N-Acylcarbazoles and N-Acylindoles: Electronically Activated Amides for N–C(O) Cross-Coupling by Nlp to Ar Conjugation Switch

Classes of Amides that Undergo Selective N-C Amide Bond Activation: The Emergence of Ground-State Destabilization

Ground-state destabilization of the N-C(O) linkage represents a powerful tool to functionalize the historically inert amide bond. This burgeoning reaction manifold relies on the availability of amide bond precursors that participate in weakening of the nN → π*C=O conjugation through N-C twisting, N pyramidalization, and nN electronic delocalization. Since 2015, acyl N-C amide bond activation through ground-state destabilization of the amide bond has been achieved by transition-metal-catalyzed oxidative addition of the N-C(O) bond, generation of acyl radicals, and transition-metal-free acyl addition. This Perspective summarizes contributions of our laboratory in the development of new ground-state-destabilized amide precursors enabled by twist and electronic activation of the amide bond and synthetic utility of ground-state-destabilized amides in cross-coupling reactions and acyl addition reactions. The use of ground-state-destabilized amides as electrophiles enables a plethora of previously unknown transformations of the amide bond, such as acyl coupling, decarbonylative coupling, radical coupling, and transition-metal-free coupling to forge new C-C, C-N, C-O, C-S, C-P, and C-B bonds. Structural studies of activated amides and catalytic systems developed in the past decade enable the view of the amide bond to change from the "traditionally inert" to "readily modifiable" functional group with a continuum of reactivity dictated by ground-state destabilization.

Amide N-C Bond Activation: A Graphical Overview of Acyl and Decarbonylative Coupling

This Graphical Review provides an overview of amide bond activation achieved by selective oxidative addition of the N-C(O) acyl bond to transition metals and nucleophilic acyl addition, resulting in acyl and decarbonylative coupling together with key mechanistic details pertaining to amide bond distortion underlying this reactivity manifold.

Emerging Trends in Cross-Coupling: Twelve-Electron-Based L1Pd(0) Catalysts, Their Mechanism of Action, and Selected Applications

Monoligated palladium(0) species, L1Pd(0), have emerged as the most active catalytic species in the cross-coupling cycle. Today, there are methods available to generate the highly active but unstable L1Pd(0) catalysts from stable precatalysts. While the size of the ligand plays an important role in the formation of L1Pd(0) during in situ catalysis, the latter can be precisely generated from the precatalyst by various technologies. Computational, kinetic, and experimental studies indicate that all three steps in the catalytic cycle─oxidative addition, transmetalation, and reductive elimination─contain monoligated Pd. The synthesis of precatalysts, their mode of activation, application studies in model systems, as well as in industry are discussed. Ligand parametrization and AI based data science can potentially help predict the facile formation of L1Pd(0) species.

Cobalt Bromide-Catalyzed Negishi-Type Cross-Coupling of Amides

Herein, we describe a novel Negishi-type cross-coupling of amides employing only cobalt bromide salt as the catalyst. This original reaction is highly tolerant to various glutarimide amides as well as organozinc coupling partners. These conditions also allow the performance of the cross-coupling reaction in an eco-compatible solvent such as ethyl acetate on a large scale.

Nickel-Catalyzed Addition of C-C Bonds of Amides to Strained Alkenes: The 1,2-Carboaminocarbonylation Reaction

C(aryl)-C(═O) bonds of aryl amides can be activated and added across alkenes with the aid of a nickel catalyst. This 1,2-carboaminocarbonylation reaction enables the dicarbofunctionalization of alkenes with an atom economy of 100%.

Transition-metal-catalyst-free reaction of amides and acetonitriles: synthesis of β-ketonitriles

The first example of the coupling reaction between amide and acetonitrile for the synthesis of β-ketonitriles was developed. Various amides provide the corresponding β-ketonitriles in good yields.

An Efficient and Straightforward Approach for Accessing Thioesters via Palladium-Catalyzed C-N Cleavage of Thioamides

We first report the coupling of activated thioamides with alcohols to efficiently form thioesters via palladium-catalyzed C-N cleavage strategy. The new approach employs the thioamides as thioacylating reagent to give...

Synthesis of Flavanone and Quinazolinone Derivatives from the Ruthenium-Catalyzed Deaminative Coupling Reaction of 2'-Hydroxyaryl Ketones and 2-Aminobenzamides with Simple Amines

The cationic Ru-H complex [(C₆H₆)(PCy₃)(CO)RuH]⁺BF₄^- (1) with 3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1,2-benzoquinone (L1) was found to be a highly effective catalyst for the deaminative coupling reaction of 2'-hydroxyaryl ketones with simple amines to form 3-substituted flavanone products. The analogous deaminative coupling reaction of 2-aminobenzamides with branched amines directly formed 3,3-disubstituted quinazolinone products. The catalytic method efficiently installs synthetically useful flavanone and quinazolinone core structures without employing any reactive reagents.

Acyclic Twisted Amides

In this contribution, we provide a comprehensive overview of acyclic twisted amides, covering the literature since 1993 (the year of the first recognized report on acyclic twisted amides) through June 2020. The review focuses on classes of acyclic twisted amides and their key structural properties, such as amide bond twist and nitrogen pyramidalization, which are primarily responsible for disrupting nN to π*C═O conjugation. Through discussing acyclic twisted amides in comparison with the classic bridged lactams and conformationally restricted cyclic fused amides, the reader is provided with an overview of amidic distortion that results in novel conformational features of acyclic amides that can be exploited in various fields of chemistry ranging from organic synthesis and polymers to biochemistry and structural chemistry and the current position of acyclic twisted amides in modern chemistry.

Iron-Catalyzed Cycloaddition of Amides and 2,3-Diaryl-2H-azirines To Access Oxazoles via C-N Bond Cleavage

A novel and efficient iron-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction using readily available 2,3-diaryl-2H-azirines and primary amides is reported. A wide range of trisubstituted oxazoles could be achieved in good yields with good functional group compatibility. In this transformation, two C-N bonds were cleaed and new C-N and C-O bonds were formed.

Iodine Promoted Conversion of Esters to Nitriles and Ketones under Metal-Free Conditions

We report a novel strategy to prepare valuable nitriles and ketones through the conversion of esters under metal-free conditions. By using the I₂/PCl₃ system, various substrates including aliphatic and aromatic esters could react with acetonitrile and arenes to afford the desired products in good to excellent yields. This method is compatible with a number of functional groups and provides a simple and practical approach for the synthesis of nitrile compounds and aryl ketones.