Electroreductive Remote Benzylic C(sp3)-H Arylation of Aliphatic Ethers Using Cyanoarenes for the Synthesis of α-(Hetero)aryl Ethers.

An iodoarene-driven electroreductive remote C(sp3)-H arylation of unsymmetrical 1-(o-iodoaryl)alkyl ethers with cyanoarenes for the site selective synthesis of α-(hetero)aryl ethers is developed. With the introduction of cyanoarenes as both aryl sources and electron transfer mediators, this method includes an iodoarene-driven strategy to enable the regiocontrollable formation of two new bonds, one C(sp2)-H bond, and one C(sp2)-C(sp3) bond, in a single reaction step through the sequence of halogen atom transfer (XAT), hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), radical-radical coupling, and decyanation.

Visible-Light-Induced Photoredox 1,2-Dialkylation of Styrenes with α-Carbonyl Alkyl Bromides and Pyridin-1-ium Salts.

A visible-light-driven photoredox dialkylation of styrenes with α-carbonyl alkyl bromides and pyridin-1-ium salts for the synthesis of polysubstituted 1,4-dihydropyridines is reported. This reaction enables the formation of two new C(sp3)-C(sp3) bonds in a single reaction step and provides a strategy that employs pyridin-1-ium salts as the functionalized alkylating reagents via dearomatization to directly trap the resulting alkyl radicals from radical addition of alkenes and then terminate the alkene dialkylation.

Palladium-Catalyzed ß-C(sp3)-H Arylation of Silyl Prop-1-en-1-ol Ethers with Aryl Halides: Entry to α,ß-Unsaturated Ketones.

A palladium(0)-catalyzed ß-C(sp3)-H arylation of silyl prop-1-en-1-ol ethers with aryl halides for the synthesis of α,ß-unsaturated ketones is presented. In contrast to the reported ß-C(sp3)-H arylation of ketones, the chemoselectivity of this current method relies on the Pd(0) catalytic systems and reaction temperatures: While using the Pd(dba)2/DavePhos/KF system at 80 °C resulted in ß-C(sp3)-H monoarylation to produce ß-monoarylated α,ß-unsaturated ketones, harnessing the Pd(OAc)2/t-Bu XPhos/K2HPO4 system at 110 °C induced ß-C(sp3)-H diarylation to afford ß,ß-diarylated α,ß-unsaturated ketones. The method provides a versatile route that uses readily available ketone-derivatized α-nonsubstituted silyl prop-1-en-1-ol ethers as the alkene sources and is characterized by a good functional group compatibility, a broad substrate scope, and an excellent selectivity.

Nickel Photocatalyzed Reductive 1,4-Dicarbofunctionalization of 1,3-Enynes with N-Methylamines and Organohalides Enabled by Site-Selective C(sp3)-H Functionalization.

A cooperative nickel and photoredox reductive catalysis for 1,4-dicarbofunctionalization of 1,3-enynes with tertiary N-methylamines and organohalides to produce tetrasubstituted allenes is presented. This method enables the generation of the aminoalkyl C(sp3)-centered radicals by site selective cleavage of the N-methyl C(sp3)-H bonds in tertiary N-methylamines and is extended to alkyl bromides as the electrophilic terminating regents. Mechanistic studies indicate that the reaction involves a radical process and a Ni0/NiI/NiIII catalytic cycle.

The transient-chelating-group-controlled stereoselective Rh(i)-catalyzed silylative aminocarbonylation of 2-alkynylanilines: access to (Z)-3-(silylmethylene)indolin-2-ones.

A new method involving mild acryl transient-chelating-group-controlled stereoselective Rh(i)-catalyzed silylative aminocarbonylation of 2-alkynylanilines with CO and silanes is presented for producing (Z)-3-(silylmethylene)indolin-2-ones. Upon using an acryl transient chelating group, 2-alkynylanilines undergo an unprecedented alkyne cis-silylrhodation followed by aminocarbonylation to assemble (Z)-3-(silylmethylene)indolin-2-ones. Mechanistic studies show that acryl transient chelating effects result in the key alkyne cis-silylrhodation process.

Nickel-Catalyzed C-S Reductive Cross-Coupling of Alkyl Halides with Arylthiosilanes toward Alkyl Aryl Thioethers.

A nickel-catalyzed C-S reductive cross-coupling of alkyl halides with arylthiosilanes for producing alkyl aryl thioethers is developed. This reaction is initiated by umpolung transformations of arylthiosilanes followed by C-S reductive cross-coupling with alkyl halides to manage an electrophilic alkyl group onto the electrophilic sulfur atom and then construct a C(sp3)-S bond, and features exquisite chemoselectivity, excellent tolerance of diverse functional groups, and wide applications for late-stage modification of biologically relevant molecules.

Divergent functionalization of terminal alkynes enabled alkynylative [5+1] benzannulation of 3-acetoxy-1,4-enynes.

We here describe an alkynylative [5+1] benzannulation of 3-acetoxy-1,4-enynes with terminal alkynes, which enables both the construction of a benzene ring skeleton and intermolecular incorporation of an alkynyl group in a single reaction using Pd and Cu cooperative catalysts. The method represents efficient access to internal aryl alkynes through divergent functionalization of two terminal alkyne components: one alkyne serves as the one-carbon unit to realize the [5+1] benzannulation and the other alkyne as a nucleophile terminates the reaction.

Relay Palladium/Copper Catalysis Enabled Silylative [5 + 1] Benzannulation Using Terminal Alkynes as One-Carbon Units.

Using terminal alkyne as a nontraditional one-carbon (C1) unit and silylborane as an external silicon pronucleophile, a relay palladium/copper-catalyzed silylative [5 + 1] benzannulation of 3-acetoxy-1,4-enynes for producing polysubstituted arylsilanes, especially including bioactive motif-based analogues, in a single reaction step through benzene ring skeleton assembly and silyl intermolecular incorporation cascades is developed. Mechanistic studies show that this reaction allows the terminal sp-hybridized carbon atom in terminal alkynes as a C1 unit via cleavage of two π-bonds and one C(sp)-H bond.

Photocatalytic dual decarboxylative alkenylation mediated by triphenylphosphine and sodium iodide.

An efficient photocatalytic dual decarboxylative alkenylation of α,ß-unsaturated carboxylic acids and alkyl N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHP) esters mediated by triphenylphosphine and sodium iodide has been developed. This protocol proceeds under 456-nanometer irradiation by visible blue light in the absence of transition metals or organic dye based photoredox catalysts. The reaction is successfully applied to a wide range of redox-active esters derived from aliphatic carboxylic acids (1°, 2° and 3°) and α-amino acids, enabling transformations of diverse α,ß-unsaturated carboxylic acids to α,ß-alkylated styrenes with high efficiency and excellent selectivity under mild conditions.