Recent advances in iron-catalysed coupling reactions for the construction of the C(sp)-C(sp) bond.

The advancement of transition-metal-catalyzed coupling reactions has been demonstrated as a highly effective strategy for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds, which serve as the fundamental basis for organic synthetic chemistry. Given that iron represents one of the most economical and ecologically sustainable metallic elements available, the exploration and enhancement of iron-catalysed coupling reactions have garnered increasing interest within the scientific community. In recent years, numerous iron-catalysed reactions have been reported, showcasing their efficacy in establishing C-C bonds.

Sustainable and practical formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds employing organo-alkali metal reagents.

Metal-catalysed cross-coupling reactions are amongst the most widely used methods to directly construct new bonds. In this connection, sustainable and practical protocols, especially transition metal-catalysed cross-coupling reactions, have become the focus in many aspects of synthetic chemistry due to their high efficiency and atom economy. This review summarises recent advances from 2012 to 2022 in the formation of carbon-carbon bonds and carbon-heteroatom bonds by employing organo-alkali metal reagents.

Stereospecific Iron-Catalyzed Carbon (sp)-Carbon (sp) Cross-Coupling of Aryllithium with Vinyl Halides.

We present herein an efficient synthetic protocol involving iron-catalyzed cross-coupling of organolithium compounds with vinyl halides as key coupling partners. More than 30 examples were obtained with moderate to good yields and high stereoselectivities. The practicality of this method is evidenced by a gram-scale synthesis.

Total Syntheses of (-)-Deoxoapodine, (-)-Kopsifoline D, and (-)-Beninine.

The total syntheses of and alkaloids (-)-deoxoapodine, (-)-kopsifoline D, and (-)-beninine are described through a domino deprotection-Michael addition-nucleophilic substitution protocol to assemble the core framework in efficient steps. Corey-Bakshi-Shibata reduction was employed to afford the enantioenriched intermediate for the total syntheses of the aforementioned alkaloids. The chirality was shown to completely transfer to the backbone using Johnson-Claisen rearrangement.

Facile difluoromethylation of aliphatic alcohols with an S-(difluoro-methyl)sulfonium salt: reaction, scope and mechanistic study.

A facile and practical approach for the difluoromethylation of aliphatic alcohols with an S-(difluoromethyl)sulfonium salt was developed. A wide variety of alcohols with broad functional groups are compatible to furnish the corresponding alkyl difluoromethyl ethers in good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. Control experiments and DFT computational studies suggest that the difluoromethylation of alcohols mainly proceeds via a difluorocarbene pathway involving a five-membered transition state with the participation of water, whose crucial role in this reaction was also elucidated by control experiments.

PtCl-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of 1,8-Enynes: Synthesis of Tetrahydropyridine Species.

The cycloisomerization of 1,8-enynes in the presence of platinum(II) chloride was developed to generate bicyclic nitrogen-containing heterocycle species via 6- endo-dig cyclization and [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement in acceptable to good yields. The related control experiments and preliminary mechanistic studies indicate a plausible mechanism involving 1,6- endo-dig aminoplatination of the alkyne and allylic [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement with total inversion of the allylic moiety.

Stereospecific Iron-Catalyzed Carbon(sp)-Carbon(sp) Cross-Coupling with Alkyllithium and Alkenyl Iodides.

An efficient synthetic protocol involving iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions between organolithium compounds and alkenyl iodides as key coupling partners was achieved. More than 30 examples were obtained with moderate to good yields and high stereospecificity. Gram-scale and synthetic applications of this procedure are recorded herein to demonstrate its feasibility and potential utilization.

Ligand-Free Iron-Catalyzed Carbon (sp)-Carbon (sp) Oxidative Homo-Coupling of Alkenyllithiums.

A new strategy was developed for the efficient synthesis of di-, tetra-, and hexa-substituted 1,3-butadienes. This one-pot procedure involves lithium-iodine exchange to generate the corresponding vinyllithium intermediates. A subsequent iron-catalyzed ligand-free oxidative homo-coupling eventually led to the formation of 1,3-butadienes in acceptable to excellent isolated yields.

Total syntheses of shizukaols A and E.

Shizukaols possess a common heptacyclic framework containing more than ten contiguous stereocenters and potential biological activities. Here we report that the total syntheses of shizukaols A (1) and E (2), two lindenane-type dimers from the Chloranthaceae family, are achieved via a modified biomimetic Diels-Alder reaction. The common crucial biomimetic diene 23 and ethylene species (6, 17) are obtained through either a highly Z-selective olefination of α-siloxy ketone with ynolate anions or an intramolecular Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination from commercially available Wieland-Miescher ketone (7).

Gold(I)-Catalyzed Tandem Cycloisomerization of 1,5-Enyne Ethers by Hydride Transfer.

A novel gold-catalyzed tandem protocol, initiated by hydride transfer in the presence of catalytic (C F ) PAuCl/AgSbF , for the formation of fused polycyclic ring systems has been achieved. This tandem reaction provides rapid access to various fused polycyclic species in a single chemical operation, leading to stereospecific formation of two carbon-carbon bonds and three rings.

Ligand-Free Iron-Catalyzed Carbon(sp)-Carbon(sp) Cross-Coupling of Alkenyllithium with Vinyl Halides.

An efficient ligand-free iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction involving alkenyllithium and vinyl iodides was developed to form diene species in moderate to good yields. This new iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction provides a mild, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly avenue toward synthesis of diversified diene derivatives.

Asymmetric Total Syntheses of Colchicine, β-Lumicolchicine, and Allocolchicinoid N-Acetylcolchinol-O-methyl Ether (NCME).

A concise and highly enantioselective synthesis of colchicine (>99% ee) in eight steps and 9.3% overall yield, without the need for protecting groups, was developed. A unique Wacker oxidation was used for enabling regioselective construction of the highly oxidized and synthetic challenging tropolone C-ring.

Total Synthesis of (±)-Gracilioether F.

Total synthesis of (±)-gracilioether F was achieved via a pivotal reductive cleavage of 1,2-dioxane from allenic ester in 11 steps. The key 1,2-dioxane species, derived from singlet oxygen and a diene, could be used as a common precursor for a stereocontrolled formation of the crucial 1,4-diol through a reductive cleavage.

Iron-catalysed cross-coupling of organolithium compounds with organic halides.

In past decades, catalytic cross-coupling reactions between organic halides and organometallic reagents to construct carbon-carbon bond have achieved a tremendous progress. However, organolithium reagents have rarely been used in cross-coupling reactions, due mainly to their high reactivity. Another limitation of this transformation using organolithium reagents is how to control reactivity with excellent selectivity.

6,7-Bismethoxy-2,11-dihydroxytetraphenylene Derived Macrocycles: Synthesis, Structures, and Complexation with Fullerenes.

6,7-Bismethoxy-2,11-dihydroxytetraphenylene (1), a novel building block of tetraphenylene-derived macrocycles, was synthesized via palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and characterized by X-ray diffraction. The relevant macrocyclic hosts derived from 1 have well-defined structures with fixed conformations both in solution and solid state. They showed efficient and unique properties toward complexation with fullerenes C60 and C70 in toluene.

Synthesis and Application of [3.3.0]Furofuranone in Total Synthesis.

The synthesis and application of [3.3.0]furofuranone species has received considerable attention from the scientific community.

Tetrathio and tetraseleno[8]circulenes: synthesis, structures, and properties.

Novel sulfur and selenium-bridged [8]circulenes were prepared from octabromotetraphenylene. Structures of these compounds were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analyses. Photophysical and electrochemical investigations of these [8]circulenes suggest their potential applications as electronic materials.

Heteroatom-bridged tetraphenylenes: synthesis, structures, and properties.

Novel oxygen-, nitrogen-, sulfur-, and selenium-bridged tetraphenylenes were prepared from known tetraphenylene derivatives. Structures of these compounds were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analyses. Photophysical and electrochemical investigations of these heteroatom-bridged tetraphenylenes suggested their potential applications as electronic materials.

Enantiomeric recognition of amino acid salts by macrocyclic crown ethers derived from enantiomerically pure 1,8,9,16-tetrahydroxytetraphenylenes.

Asymmetric synthesis of (R,R)- and (S,S)-1,8,9,16-tetrahydroxytetraphenylenes was achieved from starting material (2R,3R)-butane-2,3-diol and (2S,3S)-butane-2,3-diol respectively by utilizing a center-to-axis strategy. A series of crown ether compounds 20, 24, and 25 and their corresponding enantiomers derived from chiral tetrahydroxytetraphenylene were synthesized in enantiomerically pure forms. Enantiomeric recognition properties of these hosts toward l- and d-amino acid methyl ester hydrochloride were studied by the UV spectroscopy titration.

Total synthesis of (±)-pallambins C and D.

The first total synthesis of (±)-pallambins C and D has been accomplished in a linear 38 step reaction from (±)-Wieland-Miescher ketone. The key conversions are featured as follows: a Grob fragmentation-intramolecular aldol cyclization and a thiourea/palladium-catalyzed carbonylative annulation.

A concise construction of the chlorahololide heptacyclic core.

A concise and efficient strategy for the construction of the heptacyclic core of the chloranthaceae family has been developed. The key strategy comprises an S(N)2-type intramolecular nucleophilic substitution and a biomimetic endo-Diels-Alder cycloaddition.