Copper-Catalyzed Oxygenation Approach to Oxazoles from Amines, Alkynes, and Molecular Oxygen

Triflic Anhydride-Mediated Unprecedented Reactivities of Diacetonide Endoglucofuranose and Ribose Tetracetate: Direct Access to γ-Butenolides and Oxazoles

Herein, we present two unprecedented reactions for the synthesis of γ-butenolides and oxazoles, leveraging Tf2O's promoted reactivity of nitriles with diacetonide endoglucofuranose and 1,2,3,5-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-ribofuranose. This method is highly efficient and straightforward and employs a one-step, metal-free protocol. It is effective with both aromatic and aliphatic nitriles and demonstrates a broad substrate scope. Our approach provides a versatile and practical pathway for the synthesis of structurally diverse compounds, significantly expanding the utility of Tf2O in synthetic chemistry.

Activation of enamine by photoexcited organocatalyst assisted singlet oxygen: synthesis of oxazoles and quinoxalines

Herein, a novel transition-metal-free thiol-based donor-acceptor organophotocatalyst-assisted, singlet-oxygen-mediated tandem oxidative cyclization for the synthesis of substituted oxazoles in moderate-to-good yields is described. The developed method demonstrates applicability for the synthesis of various substituted quinoxalines in good-to-excellent yields. The metal-free methodology shows a practical route for the synthesis of oxazole and quinoxaline derivatives, which are privileged moieties prevalent in various biologically active compounds and natural products. To the best of our knowledge, both the thiol photocatalyst and synthesis of oxazoles by visible-light irradiation are reported for the first time.

Copper-Catalyzed Chemodivergent Synthesis of Oxazoles and Imidazolidones by Selective C-O/C-N Cyclization

Efficient synthesis of phenylalanine-derived oxazoles and imidazolidones can be achieved by copper-catalyzed reactions that are controlled by directing groups and proceed by selective C-O or C-N coupling. This strategy employs inexpensive commercial copper catalysts and readily available starting materials. It uses a convenient reaction procedure and provides a reliable approach to the versatile and flexible assembly of heterocyclic building blocks.

Photocatalytic Benzylic C-H Oxidation/Cyclization of Enaminones to the Synthesis of Polysubstituted Oxazoles

Photocatalytic benzylic C-H oxidation/cyclization of enaminones was efficiently achieved to afford oxazole derivatives under mild conditions. The oxygen in the oxazole ring originated from green oxidant molecular oxygen. The synthetic protocol features broad substrate scopes and good functional group tolerance. The combined experimental and theoretical studies reveal that in suit benzylic C-H oxidation/cyclization is involved in the reaction transformations.

Iodine-Promoted Oxidative Cyclization of Methyl Azaarenes and α-Amino Ketones for One-Pot Synthesis of 2-Azaaryl-5-aryl Oxazoles

A high efficiency protocol was developed for the synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted oxazoles via iodine-promoted oxidative domino cyclization. These reactions were performed with readily available methyl azaarenes and α-amino ketones under metal-free conditions. This protocol is a simple method with high functional group compatibility, a wide range of substrates, and excellent yield, providing a new way to synthesize azaarene-attached oxazoles.

Access to 5-fluoroalkylated trisubstituted oxazoles via copper-catalyzed cyclization of α-fluoroalkyl-α-diazoketones with amides

A novel copper-catalyzed cyclization of α-fluoroalkyl-α-diazoketones with (thio)amides has been developed. This mechanistically distinct protocol provides a robust and straightforward approach to construct 5-fluoroalkylated trisubstituted oxazoles and thiazoles with high efficiency and excellent functional group compatibility. Experimental studies suggest a mechanism involving imidate ligand migratory insertion of a copper carbenoid as the key step.

Synthesis of Tetrahydrofuro[2,3-d]oxazoles and Oxazoles by Hypervalent Iodine (III)-Promoted [2 + 2 + 1] Annulation

Reaction of a hypervalent iodine reagent with bistriflimide efficiently promotes three-component regioselective cyclization of tetrahydrofuro[2,3-d]oxazoles and oxazoles from homopropargyl alcohols bearing a phenyl group, with different substituents on the aryl alkyne compounds affecting the selectivity of the resulting product. Utilizing the hydroxyethyl oxazole derivatives obtained in this research could aid in the development of various peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonist derivatives.

Molecular oxygen-mediated oxygenation reactions involving radicals

Molecular oxygen as a green, non-toxic and inexpensive oxidant has displayed lots of advantages compared with other oxidants towards more selective, sustainable, and environmentally benign organic transformations. The oxygenation reactions which employ molecular oxygen or ambient air as both an oxidant and an oxygen source provide an efficient route to the synthesis of oxygen-containing compounds, and have been demonstrated in practical applications such as pharmaceutical synthesis and late-stage functionalization of complex molecules. This review article introduces the recent advances of radical processes in molecular oxygen-mediated oxygenation reactions. Reaction scopes, limitations and mechanisms are discussed based on reaction types and catalytic systems. Conclusions and perspectives are also given in the end.

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.

Cu(I)-Catalyzed [2 + 2 + 1] Cycloaddition of Amines, Alkynes, and Ketenes: An Umpolung and Regioselective Approach to Full-Substituted β-Pyrrolinones

Described here is a Cu-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 1] modular synthesis of full-substituted β-pyrrolinones from simple amines, alkynes, and α-diazo-β-ketoesters. This approach involving the regioselective C-nucleophilic attack of enamines, uncommon C-nucleophilic addition to ketenes, and umpolung of imines enables the direct synthesis of full-substituted β-pyrrolinones, which were hardly constructed by traditional synthetic strategies.

Alkynoates as Versatile and Powerful Chemical Tools for the Rapid Assembly of Diverse Heterocycles under Transition-Metal Catalysis: Recent Developments and Challenges

Heterocycles, heteroaromatics and spirocyclic entities are ubiquitous components of a wide plethora of synthetic drugs, biologically active natural products, marketed pharmaceuticals and agrochemical targets. Recognizing their high proportion in drugs and rich pharmacological potential, these invaluable structural motifs have garnered significant interest, thus enabling the development of efficient catalytic methodologies providing access to architecturally complex and diverse molecules with high atom-economy and low cost. These chemical processes not only allow the formation of diverse heterocycles but also utilize a range of flexible and easily accessible building units in a single operation to discover diversity-oriented synthetic approaches. Alkynoates are significantly important, diverse and powerful building blocks in organic chemistry due to their unique and inherent properties such as the electronic bias on carbon-carbon triple bonds posed by electron-withdrawing groups or the metallic coordination site provided by carbonyl groups. The present review highlights the comprehensive picture of the utility of alkynoates (2007-2019) for the synthesis of various heterocycles (> 50 types) using transition-metal catalysts (Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Ag, Au, Pt, Cu, Mn, Fe) in various forms. The valuable function of versatile alkynoates (bearing multifunctional groups) as simple and useful starting materials is explored, thus cyclizing with an array of coupling partners to deliver a broad range of oxygen-, nitrogen-, sulfur-containing heterocycles alongside fused-, and spiro-heterocyclic compounds. In addition, these examples will also focus the scope and reaction limitations, as well as mechanistic investigations into the synthesis of these heterocycles. The biological significance will also be discussed, citing relevant examples of drug molecules highlighting each class of heterocycles. This review summarizes the recent developments in the synthetic methods for the synthesis of various heterocycles using alkynoates as readily available starting materials under transition-metal catalysis.

Copper-Catalyzed Tandem Radical Cyclization of 8-Ethynyl-1-naphthyl-amines for the Synthesis of 2H-Benzo[e][1,2]thiazine 1,1-Dioxides and its Fluorescence Properties

A copper-catalyzed radical cascade dehydrogenative cyclization of N-tosyl-8-ethynyl-1-naphthylamines under air is described herein for the synthesis of thioazafluoranthenes. The reaction proceeds smoothly with high efficiency and a broad reaction scope. The product is indeed a new fluorophore and its photophysical properties are also investigated. Based on the results, we are pleased to find that the Stokes shift of amino-linked thioazafluoranthenes in dilute tetrahydrofuran is determined to be 143 nm (4830 cm^-1).

Copper-Catalyzed Preparation of Benzo[3,4]indolo[1,2-b]isoquinoline-8-ones and Photoluminescence Exploration

A facile synthesis of benzo[3,4]indolo[1,2-b]isoquinolin-8-ones is described. Under copper catalysis, the reaction proceeds with a high efficiency and a broad reaction scope. A deuteration experiment shows that the KIE value is 2.85. From the results on mechanism studies, copper-catalyzed C-H activation, intramolecular cis-addition of alkynes, and reductive elimination are involved. Moreover, this skeleton is indeed a new fluorophore, and its photophysical properties are also investigated.

One-electron oxidative dehydrogenative annulation and cyclization reactions

This review focuses on the recent advances in one-electron oxidation involved oxidative dehydrogenative annulations and cyclizations for the intermolecular and intramolecular construction of valuable ring structures.

Double-Oxidative Dehydrogenative [4+2]-Cyclization/Dehydrogenation/Oxygenation Tandem Reaction of N-Arylglycine Derivatives with Cumenes

Double-oxidative dehydrogenative (DOD) cyclization is one of the most straightforward strategies for the synthesis of cyclic compounds. A novel approach to substituted 3,4-dihydroquinoline-3-one derivatives via a Cu(II)/DDQ/O₂ system-catalyzed DOD [4+2]-cyclization/dehydrogenation/oxygenation cascade reaction of N-arylglycine derivatives, cumenes, and O₂ has been developed.

Synthesis of 2,4,5-Trisubstituted Oxazoles via Pd-Catalyzed C-H Addition to Nitriles/Cyclization Sequences

A practical and flexible intermolecular protocol for the diverse synthesis of trisubstituted oxazole derivatives via a Pd-catalyzed direct C-H addition of electronic-rich heteroarenes to O-acyl cyanohydrins bearing an α-hydrogen/cyclization sequence is described. A wide range of trisubstituted oxazoles can be prepared from readily available starting materials in good to high yields with high efficiency under redox neutral reaction conditions.

Gold-catalyzed dual annulation of azide-tethered alkynes with nitriles: expeditious synthesis of oxazolo[4,5-c]quinolines

A gold-catalyzed dual annulation of azide-tethered internal alkynes, which provides convenient access to quinoline derivatives, has been reported.

Transition-metal free selective C(α)–C(β) bond cleavage of trifluoromethyl ketones with amidines under air: facile access to 5-trifluoromethylated Imidazol-4-ones

Synthesis of 5-trifluoromethylated imidazol-4-ones via transition-metal-free selective C(α)–C(β) bond cleavage of trifluoromethyl ketones with amidines under air.

Ruthenium(ii)-catalyzed C–O/C–S cyclization for the synthesis of 5-membered O-containing and S-containing heterocycles

An efficient and convenient method for the synthesis of oxazole derivatives from enamides has been established via a ruthenium-catalyzed C–O cyclization.