Borane-Catalyzed Synthesis of Quinolines Bearing Tetrasubstituted Stereocenters by Hydride Abstraction-Induced Electrocyclization.

The borane-catalyzed synthesis of quinoline derivatives bearing tetrasubstituted stereocenters from vinyl anilines has been developed. Mechanistic studies and quantum-mechanical investigations support the hydride abstraction/electrocyclization/hydride addition mechanism. The products were obtained in up to 99 % yield with a diastereoselectivity of >99 % in favour for the 3a-5-cis isomer.

Borane-catalyzed indole synthesis through intramolecular hydroamination.

The reaction of 2-alkynyl anilines with catalytic amounts of B(CF) (5 mol%) resulted in the formation of 2-substituted indoles according to an intramolecular hydroamination in good to excellent yields. Reaction intermediates as well as products were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and by X-ray crystallography. The domino hydroamination/hydrogenation sequence allowed the efficient synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline 8 in good yield.

Frustrated Lewis Pair Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Oxidation of Indolines and Other Heterocycles.

An acceptorless dehydrogenation of heterocycles catalyzed by frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) was developed. Oxidation with concomitant liberation of molecular hydrogen proceeded in high to excellent yields for N-protected indolines as well as four other substrate classes. The mechanism of this unprecedented FLP-catalyzed reaction was investigated by mechanistic studies, characterization of reaction intermediates by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystal analysis, and by quantum-mechanical calculations.

Structure-Reactivity Relationship in the Frustrated Lewis Pair (FLP)-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Imines.

The autoinduced, frustrated Lewis pair (FLP)-catalyzed hydrogenation of 16-benzene-ring substituted N-benzylidene-tert-butylamines with B(2,6-F2 C6 H3 )3 and molecular hydrogen was investigated by kinetic analysis. The pKa values for imines and for the corresponding amines were determined by quantum-mechanical methods and provided a direct proportional relationship. The correlation of the two rate constants k1 (simple catalytic cycle) and k2 (autoinduced catalytic cycle) with pKa difference between imine and amine pairs (ΔpKa ) or Hammett's σ parameter served as useful parameters to establish a structure-reactivity relationship for the FLP-catalyzed hydrogenation of imines.

Autoinduced catalysis and inverse equilibrium isotope effect in the frustrated Lewis pair catalyzed hydrogenation of imines.

The frustrated Lewis pair (FLP)-catalyzed hydrogenation and deuteration of N-benzylidene-tert-butylamine (2) was kinetically investigated by using the three boranes B(C6F5)3 (1), B(2,4,6-F3-C6H2)3 (4), and B(2,6-F2-C6H3)3 (5) and the free activation energies for the H2 activation by FLP were determined. Reactions catalyzed by the weaker Lewis acids 4 and 5 displayed autoinductive catalysis arising from a higher free activation energy (2 kcal mol(-1)) for the H2 activation by the imine compared to the amine. Surprisingly, the imine reduction using D2 proceeded with higher rates.