Yuhuang Wang

Carbon-carbon bond activation of cyclobutenones enabled by the addition of chiral organocatalyst to ketone

The activation of carbon–carbon (C–C) bonds is an effective strategy in building functional molecules. The C–C bond activation is typically accomplished via metal catalysis, with which high levels of enantioselectivity are difficult to achieve due to high reactivity of metal catalysts and the metal-bound intermediates. It remains largely unexplored to use organocatalysis for C–C bond activation. Here we describe an organocatalytic activation of C–C bonds through the addition of an NHC to a ketone moiety that initiates a C–C single bond cleavage as a key step to generate an NHC-bound intermediate for chemo- and stereo-selective reactions. This reaction constitutes an asymmetric functionalization of cyclobutenones using organocatalysts via a C–C bond activation process. Structurally diverse and multicyclic compounds could be obtained with high optical purities via an atom and redox economic process.

N‑Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Radical Reactions for Highly Enantioselective β‑Hydroxylation of Enals

An N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed β-hydroxylation of enals is developed. The reaction goes through a pathway involving multiple radical intermediates, as supported by experimental observations. This oxidative single-electron-transfer reaction allows for highly enantioselective access to β-hydroxyl esters that are widely found in natural products and bioactive molecules.

β-functionalization of carboxylic anhydrides with β-alkyl substituents through carbene organocatalysis

The first NHC-catalyzed functionalization of carboxylic anhydrides is described. In this reaction, the β carbon behaves as a nucleophilic carbon and undergoes asymmetric reactions with electrophiles. Anhydrides with challenging β-alkyl substituents work effectively.

N-Heterocyclic Carbene Organocatalytic Reductive β,β-Coupling Reactions of Nitroalkenes via Radical Intermediates

An unprecedented N-heterocyclic carbene catalytic reductive β,β-carbon coupling of α,β-nitroalkenes, by using an organic substrate to mimic the one-electron oxidation role of the pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) in living systems, has been developed. The reaction goes through a radical anion intermediate generated under a catalytic redox process. For the first time, the presence of radical anion intermediate in NHC organocatalysis is observed and clearly verified.

Oxidative N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Catalyzed γ‐Carbon Addition of Enals to Imines: Mechanistic Studies and Access to Antimicrobial Compounds

The reaction mechanism of the γ-carbon addition of enal to imine under oxidative N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis is studied experimentally. The oxidation, γ-carbon deprotonation, and nucleophilic addition of γ-carbon to imine were found to be facile steps. The results of our study also provide highly enantioselective access to tricyclic sulfonyl amides that exhibit interesting antimicrobial activities against X. oryzae, a bacterium that causes bacterial disease in rice growing.

Carbene-catalysed reductive coupling of nitrobenzyl bromides and activated ketones or imines via single-electron-transfer process

Benzyl bromides and related molecules are among the most common substrates in organic synthesis. They are typically used as electrophiles in nucleophilic substitution reactions. These molecules can also be activated via single-electron-transfer (SET) process for radical reactions. Representative recent progress includes α-carbon benzylation of ketones and aldehydes via photoredox catalysis. Here we disclose the generation of (nitro)benzyl radicals via N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis under reductive conditions. The radical intermediates generated via NHC catalysis undergo formal 1,2-addition with ketones to eventually afford tertiary alcohol products. The overall process constitutes a formal polarity-inversion of benzyl bromide, allowing a direct coupling of two initially electrophilic carbons. Our study provides a new carbene-catalysed reaction mode that should enable unconventional transformation of (nitro)benzyl bromides under mild organocatalytic conditions.

Polyhalides as Efficient and Mild Oxidants for Oxidative Carbene Organocatalysis by Radical Processes

Simple and inexpensive polyhalides (CCl4 and C2 Cl6 ) have been found to be effective and versatile oxidants in removing electrons from Breslow intermediates under N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis. This oxidative reaction involves multiple single-electron-transfer (SET) processes and several radical intermediates. The α, β, and γ-carbon atoms of aldehydes and enals could be readily functionalized. Given the low cost of the oxidants and the broad applicability of the reactions, this study is expected to greatly enhance the feasibility of oxidative NHC catalysis for large-scale applications. Also this new SET radical process with polyhalides as single-electron oxidants will open a new avenue in the development of NHC-catalyzed radical reactions.

Carbene-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Nitrobenzyl Bromide and Nitroalkene via the Single-Electron-Transfer (SET) Process and Formal 1,4-Addition

A carbene-catalyzed reductive 1,4-addition of nitrobenzyl bromides to nitroalkenes is disclosed. The reaction proceeds via a carbene-enabled single-electron-transfer process that generates radicals as key intermediates. The present study expands the potentials of carbene catalysis and offers unusual transformations for common substrates in organic synthesis.