Rhodium catalysed synthesis of seleno-ketals via carbene transfer reactions of diazoesters

Rhodium/selenium dual catalysis for accessing 2-aminopyrroles from N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles

Herein, we report a novel rhodium/selenium dual catalytic process for the synthesis of 2-aminopyrroles from N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles. The proposed cooperative catalytic mechanism involves Rh(II)-catalyzed formation of Rh-azavinyl carbene from triazole, followed by selenium-catalyzed generation of ylide, which subsequently undergoes annulation with another Rh-azavinyl carbene. The simple and mild dual catalytic strategy accommodates a variety of electron-withdrawing and electron-donating functional groups, affording various 2-aminopyrrole derivatives in moderate to good yields.

Asymmetric Carbene Insertion into Se-S Bonds by Synergistic Rh(II)/Guanidine Catalysis Involving Chalcogen-Bond Assistance

The efficient construction of chalcogen-atom-based chiral compounds remains a challenge, despite the importance of organoselenium and organosulfur compounds in life and materials science. Chalcogen atoms can form net attractive interactions called chalcogen bonds, but it is an undeveloped tool to assist asymmetric catalysis. Herein, we report an enantioselective insertion platform to install a stereogenic center bearing selenyl and thiocyano functional groups. Our method operates by synergistic catalysis by a chiral guanidine and an achiral dirhodium complex in a three-component or four-component reaction, through Se-S bond insertion into carbene species, competing successfully with the spontaneous racemic process and showing high regioselectivity. As elucidated by spectroscopic experiments and computational studies, a unique mechanism involving chalcogen as well as hydrogen bonding was established to account for the enantiocontrol. The high stereoselectivity holds for a broad array of selenylthiocyanatopropanoates, which showed excellent anti-inflammatory toward IL-1β and low cytotoxicity.

Electrophotocatalysis Versus Indirect Electrolysis: Electrochemical Selenocyclization of 3-Aza-1,5-dienes Facilitated by Energy Transfer, Direct Photolysis or N-Hydroxyphthalimide

Three hybrid electrochemical protocols, which involve the energy transfer, direct photolysis and N-hydroxyphthalimide catalyst, respectively, are presented for the selenylation/cyclization of the fragile substrates of 3-aza-1,5-dienes with diorganyl diselenides to afford 3-selenomethyl-4-pyrrolin-2-ones. The two electrophotocatalytic reactions and the indirect electrolysis one are both regioselective and external-oxidant- and transition-metal-free, and are associated with a broad substrate scope and high Se-economy, and all three methods are amenable to gram-scale syntheses, late-stage functionalizations, sunlight-induced experiments and all-solar-driven syntheses.

Electrochemical Oxidative Difunctionalization of Diazo Compounds with Diselenides and Nucleophiles

An electrochemical oxidative difunctionalization of diazo compounds with diselenides and nucleophiles has been developed. This innovative approach yields a diverse array of selenium-containing pyrazole esters and alkoxy esters, overcoming the limitations of traditional synthesis methods. Remarkably, various nucleophiles, including acids, alcohols, and pyrazoles, can be seamlessly incorporated. Notably, this protocol boasts high atom efficiency, excellent functional group tolerance, and good efficiency and operates under transition metal- and oxidant-free conditions, distinguishing it in the field.

A highly efficient method to access unprotected C-3 bifunctional quaternary 3-allyl-3-(amino)oxindoles

A highly efficient Rh(II) catalyzed non-radical protocol to access NH-free C-3 bifunctional oxindoles, which possess 3-allyl and 3-amino simultaneously, was first achieved by employing an intermolecular [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement reaction between diazooxindoles and tertiary allylic amines. Utilizing readily available allylamines as the nitrogen and allyl source concurrently, a wide range of bio-active 3-allyl-3-(amino)oxindoles were obtained in excellent yields under very mild reaction conditions; meanwhile, the TON can be up to 90 000. Our study addresses a gap in the literature by investigating intermolecular rearrangements of ammonium ylides with diazoamides, which have been relatively understudied.

Rhodium-catalyzed selenylation and sulfenylation of quinoxalinones 'on water'

A rhodium-catalysed, regioselective synthetic methodology for selenylation and sulfenylation of 3-phenyl quinoxolinones has been developed through N-directed C-H activation in the presence of silver triflimide, and silver carbonate using dichalcogenides 'on water'. The methodology has been proven to be efficient, regioselective and green. Using this method, a range of selenylations and sulfenylations of the substrates has been carried out in good to excellent yields. Further, late-stage functionalisation produced potential anti-tumour, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agents making these compounds potential drug candidates.

Recent advances in metal-catalysed asymmetric sigmatropic rearrangements

Asymmetric sigmatropic rearrangement is a powerful organic transformation via substrate-reorganization to efficiently increase molecular complexity from readily accessible starting materials. In particular, a high level of diastereo- and enantioselectivity can be readily accessed through well-defined and predictable transition states in [3,3], [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements, which have been widely applied in the synthesis of various chiral building blocks, natural products, and pharmaceuticals. In recent years, catalytic asymmetric sigmatropic rearrangements involving chiral metal complexes to induce stereocontrol have been intensively studied. This review presents an overview of metal-catalysed enantioselective versions of sigmatropic rearrangements in the past two decades, mainly focusing on [3,3], [2,3], and [1,3]-rearrangements, to show the development of substrate design, new catalyst exploitation, and novel cascade processes. In addition, their application in the asymmetric synthesis of complex natural products is also exemplified.

Enantioselective organocatalytic syntheses of α-selenated α- and β-amino acid derivatives

Selenium-containing amino acids are valuable targets but methods for the stereoselective α-selenation of simple amino acid precursors are rare. We herein report the enantioselective electrophilic α-selenation of azlactones (masked α-amino acid derivatives) and isoxazolidin-5-ones (masked β-amino acids) using Cinchona alkaloids as easily accessible organocatalysts. A variety of differently substituted derivatives was accessed with reasonable levels of enantioselectivities and further studies concerning the stability and suitability of these compounds for further manipulations have been carried out as well.

Advances in [1,2]-Sigmatropic Rearrangements of Onium Ylides via Carbene Transfer Reactions

This review article summarizes progress made on [1,2]-sigmatropic rearrangements using carbenes in the ylide formation step. While other rearrangements, such as the [2,3]-sigmatropic, Doyle–Kirmse, or Sommelet–Hauser rearrangements, have been studied in detail over the past decades, investigations on [1,2]-sigmatropic rearrangements are still limited. Based on the application of diazoalkanes as carbene precursors, research on diazoalkanes in ylide formation reactions started flourishing in the 1990s. This Short Review covers milestones from the advent of [1,2]-sigmatropic rearrangements using carbenes to generate ammonium, oxonium and other ylide species, and should serve as an overview to further promote research in this area.

1 Introduction

2 Ammonium Ylides

3 Oxonium Ylides

4 Sulfonium and Selenium Ylides

5 Halonium Ylides

6 Conclusion and Outlook

Diorganyl diselenides: a powerful tool for the construction of selenium containing scaffolds

Organoselenium compounds find versatile applications in organic synthesis, materials synthesis, and ligand chemistry. Organoselenium heterocycles are widely studied agents with diverse applications in various biological processes. This review highlights the recent progress in the synthesis of selenium heterocycles using diorganyl diselenides with keen attention on green synthetic approaches, scopes, C-H selanylation, the mechanisms of different reactions and insights into the formation of metal complexes. The C-H selanylation using diorganyl diselenides with different catalysts, bases, transition metals, iodine salts, NIS, hypervalent iodine, and other reagents is summarised. Finally, the diverse binding modes of bis(2/4-pyridyl)diselenide with different metal complexes are also summarised.

Rhodium-catalyzed cascade reactions of triazoles with organoselenium compounds - a combined experimental and mechanistic study

Herein, we report on our studies on the reaction of organoselenium compounds with triazoles under thermal conditions using simple Rh(ii) catalysts. These reactions do not provide the product of classic rearrangement reactions. Instead two different cascade reactions were uncovered. While allyl selenides react in a cascade of sigmatropic rearrangement and selenium-mediated radical cyclization reaction to give dihydropyrroles, cinnamyl selenides undergo a double rearrangement reaction cascade involving a final aza-Cope reaction to give the product of 1,3-difunctionalization. Theoretical and experimental studies were conducted to provide an understanding of the reaction mechanism of these cascade reactions. The former provide an important insight into fundamental question on the nature of the ylide intermediate in rearrangement reactions and reveal that organoselenium compounds take up multiple roles in rearrangement reactions and mediate a free ylide reaction mechanism.

Herein, we report on our studies on the reaction of organoselenium compounds with triazoles under thermal conditions using simple Rh(ii) catalysts.

Recent Perspectives on Rearrangement Reactions of Ylides via Carbene Transfer Reactions

Among the available methods to increase the molecular complexity, sigmatropic rearrangements occupy a distinct position in organic synthesis. Despite being known for over a century sigmatropic rearrangement reactions of ylides via carbene transfer reaction have only recently come of age. Most of the ylide mediated rearrangement processes involve rupture of a σ-bond and formation of a new bond between π-bond and negatively charged atom followed by simultaneous redistribution of π-electrons. This minireview describes the advances in this research area made in recent years, which now opens up metal-catalyzed enantioselective sigmatropic rearrangement reactions, metal-free photochemical rearrangement reactions and novel reaction pathways that can be accessed via ylide intermediates.