A general alkene aminoarylation enabled by N-centred radical reactivity of sulfinamides

Arylethylamines are popular structural elements in bioactive molecules but are often made through a linear series of synthetic steps. A modular protocol to assemble arylethylamines from alkenes in one step would represent a useful advance in discovery chemistry, though current limitations preclude a generally applicable method. In this work we disclose an aminoarylation of alkenes using aryl sulfinamide reagents as bifunctional amine and arene donors. This reaction features excellent regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity on a variety of activated and unactivated substrates. Using a weakly oxidizing photocatalyst, a nitrogen radical is generated under mild conditions and adds to an alkene to form a new C-N bond. A desulfinylative aryl migration event known as a Smiles-Truce rearrangement follows to form a new C-C bond. In this manner, arylethylamines can be rapidly assembled from abundant alkene feedstocks. Moreover, chiral information from the sulfinamide can be transferred via rearrangement to a new carbon stereocentre in the product, thus advancing the development of traceless asymmetric alkene difunctionalization.

Metal-free hydrosulfonylation of α,β-unsaturated ketones: synthesis and application of γ-keto sulfones

γ-Keto sulfones are versatile building blocks and valuable intermediates in organic synthesis and pharmaceutical chemistry. Motivated by their excellent properties, we herein report a green, convenient, metal-free hydrosulfonylation method for a variety of ynones, vinyl ketones, and sodium sulfinates in the absence of stoichiometric oxidants. This operationally simple protocol provides straightforward and practical access to a wide range of γ-keto sulfones with broad functional group tolerance from easily available starting materials. Moreover, the β,γ-unsaturated keto sulfones could further react with 2,3-butadienoate to generate cyclopentenes in phosphine-mediated [3 + 2] cycloaddition.

Synthese von α-Arylacrylamiden via Lewis Base vermitteltem Aryl/Wasserstoff-Austausch

Hierin stellen wir eine neue Methode für die Synthese von α‐Arylacrylamiden vor. Die Reaktion basiert auf der Nutzung polarer S‐zu‐C Arylwanderungen, induziert durch einen Lewis‐basischen Organokatalysator. Im Unterschied zu zuvor publizierten radikalischen Arylwanderungen von Sulfonylacrylamiden, ermöglicht dieser polare Prozess eine darauffolgende Eliminierung, wodurch in Summe ein formaler Aryl/Wasserstoff‐Austausch unter Ausscheidung von SO2 stattfindet. Die vorgestellte Reaktion ist selektiv für elektronenarme aromatische Gruppen, während eine Vielfalt von Substituenten am Stickstoff und an der β‐Position toleriert werden, und erzeugt nützliche Bausteine für Folgereaktionen wie Zykloadditionen und Zyklisierungen. Der Reaktionsmechanismus wurde mithilfe quantenchemischer Berechnungen erforscht, die die unerwartete Rolle der Lewis Base in mehreren Schlüsselschritten darlegten.

Synthesis of α-Aryl Acrylamides via Lewis-Base-Mediated Aryl/Hydrogen Exchange

Herein we report a method for the synthesis of α-aryl acrylamides leveraging polar S-to-C aryl migrations induced by a Lewis basic organocatalyst. In contrast to previously reported radical aryl migrations of sulfonyl acrylimides, this polar process enables subsequent elimination, ultimately leading to a formal aryl/hydrogen exchange including SO2 extrusion. This reaction is selective for electron-deficient aromatic groups, while tolerating a variety of substituents on nitrogen and in the β-position, and it delivers useful building blocks for further transformations, including cycloaddition and cyclisation reactions. The mechanism was investigated in detail using quantum chemical calculations, which unexpectedly revealed the Lewis base to be involved in several decisive steps.

Copper-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Sulfonylation of Alkynyl Imines with Sulfonyl Hydrazides: Access to (E)-β-Sulfonyl Enones

A copper-catalyzed sulfonylation of alkynyl imines with sulfonyl hydrazides has been developed, which exhibited excellent regio- and stereoselectivity and furnished a series of (E)-β-sulfonyl enones in moderate to good yields. Mechanistic studies suggest that this strategy goes through a radical process.

Desulfonylation via Radical Process: Recent Developments in Organic Synthesis

As the "chemical chameleon", sulfonyl-containing compounds and their variants have been merged with various types of reactions for the efficient construction of diverse molecular architectures by taking advantage of their incredible reactive flexibility. Currently, their involvement in radical transformations, in which the sulfonyl group typically acts as a leaving group via selective C-S, N-S, O-S, S-S, and Se-S bond cleavage/functionalization, has facilitated new bond formation strategies which are complementary to classical two-electron cross-couplings via organometallic or ionic intermediates. Considering the great influence and synthetic potential of these novel avenues, we summarize recent advances in this rapidly expanding area by discussing the reaction designs, substrate scopes, mechanistic studies, and their limitations, outlining the state-of-the-art processes involved in radical-mediated desulfonylation and related transformations. With a specific emphasis on their synthetic applications, we believe this review will be useful for medicinal and synthetic organic chemists who are interested in radical chemistry and radical-mediated desulfonylation in particular.

Visible-light-induced intramolecular radical cascade of α-bromo-N-benzyl-alkylamides: a new strategy to synthesize tetracyclic N-fused indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones

Polycyclic indole scaffolds are ubiquitous in pharmaceuticals and natural products and in materials science. Here, we present a visible-light-initiated intramolecular aryl migration/desulfonylation/cyclization cascade reaction for the synthesis of tetracyclic indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-6(5H)-ones. This protocol not only exhibited a wide substrate scope but also provided a mild route to access a variety of tetracyclic N-fused indoles.

The synthesis of sulfonated 4H-3,1-benzoxazines via an electro-chemical radical cascade cyclization

We achieved sulfonated 4H-3,1-benzoxazines under ambient conditions without any metals and external chemical oxidants via electrochemical radical cascade cyclizations.

Visible-light-induced and iron-catalyzed methylation of N-arylacrylamides with dimethyl sulphoxide: a convenient access to 3-ethyl-3-methyl oxindoles

An efficient synthesis of 3-ethyl-3-methyl oxindoles by visible-light promoted and iron-catalyzed difunctionalization of N-arylacrylamides with dimethyl sulphoxide was developed.

Palladium-catalyzed tandem cyclization/sulfonylation of homoallenyl amides with sodium sulfinates

A palladium-catalyzed cyclizative sulfonylation of homoallenyl amides has been developed using sodium sulfinates as the sulfonylation reagent and PhI(O₂CCF₃)₂ as the oxidant, providing a facile access to 2-amino-5-sulfonylmethylfurans in good to excellent yields.

A new cascade halosulfonylation of 1,7-enynes toward 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-ones via sulfonyl radical-triggered addition/6-exo-dig cyclization

A new cascade three-component halosulfonylation of 1,7-enynes for efficient synthesis of densely functionalized 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-ones has been established from readily accessible arylsulfonyl hydrazides and NIS (or NBS). The reaction pathway involves in situ-generated sulfonyl radical-triggered α,β-conjugated addition/6-exo-dig cyclization/radical coupling sequence, resulting in continuous multiple bond-forming events including C-S, C-C and C-I (or C-Br) bonds to rapidly build up molecular complexity.

An efficient synthesis of sulfonated quinoline diones by copper catalyzed sulfonylation of activated alkenes with sulfonylhydrazides

A novel and highly efficient cascade synthesis of sulfonated quinoline dione derivatives from N-(2-cyanoaryl) methylacrylamides and sulfonylhydrazides in good yields is described.

Open-air oxidative Mizoroki–Heck reaction of arylsulfonyl hydrazides with alkenes

A palladium(ii)-catalyzed oxidative Mizoroki–Heck reaction of arylsulfonyl hydrazides with alkenes was developed employing Pd(OAc)₂ and pyridine ligand L9 as a catalyst system and ​atmospheric air as the sole oxidant in an open-vessel manner.

Palladium-catalyzed Hiyama coupling reaction of arylsulfonyl hydrazides under oxygen

Palladium-catalyzed Hiyama cross-coupling reactions of various arylsulfonyl hydrazides with a wide variety of aryl silanes have been achieved in good to excellent yields under simple aerobic conditions.

Fe-promoted radical cyanomethylation/arylation of arylacrylamides to access oxindoles via cleavage of the sp3 C–H of acetonitrile and the sp2 C–H of the phenyl group

Radical cyanomethylation/arylation of arylacrylamides to access oxindoles with acetonitrile as a radical precursor is described, involving dual C–H bond functionalization.

Pd-catalyzed desulfitative and denitrogenative Suzuki-type reaction of arylsulfonyl hydrazides

A Pd-catalyzed desulfitative–denitrogenative coupling of arylsulfonyl hydrazides and arylboronic acids with the assistance of catalytic ligands is described. The reaction showed very good selectivity and tolerated a wide range of functionalities.