A Scalable and Metal-Free Synthesis of Indazoles from 2-Aminophenones and In Situ Generated De-Boc-Protected O-Mesitylsulfonyl Hydroxylamine Derivatives.

A one-pot metal-free protocol to access indazoles from easily available 2-aminophenones and hydroxylamine derivatives has been achieved. The reaction is operationally simple, mild, and insensitive to air and moisture. A broad range of indazoles were prepared in good to excellent yield (up to 97% yield), and the reaction displayed a broad functional group tolerance. The reaction was performed at gram scale, and its synthetic application was exhibited through the rapid and efficient preparation of bioactive molecule YC-3 and FDA-approved drug axitinib.

Regio- and Stereoselective Hydrochlorination/Cyclization of 1,n-Enynes by FeCl3 Catalysis.

A highly regio- and stereoselective hydrochlorination/cyclization of enynes has been reported by FeCl3 catalysis. A variety of enynes undergo this cyclization transformation with acetic chloride as the chlorine source and H2O providing protons via a cationic pathway. This protocol provides a cheap, simple, stereospecific, and effective cyclization to afford heterocyclic alkenyl chloride compounds as Z isomers with high yields (≤98%) and regioselectivity.

Distal Ionic Substrate-Catalyst Interactions Enable Long-Range Stereocontrol: Access to Remote Quaternary Stereocenters through a Desymmetrizing Suzuki-Miyaura Reaction.

Spatial distancing of a substrate's reactive group and nonreactive catalyst-binding group from its pro-stereogenic element presents substantial hurdles in asymmetric catalysis. In this context, we report a desymmetrizing Suzuki-Miyaura reaction that establishes chirality at a remote quaternary carbon. The anionic, chiral catalyst exerts stereocontrol through electrostatic steering of substrates, even as the substrate's reactive group and charged catalyst-binding group become increasingly distanced. This study demonstrates that precise long-range stereocontrol is achievable by engaging ionic substrate-ligand interactions at a distal position.

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of (Z)-α-dehydroamido boronate esters: direct route to alkyl-substituted α-amidoboronic esters.

The direct catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of (Z)-α-dehydroamino boronate esters was realized. Using this approach, a class of therapeutically relevant alkyl-substituted α-amidoboronic esters was easily synthesized in high yields with generally excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield and 99% ee). The utility of the products has been demonstrated by transformation to their corresponding boronic acid derivatives by a Pd-catalyzed borylation reaction and an efficient synthesis of a potential intermediate of bortezomib. The clean, atom-economic and environment friendly nature of this catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation process would make this approach a new alternative for the production of alkyl-substituted α-amidoboronic esters of great potential in the area of organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry.

Dynamic Kinetic Asymmetric Reductive Amination: Synthesis of Chiral Primary ß-Amino Lactams.

A highly efficient ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric reductive amination (ARA) of racemic ß-keto lactams with molecular hydrogen and ammonium salts is disclosed for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure primary amino lactams through dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR). By this approach, a range of syn primary ß-amino lactams were obtained in high yields with high chemo-, enantio-, and diastereoselectivity (up to 98 % yield, 99 % ee, >20:1 d.r., syn products). The utility of the products has been demonstrated by rapid access to a key synthetic intermediate towards biologically active drug molecules. Meanwhile, mechanistic studies and control experiments indicate that the reaction may proceed through the hydrogenation of an iminium intermediate.

A Cu/Pd Cooperative Catalysis for Enantioselective Allylboration of Alkenes.

A cooperative Cu/Pd-catalyzed asymmetric three-component reaction of styrenes, B2(pin)2, and allyl carbonates was reported. This reaction, in the presence of chiral CuOAc/SOP and achiral Pd(dppf)Cl2 catalysts, occurs smoothly with high enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) . The allylboration products, which contain alkene (or diene) unite and alkylboron group, are easily functionalized. The utility of this protocol was demonstrated through the synthesis of an antipsychotic drug, (-)-preclamol.

Copper-catalyzed enantioselective 1,6-boration of para-quinone methides and efficient transformation of gem-diarylmethine boronates to triarylmethanes.

Presented is the first enantioselective copper-catalyzed 1,6-conjugate addition of bis(pinacolato)diboron to para-quinone methides. The reaction proceeds with excellent yields and good to excellent enantioselectivities, and provides an attractive approach to the construction of optically active gem-diarylmehtine boronic esters. Additionally, the subsequent conversion of the derived potassium trifluoroborates into triarylmethanes with highly enantiospecificity was realized.

Copper(I)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Pinacolboryl Addition of N-Boc-imines Using a Chiral Sulfoxide-Phosphine Ligand.

Highly efficient and enantioselective copper(I)-catalyzed pinacolboryl addition of N-Boc-imines is reported. By using a single chiral sulfoxide-(dialkyl)phosphine (SOP) ligand, both enantiomeric isomers of α-amino boronic esters were obtained through an achiral counteranion switch.

Copper-catalyzed asymmetric three-component borylstannation: enantioselective formation of C-Sn bond.

In summary, a first copper-catalyzed synthesis of α-aryl-ß-borylstannane compounds was accomplished through three-component borylstannation of aryl-substituted alkenes. In the exploration of an asymmetric variant, chiral sulfinylphosphine ligands proved advantageous in controlling stereochemistry of B-Cu addition and in promoting transmetalation of enantioenriched alkyl-Cu species. The stereochemical outcome supported a sequential syn-borylcupration and configuration-retentive transmetalation mechanism. Moreover, α-chiral ß-borylstannanes were easily transformed into a diverse array of secondary alkylstannanes and triarylethane with high enantiomeric purity. The applications of chiral sulfinylphosphine ligands to other tandem Cu-B addition reactions are currently under investigation in our group.