Metal-Free Directed Diastereoselective C2,C3-Cyclopropanation of Substituted Indoles with Diazoesters

Advances in the Synthesis of Cyclopropylamines

Cyclopropylamines are an important subclass of substituted cyclopropanes that combine the unique electronic and steric properties of cyclopropanes with the presence of a donor nitrogen atom. In addition to their presence in a diverse array of biologically active compounds, cyclopropylamines are utilized as important synthetic intermediates, particularly in ring-opening or cycloaddition reactions. Consequently, the synthesis of these compounds has constituted a significant research topic, as evidenced by the abundant published synthetic methods. In addition to the widely used Curtius rearrangement, classical cyclopropanation methods have been adapted to integrate a nitrogen function (Simmons-Smith reaction, metal-catalyzed reaction of diazo compounds on olefins, Michael-initiated ring-closure reactions) with significant advances in enantioselective synthesis. More recently, specific methods have been developed for the preparation of the aminocyclopropane moiety (Kulinkovich reactions applied to amides and nitriles, addition to cyclopropenes, metal-catalyzed reactions involving C-H functionalization, ...). The topic of this review is to present the different methods for the preparation of cyclopropylamine derivatives, with the aim of covering the methodological advances as best as possible, highlighting their scope, their stereochemical aspects and future trends.

Catalytic Enantioselective [4+1]-Annulation of Carboxylic Acids with Cyclopropenes

An efficient asymmetric synthesis of 3-vinylphthalides has been accomplished through rhodium-catalyzed [4+1]-annulation of arylcarboxylic acids with cyclopropenes involving C-H bond functionalization. The method exhibited excellent compatibility for various functional groups and offered diverse substituted 3-vinylphthalides in excellent yield and enantioselectivity. Synthetic application and control experiments were also performed to demonstrate the utility and understand the reaction pathway.

Open shell versus closed shell bonding interaction in cyclopropane derivatives: EDA-NOCV analyses

Cyclopropane ring is a very common motif in organic/bio-organic compounds. The chemical bonding of this strained ring is taught to all chemistry students. This three-membered cyclic, C3 ring is quite reactive which has attracted both, synthetic and theoretical chemists to rationalize/correlate its stability and bonding with its reactivity and physical properties over a century. There are a few bonding models (mainly the Bent-Bond model and Walsh model) of this C3 ring that are debated to date. Herein, we have carried out energy decomposition analysis coupled with natural orbital for chemical valence (EDA-NOCV) to study the two most reactive bonds of cyclopropane rings of 49 different organic compounds containing different functional groups to obtain a much deeper bonding insight toward a more general bonding model of this class of compounds. The EDA-NOCV analyses of fragment orbitals and susequent bond formation revealed that the nature of the CC bond of the cyclopropane (splitting two bonds at a time out of three CC bonds) ring is preferred to form two dative covalent CC bonds (between a singlet olefin-fragment and an excited singlet carbene-fragment with a vacant sp2 orbital and a filled p-orbital) for the majority (37/49) of compounds over two covalent electron sharing bonds in some (7/49) compounds (between an excited triplet olefin and triplet carbene), while a few (5/49) compounds show flexibility to adopt either the electron sharing or dative covalent bond as both are equally possible. The effects of functional groups on the nature of chemical bond in cyclopropane rings have been studied in detail. Our bonding analyses are in line with the QTAIM analyses which produce small negative values of the Laplacian, significantly positive values of bond ellipticity, and accumulation of electron densities around the ring critical point of C3 -rings. These corresponding QTAIM parameters of C3 -rings are quite different for CC single bonds of normal hydrocarbons as expected. The chemical bonding in the majority of cyclopropane rings can be very similar to those of metal-olefin systems.

Brønsted-Acid-Promoted Selective C2-N1 Ring-Expansion Reaction of Indoles toward Cyclopenta[b]quinolines

A novel Brønsted-acid-promoted selective C2-N1 ring-expansion reaction of indoles has been developed that provides a rapid and efficient protocol for the preparation of fused quinolines. A variety of corresponding quinolines were obtained in high yields. Controlled experiments revealed that C2-spiroindolenines might be intermediates of this C2-N1 ring-expansion reaction. The notable advantages of this process include excellent yields, good functional group tolerance, and operational simplicity.

Visible-light enabled synthesis of cyclopropane-fused indolines via dearomatization of indoles

An efficient synthesis of methylene-unsubstituted cyclopropane-fused indolines via photoredox catalyzed dearomative cyclopropanation of indole derivatives was developed. A broad range of indoles bearing a variety of functional groups were compatible...

Catalytic Functionalization of Metallocarbenes Derived from α-Diazocarbonyl Compounds and Their Precursors

Short and efficient synthesis of heterocyclic compounds are highly desirable in synthetic organic chemistry. It is a dream approach to accomplish these syntheses from readily available starting materials in a single step. In this personal account, we discuss our contribution in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds and beyond from N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles and α-diazocarbonyl compounds, which are the precursors for α-imino (carbonyl) metal carbenes in the presence of transition metal catalysts. Functionalization of α-imino(carbonyl) metal carbenes has been achieved through in-situ generated metal-stabilized ylides followed by either intramolecular trapping by non-polar bonds, rearrangement, cycloaddition, or 1,3-insertion fashion, which led to the efficient synthesis of various synthetically important intermediates and heterocyclic compounds.

Copper-Catalyzed Annulation of Indolyl α-Diazocarbonyl Compounds Leads to Structurally Rearranged Carbazoles

Indolyl α-diazocarbonyl compounds have proven to be effective starting materials for the construction of various 2,3-ring fused indole frameworks. Activation of the diazo functional group under metal catalysis generates a spiro-cyclic indolenine-type intermediate which rearranges to provide two distinct carbazoles upon oxidation. The current study investigates the effects of the catalyst as well as the substituents on the migratory group involved in controlling the selectivity of the rearrangement.

Catalyst-free synthesis of α,α-disubstituted carboxylic acid derivatives under ambient conditions via a Wolff rearrangement reaction

Herein, a hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP)-promoted Wolff rearrangement reaction was developed, delivering various α,α-disubstituted carboxylic acid derivatives in good to excellent yields.

Metal-free tandem carbene N-H insertions and C-C bond cleavages

A metal-free C-H [5 + 1] annulation reaction of 2-arylanilines with diazo compounds has been achieved, giving rise to two types of prevalent phenanthridines via highly selective C-C cleavage. Compared to the simple N-H insertion manipulation of diazo, this method elegantly accomplishes a tandem N-H insertion/SEAr/C-C cleavage/aromatization reaction, and the synthetic utility of this new transformation is exemplified by the succinct syntheses of trisphaeridine and bicolorine alkaloids.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Vinylcyclopropa[b]indolines via a Rh-Migration Strategy

A mild rhodium catalytic system has been developed to synthesize vinylcyclopropa[b]indolines through cyclopropanation of indoles with vinyl carbenoids generated from ring opening of cyclopropenes in situ. By employing a Rh-migration strategy, the products can be obtained with good to excellent E:Z ratios (≤99:1) and complete diastereoselectivity (≤99:1). This method is easy, has a low catalyst loading, and works for a broad range of functionalities.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Intermolecular Cyclopropanation of Benzofurans, Indoles, and Alkenes via Cyclopropene Ring Opening

The generation of metal carbenoids via ring opening of cyclopropenes by transition metals offers a simple entry into highly reactive intermediates. Herein, we describe a diastereoselective intermolecular rhodium-catalyzed cyclopropanation of heterocycles and alkenes using cyclopropenes as carbene precursors with a low loading of a commercially available rhodium catalyst. The reported method is scalable and could be performed with catalyst loadings as low as 0.2 mol %, with no impact to the reaction yield or selectivity.

Rhodium-catalyzed Sommelet–Hauser type rearrangement of α-diazoimines: synthesis of functionalized enamides

An efficient rhodium catalyzed Sommelet–Hauser type rearrangement of sulfur ylides derived from α-thioesters and N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles has been successfully accomplished for the synthesis of various functionalized enamides.