I(III)-Mediated Arene C-H Amination Using (Hetero)Aryl Nucleophiles.

Herein, we report the metal-free oxidative C-H amination of arenes via a "heterocyclic group transfer" reaction from an I(III) N-HVI reagent. N-Heterocycles serve as oxidatively masked amine nucleophiles, and the resulting N-arylpyridinium salts are inert to further oxidation. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions, and mechanistic studies indicate the intermediacy of an arene radical cation. Derivatizations of the resulting pyridinium salts to diverse aryl amine scaffolds are demonstrated.

Site-Selective Synthesis of N-Benzyl 2,4,6-Collidinium Salts by Electrooxidative C-H Functionalization.

N-alkylpyridinium salts are versatile pseudohalides for SET-mediated cross couplings. However, the common 2,4,6-triphenylpyridinium salt is plagued by poor atom economy and high cost of synthesis. Thus, there is a growing need for more practical scaffolds and innovative strategies for pyridinium salt formation. Herein, we report the synthesis of benzylic 2,4,6-collidinium salts via electrooxidative C-H functionalization. This method provides a complementary approach to tradtional strategies relying on substitution and condensation of prefunctionalized substrates.

Oxidation of Electron-Deficient Phenols Mediated by Hypervalent Iodine(V) Reagents: Fundamental Mechanistic Features Revealed by a Density Functional Theory-Based Investigation.

Hypervalent iodine (HVI) compounds are efficient reagents for the double oxidative dearomatization of electron-rich phenols to o-quinones. We recently reported that an underexplored class of iodine(V) reagents possessing bidentate bipyridine ligands, termed Bi(N)-HVIs, could dearomatize electron-poor phenols for the first time. To understand the fundamental mechanistic basis of this unique reactivity, density functional theory (DFT) was utilized. In this way, different pathways were explored to determine why Bi(N)-HVIs are capable of facilitating these challenging transformations while more traditional hypervalent species, such as 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX), cannot. Our calculations reveal that the first redox process is the rate-determining step, the barrier of which hinges on the identity of the ligands bound to the iodine(V) center. This crucial process is composed of three steps: (a) ligand exchange, (b) hypervalent twist, and (c) reductive elimination. We found that strong coordinating ligands disfavor these elementary steps, and, for this reason, HVIs bearing such ligands cannot oxidize the electron-poor phenols. In contrast, the weakly coordinating triflate ligands in Bi(N)-HVIs allow for the kinetically favorable oxidation. It was identified that trapping in situ-generated triflic acid is a key role played by the bidentate bipyridine ligands in Bi(N)-HVIs as this serves to minimize the decomposition of the ortho-quinone product.

Recent Advances in the Selective Oxidative Dearomatization of Phenols to o-Quinones and o-Quinols with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents.

ortho-Quinones are valuable molecular frameworks with diverse applications across biology, materials, organic synthesis, catalysis, and coordination chemistry. Despite their broad utility, their synthesis remains challenging, in particular via the direct oxidation of readily accessible phenols, due to the need to affect regioselective ortho oxidation coupled with the sensitivity of the resulting o-quinone products. The perspective looks at the emergence of I(V) hypervalent iodine reagents as an effective class of oxidants for regioselective o-quinone synthesis. The application of these reagents in regioselective phenol oxidation to both o-quinones and o-quinols will be discussed, including a recent report from our laboratory on the first method for the oxidation of electron-deficient phenols using a novel nitrogen-ligated I(V) reagent. Also included are select examples of total syntheses utilizing this methodology as well as recent advancements in chiral I(V) reagent design for asymmetric phenol dearomatization.

Heterocyclic group transfer reactions with I(iii) N-HVI reagents: access to N-alkyl(heteroaryl)onium salts via olefin aminolactonization.

Pyridinium and related N-alkyl(heteroaryl)onium salts are versatile synthetic intermediates in organic chemistry, with applications ranging from ring functionalizations to provide diverse piperidine scaffolds to their recent emergence as radical precursors in deaminative cross couplings. Despite their ever-expanding applications, methods for their synthesis have seen little innovation, continuing to rely on a limited set of decades old transformations and a limited subset of coupling partners. Herein, we leverage (bis)cationic nitrogen-ligated I(iii) hypervalent iodine reagents, or N-HVIs, as "heterocyclic group transfer reagents" to provide access to a broad scope of N-alkyl(heteroaryl)onium salts via the aminolactonization of alkenoic acids, the first example of engaging an olefin to directly generate these salts. The reactions proceed in excellent yields, under mild conditions, and are capable of incorporating a broad scope of sterically and electronically diverse aromatic heterocycles. The N-HVI reagents can be generated in situ, the products isolated via simple trituration, and subsequent derivatizations demonstrate the power of this platform for diversity-oriented synthesis of 6-membered nitrogen heterocycles.

Bidentate Nitrogen-Ligated I(V) Reagents, Bi(N)-HVIs: Preparation, Stability, Structure, and Reactivity.

Hypervalent iodine(V) reagents are a powerful class of organic oxidants. While the use of I(V) compounds Dess-Martin periodinane and IBX is widespread, this reagent class has long been plagued by issues of solubility and stability. Extensive effort has been made for derivatizing these scaffolds to modulate reactivity and physical properties but considerable room for innovation still exists. Herein, we describe the preparation, thermal stability, optimized geometries, and synthetic utility of an emerging class of I(V) reagents, Bi(N)-HVIs, possessing datively bound bidentate nitrogen ligands on the iodine center. Bi(N)-HVIs display favorable safety profiles, improved solubility, and comparable to superior oxidative reactivity relative to common I(V) reagents. The highly modular synthesis and in situ generation of Bi(N)-HVIs provides a novel and convenient screening platform for I(V) reagent and reaction development.

Direct C-H α-Arylation of Enones with ArI(O2CR)2 Reagents.

α-Arylation of α,ß-unsaturated ketones constitutes a powerful synthetic transformation. It is most commonly achieved via cross-coupling of α-haloenones, but this stepwise strategy requires prefunctionalized substrates and expensive catalysts. Direct enone C-H α-arylation would offer an atom- and step-economical alternative, but such reports are scarce. Herein we report the metal-free direct C-H arylation of enones mediated by hypervalent iodine reagents. The reaction proceeds via a reductive iodonium Claisen rearrangement of in situ-generated ß-pyridinium silyl enol ethers. The aryl groups are derived from ArI(O2CCF3)2 reagents, which are readily accessed from the parent iodoarenes. The reaction is tolerant of a wide range of substitution patterns, and the incorporated arenes maintain the valuable iodine functional handle. Mechanistic investigations implicate arylation via an umpoled "enolonium" species and show that the presence of a ß-pyridinium moiety is critical for the desired C-C bond formation.

Dearomatization of Electron-Deficient Phenols to ortho-Quinones: Bidentate Nitrogen-Ligated Iodine(V) Reagents.

Despite their broad utility, the synthesis of ortho-quinones remains a significant challenge, in particular, access to electron-deficient derivatives remains an unsolved problem. Reported here is the first general method for the synthesis of electron-deficient ortho-quinones by direct oxidation of phenols. The reaction is enabled by a novel bidentate nitrogen-ligated iodine(V) reagent, a previously unexplored class of compounds which we have termed Bi(N)-HVIs. The reaction is extremely general and proceeds with excellent regioselectivity for the ortho over para isomer. Functionalization of the ortho-quinone products was examined, resulting in a facile one-pot synthesis of catechols, as well as the incorporation of a variety of heteroatom nucleophiles. This method represents the first synthetic application of Bi(N)-HVIs and demonstrates their potential as a platform for the further development of highly reactive, but also highly tunable, I(V) reagents.

Chemoselective Oxidation of Equatorial Alcohols with N-Ligated λ3-Iodanes.

The site-selective and chemoselective functionalization of alcohols in complex polyols remains a formidable synthetic challenge. Whereas significant advancements have been made in selective derivatization at the oxygen center, chemoselective oxidation to the corresponding carbonyls is less developed. In cyclic systems, whereas the selective oxidation of axial alcohols is well known, a complementary equatorial selective process has not yet been reported. Herein we report the utility of nitrogen-ligated (bis)cationic λ3-iodanes (N-HVIs) for alcohol oxidation and their unprecedented levels of selectivity for the oxidation of equatorial over axial alcohols. The conditions are mild, and the simple pyridine-ligated reagent (Py-HVI) is readily synthesized from commercial PhI(OAc)2 and can be either isolated or generated in situ. Conformational selectivity is demonstrated in both flexible 1,2-substituted cyclohexanols and rigid polyol scaffolds, providing chemists with a novel tool for chemoselective oxidation.

Formation, Alkylation, and Hydrolysis of Chiral Nonracemic N-Amino Cyclic Carbamate Hydrazones: An Approach to the Enantioselective α-Alkylation of Ketones.

The α-alkylation of ketones is a fundamental synthetic transformation. The development of asymmetric variants of this reaction is important given that numerous natural products, drugs, and related compounds exist as α-functionalized ketones or derivatives thereof. We previously reported our preliminary studies on the development of a new enantioselective ketone α-alkylation procedure using N-amino cyclic carbamate (ACC) auxiliaries. In comparison to other auxiliary-based methods, ACC alkylation offers a number of advantages and is both highly enantioselective and high yielding. Herein, we provide a full account of our studies on the enantioselective ACC ketone α-alkylation method.

(Poly)cationic λ3-Iodane Mediated Oxidative Ring Expansion of Secondary Alcohols.

Herein, we report a simplified approach to the synthesis of medium-ring ethers through the electrophilic activation of secondary alcohols with (poly)cationic λ3-iodanes (N-HVI). Excellent levels of selectivity are achieved for C-O bond migration over established α-elimination pathways, enabled by the unique reactivity of a novel 2-OMe-pyridine-ligated N-HVI. The resulting HFIP-acetals are readily derivatized with a range of nucleophiles, providing a versatile functional handle for subsequent manipulations. The utility of this methodology for late-stage natural product derivatization was also demonstrated, providing a new tool for diversity-oriented synthesis and complexity-to-diversity (CTD) efforts. Preliminary mechanistic investigations reveal a strong effect of alcohol conformation on reactive pathway, thus providing a predictive power in the application of this approach to complex molecule synthesis.

Hypervalent Iodine Reagents in High Valent Transition Metal Chemistry.

Over the last 20 years, high valent metal complexes have evolved from mere curiosities to being at the forefront of modern catalytic method development. This approach has enabled transformations complimentary to those possible via traditional manifolds, most prominently carbon-heteroatom bond formation. Key to the advancement of this chemistry has been the identification of oxidants that are capable of accessing these high oxidation state complexes. The oxidant has to be both powerful enough to achieve the desired oxidation as well as provide heteroatom ligands for transfer to the metal center; these heteroatoms are often subsequently transferred to the substrate via reductive elimination. Herein we will review the central role that hypervalent iodine reagents have played in this aspect, providing an ideal balance of versatile reactivity, heteroatom ligands, and mild reaction conditions. Furthermore, these reagents are environmentally benign, non-toxic, and relatively inexpensive compared to other inorganic oxidants. We will cover advancements in both catalysis and high valent complex isolation with a key focus on the subtle effects that oxidant choice can have on reaction outcome, as well as limitations of current reagents.

11-Step Total Synthesis of Pallambins C and D.

The structurally intriguing terpenes pallambins C and D have been assembled in only 11 steps from a cheap commodity chemical: furfuryl alcohol. This synthesis, which features a redox-economic approach free of protecting-group manipulations, assembles all four-ring systems via a sequential cyclization strategy. Of these four-ring constructing operations, two are classical (Robinson annulation and Mukaiyama aldol) and two are newly devised. During the course of this work a method for the difunctionalization of enol ethers was developed, and the scope of this transformation was explored.

Access to Diverse Oxygen Heterocycles via Oxidative Rearrangement of Benzylic Tertiary Alcohols.

A facile method for the synthesis of challenging medium-sized cyclic ethers has been developed via a novel oxidative rearrangement of benzylic tertiary alcohols. The reaction provides access to cyclic acetals with diverse substitution at both C2 and the aromatic ring. The unique reactivity is enabled by poly(cationic) hypervalent iodine reagents and represents the first synthetic application of this underexplored class of compounds.

Regioselective bromination of fused heterocyclic N-oxides.

A mild method for the regioselective C2-bromination of fused azine N-oxides is presented, employing tosic anhydride as the activator and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide as the nucleophilic bromide source. The C2-brominated compounds are produced in moderate to excellent yields and with excellent regioselectivity in most cases. The potential extension of this method to other halogens, effecting C2-chlorination with Ts(2)O/TBACl is also presented. Finally, this method could be incorporated into a viable one-pot oxidation/bromination process, using methyltrioxorhenium/urea hydropgen peroxide as the oxidant.

Asymmetric total synthesis of apratoxin D.

The first asymmetric total synthesis of the marine natural product apratoxin D, a highly potent inhibitor of H-460 human lung cancer cell growth (IC(50) value of 2.6 nM), is described. Asymmetric N-amino cyclic carbamate (ACC) α,α-bisalkylation was utilized to establish the isolated C-37 methyl group with excellent selectivity. Other key asymmetric transformations employed were an Evans syn-aldol and a Paterson anti-aldol, both of which also proceeded with excellent stereoselectivity.

Regioselective asymmetric α,α-bisalkylation of ketones via complex-induced syn-deprotonation of chiral N-amino cyclic carbamate hydrazones.

The first general method for the asymmetric α,α-bisalkylation of ketones having both α- and α'-protons is described. Both excellent regio- and stereoselectivity result. The transformation is enabled by complex-induced syn-deprotonation (CIS-D), which completely reverses the inherent preference of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) to remove the less sterically hindered of two similarly acidic protons. CIS-D also overrides the normal tendency of LDA to remove the more strongly acidic proton in a substrate having protons differing significantly in their acidity. The regiochemical outcome is, thus, the opposite of that normally obtained for kinetic LDA-mediated deprotonation of ketones and (S)-1-amino-2-methoxymethylpyrrolidine/(R)-1-amino-2-methoxymethylpyrrolidine (SAMP/RAMP)hydrazones. Conveniently, this strategy allows access to either ketone enantiomer using a single enantiomer of the auxiliary. The utility of this method is demonstrated by a concise and highly efficient formal synthesis of both (R)- and (S)-stigmolone.

Origins of stereoselectivity in the α-alkylation of chiral hydrazones.

Density functional theory calculations and experiment reveal the origin of stereoselectivity in the deprotonation-alkylation of chiral N-amino cyclic carbamate (ACC) hydrazones. When the ACC is a rigid, camphor-derived carbamate, the two conformations of the azaenolate intermediate differ in energy due to conformational effects within the oxazolidinone ring and steric interactions between the ACC and the azaenolate. An electrophile adds selectively to the less-hindered π-face of the azaenolate. Although it was earlier reported that use of ACC auxiliaries led to α-alkylated ketones with er values of 82:18 to 98:2, B3LYP calculations predict higher stereoselectivity. Direct measurement of the dr of an alkylated hydrazone prior to removal of the auxiliary confirms this prediction; the removal of the auxiliary under the reported conditions can compromise the overall stereoselectivity of the process.