Photoinduced NiH Catalysis with Trialkylamines for the Stereodivergent Transfer Semi-Hydrogenation of Alkynes.

We report a selectivity-switchable nickel hydride-catalyzed methodology that enables the stereocontrolled semi-reduction of internal alkynes to E- or Z-alkenes under very mild conditions. The proposed transfer semi-hydrogenation process involves the use of a dual nickel/photoredox catalytic system and triethylamine, not only as a sacrificial reductant, but also as a source of hydrogen atoms. Mechanistic studies revealed a pathway involving photo-induced generation of nickel hydride, syn-hydronickelation of alkyne, and alkenylnickel isomerization as key steps. Remarkably, mechanistic experiments indicate that the control of the stereoselectivity is not ensuing from a post-reduction alkene photoisomerization under our conditions. Instead, we demonstrate that the stereoselectivity of the reaction is dependent on the rate of a final protonolysis step which can be tuned by adjusting the pKa of an alcohol additive.

Silyl Radical Mediated Cross-Electrophile Coupling of N-Acyl-imides with Alkyl Bromides under Photoredox/Nickel Dual Catalysis.

A photoredox Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling of N-acyl-imides with unactivated alkyl bromides has been developed that enables efficient access to a variety of functionalized alkyl ketones, including unsymmetrical dialkyl ketones, under very mild and operationally practical conditions. The reaction that operates without the need for any preformed carbon nucleophile proceeds via the combination of two different bond activation processes, i.e. Ni-catalyzed imide activation via C(acyl)-N bond cleavage and (TMS)3Si radical-mediated alkyl halide activation via halogen-atom abstraction.

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Tandem C-H Fluoromethylation/Cyclization of N-Alkylhydrazones with CBr3F: Access to 4-Fluoropyrazoles.

4-Fluoropyrazoles are accessible in a single step from readily available aldehyde-derived N-alkylhydrazones through double C-H fluoroalkylation with tribromofluoromethane (CBr3F). RuCl2(PPh3)3 has been proven to be the most efficient catalyst for this transformation when compared to a range of other Cu-, Pd-, or Fe-based catalyst systems.

Palladium-Catalyzed C(sp(2))-H Alkylation of Aldehyde-Derived Hydrazones with Functionalized Difluoromethyl Bromides.

A palladium-catalyzed C(sp(2))-H difluoromethylation of aldehyde-derived hydrazones using bromodifluoromethylated compounds to afford the corresponding functionalized difluoromethylketone hydrazones has been established. It is proposed that a radical/SET mechanism proceeding via a difluoroalkyl radical may be involved in the catalytic cycle. Applications of the methodology to the synthesis of α,α-difluoro-ß-ketoesters and α,α-difluoroketones (RCOCF2 H) have been illustrated.

Electrophilic trifluoromethylation of carbonyl compounds and their nitrogen derivatives under copper catalysis.

Recent advances in electrophilic trifluoromethylation reactions of carbonyl compounds and their usual surrogates are highlighted with particular focus on copper-catalysed (or mediated) C-CF3 bond forming reactions. Ketones and aldehydes (notably via their enol ether and enamine derivatives) enable electrophilic trifluoromethylation at the α-carbon of the carbonyl compounds, whereas aldehyde N,N-disubstituted hydrazones undergo electrophilic attack of the cationic or radical CF3 species at the azomethine carbon, thus providing an umpolung alternative to nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of carbonyl compounds. A reversal in reactivity is also observed for conjugated systems. While α,ß-unsaturated ketones regioselectively incorporate the CF3 moiety at the α-position of the enones, trifluoromethylation occurs preferentially at the olefinic ß-carbon of the corresponding hydrazones.

Copper-catalyzed ß-trifluoromethylation of conjugated hydrazones.

The Cu-catalyzed direct ß-trifluoromethylation of α,ß-unsaturated aldehyde N,N-dibenzylhydrazones with Togni hypervalent iodine reagent is described. The reaction yields stereodefined CF3-alkenyl derivatives under mild conditions and is proposed to proceed via a radical process.

Amines as key building blocks in Pd-assisted multicomponent processes.

In the last few years, palladium-mediated three-component synthesis has emerged as an important synthetic methodology to gain access to nitrogen-containing structures. The latest developments in this area are discussed in this review.

Selective Lewis acid catalyzed transformation (gamma-butyrolactone versus cyclopropane) of 2-methoxy-4-benzyltetrahydrofuran derivatives. Efficient synthesis of lignan lactones.

[reaction: see text]. A short synthesis of lactone lignans exploiting a three-component coupling strategy is presented using a new Lewis acid catalyzed ring-opening/cyclization reaction of 2-methoxytetrahydrofuran derivatives 4 leading to gamma-butyrolactones as a key step. By simply changing the reaction conditions, it was possible, from the same substrates 4, to obtain selectively cyclopropane derivatives.

Lewis acid-induced intramolecular Friedel-Crafts cyclization of 1,3-bis-exocyclic dienes. a new route to 4a-methyltetrahydrofluorenes.

[reaction: see text] An efficient new method for constructing the 4a-methyltetrahydrofluorene skeleton was achieved via Friedel-Crafts intramolecular cyclization of 1,3-bis-exocyclic dienes. This strategy offers a simple and promising method for accessing complex structures.