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A theoretical study of the mechanism and regioselectivity of 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to 3‐methylene indolone has been performed by density functional theory at the M06‐2X/6‐311++G(d,p) level of theory. The results indicate that the concerted pathway is more favorable than the stepwise pathway. Investigation of the regioselectivity of this reaction shows that the main product is predicted to be 3,5‐substituted isoxazoline derivatives, which is consistent with experimental observations. The substituent effect of nitrile oxides on the reactivity and regioselectivity were also investigated. The opposite regioselectivity was observed for nitrile oxides with electron‐donating groups (methyl and phenyl) compared with electron‐withdrawing groups (CN and CO2Me). Distortion–interaction energy analysis shows that the reactivity of 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to 3‐methylene indolone is controlled by both the distortion and interaction energies. Natural population analysis indicates that the carbon atom of the 1,3‐dipole prefers to bond to the terminal carbon atom of the exocyclic double bond of 3‐methylene indolone, forming the 3,5‐substituted isoxazoline product. Frontier molecular orbital analysis shows that the regioselectivity is controlled by the orbital interaction between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the nitrile oxide and the highest occupied molecular orbital of 3‐methylene indolone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silaspiranes have attracted particular attention due to their chiral spiro‐silicon center, which serves as an ideal carbon isostere and can endow spiro‐analogs with distinct properties. Distinct from previously reported cyclization or cycloaddition strategies to form 5/5‐silaspiranes, we report herein the asymmetric dual ring expansion of spirosilabicyclobutanes with alkynes to synthesize axially chiral spirosilabicyclohexenes bearing a novel 6/6‐silaspirane framework. DFT (density functional theory) calculations provide the deep insight into the origin of the high enantioselectivity controlled by the sterically demanding binaphthyl phosphoramidite ligand. Preliminary studies of chiroptical properties indicate that one of the spirosilabicyclohexene analogs exhibit fluorescence emission, Cotton effects and CPL (circularly polarized luminescence) activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silaspiranes have attracted particular attention due to their chiral spiro‐silicon center, which serves as an ideal carbon isostere and can endow spiro‐analogs with distinct properties. Distinct from previously reported cyclization or cycloaddition strategies to form 5/5‐silaspiranes, we report herein the asymmetric dual ring expansion of spirosilabicyclobutanes with alkynes to synthesize axially chiral spirosilabicyclohexenes bearing a novel 6/6‐silaspirane framework. DFT (density functional theory) calculations provide the deep insight into the origin of the high enantioselectivity controlled by the sterically demanding binaphthyl phosphoramidite ligand. Preliminary studies of chiroptical properties indicate that one of the spirosilabicyclohexene analogs exhibit fluorescence emission, Cotton effects and CPL (circularly polarized luminescence) activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have rationally designed a new class of alkyne‐tethered oximes and applied them in an unprecedented iron‐catalyzed radical relay protocol for the rapid assembly of a wide array of structurally new and interesting fused pyridines. This method shows broad substrate scope and good functional‐group tolerance and enabled the synthesis of several biologically active molecules. Furthermore, the fused pyridines could be diversely functionalized through various simple transformations, such as cyclization, C−H alkylation, and a click reaction. DFT calculation studies indicate that the reactions involve cascade 1,5‐hydrogen atom transfer, 5‐exo‐dig radical addition, and cyclization processes. Moreover, preliminary biological investigations suggest that some of the fused pyridines exhibit good anti‐inflammatory activity by restoring the imbalance of inflammatory homeostasis of macrophages in a lipopolysaccharide‐induced model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have rationally designed a new class of alkyne‐tethered oximes and applied them in an unprecedented iron‐catalyzed radical relay protocol for the rapid assembly of a wide array of structurally new and interesting fused pyridines. This method shows broad substrate scope and good functional‐group tolerance and enabled the synthesis of several biologically active molecules. Furthermore, the fused pyridines could be diversely functionalized through various simple transformations, such as cyclization, C−H alkylation, and a click reaction. DFT calculation studies indicate that the reactions involve cascade 1,5‐hydrogen atom transfer, 5‐exo‐dig radical addition, and cyclization processes. Moreover, preliminary biological investigations suggest that some of the fused pyridines exhibit good anti‐inflammatory activity by restoring the imbalance of inflammatory homeostasis of macrophages in a lipopolysaccharide‐induced model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinylcyclopropanes (VCPs) are commonly used in transition‐metal‐catalyzed cycloadditions, and the utilization of their recently realized reactivities to construct new cyclic architectures is of great significance in modern synthetic chemistry. Herein, a palladium‐catalyzed, visible‐light‐driven, asymmetric [5+2] cycloaddition of VCPs with α‐diazoketones is accomplished by switching the reactivity of the Pd‐containing dipolar intermediate from an all‐carbon 1,3‐dipole to an oxo‐1,5‐dipole. Enantioenriched seven‐membered lactones were produced with good reaction efficiencies and selectivities (23 examples, 52–92 % yields with up to 99:1 er and 12.5:1 dr). In addition, computational investigations were performed to rationalize the observed high chemo‐ and periselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinylcyclopropanes (VCPs) are commonly used in transition‐metal‐catalyzed cycloadditions, and the utilization of their recently realized reactivities to construct new cyclic architectures is of great significance in modern synthetic chemistry. Herein, a palladium‐catalyzed, visible‐light‐driven, asymmetric [5+2] cycloaddition of VCPs with α‐diazoketones is accomplished by switching the reactivity of the Pd‐containing dipolar intermediate from an all‐carbon 1,3‐dipole to an oxo‐1,5‐dipole. Enantioenriched seven‐membered lactones were produced with good reaction efficiencies and selectivities (23 examples, 52–92 % yields with up to 99:1 er and 12.5:1 dr). In addition, computational investigations were performed to rationalize the observed high chemo‐ and periselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher‐order cycloadditions, particularly [8+2] cycloadditions, are a straightforward and efficient strategy for constructing significant medium‐sized architectures. Typically, configuration‐restrained conjugated systems are utilized as 8π‐components for higher‐order concerted cycloadditions. However, for this reason, 10‐membered monocyclic skeletons have never been constructed via catalytic asymmetric [8+2] cycloaddition with high peri‐ and stereoselectivity. Here, we accomplished an enantioselective [8+2] dipolar cycloaddition via the merger of visible‐light activation and asymmetric palladium catalysis. This protocol provides a new route to 10‐membered monocyclic architectures bearing chiral quaternary stereocenters with high chemo‐, peri‐, and enantioselectivity. The success of this strategy relied on the facile in situ generation of Pd‐containing 1,8‐dipoles and their enantioselective trapping by ketene dipolarophiles, which were formed in situ via a photo‐Wolff rearrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher‐order cycloadditions, particularly [8+2] cycloadditions, are a straightforward and efficient strategy for constructing significant medium‐sized architectures. Typically, configuration‐restrained conjugated systems are utilized as 8π‐components for higher‐order concerted cycloadditions. However, for this reason, 10‐membered monocyclic skeletons have never been constructed via catalytic asymmetric [8+2] cycloaddition with high peri‐ and stereoselectivity. Here, we accomplished an enantioselective [8+2] dipolar cycloaddition via the merger of visible‐light activation and asymmetric palladium catalysis. This protocol provides a new route to 10‐membered monocyclic architectures bearing chiral quaternary stereocenters with high chemo‐, peri‐, and enantioselectivity. The success of this strategy relied on the facile in situ generation of Pd‐containing 1,8‐dipoles and their enantioselective trapping by ketene dipolarophiles, which were formed in situ via a photo‐Wolff rearrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic asymmetric cycloadditions of ambident Pd‐containing dipolar species with nucleophilic dipolarophiles, namely, inverse‐electron‐demand cycloadditions, are challenging and underdeveloped. Possibly, the inherent linear selectivity of Pd‐catalyzed intermolecular allylations and the lack of efficient chiral ligands are responsible for this limitation. Herein, two cycloadditions of such intermediates with deconjugated butenolides and azlactones were accomplished by using a novel chiral hybrid P,S‐ligand and hydrogen bonding. By doing so, highly functionalized, optically active dihydroquinol‐2‐ones were produced with generally high reaction efficiencies and selectivities. Preliminary DFT calculations were performed to explain the high enantio‐ and diastereoselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic asymmetric cycloadditions of ambident Pd‐containing dipolar species with nucleophilic dipolarophiles, namely, inverse‐electron‐demand cycloadditions, are challenging and underdeveloped. Possibly, the inherent linear selectivity of Pd‐catalyzed intermolecular allylations and the lack of efficient chiral ligands are responsible for this limitation. Herein, two cycloadditions of such intermediates with deconjugated butenolides and azlactones were accomplished by using a novel chiral hybrid P,S‐ligand and hydrogen bonding. By doing so, highly functionalized, optically active dihydroquinol‐2‐ones were produced with generally high reaction efficiencies and selectivities. Preliminary DFT calculations were performed to explain the high enantio‐ and diastereoselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical calculations were performed to investigate the mechanism and enantioselectivity of cinchonine–thiourea‐catalyzed intramolecular hetero‐Diels–Alder cycloaddition of ethynylphenol derivatives to afford axial chirality naphthalenylpyran products via a vinylidene ortho‐quinone methide (VQM) intermediate. The results show that this transformation occurs through a reaction pathway involving the deprotonation of the naphthol moiety by the quinuclidine base, intramolecular proton transfer in ammonium naphthalenolate, and [4+2] cycloaddition. It is found that the axial chirality of the VQM intermediate is generated by the protonation step, which affects the enantioselectivity of the reaction. The enantioselectivity for the generation of the VQM intermediate is controlled by steric repulsion with the cinchonine framework, which provides an R‐axial chirality VQM as the major intermediate. Moreover, the enantioselectivity for the axial chirality of the naphthopyran product is controlled by the cycloaddition step, in which an extra hydrogen bond between the naphthalenol and cinchonine moieties leads to a favorable configuration for the generation of the S‐axial chirality naphthopyran product. The calculated enantioselectivity and enantiomeric excesses coincide with experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density functional theory calculations were performed to reveal the mechanisms of Pd‐catalyzed cascade carbocyclization‐borylation and arylation reactions. The computational results indicate that the reactions start with allylic C−H cleavage through concerted metalation‐deprotonation and an intramolecular exo‐type allene insertion to form a six‐membered carbocycle intermediate. The regioselectivity of insertion could be explained by frontier molecular orbital theory and natural population analysis calculation. In the absence of extra nucleophiles, η1/η3‐isomerization followed by acetate‐assisted deprotonation could yield polyene product. When nucleophile was added to the reaction system, transmetalation and subsequent reductive elimination could give the exo‐substituted triene as major product. Meanwhile, η1/η3‐isomerization, transmetalation, and reductive elimination could afford the endo‐isomer as side product. The regioselectivity of further functionalization is controlled by the competition of transmetalation and η1/η3‐isomerization. The computational results show that both exo‐ and endo‐boronation product could be observed when bis(pinacolato)diboron is added as nucleophile. However, only exo‐phenylation product is observed when phenylboronic acid is used as nucleophile because of the high free‐energy barrier for reductive elimination from aryl η3‐allylic palladium. Show me the way: DFT calculations were employed to study the mechanism and origin of regioselectivity of cascade carbocyclization‐functionalization reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diels-Alder cycloaddition is one of the most powerful tools for the functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Density functional theory at the B3-LYP level of theory has been used to investigate the reactivity of different-diameter SWCNTs (4-9,5) in Diels-Alder reactions with 1,3-butadiene; the reactivity was found to decrease with increasing SWCNT diameter. Distortion/interaction analysis along the whole reaction pathway was found to be a better way to explore the reactivity of this type of reaction. The difference in interaction energy along the reaction pathway is larger than that of the corresponding distortion energy. However, the distortion energy plots for these reactions show the same trend. Therefore, the formation of the transition state can be determined from the interaction energy. A lower interaction energy leads to an earlier transition state, which indicates a lower activation energy. The computational results also indicate that the original distortion of the SWCNTs leads to an increase in the reactivity of the SWCNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first example of iron-catalyzed decarboxylative (4+1) cycloaddition reactions is described in this publication. By using this method, a wide range of functionalized indoline products were prepared from easily available vinyl benzoxazinanones and sulfur ylides in high yields and selectivities. A possible reaction pathway involving an allylic iron intermediate is discussed based on a series of control experiments and density-functional theory calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first example of iron-catalyzed decarboxylative (4+1) cycloaddition reactions is described in this publication. By using this method, a wide range of functionalized indoline products were prepared from easily available vinyl benzoxazinanones and sulfur ylides in high yields and selectivities. A possible reaction pathway involving an allylic iron intermediate is discussed based on a series of control experiments and density-functional theory calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concise and efficient approach for the construction of the tetracyclic carbon skeleton of retigeranic acid A is described. The key transformations include a novel Rh-catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition of enyol to afford cyclopentanoid E, bearing two contiguous quaternary stereocenters at the bridgehead positions, and an intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction to construct the advanced tetracyclic core structure of retigeranic acid A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title mol­ecule, C15H11BrO2, is approximately planar and the dihedral angle between the two aromatic rings is 10.2 (2)°. The H atoms of the central enone moiety are trans. The mol­ecules form centrosymmetric hydrogen-bonded dimers via intermolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds (H⋯O = 2.02 Å and O—H⋯O = 172°). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-catalyzed decarboxylative [4 + 1] cycloaddition reactions are described for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetracyclic carbon skeleton construction: Retigeranic acids are challenging synthetic targets owing to their pentacyclic skeletons that feature an unusual trans ‐ hydrindane ring system, a cyclopentanoid with two quaternary carbon centers at its bridgehead positions, and eight stereogenic centers of which three are quaternary. In their Communication of page 12596 ff., Y. Lan, J. Gong, Z. Yang and co ‐ workers report a concise and efficient construction of the tetracyclic carbon skeleton of retigeranic acid A. Key transformations include a Rh ‐ catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition of enyol to give the two contiguous quaternary stereocenters at the cyclopentanoid bridgehead positions, and an intramolecular Pauson – Khand reaction to construct the tetracyclic core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]