Internal Alkynes Research Articles

Insight into stable, concentrated radicals from sulfur-functionalized alkyne-rich crystalline frameworks and application in solar-to-vapor conversion

Organic radicals feature versatile unpaired electrons key for photoelectronic and biomedical applications but remain difficult to access in stable concentrated forms. We disclose easy generation of stable, concentrated radicals from various alkynyl phenyl motifs, including 1) sulfur-functionalized alkyne-rich organic linkers in crystalline frameworks; 2) the powders of these molecules alone; 3) simple diethynylbenzenes. For Zr-based framework, the generation of radical-rich crystalline framework was achieved by thermal annealing in the range of 300–450 °C. For terminal alkynes, electron paramagnetic resonance signals (EPR, indicative of free radicals) arise after air exposure or mild heating (e.g., 70 °C). Further heating (e.g., 150 °C for 3 h) raises the radical concentrations up to 3.30 mol kg−1. For more stable internal alkynes, transformations into porous radical solids can also be triggered, albeit at higher temperatures (e.g., 250–500 °C). The resulted radical-containing solids are porous, stable to air as well as heat (up to 300–450 °C) and exhibit photothermal conversion and solar-driven water evaporation capacity. The formation of radicals can be ascribed to extensive alkyne cyclizations, forming defects, dangling bonds and the associated radicals stabilized by polycyclic π-systems.

α-Bromoacetate as a Mild and Safe Brominating Agent in the Light-Driven Vicinal Dibromination of Unactivated Alkenes and Alkynes.

Light-induced vicinal dibromination of unactivated alkenes and alkynes has been demonstrated by using methyl α-bromoacetate as a mild brominating agent. A near-visible light (370 nm) light-emitting diode (LED) mediates this simple dibromination reaction under mild conditions with the inexpensive and nontoxic α-bromoacetate. The reaction proceeds well with both terminal and internal alkenes and alkynes and those contained in N/O-heterocycles, indicating its versatility in synthesizing dibrominated organic compounds.

Visible Light-Induced Copper-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Difluoroalkylthiocyanation of Alkynes.

The first regio- and stereoselective difluoroalkylthiocyanation of alkynes with BrCF2R and KSCN has been disclosed under visible light-induced copper catalysis. The copper complex photosensitizer formed in situ not only promotes the generation of CF2-alkyl radicals but also facilitates the construction of C-SCN bonds, allowing the reaction to proceed smoothly without any additional photocatalysts or radical initiators. Moreover, the challenging internal alkynes can also be transformed to deliver CF2-derived tetrasubstituted olefins with potential applications in agricultural and medicinal chemistry.

Recent Developments in the Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Azide Alkyne Cycloaddition (RuAAC) Reaction

AbstractThe ruthenium‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition (RuAAC) gives access to 1,5‐disubstitued triazoles in a single atom‐economical step and offers advantages compared to its copper‐catalyzed counterpart in that both terminal and internal alkynes can be employed. This review summarizes recent findings in this field during the last eight years, covering mechanistic investigations, synthetic developments, as well as applications in medicinal chemistry, polymer synthesis and physical organic chemistry.

Accurate control on nucleophilic addition of H2O to internal alkynes: Ag catalyzed regiospecific hydration strategy

In the absence of directing auxiliaries, catalytic addition of nucleophiles to unactivated alkynes with accurate control of regioselectivity remains an ongoing challenge in organic chemistry. Herein, we realized a Ag‐catalysed regiospecific hydration process of unactivated alkynes. Computational investigations offered insights into the origin of the regiochemical outcome. The practicability and efficacy of the protocol was exemplified by its simple reaction conditions without incorporation of acidic additives, as well as the toler‐ance of a wide range of alkynes equipped with various functional groups, leading to the ketone products in up to 98% yield. Direct modification of bioactive organic molecules and gram‐scale experiments further showcased the application potential of the strategy. The catalyst control principles are expected to advance efforts towards the development of general site‐selective addition of nucleophile to unsaturated substrates, removing the requirement for neighboring activating groups.

Synthesis of Benzo[a]carbazoles and Dibenzo[c,g]carbazoles via Sequential Gold Catalysis and Photomediated Cyclization.

Herein, we report a reaction protocol for the construction of benzo[a]carbazole and dibenzo[c,g]carbazole frameworks. The detailed gold catalytic reaction conditions developed for the challenging intermolecular carbon nucleophilic addition to internal alkynes are realized, giving the desired alkyne hydroarylation products in good yields. The resulting trisubstituted alkenes are able to undergo photomediated cyclization, furnishing the desired carbazole molecules with excellent yields and high efficiency.

Enantioselective Nickel-Catalyzed Denitrogenative Transannulation En Route to N-N Atropisomers.

Nickel-catalyzed transannulation reactions triggered by the extrusion of small gaseous molecules have emerged as a powerful strategy for the efficient construction of heterocyclic compounds. However, their use in asymmetric synthesis remains challenging because of the difficulty in controlling stereo- and regioselectivity. Herein, we report the first nickel-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of N-N atropisomers by the denitrogenative transannulation of benzotriazones with alkynes. A broad range of N-N atropisomers was obtained with excellent regio- and enantioselectivity under mild conditions. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided insights into the nickel-catalyzed reaction mechanism and enantioselectivity control.

Are Terminal Alkynes Necessary for MAO-A/MAO-B Inhibition? A New Scaffold Is Revealed.

A versatile family of quaternary propargylamines was synthesized employing the KA2 multicomponent reaction, through the single-step coupling of a number of amines, ketones, and terminal alkynes. Sustainable synthetic procedures using transition metal catalysts were employed in all cases. The inhibitory activity of these molecules was evaluated against human monoaminoxidase (hMAO)-A and hMAO-B enzymes and was found to be significant. The IC50 values for hMAO-B range from 152.1 to 164.7 nM while the IC50 values for hMAO-A range from 765.6 to 861.6 nM. Furthermore, these compounds comply with Lipinski's rule of five and exhibit no predicted toxicity. To understand their binding properties with the two target enzymes, key interactions were studied using molecular docking, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and MM/GBSA binding free energy calculations. Overall, herein, the reported family of propargylamines exhibits promise as potential treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. Interestingly, this is the first time a propargylamine scaffold bearing an internal alkyne has been reported to show activity against monoaminoxidases.

Mimicking Ozonolysis via Mechanochemistry: Internal Alkynes to 1,2-Diketones using H5IO6.

Utilizing periodic acid as an environmentally benign oxidizing agent, this study introduces a novel mechanochemical method that mimics ozonolysis to convert internal alkynes into 1,2-diketones, showcasing effective emulation of ozone's reactivity. Notably, this oxidation occurs at room temperature in aerobic conditions, eliminating the need for toxic transition metals, hazardous oxidants, or expensive solvents. Through control experiments validating the mechanism, substantial evidence supports a concerted reaction pathway. This progress marks a significant stride toward cleaner and more efficient chemical synthesis, mitigating the environmental impact of conventional processes. Assessing the green chemistry metrics in both solvent-free and previously reported solvent-based methods, our eco-friendly protocol demonstrates an E-factor of 7.40, a 51.7 % atom economy, a 45.5 % atom efficiency, 100 % carbon efficiency, and 11.9 % reaction mass efficiency when solvents are not used.

Photocatalytic [3+2] Cycloaddition of Alkyl/aryl Iodides and Internal Alkynes by Merging Halogen and Hydrogen Atom Transfer

Comprehensive SummaryA visible light photocatalytic [3+2] cycloaddition of alkynes with readily accessible organic iodides as the C3 synthon is developed herein. By merging halogen atom transfer (XAT) and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), alkyl/aryl iodides serve as a formal diradical precursor and add across C‐C triple bonds to deliver a number of functionalized cyclopentanes in moderate to high yields with exceptional regio‐ and diastereoselectivity. A reductive radical‐polar crossover mechanism, involving the cascade XAT, radical addition, 1,5‐HAT, polar effect‐promoted 5‐endo annulation, single electron transfer (SET) reduction, and protonation, may account for this unprecedented dehalogenative [3+2] cycloaddition. This work not only expands the repertoire of the traditional RATC methodology, but also provides a robust platform for the expedient assembly of cyclopentanes, a valuable structural motif in the realms of medicinal chemistry and material sciences.

Biphenylene and 1‐Azabiphenylene as a Platform for Synthesis of Azapolyaromatic Compounds

AbstractAttempts to carry out intramolecular annulation of 9,10‐diarylbenzo[h]quinolines and 9,10‐di(hetero)arylphenanthrenes to aromatics with expanded π‐conjugated systems by using different methods are described. The starting compounds (9,10‐diarylbenzo[h]quinolines and 9,10‐di(hetero)arylphenanthrenes) were prepared by C−C bond activation in 1‐azabiphenylene or biphenylene followed by insertion of internal alkynes. Interestingly, unlike in purely carbon‐based aromatics, the course of the annulation turned out to be highly dependent on the structure of maternal compounds. In a handful of cases were obtained the expected or desired products. In others, unexpected rearrangements of the basic molecular frameworks were observed.

Electrochemical Oxidative 1,2-Dithiocyanation: Access to Functionalized Alkenes and Alkynes.

Reported herein is the 1,2-dithiocyanation of alkenes and alkynes via an efficient and facile electrochemical method. This approach not only showed a broad substrate scope and good functional-group compatibility but also avoided stoichiometric oxidants. Different from previous reports, various internal alkynes could be tolerated to provide tetra-substituted alkenes. Further gram-scale-up experiments and synthetic transformation demonstrated a potential application in organic synthesis. This process underwent a radical pathway, as evidenced by our mechanistic studies.

Indium(III)-Catalyzed Haloalkynylation Reaction of Alkynes.

Green chemistry strives for sustainability at the molecular level and is gaining increasing relevance in the development of chemical reactions. The haloalkynylation reaction is a highly atom-economical C-C coupling reaction that was previously only achieved using transition metal catalysts. It enables the introduction of an alkyne unit and a halogen atom into the target molecule. Herein, we present a haloalkynylation reaction catalyzed by indium(III) halides. The use of indium(III) bromide as a catalyst leads exclusively to the cis addition products with yields up to 86 %. In addition, iodoacetylenes can be applied for the first time for the haloalkynylation reaction of internal alkynes which is an important step forward in the development of industrially relevant and sustainable catalysts. In contrast to gold catalysis, which proceeds via a similar mechanism, the use of alkyl-substituted haloacetylenes as reagents is also possible. Based on 13C labeling experiments and quantum chemical calculations, we postulate two possible mechanisms for the indium(III)-catalyzed haloalkynylation reactions.

Dehydrogenative Coupling of Alcohols with Internal Alkynes under Nickel Catalysis: An Access to β-Deuterated Branched Ketones

Dehydrogenative Coupling of Alcohols with Internal Alkynes under Nickel Catalysis: An Access to β-Deuterated Branched Ketones

Cross-Coupling Between Aryl Halides and Aryl Alkynes Catalyzed by an Odd Alternant Hydrocarbon.

Catalytic cross-coupling between aryl halides and alkynes is considered an extremely important organic transformation (popularly known as the Sonogashira coupling) and it requires a transition metal-based catalyst. Accomplishing such transformation without any transition metal-based catalyst in the absence of any external stimuli such as heat, photoexcitation or cathodic current is highly challenging. This work reports transition-metal-free cross-coupling between aryl halides and alkynes synthesizing a rich library of internal alkynes without any external stimuli. A chemically double-reduced phenalenyl (PLY)-based molecule with the super-reducing property was employed for single electron transfer to activate aryl halides generating reactive aryl radicals, which subsequently react with alkyne. This protocol covers not only various types of aryl, heteroaryl and polyaryl halides but also applies to a large variety of aromatic alkynes at room temperature. With a versatile substrate scope successfully tested on more than 75 entries, this radical-mediated pathway has been explained by several control experiments. All the key reactive intermediates have been characterized with spectroscopic evidence. Detailed DFT calculations have been instrumental in portraying the mechanistic pathway. Furthermore, we have successfully extended this transition-metal-free catalytic strategy for the first time towards solvent-free cross-coupling between solid aryl halide and alkyne substrates.

Ruthenium(II)-Catalyzed Oxidative Annulation of Imidazo[1,5-a]quinolin-2-iums Salts and Internal Alkynes via C-H Bond Activation.

Ruthenium(II)-catalyzed synthesis of π-conjugated fused imidazo[1,5-a]quinolin-2-ium derivatives have been achieved via C-H activation of quinoline-functionalized NHC (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene) and oxidative coupling with internal alkynes. The reaction occurred with high efficiency, broad substrate scope, tolerates a wide range of functional groups and utilized into a gram-scale. Synthetic applications of the coupled product have been exemplified in the late-stage derivatization of various highly functionalized scaffolds. Moreover, most of the annulated products exhibit intense fluorescence and have potential applications in optoelectronic devices. Mechanistic studies have provided insights into the spectroscopic characterization of key five-membered ruthenacycle intermediate and Ru(0) sandwich species. Based on several control experiments, deuterium-kinetic isotope effect, and thermodynamic activation parameters the mechanistic finding demonstrated that fused imidazo-[1,5-a]quinolin-2-ium C(2)-H bond cleavage is the rate-determining step and ruling out the possibility of reductive elimination for controlling the rate of reaction.

A Theoretical Study on the 1,2-Bis-Silylation of Internal Alkynes Catalyzed by Ni-NHC: Understanding the Influential Factors on Catalyst Conversion, Stability, and Reactivity

A Theoretical Study on the 1,2-Bis-Silylation of Internal Alkynes Catalyzed by Ni-NHC: Understanding the Influential Factors on Catalyst Conversion, Stability, and Reactivity

Ligand-Controlled Regiodivergent Alkoxycarbonylation of Trifluoromethylthiolated Internal Alkynes.

Controlling the regioselectivity for the alkoxycarbonylation of unsymmetric internal alkynes is challenging. Herein, a palladium-catalyzed ligand-controlled regiodivergent alkoxycarbonylation of internal trifluoromethylthiolated alkynes was achieved. A series of α- or β-SCF3 acrylates from the same trifluoromethylthiolated alkyne were obtained with moderate to high yield and regioselectivity.

Three-component N-alkenylation of azoles with alkynes and iodine(III) electrophile: synthesis of multisubstituted N-vinylazoles.

A stereoselective N-alkenylation of azoles with alkynes and iodine(III) electrophile is reported. The reaction between various azoles and internal alkynes is mediated by benziodoxole triflate as the electrophile in a trans-fashion, affording azole-bearing vinylbenziodoxoles in moderate to good yields. The tolerable azole nuclei include pyrazole, indazole, 1,2,3-triazole, benzotriazole, and tetrazole. The iodanyl group in the product can be leveraged as a versatile synthetic handle, allowing for the preparation of hitherto inaccessible types of densely functionalized N-vinylazoles.

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.