Pyridyl Group Assisted Deprotonation of a Methyl Group on Silicon: Complex Induced Proximity Effect and Novel Hydroxymethylation

Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution (SNAr) and Related Reactions of Porphyrinoids: Mechanistic and Regiochemical Aspects

The nucleophilic substitution of aromatic moieties (SNAr) has been known for over 150 years and found wide use for the functionalization of (hetero)aromatic systems. Currently, several "types" of SNAr reactions have been established and notably the area of porphyrinoid macrocycles has seen many uses thereof. Herein, we detail the SNAr reactions of seven types of porphyrinoids with differing number and type of pyrrole units: subporphyrins, norcorroles, corroles, porphyrins, azuliporphyrins, N-confused porphyrins, and phthalocyanines. For each we analyze the substitution dependent upon: a) the type of nucleophile and b) the site of substitution (α, β, or meso). Along with this we evaluate this route as a synthetic strategy for the generation of unsymmetrical porphyrinoids. Distinct trends can be identified for each type of porphyrinoid discussed, regardless of nucleophile. The use of nucleophilic substitution on porphyrinoids is found to often be a cost-effective procedure with the ability to yield complex substituent patterns, which can be conducted in non-anhydrous solvents with easily accessible simple porphyrinoids.

Application of the stabilization effect of a silyl group in radical-polar crossover reactions enabled by photoredox-neutral catalysis

Taking advantage of the stabilization effect of a silyl group, with a bulky but positive nature, a range of less investigated organosilanes could be generally accessed via photoredox-catalysed radical-polar crossover reactions.

Homogeneous and heterogeneous photoredox-catalyzed hydroxymethylation of ketones and keto esters: catalyst screening, chemoselectivity and dilution effects

The homogeneous titanium- and dye-catalyzed as well as the heterogeneous semiconductor particle-catalyzed photohydroxymethylation of ketones by methanol were investigated in order to evaluate the most active photocatalyst system. Dialkoxytitanium dichlorides are the most efficient species for chemoselective hydroxymethylation of acetophenone as well as other aromatic and aliphatic ketones. Pinacol coupling is the dominant process for semiconductor catalysis and ketone reduction dominates the Ti(OiPr)4/methanol or isopropanol systems. Application of dilution effects on the TiO2 catalysis leads to an increase in hydroxymethylation at the expense of the pinacol coupling.

A diastereomerically enriched, dimeric organolithium compound and the stereochemical course of its transformations

A dimeric α-silylated ethyllithium compound is presented featuring stereogenic metalated carbon centres with defined configurations. It can be generated by diastereoselective deprotonation of the corresponding ethylsilane. Reaction with Me(3)SnCl proceeds under inversion and the transfer of the stereoinformation is possible with dr's of up to 97:3.

The Pyridyldiisopropylsilyl Group: A Masked Functionality and Directing Group for Monoselective ortho-Acyloxylation and ortho-Halogenation Reactions of Arenes

A novel, easily removable and modifiable silicon-tethered pyridyldiisopropylsilyl directing group for C-H functionalizations of arenes has been developed. The installation of the pyridyldiisopropylsilyl group can efficiently be achieved via two complementary routes using easily available 2-(diisopropylsilyl)pyridine (5). The first strategy features a nucleophilic hydride substitution at the silicon atom in 5 with aryllithium reagents generated in situ from the corresponding aryl bromides or iodides. The second milder route exploits a highly efficient room-temperature rhodium(I)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between 5 and aryl iodides. The latter approach can be applied to the preparation of a wide range of pyridyldiisopropylsilyl-substituted arenes possessing a variety of functional groups, including those incompatible with organometallic reagents. The pyridyldiisopropylsilyl directing group allows for a highly efficient, regioselective palladium(II)-catalyzed mono-ortho-acyloxylation and ortho-halogenation of various aromatic compounds. Most impor-tantly, the silicon-tethered directing group in both acyloxylated and halogenated products can easily be removed or efficiently converted into an array of other valuable functionalities. These transformations include protio-, deuterio-, halo-, boro-, and alkynyldesilylations, as well as a conversion of the directing group into the hydroxy functionality. In addition, the construction of aryl-aryl bonds via the Hiyama-Denmark cross-coupling reaction is feasible for the acetoxylated products. Moreover, the ortho-halogenated pyridyldiisopropylsilylarenes, bearing both nucleophilic pyridyldiisopropylsilyl and electrophilic aryl halide moieties, represent synthetically attractive 1,2-ambiphiles. A unique reactivity of these ambiphiles has been demonstrated in efficient syntheses of arylenediyne and benzosilole derivatives, as well as in a facile generation of benzyne. In addition, preliminary mechanistic studies of the acyloxylation and halogenation reactions have been performed. A trinuclear palladacycle intermediate has been isolated from a stoichiometric reaction between diisopropyl-(phenyl)pyrid-2-ylsilane (3a) and palladium acetate. Furthermore, both C-H functionalization reactions exhibited equally high values of the intramolecular primary kinetic isotope effect (kH/kD = 6.7). Based on these observations, a general mechanism involving the formation of a palladacycle via a C-H activation process as the rate-determining step has been proposed.

Copper-catalyzed allylation of carbonyl derivatives using allyl(2-pyridyl)silanes

[reaction: see text] We have developed an efficient copper-catalyzed allylation of carbonyl derivatives using allyl(2-pyridyl)silanes, in which the strong directing effect of the 2-pyridyl group was observed. A useful synthesis and allylation of substituted allyl(2-pyridyl)silanes is also described.

Spiro and dispiro-1,2,4-trioxolanes as antimalarial peroxides: charting a workable structure-activity relationship using simple prototypes

This paper describes the discovery of synthetic 1,2,4-trioxolane antimalarials and how we established a workable structure-activity relationship in the context of physicochemical, biopharmaceutical, and toxicological profiling. An achiral dispiro-1,2,4-trioxolane (3) in which the trioxolane is flanked by a spiroadamantane and spirocyclohexane was rapidly identified as a lead compound. Nonperoxidic 1,3-dioxolane isosteres of 3 were inactive as were trioxolanes without the spiroadamantane. The trioxolanes were substantially less effective in a standard oral suspension formulation compared to a solubilizing formulation and were more active when administered subcutaneously than orally, both of which suggest substantial biopharmaceutical liabilities. Nonetheless, despite their limited oral bioavailability, the more lipophilic trioxolanes generally had better oral activity than their more polar counterparts. In pharmacokinetic experiments, four trioxolanes had high plasma clearance values, suggesting a potential metabolic instability. The toxicological profiles of two trioxolanes were comparable to that of artesunate.

Dispiro-1,2,4-trioxane analogues of a prototype dispiro-1,2,4-trioxolane: mechanistic comparators for artemisinin in the context of reaction pathways with iron(II)

Single electron reduction of the 1,2,4-trioxane heterocycle of artemisinin (1) forms primary and secondary carbon-centered radicals. The complex structure of 1 does not lend itself to a satisfactory dissection of the electronic and steric effects that influence the formation and subsequent reaction of these carbon-centered free radicals. To help demarcate these effects, we characterized the reactions of achiral dispiro-1,2,4-trioxolane 4 and dispiro-1,2,4-trioxanes 5-7 with ferrous bromide and 4-oxo-TEMPO. Our results suggest a small preference for attack of Fe(II) on the nonketal peroxide oxygen atom of 1. For 4, but not for 5 and 6, there was a strong preference for attack of Fe(II) on the less hindered peroxide bond oxygen atom. The steric hindrance afforded by a spiroadamantane in a five-membered trioxolane is evidently much greater than that for a corresponding six-membered trioxane. Unlike 1, 5-7 fragment by entropically favored beta-scission pathways forming relatively stable alpha-oxa carbon-centered radicals. These data suggest that formation of either primary or secondary carbon-centered radicals is a necessary but insufficient criterion for antimalarial activity of 1 and synthetic peroxides.

Siletanylmethyllithium: an ambiphilic organosilane

The adjacent centres of electrophilicity and nucleophilicity lead to interesting chemical reactivity in the title reagent.

Catalytic intermolecular Pauson-Khand-type reaction: strong directing effect of pyridylsilyl and pyrimidylsilyl groups and isolation of Ru complexes relevant to catalytic reaction

Some circumstantial evidence for the directing effect of the 2-pyridylsilyl group in the Ru-catalyzed intermolecular Pauson-Khand-type reaction (PKR) of alkenyl(2-pyridyl)silane, alkyne, and carbon monoxide has been provided. Most importantly, we have succeeded in isolating several monometallic Ru complexes relevant to the catalytic reaction: Ru(vinylsilane)(CO)(3) complexes and ruthenacyclopentene. While the stoichimetric reaction of the Ru(vinylsilane)(CO)(3) complex with an alkyne led to the formation of the corresponding cyclopentenone (PKR product) at 100 degrees C, the ruthenacyclopentene intermediate was quantitatively produced at 50 degrees C. This complex was also converted to a cyclopentenone upon heating at 100 degrees C. Moreover, it was also found that the Ru(vinylsilane)(CO)(3) complex and ruthenacyclopentene serve as catalysts in intermolecular PKR.

The use of hydrophilic groups in aqueous organic reactions

The representative examples of beneficial effects of hydrophilic groups in aqueous organic reactions are described, including the Diels-Alder reactions, hetero Diels-Alder reactions, Claisen rearrangement, radical reactions, and transition metal-catalyzed reactions. Although the low solubility of organic molecules in water has been a bane in aqueous organic reactions, the incorporation of hydrophilic groups into the substrate structure can overcome the solubility problem and at the same time enhance the hydrophobic effect. In some cases, interesting micellar effects are observed because of the amphiphilic natures of such molecules. The emerging concept of "removable hydrophilic group," in which the solubility problems have been alleviated, yet the initial product can still be transformed into a variety of products with the removal of the hydrophilic groups, is also described.

First regioselective ortho-lithiation induced by a 2-chloropyridyl group complexation

It is shown that t-BuLi in Et(2)O promotes an exclusive regioselective metalation of 2-aryl-6-chloropyridine compounds at the aromatic ortho position demonstrating that the 2-chloropyridyl moiety may be considered as a directing group. This functionally directed metalation group was successfully used for the selective lithiation of substituted aromatics and for the straightforward preparation of new N,P ligands.

A general and straightforward route toward diarylmethanes. Integrated cross-coupling reactions using (2-pyridyl)silylmethylstannane as an air-stable, storable, and versatile coupling platform

[reaction: see text] Pharmacologically important diarylmethane structures have been prepared in a straightforward manner through sequentially integrated Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. (2-Pyridyl)silylmethylstannane was found to be an air-stable, storable, and versatile coupling platform in this synthetic strategy.

Metal-catalyzed hydrosilylation of alkenes and alkynes using dimethyl(pyridyl)silane

Metal-catalyzed hydrosilylation of alkenes and alkynes using dimethyl(pyridyl)silane is described. The hydrosilylation of alkenes using dimethyl(2-pyridyl)silane (2-PyMe(2)SiH) proceeded well in the presence of a catalytic amount of RhCl(PPh(3))(3) with virtually complete regioselectivity. By taking advantage of the phase tag property of the 2-PyMe(2)Si group, hydrosilylation products were isolated in greater than 95% purity by simple acid-base extraction. Strategic catalyst recovery was also demonstrated. The hydrosilylation of alkynes using 2-PyMe(2)SiH proceeded with a Pt(CH(2)=CHSiMe(2))(2)O/P(t-Bu)(3) catalyst to give alkenyldimethyl(2-pyridyl)silanes in good yield with high regioselectivity. A reactivity comparison of 2-PyMe(2)SiH with other related hydrosilanes (3-PyMe(2)SiH, 4-PyMe(2)SiH, and PhMe(2)SiH) was also performed. In the rhodium-catalyzed reaction, the reactivity order of hydrosilane was 2-PyMe(2)SiH >> 3-PyMe(2)SiH, 4-PyMe(2)SiH, PhMe(2)SiH, indicating a huge rate acceleration with 2-PyMe(2)SiH. In the platinum-catalyzed reaction, the reactivity order of hydrosilane was PhMe(2)SiH, 3-PyMe(2)SiH >> 4-PyMe(2)SiH > 2-PyMe(2)SiH, indicating a rate deceleration with 2-PyMe(2)SiH and 4-PyMe(2)SiH. It seems that these reactivity differences stem primarily from the governance of two different mechanisms (Chalk-Harrod and modified Chalk-Harrod mechanisms). From the observed reactivity order, coordination and electronic effects of dimethyl(pyridyl)silanes have been implicated.

Diversity-oriented synthesis of multisubstituted olefins through the sequential integration of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. 2-pyridyldimethyl(vinyl)silane as a versatile platform for olefin synthesis

A novel strategy for the diversity-oriented synthesis of multisubstituted olefins, where 2-pyridyldimethyl(vinyl)silane functions as a versatile platform for olefin synthesis, is described. The palladium-catalyzed Heck-type coupling of 2-pyridyldimethyl(vinyl)silanes with organic iodides took place in the presence of Pd2(dba)3/tri-2-furylphosphine catalyst to give beta-substituted vinylsilanes in excellent yields. The Heck-type coupling occurred even with alpha- and beta-substituted 2-pyridyldimethyl(vinyl)silanes. The one-pot double Heck coupling of 2-pyridyldimethyl(vinyl)silane took place with two different aryl iodides to afford beta,beta-diarylated vinylsilanes in good yields. The palladium-catalyzed Hiyama-type coupling of 2-pyridyldimethyl(vinyl)silane with organic halides took place in the presence of tetrabutylammonium fluoride to give di- and trisubstituted olefins in high yields. The sequential integration of Heck-type (or double Heck) coupling and Hiyama-type coupling produced the multisubstituted olefins in regioselective, stereoselective, and diversity-oriented fashions. Especially, the one-pot sequential Heck/Hiyama coupling reaction provides an extremely facile entry into a diverse range of stereodefined multisubstituted olefins. Mechanistic considerations of both Heck-type and Hiyama-type coupling reactions are also described.

Unusually accelerated silylmethyl transfer from tin in stille coupling: implication of coordination-driven transmetalation

The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of 2-PyMe2SiCH2SnBu3 with aryl iodide (Ar-I) exclusively produced the 2-PyMe2SiCH2 transferred product 2-PyMe2SiCH2Ar. The relative transfer ability of organic group from tin was found to be 2-PyMe2SiCH2 >> Ph > Me > Bu >> PhMe2SiCH2, which implies the beneficial pyridyl-to-palladium coordination effect. Thus, the transfer of the silylmethyl group from tin to palladium was remarkably accelerated by simply appending the 2-pyridyl group on silicon. The pyridyl-to-palladium coordination was validated in the palladium(II) complex 2-PyMe2SiCH2PdClPPh3 by 1H NMR and X-ray crystal structure analysis. The cross-coupling product was used for further transformations. The C-Si oxidation of the cross-coupling product 2-PyMe2SiCH2Ar afforded ArCH2OH in high yield. The fluoride ion-catalyzed 1,2-addition of 2-PyMe2SiCH2Ar to carbonyl compound (RR'C=O) gave ArCH2C(OH)RR' in high yield.