Phase transfer catalysts shift the pathway to transmetalation in biphasic Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings.

The Suzuki-Miyaura coupling is a widely used C-C bond forming reaction. Numerous mechanistic studies have enabled the use of low catalyst loadings and broad functional group tolerance. However, the dominant mode of transmetalation remains controversial and likely depends on the conditions employed. Herein we detail a mechanistic study of the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling under biphasic conditions. The use of phase transfer catalysts results in a remarkable 12-fold rate enhancement in the targeted system. A shift from an oxo-palladium based transmetalation to a boronate-based pathway lies at the root of this activity. Furthermore, a study of the impact of different water loadings reveals reducing the proportion of the aqueous phase increases the reaction rate, contrary to reaction conditions typically employed in the literature. The importance of these findings is highlighted by achieving an exceptionally broad substrate scope with benzylic electrophiles using a 10-fold reduction in catalyst loading relative to literature precedent.

Delocalized, asynchronous, closed-loop discovery of organic laser emitters.

Contemporary materials discovery requires intricate sequences of synthesis, formulation, and characterization that often span multiple locations with specialized expertise or instrumentation. To accelerate these workflows, we present a cloud-based strategy that enabled delocalized and asynchronous design-make-test-analyze cycles. We showcased this approach through the exploration of molecular gain materials for organic solid-state lasers as a frontier application in molecular optoelectronics. Distributed robotic synthesis and in-line property characterization, orchestrated by a cloud-based artificial intelligence experiment planner, resulted in the discovery of 21 new state-of-the-art materials. Gram-scale synthesis ultimately allowed for the verification of best-in-class stimulated emission in a thin-film device. Demonstrating the asynchronous integration of five laboratories across the globe, this workflow provides a blueprint for delocalizing-and democratizing-scientific discovery.

Ring walking as a regioselectivity control element in Pd-catalyzed C-N cross-coupling.

Ring walking is an important mechanistic phenomenon leveraged in many catalytic C-C bond forming reactions. However, ring walking has been scarcely studied under Buchwald-Hartwig amination conditions despite the importance of such transformations. An in-depth mechanistic study of the Buchwald-Hartwig amination is presented focussing on ligand effects on ring walking behavior. The ability of palladium catalysts to promote or inhibit ring walking is strongly influenced by the chelating nature of the ligand. In stark contrast, the resting state of the catalyst had no impact on ring walking behavior. Furthermore, the complexity of the targeted system enabled the differentiation between catalysts which undergo ring walking versus diffusion-controlled coupling. The insights gained in this study were leveraged to achieve desymmetrization of a tetrabrominated precursor. A small library of asymmetric 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis[N,N-di(4-methoxyphenyl)amino]-9,9'spirobifluorene (SpiroOMeTAD) derivatives were successfully synthesized using this strategy highlighting the ease with which libraries of these compounds can be accessed for screening.

Synthesis of Hydroxamic Acid Derivatives Using Blocked (Masked) O-Isocyanate Precursors.

Hydroxamic acids are present in a several pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Synthetic strategies providing access to hydroxamic acid derivatives remain limited, typically requiring the use of nucleophilic hydroxylamine reagents. Herein, a synthesis of hydroxamates from unactivated carboxylic acids is reported making use of rare blocked (masked) O-substituted isocyanates. The applicability of this transformation was highlighted by targeting the synthesis of vorinostat and belinostat derivatives.

Carbohydrates as efficient catalysts for the hydration of α-amino nitriles.

Directed hydration of α-amino nitriles was achieved under mild conditions using simple carbohydrates as catalysts exploiting temporary intramolecularity. A broadly applicable procedure using both formaldehyde and NaOH as catalysts efficiently hydrated a variety of primary and secondary susbtrates, and allowed the hydration of enantiopure substrates to proceed without racemization. This work also provides a rare comparison of the catalytic activity of carbohydrates, and shows that the simple aldehydes at the basis of chemical evolution are efficient organocatalysts mimicking the function of hydratase enzymes. Optimal catalytic efficiency was observed with destabilized aldehydes, and with difficult substrates only simple carbohydrates such as formaldehyde and glycolaldehyde proved reliable.

Divergent Reactivity of N-Isocyanates with Primary and Secondary Amines: Access to Pyridazinones and Triazinones.

Cascade reactions for the synthesis of 1,2,4-triazinones and 5-aminopyridazinones are reported using α-ketocarbazones as N-isocyanate precursors and exploiting the divergent reactivity observed with primary and secondary amines. Triazinones were formed with primary amines, likely through addition of the amine on the N-isocyanate, followed by cyclization (condensation) on the ketone. In contrast, such cyclization is impossible for secondary amines; this allows in situ formation of enamines, which, upon cyclization, generate 5-amino pyridazinones. This sequence further illustrates the versatility of N-isocyanates in heterocyclic synthesis and provides a rare example of carbon nucleophiles reacting with N-isocyanates.

Diversity-oriented heterocyclic synthesis using divergent reactivity of N-substituted iso(thio)cyanates.

Carbon-substituted isocyanates and isothiocyanates are common building blocks in organic synthesis. In contrast, synthetic uses of N-substituted isocyanates and isothiocyanates are severely underdeveloped: few have been reported and their reactivity had not been compared. Herein, we compare the reactivity of blocked (masked) N-isocyanate and N-isothiocyanate precursors in cascade reactions. Divergent reactivity is observed with secondary propargylic and allylic systems, leading to new syntheses of imidazolones, thiazolidines, and a tool to form complex azomethine imines.