N-Heterocyclic Carbene Monolayers on Metal-Oxide Films: Correlations between Adsorption Mode and Surface Functionality.

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have been self-assembled on various metal and semimetal surfaces, creating a covalent bond with surface metal atoms that led to high thermal and chemical stability of the self-assembled monolayer. This study explores the self-assembly of NHCs on metal-oxide films (CuOx, FeOx, and TiOx) and reveals that the properties of these metal-oxide substrates play a pivotal role in dictating the adsorption behavior of NHCs, influencing the decomposition route of the monolayer and its impact on work function values. While the attachment of NHCs onto CuOx is via coordination with surface oxygen atoms, NHCs interact with TiOx through coordination with surface metal atoms and with FeOx via coordination with both metal and oxygen surface atoms. These distinct binding modes arise due to variances in the electronic properties of the metal atoms within the investigated metal-oxide films. Contact angle and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements have shown a significantly higher impact of F-NHC adsorption on CuOx than on TiOx and FeOx , correlated to a preferred, averaged upright orientation of F-NHC on CuOx.

Selective Deposition of N-Heterocyclic Carbene Monolayers on Designated Au Microelectrodes within an Electrode Array.

The incorporation of organic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in microelectronic devices requires precise spatial control over the self-assembly process. In this work, selective deposition of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) on specific electrodes within a two-microelectrode array is achieved by using pulsed electrodeposition. Spectroscopic analysis of the NHC-coated electrode arrays reveals that each electrode is selectively coated with a designated NHC. The impact of NHC monolayers on the electrodes' work function is quantified using Kelvin probe force microscopy. These measurements demonstrate that the work function values of each electrode can be independently tuned by the adsorption of a specific NHC. The presented deposition method enables to selectively coat designated microelectrodes in an electrode array with chosen NHC monolayers for tuning their chemical and electronic functionality.

Brook Rearrangement as Trigger for Dearomatization Reaction: Synthesis of Non-Aromatic N-Heterocycles.

The [1,2]-Brook rearrangement stands as a potent technique for constructing complex molecules. In this study, we showcase its power in the dearomatization of aromatic N-heterocycles. Through a concise four-step process that integrates lithiation, nucleophilic addition, Brook rearrangement and dearomatization reaction, we demonstrate a versatile strategy for generating diverse non-aromatic N-heterocycles which exhibit ambident reactivities. Various acyl silanes, halo-pyridines, and quinolines have been explored within this context. The synthetic utility of this methodology is demonstrated through the construction of complex architectures.

The Construction of Highly Substituted Piperidines via Dearomative Functionalization Reaction.

Nitrogen heterocycles play a vital role in pharmaceuticals and natural products, with the six-membered aromatic and aliphatic architectures being commonly used. While synthetic methods for aromatic N-heterocycles are well-established, the synthesis of their aliphatic functionalized analogues, particularly piperidine derivatives, poses a significant challenge. In that regard, we propose a stepwise dearomative functionalization reaction for the construction of highly decorated piperidine derivatives with diverse functional handles. We also discuss challenges related to site-selectivity, regio- and diastereoselectivity, and provide insights into the reaction mechanism through mechanistic studies and density functional theory computations.

Fluorinated Rings: Conformation and Application.

The introduction of fluorine atoms into molecules and materials across many fields of academic and industrial research is now commonplace, owing to their unique properties. A particularly interesting feature is the impact of fluorine substitution on the relative orientation of a C-F bond when incorporated into organic molecules. In this Review, we will be discussing the conformational behavior of fluorinated aliphatic carbo- and heterocyclic systems. The conformational preference of each system is associated with various interactions introduced by fluorine substitution such as charge-dipole, dipole-dipole, and hyperconjugative interactions. The contribution of each interaction on the stabilization of the fluorinated alicyclic system, which manifests itself in low conformations, will be discussed in detail. The novelty of this feature will be demonstrated by presenting the most recent applications.

Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Arenes and Heteroarenes.

Transfer hydrogenation reactions are of great interest to reduce diverse molecules under mild reaction conditions. To date, this type of reaction has only been successfully applied to alkenes, alkynes and polarized unsaturated compounds such as ketones, imines, pyridines, etc. The reduction of benzene derivatives by transfer hydrogenation has never been described, which is likely due to the high energy barrier required to dearomatize these compounds. In this context, we have developed a catalytic transfer hydrogenation reaction for the reduction of benzene derivatives and heteroarenes to form complex 3-dimensional scaffolds bearing various functional groups at room temperature without needing compressed hydrogen gas.

Understanding the Conformational Behavior of Fluorinated Piperidines: The Origin of the Axial-F Preference.

Gaining an understanding of the conformational behavior of fluorinated compounds would allow for expansion of the current molecular design toolbox. In order to facilitate drug discovery efforts, a systematic survey of a series of diversely substituted and protected fluorinated piperidine derivatives has been carried out using NMR spectroscopy. Computational investigations reveal that, in addition to established delocalization forces such as charge-dipole interactions and hyperconjugation, solvation and solvent polarity play a major role. This work codifies a new design principle for conformationally rigid molecular scaffolds.

Accessing (Multi)Fluorinated Piperidines Using Heterogeneous Hydrogenation.

Fluorinated piperidines are desirable motifs for pharmaceutical and agrochemical research. Nevertheless, general synthetic access remains out of reach. Herein, we describe a simple and robust cis-selective hydrogenation of abundant and cheap fluoropyridines to yield a broad scope of (multi)fluorinated piperidines. This protocol enables the chemoselective reduction of fluoropyridines while tolerating other (hetero)aromatic systems using a commercially available heterogenous catalyst. Fluorinated derivatives of important drug compounds are prepared, and a straightforward strategy for the synthesis of enantioenriched fluorinated piperidines is disclosed.

Selective Arene Hydrogenation for Direct Access to Saturated Carbo- and Heterocycles.

Arene hydrogenation provides direct access to saturated carbo- and heterocycles and thus its strategic application may be used to shorten synthetic routes. This powerful transformation is widely applied in industry and is expected to facilitate major breakthroughs in the applied sciences. The ability to overcome aromaticity while controlling diastereo-, enantio-, and chemoselectivity is central to the use of hydrogenation in the preparation of complex molecules. In general, the hydrogenation of multisubstituted arenes yields predominantly the cis isomer. Enantiocontrol is imparted by chiral auxiliaries, Brønsted acids, or transition-metal catalysts. Recent studies have demonstrated that highly chemoselective transformations are possible. Such methods and the underlying strategies are reviewed herein, with an emphasis on synthetically useful examples that employ readily available catalysts.

The formation of all-cis-(multi)fluorinated piperidines by a dearomatization-hydrogenation process.

Piperidines and fluorine substituents are both independently indispensable components in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and materials. Logically, the incorporation of fluorine atoms into piperidine scaffolds is therefore an area of tremendous potential. However, synthetic approaches towards the formation of these architectures are often impractical. The diastereoselective synthesis of substituted monofluorinated piperidines often requires substrates with pre-defined stereochemistry. That of multifluorinated piperidines is even more challenging, and often needs to be carried out in multistep syntheses. In this report, we describe a straightforward process for the one-pot rhodium-catalysed dearomatization-hydrogenation of fluoropyridine precursors. This strategy enables the formation of a plethora of substituted all-cis-(multi)fluorinated piperidines in a highly diastereoselective fashion through pyridine dearomatization followed by complete saturation of the resulting intermediates by hydrogenation. Fluorinated piperidines with defined axial/equatorial orientation of fluorine substituents were successfully applied in the preparation of commercial drugs analogues. Additionally, fluorinated PipPhos as well as fluorinated ionic liquids were obtained by this dearomatization-hydrogenation process.

Electrophilic fluorination of stereodefined disubstituted silyl ketene hemiaminals en route to tertiary α-fluorinated carbonyl derivatives.

A highly diastereoselective synthesis of tertiary α-fluoro carbonyl compounds is reported in only two chemical steps from a simple alkyne through the reaction of stereodefined fully substituted silyl ketene hemiaminal derivatives with Selectfluor.

Hydrogenation of fluoroarenes: Direct access to all-cis-(multi)fluorinated cycloalkanes.

All-cis-multifluorinated cycloalkanes exhibit intriguing electronic properties. In particular, they display extremely high dipole moments perpendicular to the aliphatic ring, making them highly desired motifs in material science. Very few such motifs have been prepared, as their syntheses require multistep sequences from diastereoselectively prefunctionalized precursors. Herein we report a synthetic strategy to access these valuable materials via the rhodium-cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC)-catalyzed hydrogenation of readily available fluorinated arenes in hexane. This route enables the scalable single-step preparation of an abundance of multisubstituted and multifluorinated cycloalkanes, including all-cis-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexafluorocyclohexane as well as cis-configured fluorinated aliphatic heterocycles.

Enantioselective allylic alkylation of stereodefined polysubstituted copper enolates as an entry to acyclic quaternary carbon stereocentres.

A sequence of regio- and stereoselective carbometalation followed by oxidation of ynamides leads to stereodefined fully substituted enolates that subsequently react with various functionalized allyl bromide reagents to provide the expected products possessing an enantiomerically pure quaternary carbon stereocentre in the α-position to the carbonyl group in excellent yields and enantiomeric ratios after cleavage of the oxazolidinone moiety. Three new bonds are formed in a single-pot operation.

Stereoselective Formation of Fully Substituted Ketone Enolates.

The application of stereochemically defined acyclic fully substituted enolates of ketones to the enantioselective synthesis of quaternary carbon stereocenters would be highly valuable. Herein, we describe an approach leading to the formation of several new stereogenic centers through a combined metalation-addition of a carbonyl-carbamoyl transfer to reveal in situ stereodefined α,α-disubstituted enolates of ketone as a single stereoisomer. This approach could produce a series of aldol and Mannich products from enol carbamate with excellent diastereomeric ratios.

Stereodefined Acyclic Polysubstituted Silyl Ketene Aminals: Asymmetric Formation of Aldol Products with Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters.

The regio- and stereoselective formation of stereodefined polysubstituted silyl ketene aminals is easily achieved through selective combined carbometalation-oxidation-silylation reactions. These substrates are ideal candidates for Mukaiyama aldol reactions with aliphatic aldehydes as they give the aldol products with a quaternary carbon stereocenter α to the carbonyl groups in outstanding diastereoselectivities.

Regioselective hydroaminomethylation of vinylarenes by a sol-gel immobilized rhodium catalyst.

In the course of our studies toward the development of new heterogeneous conditions for better controlling regioselectivity in organic reactions, we investigated the application of sol-gel immobilized organometallic catalyst for regioselective hydroaminomethylation of vinylarenes with aniline or nitroarene derivatives in an aqueous microemulsion. By immobilization of 6 mol % [Rh(cod)Cl]2 within a hydrophobic silica sol-gel matrix we were able to perform efficient hydroaminomethylation under mild conditions and isolate 2-arylpropylamines with high regioselectivity. The regioselectivity of the reaction was found to be mainly dependent on the hydrophobicity of the catalyst support. It is also significantly affected by the electronic nature of the substrates, by the reaction temperature, and by syngas pressure. The heterogenized catalyst can be reused for several times.

Acid-catalyzed hydration of alkynes in aqueous microemulsions.

Terminal aromatic alkynes are converted rapidly into ketones in a regioselective manner by treatment of their microemulsions with 0.33 M mineral acid between 80 and 140 °C. Internal and aliphatic acetylenes are likewise hydrated, but require longer reaction periods. The products are easily isolated from the reaction mixtures by phase separation. Replacement of H2 O by D2 O leads to the formation of trideuteriomethyl ketones.