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A photocatalytic strategy for the synthesis of γ-ketoesters was reported. Using DMSO as both the solvent and terminal oxidant, oxidative coupling of vinylarenes with bromocarboxylates proceeded readily, giving a variety of γ-ketoesters in good isolated yields and with a broad functional-group tolerance.

A three-component reaction of olefin, diselenide and water, alcohols, phenol, carboxylic acid, or amine by a commercially available hypervalent iodine(III) reagent, PhIO, was developed. This method provides access to a wide range of vicinally functionalized selenoderivatives under ambient conditions with mostly excellent yields and high diastereoselectivity. The developed reaction displays high levels of functional group compatibility and is suitable for the late-stage functionalization of styrene-functionalized biomolecules. Preliminary investigations on the mechanism of the reaction are also presented.

A concise and efficient synthesis of (3R,3aS,6aR)-hexahydrofuro[2,3-b]furan-3-ol, a key building block for several clinical and experimental HIV protease inhibitors including the highly important drug darunavir, was achieved via a one-pot procedure using furan and Cbz-protected glycol aldehyde as starting materials. A [2+2]-photocycloaddition between both reactants which can be prepared from wood-based starting materials according to the principles of xylochemistry, followed by hydrogenation and lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution afforded the target compound in high yield and up to 99% ee.

A concise and modular synthesis of phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids was achieved by combining iodoaminocylization with a free radical cyclization approach. The route described allowed the preparation of (±)-tylophorine, (±)-antofine, and (±)-deoxypergularinine in six steps. When commercially available l-prolinol was used as a chiral building block, (S)-(+)-tylophorine was also synthesized in 49% yield and >99% ee over five linear steps.

mCPBA-mediated metal-free intramolecular aminohydroxylation and dioxygenation reactions of unfunctionalized olefins are reported. In the presence of 1.2 equiv. of m-chlorobenzoic peracid, different N-sulfonyl 4-penten-1-amine substrates could be cyclized via epoxide intermediates, producing the corresponding 2-hydroxymethylpyrrolidine products in up to 92% yields. The reaction could be carried out at gram-scale, and the hydroxyl group could be further converted to a variety of different functional groups via conventional functional group transformation reactions. When N-sulfonyl carboxylimides were subjected to the same reaction, O-cyclization products oxolanimines were obtained. The skeletons of these compounds were confirmed using X-ray diffraction experiments.

BF3·Et2O was found to be effective for both intra- and intermolecular amination and oxygenation of unfunctionalized olefins. In the presence of 3 equiv. of BF3·Et2O, intramolecular hydroamination of N-(pent-4-enyl)-p-toluenesulfonamides, N-(hex-5-enyl)-p-toluenesulfonamides, intermolecular hydroamination between sulfonamides and cyclohexene, norbornene or styrene, lactonization of pent-4-enoic acid or hex-5-enoic acid compounds and esterification of cyclohexene with different carboxylic acids all proceeded readily, leading to the corresponding amination or oxygenation products in up to 99% isolated yields. Preliminary NMR experiments and DFT calculations suggested that the intramolecular hydroamination reactions proceeded via a sulfonimidic acid intermediate (NS–OH), and formation of the corresponding Bronsted acid HF or HBF4 was less likely.

A metal-free method for intramolecular halocyclization of unfunctionalized olefins was detailed. (Diacetoxyiodo)benzene (PIDA) was very effective for haloamidation, haloetherification, and halolactonization of unfunctionalized olefins. In the presence of 1.1 equiv of PIDA and suitable halogen sources, a variety of unfunctionalized olefins could be converted to the corresponding 1,2-bifunctional cyclic skeletons in good to excellent isolated yields, and key intermediates for biologically interesting compounds could be obtained in high yields under mild conditions via nucleophilic substitution of the thus obtained halocyclization products.

A general and practical method for the preparation of trans-2-substituted-4-halopiperidines and cis-2-substituted-4-halotetrahydropyrans is reported. Using 5 mol % of AlCl3 as the catalyst and 2 equiv of trimethylsilyl halides as the halide sources, aza-Prins cyclization of N-tosyl homoallylamine or Prins cyclization of homoallylic alcohol with carbonyl compounds could be readily realized, giving the corresponding trans-2-substituted-4-halopiperidines or cis-2-substituted-4-halotetrahydropyrans in high yields and satisfactory diastereoselectivity.

A new method for the construction of oxazoline moiety was detailed. Using (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (PIDA) as the reaction promoter and halotrimethylsilane as the halogen source, intramolecular halooxygenation and halothionation of N-allylcarboxamides/N-allylcarbothioamides proceeded readily, leading to the corresponding 5-halomethyloxazolines/5-halomethylthiazolines in good to excellent isolated yields. The 5-halomethyl products could be converted to different derivatives via conventional nucleophilic substitution methods. The reactions were carried out using easily available starting materials, and did not need harsh reaction conditions. All these features made this reaction a viable method for the construction of different oxazoline and thiazoline structures.

The cooperative effect in organocatalytic hydroamination of unfunctionalized olefins was reported. In the presence of 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, N-benzyl 4-penten-1-amines and 5-hexen-1-amines produced the intramolecular cyclization products in good isolated yields.

A transition metal-free route to 3-halopiperidines and 2-halomethylpiperidines was described. In the presence of iodine, potassium persulfate and a suitable halogen source, intramolecular haloamination of 4-penten-1-amines and 5-hexen-1-amines proceeded readily, leading to the corresponding substituted piperidines in good isolated yields.