Cooperative N-heterocyclic Carbene Research Articles

Cooperative NHC and Photoredox Catalyzed Radical Aminoacylation of Alkenes to Tetrahydropyridazines.

Tetrahydropyridazines constitute an important structural motif found in numerous natural products and pharmaceutical compounds. Herein, we report an aminoacylation reaction of alkenes that enables the synthesis of 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridazines through cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and photoredox catalysis. This approach involves the 6-endo-trig cyclization of N-centered hydrazonyl radicals, generated via single-electron oxidation of hydrazones, followed by a radical-radical coupling step. The mild process tolerates a wide range of common functional groups and affords a variety of tetrahydropyridazines in moderate to high yields. Preliminary investigations using chiral NHC catalysts demonstrate the potential of this protocol for asymmetric radical reactions.

Stereoselective Fluoroalkylacylation of Alkynes via Cooperative N-Heterocyclic Carbene/Palladium Catalysis.

Herein, a cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene- and palladium-catalyzed three-component reaction of alkynes with aldehydes and fluoroalkyl iodides is developed. A series of biologically valuable CF2R-incorporated α-substituted enones was obtained in moderate to good yields. This mild catalytic method exhibits exclusive regio- and stereoselectivity, excellent functional group tolerance, and a broad substrate scope including terminal and internal alkynes. Mechanistic investigations disclose that this alkyne fluoroalkylacylation proceeds via a radical relay process in which vinyl iodides serve as putative reaction intermediates.

Cooperative Photoredox and N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis Suzuki-Miyaura-Type Reaction: Radical Coupling of Aroyl Fluorides and Alkyl Boronic Acids.

An intermolecular Suzuki-Miyaura-type reaction of benzoyl fluorides with alkyl boronic acids to synthetic ketone was revealed by cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and photoredox catalysis. Various alkyl boric acids can be converted into alkyl radicals without external oxidants or activators. Moreover, the catalytic system was feasible for the difunctionalization of styrenes via a radical relay process. Mechanistic experiments suggested that the benzoate anion intermediate might play a unique role in this reaction system.

Dual visible-light and NHC-catalyzed radical relay trifunctionalization of unactivated alkenes

Radical trifunctionalization of unactivated alkenes remains rare and challenging, although they can provide a robust tool for the construction of molecules with high added value from simple materials. This work presents the relay dual N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalytic and visible-light photocatalytic multi-component trifunctionalization of alkyl alkenes via the merger of remote 1,4-cyano migration and alkylacylation. The method features a broad substrate scope and good compatibility of diverse functional groups. Density functional theory calculations were also carried out to rationalize the origin of this reaction. The cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene and photoredox catalysis enabled reductive single-electron transfer reaction of acyl azolium species and subsequent radical-radical cross-coupling, allowing for the facile construction of three new C−C bonds in one-pot reactions with high regioselectivity.

Cooperative NHC and Photoredox Catalysis for the Synthesis of 1,4-Dicarbonyl Compounds via Diacylation of Alkenes.

An intermolecular 1,2-diacylation of alkenes is disclosed via cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene and photoredox catalysis under the mediation of PPh3 and Cs2CO3. This protocol provides a practical approach for construction of 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds toward novel diketone and pharmaceutical derivatives. Furthermore, the regioselective dicarbonyl compounds can be synthesized by adding acyl azolium salt. Mechanistic investigations suggest that the process was a critical radical/radical cross coupling of ketyl radicals with benzylic C-radicals.

Benzylic C\u2212H acylation by cooperative NHC and photoredox catalysis

Methods that enable site selective acylation of sp3 C-H bonds in complex organic molecules are not well explored, particularly if compared with analogous transformations of aromatic and vinylic sp2 C-H bonds. We report herein a direct acylation of benzylic C-H bonds by merging N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and photoredox catalysis. The method allows the preparation of a diverse range of benzylic ketones with good functional group tolerance under mild conditions. The reaction can be used to install acyl groups on highly functionalized natural product derived compounds and the C-H functionalization works with excellent site selectivity. The combination of NHC and photoredox catalysis offers options in preparing benzyl aryl ketones.

Cooperative N-heterocyclic Carbene and Iridium Catalysis Enables Stereoselective and Regiodivergent [3 + 2] and [3 + 3] Annulation Reactions

A cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/iridium catalysis has been developed to achieve highly stereoselective and regiodivergent [3 + 2] and [3 + 3] annulation reactions of 2-indolyl allyl carb...

Cooperative NHC and Photoredox Catalysis for the Synthesis of β-Trifluoromethylated Alkyl Aryl Ketones.

Despite the great potential of radical chemistry in organic synthesis, N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐catalyzed reactions involving radical intermediates are not well explored. This communication reports the three‐component coupling of aroyl fluorides, styrenes and the Langlois reagent (CF3SO2Na) to give various β‐trifluoromethylated alkyl aryl ketones with good functional group tolerance in moderate to high yields by cooperative photoredox/NHC catalysis. The alkene acyltrifluoromethylation proceeds via radical/radical cross coupling of ketyl radicals with benzylic C‐radicals. The ketyl radicals are generated via SET reduction of in situ formed acylazolium ions whereas the benzylic radicals derive from trifluoromethyl radical addition onto styrenes.

Diastereodivergent synthesis of enantioenriched α,β-disubstituted γ-butyrolactones via cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene and Ir catalysis

The stereodivergent synthesis of natural product frameworks via a single transformation using simple starting materials is a significant challenge. The prevalence of γ-butyrolactones in biologically active natural products has long motivated the development of enantioselective strategies towards their synthesis. Herein, we report an enantio- and diastereodivergent [3 + 2] annulation reaction for the synthesis of α,β-disubstituted γ-butyrolactones through cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalysis and iridium catalysis. This method overcomes the challenges of merging N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalysis with iridium catalysis by the appropriate choice of ligands. The use of two chiral catalysts allowed control over the relative and absolute configuration of the two formed stereocentres, thereby providing selective access to all four possible stereoisomers of the γ-lactone products. The transformation could be extended to the synthesis of δ-lactams via [4 + 2] annulation. The synthetic utility of this methodology was illustrated in the concise synthesis of the naturally occurring lignan (−)-hinokinin. Methods to allow access to all isomers of a product are both valuable and challenging to achieve. Here the authors report a catalytic system comprised of an N-heterocyclic carbene and an iridium complex, and show that it can be used for the asymmetric, diastereodivergent synthesis of γ-butyrolactones.

Cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene Au and amino catalysis for continuous synthesis of secondary propargylamines in a fiber supported hydrophilic microenvironment

A series of reusable and tunable polyacrylonitrile fiber supported catalysts that make use of the cooperative interplay between N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) Au(III) and amino groups have been developed for synthesis of secondary propargylamines. The yield using immobilized NHC-Au(III) as catalyst is twice as much as that of its small molecule counterpart. Moreover, implementation of a flow system with polyacrylonitrile fiber supported NHC-Au(III) as catalyst leads to a short retention time of 3.3 min and an efficient productivity of 27 mmol/h. The highly catalytic activity of this catalyst is ascribed to the unique hydrophilic microenvironment consisting of NHC-Au(III), -NH2 and -CN groups in the surface of fiber catalyst. In this microenvironment, the adjacent NHC-Au(III) and amino groups promote the formation of gold-acetylide complex cooperatively with turnover numbers (TON) up to 5200.

Highly Enantioselective [5 + 2] Annulations through Cooperative N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Organocatalysis and Palladium Catalysis.

The highly enantioselective [5 + 2] annulation of enals with vinylethylene carbonates through a cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/Pd catalytic system is reported. The use of a bidentate phosphine ligand was crucial to prevent coordination of the NHC organocatalyst to the active Pd catalyst. The complementary and matched combination of the chiral NHC catalyst and chiral phosphine ligand promotes high levels of both reactivity and enantioselectivity (mostly ≥99% ee).

Cooperative N-Heterocyclic Carbene–Chiral Phosphate Organocatalysis

Key words cooperative catalysis - N-heterocyclic carbenes - chiral phosphates

Cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)–Lewis acid-mediated regioselective umpolung formal [3 + 2] annulations of alkynyl aldehydes with isatins

A novel and regioselective umpolung synthesis of spirooxindoles has been developed by cooperative NHC-Lewis acid-mediated formal [3 + 2] annulations of alkynyl aldehydes with isatins. In most cases, the reactions proceeded via a(3)-d(3) umpolung of alkynyl aldehydes resulting in spirooxindole butenolides. In a few cases, spirooxindole furan-3(2H)-ones were formed as the major products via an a(1)-d(1) umpolung process by controlling the reaction temperature. These newly formed spirooxindoles could provide promising candidates for chemical biology and drug lead discovery.

Understanding the cooperative NHC/LA catalysis for stereoselective annulation reactions with homoenolates. A DFT study

The role of Ti(Oi-Pr)(4) Lewis acid (LA) in the cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/LA catalyzed addition of enals to enones to yield cis-cyclopentenes has been investigated using DFT methods at the B3LYP/6-31G** computational level. Ti(IV) effectively catalyzes the reaction by formation of a complex with cinnamaldehyde 1, which favors the nucleophilic attack of NHC 5 on 1, and the subsequent proton abstraction to yield the extended Ti(IV)-Breslow intermediate 21. The nature of the metal involved in the LA catalyst plays a relevant role due to the more basic character of NHCs than aldehydes. Thus, strong LAs, such as Zn(OTf)(2), prevent the catalytic behavior of NHCs to form a very stable complex. The subsequent formation of a complex between chalcone 2 and the extended Ti(IV)-Breslow intermediate 21 favors the cis stereoselective C-C bond-formation. Analysis of the structures of Ti(IV)-complex precursors for the cis and trans C-C bond-formation steps allows for an explanation of the unexpected cis stereoselectivity.