Formation of C-C bonds via ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation()

Leveraging the Stereochemical Complexity of Octahedral Diastereomeric-at-Metal Catalysts to Unlock Regio-, Diastereo-, and Enantioselectivity in Alcohol-Mediated C-C Couplings via Hydrogen Transfer

Experimental and computational studies illuminating the factors that guide metal-centered stereogenicity and, therefrom, selectivity in transfer hydrogenative carbonyl additions of alcohol proelectrophiles catalyzed by chiral-at-metal-and-ligand octahedral d6 metal ions, iridium(III) and ruthenium(II), are described. To augment or invert regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity, predominantly one from among as many as 15 diastereomeric-at-metal complexes is required. For iridium(III) catalysts, cyclometalation assists in defining the metal stereocenter, and for ruthenium(II) catalysts, iodide counterions play a key role. Whereas classical strategies to promote selectivity in metal catalysis aim for high-symmetry transition states, well-defined low-symmetry transition states can unlock selectivities that are otherwise difficult to achieve or inaccessible.

Intermolecular Metal-Catalyzed C‒C Coupling of Unactivated Alcohols or Aldehydes for Convergent Ketone Construction beyond Premetalated Reagents

Intermolecular metal-catalyzed C‒C couplings of unactivated primary alcohols or aldehydes to form ketones are catalogued. Reactions are classified on the basis of pronucleophile. Protocols involving premetalated reagents or reactants that incorporate directing groups are not covered. These methods represent an emerging alternative to classical multi-step protocols for ketone construction that exploit premetalated reagents, and/or steps devoted to redox manipulations and carboxylic acid derivatization.

Oxetane-, Azetidine-, and Bicyclopentane-Bearing N-Heterocycles from Ynones: Scaffold Diversification via Ruthenium-Catalyzed Oxidative Alkynylation

A process for 3-fold scaffold diversification is achieved via ruthenium-catalyzed oxidative alkynylation of commercially available oxetanols, azetidinols and bicyclopentanols to form α,β-acetylenic ketones (ynones), which are subsequently converted to oxetane-, azetidine- and bicyclopentane-bearing pyrazoles, isoxazoles and pyrimidines. A one-pot oxidative alkynylation-condensation protocol that directly converts azetidinols to azetidine-substituted pyrazoles or pyrimidines is demonstrated.

Iridium-, Ruthenium-, and Nickel-Catalyzed C-C Couplings of Methanol, Formaldehyde, and Ethanol with π-Unsaturated Pronucleophiles via Hydrogen Transfer

In this Perspective, the use of methanol and ethanol as C1 and C2 feedstocks in metal-catalyzed C-C couplings to π-unsaturated pronucleophiles via hydrogen auto-transfer is surveyed. In these processes, alcohol oxidation to form an aldehyde electrophile is balanced by reduction of an π-unsaturated hydrocarbon to form a transient organometallic nucleophile. Mechanistically related reductive couplings of paraformaldehyde mediated by alcohol reductants or formic acid also are described. These processes encompass the first catalytic enantioselective C-C couplings of methanol and ethanol and, more broadly, illustrate how the native reducing ability of alcohols enable the departure from premetalated reagents in carbonyl addition.

Historical perspective on ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogen transfer and survey of enantioselective hydrogen auto-transfer processes for the conversion of lower alcohols to higher alcohols

Ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogen auto-transfer reactions for the direct enantioselective conversion of lower alcohols to higher alcohols are surveyed. These processes enable completely atom-efficient carbonyl addition from alcohol proelectrophiles in the absence of premetalated reagents or metallic reductants. Applications in target-oriented synthesis are highlighted, and a brief historical perspective on ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogen transfer processes is given.

Cucurbit[6]uril-Supported Fe3O4 Magnetic Nanoparticles Catalyzed Green and Sustainable Synthesis of 2-Substituted Benzimidazoles via Acceptorless Dehydrogenative Coupling

A new composite, cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6])-supported magnetic nanoparticles, Fe₃O₄-CB[6], was synthesized via a co-precipitation method in air and fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and vibrating sample magnetometry techniques. It has been found to be a highly efficient, economic, and sustainable heterogeneous catalyst and has been employed for the first time for the synthesis of a series of biologically important 2-substituted benzimidazoles from various benzyl alcohols and 1,2-diaminobenzenes under solvent-free conditions via acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling to afford the corresponding products in good to excellent yields (68-94%). The magnetic nature of the nanocomposite facilitates the facile recovery of the catalyst from the reaction mixture by an external magnet. The catalyst can be reused up to five times with negligible loss in its catalytic activity. All the isolated products were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR spectroscopy.

Reducing Challenges in Organic Synthesis with Stereoselective Hydrogenation and Tandem Catalysis

Tandem catalysis enables the rapid construction of complex architectures from simple building blocks. This Perspective shares our interest in combining stereoselective hydrogenation with transformations such as isomerization, oxidation, and epimerization to solve diverse challenges. We highlight the use of tandem hydrogenation for preparing complex natural products from simple prochiral building blocks and present tandem catalysis involving transfer hydrogenation and dynamic kinetic resolution. Finally, we underline recent breakthroughs and opportunities for asymmetric hydrogenation.

From Hydrogenation to Transfer Hydrogenation to Hydrogen Auto-Transfer in Enantioselective Metal-Catalyzed Carbonyl Reductive Coupling: Past, Present, and Future

Atom-efficient processes that occur via addition, redistribution or removal of hydrogen underlie many large volume industrial processes and pervade all segments of chemical industry. Although carbonyl addition is one of the oldest and most broadly utilized methods for C-C bond formation, the delivery of non-stabilized carbanions to carbonyl compounds has relied on premetalated reagents or metallic/organometallic reductants, which pose issues of safety and challenges vis-à-vis large volume implementation. Catalytic carbonyl reductive couplings promoted via hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation and hydrogen auto-transfer allow abundant unsaturated hydrocarbons to serve as substitutes to organometallic reagents, enabling C-C bond formation in the absence of stoichiometric metals. This perspective (a) highlights past milestones in catalytic hydrogenation, hydrogen transfer and hydrogen auto-transfer, (b) summarizes current methods for catalytic enantioselective carbonyl reductive couplings, and (c) describes future opportunities based on the patterns of reactivity that animate transformations of this type.

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Cycloadditions to Form Five-, Six-, and Seven-Membered Rings

Ruthenium-catalyzed cycloadditions to form five-, six-, and seven-membered rings are summarized, including applications in natural product total synthesis. Content is organized by ring size and reaction type. Coverage is limited to processes that involve formation of at least one C-C bond. Processes that are stoichiometric in ruthenium or exploit ruthenium as a Lewis acid (without intervention of organometallic intermediates), ring formations that occur through dehydrogenative condensation-reduction, σ-bond activation-initiated annulations that do not result in net reduction of bond multiplicity, and photochemically promoted ruthenium-catalyzed cycloadditions are not covered.

Synthesis of Indanones and Spiroindanones by Diastereoselective Annulation Based on a Hydrogen Autotransfer Strategy

An unprecedented nickel-catalyzed domino reductive cyclization of alkynes and o-bromoaryl aldehydes is described. The reaction features broad substrate scope and is tolerant of a variety of functional groups, providing straightforward access to biologically significant indanones and spiroindanone pyrrolidine derivatives in good yields with excellent regio- and diastereoselectivity. Preliminary mechanistic studies have shown that indanones are formed by the cyclization of o-bromoaryl aldehydes and alkynes to form indenol intermediates, followed by hydrogen autotransfer.

Catalytic Reductive Aldol and Mannich Reactions of Enone, Acrylate, and Vinyl Heteroaromatic Pronucleophiles

Catalytic reductive coupling of enone, acrylate, or vinyl heteroaromatic pronucleophiles with carbonyl or imine partners offers an alternative to base-mediated enolization in aldol- and Mannich-type reactions. In this review, direct catalytic reductive aldol and Mannich reactions are exhaustively catalogued on the basis of metal or organocatalyst. Stepwise processes involving enone conjugate reduction to form discrete enol or (metallo)enolate derivatives followed by introduction of carbonyl or imine electrophiles and aldol reactions initiated via enone conjugate addition are not covered.

The origin of regioselectivity in Cu-catalyzed hydrocarbonylative coupling of alkynes with alkyl halides

Steric interactions mediate a switch between a ketone and allylic alcohol in Cu-catalyzed hydrocarbonylative coupling of alkynes with alkyl halides.

Feedstock Reagents in Metal-Catalyzed Carbonyl Reductive Coupling: Minimizing Preactivation for Efficiency in Target-Oriented Synthesis

Use of abundant feedstock pronucleophiles in catalytic carbonyl reductive coupling enhances efficiency in target-oriented synthesis. For such reactions, equally inexpensive reductants are desired or, ideally, corresponding hydrogen autotransfer processes may be enacted wherein alcohols serve dually as reductant and carbonyl proelectrophile. As described in this Minireview, these concepts allow reactions that traditionally require preformed organometallic reagents to be conducted catalytically in a byproduct-free manner from inexpensive π-unsaturated precursors.

Total Synthesis of Clavosolide A via Asymmetric Alcohol-Mediated Carbonyl Allylation: Beyond Protecting Groups or Chiral Auxiliaries in Polyketide Construction

The 20-membered marine macrodiolide clavosolide A is prepared in 7 steps (LLS) in the absence of protecting groups or chiral auxiliaries via enantioselective alcohol-mediated carbonyl addition. In 9 prior total syntheses, 11-34 steps (LLS) were required.

Conversion of Aldehydes to Branched or Linear Ketones via Regiodivergent Rhodium-Catalyzed Vinyl Bromide Reductive Coupling-Redox Isomerization Mediated by Formate

A regiodivergent catalytic method for direct conversion of aldehydes to branched or linear alkyl ketones is described. Rhodium complexes modified by P ^tBu₂Me catalyze formate-mediated aldehyde-vinyl bromide reductive coupling-redox isomerization to form branched ketones. Use of the less strongly coordinating ligand, PPh₃, promotes vinyl- to allylrhodium isomerization en route to linear ketones. This method bypasses the 3-step sequence often used to convert aldehydes to ketones involving the addition of pre-metalated reagents to Weinreb or morpholine amides.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Aldehyde Arylation via Formate-Mediated Transfer Hydrogenation: Beyond Metallic Reductants in Grignard/Nozaki-Hiyami-Kishi-Type Addition

The first intermolecular carbonyl arylations via transfer hydrogenative reductive coupling are described. Using rhodium catalysts modified by tBu2PMe, sodium formate-mediated reductive coupling of aryl iodides with aldehydes occurs in a chemoselective fashion in the presence of protic functional groups and lower halides. This work expands the emerging paradigm of transfer hydrogenative coupling as an alternative to pre-formed carbanions or metallic reductants in C═X addition.

Nickel-catalysed dehydrogenative coupling of aromatic diamines with alcohols: selective synthesis of substituted benzimidazoles and quinoxalines

The nickel-catalysed dehydrogenative coupling of 1,2-di-amino-benzene with primary alcohols and diols for the synthesis of N-heterocycles is reported. The catalytic protocol enables the transformation in up to 91% yield and generates water and hydrogen gas as byproducts.

Nickel-catalysed direct α-olefination of alkyl substituted N-heteroarenes with alcohols

Ni-catalysed α-olefination of alkylheteroarenes with primary alcohols via dehydrogenative coupling is presented. A simple catalytic protocol gave good to excellent yields of E-selective olefins with olefin/alkane selectivity of >20 : 1.

Intermolecular Metal-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Dienes, Allenes, and Enynes with Carbonyl Compounds and Imines

Metal-catalyzed reductive coupling has emerged as an alternative to the use of stoichiometric organometallic reagents in an increasingly diverse range of carbonyl and imine additions. In this review, the use of diene, allene, and enyne pronucleophiles in intermolecular carbonyl and imine reductive couplings are surveyed, along with related hydrogen autotransfer processes.

Brønsted Acid Enabled Nickel-Catalyzed Hydroalkenylation of Aldehydes with Styrene and its Derivatives

A Brønsted acid enabled nickel-catalyzed hydroalkenylation of aldehydes and styrene derivatives has been developed. The Brønsted acid acts as a proton shuttle to transfer a proton from the alkene to the aldehyde, thereby leading to an economical and byproduct-free coupling. A series of synthetically useful allylic alcohols were obtained through one-step reactions from readily available styrene derivatives and aliphatic aldehydes in up to 88 % yield and with high linear selectivity.

Mn(ii)-catalysed alkylation of methylene ketones with alcohols: direct access to functionalised branched products

Manganese-catalysed alkylation of methylene ketones with alcohols is reported. This catalytic protocol enables the transformation in up to 84% yield and generates water as the byproduct.

Site-specific hydroxyalkylation of chromones via alcohol mediated Minisci-type radical conjugate addition

The metal-free C2-functionalization of chromones with alcohols and ethers via radical sp³ C–H activation was developed.

Total synthesis of natural productsviairidium catalysis

An overview of the highlights in total synthesis of natural products using iridium as a catalyst is given.

Catalytic Enantioselective Carbonyl Allylation and Propargylation via Alcohol-Mediated Hydrogen Transfer: Merging the Chemistry of Grignard and Sabatier

Merging the characteristics of transfer hydrogenation and carbonyl addition, we have developed a new class of catalytic enantioselective C-C bond formations. In these processes, hydrogen transfer between alcohols and π-unsaturated reactants generates carbonyl-organometal pairs that combine to deliver products of addition. On the basis of this mechanistic paradigm, lower alcohols are converted directly to higher alcohols in the absence of premetalated reagents or discrete alcohol-to-carbonyl redox reactions. In certain cases, due to a pronounced kinetic preference for primary versus secondary alcohol dehydrogenation, diols and higher polyols are found to engage in catalytic stereo- and site-selective C-C bond formation-a capability that further enhances efficiency by enabling skeletal construction events without extraneous manipulations devoted to the installation and removal of protecting groups. While this Account focuses on redox-neutral couplings of alcohols, corresponding aldehyde reductive couplings mediated by 2-propanol were developed in parallel for most of the catalytic transformations reported herein. Mechanistically, two distinct classes of alcohol C-H functionalizations have emerged, which are distinguished by the mode of pronucleophile activation, specifically, processes wherein alcohol oxidation is balanced by (a) π-bond hydrometalation or (b) C-X bond reductive cleavage. Each pathway offers access to allylmetal or allenylmetal intermediates and, therefrom, enantiomerically enriched homoallylic or homopropargylic alcohol products, respectively. In the broadest terms, carbonyl addition mediated by premetalated reagents has played a central role in synthetic organic chemistry for well over a century, but the requisite organometallic reagents pose issues of safety, require multistep syntheses, and generate stoichiometric quantities of metallic byproducts. The concepts and catalytic processes described in this Account, conceived and developed wholly within the author's laboratory, signal a departure from the use of stoichiometric organometallic reagents in carbonyl addition. Rather, they reimagine carbonyl addition as a hydrogen autotransfer process or cross-coupling in which alcohol reactants, by virtue of their native reducing ability, drive the generation of transient organometallic nucleophiles and, in doing so, serve dually as carbonyl proelectrophiles. The catalytic allylative and propargylative transformations developed to date display capabilities far beyond their classical counterparts, and their application to the total synthesis of type-I polyketide natural products have evoked a step-change in efficiency. More importantly, the present data suggest that diverse transformations traditionally reliant on premetalated reagents may now be conducted catalytically without stoichiometric metals. This Account provides the reader and potential practitioner with a catalog of enantioselective alcohol-mediated carbonyl additions-a user's guide, 10-year retrospective, and foundation for future work in this emerging area of catalytic C-C bond formation.

Harnessing the Power of the Water-Gas Shift Reaction for Organic Synthesis

Since its original discovery over a century ago, the water-gas shift reaction (WGSR) has played a crucial role in industrial chemistry, providing a source of H2 to feed fundamental industrial transformations such as the Haber-Bosch synthesis of ammonia. Although the production of hydrogen remains nowadays the major application of the WGSR, the advent of homogeneous catalysis in the 1970s marked the beginning of a synergy between WGSR and organic chemistry. Thus, the reducing power provided by the CO/H2 O couple has been exploited in the synthesis of fine chemicals; not only hydrogenation-type reactions, but also catalytic processes that require a reductive step for the turnover of the catalytic cycle. Despite the potential and unique features of the WGSR, its applications in organic synthesis remain largely underdeveloped. The topic will be critically reviewed herein, with the expectation that an increased awareness may stimulate new, creative work in the area.

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation for C-C Bond Formation: Hydrohydroxyalkylation and Hydroaminoalkylation via Reactant Redox Pairs

Merging the chemistry of transfer hydrogenation and carbonyl or imine addition, a broad new family of redox-neutral or reductive hydrohydroxyalkylations and hydroaminomethylations have been developed. In these processes, hydrogen redistribution between alcohols and π-unsaturated reactants is accompanied by C-C bond formation, enabling direct conversion of lower alcohols to higher alcohols. Similarly, hydrogen redistribution between amines to π-unsaturated reactants results in direct conversion of lower amines to higher amines. Alternatively, equivalent products of hydrohydroxyalkylation and hydroaminomethylation may be generated through the reaction of carbonyl compounds or imines with π-unsaturated reactants under the conditions of 2-propanol-mediated reductive coupling. Finally, using vicinally dioxygenated reactants, that is, diol, ketols, or diones, successive transfer hydrogenative coupling occurs to generate 2 C-C bonds, resulting in products of formal [4+2] cycloaddition.

Iron-Catalyzed Regioselective Transfer Hydrogenative Couplings of Unactivated Aldehydes with Simple Alkenes

An FeBr3 -catalyzed reductive coupling of various aldehydes with alkenes that proceeds through a direct hydride transfer pathway has been developed. With (i) PrOH as the hydrogen donor under mild conditions, previously challenging coupling reactions of unactivated alkyl and aryl aldehydes with simple alkenes, such as styrene derivatives and α-olefins, proceeded smoothly to furnish a diverse range of functionalized alcohols with complete linear regioselectivity.

Asymmetric Iridium-Catalyzed C-C Coupling of Chiral Diols via Site-Selective Redox-Triggered Carbonyl Addition

Cyclometalated π-allyliridium C,O-benzoate complexes modified by axially chiral chelating phosphine ligands display a pronounced kinetic preference for primary alcohol dehydrogenation, enabling highly site-selective redox-triggered carbonyl additions of chiral primary-secondary 1,3-diols with exceptional levels of catalyst-directed diastereoselectivity. Unlike conventional methods for carbonyl allylation, the present redox-triggered alcohol C-H functionalizations bypass the use of protecting groups, premetalated reagents, and discrete alcohol-to-aldehyde redox reactions.

Ruthenium(0) Catalyzed Endiyne-α-Ketol [4 + 2] Cycloaddition: Convergent Assembly of Type II Polyketide Substructures via C-C Bond Forming Transfer Hydrogenation

Upon exposure of 3,4-benzannulated 1,5-diynes (benzo-endiynes) to α-ketols (α-hydroxyketones) in the presence of Ru(0) catalysts derived from Ru3(CO)12 and RuPhos or CyJohnPhos, successive redox-triggered C-C coupling occurs to generate products of [4 + 2] cycloaddition. The proposed catalytic mechanism involves consecutive alkyne-carbonyl oxidative couplings to form transient oxaruthanacycles that suffer α-ketol mediated transfer hydrogenolysis. This process provides a new, convergent means of assembling Type II polyketide substructures.

Ruthenium-catalyzed C-C bond cleavage in lignin model substrates

Ruthenium-triphos complexes exhibited unprecedented catalytic activity and selectivity in the redox-neutral C-C bond cleavage of the β-O-4 lignin linkage of 1,3-dilignol model compounds. A mechanistic pathway involving a dehydrogenation-initiated retro-aldol reaction for the C-C bond cleavage was proposed in line with experimental data and DFT calculations.