Wan-Min Cheng

Rhodium-catalyzed directed C-H cyanation of arenes with N-cyano-N-phenyl-p-toluenesulfonamide.

A Rh-catalyzed directed C-H cyanation reaction was developed for the first time as a practical method for the synthesis of aromatic nitriles. N-Cyano-N-phenyl-p-toluenesulfonamide, a user-friendly cyanation reagent, was used in the transformation. Many different directing groups can be used in this C-H cyanation process, and the reaction tolerates a variety of synthetically important functional groups.

Decarboxylative 1,4-Addition of α-Oxocarboxylic Acids with Michael Acceptors Enabled by Photoredox Catalysis

Enabled by iridium photoredox catalysis, 2-oxo-2-(hetero)arylacetic acids were decarboxylatively added to various Michael acceptors including α,β-unsaturated ester, ketone, amide, aldehyde, nitrile, and sulfone at room temperature. The reaction presents a new type of acyl Michael addition using stable and easily accessible carboxylic acid to formally generate acyl anion through photoredox-catalyzed radical decarboxylation.

Room-Temperature Decarboxylative Couplings of α-Oxocarboxylates with Aryl Halides by Merging Photoredox with Palladium Catalysis

Enabled by merging iridium photoredox catalysis and palladium catalysis, α-oxocarboxylate salts can be decarboxylatively coupled with aryl halides to generate aromatic ketones and amides at room temperature. DFT calculations suggest that this reaction proceeds through a Pd(0) -Pd(II) -Pd(III) pathway, in which the Pd(III) intermediate is responsible for reoxidizing Ir(II) to complete the Ir(III) -*Ir(III) -Ir(II) photoredox cycle.

Boron-Catalyzed N-Alkylation of Amines using Carboxylic Acids†

A boron-based catalyst was found to catalyze the straightforward alkylation of amines with readily available carboxylic acids in the presence of silane as the reducing agent. Various types of primary and secondary amines can be smoothly alkylated with good selectivity and good functional-group compatibility. This metal-free amine alkylation was successfully applied to the synthesis of three commercial medicinal compounds, Butenafine, Cinacalcet. and Piribedil, in a one-pot manner without using any metal catalysts.

Rh(III)-Catalyzed C–H Activation with Allenes To Synthesize Conjugated Olefins

Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation with allenes produces highly unsaturated conjugated olefins. The reaction is applicable to both olefin and arene C(sp(2))-H and is compatible with a variety of functional groups. The products can be further transformed into other important skeletons through Diels-Alder reaction and intramolecular transesterification.

Photoredox‐Catalysed Decarboxylative Alkylation of N‐Heteroarenes with N‐(Acyloxy)phthalimides

An iridium photoredox catalyst in combination with either a stoichiometric amount of Brønsted acid or a catalytic amount of Lewis acid is capable of catalyzing regioselective alkylation of N-heteroarenes with N-(acyloxy)phthalimides at room temperature under irradiation. A broad range of N-heteroarenes can be alkylated using a variety of secondary, tertiary, and quaternary carboxylates. Mechanistic studies suggest that an IrII /IrIII redox catalytic cycle is responsible for the observed reactivity.

Irradiation-Induced Heck Reaction of Unactivated Alkyl Halides at Room Temperature

The palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki-Heck reaction is arguably one of the most significant carbon-carbon bond-construction reactions to be discovered in the last 50 years, with a tremendous number of applications in the production of chemicals. This Nobel-Prize-winning transformation has yet to overcome the obstacle of its general application in a range of alkyl electrophiles, especially tertiary alkyl halides that possess eliminable β-hydrogen atoms. Whereas most palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions utilize the ground-state reactivity of palladium complexes under thermal conditions and generally apply a single ligand system, we report that the palladium-catalyzed Heck reaction proceeds smoothly at room temperature with a variety of tertiary, secondary, and primary alkyl bromides upon irradiation with blue light-emitting diodes in the presence of a dual phosphine ligand system. We rationalize that this unprecedented transformation is achieved by utilizing the photoexcited-state reactivity of the palladium complex to enhance oxidative addition and suppress undesired β-hydride elimination.

Isonicotinate Ester Catalyzed Decarboxylative Borylation of (Hetero)Aryl and Alkenyl Carboxylic Acids through N-Hydroxyphthalimide Esters

Decarboxylative borylation of aryl and alkenyl carboxylic acids with bis(pinacolato)diboron was achieved through N-hydroxyphthalimide esters using tert-butyl isonicotinate as a catalyst under base-free conditions. A variety of aryl carboxylic acids possessing different functional groups and electronic properties can be smoothly converted to aryl boronate esters, including those that are difficult to decarboxylate under transition-metal catalysis, offering a new method enabling use of carboxylic acid as building blocks in organic synthesis. Mechanistic analysis suggests the reaction proceeds through coupling of a transient aryl radical generated by radical decarboxylation with a pyridine-stabilized persistent boryl radical. Activation of redox active esters may proceed via an intramolecular single-electron-transfer (SET) process through a pyridine-diboron-phthalimide adduct and accounts for the base-free reaction conditions.

An Efficient Pd-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Carboxylation of Allylic Alcohols with Formic Acid

Formic acid is efficiently used as a C1 source to directly carboxylate allylic alcohols in the presence of a low loading of palladium catalyst and acetic anhydride as additive to afford β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids with excellent chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity. The reaction proceeds through a carbonylation process with in situ-generated carbon monoxide under mild conditions, avoiding the use of high-pressure gaseous CO. A bisphosphine ligand with a large bite angle (4,5-bis{diphenylphosphino}-9,9-dimethylxanthene, Xantphos) was found to be uniquely effective for this transformation. The regio- and stereoconvergence of this reaction is ascribed to the thermodynamically favored isomerization of the allylic electrophile in the presence of the palladium catalyst.

Decarboxylative formylation of aryl halides with glyoxylic acid by merging organophotoredox with palladium catalysis

Decarboxylative formylation of aryl and heteroaryl halides with glyoxylic acid is enabled by synergistic catalysis using an organic dye, 2,4,5,6-tetra(9H-carbazol-9-yl)isophthalonitrile (4CzIPN), and a phosphine ligated palladium catalyst under mild irradiation conditions. A wide range of aryl halides and heteroaryl halides are amenable to deliver functionalized aryl and heteroaryl aldehydes. The reaction represents a new application of organophotoredox/palladium synergistic catalysis for catalytic decarboxylative cross-couplings.