Modular Synthesis of 9,10-Dihydroacridines through an ortho-C Alkenylation/Hydroarylation Sequence between Anilines and Aryl Alkynes in Hexafluoroisopropanol

Access to N-α-deuterated amino acids and DNA conjugates via Ca(II)-HFIP-mediated reductive deutero-amination of α-oxo-carbonyl compounds

The development of practical and selective strategies for deuterium incorporation to construct deuterated molecules, particularly deuterium-labeled amino acids, has become as a growing focus of basic research, yet it remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we present a bioinspired calcium-HFIP-mediated site-selective reductive deutero-amination of α-oxo-carbonyl compounds with amines. Utilizing d2-Hantzsch ester as the deuterium source, this reaction attains remarkable deuteration efficiency (> 99% deuteration). It enables the synthesis of N-α-deuterated amino acid motifs with a wide range of functionality, as evidenced by over 130 examples. The method exhibits compatibility with diverse substrates, such as amino acids, peptides, drug molecules, and natural products bearing different substituents. Moreover, the application of this strategy in the synthesis of DNA-tagged N-α-deuterated amino acids/peptides has been demonstrated. This work offers an efficient and innovative solution for deuterated amino acid chemistry and holds substantial application potential in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and chemical biology.

Difunctionalization Processes Enabled by Hexafluoroisopropanol

In the past 5 years, hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) has been used as a unique solvent or additive to enable challenging transformations through substrate activation and stabilization of reactive intermediates. In this Review, we aim at describing difunctionalization processes which were unlocked when HFIP was involved. Specifically, we focus on cyclizations and additions to alkenes, alkynes, epoxides, and carbonyls that introduce a wide range of functional groups of interest.

Synthetic progress of organic thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters via C-H activation and functionalization

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters have become increasingly prominent due to their promising applications across various fields, prompting a continuous demand for developing reliable synthetic methods to access them. This review aims to highlight the progress made in the last decade in synthesizing organic TADF compounds through C-H bond activation and functionalization. The review begins with a brief introduction to the basic features and design principles of TADF emitters. It then provides an overview of the advantages and concise development of C-H bond transformations in constructing TADF emitters. Subsequently, it summarizes both transition-metal-catalyzed and non-transition-metal-promoted C-H bond transformations used for the synthesis of TADF emitters. Finally, the review gives an outlook on further challenges and potential directions in this field.

Acetate Assistance in Regioselective Hydroamination of Allenamides: A Combined Experimental and Density Functional Theory Study

A key factor in the development of selective nucleophilic addition to allenamides is controlling the reactivity of electrophilic intermediates, which is generally achieved using an electrophilic activator via conjugated iminium intermediates. In this combined experimental and computational study, we show that a general and highly chemoselective hydroamination of allenamides can be accomplished using a combination of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) and NaOAc. Experimental mechanistic studies revealed that HFIP mediates proton transfer to activate the allenamide, while the acetate additive significantly contributes to N-selective interception. This strategy enables a general hydroamination of allenamides without the use of metals. We demonstrated that various functionalized 1,3-diamines could be readily synthesized and diversified into value-added structural motifs. Detailed mechanistic investigations using the density functional theory revealed the role of NaOAc in the formation of reactive electrophilic intermediates, which ultimately governed the selective formation of 1,3-diamine products. Critically, calculations of the potential energy surface around the proton-transfer transition state revealed that two different reactive electrophilic intermediates were formed when NaOAc was added.

The Rational Design of Reducing Organophotoredox Catalysts Unlocks Proton-Coupled Electron-Transfer and Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization Mechanisms

Photocatalysis has become a prominent tool in the arsenal of organic chemists to develop and (re)imagine transformations. However, only a handful of versatile organic photocatalysts (PCs) are available, hampering the discovery of new reactivities. Here, we report the design and complete physicochemical characterization of 9-aryl dihydroacridines (9ADA) and 12-aryl dihydrobenzoacridines (12ADBA) as strong reducing organic PCs. Punctual structural variations modulate their molecular orbital distributions and unlock locally or charge-transfer (CT) excited states. The PCs presenting a locally excited state showed better performances in photoredox defunctionalization processes (yields up to 92%), whereas the PCs featuring a CT excited state produced promising results in atom transfer radical polymerization under visible light (up to 1.21 Đ, and 98% I*). Unlike all the PC classes reported so far, 9ADA and 12ADBA feature a free NH group that enables a catalytic multisite proton-coupled electron transfer (MS-PCET) mechanism. This manifold allows the reduction of redox-inert substrates including aryl, alkyl halides, azides, phosphate and ammonium salts (E_red up to -2.83 vs SCE) under single-photon excitation. We anticipate that these new PCs will open new mechanistic manifolds in the field of photocatalysis by allowing access to previously inaccessible radical intermediates under one-photon excitation.

Triflamides and Triflimides: Synthesis and Applications

Among the variety of sulfonamides, triflamides (CF3SO2NHR, TfNHR) occupy a special position in organic chemistry. Triflamides are widely used as reagents, efficient catalysts or additives in numerous reactions. The reasons for the widespread use of these compounds are their high NH-acidity, lipophilicity, catalytic activity and specific chemical properties. Their strong electron-withdrawing properties and low nucleophilicity, combined with their high NH-acidity, makes it possible to use triflamides in a vast variety of organic reactions. This review is devoted to the synthesis and use of N-trifluoromethanesulfonyl derivatives in organic chemistry, medicine, biochemistry, catalysis and agriculture. Part of the work is a review of areas and examples of the use of bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (triflimide, (CF3SO2)2NH, Tf2NH). Being one of the strongest NH-acids, triflimide, and especially its salts, are widely used as catalysts in cycloaddition reactions, Friedel-Crafts reactions, condensation reactions, heterocyclization and many others. Triflamides act as a source of nitrogen in C-amination (sulfonamidation) reactions, the products of which are useful building blocks in organic synthesis, catalysts and ligands in metal complex catalysis, and have found applications in medicine. The addition reactions of triflamide in the presence of oxidizing agents to alkenes and dienes are considered separately.

Indole Editing Enabled by HFIP-Mediated Ring-Switch Reactions of 3-Amino-2-Hydroxyindolines

This work reports the novel reactivity of hemiaminal as a precursor for indole editing at the multi-site. The HFIP-promoted indole editing of indoline hemiaminals affords 2-arylindoles through a ring-switch sequence. The key to success of this transformation is to use a cyclic hemiaminal as an α-amino aldehyde surrogate under transient tautomeric control. This transformation features mild reaction conditions and good yields with broad functional group tolerance. The utility of this transformation is presented through the one-pot protocol and the synthesis of isocryptolepine.

Direct Assembly of Phthalides via Calcium(II)-Catalyzed Cascade ortho-C-Alkenylation/Hydroacyloxylation of 3-Aminobenzoic Acids with Alkynes in Hexafluoroisopropanol

By virtue of a calcium(II)/hexafluoroisopropanol cocatalytic system, the efficient and practical coupling of 3-aminobenzoic acids with alkynes has been realized, giving direct and regioselective access to the phthalide framework with good substrate/functional group compatibility. Mechanistic studies identified 3-amino-2-vinylbenzoic acid species as the active intermediate, thereby revealing an ortho-C-alkenylation/hydroacyloxylation cascade for this transformation.

AgNTf2-Catalyzed Regioselective C-H Alkenylation of N,N-Dialkylanilines with Ynamides

Regioselective C-H alkenylation of N,N-dialkylanilines with ynamides was developed using AgNTf₂ as a catalyst. This approach represents a facile hydroarylation of ynamides, allowing for the introduction of an alkenyl group exclusively at the para position of aniline derivatives. As a result, a series of 4-alkenyl N,N-dialkylanilines were synthesized with excellent regioselectivities.

HFIP as Protonation Reagent and Solvent for Regioselective Alkylation of Indoles with All-Carbon Centers

The regio- and chemoselective construction of indole bearing an all-carbon center at the C3-position, a versatile bioactive building block, by C(sp²)-C(sp³) formation with olefins has been achieved through utilization of hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) as the protonation reagent and solvent. The catalytic reactions are operationally simple and green compared with previous reports utilizing elaborated olefins and catalysts. This protocol allows for alkylation of a variety of substituted indoles with diverse of styrene type alkenes in excellent yields and with high selectivity. Application of this protocol to the synthesis of drug was pursued and with an improved yield in contrast to previous art. Catalytic kinetics and deuterium-labeling experiments suggest that the rate-determining step involves the protonation of olefin by HFIP to generate carbocation, followed by electrophilic addition to indole derivative.

Transition-metal-free intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction by alkene activation: A method for the synthesis of some novel xanthene derivatives

In this work, new derivatives (substituted 9-methyl-9-arylxanthenes) of xanthene compounds (5a-l) of possible biological significance were synthesized by developing a new synthesis method. In order to obtain xanthene derivatives, the original alkene compounds to be used as the starting materials were synthesized in four steps using appropriate reactions. A cyclization reaction by intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation was carried out in order to synthesize the desired xanthene derivatives using the alkenes as starting compounds. The intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction was catalyzed by trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and provided some novel substituted 9-methyl-9-arylxanthenes with good yields at room temperature within 6-24 hours. As a result, an alkene compound was used for activation with TFA in the synthesis of xanthene through intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation for the first time.