An Untethered and Formal Intermolecular Hexadehydro-Diels-Alder Reaction: Alkynylboronates with 2-(1,3-Butadiynyl)pyridines.

We show that 2-diynylpyridine and a Bpin-terminated monoyne or diyne will cross-react to form benzyne intermediates. These reactive intermediates are captured by various in situ trapping agents to give products of three-component reactions. Various control reactions, substrate modification, binding studies, and DFT analysis suggest that a small amount of a noncovalent Lewis acid-base complex is the active species within which the diyne and diynophile engage to produce the benzyne.

Novel Conversions of a Multifunctional, Bio-sourced Lactone Carboxylic Acid.

The plant-derived compounds furfuryl alcohol and itaconic anhydride are known to undergo a Diels-Alder reaction at room temperature and in bulk to efficiently give an alkene-containing lactone carboxylic acid. Reported here is the conversion of this substance to a variety of derivatives via hydrogenation, epoxidation, or halolactonization reactions. Most notable is the formation of a set of three related acrylate or methacrylate esters (see graphical abstract) produced by direct acylative ring opening of ether bonds using Sc(OTf) and (meth)acrylic anhydride.

Examples Showing the Utility of Doping Experiments in H NMR Analysis of Mixtures.

Here we provide examples that demonstrate the value of using properly designed and easily performed doping experiments to give insights about the nature of the analyte(s) present in a H NMR sample. Two mixtures, the first quite complex and the second far less so, have been chosen: (i) the crude pyrolysate from reaction of butyric acid in (supercritical) water at 600 °C and (ii) a mixture of two basic amines. In the former, 13 distinct carbonyl-containing compounds, ranging in relative concentration of nearly 2 orders of magnitude, were positively identified.

A Bifunctional Copper Catalyst Enables Ester Reduction with H: Expanding the Reactivity Space of Nucleophilic Copper Hydrides.

Employing a bifunctional catalyst based on a copper(I)/NHC complex and a guanidine organocatalyst, catalytic ester reductions to alcohols with H as terminal reducing agent are facilitated. The approach taken here enables the simultaneous activation of esters through hydrogen bonding and formation of nucleophilic copper(I) hydrides from H, resulting in a catalytic hydride transfer to esters. The reduction step is further facilitated by a proton shuttle mediated by the guanidinium subunit.

β-Methyl-δ-valerolactone-containing Thermoplastic Poly(ester-amide)s: Synthesis, Mechanical Properties, and Degradation Behavior.

Poly(ester-amide)s (PEAs) have been prepared from (glucose-derived) β-methyl-δ-valerolactone (MVL) by reaction of MVL-derived diamidodiols with diacid chlorides in solution to form poly(ester-amide)s having alternating diester-diamide subunits. The PEAs formed by this method exhibit plastic properties and are of sufficiently high molecular weight to be tough, ductile materials (stress at break: 41-53 MPa, strain at break: 530-640%). The length of the methylene linker unit (n = 1,2,3) between amide groups of the diamidodiols affects the Young's modulus; longer linkers reduce the stiffness of the materials.

Using alcohols as simple H-equivalents for copper-catalysed transfer semihydrogenations of alkynes.

Copper(i)/N-heterocyclic carbene complexes enable a transfer semihydrogenation of alkynes employing simple and readily available alcohols such as isopropanol. The practical overall protocol circumvents the use of commonly employed high pressure equipment when using dihydrogen (H) on the one hand, and avoids the generation of stoichiometric silicon-based waste on the other hand, when hydrosilanes are used as terminal reductants.

Stereoselective Alkyne Hydrohalogenation by Trapping of Transfer Hydrogenation Intermediates.

A catalytically generated vinylcopper complex, the reactive intermediate of a copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne transfer hydrogenation, can be trapped by commercially available halogen electrophiles. In this manner, internal alkynes can stereoselectively be hydrohalogenated to the corresponding vinyl chlorides, bromides, and iodides.

Metal-Free, Brønsted Acid-Catalyzed Formal [3+2] Annulation of Quinone Monoacetals with 2-Naphthols.

An operationally simple and metal-free cross-coupling of quinone monoacetals (QMAs) with 2-naphthols catalyzed by triflic acid is reported. This formal [3+2] annulation allowed the synthesis of diverse naphtho[2,1-b]benzofuran derivatives in moderate to good yields. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal the initial nucleophilic substitution of QMAs with 2-naphthols in preference to the mixed acetal formation and subsequent [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement.

AgOTf-catalyzed dehydrative [3+2] annulation of aziridines with 2-naphthols.

The reaction of 2-naphthols with aziridines in the presence of AgOTf resulting in a dehydrative, formal [3+2] annulation is reported. The reaction allows the synthesis of functionalized benzoindolines, and tolerates a broad range of functional groups. A preliminary study on the mechanism of this reaction indicates an S1-type ring-opening of aziridines.

The Aryne [2,3] Stevens Rearrangement.

Arynes are employed in the transition-metal-free and mild [2,3] Stevens rearrangement of tertiary allylic amines for the synthesis of functionalized homoallylic amines in moderate to good yield with a broad substrate scope. The key nitrogen ylide intermediate was generated by the N-arylation of allyl amines using arynes. Moreover, the reaction of chiral allyl amines with arynes resulted in the enantiospecific synthesis of homoallylic amines.

Lewis Acid Catalyzed Selective Reactions of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes with 2-Naphthols.

Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions of 2-substituted cyclopropane 1,1-dicarboxylates with 2-naphthols is reported. The reaction exhibits tunable selectivity depending on the nature of Lewis acid employed and proceed as a dearomatization/rearomatization sequence. With Bi(OTf)3 as the Lewis acid, a highly selective dehydrative [3+2] cyclopentannulation takes place leading to the formation of naphthalene-fused cyclopentanes.

Multicomponent reactions involving phosphines, arynes and aldehydes.

Although nucleophilic phosphine-catalysis is a powerful tool for the construction of various carbocycles and heterocycles, the reactions in which phosphines are incorporated into the final product are rare, and the reports on phosphine addition to highly electrophilic arynes are scarce. Herein, we report the phosphine triggered multicomponent reaction of arynes and aldehydes, which takes place via the formal [3+2] cycloaddition of an initially generated 1,3-phosphonium zwitterion from phosphines and arynes with aldehydes. The reaction resulted in the formation of a diverse range of stable pentacovalent phosphoranes in good yields based on the benzooxaphosphole system.

Practical synthesis of phthalimides and benzamides by a multicomponent reaction involving arynes, isocyanides, and CO2/H2O.

Transition-metal-free multicomponent reactions involving arynes and isocyanides with either CO2 or H2O have been reported. With CO2 as the third component, the reactions resulted in the formation of N-substituted phthalimides. The utility of water as the third component furnished benzamide derivatives in moderate to good yields.

Employing arynes in transition-metal-free monoarylation of aromatic tertiary amines.

The highly monoselective N-arylation of aromatic tertiary amines using a transition-metal-free approach using arynes has been developed. The reaction afforded functionalized diaryl amines in moderate to excellent yield. High levels of functional group compatibility especially with halogen containing substrates, dyes and donor-acceptor systems, and high yields of products are the notable features of the present reaction.

Asymmetric N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed annulation of modified enals with enolizable aldehydes.

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed highly enantioselective lactonization of modified enals with enolizable aldehydes, proceeding via the α,β-unsaturated acylazolium intermediates, is reported. The reaction results in the asymmetric synthesis of synthetically important 4,5-disubstituted dihydropyranones.

Efficient Diels-Alder reaction of 1,2-benzoquinones with arynes and its utility in one-pot reactions.

A new protocol for the efficient Diels-Alder reaction of 1,2-benzoquinones with arynes is reported. The aryne generated by the fluoride-induced 1,2-elimination of 2-(trimethylsilyl)aryl triflates undergoes a facile Diels-Alder reaction with 1,2-benzoquinones, affording the dioxobenzobicyclooctadienes in moderate to excellent yields. In addition, this methodology has been applied to the one-pot synthesis of benzoquinoxalinobarrelene and naphthalene derivatives.

A practical and general Diels-Alder reaction of pentafulvenes with arynes.

A high-yielding, versatile and practical Diels-Alder reaction of pentafulvenes with arynes under mild reaction conditions is reported. The aryne generated by the fluoride induced 1,2-elimination of 2-(trimethylsilyl)aryl triflates undergoes efficient cycloaddition with 6-substituted and 6,6-disubstituted pentafulvenes leading to the formation of benzonorbornadiene derivatives.