Dialkylborane-Catalyzed Hydroboration of Alkynes with 1,3,2-Benzodioxaborole in Tetrahydrofuran

Catalytic Access to Diastereometrically Pure Four- and Five-Membered Silyl-Heterocycles Using Transborylation

Silyl-heterocycles offer a unique handle to expand and explore chemical space, reactivity, and functionality. The shortage of catalytic methods for the preparation of diverse and functionalized silyl-heterocycles however limits widespread exploration and exploitation. Herein the borane-catalyzed intramolecular 1,1-carboboration of silyl-alkynes has been developed for the synthesis of 2,3-dihydrosilolyl and silylcyclobut-2-enyl boronic esters. Successful, catalytic carboboration has been achieved on a variety of functionally diverse silyl-alkynes, using a borane catalyst and transborylation-enabled turnover. Mechanistic studies, including 13C-labelling, computational studies, and single-turnover experiments, suggest a reaction pathway proceeding by 1,2-hydroboration, 1,1-carboboration, and transborylation to release the alkenyl boronic ester product and regenerate the borane catalyst.

Zintl Clusters as a Platform for Lewis Acid Catalysis

Clusters of the main group elements phosphorus and arsenic, commonly categorized as Zintl clusters, have been known for over a century. And, only now is the application of these systems as catalysts for organic synthesis being investigated. In this work, boranes are tethered via an aliphatic linker to Zintl-based clusters and their Lewis acidity is examined experimentally, by the Gutmann-Beckett test and competency in the hydroborative reduction of six organic substrates, as well as computationally, by fluoride ion affinity and hydride ion affinity methods. The effects of tuning the aliphatic linker length, substituents at the boron, and changing the cluster from a seven-atom phosphorus system to a seven-atom arsenic system on reactivity are studied.

Studies toward Providencin: The Furanyl-Cyclobutanol Segment

The furanocembranoid providencin remains an unconquered bastion, although the synthesis of 17-deoxyprovidencin─lacking a single -OH group─has been accomplished in the past. This paper describes a practical approach to a properly hydroxylated building block via an iridium-catalyzed photosensitized intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition as the key step. While an attempt to convert this compound into providencin via RCAM failed, it might well be elaborated into the natural product by adopting the literature route.

Group 13 exchange and transborylation in catalysis

Catalysis is dominated by the use of rare and potentially toxic transition metals. The main group offers a potentially sustainable alternative for catalysis, due to the generally higher abundance and lower toxicity of these elements. Group 13 elements have a rich catalogue of stoichiometric addition reactions to unsaturated bonds but cannot undergo the redox chemistry which underpins transition-metal catalysis. Group 13 exchange reactions transfer one or more groups from one group 13 element to another, through σ-bond metathesis; where boron is both of the group 13 elements, this is termed transborylation. These redox-neutral processes are increasingly being used to render traditionally stoichiometric group 13-mediated processes catalytic and develop new catalytic processes, examples of which are the focus of this review.

Transborylation-Enabled Boron Catalysis

This review highlights transborylation (controlled boron-boron exchange) and its applications as a turnover strategy in boron-catalysed methodologies. Catalytic applications of B–C, B–O, B–N, B–F, B–S, and B–Se transborylations are discussed in the context of transborylation-enabled catalysis, across a wide range of organic transformations including hydroboration, C–C bond formation, C–H borylation, chemoselective reduction, and asymmetric reduction.

1 Introduction

2 B–C Transborylation

3 B–O Transborylation

4 B–N Transborylation

5 B–F Transborylation

6 B–S Transborylation

7 Conclusion

Palladium-catalyzed hydroboration reaction of unactivated alkynes with bis (pinacolato) diboron in water

A highly efficient and mild palladium-catalyzed hydroboration of unactivated internal alkynes in water is described. Both aryl- and alkyl-substituted alkynes proceeded smoothly within the reaction time to afford the desired vinylboronates in moderate to high yields. Bis (pinacolato) diboron was used to afford α- and β-hydroborated products in the presence of HOAc. These reactions showed high reactivities and tolerance, thus providing a promising method for the synthesis of alkenyl boron compounds.

The transition metal-catalysed hydroboration reaction

This review covers the development of the transition metal-catalysed hydroboration reaction, from its beginnings in the 1980s to more recent developments including earth-abundant catalysts and an ever-expanding array of substrates.

Transborylation of alkenylboranes with diboranes

Exchange of boryl moieties between alkenylboranes and diboron reagents has been postulated as a stereospecific cross-metathesis pathway with concomitant formation of mixed diboron reagents. DFT calculations propose a mechanism for the stereocontrolled C(sp²)-B/B'-B' cross-metathesis with both symmetric and non-symmetric diboron reagents.

Recent advances in transition metal-free catalytic hydroelementation (E = B, Si, Ge, and Sn) of alkynes

This review describes the recent advances in the transition metal-free hydroelementation of alkynes with various metalloid hydrides.

Biomimetic Synthesis of (+)-Aspergillin PZ

The cytochalasans are a large family of polyketide natural products with potent bioactivities. Amongst them, the aspochalasins show particularly intricate and fascinating structures. To gain insight into their structural diversity and innate reactivity, we have developed a rapid synthesis of aspochalasin D, the central member of the family. It proceeded in 13 steps starting from divinyl carbinol and utilized a high pressure Diels-Alder reaction that features high regio- and stereoselectivity. So far, our work has culminated in a biomimetic synthesis of aspergillin PZ, an intricate pentacyclic aspochalasan.

Total synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene/GEX 1A

An efficient synthesis of herboxidiene is granted from highly stereoselective aldol reactions from two lactate-derived ketones and an oxa-Michael cyclization.

Total synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene from two chiral lactate-derived ketones

A substrate-controlled synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene from two lactate-derived chiral ketones is described. Remarkably, most of the carbon backbone was constructed through highly stereoselective titanium-mediated aldol reactions and an Ireland-Claisen rearrangement. Furthermore, an oxa-Michael cyclization and a high-yield Suzuki coupling were used to assemble the pyran ring and the diene moiety respectively.

Synthesis of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D analogues featuring a S(2)-symmetric CD-ring core

Three analogues of 1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (calcitriol), featuring a trans-fused decalin C,D-core with local S(2)-symmetry, and possessing identical side-chain and seco-B,A-ring structures, have been synthesized starting from readily available (4aR,8aS)-octahydronaphthalene-1,5-dione (7). The very short sequences involve the simultaneous introduction of the side-chain and seco-B,A-ring fragments via Suzuki and Sonogashira coupling reactions. The analogues are devoid of relevant biological activity.

Total synthesis of aigialomycin D: surprising chemoselectivity dependence on alkyne structure in nickel-catalyzed cyclizations

The total synthesis of aigialomycin D was carried out using a nickel-catalyzed ynal macrocyclization as a key step. This key step allowed macrocycle assembly and formation of a disubstituted alkene and a secondary hydroxyl stereocenter in a single step, although the stereocenter was formed unselectively. An interesting side reaction involving five-membered-ring synthesis by an aldehyde/styrene cyclization was observed when macrocyclization of an alkynyl silane was attempted. A mechanistic basis for this surprising process is provided.

Total Synthesis of Iejimalide A−D and Assessment of the Remarkable Actin-Depolymerizing Capacity of These Polyene Macrolides

A concise and convergent total synthesis of the highly cytotoxic marine natural products iejimalide A-D (1-4) is reported, which relies on an effective ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction of a cyclization precursor containing no less than 10 double bonds. Because of the exceptional sensitivity of this polyunsaturated intermediate and its immediate precursors toward acid, base, and even gentle warming, the assembly process hinged upon the judicious choice of protecting groups and the careful optimization of all individual transformations. As a consequence, particularly mild protocols for Stille as well as Suzuki reactions of elaborate coupling partners have been developed that hold considerable promise for applications in other complex settings. Moreover, a series of non-natural "iejimalide-like" compounds has been prepared, differing from the natural lead in the polar head groups linked to the macrolide's N-terminus. With the aid of these compounds it was possible to uncover the hitherto unknown effect of iejimalide and analogues on the actin cytoskeleton. Their capacity to depolymerize this microfilament network rivals that of the latrunculins which constitute the standard in the field. Structural modifications of the peptidic terminus in 2 are thereby well accommodated, without compromising the biological effects. The iejimalides hence constitute an important new class of probe molecules for chemical biology in addition to their role as promising lead structures for the development of novel anticancer agents.

A cycloaddition cascade approach to the total synthesis of (-)-FR182877

An asymmetric synthesis of the cytotoxic natural product, (-)-FR182877 (1), has been achieved. Chirality for the entire structure was established using two (4R)-4-benzyl-2-oxazolidinone-mediated boron aldol reactions. A 19-membered macrocarbocycle was synthesized by the coupling of two fragments using a regioselective Suzuki coupling (17 + 23 --> 26; 84%) and macrocyclization of a beta-keto ester (30 --> 31; 77%). Oxidation of 31 triggered a sequence of stereoselective transannular Diels-Alder reactions (32 -->34; 63%) forming four new rings and seven new stereocenters in the pivotal construction event. This pentacyclic intermediate was subsequently transformed to (-)-FR182877. Semiempirical calculations of the transannular Diels-Alder cycloaddition cascade were carried out to determine the origins of asymmetric induction.

Total synthesis of (-)-bafilomycin A(1)

A highly stereoselective total synthesis of (-)-bafilomycin A(1), the naturally occurring enantiomer of this potent vacuolar ATPase inhibitor, is described. The synthesis features the highly stereoselective aldol reaction of methyl ketone 8b and aldehyde 60c and a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of the highly functionalized advanced intermediates 12 and 39. Vinyl iodide 12 was synthesized by a 14-step sequence starting from the readily available beta-alkoxy aldehyde 14, while the vinylboronic acid component 39 was synthesized by a nine-step sequence from beta-hydroxy-alpha-methyl butyrate 44 via a sequence involving the alpha-methoxypropargylation of chiral aldehyde 49 with the alpha-methoxypropargylstannane reagent 54. Syntheses of fragments 12 and 39 also feature diastereoselective double asymmetric crotylboration reactions to set several of the critical stereocenters. The Suzuki cross-coupling of 12 and 39 provided seco ester 40, which following conversion to the seco acid underwent smooth macrolactonization to give 41. The success of the macrocyclization required that C(7)-OH be unprotected. The Mukaiyama aldol reaction between aldehyde 60c and the TMS enol ether generated from 8b provided aldol 65 with high diastereoselectivity. Finally, all silicon protecting groups were removed by treatment of the penultimate intermediate 65 with TAS-F (tris(dimethylamino)sulfonium difluorotrimethylsilicate), thereby completing the total synthesis of (-)-bafilomycin A(1).