Matthew James Gaunt

A steric tethering approach enables palladium-catalysed C–H activation of primary amino alcohols

Aliphatic primary amines are a class of chemical feedstock essential to the synthesis of higher-order nitrogen-containing molecules, commonly found in biologically active compounds and pharmaceutical agents. New methods for the construction of complex amines remain a continuous challenge to synthetic chemists. Here, we outline a general palladium-catalysed strategy for the functionalization of aliphatic C-H bonds within amino alcohols, an important class of small molecule. Central to this strategy is the temporary conversion of catalytically incompatible primary amino alcohols into hindered secondary amines that are capable of undergoing a sterically promoted palladium-catalysed C-H activation. Furthermore, a hydrogen bond between amine and catalyst intensifies interactions around the palladium and orients the aliphatic amine substituents in an ideal geometry for C-H activation. This catalytic method directly transforms simple, easily accessible amines into highly substituted, functionally concentrated and structurally diverse products, and can streamline the synthesis of biologically important amine-containing molecules.

Enantioselective and Regiodivergent Copper-Catalyzed Electrophilic Arylation of Allylic Amides with Diaryliodonium Salts

A catalytic enantioselective and regiodivergent arylation of alkenes is described. Chiral copper(II)bisoxazoline complexes catalyze the addition of diaryliodonium salts to allylic amides in excellent ee. Moreover, the arylation can be controlled by the electronic nature of the diaryliodonium salt enabling the preparation of nonracemic diaryloxazines or β,β′-diaryl enamides.

A general catalytic β-C–H carbonylation of aliphatic amines to β-lactams

CO takes the lead to make β-lactam rings Strained β-lactam rings are a key feature of penicillin and some other drugs. Willcox et al. designed a versatile route to these four-membered ring motifs through the palladiumcatalyzed coupling of carbon monoxide with secondary amines. The bulky carboxylate ligand appears to facilitate preliminary CO incorporation into a Pd anhydride, which is then attacked by the amine to set up ring closure via C–H activation. This approach broadens the substrate scope compared with a previous scheme in which C–H activation preceded CO insertion. Science, this issue p. 851 A bulky carboxylate ligand steers palladium to couple carbon monoxide and secondary amines into a versatile motif for drug research. Methods for the synthesis and functionalization of amines are intrinsically important to a variety of chemical applications. We present a general carbon-hydrogen bond activation process that combines readily available aliphatic amines and the feedstock gas carbon monoxide to form synthetically versatile value-added amide products. The operationally straightforward palladium-catalyzed process exploits a distinct reaction pathway, wherein a sterically hindered carboxylate ligand orchestrates an amine attack on a palladium anhydride to transform aliphatic amines into β-lactams. The reaction is successful with a wide range of secondary amines and can be used as a late-stage functionalization tactic to deliver advanced, highly functionalized amine products of utility for pharmaceutical research and other areas.

Mechanistic Insights into the Palladium-Catalyzed Aziridination of Aliphatic Amines by C-H Activation.

Detailed kinetic studies and computational investigations have been performed to elucidate the mechanism of a palladium-catalyzed C-H activation aziridination. A theoretical rate law has been derived that matches with experimental observations and has led to an improvement in the reaction conditions. Acetic acid was found to be beneficial in controlling the formation of an off-cycle intermediate, allowing a decrease in catalyst loading and improved yields. Density functional theory (DFT) studies were performed to examine the selectivities observed in the reaction. Evidence for electronic-controlled regioselectivity for the cyclopalladation step was obtained by a distortion-interaction analysis, whereas the aziridination product was justified through dissociation of acetic acid from the palladium(IV) intermediate preceding the product-forming reductive elimination step. The understanding of this reaction mechanism under the synthesis conditions should provide valuable assistance in the comprehension and design of palladium-catalyzed reactions on similar systems.

Enantioselective Cu-Catalyzed Arylation of Secondary Phosphine Oxides with Diaryliodonium Salts toward the Synthesis of P-Chiral Phosphines

Catalytic synthesis of nonracemic P-chiral phosphine derivatives remains a significant challenge. Here we report Cu-catalyzed enantioselective arylation of secondary phosphine oxides with diaryliodonium salts for the synthesis of tertiary phosphine oxides with high enantiomeric excess. The new process is demonstrated on a wide range of substrates and leads to products that are well-established P-chiral catalysts and ligands.

Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective C–H Activation of Aliphatic Amines Using Chiral Anionic BINOL-Phosphoric Acid Ligands

The design of an enantioselective Pd(II)-catalyzed C-H amination reaction is described. The use of a chiral BINOL phosphoric acid ligand enables the conversion of readily available amines into synthetically valuable aziridines in high enantiomeric ratios. The aziridines can be derivatized to afford a range of chiral amine building blocks incorporating motifs readily encountered in pharmaceutically relevant molecules.

Enantioselective Copper-Catalyzed Arylation-Driven Semipinacol Rearrangement of Tertiary Allylic Alcohols with Diaryliodonium Salts

A copper-catalyzed enantioselective arylative semipinacol rearrangement of allylic alcohols using diaryliodonium salts is reported. Chiral Cu(II)-bisoxazoline catalysts initiate an electrophilic alkene arylation, triggering a 1,2-alkyl migration to afford a range of nonracemic spirocyclic ketones with high yields, diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

Callipeltosides A, B and C: Total Syntheses and Structural Confirmation

Since their isolation almost 20u2005years ago, the callipeltosides have been of long standing interest to the synthetic community owing to their unique structural features and inherent biological activity. Herein we present our full research effort that has led to the synthesis of these molecules. Key aspects of our final strategy include 1)u2005synthesis of the C1–C9 pyran core (5) using an AuCl3-catalysed cyclisation; 2)u2005formation of C10–C22 vinyl iodide (55) by sequential bidirectional Stille reactions and 3)u2005diastereoselective union of these advanced fragments by means of an alkenylzinc addition (d.r.=91:9 at C9). The common callipeltoside aglycon (4) was completed in a further five steps. Following this, all three sugar fragments were appended to provide the entire callipeltoside family. In addition to this, D-configured callipeltoseu2005B was synthesised and appended to the callipeltoside aglycon. The 1Hu2005NMR spectrum of this molecule was found to be significantly different to the natural isolate, further supporting our assignment of callipeltosideu2005B (2).

Selective Reductive Elimination at Alkyl Palladium(IV) by Dissociative Ligand Ionization: Catalytic C(sp3)−H Amination to Azetidines

A palladium(II)-catalyzed γ-C-H amination of cyclic alkyl amines to deliver highly substituted azetidines is reported. The use of a benziodoxole tosylate oxidant in combination with AgOAc was found to be crucial for controlling a selective reductive elimination pathway to the azetidines. The process is tolerant of a range of functional groups, including structural features derived from chiral α-amino alcohols, and leads to the diastereoselective formation of enantiopure azetidines.

Selective Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed Carbonylation of Methylene β‐C−H Bonds in Aliphatic Amines

Palladium(II)-catalyzed C-H carbonylation reactions of methylene C-H bonds in secondary aliphatic amines lead to the formation of trans-disubstituted β-lactams in excellent yields and selectivities. The generality of the C-H carbonylation process is aided by the action of xantphos-based ligands and is important in securing good yields for the β-lactam products.