Thomas Boddaert

N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Catalyzed Michael Additions of 1,3‐Dicarbonyl Compounds

A study of the organocatalytic activity of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in the Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds has allowed us to identify 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (IPr) as an excellent catalyst for this transformation (up to 99 % yield with a 2.5 mol % catalyst loading), and the reaction was found to be of broad scope. Two early applications of this unprecedented catalytic activity of NHCs are described, that is, the domino carbocyclization reactions of simple cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl and malonic acid derivatives, which allow stereoselective access to bridged bicyclic compounds, and the stereoselective synthesis of cyclohexanols (or cyclohexene). Early mechanistic investigations are also reported.

Anionic Access to Silylated and Germylated Binuclear Heterocycles

A simple access to silylated and germylated binuclear heterocycles, based on an original anionic rearrangement, is described. A set of electron-rich and electron-poor silylated aromatic and heteroaromatic substrates were tested to understand the mechanism and the factors controlling this rearrangement, in particular its regioselectivity. This parameter was shown to follow the rules proposed before from a few examples. Then, the effect of the substituents borne by the silicon itself, in particular the selectivity of the ligand transfer, was studied. Additionally, this chemistry was extended to germylated substrates. A hypervalent germanium species, comparable to the putative intermediate proposed with silicon, seems to be involved. However, a pathway implicating the elimination of LiCH2Cl was observed for the first time with this element, leading to unexpected products of the benzo-oxa (or benzo-aza) germol-type.

Intramolecular sila-Matteson rearrangement: a general access to silylated heterocycles.

A series of new silylated heterocycles has been efficiently prepared using an intramolecular silicon version of the Matteson rearrangement, providing two isomers of binuclear heterocycles. This method applies to a large variety of substrates, a direct relationship between the Hammett constants of the aromatic substituents and the isomer ratio being observed. Complementary experiments suggest that a common pentaorganosilicate species is involved.