Yoichi Hoshimoto

Nickel-Catalyzed Selective Conversion of Two Different Aldehydes to Cross-Coupled Esters

In the presence of a Ni(0)/NHC catalyst, an equimolar mixture of aliphatic and aryl aldehydes can be employed to selectively yield a single cross-coupled ester. This reaction can be applied to a variety of aliphatic (1°, 2°, cyc-2°, and 3°) and aryl aldehyde combinations. The reaction represents 100% atom efficiency and generates no waste. Mechanistic studies have revealed that the striking feature of the reaction is the simultaneous coordination of two aldehydes to Ni(0).

Synthesis of five- and six-membered benzocyclic ketones through intramolecular alkene hydroacylation catalyzed by nickel(0)/N-heterocyclic carbenes.

Transition-metal-catalyzed hydroacylation has been accepted as a promising synthetic method to form carbon–carbon bonds between an aldehyde and unsaturated compounds, such as alkenes, alkynes, and ketones. A number of catalyst systems have been developed, and high enatio-, regio-, and chemo-selectivity has been achieved. Despite these extensive efforts and praiseworthy results, an inevitable side reaction persists: decarbonylation from an acyl metal intermediate, which causes a decrease in atom-efficiency and a deactivation of the catalyst through the coordination of carbon monoxide (Scheme 1, path a). Major advances in

Nickel-catalyzed Tishchenko reaction via hetero-nickelacycles by oxidative cyclization of aldehydes with nickel(0) complex

A Ni(0)-catalyzed Tishchenko reaction which can be applied to a variety of aliphatic aldehydes (primary, secondary, tertiary) and aromatic aldehydes was developed. The reaction might proceed via a hetero-nickelacycle intermediate.

Nickel(0)-Catalyzed (2 + 2 + 1) Carbonylative Cycloaddition of Imines and Alkynes or Norbornene Leading to γ‑Lactams

The first nickel(0)-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 1] carbonylative cycloaddition reaction of imines and alkynes or norbornene has been achieved by employing phenyl formate as a CO source. With this method, a variety of N-benzenesulfonyl, -tosyl, and -phosphoryl-substituted γ-lactams can be prepared in good to high yields.

Catalytic Transformation of Aldehydes with Nickel Complexes through η2 Coordination and Oxidative Cyclization

Chemists no longer doubt the importance of a methodology that could activate and utilize aldehydes in organic syntheses since many products prepared from them support our daily life. Tremendous effort has been devoted to the development of these methods using main-group elements and transition metals. Thus, many organic chemists have used an activator-(aldehyde oxygen) interaction, namely, η(1) coordination, whereby a Lewis or Brønsted acid activates an aldehyde. In the field of coordination chemistry, η(2) coordination of aldehydes to transition metals by coordination of a carbon-oxygen double bond has been well-studied; this activation mode, however, is rarely found in transition-metal catalysis. In view of the distinctive reactivity of an η(2)-aldehyde complex, unprecedented reactions via this intermediate are a distinct possibility. In this Account, we summarize our recent results dealing with nickel(0)-catalyzed transformations of aldehydes via η(2)-aldehyde nickel and oxanickelacycle intermediates. The combination of electron-rich nickel(0) and strong electron-donating N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands adequately form η(2)-aldehyde complexes in which the aldehyde is highly activated by back-bonding. With Ni(0)/NHC catalysts, processes involving intramolecular hydroacylation of alkenes and homo/cross-dimerization of aldehydes (the Tishchenko reaction) have been developed, and both proceed via the simultaneous η(2) coordination of aldehydes and other π components (alkenes or aldehydes). The results of the mechanistic studies are consistent with a reaction pathway that proceeds via an oxanickelacycle intermediate generated by the oxidative cyclization with a nickel(0) complex. In addition, we have used the η(2)-aldehyde nickel complex as an effective activator for an organosilane in order to generate a silicate reactant. These reactions show 100% atom efficiency, generate no wastes, and are conducted under mild conditions.

Nickel‐Catalyzed Synthesis of N‐Aryl‐1,2‐dihydropyridines by [2+2+2] Cycloaddition of Imines with Alkynes through T‐Shaped 14‐Electron Aza‐Nickelacycle Key Intermediates

Despite there being a straightforward approach for the synthesis of 1,2-dihydropyridines, the transition-metal-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition reaction of imines with alkynes has been achieved only with imines containing an N-sulfonyl or -pyridyl group. Considering the importance of 1,2-dihydropyridines as useful intermediates in the preparation of a wide range of valuable organic molecules, it would be very worthwhile to provide novel strategies to expand the scope of imines. Herein we report a successful expansion of the scope of imines in nickel-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions with alkynes. In the presence of a nickel(0)/PCy3 catalyst, a reaction with N-benzylidene-P,P-diphenylphosphinic amide was developed. Moreover, an application of N-aryl imines to the reaction was also achieved by adopting N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. The isolation of an (η(2)-N-aryl imine)nickel(0) complex containing a 14-electron nickel(0) center and a T-shaped 14-electron five-membered aza-nickelacycle is shown. These would be considered as key intermediates of the reaction. The structure of these complexes was unambiguously determined by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray analyses.

Nickel(0)-Catalyzed Enantio- and Diastereoselective Synthesis of Benzoxasiloles: Ligand-Controlled Switching from Inter- to Intramolecular Aryl-Transfer Process.

A highly enantioselective synthesis of 3-aryl-, vinyl-, and alkynyl-2,1-benzoxasiloles (up to 99.9% ee and 99% yield) was achieved via the sequential activation of an aldehyde and a silane by nickel(0). This strategy was applied to a simultaneous generation of carbon- and silicon-stereogenic centers with excellent selectivity (dr = 99:1) via diastereotopic aryl transfer. Initial mechanistic studies revealed the complete switching of an aryl-transfer process from an intermolecular (racemic synthesis in the presence of IPr) to an intramolecular (enantioselective synthesis using chiral NHC, L5) fashion. A plausible rationale for the switching of the aryl-transfer process is given by a preliminary DFT calculation, which suggests that the coordination of 1 to the nickel(0)/L5 fragment in an η(2)-arene:η(2)-aldehyde fashion would be a key to the intramolecular process, while the formation of the corresponding intermediate is not possible in the presence of IPr. Owing to the chemically labile nature of its C-Si and O-Si bonds, enantioenriched benzoxasiloles are utilized for the synthesis of chiral building blocks and antihistaminic and anticholinergic drug molecules such as (R)-orphenadrine and (S)-neobenodine with no erosion of the enantiomeric excess.

Highly Efficient Activation of Organosilanes with η2-Aldehyde Nickel Complexes: Key for Catalytic Syntheses of Aryl-, Vinyl-, and Alkynyl-Benzoxasiloles

An η(2)-aldehyde nickel complex was utilized as an effective activator for an organosilane in order to generate a hypervalent silicate reactant for the first time. This method was successfully applied to the highly efficient syntheses of 3-aryl-, vinyl-, and alkynyl-2,1-benzoxasiloles from benzaldehydes with aryl-, vinyl-, and alkynylsilyl groups at the ortho position. Initial mechanistic studies revealed that an intermolecular aryl transfer process was involved in the reaction mechanism. The formation of an η(2)-aldehyde complex was directly confirmed by NMR.

Nickel(0)/N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Asymmetric [2 + 2 + 2] Cycloaddition of Two Enones and an Alkyne: Access to Cyclohexenes with Four Contiguous Stereogenic Centers

A nickel(0)/chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed fully intermolecular, enantioselective [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of two enones and an alkyne has been developed to access enantioenriched cyclohexenes. A single diastereomer was obtained with a successive generation of four contiguous stereogenic centers. The absolute configuration of cyclohexene derivative 3aa was determined by X-ray diffraction and circular dichroism (CD) spectral studies.

A Strategy to Control the Reactivation of Frustrated Lewis Pairs from Shelf-Stable Carbene Borane Complexes

N-Phosphine oxide substituted imidazolylidenes (PoxIms) have been synthesized and fully characterized. These species can undergo significant changes to the spatial environment surrounding their carbene center through rotation of the phosphine oxide moiety. Either classical Lewis adducts (CLAs) or frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are thus formed with B(C6F5)3 depending on the orientation of the phosphine oxide group. A strategy to reactivate FLPs from CLAs by exploiting molecular motions that are responsive to external stimuli has therefore been developed. The reactivation conditions were successfully controlled by tuning the strain in the PoxIm–B(C6F5)3 complexes so that reactivation only occurred above ambient temperature.