Highly selective double chalcogenation of isocyanides with disulfide-diselenide mixed systems.

A highly selective method for introducing thio and seleno groups into a variety of isocyanides has been developed based on the elucidation of the relative reactivities of organic dichalcogenides and chalcogen-centered free radicals. When the reactions of aromatic isocyanides (ArNC) with organic disulfides (R'SSR') and diselenides (R''SeSeR'') are conducted upon irradiation with a tungsten lamp through Pyrex (hnu>300 nm), simultaneous introduction of both thio and seleno groups into the isocyanides takes place to provide the corresponding thioselenation products (R'S-C(=NAr)-SeR'') in good yields with excellent selectivity. In the cases of aliphatic isocyanides (RCN), a novel diselenide-assisted bisthiolation of RNC with diaryl disulfides (Ar'SSAr') proceeds successfully to give the corresponding bisthiolation products (Ar'S-C(=NR)-SAr'), although the same photoirradiated reaction of RNC with diaryl disulfides does not occur in the absence of diselenide.

N-carbonylation of lithium azaenolates of amides, formamides, ureas, and carbamates with carbon monoxide mediated by selenium.

N-Carbonylation of less nucleophilic nitrogen compounds was achieved by the reaction of the lithium azaenolates with carbon monoxide and selenium. This reaction proceeds in the cases of amides, formamides, ureas, and carbamates, leading to the formation of the corresponding carbamoselenoates in good to high yields after trapping with BuI.

Generation of carbamoyl- and thiocarbamoyllithium synthons having a hydrogen(s) or an aryl group on the nitrogen and their trapping with carbonyl electrophiles.

Dimetalated amides 1 (Y = O) were generated as the synthons of carbamoyllithiums 2 (Y = O) by the reaction of isocyanates with iBu2AlTenBu and a subsequent tellurium-lithium exchange reaction. A series of amide derivatives 3 (Y = O) were obtained by the trapping of dianion 1 with electrophiles. This transformation can be successfully applied to the generation and trapping of thiocarbamoyllithium synthons 1 (Y = S) as well as to the nucleophilic introduction of the parent carbamoyl moiety H2NC(O).

A facile method for the synthesis of thiocarbamates: palladium-catalyzed reaction of disulfide, amine, and carbon monoxide.

[reaction: see text] A new method for the synthesis of thiocarbamates has been developed. When dialkyl or diaryl disulfides were allowed to react with secondary amines and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytic amount of a palladium complex, the thiocarbamates were obtained in moderate to good yields. In contrast to that of secondary amines, in the reaction of a primary amine, no formation of thiocarbamate was confirmed, but urea was formed in good yield.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric analysis of chemical reactions of dissolution of selenium in strongly basic amines.

When elemental selenium was added to a strongly basic amine, 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) or 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.

Carbonylation of lithium enolates with carbon monoxide mediated by selenium.

[reaction: see text] Lithium enolates of ketones and aldehydes undergo carbonylation with carbon monoxide with the aid of selenium under mild conditions to yield beta-keto and beta-formyl selenol esters after trapping with alkyl iodides. This reaction proceeds via a unique carbonylation mechanism comprised of O-carbonylation and subsequent migration of the SeCO moiety to the alpha-carbon.

Phenyl tributylstannyl selenide as a promising reagent for introduction [corrected] of the phenylseleno group.

A new synthetic method of organoselenium compounds has been developed. When phenyl tributylstannyl selenide (PhSeSnBu(3)) was allowed to react with acyl or aroyl chlorides in the presence of a catalytic amount of a palladium complex such as Pd(PPh(3))(4), Se-phenyl selenol esters were obtained in moderate to good yields. Similarly, the palladium complex catalyzed the reaction of PhSeSnBu(3) with alpha-halo carbonyl compounds to afford the corresponding alpha-phenyseleno carbonyl compounds in moderate yields.

One-pot synthetic method of unsymmetrical diorganyl selenides: reaction of diphenyl diselenide with alkyl halides in the presence of lanthanum metal.

A convenient synthetic method of unsymmetrical selenides has been developed. When diphenyl diselenide was allowed to react with two equimolar amounts of primary alkyl iodides and bromides in the presence of an equimolar amount of lanthanum metal, alkyl phenyl selenides were formed in moderate to good yields. For the reaction of primary alkyl chlorides and secondary alkyl iodides, the yields of the selenides were low; however, the yields were dramatically improved by the addition of TMEDA or HMPA.

Stereoselective synthesis of new selenium-containing heterocycles by cyclocarbonylation of aminoalkynes with carbon monoxide and selenium.

The reaction of 3-aminoalkynes 2 with carbon monoxide and selenium yielded 5-alkylideneselenazolin-2-ones 3 stereoselectively via cycloaddition of in situ generated carbamoselenoates to the carbon-carbon triple bond. 4-Aminoalkyne 7 also afforded the corresponding six-membered selenium-containing heterocycle with the aid of CuI.

Reaction of carbonyl compounds with trialkylsilyl phenylselenide and tributylstannyl hydride under radical conditions.

A novel method for the hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds has been developed. When carbonyl compounds were allowed to react with trimethylsilyl phenylselenide and tributylstannyl hydride in the presence of a catalytic amount of AIBN as the radical initiator, hydrosilylation of the carbonyl compounds efficiently proceeded to give the corresponding silyl ethers in moderate to good yields. In the absence of carbonyl compounds, the triethylsilyl hydride was obtained by the reaction of PhSeSiEt(3) with Bu(3)SnH.

Tributylstannyl radical-catalyzed reaction of 1,2,3-selenadiazoles with olefins or dienes.

It was found that the reaction of 1,2,3-selenadiazoles derived from cyclic ketones with olefins or dienes was markedly promoted by a catalytic amount of tributylstannyl radical, which was generated in situ from tributylstannyl hydride or allyltributylstannane and AIBN, to give the corresponding dihydroselenophenes in moderate to good yields. In contrast, when 1,2,3-selenadiazoles prepared from linear and aromatic ketones were used as substrates, the same reaction did not take place, and alkynes were formed as the sole product.

Reduction of organic halides with lanthanum metal: a novel generation method of alkyl radicals.

Results of the reaction of alkyl halides with lanthanum metal have been shown. The reduction of alkyl iodide with 1/3 equiv of lanthanum metal efficiently proceeded to give the corresponding reductive dimerized products along with the formation of reduction and dehydroiodination products. In the case of alkyl bromides and chlorides, the reaction did not proceed under the same reaction conditions as that of alkyl iodides; however, the reaction was dramatically promoted by the addition of a catalytic amount of iodine.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Lactonization of Propargyl Alcohols with Organic Dichalcogenides and Carbon Monoxide.

The reaction of propargylic alcohols with diaryl disulfides and carbon monoxide in the presence of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium leads to a novel thiolative lactonization to afford beta-(arylthio)-alpha,beta-unsaturated lactones in moderate to good yields. Similar conditions can be employed with homopropargylic alcohols, giving the corresponding delta-lactones with a beta-arylthio group successfully. The reaction using diaryl diselenides in lieu of diaryl disulfides also attains a similar one-pot thiolation/lactonization sequence to provide the corresponding beta-selenobutenolides (7).

Zirconocene-Catalyzed Silylation of Alkenes with Chlorosilanes.

Vinylsilanes and/or allylsilanes are formed upon silylation of terminal alkenes with R SiCl in the presence of a Grignard reagent and a catalytic amount of [Cp ZrCl ] [Eq. (a)]. The reaction also proceeds under mild conditions when silylsulfides (X=SPh), silylselenides (X=SePh), and silyltellurides (X=TePh) are used in place of chlorosilanes (X=Cl).

Group Transfer Carbonylations: Photoinduced Alkylative Carbonylation of Alkenes Accompanied by Phenylselenenyl Transfer.

The photolysis of methyl alpha-(phenylseleno)acetate (1b) and related compounds in the presence of an alkene and CO leads to acyl selenides 2 via group transfer carbonylation. The mechanism of this three-component coupling reaction involves the addition of a (methoxycarbonyl)methyl radical to an alkene, the trapping of the produced alkyl free radical by CO, and termination of the reaction by a phenylselenenyl group transfer from the starting material.

A Stereochemical Study of the Isomerization of Cyclopropyl Ethers to Allyl Ethers Catalyzed with Zinc Iodide.

Optically active 1-alkoxybicyclo[4.1.0]heptane was converted using zinc iodide as a catalyst to 2-alkoxymethylidenecyclohexane without loss of optical purity.