein, we report a highly regio- and enantioselective copper-catalyzed reductive hydroxymethylation of styrenes and 1,3-dienes with 1 atm of CO. Diverse important chiral homobenzylic alcohols were readily prepared from styrenes. Moreover, a variety of 1,3-dienes also were converted to chiral homoallylic alcohols with high yields and excellent regio-, enantio-, and Z/E-selectivities.

Synthesis of Chiral 1,4-Benzodioxanes and Chromans by Enantioselective Palladium-Catalyzed Alkene Aryloxyarylation Reactions.

A highly enantioselective alkene aryloxyarylation led to the high-yielding formation of a series of 1,4-benzodioxanes, 1,4-benzooxazines, and chromans containing quaternary stereocenters with excellent enantioselectivity. The sterically bulky and conformationally well defined chiral monophosphorus ligand L4 or L5 was responsible for the high reactivity and enantioselectivity of these transformations. The application of this method to the synthesis of the chiral chroman backbone of α-tocopherol was demonstrated.

Synthesis of Chiral α-Amino Tertiary Boronic Esters by Enantioselective Hydroboration of α-Arylenamides.

The rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydroboration of α-arylenamides with BI-DIME as the chiral ligand and (Bpin)2 as the reagent yields for the first time a series of α-amino tertiary boronic esters in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee).

A chiral ruthenium-monophosphine catalyst for asymmetric addition of arylboronic acids to aryl aldehydes.

A novel ruthenium catalyst on the basis of a chiral monophosphorus ligand is efficient for the asymmetric addition of arylboronic acids to aryl aldehydes, providing a series of chiral diarylmethanols in excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 92% ee). Preliminary study has shown that this process is catalyzed by a Ru complex with a single monophosphorus ligand.