One-pot synthesis of tetrasubstituted 2-aminofurans via Au(I)-catalyzed cascade reaction of ynamides with propargylic alcohols.

One-pot synthesis of fully substituted 2-aminofurans via a Au(I)-catalyzed cascade reaction of ynamides and propargylic alcohol was realized. Hydroalkoxylation of ynamide with propargylic alcohol, Saucy-Marbet rearrangement, and cyclization of the resultant 3,4-dienamide sequentially proceeds in a one-pot reaction under highly mild conditions to give fully substituted 2-aminofurans.

Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydroacylation of Racemic Allenals via Dynamic Kinetic Resolution.

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed enantioselective hydroacylation of 4-allenals was found to proceed smoothly, giving six-membered ketones in good yields (up to 84% yield) with high enantiomeric excess (up to 96% ee) even from racemic allenes as substrates. Mechanistic studies revealed that racemization of the allene moiety in the substrate would occur via a dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) process during the hydroacylation.

Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Cyclization of Enynes by Intramolecular Cleavage of the Rh-C Bond by a Tethered Hydroxy Group.

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular cyclization of enynes having a hydroxy group in the tether was investigated, and various cyclic compounds possessing a chiral quaternary carbon center were obtained in high yields with high ees. In this cyclization, a Rh-C(sp2 ) bond in the rhodacyclopentene intermediate, which was formed by enantioselective oxidative cycloaddition of enynes to a chiral rhodium(I) complex, was intramolecularly cleaved by σ-bond metathesis of a tethered O-H bond in the substrate. Furthermore, it was found that the cyclic compounds were obtained with high ees even when the starting materials having a racemic secondary alcohol moiety were used in this reaction.

Stereoselective Construction of Spiro-Fused Tricyclic Frameworks by Sequential Reaction of Enynes, Imines, and Diazoalkenes with Rh(I) and Rh(II) Catalysts.

Stereoselective construction of spiro-fused tricyclic compounds from enynes having a tethered imine with diazoalkenes was achieved by Rh(I)- and Rh(II)-catalyzed sequential reactions. This method consists of three reactions, i.e., Rh(I)-catalyzed cyclization of enynes with a tethered imine, Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclopropanation with diazoalkenes, and Cope rearrangement. Notably, the sequential reactions can be operated in one pot, in which Rh(I) and Rh(II) catalysts work in relay without any serious catalyst deactivation to afford the spirocycles in a stereoselective manner.

Scope and limitations of the dual-gold-catalysed hydrophenoxylation of alkynes.

Due to the synthetic advantages presented by the dual-gold-catalysed hydrophenoxylation of alkynes, a thorough study of this reaction was carried out in order to fully define the scope and limitations of the methodology. The protocol tolerates a wide range of functional groups, such as nitriles, ketones, esters, aldehydes, ketals, naphthyls, allyls or polyphenols, in a milder and more efficient manner than the previously reported methodologies. We have also identified that while we are able to use highly steric hindered phenols, small changes on the steric bulk of the alkynes have a dramatic effect on the reactivity. More importantly, we have observed that the use of substrates that facilitate the formation of diaurated species such as gem-diaurated or σ,π-digold-acetylide species, hinder the catalytic activity. Moreover, we have identified that the use of directing groups in unsymmetrical alkynes can help to achieve high regioselectivity in the hydrophenoxylation.

On the Mechanism of the Digold(I)-Hydroxide-Catalysed Hydrophenoxylation of Alkynes.

Herein, we present a detailed investigation of the mechanistic aspects of the dual gold-catalysed hydrophenoxylation of alkynes by both experimental and computational methods. The dissociation of [{Au(NHC)}2 (µ-OH)][BF4 ] is essential to enter the catalytic cycle, and this step is favoured by the presence of bulky, non-coordinating counter ions. Moreover, in silico studies confirmed that phenol does not only act as a reactant, but also as a co-catalyst, lowering the energy barriers of several transition states. A gem-diaurated species might form during the reaction, but this lies deep within a potential energy well, and is likely to be an "off-cycle" rather than an "in-cycle" intermediate.

Development of Novel Cyclizations via Rhodacycle Intermediate and Its Application to Synthetic Organic Chemistry.

Novel Rh(I)-catalyzed cyclizations through a different type of rhodacycle intermediate which is formed by hydroacylation of 4,6-dienal or oxidative addition of diene and alkene are described. Hydroacylation of 4,6-dienal afforded various 7-membered rings in good to high yields, while cycloisomerization of diene and alkene provided 5- or 6-membered rings in good yields. On the basis of these studies, we have also succeeded in developing the sequential reaction of hydroacylation followed by cycloisomerization to produce bicyclic compounds in a stereoselective manner and thus this reaction was expanded to the synthesis of epiglobulol. Furthermore, both Rh(I)-catalyzed hydroacylation and cycloisomerization using ionic liquid (IL) as a solvent were investigated and it was found that the IL recovered after the reaction, which contains the Rh(I) catalyst, could be recycled several times without loss of catalytic activity.

[Au]/[Pd] Multicatalytic processes: direct one-pot access to benzo[c]chromenes and benzo[b]furans.

A new synthetic protocol that combines the advantages offered by eco-friendly solvent-free reactions and sequential transformations is reported. This strategy offers straightforward access to benzo[c]chromenes and benzo[b]furans from commercially available starting materials. This two-step, one-pot strategy consists of an Au-catalyzed hydrophenoxylation process followed by Pd-catalyzed C-H activation or Mizoroki-Heck reactions. The selectivity of the process towards C-H activation or Mizoroki-Heck reaction can be easily tuned.

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed cyclization of allenynes with a carbonyl group through unusual insertion of a C-O bond into a rhodacycle intermediate.

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed cyclization of allenynes with a tethered carbonyl group was investigated. An unusual insertion of a CO bond into the C(sp(2) )-rhodium bond of a rhodacycle intermediate occurs via a highly strained transition state. Direct reductive elimination from the obtained rhodacyle intermediate proceeds to give a tricyclic product containing an 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane skeleton, while ß-hydride elimination from the same intermediate gives products that contain fused five- and seven-membered rings in high yields.

Synthesis, characterisation, and oxygen atom transfer reactions involving the first gold(I)-alkylperoxo complexes.

The synthesis of a new class of organogold species containing a peroxo moiety is reported. Complexes [Au(IPr)(OO(t)Bu)] and [Au(SIPr)(OO(t)Bu)] have been synthesised via a straightforward methodology using the parent gold(I) hydroxide complexes as synthons. These complexes have been successfully used in oxygen-transfer reactions to triphenylphosphine.

C sp 3-H bond activation triggered by formation of metallacycles: rhodium(I)-catalyzed cyclopropanation/cyclization of allenynes.

Giving direction: An C sp 3-H bond activation directed by a rhodacycle intermediate has been found to occur in a Rh(I)-catalyzed reaction between an allene moiety having a tert-butyl substituent, and tethered alkynes. Cyclic compounds containing a cyclopropane ring were obtained in good to high yields (up to 92%).

Rh(I)-catalyzed formal [6 + 2] cycloaddition of 4-allenals with alkynes or alkenes in a tether.

Rh(I)-catalyzed formal [6 + 2] cycloaddition of allenal 6 having an alkyne or alkene in a tether proceeded smoothly, giving 5-8- and 6-8-fused bicyclic ketone derivatives 7 in good to excellent yields. It was also found that cyclization of enantiomerically enriched (S)-6a (94% ee) gave cyclic ketone derivative (S)-7a in high yield with reasonable chirality transfer (86% ee). This result indicates that this cyclization proceeds through stereoselective formation of rhodacycle H' followed by insertion of a multiple bond.

Nickel-catalyzed enantio- and diastereoselective three-component coupling of 1,3-dienes, aldehydes, and silanes using chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes as ligands.

Nickel(0)-catalyzed asymmetric three-component coupling of 1,3-dienes, aldehydes, and silanes has been realized utilizing a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene as a ligand. On the basis of the screening of various NHC precursors, an imidazolium salt having 1-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)propyl groups on the nitrogen was designed and synthesized. In this reaction, various coupling products were produced in good yields with high regio-, diastereo- (anti selective in the case of the internal 1,3-diene), and enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee).

Suzuki-Miyaura, alpha-ketone arylation and dehalogenation reactions catalyzed by a versatile N-heterocyclic carbene-palladacycle complex.

[reaction: see text] The activity of the complex (IPr)PdCl(eta2-N,C-C12H7NMe2), 1 [IPr = (N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol)-2-ylidene], in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction involving unactivated aryl chlorides and triflates with arylboronic acids at room temperature in technical grade 2-propanol is described. These conditions allow for the synthesis of di- and tri-ortho-substituted biaryls in very short reaction times. This complex also displays very high activity for alpha-ketone arylation and dehalogenation reactions of activated and unactivated aryl chlorides.

Novel synthesis of conjugated dienes attached to a quaternary carbon center via Pd(0)-catalyzed deconjugative allylation of alkenylidenemalonates.

Palladium(0)-catalyzed deconjugative allylation of alkenylidenemalonates and alkylidenemalonates was achieved for the first time. Reactions of dimethyl 2-((E)-but-2-enylidene)malonate with various allylic acetates using LHMDS as a base in DMF in the presence of Pd(2)dba(3) (2.5 mol %) and PPh(3) (10 mol %) proceeded at room temperature to give the corresponding alpha-allylation products in good yields in a regio- and stereoselective manner. This reaction can also be used for allylation of dimethyl ethylidenemalonate or dimethyl 2-((E)-pent-2-enylidene)malonate and give the desired alpha-allylation products in good yields.