Rhodium-catalyzed Reaction Research Articles

Rhodium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Unsymmetric Di(heteroaryl)ureas Involving an Equilibrium Shift

Unsymmetric di(heteroaryl)ureas such as HetAr1-NHCONH-HetAr2 are efficiently synthesized from two symmetric ureas, HetAr1-NHCONH-HetAr1 and HetAr2-NHCONH-HetAr2, by rhodium-catalyzed exchange reactions. The equilibrium in some of the reactions can be shifted to the formation of unsymmetric ureas by the aggregation of the dimers formed by inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Regio- and Diastereoselective Hydroarylation of Allenes: An Unprecedented Ene Reaction

A rhodium-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of α-acidic isocyanoacetamides to allenes for the selective formation of Z-vinyl-functionalized oxazoles as an unprecedented method for hydroarylation of allenes is described. Employing diverse isocyanoacetamides and allenes, a library of vinyl oxazoles is introduced in a stereo- and regiospecific fashion and moderate to high yields. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the reaction proceeds through a concise rhodium-catalyzed ene reaction followed by reductive elimination.

Rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular enantioselective Alder\u2013ene type reaction of cyclopentenes with silylacetylenes

The Alder–ene type reaction between alkenes and alkynes provides an efficient and atom-economic method for the construction of C-C bond, which has been widely employed in the synthesis of natural products and other functional molecules. The intramolecular enantioselective Alder-ene cycloisomerization reactions of 1,n-enynes have been extensively investigated. However, the intermolecular asymmetric version has not been reported, and remains a challenging task. Herein, we describe a rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular enantioselective Alder-ene type reaction of cyclopentenes with silylacetylenes. A variety of chiral (E)-vinylsilane tethered cyclopentenes bearing one quaternary carbon and one tertiary carbon stereocenters are achieved in high yields and enantioselectivities. The reaction undergoes carbonyl-directed migratory insertion, β-H elimination and desymmetrization of prochiral cyclopentenes processes.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective and Desymmetrizative Pauson-Khand Reaction: Access to Tricyclo[6.2.1.04,11]undecenes.

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric desymmetrization Pauson-Khand reaction of C4-alkynyl-tethered cyclohexadienones has been developed as a novel strategy for access to fused 6-5-5 tricycles bearing three consecutive stereogenic centers. An array of chiral tricyclo[6.2.1.04,11]undecenes have been synthesized in high yields and enantioselectivities in a single step under mild conditions. This strategy employs readily accessible internal-olefin-containing 1,6-enynes, providing a potentially powerful tool for constructing chiral polycyclic scaffolds of complex molecules containing cyclopentenones and cyclohexenones.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Sulfimidation Reactions: A Computational Study

The rhodium-catalyzed sulfimidation of thioethers using N-mesyloxycarbamates is a powerful tool to access chiral sulfilimines. 4-Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and bis-(DMAP)CH2Cl2 additives were found to be crucial to achieving high yields and selectivities. Experimental studies have suggested that the reaction mechanism would involve a rhodium/nitrenoid complex rather than a rhodium/nitrene species. A density functional theory (DFT) study to investigate rhodium-catalyzed sulfimidation reactions is reported herein. Both rhodium nitrene and rhodium nitrenoid species were proposed as key intermediates for the amination reaction. The role of additives was investigated, showing that the apical DMAP ligand was crucial to stabilize the rhodium nitrene intermediate. Furthermore, adding bis-(DMAP)CH2Cl2 diverges the reaction mechanism from a rhodium nitrene insertion to a substitution-like reaction of the rhodium nitrenoid complex. This deviation was demonstrated to be substrate-dependent, which is in agreement with the experimental Hammett study.

Facile generation of bridged medium-sized polycyclic systems by rhodium-catalysed intramolecular (3+2) dipolar cycloadditions

Bridged medium-sized bicyclo[m.n.2] ring systems are common in natural products and potent pharmaceuticals, and pose a great synthetic challenge. Chemistry for making bicyclo[m.n.2] ring systems remains underdeveloped. Currently, there are no general reactions available for the single-step synthesis of various bridged bicyclo[m.n.2] ring systems from acyclic precursors. Here, we report an unusual type II intramolecular (3+2) dipolar cycloaddition strategy for the syntheses of various bridged bicyclo[m.n.2] ring systems. This rhodium-catalysed cascade reaction provides a relatively general strategy for the direct and efficient regioselective and diastereoselective synthesis of highly functionalized and synthetically challenging bridged medium-sized polycyclic systems. Asymmetric total synthesis of nakafuran-8 was accomplished using this method as a key step. Quantum mechanical calculations demonstrate the mechanism of this transformation and the origins of its multiple selectivities. This reaction will inspire the design of the strategies to make complex bioactive molecules with bridged medium-sized polycyclic systems.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Reactions of Boronic Acids with Cyclobutenes

Rhodium-Catalyzed Reactions of Boronic Acids with Cyclobutenes

Synthesis of Indolo[2,1-a]benzazepinones through Rhodium-Catalyzed Cascade Reactions of 2-Arylindoles with Allyl Alcohols.

An efficient synthesis of indolo[2,1-a]benzazepinones through rhodium-catalyzed cascade reactions of 2-arylindoles with allyl alcohols has been developed. This work expands the scope of products that are available through C-H activation/intramolecular annulation reactions of 2-arylindoles in organic synthesis.

Copper(II) Acetate-Induced Oxidation of Hydrazones to Diazo Compounds under Flow Conditions Followed by Dirhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Cyclopropanation Reactions.

A tandem system comprising in-line diazo compound synthesis and downstream consumption in a rhodium-catalyzed cyclopropanation reaction has been developed. Passing hydrazone through a silica column absorbed with Cu(OAc)2-H2O/N,N-dimethylaminopyridine oxidized the hydrazone to generate an aryldiazoacetate in flow. The crude aryldiazoacetate elutes from this column directly into a downstream cyclopropanation reaction, catalyzed by the chiral dirhodium tetracarboxylates, Rh2(R-p-Ph-TPCP)4 and Rh2(R-PTAD)4. This convenient flow to batch method was applied to the synthesis of a range of 1,2-diarylcyclopropane-1-carboxylates in high yields and with high levels of enantioselectivity.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Reductive trans-Alkylacylation of Internal Alkynes via a Formal Carborhodation/C-H Carbonylation Cascade.

A rhodium-catalyzed reductive annulation cascade reaction that consists of a formal anti-carborhodation of a C≡C bond and an aromatic C-H carbonylation cascade for producing cyclopenta[de]quinoline-2,5(1H,3H)-diones is described. This method uses the Mn reductant to reductively regenerate the active rhodium species, hence obviating the need for prefunctionalization, and represents a new route to the carbonylation of aromatic C-H bonds with alkynes leading to aryl vinyl ketone frameworks.

The Mechanism and Origin of Enantioselectivity in the Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Ring-Opening Reactions of Oxabicyclic Alkenes with Organoboronic Acids: A DFT Investigation

The mechanism and origins of enantio- and stereoselectivity in the asymmetric ring-opening (ARO) reactions of oxabicyclic alkenes with organoboronic acids catalyzed by rhodium/Josiphos has been examined at the B3LYP/defTZVP level of theory. The mechanism consists of four steps including transmetalation, carborhodation, β-oxygen elimination, and hydrolysis. Energetic discrimination in the chirality-imparting step arises from attractive C–H−π interactions between the transmetalated aryl group and the Josiphos ligand, as well as steric clashes between the Josiphos ligand and the oxabicyclic alkene. Computational results indicate that the rate-determining step is involved in the hydrolysis of the rhodium(I) alkoxide from the ring-opened intermediate. In the overall catalytic cycle, the greatest free energy barrier is 23.4 kcal/mol, which supports that the Rh-catalyzed ARO reactions take place at mild reaction conditions, which is consistent with experimental observations.

Rh(I) Complexes in Catalysis: A Five-Year Trend.

Rhodium is one of the most used metals in catalysis both in laboratory reactions and industrial processes. Despite the extensive exploration on “classical” ligands carried out during the past decades in the field of rhodium-catalyzed reactions, such as phosphines, and other common types of ligands including N-heterocyclic carbenes, ferrocenes, cyclopentadienyl anion and pentamethylcyclopentadienyl derivatives, etc., there is still lively research activity on this topic, with considerable efforts being made toward the synthesis of new preformed rhodium catalysts that can be both efficient and selective. Although the “golden age” of homogeneous catalysis might seem over, there is still plenty of room for improvement, especially from the point of view of a more sustainable chemistry. In this review, temporally restricted to the analysis of literature during the past five years (2015–2020), the latest findings and trends in the synthesis and applications of Rh(I) complexes to catalysis will be presented. From the analysis of the most recent literature, it seems clear that rhodium-catalyzed processes still represent a stimulating challenge for the metalloorganic chemist that is far from being over.

Total Synthesis of Natural Products Containing Enamine or Enol Ether Derivatives.

Enamine and enol ethers are nucleophilic functional groups that are well known to most chemists. When enamine or enol ethers are present in natural products, they are nearly exclusively found as derivatives having a direct connection to electron-withdrawing groups for stabilization, and the resulting larger entities, such as enamides or enol acylates, can be further extended or modified in the framework of natural products. The restricted conformational space that is associated with even simple enamine and enol ether derivatives can be a strong determinant of the overall molecular structure, and the more polarized derivatives can endow some natural products with electrophilic properties and thus facilitate covalent interactions with biological targets.In this Account, I describe our efforts (published since 2016) to prepare natural products from several different classes that all feature enamine or enol ether derivatives as key functionalities. Our choice of targets has been guided by a desire to illuminate unknown biological mechanisms associated with the compounds or, alternatively, to improve upon known biological activities that appear to be promising from a biomedical perspective. In the present text, however, the exclusive focus will be on the syntheses.First, I will discuss the basic properties of the functional groups and briefly present a small collection of illustrative and inspirational examples from the literature for their construction in different complex settings. Next, I will provide an overview of our work on the macrocyclic APD-CLD natural products, rakicidin A and BE-43547A1, involving the development of an efficient macrocyclization strategy and the development of methods to construct the hallmark APD group: a modified enamide. The synthesis of the meroterpenoid strongylophorine-26 is discussed next, where we developed an oxidative quinone methoxylation to build a vinylogous ester group in the final step of the synthesis and employed FeCl3-mediated cascade reactions for the rapid assembly of the overall scaffold to enable a short semisynthesis from isocupressic acid. An efficient core scaffold assembly was also in focus in our synthesis of the alkaloid streptazone A with the signature enaminone system being assembled through a rhodium-catalyzed Pauson-Khand reaction. Sequential, site-selective redox manipulations were developed to arrive at strepatzone A and additional members of the natural product family. Finally, I discuss our work to prepare analogs of complex polyether ionophores featuring functionalized tetronic acids as cation-binding groups. A method for the construction of a suitably protected chloromethylidene-modified tetronate is presented which enabled its installation in the full structure through a C-acylation reaction. This work exemplifies how components of abundant polyether ionophores can be recycled and used to access new structures which may possess enhanced biological activities.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Intermolecular Silylation of Csp -H by Silacyclobutanes.

The signature reactivity of silacyclobutane (SCB) is their cycloaddition reactions with various π bonds. Recently, the first cases were disclosed where SCBs reacted with both Csp2 -H and Csp3 -H σ bonds in an intramolecular fashion. Herein, it is reported that SCB is also an efficient reagent for Csp -H bond silylation. Thus, rhodium-catalyzed intermolecular reactions between SCBs and terminal alkynes produced a series of symmetrical and unsymmetrical tetraorganosilicons bearing a Csp -Si functionality. Preliminary studies suggested that the reaction did not involve a cycloaddition pathway, but instead a direct activation of Csp -H bonds.

Solvent effects in hydroformylation of long-chain olefins

With the increasing concern about climate change, a transformation of chemical processes from petrochemicals towards renewable, sustainable feedstock is indispensable. This transition, however, requires a careful assessment of the transferability of kinetic and thermodynamic data and reaction mechanisms. Here, the rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation reaction of a long chain olefin (1-decene) from renewable resources with synthesis gas (CO/H2) is investigated. The bidentate phosphite ligand (BiPhePhos) shows a high degree of selectivity towards the desired n-aldehyde. This selectivity can be rationalized by kinetic discrimination at the branching point, i.e. the transition state of the hydride insertion step. Formation of the iso-aldehyde is kinetically and thermodynamically discriminated. The complex multi-step reactions of the desired hydroformylation reaction pathway with respect to the side-reactions such as olefin isomerization and hydrogenation are elucidated in detail. The solvent effects of a mixed polar/non-polar thermomorphic solvent system (DMF/dodecane) on chemical equilibria and activation energies were investigated using the COSMO-RS solvent model. Solvent screening for the overall rate-determining step gives a perspective as to solvent control of the process.

Enantioselective Synthesis of 1-Aryl Tetrahydroisoquinolines by the Rhodium-Catalyzed Reaction of 3,4-Dihydroisoquinolinium Tetraarylborates.

The 1-aryl tetrahydroisoquinolines (1-aryl THIQs) are omnipresent in biologically active molecules. Here we report on the direct asymmetric synthesis of these valuable compounds via the reaction of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium tetraarylborates. The dual roles of anionic tetraarylborates, which function as both prenucleophiles and stabilizers of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium cations, enable this rhodium(I)-catalyzed protocol to convergently provide enantioenriched 1-aryl THIQs in good yields (≤95%) with ≤97% ee, as demonstrated by the formal synthesis of (-)-solifenacin and the facile synthesis of (-)-Cryptostyline I.

Continuous co-product separation by organic solvent nanofiltration for the hydroaminomethylation in a thermomorphic multiphase system

While homogeneous catalysts can be used to efficiently produce intermediate and specialty chemicals, the separation of the precious catalyst from products, by-products or co-products can be a major challenge. Consequently, novel processes need to be developed to effectively separate and reuse the active catalyst, while avoiding accumulation of the various reaction products. Therefore, this work presents the development and demonstration of a hybrid, continuous reaction and separation process for the catalytic auto-tandem hydroaminomethylation (HAM) reaction. Herein, long-chain alkenes are converted to valuable higher aliphatic amines with high atom economy, while producing only water as co-product. Since the HAM is a rhodium-catalyzed reaction, a thermomorphic multiphase system is used as an integrated catalyst recycling strategy, which is further combined with a membrane-based separation of the co-product via organic solvent nanofiltration. Based on initial screening of various membranes and investigation on the water influence on the phase separation after the reactor, the full process for the HAM of 1-decene with diethylamine with separation of the co-product water was operated continuously for 75 h in a miniplant. The continuous operation of the process successfully demonstrated stable process operation, avoiding a steady accumulation of water while maintaining high catalyst rejection between 97% and 99.3%. The overall leaching of rhodium was kept below 3% of the total amount supplied. This corresponds to a loss of only 11 mg of catalyst per kg of product.

Mechanistic investigation on rhodium(III)-catalyzed cycloaddition of 2-vinylphenol derivatives with ethyne or carbon monoxide by DFT study

Rhodium-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction was calculated by density functional theory M06-2X method to directly synthesize benzoxepine and coumarin derivatives. In this work, we conducted a computational study of two competitive mechanisms in which the carbon atom of acetylene or carbon monoxide attacked and inserted from two different directions of the six-membered ring reactant to clarify the principle characteristics of this transformation. The calculation results reveal that: (i) the insertion process of alkyne or carbon monoxide is the key step of the reaction; (ii) for the (5+2) cycloaddition reaction of acetylene, higher energy is required to break the Rh−O bond of the reactant, and the reaction tends to complete the insertion from the side of the Rh−C bond; (iii) for the (5+1) cycloaddition of carbon monoxide, both reaction paths have lower activation free energy, and the two will generate a competition mechanism.

Rhodium-catalyzed cascade reactions of triazoles with organoselenium compounds - a combined experimental and mechanistic study.

Herein, we report on our studies on the reaction of organoselenium compounds with triazoles under thermal conditions using simple Rh(ii) catalysts. These reactions do not provide the product of classic rearrangement reactions. Instead two different cascade reactions were uncovered. While allyl selenides react in a cascade of sigmatropic rearrangement and selenium-mediated radical cyclization reaction to give dihydropyrroles, cinnamyl selenides undergo a double rearrangement reaction cascade involving a final aza-Cope reaction to give the product of 1,3-difunctionalization. Theoretical and experimental studies were conducted to provide an understanding of the reaction mechanism of these cascade reactions. The former provide an important insight into fundamental question on the nature of the ylide intermediate in rearrangement reactions and reveal that organoselenium compounds take up multiple roles in rearrangement reactions and mediate a free ylide reaction mechanism.

A novel construction of acetamides from rhodium-catalyzed aminocarbonylation of DMC with nitro compounds.

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC), an environment-friendly compound prepared from CO2, shows diverse reactivities. In this communication, an efficient procedure using DMC as both a C1 building block and solvent in the aminocarbonylation reaction with nitro compounds has been developed. W(CO)6 acts both a CO source and a reductant here.