Ana B. Cuenca

Gold(I)-catalyzed intermolecular oxyarylation of alkynes: unexpected regiochemistry in the alkylation of arenes.

The reaction between acetylenes and sulfoxides, studied as a test case for gold-catalyzed intermolecular addition, provides the oxyarylation compounds 3 in good yields. Unpredictably, in all cases a single regioisomer arising from the electrophilic aromatic alkylation at the position adjacent to the sulfur atom is obtained instead of the expected Friedel-Crafts regioisomer. A new concerted mechanism based on DFT calculations is proposed to account for the products in this intermolecular gold(I)-catalyzed reaction.

Competitive Gold‐Activation Modes in Terminal Alkynes: An Experimental and Mechanistic Study

The competition between π- and dual σ,π-gold-activation modes is revealed in the gold(I)-catalyzed heterocyclization of 1-(o-ethynylaryl)urea. A noticeable effect of various ligands in gold complexes on the choice of these activation modes is described. The cationic [Au(IPr)](+) (IPr=2,6-bis(diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) complex cleanly promotes the π activation of terminal alkynes, whereas [Au(PtBu3 )](+) favors intermediate σ,π species. In this experimental and mechanistic study, which includes kinetic and cross-over experiments, several σ-gold, σ,π-gold, and other gold polynuclear reaction intermediates have been isolated and identified by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, or MALDI spectrometry. The ligand control in the simultaneous or alternative π- and σ,π-activation modes is also supported by deuterium-labeling experiments.

NHC-stabilized gold(I) complexes: suitable catalysts for 6-exo-dig heterocyclization of 1-(o-ethynylaryl)ureas.

3-Substituted 1-(o-ethynylaryl)ureas 1 selectively undergo either 6-exo-dig or 5-endo-dig cyclization (to give 4-methylene-3,4-quinazolin-2-ones 2 or indoles 3, respectively) depending on the choice of the metal, ligand, and reaction conditions. The best results (up to 96% yield) in the preparation of the hydroamination products 2 are achieved with the highly bulky NHC-stabilized cationic gold(I) complex [Au(IPr)](+). Conversely, ureas bearing an internal alkyne lead to the 5-endo-dig cyclization mode regardless of the gold(I) complex employed. Whereas the nature of the substituent at N-3 does not have any influence on the regiochemistry observed, it does, in some cases, affect the efficiency of these transformations.

Osmium(III) Complexes with POP Pincer Ligands: Preparation from Commercially Available OsCl3·3H2O and Their X-ray Structures

Complexes OsCl(3){dbf(P(i)Pr(2))(2)} [1; dbf(P(i)Pr(2))(2) = 4,6-bis(diisopropylphosphino)dibenzofuran], OsCl(3){xant(P(i)Pr(2))(2)} [2; xant(P(i)Pr(2))(2) = 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diisopropylphosphino)xanthene], and OsCl(3){xant(PPh(2))(2)} [3; xant(PPh(2))(2) = 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)xanthene] have been obtained in high yield by the reaction of the corresponding diphosphine with OsCl(3)·3H(2)O. The ruthenium(III) counterparts RuCl(3){dbf(P(i)Pr(2))(2)} (4), RuCl(3){xant(P(i)Pr(2))(2)} (5), and RuCl(3){xant(PPh(2))(2)} (6) are similarly obtained from RuCl(3)·3H(2)O in moderate yields. The X-ray structures of dbf(P(i)Pr(2))(2) and complexes 1-3 are also reported.

Synthesis of a Naphthodiazaborinine and Its Verification by Planarization with Atomic Force Microscopy

Aiming to study new motifs, potentially active as functional materials, we performed the synthesis of a naphthodiazaborinine (the BN isostere of the phenalenyl anion) that is bonded to a hindered di-ortho-substituted aryl system (9-anthracene). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) and succeeded in both the verification of the original nonplanar structure of the molecule and the planarization of the skeleton by removing H atoms that cause steric hindrance. This study demonstrated that planarization by atomic manipulation is a possible route for extending molecular identification by AFM to nonplanar molecular systems that are difficult to probe with AFM directly.

Undeniable Confirmation of the syn-Addition Mechanism for Metal-Free Diboration by Using the Crystalline Sponge Method

The stereochemical outcome of the recently developed metal-free 1,2-diboration of aliphatic alkenes has, until now, only been elucidated by indirect means (e.g. derivatization). This is because classical conformational analysis of the resulting 1,2-diboranes is not viable; in the (1)H NMR spectrum the relevant (1)H resonances are broadened by (11)B, and the occurrence of the products as oily compounds precludes X-ray crystallographic analysis. Herein, the crystalline sponge method is used to display the crystal structures of the diboronic esters formed from internal E and Z olefins, evidencing the stereospecific syn addition mechanism of the reaction, which is fully consistent with the prediction from DFT calculations.

Highly Enantioselective Protonation of the 3,4-Dihydro-2- methylnaphthalen-1(2H)-one Li-Enolate by TADDOLs

A series of nine TADDOLs (=α,α,α′,α′-tetraaryl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-dimethanols) 1a – 1i, have been tested as proton sources for the enantioselective protonation of the Li-enolate of 2-methyl-1-tetralone (=3,4-dihydro-2-methylnaphthalen-1(2H)-one). The enolate was generated directly from the ketone (with LiN(i-Pr)2 (LDA)/MeLi) or from the enol acetate (with 2 MeLi) or from the silyl enol ether (with MeLi) in CH2Cl2 or Et2O as the solvent (Scheme). The Li-enolate (associated with LiBr/LDA, or LiBr alone) was combined with 1.5 – 3.0 equiv. of the TADDOL at −78° by addition of the latter or by inverse addition. 2-Methyl-1-tetralone of (S)-configuration is formed (≤80% yield) with up to 99.5% selectivity if and only if (R,R)-TADDOLs (1d, e, g) with naphthalen-1-yl groups on the diarylmethanol unit are employed (Table). The reactions were carried out on the 0.1- to 1.0-mM scale. The selectivity is subject to non-linear effects (NLE) when an enantiomerically enriched TADDOL 1d is used (Fig. 1). The performance of TADDOLs bearing naphthalen-1-yl groups is discussed in terms of their peculiar structures (Fig. 2).

Efficient asymmetric protonation of enolates with readily accessible chiral α-sulfinyl alcohols

Abstract The efficient asymmetric protonation of lithium enolates of 2-alkylcycloalkanones (87–96% ee) with readily accessible chiral α-sulfinyl alcohols is described. Optimal stereoselection is achieved for each lithium enolate at a different reaction temperature in the range −40 to −100°C.

Opportune gem-Silylborylation of Carbonyl Compounds: A Modular and Stereocontrolled Entry to Tetrasubstituted Olefins

An easy access to highly versatile gem-silylboronate synthons is achieved by means of a new olefination reagent, HC(Bpin)2 (SiMe3 ). Subsequent silicon or boron-based selective functionalization allows for the modular and stereocontrolled synthesis of all-carbon tetrasubstituted alkenes. A particular attraction of this approach is the iododesilylation reaction, which becomes a pivotal tool for C-Si functionalization.

First synthesis of the chiral mixed O/S ligands, 1,2-sulfinyl thiols: application as chiral proton sources in enantioselective protonations of enolates

Abstract A suitable method for the preparation of the chiral mixed O/S ligands 1,2-sulfinyl thiols is described. These compounds have then been used as a chiral proton source in the enantioselective protonation of 2-methyl tetralone enolate and the results are compared with those obtained from the analogous alcohols. A theoretical model is proposed to explain the different behaviors exhibited in the protonation reaction for each of these proton sources. Configurational assignments for the new chiral thiols have been carried out by means of X-ray analysis.