Crystallization-Induced Diastereomer Transformation of α-Bromo α'-Sulfinyl Ketones. Diastereodivergent Synthesis of (+)-α-Conhydrine and (-)-ß-Conhydrine.

Crystallization-Induced Diastereomer Transformation (CIDT) of α-bromo-α'-(R)-sulfinylketones is reported. This process provides not readily accessible enantiopure stereolabile α-bromoketones, which after diastereoselective carbonyl group reduction lead to the corresponding highly value-added anti and syn-bromohydrins with excellent diastereoselectivities. As an application, a diastereodivergent synthesis of enantiopure hemlock alkaloid (+)-α-conhydrine and its diastereomer (-)-ß-conhydrine is also described.

Palladium-Catalyzed Carbo-Oxygenation of Propargylic Amines using in Situ Tether Formation.

1,2-Amino alcohols and α-aminocarbonyls are frequently found in natural products, drugs, chiral auxiliaries, and catalysts. This work reports a new method for the palladium-catalyzed oxyalkynylation and oxyarylation of propargylic amines. The reaction is perfectly regioselective based on the in situ introduction of a hemiacetal tether derived from trifluoroacetaldehyde. cis-Selective carbo-oxygenation was achieved for terminal alkynes, whereas internal alkynes gave trans-carbo-oxygenation products. The obtained enol ethers could be easily transformed into 1,2-amino alcohols or α-amino ketones using hydrogenation or hydrolysis, respectively.

Rhodium-catalyzed C-H functionalization of heteroarenes using indoleBX hypervalent iodine reagents.

The C-H indolation of heteroarenes was realized using the benziodoxolone hypervalent iodine reagents indoleBXs. Functionalization of the C-H bond in bipyridinones and quinoline N-oxides catalyzed by a rhodium complex allowed to incorporate indole rings into aza-heteroaromatic compounds. These new transformations displayed complete regioselectivity for the C-6 position of bipyridinones and the C-8 position of quinoline N-oxides and tolerated a broad range of functionalities, such as halogens, ethers, or trifluoromethyl groups.

Iridium- and Rhodium-Catalyzed Directed C-H Heteroarylation of Benzaldehydes with Benziodoxolone Hypervalent Iodine Reagents.

The C-H heteroarylation of benzaldehydes with indoles and pyrroles was realized using the benziodoxolone hypervalent iodine reagents indole- and pyrroleBX. Functionalization of the aldehyde C-H bond using either an o-hydroxy or amino directing group and catalyzed by an iridium or a rhodium complex allowed the synthesis of salicyloylindoles and (2-sulfonamino)benzoylindoles, respectively, with good to excellent yields (74-98%). This new transformation could be carried out under mild conditions (rt to 40 °C) and tolerated a broad range of functionalities, such as ethers, halogens, carbonyls, or nitro groups.

Lewis Acid Induced Switch of Torquoselectivity in the Nazarov Cyclization of Activated Dienones Bearing a Chiral Sulfoxide.

A Nazarov cyclization of activated dienones bearing a dihydropyran as an electron-donating group (EDG) and a chiral sulfoxide group as an electron-withdrawing group (EWG) and chiral inductor is described. The direction of the torquoselectivity depends highly on the nature of the Lewis acid promoter. This diastereodivergent strategy furnishes both trans stereoisomers from a common precursor. The potential of the Nazarov cyclization products was highlighted by further synthetic elaboration.