α-(Aminomethyl)acrylates as acceptors in radical-polar crossover 1,4-additions of dialkylzincs: insights into enolate formation and trapping.

We demonstrate that α-(aminomethyl)acrylates are suitable acceptors for 1,4-additions of dialkylzincs in aerobic conditions. The air-promoted radical-polar crossover process involves the 1,4-addition of an alkyl radical followed by homolytic substitution at the zinc atom of dialkylzinc. Coordination of the nitrogen atom to zinc enables this SH2 process which represents a rare example of alkylzinc-group transfer to a tertiary α-carbonyl radical. The zinc enolate thus formed readily undergoes ß-fragmentation unless it is trapped by electrophiles in situ. Enolates of substrates having free N-H bonds undergo protodemetalation to provide ultimately the 1,4-addition adduct. In the presence of carbonyl acceptors, aldol condensation occurs providing overall a tandem 1,4-addition-aldol process. When a tert-butanesulfinyl moiety is present on the nitrogen atom, these electrophilic substitution reactions occur with good levels of chiral induction, paving the way to enantioenriched ß2-amino acids and ß2,2-amino acids.

Transition-Metal-Free Synthesis of Enantioenriched Tertiary and Quaternary α-Chiral Allylsilanes.

Access to enantioenriched tertiary and quaternary α-chiral allysilanes without any transition-metal catalyst is reported. This was achieved by enantioselective allylic displacement of γ-silylated allylic bromides through Lewis base activation of Grignard reagents by a bidentate chiral NHC ligand. The process afforded both high γ-regio- and enantioselectivity and is compatible with a wide range of silyl groups on the substrates.

Enantioselective Sequential Catalytic Arylation-Fukuyama Cross-coupling of 1,1-Biszincioalkane Linchpins.

1,1-Bis(iodozincio)alkanes are used as dinucleophilic linchpins in an enantioselective double cross-coupling reaction sequence involving aryl iodides and then thioesters. The two catalytic C-C bond-forming reactions are achieved in the same pot through two distinct palladium-based catalytic systems: a first non-enantioselective one delivering configurationally labile secondary benzylzinc species from an achiral precursor, and a second enantioconvergent one that operates a highly efficient dynamic kinetic resolution of the racemic intermediates. This strategy, new in the area of asymmetric synthesis through two consecutive electrophilic substitution reactions of geminated C(sp3 )-organodimetallics, provides useful methodology to access in a modular fashion acyclic α-disubstituted ketone products with very high enantiomeric purity.

Radical Germylzincation of Aryl- and Alkyl-Substituted Internal Alkynes.

The stereoselective germylzincation of internal alkynes delivering trisubstituted vinylgermanes is achieved via a radical chain process involving Ph3GeH and Et2Zn with AIBN as the initiator. Excellent levels of regiocontrol are observed for nonsymmetric (aryl, alkyl)-substituted alkynes and for propargylic alcohols with aryl-, alkyl-, or silyl-substituted alkynes. The germylzincation reaction can be combined in one pot with the Cu(I)-mediated electrophilic substitution of the C(sp2)-Zn bond to obtain synthetically challenging tetrasubstituted vinylgermanes.

Catalytic Chemoselective and Stereoselective Semihydrogenation of Alkynes to E-Alkenes Using the Combination of Pd Catalyst and ZnI2.

An efficient E-selective semihydrogenation of internal alkynes was developed under low dihydrogen pressure and low reaction temperature from commercially available reagents: Cl2Pd(PPh3)2, Zn0, and ZnI2. Kinetic studies and control experiments underline the significant role of ZnI2 in this process under H2 atmosphere, establishing that the transformation involves syn-hydrogenation followed by isomerization. This simple and easy-to-handle system provides a route to E-alkenes under mild conditions.

Radical Germylzincation of α-Heteroatom-Substituted Alkynes.

The regio- and stereoselective addition of germanium and zinc across the C-C triple bond of nitrogen-, sulfur-, oxygen-, and phosphorus-substituted terminal and internal alkynes is achieved by reaction with a combination of R3GeH and Et2Zn. Diagnostic experiments support a radical-chain mechanism and the ß-zincated vinylgermanes that show exceptional stability are characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The unique feature of this new radical germylzincation reaction is that the C(sp2)-Zn bond formed remains available for subsequent in situ Cu(I)- or Pd(0)-mediated C-C or C-heteroatom bond formation with retention of the double bond geometry. These protocols offer modular access to elaborated tri- and tetrasubstituted vinylgermanes decorated with heteroatom substituents ß to germanium that are useful for the preparation of stereodefined alkenes.

Stereodivergent Silylzincation of α-Heteroatom-Substituted Alkynes.

Zinc reagents (Me2PhSi)2Zn and [(Me3Si)3Si]2Zn undergo highly regio- and stereoselective addition across the carbon-carbon triple bond of nitrogen-, sulfur-, oxygen-, and phosphorus-substituted terminal alkynes in the absence of copper or any other catalyst. Both reagents yield exclusively ß-isomers, and the stereoselectivity is determined by the silyl group: Me2PhSi for cis or (Me3Si)3Si for trans. These stereodivergent silylzincation protocols offer an efficient access to heteroatom-substituted vinylsilanes with either double bond geometry, including trisubstituted vinylsilanes by one-pot electrophilic substitution of the intermediate C(sp(2))-Zn bond by copper(I)-mediated carbon-carbon bond formation.

tert-Butanesulfinamides as Nitrogen Nucleophiles in Carbon-Nitrogen Bond Forming Reactions.

The use of tert-butanesulfinamides as nitrogen nucleophiles in carbon-nitrogen bond forming reactions is reviewed. This field has grown in the shadow of the general interest in N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines for asymmetric synthesis and occupies now an important place in its own right in the chemistry of the chiral amine reagent tert-butanesulfinamide. This article provides an overview of the area and emphasizes recent contributions wherein the tert-butanesulfinamides act as chiral auxiliaries or perform as nitrogen donors in metal-catalyzed amination reactions.

Trans-selective radical silylzincation of ynamides.

The silylzincation of terminal ynamides is achieved through a radical-chain process involving (Me3Si)3SiH and R2Zn. A potentially competing polar mechanism is excluded on the basis of diagnostic control experiments. The unique feature of this addition across the C≡C bond is its trans selectivity. One-pot electrophilic substitution of the C(sp2)-Zn bond by Cu(I)-mediated C-C bond formation and subsequent manipulation of the C(sp2)-Si bond provides a modular access to Z-α,ß-disubstituted enamides.

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of chiral carbohydrate-derived nitrone and olefin: towards long-chain sugars.

The thermal and microwave-activated 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of several α,ß-unsaturated esters derived from d-mannose and chiral nitrones derived from threitol have been studied as a model reaction en route to eleven carbon long chain carbohydrates. Very high facial selectivity is observed for the chiral nitrones whereas the olefin facial selectivity varies with the substrate. The presence of a dioxolane ring α to the olefinic bond is beneficial to the facial selectivity of the olefin whereas a pyranose ring is not. The combination of a d-mannose derivative and a l-threitol-derived nitrone is a matched pair suitable for the synthesis of long chain sugars with nine contiguous chiral centres. Finally complete facial selectivity was observed with exo-glycals which gave a single cycloadduct.

Copper-free asymmetric allylic alkylation with a Grignard reagent: design of the ligand and mechanistic studies.

The Cu-free asymmetric allylic alkylation, catalysed by NHC, with Grignard reagents is reported on allyl bromide derivatives with good results. The enantioselectivity was quite homogeneous (around 85% ee) on large and various substrates, regardless of the nature of the Grignard reagent. The formation of stereogenic quaternary centres was highly regioselective for both aliphatic and aromatic derivatives with good enantiomeric excess (up to 92% ee). The methodology developed was found to be complementary with the Cu-catalysed version. Several new NHCs were tested with improved efficiency. In addition, mechanistic studies, using NMR spectroscopy, led to the discovery of the catalytically active species.

Enantioselective rhodium-catalyzed synthesis of α-chloromethylene-γ-butyrolactams from N-allylic alkynamides.

The first enantioselective cycloisomerization with intramolecular halogen migration of various 1,6-enynes promoted by a cationic Rh-Synphos catalyst is reported. This method provides an efficient route to enantiomerically enriched γ-butyrolactam derivatives, which are important core scaffolds found in numerous natural products and biologically active molecules. Good yields and enantiomeric excesses up to 96% are achieved.

Formation of septanoses from hexopyranosides via 5,6-exo-glycals.

Methyl D-hexo-5-ulosides are obtained in high yield by dihydroxylation of 5,6-exo-glucal compounds. The bicyclic structure (1,6-anhydropyrano-5-ulose) of the products is adopted in solution and in solid state in a (4)C(1) conformation. This methodology has been used to prepare 1,6-anhydro-L-idopyrano-5-uloses. Further manipulation of the 1,6-anhydro bridge allowed the preparation of the yet unknown septano-5-uloses in moderate to high yields.

Direct synthesis of polysubstituted aluminoisoxazoles and pyrazoles by a metalative cyclization.

Alumino-heteroles are obtained from simple precursors in a fully chemo- and regioselective manner by a metalative cyclization. The carbon-aluminum bond is still able to react further with several electrophiles, without the need of transmetalation. This synthetic route provides a novel entry to heterocyclic organoaluminum reagents as well as a straightforward access to 3,4,5-trisubstituted isoxazoles and 1,3,4,5-tetrasubstituted pyrazoles.