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The direct cross-couplings of diaryl sulfoxides with aryl bromides via C-S bond cleavage could be readily accomplished using nickel(II) as the catalyst, 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) as the ligand, and magnesium turnings as the reducing metal in THF, leading to the corresponding biaryls in moderate to good yields. The reaction exhibited a broad substrate scope and could be applied to a gram-scale synthesis. The "one-pot" reaction, which avoids the utility of presynthesized and moisture-labile organometallic compounds, is operationally simple and step-economic.

A titanium(IV)-mediated ring-opening/dehydroxylative cross-coupling of diaryl-substituted methanols with a cyclopropanol derivative was developed. The reactions proceeded efficiently to provide synthetically useful γ,γ-diaryl esters in moderate to good yields, which could be applied to the functionalization of complex molecules derived from bioactive fenofibrate and isoxepac and the synthesis of a precursor of Zoloft.

An efficient method for the synthesis of 4,5-diaryl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one by using 1,1′-(arylmethylene)diurea and 1-aryl-2-propanone as substrates was developed. The reactions proceeded efficiently in the presence of Cs2CO3 to give the desired products in moderate to good yields with wide substrate scope and good functional group tolerance, serving as an attractive alternative or complement to the previously reported methods for the facile assembly of biologically and pharmaceutically active 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones.

Lead was found to efficiently mediate the allylation reactions of carbonyl compounds with cyclic allylic halides in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of lithium chloride and a catalytic amount of GaCl3 (20 mol %), leading to the desired homoallylic alcohols in modest to high yields with excellent diastereocontrol (>99:1 syn/anti) and good functional group tolerance. In contrast, the use of either 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde as the carbonyl substrate or ( E)-cinnamyl bromide as the allylating agent produced the corresponding product with reversed diastereoselectivity (>99:1 anti/syn). Nanyang Technological University We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Nanjing Tech University (Start-up grant nos. 39837118, 39837101, and 39837146), the SICAM Fellowship from Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Nanjing Forestry University, and Nanyang Technological University.

An efficient method for the synthesis of 4,5-diaryl-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1

An efficient method for the synthesis of alkyl indium reagents by means of an indium(III) or lead(II) halidecatalyzed direct insertion of indium into alkyl iodides and their applications in palladium-catalyzed crosscoupling reactions with aryl halides is developed. NMR and ESI-MS analyses indicated that rather than the formation of the commonly recognized alkyl indium sesquihalide with the formulation of R3In2X3, the formed alkyl indium reagent in the present protocol should be a mixture of an alkyl indium dihalide (RInX2) and a dialkyl indium halide (R2InX) (both of them presumably exist as dimers). Nanyang Technological University We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Nanjing Tech University (Start-up Grant No. 39837118, 39837101, and 39837146), the SICAM Fellowship from the Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, and the Nanyang Technological University.

Oxidant-directed chemoselective sulfonylation and sulfonyloximation reactions for the divergent synthesis of valuable vinyl sulfones and α-sulfonylethanone oximes starting from simple alkenes and TosMIC by using tert-butyl hydroperoxide and tert-butyl nitrite, respectively, as terminal oxidants were developed. The success of this method could be attributed to the combination of a cobalt catalyst and a perfluoroalkyl halide additive. The feasibility of performing the reactions on a large scale potentially allows the further application of the method in industrial manufacture. Nanyang Technological University We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20180690), the Nanjing Tech University (Start-up Grant No. 39837101, 39837118, and 39837146), the SICAM Fellowship from Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, and the Nanyang Technological University.

An efficient diastereoselective allylation of various carbonyl compounds with cyclic allylic halides by using commercially available bismuth powder in the presence of LiI was developed. Among all the metals screened, bismuth was found to be the best mediator for the transformation. The reactions involving various cyclic allylic halides proceeded smoothly at room temperature to produce the desired homoallylic alcohols in good to excellent yields with high diastereoselectivities (>99:1 dr). Reversed diastereoselectivity was obtained when carbonyl substrate (e. g., 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, glyoxylic acid) containing chelating substituent was used in the allylation reaction. In addition, the reactions involving acyclic (E)-cinnamyl bromide as substrate worked equally well with high diastereocontrol. (Figure presented.). Nanyang Technological University We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Nanj-ing Tech University (Start-up Grant No. 39837118, 39837101,and 39837146), the SICAM Fellowship from Jiangsu NationalSynergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Post-graduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of JiangsuProvince (No. KYCX18_1075), and Nanyang Technological University.t

A convenient photoredox‐catalyzed defluorinative trifluoromethylation of α‐trifluoromethyl alkenes and gem‐difluoroalkenes is developed. The reactions proceeded efficiently via trifluoromethyl radical addition followed by β‐fluorine elimination process, providing a new entry to multifluorinated alkenes in moderate to good yields with excellent stereoselectivity. Ministry of Education (MOE)

The hydration of α,β-unsaturated ketones with water proceeded efficiently in the presence of In(OTf)3 (20 mol%) in aqueous media to afford synthetically versatile β-hydroxyketones in moderate to good yields with good functional group compatibility. The method also can be extended to the hydroalkoxylation of α,β-unsaturated ketones with various alcohols for the efficient synthesis of β-alkoxyketones as well as tetrahydrofuran derivatives.

In their recent report in Nature, Ritter and co-workers took advantage of a persistent sulfur-based radical cation to regioselectively install a thianthrene motif in simple or complex (hetero)arenes, and the resulting thianthrenium salts could undergo divergent late-stage transformations, offering chemists a powerful platform for introducing versatile functional groups and substituents in (hetero)arene rings.

Chemoselective functionalizations of intrinsically less reactive C(sp3)–H bonds of alkyl nitriles are of particular interest to the chemical community because these strategies provide opportunities for the introduction of important cyanoalkyl groups onto target frameworks in a step-economical fashion. In recent years, the introduction of nitrile-containing alkyl radicals in tandem radical additions and oxidative couplings has inarguably brought chemists a new radical reaction platform for the diverse synthesis of natural products and pharmaceuticals. Compared with the wide applications of various C-centered radicals adjacent to a heteroatom, however, nitrile-containing alkyl radicals remain largely unexplored. New methods for C(sp3)–H bond oxidative functionalization of alkyl nitriles and new mechanistic manifolds would result in the development of a broad range of novel reactions. Therefore, this review will give an overview of various types of radical cyanoalkylation using the key alkyl nitrile reactants, which lie beyond traditional coupling chemistry.

Summary The significance of organofluorine compounds has inspired the establishment of numerous methods for the functionalization of rather inert C-F bonds. Despite advances achieved in the manipulation of C(sp2)-F bonds by employing transition-metal catalysts, such as Pd, Rh, Cu, Ni, Ru, and Ir, strategies that address the paucity of effective pathways for selective activation of multiple C(sp3)-F bonds remained challenging. In this context, we present an unprecedented coupling-aromatization-cyclization reaction of polyfluorinated ketones with diverse N- and S-nucleophiles that forms regiodefined perfluoroalkylated naphtho[1,2-b]furan/benzofuran derivatives by harnessing Co-promoted distinctive quadruple C(sp3)-F bonds cleavage relay. This chemistry involving controlled and successive selective defluorination at heteronuclear centers would greatly contribute to the preparation of drug-like heterocycles as well as the late-stage elaboration of biorelevant compounds. Controlled experiments and DFT theoretical studies revealed that the combination of cheap cobalt salt with Cs2CO3 enable expeditious C-F functionalization., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • First example of consecutive selective quadruple C(sp3)-F functionalization • Selectively and controllably partial defluorination at heteronuclear sites • Conversion to value-added chemicals by using polyfluorocarbons and nucleophiles • DFT calculations were performed to support mechanistic proposal, Chemistry; Organic Chemistry; Organic Chemistry Methods

An efficient method for the synthesis of alkyl indium reagent by means of an iodine-catalyzed direct indium insertion into alkyl iodide in THF is reported. The thus-generated alkyl indium reagents effectively underwent Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with various aryl halides, exhibiting good compatibility to a variety of sensitive functional groups. By replacing THF with DMA and using 0.75 equiv of iodine, less reactive alkyl bromide could be used as substrate for indium insertion with equal ease. Nanyang Technological University We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Nanjing Tech University (Start-up Grant No. 39837118, 39837101, and 39837146), the SICAM Fellowship from Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, and Nanyang Technological University.

An efficient iron-mediated highly diastereoselective allylation of carbonyl compounds with cyclic allylic halides is reported. The allylation reactions involving various carbonyl compounds proceeded efficiently in the presence of 20 mol% bismuth(III) chloride to give the corresponding homoallylic alcohols in moderate to good yields with excellent diastereoselectivities and wide functional group tolerance. In cases where an aldehyde and a ketone (e.g., 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde and phenylglyoxylic acid) containing an adjacent chelating atom were used, complete reversal of product diastereoselectivities was observed which could be explained by the Cram-chelated six-membered ring transition state. Nanyang Technological University We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Nanjing Tech University (Start-up Grant No. 39837118, 39837101, and 39837146), the SICAM Fellowship from the Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials, Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (No. KYCX18_1075), and Nanyang Technological University.

A combined Lewis acid system comprising of two or more Lewis acids occasionally exhibits augmented catalytic activity in organic transformations which are otherwise unrealizable by either of the components exclusively. On the other hand, the efficient construction of multiple new C-C bonds and polycyclic structures in minimal steps remains a subject of great interest in both academia and industry. Herein we report an efficient method to assemble aryldihydronaphthalene derivatives via a cascade reaction of diarylalkynes with acrylates under the catalysis of a combined Lewis acid derived from In(III) salt and TMSBr. NRF (Natl Research Foundation, S’pore) MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore) Published version

An efficient chromium(III) chloride-catalyzed Michael-type reaction of water or alcohol with α,β-unsaturated ketones is developed. A variety of α,β-unsaturated ketones effectively reacted with either water or alcohols to give the corresponding β-hydroxyl ketones or β-alkoxyl ketones in modest to high yields with excellent compatibility to various functional groups. The approach was further utilized for the preparation of synthetically useful compounds containing tetrahydrofuran skeleton.

The large diatom Coscinodiscus asteromphalus was separated from seawater in Jiaozhou Bay using a repeated precipitation method and then its chemical compositions of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and silicon (Si) combined with chlorophyll a (Chl a) were examined for the first time for a natural population in this study. Results show that the contents of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon, and Chl a in C. asteromphalus cells were 35,610.5, 9374.2, 352.4, 1105.5, and 1767.0 pg/cell, respectively, and the corresponding molar ratios of C/N, N/P, Si/P, and Si/N in C. asteromphalus cells were 4.5, 66.0, 2.7, and 0.07, respectively, which are different from the Redfield ratio. Additionally, their C/Chl a mass ratio was 23.2. High N/P ratio and low Si/P and Si/N ratios in C. asteromphalus cells were consistent with those in particulates of any size and seawater in the bay, reflecting an ecological response of phytoplankton to the nutrient structure of seawater, suggesting Si limitation to phytoplankton growth. The fact that C. asteromphalus spread all over the bay mainly in summer and autumn and the fact that Chl a content in C. asteromphalus cells could account for a maximum percentage of 78% of those in the water column suggest that the contribution of C. asteromphalus to phytoplankton biomass was significant in Jiaozhou Bay.

The direct insertion of indium powder into alkyl iodides was found to be efficiently catalyzed by a catalytic amount of cobalt(II) bromide (10 mol%). Upon subjection of the thus-formed alkylindium compounds to palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with a wide range of aryl halides, a series of cross-coupled products could be obtained in moderate to good yields with the tolerance to many important functional groups.

Based on field investigations in the Changjiang River mouth, rain sampling from the river's upper reaches to the mouth, historical data, and relevant literatures, the budget and major control factors of total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) in the river catchment were estimated and discussed from the catchment scale. It will supply a base for effective controlling P concentration in the Changjiang River and its mouth. Results show that the export fluxes of TP and DIP were mainly controlled by the river runoff. The TP and DIP in the Changjiang River came mainly from agricultural nonpoint source P losses from fertilizer and soil and point sources of industrial waste and residential sewage discharges. The export fluxes of TP and DIP in the river mouth were only 27.0% and 28.3% of the imports from the river catchment, respectively, suggesting that most of P were removed in transportation. A mass of freshwater marshes in the river catchment were the main areas to remove P. Significant increasing in utilization of fertilizer P and incessant increasing in water and soil loss areas were the primary reasons of agricultural nonpoint source P losses. How to decrease the agricultural nonpoint source P loss from the catchment scale is a key controlling P concentration in the Changjiang River and its mouth. The point source industrial waste P discharge has been primarily treated in the river catchment, but the residential sewage P discharge needs further control.

An efficient synthesis of 2-alkoxy-4-aryl-6-ferrocenyl-3-cyanopyridines via the condensation of ferrocenyl substituted chalcones with malononitrile in a freshly prepared sodium alkoxide solution under ultrasound irradiation was investigated. Especially noteworthy, the reaction of 1-ferrocenyl-3-(pyridin-2-yl)prop-2-ene-1-one with malononitrile afforded 2-alkoxy-4-pyridyl-6-ferrocenylpyridine, with the loss of CN group on the 3-position of pyridine ring was first observed.

A facile Michael addition of ferrocenylenones with aliphatic amines under ultrasound irradiation in the absence of solvent and catalyst at room temperature can afford 1-ferrocenyl-3-amino carbonyl compounds rapidly in high yields, which is also efficient in the aza-Michael reaction of other α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds such as chalcone, carboxylic ester, etc. However, aromatic amines do not undergo the conjugate addition at all, and the reactions under existing methods do not proceed or take place in low yield after a long reaction time. Apart from experimental simplicity, generality and selectivity, the advantages of this methodology are the rapid, environmentally benign and less expensive processes, which will contribute to the progress of green chemistry.

Concentrations and ratios of nutrients in Jiaozhou Bay, China, have changed much in the past decades, with trends indicating an increase in nitrogen and a decrease in silicate. Statistical analysis has shown that the long-term variations of nutrients are associated with agricultural activities, precipitation, and anthropogenic factors. Stoichiometric calculations indicate that the nutrient structure has become more and more unbalanced. There has been almost no possibility for nitrogen limitation since the 1980s, the probability of P limitation has increased, and the probability of Si limitation has also increased markedly from the 1980s to the 1990s. As a consequence of changes in nutrient structure, a decrease in the abundance of net phytoplankton was evident, whereas total chlorophyll a levels have remained roughly unchanged at around 3.55 mu g/L. Thus, it is likely that smaller species have taken the niche vacated by the larger species. Changes in phytoplankton size and species composition may ultimately lead to various functional and structural changes at the system level.

Michael reactions of deoxybenzoin or dibenzyl ketone with ferrocenyl substituted chalcones catalyzed by sodium hydroxide under ultrasound irradiation can afford the corresponding Michael adducts with excellent yields. It presents a convenient, efficient and simple method for the preparation of ferrocenyl substituted 1,5-diketone compounds in the presence of ultrasound irradiation. In addition, the formation of cyclic, α,β-unsaturated ketones via the reactions of dibenzyl ketone with ferrocenyl substituted chalcones were found, and characterized by X-ray crystal structure analysis.

Cascades: An InBr(3)-catalyzed intermolecular polyene cyclization initiated by a Prins reaction provides a concise approach to 3-oxaterpenoid derivatives. The reaction is compatible with various aldehydes, ketones, and polyolefin-alcohol substrates. In addition, the total synthesis of (±)-moluccanic acid methyl ester was achieved in seven steps by using such a Prins-polyene cyclization as the key step.

N, P and SiO3-Si in the Changjiang mainstream and its major tributaries and lakes were investigated in the dry season from November to December, 1997, and in the flood season in August and October, 1998. An even distribution of SiO3-Si was found along the Changjiang River. However, the concentrations of total nitrogen, total dissolved nitrogen, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, nitrate and total phosphorus, total particulate phosphorus increased notably in the upper reaches, which reflected an increasing impact from human activities. Those concentrations in the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang River were relatively constant. Dissolved N was the major form of N and the particulate P was the major form of P in the Changjiang River. The molar ratio of dissolved N to dissolved P was extremely high (192.5-317.5), while that of the particulate form was low (5.6-37.7). High N/P ratio reflected a significant input of anthropogenic N such as N from precipitation and N lost from water and soil etc. Dissolved N and P was in a quasi-equilibrium state in the process from precipitate to the river. In the turbid river water, light limitation, rather than P limitation, seemed more likely to be a controlling factor for the growth of phytoplankton. A positive linear correlationship between the concentration of dissolved N and the river's runoff was found, mainly in the upper reaches, which was related to the non-point sources of N. Over the past decades, N concentration has greatly increased, but the change of P concentration was not as significant as N. The nutrient fluxes of the Changjiang mainstream and tributaries were estimated, and the result showed that the nutrient fluxes were mainly controlled by the runoff, of which more than a half came from the tributaries. These investigations carried out before water storage of the Three Gorges Dam will supply a scientific base for studying the influences of the Three Gorges Dam on the ecology and environment of the Changjiang River and its estuary.

This paper described alkynylation of ethynylbenzene to ketones catalyzed by potassium tert-butoxide under solvent-free conditions in the presence of ultrasound irradiation.

The synthesis of recyclable ionic liquid-supported imidazolidinone catalyst I and its application in 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrone with α,β-unsaturated aldehyde with high performance were described. Most importantly, the catalyst I can be recovered and recycled for up to five runs without observing significant decrease in catalytic activity.

The application of ionic liquid-supported imidazolidinone catalyst I in enantioselective Diels–Alder reactions was investigated. The Diels–Alder reactions involving α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and cyclopentadiene proceeded efficiently in the presence of catalyst I to provide the desired products in moderate to good yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities. Especially noteworthy, catalyst I can be recovered and reused for up to five runs while maintaining its high catalytic activity.