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A catalytic 1,2‐oxyhalogenation method that converts non‐conjugated internal alkynes into tetrasubstituted alkenes with high regio‐ and stereoselectivity is described. Mechanistically, the reaction involves a PdII/PdIV catalytic cycle that begins with a directed oxypalladation step. The origin of regioselectivity is the preference for formation of a six‐membered palladacycle intermediate, which is facilitated by an N,N‐bidentate 2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)isopropyl (PIP) amide directing group. Selectivity for C(alkenyl)−X versus −N (X=halide) reductive elimination from the PdIV center depends on the identity of the halide anion; bromide and iodide engage in C(alkenyl)−X formation, while intramolecular C(alkenyl)−N reductive elimination occurs with chloride to furnish a lactam product. DFT calculations shed light on the origins of this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of chiral endocyclic allenes remains a challenge in allene chemistry owing to unfavored tension and complex chirality. Here, we present a new relay strategy merging Pd‐catalyzed asymmetric [3+2] annulation with enyne‐Cope rearrangement, providing a facile route to chiral 9‐membered endocyclic allenes with high efficiency and enantioselectivity. Moreover, theoretical calculations and experimental studies were performed to illustrate the critical, but unusual Cope rearrangement that allows for the complete central‐to‐axial chirality transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report herein a highly efficient palladium‐catalyzed carbene insertion into strained Si−C bonds of benzosilacyclobutanes, which provides an efficient method to access α‐chiral silanes. With a sterically hindered ligand, carbene insertion into the C(sp3)−Si bond of benzosilacyclobutanes occurred in excellent site‐ and enantioselectivity, while C(sp2)−Si bond insertion occurred selectively with less sterically hindered ligands. Reaction mechanism, in particular the roles of the chiral ligands in controlling the site‐selectivity of the insertion reactions, are elucidated by using hybrid density functional theory. [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]

Pd‐catalyzed spiroannulation of bromophenylnaphthalenols with acetylenes to achieve asymmetric dearomatization is a powerful way to construct chiral spiro‐compounds. DFT calculations with the M06 functional have been performed to reveal the mechanism and enantioselectivity of this reaction. After reversible oxidative addition of aryl bromide to Pd(0), acetylene insertion into the Pd−C(aryl) bond is considered to be the rate‐ and enantioselectivity determining step. Subsequent deprotonation and reductive elimination then give the spiroannulation product. The overlay and noncovalent interaction analysis of the critical transition states were used to reveal the origin of the enantioselectivity for this reaction. We found that the axial chirality of the naphthol moiety affects the relative free energies of the corresponding transition states, whereas the enantioselectivity is controlled by the steric repulsion between the naphthol moiety and the ligand. [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]

The discovery of proper ligands to simultaneously modulate the reactivity and effectively control the stereoselectivity is a central topic in the field of enantioselective C−H activation. Herein, we reported the synthesis of axially chiral biaryls by Pd‐catalyzed atroposelective C−H olefination. A novel chiral spiro phosphoric acid, STRIP, was identified as a superior ligand for this transformation. A broad range of axially chiral quinoline derivatives were synthesized in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98 % ee). Density functional theory was used to gain a theoretical understanding of the enantioselectivities in this reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An elegant pre‐activation strategy, based on the formation of N‐methylpyridinium iodide salts for C6‐selective direct arylation of 2‐phenylpyridines using Pd/Cu cooperative catalysis, has been developed. By this methodology, a wide range of unsymmetrical 2, 6‐diarylpyridines were synthesized with high reactivity and regioselectivity as well as good functional group tolerance. In particular, challenging substrates bearing electron donating groups (EDGs), such as OMe, NMe2, were also successfully employed in this reaction. Deuterium incorporation studies revealed that the C−H bond acidity is improved significantly in N‐methylpyridinium salts compared with their N‐Oxide and N‐iminopyridinium ylide counterparts, thus solving the long‐standing problem associated with previous strategies for the synthesis of diaryl pyridines. Finally, the control experiments and DFT calculations supported a Pd‐catalyzed and Cu‐mediated mechanism in which a carbenoid copper species that is formed in‐situ from N‐methylpyridinium salts, participates in a Pd‐catalyzed arylation followed by an iodide‐promoted N‐demethylation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]