Photochemical Synthesis of Lactones, Cyclopropanes and ATRA Products: Revealing the Role of Sodium Ascorbate.

Light-mediated processes have received significant attention, since they have re-surfaced unconventional reactivity platforms, complementary to conventional polar chemistry. γ-Lactones and cyclopropanes are prevalent moieties, found in numerous natural products and pharmaceuticals. Among various methods for their synthesis, light-mediated protocols are coming to the spotlight, although these are contingent upon the use of photoorgano- or metal-based catalysts. Herein, we introduce a novel photochemical activation of iodo-reagents via the use of cheap sodium ascorbate or ascorbic acid to enable their homolytic scission and addition onto double bonds. The developed protocol was applied successfully to the formal [3+2] cycloaddition for the synthesis of γ-lactones, traditional atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) reactions and the one-pot two-step conversion of alkenes to cyclopropanes. In all cases, the desired products were obtained in good to high yields, while the reaction mechanism was thoroughly investigated. Depending on the nature of the iodo-reagent, a halogen or a hydrogen-bonded complex is formed, which initiates the process.

A General Approach to Deboronative Radical Chain Reactions with Pinacol Alkylboronic Esters.

The generation of carbon-centered radicals from air-sensitive organoboron compounds through nucleohomolytic substitution at boron is a general method to generate non-functionalized and functionalized radicals. Due to their reduced Lewis acidity, alkylboronic pinacol esters are not suitable substrates. We report their in situ conversion into alkylboronic catechol esters by boron-transesterification with a substoichiometric amount of catechol methyl borate combined with an array of radical chain processes. This simple one-pot radical-chain deboronative method enables the conversion of pinacol boronic esters into iodides, bromides, chlorides, and thioethers. The process is also suitable the formation of nitriles and allylated compounds through C-C bond formation using sulfonyl radical traps. The power of combining radical and classical boron chemistry is illustrated with a modular 5-membered ring formation using a combination of three-component coupling and protodeboronative cyclization.

Radical Reactions of Boron-Ate Complexes Promoting a 1,2-Metallate Rearrangement.

Recently there has been an explosion of interest in the synthetic community for the addition of radicals into unsaturated organoboron-ate complexes. This review will give a concise outline for radical processes involving boron-ate complexes which trigger a subsequent anionotropic rearrangement.

Cyclopropanation of Terminal Alkenes through Sequential Atom-Transfer Radical Addition/1,3-Elimination.

An operationally simple method to affect an atom-transfer radical addition of commercially available ICH2 Bpin to terminal alkenes has been developed. The intermediate iodide can be transformed in a one-pot process into the corresponding cyclopropane upon treatment with a fluoride source. This method is highly selective for the cyclopropanation of unactivated terminal alkenes over non-terminal alkenes and electron-deficient alkenes. Due to the mildness of the procedure, a wide range of functional groups such as esters, amides, alcohols, ketones, and vinylic cyclopropanes are well tolerated.

Radical-Triggered Three-Component Coupling Reaction of Alkenylboronates, α-Halocarbonyl Compounds, and Organolithium Reagents: The Inverse Ylid Mechanism.

An operationally simple protocol to affect a radical addition to alkenylboronates that spontaneously undergo a [1,2]-metalate shift is described. Overall, the reaction is a three-component coupling of an organolithium, alkenylboronic ester, and halide which takes place with broad scope and good to excellent yields. Experimental mechanistic investigations support the formation of a boron inverse ylid intermediate.

Marine Toxins with Spiroimine Rings: Total Synthesis of Pinnatoxin A.

This microreview provides a compilation of synthetic approaches and total syntheses of pinnatoxin A in a survey of the literature up to early 2010. Pinnatoxin A is the first discovered and representative member of a fascinating group of potent marine toxins that share a spiroimine subunit as a unifying structural element.