Chelation Assistance Research Articles

Palladium‐Catalyzed Regioselective C(4)−H Fluoroalkoxylation of Indoles Through Weak Chelation Assistance

AbstractInstalling fluoroalkyl motifs into biorelevant indoles is particularly interesting due to their ubiquitous presence in drug molecules. Herein, we demonstrate the regioselective C4 fluoroalkoxylation of indoles using fluoroalcohols via palladium‐catalyzed chelation‐assisted C─H activation. The weak chelating benzoyl moiety at the C3 position acts as a directing group for remote C(4)─H fluoroalkoxylation of diversely substituted indoles. This methodology demonstrates a high level of regioselectivity and tolerates a range of crucial functional groups, yielding diverse trifluoroalkoxylated indoles in moderate to good yields. Removal of directing/protecting groups and further functionalization established the synthetic utility of the methodology. A preliminary mechanistic investigation is conducted by isolating the palladacycle intermediate and performing the deuterium scrambling study.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Complex Polyenes through Sequential α‐/β‐C−H Functionalization of trans‐Styrenes

AbstractSequential C−H functionalization of molecules containing multiple C−H bonds can efficiently lead to structural diversity. Herein we present the first chelation‐assisted sequential α‐/β‐C−H functionalization of E‐styrenes with simple alkenes and alkynes in excellent regio‐ and stereo‐selectivity. The process involves α C−H functionalization by six‐membered exo‐cyclopalladation to result in tri‐ and tetrasubstituted 1,3‐dienes and β C−H functionalization through seven‐membered endo‐cyclopalladation to produce tetra‐ and pentasubstituted 1,3,5‐trienes in up to 97 % yield with up to >99/1 E/Z selectivity, both enabled by the chelation assistance of pyrazinamide. The protocol is demonstrated to be widely applicable, tolerant to a wide range of functional groups and bioactive fragments, and suitable for gram‐scale synthesis as well as one‐pot and two step preparation of trienes. Mechanistic experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to elucidate the selectivity and reactivity.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Complex Polyenes through Sequential α-/β-C-H Functionalization of trans-Styrenes.

Sequential C-H functionalization of molecules containing multiple C-H bonds can efficiently lead to structural diversity. Herein we present the first chelation-assisted sequential α-/β-C-H functionalization of E-styrenes with simple alkenes and alkynes in excellent regio- and stereo-selectivity. The process involves α C-H functionalization by six-membered exo-cyclopalladation to result in tri- and tetrasubstituted 1,3-dienes and β C-H functionalization through seven-membered endo-cyclopalladation to produce tetra- and pentasubstituted 1,3,5-trienes in up to 97 % yield with up to >99/1 E/Z selectivity, both enabled by the chelation assistance of pyrazinamide. The protocol is demonstrated to be widely applicable, tolerant to a wide range of functional groups and bioactive fragments, and suitable for gram-scale synthesis as well as one-pot and two step preparation of trienes. Mechanistic experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to elucidate the selectivity and reactivity.

Stereo-selective synthesis of complex dienes and eneynes by sequential hydroarylation and olefinic C–H functionalization

We present a preparation of complex dienes and eneynes by Rh-catalyzed hydroarylation of internal alkynes and Pd-catalyzed olefinic C–H alkenylation, alkynylation and allylation, enabled by the chelation assistance of pyrazinamide or picolinamide.

Theoretical Study on the Mechanism of Cobalt-Catalyzed C-O Silylation and Stannylation.

Organosilicon and organotin compounds have been widely used in many fields, such as organic synthesis, materials science, and biochemistry, because of their unique physical and electronic properties. Recently, two novel compounds containing C-Si or C-Sn bonds have been synthesized. These compounds can be used for late modification of drug-like molecules such as probenecid, duloxetine, and fluoxetine derivatives. However, the detailed reaction mechanisms and the influencing factors that determine selectivity are still unclear. Moreover, several questions remain that are valuable to investigate further, such as (1) the influence of the solvent and the lithium salt on the reaction of the Si/Sn-Zn reagent, (2) the stereoselective functionalization of C-O bonds, and (3) the differences between silylation and stannylation. In the current study, we have explored the above issues with density functional theory and have found that stereoselectivity was most likely caused by the oxidative addition of cobalt to the C-O bond of alkenyl acetate with chelation assistance and that transmetalation was most likely the rate-determining step. For Sn-Zn reagents, the transmetalation was achieved by anion and cation pairs, whereas for Si-Zn reagents, the process was facilitated by Co-Zn complexes.

Nature's Blueprint: Chelation‐Assisted C−H Functionalization for Selective and Efficient Reactions in Aqueous Media

AbstractEfficient and sustainable strategies for C−H functionalization are crucial in organic synthesis. Bioinspired catalytic systems have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional synthetic methods. These systems draw inspiration from nature‘s ability to selectively functionalize complex molecules in water‐based environments. Among these, chelation‐assisted C−H functionalization stands out due to its ability to guide the substrate towards the active site of the catalyst, thereby controlling the selectivity of the reaction. This review focuses on the use of chelation assistance to enhance the efficiency and selectivity of bioinspired C−H functionalization reactions in aqueous media. We cover aliphatic, aromatic, and alkenyl C−H functionalization, as well as tandem C−H activation/cyclization, utilizing metallocycle intermediates. Additionally, we highlight the underlying mechanisms of these reactions for a deeper understanding and development of novel methodologies.

Ruthenium-Catalyzed Oxidative Synthesis of N-(2-triazine)indoles by C-H Activation.

1,3,5 triazines, especially indole functionalized triazine derivatives, exhibit excellent activities, such as anti-tumor, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. Traditional methods for the synthesis of N-(2-triazine) indoles suffer from unstable materials and tedious operations. Transition-metal-catalyzed C-C/C-N coupling provides a powerful protocol for the synthesis of indoles by the C-H activation strategy. Here, we report the efficient ruthenium-catalyzed oxidative synthesis of N-(2-triazine) indoles by C-H activation from alkynes and various substituted triazine derivatives in a moderate to good yield, and all of the N-(2-triazine) indoles were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS. This protocol can apply to the gram-scale synthesis of the N-(2-triazine) indole in a moderate yield. Moreover, the reaction is proposed to be performed via a six-membered ruthenacycle (II) intermediate, which suggests that the triazine ring could offer chelation assistance for the formation of N-(2-triazine) indoles.

Recent Developments of Palladium- and Rhodium-Catalyzed β-Carbon Elimination Strategies

AbstractThe activation of C–C bonds via transition metal catalysis has become an increasingly popular strategy in organic synthesis. An emerging method to cleave C–C bonds is to facilitate a β-carbon elimination using rhodium or palladium catalysis. This elementary step typically relies on a thermodynamic driving force, such as the relief of ring strain or steric strain. More recently, the use of neopentyl metal species or chelation assistance has enabled this difficult transformation. This review will cover recent synthetic applications of β-carbon eliminations under palladium and rhodium catalysis.1 Introduction2 Chelation-Assisted β-Carbon Elimination Reactions3 β-Carbon Elimination from Neopentyl–Pd Species4 Pd-Catalyzed Catellani Reactions5 β-Carbon Elimination Reactions of Cyclopropanes6 Conclusion

Copper-Catalyzed Transamidation of Unactivated Secondary Amides via C–H and C–N Bond Simultaneous Activations

Here, we demonstrate that α-C-H and C-N bonds of unactivated secondary amides can be activated simultaneously by the copper catalyst to synthesize α-ketoamides or α-ketoesters in one step, which is a challenging and underdeveloped transformation. Using copper as a catalyst and air as an oxidant, the reaction is compatible with a broad range of acetoamides, amines, and alcohols. The preliminary mechanism studies and density functional theory calculation indicated that the reaction process may undergo first radical α-oxygenation and then transamidation with the help of the resonant six-membered N,O-chelation and molecular oxygen plays a role as an initiator to trigger the transamidation process. The combination of chelation assistance and dioxygen selective oxygenation strategy would substantially extend the modern mild synthetic amide cleavage toolbox, and we envision that this broadly applicable method will be of great interest in the biopharmaceutical industry, synthetic chemistry, and agrochemical industry.

Ru(II)-Catalyzed Decarbonylative Alkylation and Annulations of Benzaldehydes with Iodonium Ylides under Chelation Assistance.

A Ru(II)-catalyzed decarbonylative alkylation and annulation of salicylaldehydes and 2-aminobenzaldehydes with iodonium ylides has been developed for the synthesis of dibenzo[b,d]furans and NH-free carbazolones. The reaction proceeds smoothly under mild conditions with a low catalyst loading and a broad substrate compatibility. Notably, hydroxy and free amino groups were demonstrated to be the effective directing groups, enabling the successful aldehyde C-H bond activation and subsequent decarbonylation and annulation under the inexpensive Ru(II) catalyst.

Nickel(0)-Catalyzed Decarbonylative Cross-Coupling of Aromatic Esters with Arylboronic Acids via Chelation Assistance

10-Arylbenzo[h]quinolines were synthesized by cross-coupling of ethyl benzo[h]quinoline-10-carboxylate with arylboronic acids via group-directed Ni(0) catalyzation. The catalytic system combining Ni(COD)2 (10 mol %) with PCy3 (20 mol %) and t-BuOK (3 equiv) was optimal for the above transformations. A series of arylboronic acids reacted with ethyl benzo[h]quinoline-10-carboxylates for the production of various substituted 10-phenyl[h]quinolines in moderate and good yields under optimized reaction conditions.

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Decarboxylative Hydroacylation of Vinylethylene Carbonates for Regioselective Ester Synthesis

AbstractA rhodium(I)‐catalyzed decarboxylative hydroacylation of readily available vinylethylene carbonates with salicylaldehydes for regioselective preparation of esters was developed. Reaction optimization revealed that methacrylamide might promote the hydroacylation by bidentate chelation assistance to the cationic rhodium. Mechanistic findings suggested that this one‐pot coupling reaction proceeds via Markovnikov hydrorhodation‐initiated site‐selective β‐C−O bond cleavage with concurrent release of CO2.magnified image

Copper‐Mediated and Catalyzed C—H Bond Amination via Chelation Assistance: Scope, Mechanism and Synthetic Applications

Comprehensive SummaryNitrogen‐containing compounds are ubiquitously found in the fields of organic chemistry, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, medicinal chemistry and functional materials. The C—H bond amination reaction is one of the most straightforward protocols in the C—N bond formation, showing "step" and "atomic" economy. As a catalyst for C—H amination reaction, copper exhibits its unique catalytic properties due to easily accessible oxidation states. The research progress of copper‐catalyzed C—H amination in recent years is summarized. At the same time, reaction mechanisms are also briefly described in representative aminations to provide insights for the development prospects of highly practical and more environmentally benign processes.

Synthesis of an Organometallic Alkyl-Co(III) Complex with Amidoquinoline Directing Groups via C(sp3)–H Activation and Its UV–vis/NMR Spectroscopic, Crystallographic, DFT, and Electrochemical Studies

Abstract The use of earth-abundant and inexpensive Co catalysts for carbon-hydrogen (C–H) bond activation has received increasing attention because of the advantages including air stability. Although directing groups have been effectively introduced in substrates to promote C(sp3)–H activation through chelation assistance, there is a lack of basic information about the isolated alkyl-Co complexes containing directing groups as polydentate ligands. In this study, we report the synthesis and characterization of an alkyl-Co(III) complex 2Co, prepared from a N,N′-bis(8-quinolyl)malonamide derivative, the malonyl fragment of which was disubstituted by two ethyl groups. 2Co was straightforwardly obtained from a Co(II) salt without any use of chemical oxidants but in the presence of air, through selective β-C(sp3)–H activation. The combined NMR spectroscopic and X-ray crystal structural analyses revealed that the malonamide substrate was converted into a pentadentate ligand with an N4C set, acquiring a helical configuration around the Co(III) center. The non-innocent ligand properties of 2Co were unambiguously confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopic, electrochemical, and DFT studies. Thermolysis of 2Co enabled C(sp3)–N reductive elimination in the absence of chemical oxidants. The present study provides important insights into the reactivity of alkyl-Co(III) complexes with a defined coordination geometry around the Co center toward designing elaborate C(sp3)–H functionalization systems.

Copper‐catalyzed direct synthesis of arylated 8‐aminoquinolines through chelation assistance

AbstractCopper‐catalyzed N,N‐diarylation and N‐arylation of unprotected 8‐aminoquinoline derivatives with aryl halides have been described for the formation of C–N bonds. This protocol provides an efficient approach to synthesize a series of arylamines with tolerance to a wide range of functional groups for formation of key intermediates in many natural products.

Transition-metal-catalyzed C-H bond activation/functionalization and annulation of phthalazinones.

Phthalazinones and their higher congeners are commonly prevalent structural motifs that occur in natural products, bioactive molecules, and pharmaceuticals. In the past few decades, transition-metal-catalyzed reactions have received an overwhelming response from organic chemists as challenging organics and heterocycles could be built with ease. Currently, the synthesis of phthalazinones largely depends on transition-metal catalysis, especially by palladium-catalyzed carbonylation. Further, the dominance of transition-metal catalysts was realized from the phthalazinones viewpoint, as nitrogen and oxygen atoms endowed upon them act as directing groups to facilitate diverse C-H activation/functionalization/annulation reactions. This highlight describes the various synthetic methods used to access phthalazinones and functionalize them by reacting with various coupling partners via chelation assistance strategy involving C(sp2)-H/N-H bond activation in the presence of transition-metal (Rh, Ru, Pd, and Ir) catalysts. The mechanisms of sulfonylation, halogenation, acylmethylation, alkylation, and annulation reactions are discussed.

Transformations of Aryl Ketones via Ligand‐Promoted C−C Bond Activation

AbstractThe coupling of aromatic electrophiles (aryl halides, aryl ethers, aryl acids, aryl nitriles etc.) with nucleophiles is a core methodology for the synthesis of aryl compounds. Transformations of aryl ketones in an analogous manner via carbon–carbon bond activation could greatly expand the toolbox for the synthesis of aryl compounds due to the abundance of aryl ketones. An exploratory study of this approach is typically based on carbon–carbon cleavage triggered by ring‐strain release and chelation assistance, and the products are also limited to a specific structural motif. Here we report a ligand‐promoted β‐carbon elimination strategy to activate the carbon–carbon bonds, which results in a range of transformations of aryl ketones, leading to useful aryl borates, and also to biaryls, aryl nitriles, and aryl alkenes. The use of a pyridine‐oxazoline ligand is crucial for this catalytic transformation. A gram‐scale borylation reaction of an aryl ketone via a simple one‐pot operation is reported. The potential utility of this strategy is also demonstrated by the late‐stage diversification of drug molecules probenecid, adapalene, and desoxyestrone, the fragrance tonalid as well as the natural product apocynin.

Transformations of Aryl Ketones via Ligand-Promoted C-C Bond Activation.

The coupling of aromatic electrophiles (aryl halides, aryl ethers, aryl acids, aryl nitriles etc.) with nucleophiles is a core methodology for the synthesis of aryl compounds. Transformations of aryl ketones in an analogous manner via carbon-carbon bond activation could greatly expand the toolbox for the synthesis of aryl compounds due to the abundance of aryl ketones. An exploratory study of this approach is typically based on carbon-carbon cleavage triggered by ring-strain release and chelation assistance, and the products are also limited to a specific structural motif. Here we report a ligand-promoted β-carbon elimination strategy to activate the carbon-carbon bonds, which results in a range of transformations of aryl ketones, leading to useful aryl borates, and also to biaryls, aryl nitriles, and aryl alkenes. The use of a pyridine-oxazoline ligand is crucial for this catalytic transformation. A gram-scale borylation reaction of an aryl ketone via a simple one-pot operation is reported. The potential utility of this strategy is also demonstrated by the late-stage diversification of drug molecules probenecid, adapalene, and desoxyestrone, the fragrance tonalid as well as the natural product apocynin.

Iron-Catalyzed C(sp2)–H Alkylation of Indolines and Benzo[h]quinoline with Unactivated Alkyl Chlorides through Chelation Assistance

Regioselective C–H bond alkylation of indolines and benzo[h]quinoline with a wide range of unactivated and highly demanded primary and secondary alkyl chlorides is accomplished using a low-cost iron catalyst. This reaction tolerates diverse functionalities, such as C(sp2)–Cl, fluoro, alkenyl, silyl, ether, thioether, pyrrolyl, and carbazolyl groups including cyclic and acyclic alkyls as well as alkyl-bearing fatty-alcohol and polycyclic-steroid moieties. The demonstrated iron-catalyzed protocol proceeded via either a five-membered or a six-membered metallacycle. Intriguingly, the C-7-alkylated indolines can be readily functionalized into free-NH indolines/indoles and tryptamine derivatives. A detailed mechanistic investigation highlights the participation of an active Fe(I) catalyst and the involvement of a halogen-atom transfer process via a single-electron-based mechanism. Deuterium labeling and kinetics analysis indicate that the C–H metalation of indoline is the probable turnover-limiting step. Overall, the experimental and theoretical studies supported an Fe(I)/Fe(III) pathway for the alkylation reaction comprising the two-step, one-electron oxidative addition of alkyl chloride.

Conformationally Driven Ru(II)-Catalyzed Multiple ortho-C–H Bond Activation in Diphenylpyrazine Derivatives in Water: Where Is the Limit?

Ru(II)/carboxylate/PPh3 catalyst system enabled the preparation of highly conjugated pyrazine derivatives in water under microwave irradiation. Both nitrogen atoms efficiently dictated cleavage of the ortho-C–H bonds in both benzene rings of 2,3-diphenylpyrazine substrates through chelation assistance. In conformationally more flexible diphenyldihydropyrazine 1, the arylation of four ortho-C–H bonds was possible, while in the aromatic analog 2, the triarylation was the limit.