Acid-Catalyzed Oxy-aminomethylation of Styrenes

We report a strong Brønsted acid-catalyzed three-component oxy-aminomethylation of styrenes with sym-trioxane and sulfonamides or carbamates. This transformation provides a variety of 1,3-oxazinanes in moderate to good yields under mild reaction conditions. The obtained heterocycles can be readily transformed into the corresponding 1,3-amino alcohols, which are useful building blocks for the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant molecules. Mechanistic studies suggest the intermediacy of an in situ formed 1,3,5-dioxazinane and a subsequent reaction with the olefin.

Formation of Breslow Intermediates from N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes and Aldehydes Involves Autocatalysis by the Breslow Intermediate, and a Hemiacetal

Under aprotic conditions, the stoichiometric reaction of N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) such as imidazolidin‐2‐ylidenes with aldehydes affords Breslow Intermediates (BIs), involving a formal 1,2‐C‐to‐O proton shift. We herein report kinetic studies (NMR), complemented by DFT calculations, on the mechanism of this kinetically disfavored H‐translocation. Variable time normalization analysis (VTNA) revealed that the kinetic orders of the reactants vary for different NHC‐to‐aldehyde ratios, indicating different and ratio‐dependent mechanistic regimes. We propose that for high NHC‐to‐aldehyde ratios, the H‐shift takes place in the primary, zwitterionic NHC‐aldehyde adduct. With excess aldehyde, the zwitterion is in equilibrium with a hemiacetal, in which the H‐shift occurs. In both regimes, the critical H‐shift is auto‐catalyzed by the BI. Kinetic isotope effects observed for R‐CDO are in line with our proposal. Furthermore, we detected an H‐bonded complex of the BI with excess NHC (NMR).

Organo-redox-catalysis for the difunctionalization of alkenes and oxidative Ritter reactions by C–H functionalization

Roll over transition metals-triarylamines are redox-catalysts, enabling olefin difunctionalization and C–H functionalization reactions by activating benzoyl peroxide.

Kinetic Study of Disulfonimide-Catalyzed Cyanosilylation of Aldehydes by Using a Method of Progress Rates

Kinetic study of organic reactions, especially multistep catalytic reactions, is crucial to in-depth understanding of reaction mechanisms. Here we report our kinetic study on the chiral disulfonimide-catalyzed cyanosilylation of an aldehyde, which revealed that two molecules of TMSCN are involved in the rate-determining C–C bond-forming step. In addition, the apparent activation energy, enthalpy of activation, and entropy of activation were deduced through a study of the temperature dependence of the reaction rates. More importantly, a novel and efficient method that makes use of the progress rates was developed to treat kinetic data obtained by continuous monitoring of the progress of a reaction by in situ FTIR.

Additions of Aldehyde-Derived Radicals and Nucleophilic N-Alkylindoles to Styrenes by Photoredox Catalysis

The consecutive addition of acyl radicals and N-alkylindole nucleophiles to styrenes was established, as well as some additional radical–nucleophile combinations. Both aryl and aliphatic aldehydes give reasonable yields. The reaction proceeds best for α-substituted styrenes, effectively creating a quaternary all-carbon center. Some iridium-based photoredox systems are catalytically active; furthermore, a base is needed in this transformation. Radicals are formed by reductive perester cleavage and hydrogen atom transfer.

Acid promoted radical-chain difunctionalization of styrenes with stabilized radicals and (N,O)-nucleophiles

A radical chain difunctionalization of styrenes does not require a catalyst, but activation of benzoyl peroxide by a strong acid.

Aldehydes as Alkylating Agents for Ketones

Common and non-toxic aldehydes are proposed as reagents for alkylation of ketones instead of carcinogenic alkyl halides. The developed reductive alkylation reaction proceeds in the presence of the commercially available ruthenium catalyst [(cymene)RuCl₂ ]₂ (as low as 250 ppm) and carbon monoxide as the reducing agent. The reaction works well for a broad substrate scope, including aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes and ketones. It can be carried out without a solvent and often gives nearly quantitative yields of the products. This straightforward and cost-effective method is promising not only for laboratory application but also for industry, which produces carbon monoxide as a large-scale waste product.

Radical addition of ketones and cyanide to olefinsviaacid catalyzed formation of intermediate alkenyl peroxides

γ-Cyanoketones are formed by double radical addition from olefins, ketones and sulfonyl cyanidesviareactive alkenyl peroxide intermediates.

Acid-Catalyzed Activation of Peroxyketals: Tunable Radical Initiation at Ambient Temperature and Below

This study details how peroxyketals, commercially available thermal initiators, and structurally related peroxides are activated in the presence of an acid catalyst to generate radicals at room temperature and below. This simple combination of two substrates was shown to efficiently initiate a variety of radical processes. This phenomenon is rationalized by the acid-catalyzed in situ formation of highly unstable alkenyl peroxides which readily decompose into initiating radical species.

Asymmetric counteranion-directed Lewis acid organocatalysis for the scalable cyanosilylation of aldehydes

Due to the high versatility of chiral cyanohydrins, the catalytic asymmetric cyanation reaction of carbonyl compounds has attracted widespread interest. However, efficient protocols that function at a preparative scale with low catalyst loading are still rare. Here, asymmetric counteranion-directed Lewis acid organocatalysis proves to be remarkably successful in addressing this problem and enabled a molar-scale cyanosilylation in quantitative yield and with excellent enantioselectivity. Also, the catalyst loading could be lowered to a part-per-million level (50 ppm: 0.005 mol%). A readily accessible chiral disulfonimide was used, which in combination with trimethylsilyl cyanide, turned into the active silylium Lewis acid organocatalyst. The nature of a peculiar phenomenon referred to as a "dormant period", which is mainly induced by water, was systematically investigated by means of in situ Fourier transform infrared analysis.

Reaction progress kinetic analysis of a copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling reaction with N-phenyl tetrahydroisoquinoline

The results from a kinetic investigation of a Cu-catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction between N-phenyl tetrahydroisoquinoline and a silyl enol ether using elemental oxygen as oxidant are presented. By using reaction progress kinetic analysis as an evaluation method for the obtained data, we discovered information regarding the reaction order of the substrates and catalysts. Based on this information and some additional experiments, a refined model for the initial oxidative activation of the amine substrate and the activation of the nucleophile by the catalyst was developed. The mechanistic information also helped to understand why silyl nucleophiles have previously failed in a related Cu-catalyzed reaction using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant and how to overcome this limitation.

Synthesis of antiviral tetrahydrocarbazole derivatives by photochemical and acid-catalyzed C-H functionalization via intermediate peroxides (CHIPS)

The direct functionalization of C-H bonds is an important and long standing goal in organic chemistry. Such transformations can be very powerful in order to streamline synthesis by saving steps, time and material compared to conventional methods that require the introduction and removal of activating or directing groups. Therefore, the functionalization of C-H bonds is also attractive for green chemistry. Under oxidative conditions, two C-H bonds or one C-H and one heteroatom-H bond can be transformed to C-C and C-heteroatom bonds, respectively. Often these oxidative coupling reactions require synthetic oxidants, expensive catalysts or high temperatures. Here, we describe a two-step procedure to functionalize indole derivatives, more specifically tetrahydrocarbazoles, by C-H amination using only elemental oxygen as oxidant. The reaction uses the principle of C-H functionalization via Intermediate PeroxideS (CHIPS). In the first step, a hydroperoxide is generated oxidatively using visible light, a photosensitizer and elemental oxygen. In the second step, the N-nucleophile, an aniline, is introduced by Brønsted-acid catalyzed activation of the hydroperoxide leaving group. The products of the first and second step often precipitate and can be conveniently filtered off. The synthesis of a biologically active compound is shown.

Lewis acid-catalysed one pot synthesis of substituted xanthenes

A direct synthesis of substituted xanthenes from salicylaldehydes and cyclohexenones or tetralones has been developed. The reaction is catalysed by Lewis acids like scandium triflate and furnishes substituted xanthenes in good to excellent yields using either microwave or thermal heating. Microwave heating results in significantly shortened reaction times of 30 min and generally higher yields.