RE[N(SiMe3)2]3-Catalyzed Guanylation/Cyclization of Amino Acid Esters and Carbodiimides

Accessing Heteroannular Benzoxazole and Benzimidazole Scaffolds via Carbodiimides Using Azide-Isocyanide Cross-Coupling as Catalyzed by Mesoionic Singlet Palladium Carbene Complexes Derived from a Phenothiazine Moiety

The coupling of aryl and aliphatic azides with isocyanides yielding carbodiimides (8-17) were efficiently catalyzed by well-defined structurally characterized trans-(MIC)PdI₂(L) [MIC = 1-CH₂Ph-3-Me-4-(CH₂N(C₆H₄)₂S)-1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene, L = NC₅H₅ (4), MesNC (5)], trans-(MIC)₂PdI₂ (6), and cis-(MIC)Pd(PPh₃)I₂ (7) type palladium complexes, which incidentally mark the first instances of the use of mesoionic singlet palladium carbene complexes for the said application. As observed from the product yields, the catalytic activity varied in the order 4 > 5 ∼ 6 > 7 for these complexes. A detailed mechanistic studies indicated that the catalysis proceeded via a palladium(0) (4a-7 a) species. Using a representative palladium precatalyst (4), the azide-isocyanide coupling was successfully extended to synthesizing two different bioactive heteroannular benzoxazole (18-22) and benzimidazole (23-27) derivatives, thereby broadening the scope of the catalytic application.

A binuclear aluminium complex as a single competent catalyst for efficient synthesis of urea, biuret, isourea, isothiourea, phosphorylguanidine, and quinazolinones

The synthesis and characterisation of two mononuclear aluminium alkyl complexes with the general composition [Al(Me)₂{Ph₂P(E)N(CH₂)₂N(CH₂CH₂)₂O}] (E = Se (2a); S (2b)), and two binuclear aluminium complexes, [Al(Me)₂{Ph₂P-(E)N(CH₂)₂N(CH₂CH₂)₂O}(AlMe₃)] (E = Se (3a) and S (3b)), are described. The binuclear aluminium alkyl complex 3a proved to be a proficient catalyst for the addition of simple nucleophiles to heterocumulenes, leading to the synthesis of a variety of products such as urea, biuret, isourea, isothiourea, phosphorylguanidine, and quinazolinone derivatives, in contrast to its mononuclear analogues. Complex 3a is the first example of a single competent catalyst, which is also low-cost and eco-friendly and derived from a main-group metal, under solvent-free conditions either at room temperature or mild temperatures. Complex 3a possessed a wide functional group tolerance including heteroatoms, yielding the corresponding insertion products in good quantities and with high selectivity.

Metal-free synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepines and quinazolinones from hexafluoroisopropyl 2-aminobenzoates at room temperature

Herein, we describe the novel reactivity of hexafluoroisopropyl 2-aminobenzoates. The metal-free synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepines and quinazolinones from hexafluoroisopropyl 2-aminobenzoates has been developed at room temperature. These procedures feature good functional group tolerance, mild reaction conditions, and excellent yields. The newly formed products can readily be converted to other useful N-heterocycles. Moreover, the products and their derivatives showed potent anticancer activities in vitro by MTT assay.

A metal-free synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepines and quinazolinones from hexafluoroisopropyl 2-aminobenzoates has been developed at room temperature.

Asymmetric epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by rare-earth metal amides RE[N(SiMe3)2]3 with chiral TADDOL ligands

The first application of rare-earth metal catalyst combined with TADDOLs in the asymmetric epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated ketones is disclosed.

Enantioselective Hydroboration of Ketones Catalyzed by Rare-Earth Metal Complexes Containing Trost Ligands

Four chiral dinuclear rare-earth metal complexes [REL¹]₂ (RE = Y(1), Eu(2), Nd(3), La (4)) stabilized by Trost proligand H₃L¹ (H₃L¹ = (S,S)-2,6-bis[2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)pyrrolidin-1-ylmethyl]-4-methylphenol) were first prepared, and all were characterized by X-ray diffraction. Complex 4 was employed as the catalyst for enantioselective hydroboration reaction of substituted ketones, and the corresponding secondary alcohols with excellent yields and high ee values were obtained using reductant HBpin. The same result was also achieved using the combination of lanthanium amides La[N(SiMe₃)₂]₃ with Trost proligand H₃L¹ in a 1:1 molar ratio. The experimental findings and DFT calculation revealed the possible mechanism of the enantioselective hydroboration reaction and defined the origin of the enantioselectivity in the current system.

Carbodiimide-based synthesis of N-heterocycles: moving from two classical reactive sites to chemical bond breaking/forming reaction

Carbodiimides are a unique class of heterocumulene compounds that display distinctive chemical properties. The rich chemistry of carbodiimides has drawn increasing attention from chemists in recent years and has made them exceedingly useful compounds in modern organic chemistry, especially in the synthesis of N-heterocycles. This review has outlined the extensive application of carbodiimides in the synthesis of N-heterocycles from the 1980s to today. A wide range of reactions for the synthesis of various types of N-heterocyclic systems (three-, four-, five-, six-, seven-, larger-membered and fused heterocycles) have been developed on the basis of carbodiimides and their derivatives.

Guanylation/cyclisation of amino acid esters using an imidazolin-2-iminato titanium initiator

Catalytic hydroamination of amino acid esters with carbodiimides and isocyanates to furnish corresponding quinazolinone and urea derivatives using two Ti^IV complexes under mild conditions is reported.

Lanthanide-Catalyzed Tandem Insertion of Secondary Amines with 2-Alkynylbenzonitriles: Synthesis of Aminoisoindoles

A lanthanide-catalyzed intermolecular hydroamination of 2-alkynylbenzonitriles with secondary amines has been disclosed, providing a streamlined access to a range of aminoisoindoles in moderate to excellent yields. The salient features of this reaction include high bond-formation efficiency, mild reaction conditions, 100 % atomic efficiency and good functional group tolerance. This methodology has also been successfully applied to the construction of other nitrogen-containing compounds, such as 5 H-imidazo[2,1-a]isoindoles and isoquinolines. A plausible mechanism for the formation of aminoisoindoles involving initial N-H activation by a lanthanide complex followed by C≡N insertion into a Ln-N bond to form an amidinate lanthanide intermediate, which undergoes the cyclization is proposed.