Influence of Solvents or Additives on the Organic Chemistry Mediated by Diiodosamarium

Enantioselective Dearomatization of Indoles via SmI2-Mediated Intermolecular Reductive Coupling with Ketones

Samarium diiodide (SmI₂) mediated reductive coupling reactions are powerful methods for the construction of carbon-carbon bond in organic synthesis. Despite the extensive development in recent decades, successful examples of the corresponding asymmetric reactions remained scarce, probably due to the involvement of highly reactive radical intermediates. In this Article, we report an enantioselective dearomatization of indoles via SmI₂-mediated intermolecular reductive coupling with ketones. The utilization of samarium reductant supported by chiral tridentate aminodiol ligands allows the facile synthesis of indoline molecules bearing two contiguous stereogenic centers in high yields (up to 99%) and stereoselectivity (up to 99:1 er and >20:1 dr). Combined experimental and computational investigations suggested that parallel single-electron transfer to each substrate from the chiral samarium reductant allows the radical-radical recombination in an enantioselective manner, which is a unique mechanistic scenario in SmI₂-mediated reductive coupling reactions.

Temperature-Controlled Stereodivergent Synthesis of 2,2'-Biflavanones Promoted by Samarium Diiodide

In this work, the first example of a radical stereodivergent reaction directed towards the stereoselective synthesis of both (R*,R*)- and (R*,S*)-2,2'-biflavanones promoted by samarium diiodide is reported. Control experiments showed that the selectivity of this reaction was exclusively controlled by the temperature. It was possible to generate a variety of 2,2'-biflavanones bearing different substitution patterns at the aromatic ring in good-to-quantitative yields, being both stereoisomers of the desired compounds obtained with total or high control of selectivity. A mechanism that explains both the generation of the corresponding 2,2'-biflavanones and the selectivity is also discussed. The structure and stereochemistry determination of each isomer was unequivocally elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments.

Ceric Cyclopentadienides Bearing Alkoxy, Aryloxy, Chlorido, or Iodido Co-Ligands

A series of heteroleptic tris(cyclopentadienyl) Ce^IV complexes has been isolated and crystallographically characterized, revealing the broad accessibility of such organocerium(IV) compounds. The oxidation of complexes Cp^Me₃ Ce(thf) and Cp'₃ Ce(thf) (Cp^Me =C₅ H₄ Me, Cp'=C₅ H₄ SiMe₃ ), bearing monosubstituted electron-poor cyclopentadienyl ligands, with 0.5 equivalents of 1,4-benzoquinone or C₂ Cl₆ gave the cerium(IV) hydroquinolate complexes Cp^Me₃ Ce(OC₆ H₄ O)CeCp^Me₃ and Cp'₃ Ce(OC₆ H₄ O)CeCp'₃ , or the chloride complexes Cp^Me₃ CeCl and Cp'₃ CeCl, respectively; the iodide complex Cp'₃ CeI was obtained from the reaction of Cp'₃ Ce(thf) with elemental iodine. The behavior of Cp'₃ CeCl in salt metathesis protocols employing alkali metal amides or alkyl, alkoxide, and aryloxide reagents was investigated, which gave rise to the robust and isolable cerium(IV) alkoxide Cp'₃ Ce(OtBu). Trivalent [Cp'₂ CeCl]₂ was synthesized by AlMe₄ →Cl exchange utilizing Cp'₂ Ce(AlMe₄ ) and AlMe₂ Cl. The reactivity of [Cp'₂ CeCl]₂ towards the oxidants Ph₃ CCl, C₂ Cl₆ , 1,4-benzoquinone, and I₂ has been assessed, and has provided useful information on Ce^III /Ce^IV redox deactivation pathways. In addition to X-ray structure analysis, all the complexes were characterized by NMR, DRIFT (diffuse reflectance IR Fourier transform), and UV/Vis spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis. The tetravalent compounds were further analyzed for their magnetic susceptibility by using Evans' method.

SmCpR2-mediated cross-coupling of allyl and propargyl ethers with ketoesters and a telescoped approach to complex cycloheptanols

A selective coupling of allyl/propargyl ethers and δ-ketoesters, mediated by SmCp^R₂, delivers δ-lactones, or complex cycloheptanols via a telescoped approach.

Indole synthesis from N-allenyl-2-iodoanilines under mild conditions mediated by samarium(II) diiodide

A novel method for indole skeleton synthesis under mild conditions mediated by samarium(ii) diiodide has been developed. The reaction of N-allenyl-2-iodoaniline derivatives with SmI2 in the presence of HMPA and i-PrOH at 0 °C afforded indole derivatives in high yields.

Selective cleavage of 3,5-bis-(trifluoromethyl)benzylcarbamate by SmI2-Et3N-H2O

A novel electron poor protection group for amines has been developed. It undergoes rapid cleavage by SmI2-Et3N-H2O and its orthogonality towards the regular benzyl carbamate group (CBz) under reductive or transfer hydrogenolytic conditions is reported.

KHMDS enhanced SmI(2)-mediated reformatsky type alpha-cyanation

A novel combination of SmI(2), KHMDS, and TsCN can be utilized to introduce a cyano group into structurally diverse and highly sensitive 2-alkyl-chroman-4-ones. Subsequent oxidation allows the formed 2-alkyl-3-cyanochromones to be isolated in yields ranging from 49 to 77%. In addition, alpha-bromoketones and esters were found to undergo equally effective alpha-cyanation.

Total synthesis of platensimycin and related natural products

Platensimycin is the flagship member of a new and growing class of antibiotics with promising antibacterial properties against drug-resistant bacteria. The total syntheses of platensimycin and its congeners, platensimycins B(1) and B(3), platensic acid, methyl platensinoate, platensimide A, homoplatensimide A, and homoplatensimide A methyl ester, are described. The convergent strategy developed toward these target molecules involved construction of their cage-like core followed by attachment of the various side chains through amide bond formation. In addition to a racemic synthesis, two asymmetric routes to the core structure are described: one exploiting a rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric cycloisomerization, and another employing a hypervalent iodine-mediated de-aromatizing cyclization of an enantiopure substrate. The final two bonds of the core structure were forged through a samarium diiodide-mediated ketyl radical cyclization and an acid-catalyzed etherification. The rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric reaction involving a terminal acetylene was developed as a general method for the asymmetric cycloisomerization of terminal enynes.

Recent advances in the chemistry and biology of naturally occurring antibiotics

Ever since the world-shaping discovery of penicillin, nature's molecular diversity has been extensively screened for new medications and lead compounds in drug discovery. The search for agents intended to combat infectious diseases has been of particular interest and has enjoyed a high degree of success. Indeed, the history of antibiotics is marked with impressive discoveries and drug-development stories, the overwhelming majority of which have their origin in natural products. Chemistry, and in particular chemical synthesis, has played a major role in bringing naturally occurring antibiotics and their derivatives to the clinic, and no doubt these disciplines will continue to be key enabling technologies. In this review article, we highlight a number of recent discoveries and advances in the chemistry, biology, and medicine of naturally occurring antibiotics, with particular emphasis on total synthesis, analogue design, and biological evaluation of molecules with novel mechanisms of action.

A New, Efficient and Stereoselective Synthesis of Tricyclic and Tetracyclic Compounds by Samarium Diiodide Induced Cyclisations of Naphthyl-Substituted Arylketones—An Easy Access to Steroid-Like Skeletons

In this report, we present the application of samarium diiodide induced cyclisations of naphthyl-substituted ketones towards an easy and stereoselective access to tri- and tetracyclic-functionalised compounds. Typical naphthalene derivatives were studied to investigate the scope and limitations of this novel cyclisation process. The model substrates studied demonstrate that the samarium ketyl cyclisations are essentially restricted to the formation of six-membered rings. The diastereoselectivity of these reactions is strongly influenced by the connection of the alkyl side chain to the naphthalene core. Gamma-naphth-1-yl-substituted ketones furnished cyclisation products, such as 17 or 22-26, as single diastereomers, whereas gamma-naphth-2-yl-substituted precursors gave mixtures of diastereomers--as demonstrated by the conversion of model compound 10 into tricyclic products 18 a/18 b, or that of cyclohexanone derivative 33 into tetracyclic diastereomers 34 a/34 b. Cyclic ketones as ketyl precursors furnished steroid-like tetracyclic skeletons; however, due to the cis/cis fusion of rings B/C and C/D these products have an "unnatural" bowl-like shape. Several of the cyclisation products have been identified by X-ray analyses, which not only proved the constitutions, but also the relative configurations and the preferred conformations. Steroid analogue 23 was subjected to subsequent transformations, which demonstrate that the styrene-like double bond of such compounds can be used for further structural diversification. First attempts to synthesise related azasteroids by incorporating nitrogen atoms into the ketone moiety are also reported. Thus, pyrrolidine derivatives 44 and 47 as well as piperidine derivatives 50 and 52 were subjected to samarium diiodide induced cyclisations. The expected tetracyclic products 48, 49 a/49 b, 51 and 53 a/53 b were obtained in moderate to good yields. The stereoselectivities observed follow the rules already established for the all-carbon precursors. The resulting products, bearing a nitrogen atom in ring D, are interesting azasteroid analogues with "unnatural" configuration.

Samarium(II) promoted stereoselective synthesis of antiproliferative cis-β-alkoxy-γ-alkyl-γ-lactones

Samarium(II) iodide promotes the stereoselective synthesis of cis-beta-alkoxy-gamma-alkyl-gamma-lactones under mild conditions starting from linear precursors. The in vitro antiproliferative activities were examined in the human solid tumor cell lines from diverse origin A2780, SW1573, and WiDr. From the growth inhibition data a structure-activity relationship was obtained. Overall the results point to the relevant role of cis-beta-alkoxy-gamma-alkyl-gamma-lactones as novel scaffolds for the development of new anticancer drugs.

Estimating the Limiting Reducing Power of SmI2/H2O/Amine and YbI2/H2O/Amine by Efficient Reduction of Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

The mixture of samarium diiodide, amine, and water (SmI2/H2O/Et3N) is known to be a particularly powerful reductant, but until now the limiting reducing power has not been determined. A series of unsaturated hydrocarbons with varying half-wave reduction potentials (E(1/2) = -1.6 to -3.4 V, vs SCE) have been treated with SmI2/H2O/Et3N and YbI2/H2O/Et3N, respectively. All hydrocarbons with potentials of -2.8 V or more positive were readily reduced with SmI2/H2O/Et3N, whereas all hydrocarbons with potentials of -2.3 V or more positive were readily reduced using YbI2/H2O/Et3N. This defines limiting values of the chemical reducing power of SmI2/H2O/Et3N to -2.8 V and of YbI2/H2O/Et3N to -2.3 V vs SCE.

Intramolecular, Reductive Cyclization of ?-Ketoisothiocyanates Promoted by Using Samarium Diiodide

A novel samarium diiodide (SmI2) promoted intramolecular cyclization of beta-ketoisothiocyanate, derived from alpha,beta-unsaturated esters and ammonium thiocyanate led to alpha-hydroxythiolactams and/or thiolactams in high yields. Treatment of beta-ketoisothiocyanate with two equivalents of SmI2 gave a mixture of alpha-hydroxythiolactam and thiolactam. Four equivalents of SmI2 afforded only thiolactam in high yields. The intramolecular cyclization took place with high to complete stereoselectivity. A mechanism to explain this transformation is proposed.

Regioselective Samarium Diiodide Induced Couplings of Carbonyl Compounds with 1,3-Diphenylallene and Alkoxyallenes: A New Route to 4-Hydroxy-1-enol Ethers

Since its introduction into synthetic organic chemistry, samarium diiodide has found broad application in a variety of synthetically important transformations. Herein, we describe the first successful intermolecular additions of samarium ketyls to typical allenes such as 1,3-diphenylallene (7), methoxyallene (12) and benzyloxyallene (25). Reaction of different samarium ketyls with 1,3-diphenylallene (7) occurred exclusively at the central carbon atom of the allene to afford products 9 in moderate to good yields. In contrast, reductive coupling of cyclic ketones to methoxyallene (12) regioselectively provided 4-hydroxy-1-enol ethers 13, which derive from addition to the terminal allene carbon atom of 12, in moderate to good yields. Whereas the E/Z selectivity with respect to the enol ether double bond is low, excellent diastereoselectivity has been observed in certain cases with regard to the ring configuration (e.g. compound 13 b). Studies with deuterated tetrahydrofuran and alcohol were performed to gain information about the reaction mechanism of this coupling process, which involves alkenyl radicals. The couplings of samarium ketyls derived from acyclic ketones and aldehydes gave lower yields, and in several cases cyclopentanols 20 are formed as byproducts. Branched acyclic ketones and conformationally more flexible cyclic ketones such as cycloheptanone led to a relatively high amount of cyclopentanol derivatives 20, whose formation involves an intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer through a geometrically favoured six-membered transition state followed by a cyclization step. The samarium diiodide mediated addition of 8 b to benzyloxyallene (25) afforded the expected enol ethers 26, albeit in only low yield. Additionally, spirocyclic compounds 27 and 28 were obtained, which are formed by a cascade reaction involving an addition/cyclization sequence. In the novel coupling process described here methoxyallene (12) serves as an equivalent of acrolein. The 1,4-dioxygenated products obtained contain a masked aldehyde functionality and are therefore valuable building blocks in organic synthesis.