Radical coupling of β-ketoesters and amides promoted by Brønsted/Lewis acids

Harnessing the potential of acyl triazoles in bifunctional cobalt-catalyzed radical cross-coupling reactions

Persistent radicals facilitate numerous selective radical coupling reactions. Here, we have identified acyl triazole as a new and versatile moiety for generating persistent radical intermediates through single-electron transfer processes. The efficient generation of these persistent radicals is facilitated by the formation of substrate-coordinated cobalt complexes, which subsequently engage in radical cross-coupling reactions. Remarkably, triazole-coordinated cobalt complexes exhibit metal-hydride hydrogen atom transfer (MHAT) capabilities with alkenes, enabling the efficient synthesis of diverse ketone products without the need for external ligands. By leveraging the persistent radical effect, this catalytic approach also allows for the development of other radical cross-coupling reactions with two representative radical precursors. The discovery of acyl triazoles as effective substrates for generating persistent radicals and as ligands for cobalt catalysis, combined with the bifunctional nature of the cobalt catalytic system, opens up new avenues for the design and development of efficient and sustainable organic transformations.

β-Triketones as Reactive Handles for Polymer Diversification via Dynamic Catalyst-Free Diketoenamine Click Chemistry

The spontaneous condensation of amines with β-triketones (TK), forming β,β'-diketoenamines (DKE) and releasing water as the sole byproduct, exhibits many of the hallmarks of "click" reactions. Such characteristics render TKs as a highly advantageous platform for efficient polymer diversification, even in biological contexts. Leveraging reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) and photoiniferter polymerization of novel TK-containing vinylic monomers, we synthesized polymers containing pendent TKs with excellent control of molecular weights, even in excess of 106 g mol-1. Under mild, catalyst-free conditions, poly(β-triketone methacrylate) could be modified with a diverse scope of amines containing a plethora of functional groups. The high efficiency of this functionalization approach was further emphasized when grafting-to with poly(ethylene glycol)-amine resulting in bottlebrushes with molecular weights reaching 2.0 × 107 g mol-1. Critically, while the formed DKE linkages are stable under ambient conditions, they undergo catalyst-free, dynamic transamination at elevated temperatures, paving the way for associative covalent adaptable networks. Overall, we introduce pendent triketone moieties into methacrylate and acrylamide polymers, establishing a novel postpolymerization modification technique that facilitates catalyst-free ligation of amines under highly permissible conditions.

Design of Photoredox-Catalyzed Giese-Type Reaction for the Synthesis of Chiral Quaternary α-Aryl Amino Acid Derivatives via Clayden Rearrangement

Chiral quaternary α-aryl amino acids are biologically valued but synthetically challenging building blocks. Herein, we report a strategy for the synthesis of molecular architectures by unifying a photoredox catalytic asymmetric Giese-type reaction and Clayden rearrangement. A new class of chiral Karady-Beckwith dehydroalanines is designed and serves as a versatile handle for the photoredox-mediated highly stereoselective Giese-type reaction with feedstock carboxylic acids and tertiary amines. Subsequent Clayden rearrangement delivers chiral quaternary α-aryl amino acid derivatives with high stereoselectivity. The versatile approach offers a reliable source for the assembly of highly demanding chiral building blocks.

Modular Synthesis of Polysubstituted Quinolin-3-amines by Oxidative Cyclization of 2-(2-Isocyanophenyl)acetonitriles with Organoboron Reagents

Polysubstituted quinolin-3-amines are vital structural motifs because of their broad biological activities as well as versatile transformational abilities. However, they are not easily accessible. We disclose a protocol with Mn(III) acetate as a mild one-electron oxidant promoting a radical process to construct polysubstituted quinolin-3-amines. 2-(2-Isocyanophenyl)acetonitriles and organoboron reagents are suitable substrates for this reaction. The remarkable advantages of this protocol are the practical method, mild approach, high reaction efficiency, and good compatibility of functional groups, providing straightforward access to functional quinoline derivatives.

Synthesis of Sterically Hindered α-Hydroxycarbonyls through Radical-Radical Coupling

We describe a synthetic approach to sterically hindered α-hydroxy carbonyl compounds through radical-radical coupling. An organic photoredox catalysis reaction converts an aliphatic carboxylic acid and α-ketocarbonyl to a transient alkyl radical and a persistent ketyl radical, respectively, which couple selectively based on the persistent radical effect. This protocol allows the use of primary, secondary, and tertiary aliphatic carboxylic acids to introduce various alkyl substituents onto ketone moieties of α-ketocarbonyls under mild reaction conditions.

TfOH-Catalyzed Cascade C-H Activation/Lactonization of Phenols with α-Aryl-α-diazoesters: Rapid Access to α-Aryl Benzofuranones

Aryl benzofuranones are privileged structural units present in natural products and pharmaceutically relevant compounds with high bioactivity and therapeutic value; synthetic access to these scaffolds remains an area of intensive interest. A new and efficient TfOH-catalyzed cascade ortho C-H activation/lactonization of phenols with α-aryl-α-diazoacetates is reported. This metal-free protocol provides an operationally simple and rapid method for the one-pot assembly of diverse α-aryl benzofuranones in high yields with broad substrate scope, a readily starting material, good chemo-regioselectivity, and excellent functional group compatibility.

Palladium-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling between α-bromo carboxamides and terminal alkynes

A Pd-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling between α-bromo carboxamides and terminal alkynes was developed featuring a radical pathway and distinct from the Sonogashira coupling.