Palladium-Catalyzed Ullmann Cross-Coupling of β-Iodoenones and β-Iodoacrylates with o-Halonitroarenes or o-Iodobenzonitriles and Reductive Cyclization of the Resulting Products To Give Diverse Heterocyclic Systems

Cross-Electrophile Coupling: Principles, Methods, and Applications in Synthesis

Cross-electrophile coupling (XEC), defined by us as the cross-coupling of two different σ-electrophiles that is driven by catalyst reduction, has seen rapid progression in recent years. As such, this review aims to summarize the field from its beginnings up until mid-2023 and to provide comprehensive coverage on synthetic methods and current state of mechanistic understanding. Chapters are split by type of bond formed, which include C(sp3)-C(sp3), C(sp2)-C(sp2), C(sp2)-C(sp3), and C(sp2)-C(sp) bond formation. Additional chapters include alkene difunctionalization, alkyne difunctionalization, and formation of carbon-heteroatom bonds. Each chapter is generally organized with an initial summary of mechanisms followed by detailed figures and notes on methodological developments and ending with application notes in synthesis. While XEC is becoming an increasingly utilized approach in synthesis, its early stage of development means that optimal catalysts, ligands, additives, and reductants are still in flux. This review has collected data on these and various other aspects of the reactions to capture the state of the field. Finally, the data collected on the papers in this review is offered as Supporting Information for readers.

Copper Powder and Pd(II) Salts Triggered One-Pot Aromatic Halide Homocoupling via a Radical Pathway

(sp²)C-(sp²)C bond formation is one of the most utilitarian techniques in target synthesis and material and pharmaceutical production. Biaryls usually emerge with the coupling of aryl halides or pseudohalides and require the prepreparation of an organometallic reagent, which results in low efficiency and atomic economy. The classic Ullmann reactions could be adopted to directly synthesize biaryls from aromatic halides. However, the requirement of extremely high temperatures limits the usage of the methodology in manufacturing. At the same time, the mechanism triggers a wide debate between classic redox and redox reactions involving radicals. In this work, a bimetallic system was demonstrated, referring to stoichiometric copper powder in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)₂, which contributed to delivering various symmetric/asymmetric (sp²)C-(sp²)C species. It has been proposed that the coupling process might be promoted via radicals produced by redox between Cu(0) and Pd(IV) species in the heating system. Increasing examples demonstrated the good tolerance of this method for aryl bromide among functional groups.

Base-Mediated Nitrophenyl Reductive Cyclization for the Synthesis of Hexahydro-2,6-methano-1-benzazocines

A Diels-Alder reaction leading to 4-nitrophenylcyclohexanones followed by a newly developed base-mediated reductive cyclization of the resulting ketone tethered to the nitrobenzene moiety gives access to the hexahydro-2,6-methano-1-benzazocine ring system present in several biologically interesting natural products such as aspernomine. The scope of the reaction was explored with eight substituted nitrobenzenes, obtaining yields of up to 87%. The highest cytotoxicity was observed in benzazocine 4h, bearing an enone moiety, which was active against eight cancer cell lines.

Total Synthesis of Cochlearol B via Intramolecular [2+2] Photocycloaddition

Herein, we describe the first total synthesis of cochlearol B, a meroterpenoid natural product featuring a 4/5/6/6/6-fused pentacyclic structure. Key steps, oxidative cyclization and subsequent intramolecular [2+2] photocycloaddition, which constructed the pentacyclic structure in highly stereoselective manner, allowed efficient access to cochlearol B with the longest linear sequence of 16 steps, and in 9 % overall yield. Single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis clearly confirmed the stereochemistry of cochlearol B.

Palladium catalyst immobilized on functionalized microporous organic polymers for C-C coupling reactions

Two microporous organic polymer immobilized palladium (MOP-Pd) catalysts were prepared from benzene and 1,10-phenanthroline by Scholl coupling reaction and Friedel-Crafts reaction, respectively. The structure and composition of the catalyst were characterized by FT-IR, TGA, N2 sorption, SEM, TEM, ICP-AES and XPS. MOP-Pd catalysts were found to possess high specific surface areas, large pore volume and low skeletal bone density. Moreover, the immobilized catalyst also had advantages, such as readily available raw materials, chemical and thermal stability, and low synthetic cost. The Pd catalyst is an effective heterogeneous catalyst for carbon-carbon (C-C) coupling reactions, such as the Heck reaction and Suzuki-Miyaura reaction, affording good to high yields. In these reactions, the catalyst was easily recovered and reused five times without significant activity loss.

Tandem Ullmann-Goldberg Cross-Coupling/Cyclopalladation-Reductive Elimination Reactions and Related Sequences Leading to Polyfunctionalized Benzofurans, Indoles, and Phthalanes

On exposure to a combination of Cu[I]- and Pd[0]-based catalysts, compounds such as 1 and 7 engage in tandem Ullmann-Goldberg cross-coupling and cyclopalladation-reductive elimination reactions to give benzofurans such as 8. Related reactions involving hetero-Michael additions of o-halogenated phenols or anilines to propiolates and the Pd[0]-catalyzed cyclization of the resulting conjugates provide, in a one-pot process, alternately functionalized benzofurans, indoles, or phthalanes.

Reductive Cyclization of o-Nitroarylated-α,β-unsaturated Aldehydes and Ketones with TiCl3/HCl or Fe/HCl Leading to 1,2,3,9-Tetrahydro-4 H-carbazol-4-ones and Related Heterocycles

Compounds such as 3, the product of a palladium[0]-catalyzed Ullmann cross-coupling of o-iodonitrobenzene and 2-iodocyclohex-2-en-1-one, undergo complementary modes of reductive cyclization depending upon the conditions employed. Thus, on treatment with hydrogen in the presence of palladium on carbon, the tetrahydrocarbazole 4 is formed, while reaction of the same substrate (3) with TiCl₃ in acetone affords the 1,2,3,9-tetrahydro-4 H-carbazol-4-one 6.

The Palladium-Catalyzed Ullmann Cross-Coupling Reaction: A Modern Variant on a Time-Honored Process

Cross-coupling reactions, especially those that are catalyzed by palladium, have revolutionized the way in which carbon-carbon bonds can be formed. The most commonly deployed variants of such processes are the Suzuki-Miyaura, Mizoroki-Heck, Stille, and Negishi cross-coupling reactions, and these normally involve the linking of an organohalide or pseudohalide (such as a triflate or nonaflate) with an organo-metallic or -metalloid such as an organo-boron, -magnesium, -tin, or -zinc species. Since the latter type of coupling partner is often prepared from the corresponding halide, methods that allow for the direct cross-coupling of two distinct halogen-containing compounds would provide valuable and more atom-economical capacities for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. While the venerable Ullmann reaction can in principle achieve this, it has a number of drawbacks, the most significant of which is that homocoupling of the reaction partners is a competitive, if not the dominant, process. Furthermore, such reactions normally occur only under forcing conditions (viz., often at temperatures in excess of 250 °C). As such, the Ullmann reaction has seen only limited application in this regard, especially as a mid- to late-stage feature of complex natural product synthesis. This Account details the development of the palladium-catalyzed Ullmann cross-coupling reaction as a useful method for the assembly of a range of heterocyclic systems relevant to medicinal and/or natural products chemistry. These couplings normally proceed under relatively mild conditions (<100 °C) over short periods of time and, usually, to the exclusion of (unwanted) homocoupling events. The keys to success are the appropriate choice of coupling partners, the form of the copper metal employed, and the choice of reaction solvent. At the present time, the cross-coupling partners capable of engaging in the title reaction are confined to halogenated and otherwise electron-deficient arenes and, as complementary reactants, α- or β-halogenated, α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, ketones, esters, lactones, lactams, and cycloimides. Nitro-substituted (and halogenated) arenes, in particular, serve as effective participants in these reactions, and the products of their coupling with the above-mentioned carbonyl-containing systems can be manipulated in a number of different ways. Depending on the positional relationship between the nitro and carbonyl groups in the cross-coupling product, the reduction of the former group, which can be achieved under a range of different conditions, provides, through intramolecular nucleophilic addition reactions, including Schiff base condensations, access to a diverse range of heterocyclic systems. These include indoles, quinolines, quinolones, isoquinolines, carbazoles, and carbolines. Tandem variants of such cyclization processes, in which Raney cobalt is used as a catalyst for the chemoselective reduction (by dihydrogen) of nitro and nitrile groups (but not olefins), allow for the assembly of a range of structurally challenging natural products, including marinoquinoline A, (±)-1-acetylaspidoalbidine, and (±)-gilbertine.