Radical-radical Cross-coupling Research Articles

Formal Aerobic Oxidative Cross-Coupling of Benzofuranones with Azo Compounds Using Pd-μ-hydroxo Complex.

We have developed a catalytic aerobic oxidative dimerization reaction of benzofuranones using a Pd(II)-µ-hydroxo complex. Radical-radical cross-coupling of the resulting dimers with azo compounds enabled the one-pot synthesis of structurally congested benzofuranones having two distinct vicinal all-carbon quaternary centers.

Visible-Light-Triggered Iodinations Facilitated by Weak Electrostatic Interaction of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes.

N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are well-known as ligands and organocatalysts, but there is no recognition for their catalytic role as a stabilizer through electrostatic interaction rather than electron donation. By utilizing the electrostatic interaction, we herein describe the success of a visible-light-triggered radical-radical cross-coupling of N-alkenoxypyridinium salts and NaI, giving a variety of α-iodo ketones. Computational studies characterize the stabilization role of NHCs.

Electrochemical Radical-Radical Cross-Coupling Approach between Sodium Sulfinates and 2H-Indazoles to 3-Sulfonylated 2H-Indazoles.

A direct cross-coupling between sodium sulfinates and 2H-indazoles has been developed under electrochemical conditions. The utilization of a graphite anode and platinum cathode in an undivided cell with a constant current of 7 mA allowed the concurrent oxidations of sulfinates and 2H-indazoles to sulfonyl radical and radical cationic 2H-indazoles, facilitating the direct radical-radical coupling strategy to 3-sulfonylated 2H-indazole derivatives. The transition-metal- and redox-reagent-free synthetic approach should serve as a valuable synthetic tool to achieve heteroaromatic compounds.

Manganese-Catalyzed Synthesis of Quaternary Peroxides: Application in Catalytic Deperoxidation and Rearrangement Reactions.

Highly efficient, selective, and direct C-H peroxidation of 9-substituted fluorenes has been achieved using a Mn-2,2'-bipyridine catalyst via radical-radical cross-coupling. Moreover, this method effectively promotes the vicinal bisperoxidation of sterically hindered various substituted arylidene-9H-fluorene/arylideneindolin-2-one derivatives to afford highly substituted bisperoxides with high selectivity over the oxidative cleavage of C═C bond that usually forms the ketone of an aldehyde. Furthermore, a new approach for the synthesis of (Z)-6-benzylidene-6H-benzo[c]chromene has been achieved via an acid-catalyzed skeletal rearrangement of these peroxides. For the first time, unlike O-O bond cleavage, reductive C-O bond cleavage in peroxides using the Pd catalyst and H2 is described, which enables the reversible reaction to afford exclusively deperoxidized products. A detailed mechanism for peroxidation, molecular rearrangement, and deperoxidation has been proposed with preliminary experimental evidences.

Metal-Free Synthesis of Indolopyrans and 2,3-Dihydrofurans Based on Tandem Oxidative Cycloaddition.

The synthesis of versatile scaffold indolopyrans based on C-C radical-radical cross-coupling under metal-free conditions is described. The reaction involving single electron transfer between coupling partners followed by cage collapse allows highly selective cross-coupling while employing only equimolar amounts of coupling partners. Moreover, the mechanistic manifold was expanded for the functionalization of enamines to give the stereoselective synthesis of 2,3-dihydrofurans. This iodine-mediated oxidative coupling features mild conditions and fast reaction kinetics.

Electrosynthesis of Dihydropyrano[4,3-b]indoles Based on a Double Oxidative [3+3] Cycloaddition.

Oxidative [3+3] cycloadditions offer an efficient route for six-membered-ring formation. This approach has been realized based on an electrochemical oxidative coupling of indoles/enamines with active methylene compounds followed by tandem 6π-electrocyclization leading to the synthesis of dihydropyrano[4,3-b]indoles and 2,3-dihydrofurans. The radical-radical cross-coupling of the radical species generated by anodic oxidation combined with the cathodic generation of the base from O2 allows for mild reaction conditions for the synthesis of structurally complex heterocycles.

Electrooxidation Enables Selective Dehydrogenative [4+2] Annulation between Indole Derivatives.

Dearomative annulation of indoles has emerged as a powerful tool for the preparation of polycyclic indoline-based alkaloids. Compared with well-established methods towards five-membered-ring-fused indolines, the six-membered-ring-fused indolines are rarely accessed under thermal conditions. Herein, a dearomative [4+2] annulation between different indoles is developed through an electrochemical pathway. This transformation offers a remarkably regio- and stereoselective route to highly functionalized pyrimido[5,4-b]indoles under oxidant- and metal-free conditions. Notably, this electrochemical approach maintains excellent functional-group tolerance and can be extended as a modification tactic for pharmaceutical research. Preliminary mechanism studies indicate that the electrooxidation annulation proceeds through radical-radical cross-coupling between an indole radical cation and an N-centered radical generated in situ.

Kolbe Anodic Decarboxylation as a Green Way To Access 2-Pyrrolidinones

Nootropic compounds are a group of pharmacologically active pyrrolidones. These molecules, which enhance cognition properties and possess a large prescription field, are particularly interesting synthetic targets for the pharmaceutical industry. In this Article, we disclose an effective and environmentally friendly pyrrolidinone synthesis using electrosynthesis. The newly developed methodology includes a Kolbe decarboxylation, followed by an intramolecular radical cyclization and a radical-radical cross-coupling.

Trifluoromethylation and Monofluoroalkenylation of Alkenes through Radical-Radical Cross-Coupling.

The first visible-light-induced trifluoromethylation and monofluoroalkenylation of simple alkenes via a challenging radical-radical cross-coupling step was achieved. This method provided a mild, step-economical and redox-neutral route to privileged two different fluorinated difunctionalized allyl compounds. The utility of this method is illustrated by late-stage modification of medically important molecules.

Direct α-Monofluoroalkenylation of Heteroatomic Alkanes via a Combination of Photoredox Catalysis and Hydrogen-Atom-Transfer Catalysis.

In this study, a new C(sp3)-H monofluoroalkenylation reaction involving cooperative visible-light photoredox catalysis and hydrogen-atom-transfer catalysis to afford products generated by selective hydrogen abstraction and radical-radical cross-coupling was described. This mild, efficient reaction shows high regioselectivity for the α-carbon atoms of amines, ethers, and thioethers and thus allows the preparation of monofluoroalkenes bearing various substituents. The reaction was applied to two bioactive molecules, indicating its utility for late-stage monofluoroalkenylation of compounds with inert C(sp3)-H bonds.

Theoretical Study of Ni-Catalyzed C-N Radical-Radical Cross-Coupling.

A computational study was carried out to investigate the mechanism and the origin of chemoselectivity in nickel-catalyzed C-N radical-radical cross-coupling reaction. The global electrophilicity index ω° and global nucleophilicity index N° were used to quantitatively describe the electrophilic or nucleophilic character of the carbon radical, nitrogen radical, and Ni(II) complex. The calculated ω° and N° values indicate that introduction of nickel makes C-N cross-coupling to be a facile process. Detailed theoretical results show that the cross-coupling occurs through the combination of Ni(I) complex with a nitrogen-centered radical, a minimum energy crossing point to form the singlet Ni(II) complex, and radical addition of the nucleophilic carbon-centered radical lead to C-N bond formation. On the basis of the theoretical results, a generalized scheme is provided to clarify the origin of the chemoselectivity in nickel-catalyzed C-N radical-radical cross-coupling.

Visible-Light-Triggered Directly Reductive Arylation of Carbonyl/Iminyl Derivatives through Photocatalytic PCET.

The first visible-light-mediated radical-radical cross-coupling strategy that enables the direct arylation of carbonyl/iminyl derivatives in the presence of Et3N has been realized. Such an atom-economical protocol furnishes a broad scope of arylation products such as secondary/tertiary alcohols and amines via a PCET process that facilitates the challenging reduction of C═X (X = O, N). Mechanistic investigation indicates two photocatalytic redox cycles were involved in the process, and Et3N was proved to serve as a dual reductant and proton donor. Moreover, the isolated byproducts and controlled experiments could be considered as powerful supporting evidence for our hypothesis.

Visible Light Photocatalytic Radical-Radical Cross-Coupling Reactions of Amines and Carbonyls: A Route to 1,2-Amino Alcohols.

An intermolecular radical-radical cross-coupling reaction of secondary and tertiary amines with aryl ketones and aldehydes has been developed using visible light photoredox catalysis. This reaction provides an efficient and straightforward approach to some useful 1,2-amino alcohols in moderate to good yields under mild conditions.

Monofluoroalkenylation of Dimethylamino Compounds through Radical–Radical Cross‐Coupling

An unprecedented and challenging radical-radical cross-coupling of α-aminoalkyl radicals with monofluoroalkenyl radicals derived from gem-difluoroalkenes was achieved. This first example of tandem C(sp(3) )-H and C(sp(2) )-F bond functionalization through visible-light photoredox catalysis offers a facile and flexible access to privileged tetrasubstituted monofluoroalkenes under very mild reaction conditions. The striking features of this redox-neutral method in terms of scope, functional-group tolerance, and regioselectivity are illustrated by the late-stage fluoroalkenylation of complex molecular architectures such as bioactive (+)-diltiazem, rosiglitazone, dihydroartemisinin, oleanic acid, and androsterone derivatives, which represent important new α-amino C-H monofluoroalkenylations.

Radical-Radical Cross-Coupling for C-S Bond Formation.

A new method was demonstrated to overcome the selectivity issue of radical-radical cross-coupling toward the synthesis of asymmetric diaryl thioethers. The preliminary mechanism was revealed by radical-trapping experiments, DFT calculations, and kinetics, etc., indicating that the C-S bond formed through cross-coupling of a thiyl radical and an aryl radical cation. Moreover, the formation of an aryl radical cation instead of the C-H bond cleavage was determined as the rate-limiting step.

Radical-radical cross coupling reactions of photo-excited fluorenones.

Radical-radical cross coupling reactions of photoexcited 9-fluorenones have been accomplished for the first time, leading to the synthesis of 9-alkyl, pyrollidinyl and spiro-THF derivatives of 9-fluorenones. The method also reveals, for the first time, the behaviour of ketyl radicals in decarboxyaltive alkylation and ring expansion reactions.