Acyl Azolium Intermediates Research Articles

Catalytic Synthesis of 1H-Benzoxazolo[3,2-a]pyridin-1-ones via Formal [3 + 3] Annulations of NHC-Generated Alkynyl Acylazoliums with Benzoxazolyl Acetates and Their Photophysical Studies.

We disclose the synthesis of a tricyclic fused N-heterocycle via the NHC-catalyzed annulation of either a ynal or an alkynyl ester with readily accessible benzoxazolyl acetate. While the annulation with ynals requires an oxidant, the reaction with alkynyl esters proceeds via the direct generation of alkynyl acylazolium intermediates with an NHC. With the dearth of catalytic processes to access these 1H-benzoxazolo[3,2-a]pyridin-1-ones from simple starting materials, this method is especially important. The photophysical properties of the products have also been evaluated.

N-Heterocyclic Carbene Enabled Functionalization of Inert C(Sp3)-H Bonds via Hydrogen Atom Transfer (HAT) Processes.

Developing methods to directly transform C(sp3) -H bonds is crucial in synthetic chemistry due to their prevalence in various organic compounds. While conventional protocols have largely relied on transition metal catalysis, recent advancements in organocatalysis, particularly with radical NHC catalysis have sparked interest in the direct functionalization of "inert" C(sp3) -H bonds for cross C-C coupling with carbonyl moieties. This strategy involves selective cleavage of C(sp3) -H bonds to generate key carbon radicals, often achieved via hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) processes. By leveraging the bond dissociation energy (BDE) and polarity effects, HAT enables the rapid functionalization of diverse C(sp3)-H substrates, such as ethers, amines, and alkanes. This mini-review summarizes the progress in carbene organocatalytic functionalization of inert C(sp3)-H bonds enabled by HAT processes, categorizing them into two sections: 1) C-H functionalization involving acyl azolium intermediates; and 2) functionalization of C-H bonds via reductive Breslow intermediates.

Ionic Hydrogen Bond‐Assisted Catalytic Construction of Nitrogen Stereogenic Center via Formal Desymmetrization of Remote Diols

AbstractThe control of noncarbon stereogenic centers is of profound importance owing to their enormous interest in bioactive compounds and chiral catalyst or ligand design for enantioselective synthesis. Despite various elegant approaches have been achieved for construction of S‐, P‐, Si‐ and B‐stereocenters over the past decades, the catalyst‐controlled strategies to govern the formation of N‐stereogenic compounds have garnered less attention. Here, we disclose the first organocatalytic approach for efficient access to a wide range of nitrogen‐stereogenic compounds through a desymmetrization approach. Intriguingly, the pro‐chiral remote diols, which are previously not well addressed with enantiocontrol, are well differentiated by potent chiral carbene‐bound acyl azolium intermediates. Preliminary studies shed insights on the critical importance of the ionic hydrogen bond (IHB) formed between the dimer aggregate of diols to afford the chiral N‐oxide products that feature a tetrahedral nitrogen as the sole stereogenic element with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Notably, the chiral N‐oxide products could offer an attractive strategy for chiral ligand design and discovery of potential antibacterial agrochemicals.

Ionic Hydrogen Bond-Assisted Catalytic Construction of Nitrogen Stereogenic Center via Formal Desymmetrization of Remote Diols.

The control of noncarbon stereogenic centers is of profound importance owing to their enormous interest in bioactive compounds and chiral catalyst or ligand design for enantioselective synthesis. Despite various elegant approaches have been achieved for construction of S-, P-, Si- and B-stereocenters over the past decades, the catalyst-controlled strategies to govern the formation of N-stereogenic compounds have garnered less attention. Here, we disclose the first organocatalytic approach for efficient access to a wide range of nitrogen-stereogenic compounds through a desymmetrization approach. Intriguingly, the pro-chiral remote diols, which are previously not well addressed with enantiocontrol, are well differentiated by potent chiral carbene-bound acyl azolium intermediates. Preliminary studies shed insights on the critical importance of the ionic hydrogen bond (IHB) formed between the dimer aggregate of diols to afford the chiral N-oxide products that feature a tetrahedral nitrogen as the sole stereogenic element with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Notably, the chiral N-oxide products could offer an attractive strategy for chiral ligand design and discovery of potential antibacterial agrochemicals.

Enantioselective [3 + 3] Annulation-Deoxalation Strategy for Rapid Access to δ-Oxoesters via N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis.

A new and unprecedented stereoselective synthetic approach to δ-oxoesters derivatives from readily available starting materials has been developed. This method, catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbene, involves an annulation-deoxalation reaction of alkynyl aldehydes with 2,4-diketoesters and proceeds via the chiral α,β-unsaturated acylazolium intermediates. The annulation includes the in situ formation of dihydropyranones, which undergo ring-opening methanolysis with Lewis acid activation, followed by deoxalation to afford chiral 1,5-ketoesters in moderate to good yields.

Carbene-Catalyzed Direct O-Functionalization of Ketone: Atroposelective Access to Non-C2-Symmetric Binaphthyls.

Disclosed here is NHC-catalyzed direct intermolecular trapping of the ketone oxygen atom with the acyl azolium intermediate. The overall reaction is a dynamic kinetic resolution process that converts ketone to the corresponding enol ester with well-controlled axial chirality. Our reaction eventually affords non-C2-symmetric binaphthyl derivatives with important applications, such as in the area of asymmetric catalysis.

A Review on Generation and Reactivity of the N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Bound Alkynyl Acyl Azolium Intermediates.

N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) has been widely used as an organocatalyst for both umpolung and non-umpolung chemistry. Previous works mainly focus on species including Breslow intermediate, azolium enolate intermediate, homoenolate intermediate, alkenyl acyl azolium intermediate, etc. Notably, the NHC-bound alkynyl acyl azolium has emerged as an effective intermediate to access functionalized cyclic molecular skeleton until very recently. In this review, we summarized the generation and reactivity of the NHC-bound alkynyl acyl azolium intermediates, which covers the efforts and advances in the synthesis of achiral and axially chiral cyclic scaffolds via the NHC-bound alkynyl acyl azolium intermediates. In particular, the mechanism related to this intermediate is discussed in detail.

Progress in Organocatalytic Dearomatization Reactions Catalyzed by N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes

AbstractDearomative reactions allow for concise assembly of structurally complex, highly functionalized three‐dimensional molecules by breaking the plane of two‐dimensional aromatic starting materials. With the growing interest in N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) organocatalysis as a powerful strategy for synthesizing diversiform molecules, mainly by polarity‐reversal (umpolung) approaches, NHC‐catalyzed dearomatization reactions have recently been successfully used for the construction of the skeletons of natural products and drugs. By generating various key intermediates (i. e., Breslow intermediates, acyl azolium intermediates, homoenolate intermediates, enolate intermediates, and azolium dienolate intermediates), NHCs can readily destroy aromaticity by electrophilic or nucleophilic interactions with aromatic compounds. In this overview, progress in NHC‐catalyzed dearomative reactions is summarized; the reactions are grouped according to reaction modes and categories of intermediates, and representative mechanisms are provided. This review aims to serve as a comprehensive reference for work in the emerging field of organocatalytic dearomatization.

Enantioselective Cascade Annulation of α‐Amino‐ynones and Enals Enabled by Gold and Oxidative NHC Relay Catalysis

AbstractWe report herein an unprecedented gold and oxidative NHC relay catalysis that enables highly enantioselective cascade annulation between readily available α‐amino‐ynones with enals. This method utilizes the in situ‐generated pyrrolin‐4‐ones as a novel and versatile synthon, which engage with α,β‐unsaturated acylazolium intermediates generated from enals by oxidative NHC catalysis to produce pyrrole‐fused lactones in high yield and excellent enantioselectivity. Synthetic utility of the lactone products is also demonstrated by facile conversion to densely functionalized pyrroles and pyrrolin‐4‐ones in high yields with excellent stereopurity.

Enantioselective Cascade Annulation of α-Amino-ynones and Enals Enabled by Gold and Oxidative NHC Relay Catalysis.

We report herein an unprecedented gold and oxidative NHC relay catalysis that enables highly enantioselective cascade annulation between readily available α-amino-ynones with enals. This method utilizes the in situ-generated pyrrolin-4-ones as a novel and versatile synthon, which engage with α,β-unsaturated acylazolium intermediates generated from enals by oxidative NHC catalysis to produce pyrrole-fused lactones in high yield and excellent enantioselectivity. Synthetic utility of the lactone products is also demonstrated by facile conversion to densely functionalized pyrroles and pyrrolin-4-ones in high yields with excellent stereopurity.

Carbene‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrophosphination of α‐Bromoenals to Prepare Phosphine‐Containing Chiral Molecules

AbstractDisclosed herein is the first carbene‐organocatalyzed asymmetric addition of phosphine nucleophiles to the in situ generated α,β‐unsaturated acyl azolium intermediates. Our reaction enantioselectively constructs carbon–phosphine bonds and prepares chiral phosphines with high optical purities. The phosphine products are suitable for transforming to chiral ligands or catalysts with applications in asymmetric catalysis. The diarylalkyl or trialkyl phosphine products from our catalytic reactions, air‐sensitive and reactive in nature, can be trapped (and stored) in their sulfur‐oxidized form for operational simplicities.

Carbene-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydrophosphination of α-Bromoenals to Prepare Phosphine-Containing Chiral Molecules.

Disclosed herein is the first carbene-organocatalyzed asymmetric addition of phosphine nucleophiles to the in situ generated α,β-unsaturated acyl azolium intermediates. Our reaction enantioselectively constructs carbon-phosphine bonds and prepares chiral phosphines with high optical purities. The phosphine products are suitable for transforming to chiral ligands or catalysts with applications in asymmetric catalysis. The diarylalkyl or trialkyl phosphine products from our catalytic reactions, air-sensitive and reactive in nature, can be trapped (and stored) in their sulfur-oxidized form for operational simplicities.

Synthesis of Functionalized Dihydrocoumarins by NHC-Catalyzed [3 + 3] Annulation of Enals with 2-Substituted Naphthoquinones.

The [3 + 3] annulation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with 2-substituted 1,4-naphthoquinones allowing the facile synthesis of functionalized dihydrocoumarins catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) is reported. The initially formed NHC-homoenolates underwent an efficient Michael-isomerization-lactonization cascade to furnish the products. Preliminary studies on mechanism shed light on the homoenolate pathway over the intermediacy of the α,β-unsaturated acylazolium intermediates. Moreover, using chiral NHCs, the desired products were formed in up to 49% yield and 99:1 er.

Mechanism and regio- and stereoselectivity in NHC-catalyzed reaction of 2-bromoenals with β-ketoamides

• The detailed reaction mechanisms were examined. • Free energies were computed at the SMD(CH 3 CN)M06-2X-D3/6-311++G(2df,2pd) level. • The origins of stereoselectivity were identified. • The roles of the catalyst were determined. • Substituent effects were explored. We have investigated an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed annulation reaction in order to determine the mechanisms and origins of stereoselectivity. DFT results show that the catalytic formation of spiro-glutarimides involves coordination of 2-bromoenal to NHC, followed by a bicarbonate aided proton transfer to form the Breslow intermediate. Subsequent debromination and proton transfer forms the α,β-unsaturated acylazolium intermediate. Then the reaction proceeds via Michael addition, proton transfer and intramolecular cyclization to deliver the cyclic intermediate, which finally releases NHC affording the spiro-glutarimide product. The Michael addition resulting in a new carbon−carbon bond is found to be the stereochemistry-controlling step and generates the SR-configurational product observed in experiment. The important role of noncovalent interactions (such as C−H•••O, C−H•••π, π•••π and lone pair (LP)•••π) in controlling stereoselectivity is elucidated by noncovalent interaction (NCI) analysis. Moreover, analysis of the global reactivity indexes (GRIs) and the computed C−Br bond lengths revealed that NHC plays an important role in activating C−Br bond. The detailed mechanism, regio- and stereoselectivity of NHC-catalyzed annulation between 2-bromoenals with β-ketoamides has been investigated using a DFT method.

Recent Advances in N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalyzed Oxidative Cyclization for the Formation of Heterocycles

AbstractOxidative N‐heterocyclic carbene catalyst mediated cyclization proved to be an efficient strategy for the construction of various N‐ and O‐ heterocycles. Among several metal‐free methods available for the construction of heterocyclic compounds, oxidative NHC catalysis proved to be an elegant and efficient strategy as several enantioenriched compounds with excellent enantioselectivities can be synthesized in good yields. The most common method of the generation of these heterocycles proceeds via the commonly encountered intermediate in oxidative NHC catalysis (i. e.) acyl azolium intermediate. This intermediate proves to be the active species as it can undergo reaction with suitable substrates leading to the formation of numerous N‐ and O‐ heterocycles. Herein, recent reports on different strategies that enable formal [2+2], [3+2], [3+3], [4+2] or [4+3] annulations between the incoming substrates and acyl azolium species or other active intermediates which can add to suitable substrate leading to various heterocycles were summarized.

N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Atroposelective Annulation for Access to Thiazine Derivatives with C-N Axial Chirality.

A catalytic atroposelective cycloaddition reaction between thioureas and ynals is developed. This reaction features the first NHC-catalyzed addition of thioureas to acetylenic acylazolium intermediates to eventually set up C-N axial chirality with excellent optical purities. The obtained axially chiral thiazine derivative products bear multiple functional groups and are feasible for further transformations.

N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Catalyzed Atroposelective Annulation for Access to Thiazine Derivatives with C−N Axial Chirality

AbstractA catalytic atroposelective cycloaddition reaction between thioureas and ynals is developed. This reaction features the first NHC‐catalyzed addition of thioureas to acetylenic acylazolium intermediates to eventually set up C−N axial chirality with excellent optical purities. The obtained axially chiral thiazine derivative products bear multiple functional groups and are feasible for further transformations.

Theoretical Model for N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Desymmetrizing [4 + 1] and [4 + 2] Annulations of an Enal and Aryldialdehyde with 1,3-Cyclopentenedione.

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed desymmetrizing reactions of olefins have rapidly developed in recent years; however, the origins of the chemo- and stereoselectivities of these reactions remain poorly understood. Herein, we propose a mechanistic map for these reactions to predict how chemo- and stereoselectivities are controlled by different active intermediates (i.e., Breslow and acylazolium intermediates). Remarkably, our findings contradict a previous proposition that product structures are determined by a transformation between a pair of isomers.

Mechanistic Studies on N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Umpolung of β,γ-Unsaturated α-Diketones.

The mechanism of N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed umpolung of β,γ-unsaturated α-diketone was studied using both density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental methods. In contrast to the originally proposed mechanism, the calculations revealed a more complicated process involving both nucleophilic O-acylated homoenolate and electrophilic α,β-unsaturated acyl azolium intermediates. The experimental studies confirmed the existence of the aforementioned two key intermediates. A revised mechanism has been proposed to demonstrate the detailed mechanistic insights into the product formation.

Carbene-Catalyzed Alkylation of Carboxylic Esters via Direct Photoexcitation of Acyl Azolium Intermediates

A carbene-catalyzed reductive coupling reaction of carboxylic esters and substituted Hantzsch esters is disclosed. Key steps of this reaction include one-electron reduction of a carbene catalyst-bound acyl azolium intermediate to generate the corresponding radical intermediate for subsequent alkylation reactions. The reaction is promoted by irradiation with visible light without the involvement of transition-metal photocatalysts. Mechanistic studies suggest that direct photoexcitation of the in situ formed acyl azolium intermediate is likely responsible for this light-induced one-electron-reduction process. Photoexcitation converts the acyl azolium intermediate to a single-electron oxidant, enabling single-electron oxidation of Hantzsch esters to generate radical intermediates. Our reactions work well for a broad range of aryl carboxylic ester and Hantzsch ester substrates. Sophisticated structures, including those present in medicines, can be incorporated into ketone molecules using our approach via very mild conditions that tolerate various functional groups.