Dual Palladium/Copper-Catalyzed anti-Selective Intermolecular Allenylsilylation of Terminal Alkynes: Entry to (E)-Silyl Enallenes

Nucleophilic Substitution at Unactivated Arene C-H: Copper-Catalyzed anti-Selective Silylative Cyclization of Substituted Benzylacetylenes

A new mode of carbon-carbon bond formation via electrophilic activation of a C-H bond has been developed in the context of a copper-catalyzed anti-selective silylative cyclization of benzylacetylenes with silylboronates for the synthesis of 2-silyl-1H-indenes. The reaction proceeds with high regioselectivity for various substituted benzylacetylenes, and the resulting products could be further functionalized. The arene that undergoes cyclization acts as an electrophile with the release of hydride under redox neutral conditions, and the reaction mechanism was probed by the deuterium-labeling experiments and the density functional theory calculations.

Controllable Synthesis of Benzo[b]furo[2,3-d]azepines or Furo[3,2-b]indoles via Intermolecular Oxidative Annulation of 2-(Furan-2-yl)anilines and Propargyl Carbonates versus Intramolecular C-H Amination Reactions

Two novel Pd-catalyzed protocols for the controllable synthesis of benzo[b]furo[2,3-d]azepines and furo[3,2-b]indoles have been developed by intermolecular oxidative annulation of 2-(furan-2-yl)anilines and propargyl carbonates versus intramolecular C-H amination reactions. These two protocols feature great scalability, functional group tolerance, and relatively mild reaction conditions. Notably, the robust methodologies could also provide valuable opportunities for assembling azepine-fused benzothiophene, indole-fused benzothiophene, and indole-fused benzimidazole, which may have potential applications in the synthesis of related pharmaceuticals or polymeric materials.

Recent developments in difunctionalization of unsaturated hydrocarbons with organosilicon reagents

Organosilicon compounds have attracted considerable attention because of their special biological activities. Direct difunctionalization of unsaturated hydrocarbons with organosilicon reagents for the efficient construction of synthetically valuable silicon-functionalized compounds are featured with a high step and atom economy, which could form carbon-silicon/carbon-carbon bonds or carbon-silicon/carbon-hetero bonds in one step. This review summarizes the recent advances on this topic based on different unsaturated hydrocarbons along with typical examples and mechanisms.

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Cross-Coupling of Propargylic Acetates with Chloro(vinyl)silanes: Access to Silylallenes

Because of their various reactivities, propargyl acetates are refined chemical intermediates that are extensively applied in pharmaceutical synthesis. Currently, reactions between propargyl acetates and chlorosilanes may be the most effective method for synthesizing silylallenes. Nevertheless, owing to the adaptability and selectivity of substrates, transition metal catalysis is difficult to achieve. Herein, nickel-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling reactions between propargyl acetates and substituted vinyl chlorosilanes for the synthesis of tetrasubstituted silylallenes are described. Therein, metallic zinc is a crucial reductant that effectively enables two electrophilic reagents to selectively construct C(sp2)-Si bonds. Additionally, a Ni-catalyzed reductive mechanism involving a radical process is proposed on the basis of deuteration-labeled experiments.

Electroreductive Carboxylation of Propargylic Acetates with CO2: Access to Tetrasubstituted 2,3-Allenoates

An electroreductive carboxylation of propargylic alcohols with CO2 and then workup with TMSCHN2 to construct tetrasubstituted 2,3-allenoates is developed. This method allows the incorporation of an external ester group into the resulting allene system through electroreduction, carboxylation, and deacetoxylation cascades. Mechanistically, electricity on/off experiments and cyclic voltammetry analysis support the preferential generation of the CO2 radical anion or the 3-aryl propargylic acetate radical anion based on the electron nature of the aryl rings.

Cobalt-Promoted Electroreductive Cross-Coupling of Prop-2-yn-1-yl Acetates with Chloro(vinyl)silanes

An electroreductive cross-coupling of prop-2-yn-1-yl acetates with chloro(vinyl)silanes for producing tetrasubstituted silylallenes is developed. The method enables the formation of a new C─Si bond through the cathodic reduction formation of the silyl radical, radical addition across the C≡C bond, the alkenyl anion intermediate formation, and deacetoxylation and represents a mild, practical route to the synthesis of silylallenes. Mechanistic studies reveal that CoCl2 acts as the mediator to promote the formation of the alkenyl anion intermediate via electron transfer.

Recent advances in carbosilylation of alkenes and alkynes

Alkene and alkyne difunctionalization is a flexible process that allows the construction of two functional groups simultaneously in one step. On the other hand, carbosilylation, an ingenious difunctionalization pathway to concurrently incorporate both a silyl group and an organic functional group (alkyl, (hetero)aryl, alkenyl, alkynyl and allenyl) across a carbon-carbon multiple-bond system, is achieving immense interest in recent days. This review article provides a decade's update on the discoveries and developments in the synthesis of carbosilylated products from two very important carbon-carbon unsaturated substrates, alkenes and alkynes.

Salt-Stabilized Silylzinc Pivalates for Nickel-Catalyzed Carbosilylation of Alkenes

We herein report the preparation of solid and salt-stabilized silylzinc pivalates from the corresponding silyllithium reagents via transmetalation with Zn(OPiv)₂ . These resulting organosilylzinc pivalates show enhanced air and moisture stability and unique reactivity in the silylative difunctionalization of alkenes. Thus, a practical chelation-assisted nickel-catalyzed regioselective alkyl and benzylsilylation of alkenes has been developed, which provides an easy method to access alkyl silanes with broad substrate scope and wide functional group compatibility. Kinetic experiments highlight that the OPiv-coordination is crucial to improve the reactivity of silylzinc pivalates. Furthermore, late-stage functionalizations of druglike molecules and versatile modifications of the products illustrate the synthetical utility of this protocol.

Dual Photoredox/Nickel-Catalyzed 1,4-Sulfonylarylation of 1,3-Enynes with Sulfinate Salts and Aryl Halides: Entry into Tetrasubstituted Allenes

A radical-mediated three-component 1,4-sulfonylarylation of 1,3-enynes with aryl iodides and sulfinate salts using cooperative photoredox/nickel catalysis is described. This protocol enables the synthesis of tetrasubstituted sulfonyl-containing allenes under redox-neutral conditions and provides a versatile 1,3-enyne 1,4-difunctionalization platform for the synthesis of a diverse range of tetrasubstituted allenes with high chemo- and regioselectivities, excellent functional group tolerance, and a broad substrate scope.