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We report a synthesis of allenylic silyl ethers through iron-catalyzed functionalization of the C(sp2)–H bonds of monosubstituted alkylallenes. In the presence of a cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl based catalyst and triisopropylsilyl triflate as a silylation agent, a variety of aryl aldehydes were suitable coupling partners in this transformation, furnishing a collection of 1,1-disubstituted allenylic triisopropylsilyl ethers as products in moderate to excellent yields as a single regioisomer. Lithium bistriflimide was identified as a critical additive in this transformation. The optimized protocol was scalable, and the products were amenable to further transformation to give a number of unsaturated, polyfunctional derivatives.

An iridium-catalyzed stereoselective coupling of allylic ethers and alkynes to generate 3,4-substituted 1,5-enynes is reported. Under optimized conditions, the coupling products are formed with excellent regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities, and the protocol is functional group tolerant. Moreover, we report conditions that allow the reaction to proceed with complete reversal of diastereoselectivity. Mechanistic studies are consistent with an unprecedented dual role for the iridium catalyst, enabling the propargylic deprotonation of the alkyne through π-coordination, as well as the generation of a π-allyl species from the allylic ether starting material.

Once considered to be exotic species of limited synthetic utility, vinyl cations have recently been shown to be highly versatile intermediates in a variety of processes. Here, we report a method for the synthesis of aryl-substituted benzocycloheptenes and -hexenes using the hydrotriflate salt of an electron-poor pyridine as a uniquely efficient proton source for a vinyl cation mediated Friedel-Crafts cyclization. The mild conditions made possible by this reagent allowed a range of simple and functionalized alkynes bearing pendant aryl groups to serve as suitable substrates for this scalable and convenient protocol.

Propylene gas is produced worldwide by steam cracking on million-metric-ton scale per year. It serves as a valuable starting material for π-bond functionalization but is rarely applied in transition metal-catalyzed allylic C-H functionalization for fine chemical synthesis. Herein, we report that a newly-developed cationic cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl complex allows for the conversion of propylene to its allylic C-C bond coupling products under catalytic conditions. This approach was also found applicable to the allylic functionalization of simple α-olefins with distinctive branched selectivity. Experimental and computational mechanistic studies supported the allylic deprotonation of the metal-coordinated alkene as the turnover-limiting step and led to insights into the multifaced roles of the newly designed ligand in promoting allylic C-H functionalization with enhanced reactivity and stereoselectivity.

An iron-catalysed C-H functionalisation of simple monosubstituted allenes for the synthesis of 1-tetrahydroisoquinolinyl 1,1-disubstituted allenes is reported. This transformation represents the first example of a direct conversion of allenic C-H bonds to C-C bonds through cross dehydrogenative coupling. The optimized protocol features broad scope and employs mild, functional group tolerant conditions.

In spite of their rich stoichiometric chemistry, cyclopentadienyliron(II) dicarbonyl complexes are rarely used as catalysts in organic synthesis. Inspired by precedents in the chemistry of cationic olefin complexes and neutral allylmetal species, our group has developed a coupling of alkynes or alkenes with aldehydes and other carbonyl electrophiles to give homopropargylic and homoallylic alcohols, respectively, by using a substituted cyclopentadienyliron(II) dicarbonyl complex as the catalyst. In this article, we first contextualize this development within the conceptual background of C–H functionalization chemistry and relative to key stoichiometric precedents. We then give an account of our group’s discovery and development of the catalytic α-functionalization of alkenes and alkynes with electrophilic reagents.IntroductionPreliminary Stoichiometric WorkHydroxyalkylation Development and ScopeConclusions and Future Directions

An iron-catalyzed C-H functionalization of simple monosubstituted allenes is reported. An efficient protocol for this process was made possible by the use of a newly developed electron-rich and sterically hindered cationic cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl complex as the catalyst and N-sulfonyl hemiaminal ether reagents as precursors to iminium ion electrophiles. Under optimized conditions, the use of a mild, functional-group-tolerant base enabled the conversion of a range of monoalkyl allenes to their allenylic sulfonamido 1,1-disubstituted derivatives, a previously unreported and contrasteric regiochemical outcome for the C-H functionalization of electronically unbiased and directing-group-free allenes.

A rhodium-catalyzed coupling-cyclization reaction of alkenyldiazoacetates with o-alkenyl arylisocyanides has been developed. In this reaction, the highly reactive alkenylketenimine intermediates generated by coupling reaction of alkenyldiazoacetates with o-alkenyl arylisocyanides undergo intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition and provide a novel, highly efficient method for the one-step synthesis of carbazoles by formation of three new bonds and two rings from readily available acyclic starting materials.

The deprotonation of propargylic C–H bonds for subsequent functionalization typically requires stoichiometric metal alkyl or amide reagents. In addition to the undesirable generation of stoichiometric metallic waste, these conditions limit the functional group compatibility and versatility of this functionalization strategy and often result in regioisomeric mixtures. In this article, we report the use of dicarbonyl cyclopentadienyliron(ii) complexes for the generation of propargylic anion equivalents toward the direct electrophilic functionalization of propargylic C–H bonds under mild, catalytic conditions. This technology was applied to the direct conversion of C–H bonds to C–C bonds for the synthesis of several functionalized scaffolds through a one-pot cross dehydrogenative coupling reaction with tetrahydroisoquinoline and related privileged heterocyclic scaffolds. A series of NMR studies and deuterium-labelling experiments indicated that the deprotonation of the propargylic C–H bond was the rate-determining step when a Cp*Fe(CO)2-based catalyst system was employed., [Cp*Fe(CO)2]+ facilitates the α-deprotonation of unsaturated C–C bond for propargylic and allylic C–H functionalization. Mechanistic studies reveal insights into the superior performance of the electron-rich and hindered ligand on iron.

Vinyl fluorides play an important role in drug development as bioisosteres for peptide bonds and are found in a range of bioactive molecules. The discovery of safe, general and practical procedures to prepare vinyl fluorides from readily available precursors remains a synthetic challenge. The metal-free hydrofluorination of alkynes constitutes an attractive though elusive strategy for their preparation. Here we introduce an inexpensive and easily-handled reagent that enabled the development of simple and scalable protocols for the regioselective hydrofluorination of alkynes to access both the E and Z isomers of vinyl fluorides. These conditions were suitable for a diverse collection of alkynes, including several highly-functionalized pharmaceutical derivatives. Computational and experimental mechanistic studies support C–F bond formation through vinyl cation intermediates, with the (E)- and (Z)-hydrofluorination products forming under kinetic and thermodynamic control, respectively.

A highly efficient strategy for remote reductive cross-electrophile coupling has been developed through the ligand-controlled nickel migration/arylation. This general protocol allows the use of abundant and bench-stable alkyl bromides and aryl bromides for the synthesis of a wide range of structurally diverse 1,1-diarylalkanes in excellent yields and high regioselectivities under mild conditions. We also demonstrated that alkyl bromide could be replaced by the proposed olefin intermediate while using n-propyl bromide/Mn0 as a potential hydride source.

The discovery of catalytic systems based on earth-abundant transition metals for the functionalization of C-H bonds enables streamlined and sustainable solutions to problems in synthetic organic chemistry. In this Communication, we disclose an iron-based catalytic system for the functionalization of propargylic and allylic C-H bonds. Inexpensive and readily available cyclopentadienyliron(II) dicarbonyl complexes were employed as catalysts for a novel deprotonative activation mode for C-H functionalization, an approach that allows for the direct union of unsaturated building blocks with aryl aldehydes and other carbonyl electrophiles to deliver a range of unsaturated alcohol coupling products under operationally simple and functional group tolerant reaction conditions.

The enantioselective, intermolecular hydroallylation of vinylarenes employing allylic phosphate electrophiles has been achieved through a copper hydride catalyzed process. The protocol described herein can be applied to a diverse set of vinylarene substrates and allows for the installation of the parent allyl group as well as a range of 2-substituted allylic fragments.

An automated, droplet-flow microfluidic system explores and optimizes Pd-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. A smart optimal DoE-based algorithm is implemented to increase the turnover number and yield of the catalytic system considering both discrete variables—palladacycle and ligand—and continuous variables—temperature, time, and loading—simultaneously. The use of feedback allows for experiments to be run with catalysts and under conditions more likely to produce an optimum; consequently complex reaction optimizations are completed within 96 experiments. Response surfaces predicting reaction performance near the optima are generated and validated. From the screening results, shared attributes of successful precatalysts are identified, leading to improved understanding of the influence of ligand selection upon transmetalation and oxidative addition in the reaction mechanism. Dialkylbiarylphosphine, trialkylphosphine, and bidentate ligands are assessed., Novartis-MIT Center for Continuous Manufacturing, National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Novartis-MIT Center for Continuous Manufacturing. Grants CHE-9808061 and DBI-9729592), National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Postdoctoral Fellowship GM112218)

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have a unique action mechanism that can help to solve global problems in antibiotic resistance. However, their low therapeutic index and poor stability seriously hamper their development as therapeutic agents. In order to overcome these problems, we designed peptides based on the sequence template XXRXXRRzzRRXXRXX-NH2, where X represents a hydrophobic amino acid like Phe (F), Ile (I), and Leu (L), while zz represents Gly&ndash, Gly (GG) or d-Pro&ndash, Gly (pG). Showing effective antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria and low toxicity, designed peptides had a tendency to form an &alpha, helical structure in membrane-mimetic environments. Among them, peptide LRpG (X: L, zz: pG) showed the highest geometric mean average treatment index (GMTI = 73.1), better salt, temperature and pH stability, and an additive effect with conventional antibiotics. Peptide LRpG played the role of anti-Gram-negative bacteria through destroying the cell membrane. In addition, peptide LRpG also exhibited an anti-inflammatory activity by effectively neutralizing endotoxin. Briefly, peptide LRpG has the potential to serve as a therapeutic agent to reduce antibiotic resistance owing to its high therapeutic index and great stability.

Over the past few years, CuH-catalyzed hydroamination has been discovered and developed as a robust and conceptually novel approach for the synthesis of enantioenriched secondary and tertiary amines. The success in this area of research was made possible through the large body of precedent in copper(I) hydride catalysis and the well-explored use of hydroxylamine esters as electrophilic amine sources in related copper-catalyzed processes. This Minireview details the background, advances, and mechanistic investigations in CuH-catalyzed hydroamination., National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (GM58160), National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Postdoctoral Fellowship GM113311), National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Postdoctoral Fellowship GM112218)

The enantioselective, intramolecular hydroalkylation of halide-tethered styrenes has been achieved through a copper hydride-catalyzed process. This approach allowed for the synthesis of enantioenriched cyclobutanes, cyclopentanes, indanes, and six-membered N- and O-heterocycles. This protocol was applied to the synthesis of the commercial serotonin reuptake inhibitor (−)-paroxetine.

An enantioselective fluorination of allylic alcohols under chiral anion phase-transfer conditions is reported. The in situ generation of a directing group proved crucial for achieving effective enantiocontrol. In the presence of such a directing group, a range of acyclic substrates underwent fluorination to afford highly enantioenriched α-fluoro homoallylic alcohols. Mechanistic studies suggest that this transformation proceeds through a concerted enantiodetermining transition state involving both C–F bond formation and C–H bond cleavage.

Chiral-anion phase-transfer catalysis (PTC) has been applied towards the enantioselective fluorocyclization reactions of 1,3-dienes. The method affords unprecedented fluorinated benz[f]isoquinoline and octahydroisoquinoline products in high yields and up to 96 % ee. New fluorinated amine reagents outperformed Selectfluor in the desired transformation.

The chiral SalenCo(III)OAc-catalyzed hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR) of racemic terminal epoxides to afford both enantioenriched epoxides and diols presents one of the most important achievements in asymmetric synthesis chemistry. Previous studies mainly focused on the development of highly efficient catalysts, while rare reports concerned the mechanistic understanding of metal valence change, associated with the formation of inactive Co(II)-Salen complex. Herein, we report the mechanistic aspects of catalyst deactivation regarding the transformation of Co(III) to Co(II) derivative in the HKR of racemic epoxides catalyzed by SalenCo(III)OAc complexes with an appended 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene on the ligand framework by means of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Continuous determination of transient cationic species in ESI-MS positive mode in conjunction with UV-vis spectroscopic studies at various time points provides evidence that a certain amount of SalenCo(III)OAc molecules were reduced to the corresponding Co(II) derivatives in the HKR of racemic propylene oxide or styrene oxide. To be accompanied by the reduction of Co(III) to Co(II), the resultant diols were oxidized to α-hydroxy ketones. These analyses along with some control experiments gave a mechanistic understanding of catalyst deactivation of SalenCo(III)OAc-catalyzed HKR of racemic epoxides regarding an unveiled redox reaction between Co(III)-Salen and diol, the hydrolyzed product.

The enantioselective, intermolecular hydroallylation of vinylarenes employing allylic phosphate electrophiles has been achieved through a copper hydride catalyzed process. The protocol described herein can be applied to a diverse set of vinylarene substrates and allows for the installation of the parent allyl group as well as a range of 2-substituted allylic fragments.

Over the past few years, CuH-catalyzed hydroamination has been discovered and developed as a robust and conceptually novel approach for the synthesis of enantioenriched secondary and tertiary amines. The success in this area of research was made possible through the large body of precedent in copper(I) hydride catalysis and the well-explored use of hydroxylamine esters as electrophilic amine sources in related copper-catalyzed processes. This Minireview details the background, advances, and mechanistic investigations in CuH-catalyzed hydroamination.

The cycloaddition of epoxides with carbon disulfide proceeds effectively by using a binary catalyst system of tetradentate Schiff-base aluminum complexes (designated as salenAlX) as Lewis acid in connection with a nucleophilic co-catalyst, such as quaternary ammonium salt. The steric factor of the substituent groups on the aromatic rings of salenAlX and the anion of quaternary ammonium salt all have significant effects on the activity of the binary catalyst system, as well as the selectivities of the resultant cyclic products. The effects of temperature, time and the molar ratio of reactants were also investigated in detail with regard to propylene oxide with carbon disulfide, and a plausible mechanism was proposed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quaternary ammonium bases, such as aqueous (CH3)4NOH, were found to be an extraordinarily efficient catalyst for cyanosilylation of aldehydes. The addition reaction of trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) to equivalent aldehydes could proceed smoothly with turnover frequency (TOF) up to 3000000 h−1 and in near 100% yield under solvent-free conditions. These organic catalysts also tolerated various aldehydes including aromatic, aliphatic and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. This process perfectly conforms to the features of green chemistry: no waste regarding side-products and unconverted reactants, solvent-free, excellent catalytic activity, and no requirement for separation.

The discovery of distinct modes of asymmetric catalysis has the potential to rapidly advance chemists' ability to build enantioenriched molecules. As an example, the use of chiral cation salts as phase-transfer catalysts for anionic reagents has enabled a vast set of enantioselective transformations. A largely overlooked analogous mechanism wherein a chiral anionic catalyst brings a cationic species into solution is itself a powerful method. The concept is broadly applicable to a number of different reaction pathways, including to the enantioselective fluorocyclization of olefins, and dearomatization of aromatic systems with a cationic electrophile-transferring (e.g., fluorinating) agent and a chiral phosphate catalyst. The reactions proceed in high yield and stereoselectivity. The compounds and methods of the invention are of particular value, especially considering the scarcity of alternative approaches.

A highly enantioselective transformation catalyzed by chiral (acyclic diaminocarbene)gold(I) complexes is reported. The enantioselective synthesis of 2-substituted chromenyl pivalates from racemic phenol-substituted propargyl pivalates was developed. Rearrangement of the substrates in the presence of cationic gold gave allene intermediates, whose cyclization resulted in formation of enantioenriched product through a dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation.

Lewis pair polymerization is a powerful method for preparing soluble polymers bearing pendant active vinyl groups by directly polymerizing dissymmetric divinyl polar monomers. Herein, we present a strategy for synthesizing block and brush copolymers via tandem Lewis pair polymerization of methacrylates, “thiol-ene” click reaction and organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of lactide.

Chiral chromium complexes of tetradentate N,N'-disubstituted bis(aminophenoxide) (designated as Salan, a saturated version of Schiff-base Salen ligand) in conjunction with an ionic quaternary ammonium salt can efficiently catalyze the copolymerization of CO 2 with racemic propylene oxide (rac-PO) at mild conditions to selectively afford completely alternating poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) with ∼ 95% head-to-tail linkages and moderate enantioselectivity. These new catalyst systems predominantly exceed the previously much-studied SalenCr(III) systems in catalytic activity, polymer enantioselectivity, and stereochemistry control. The chiral diamine backbone, sterically hindered substitute groups on the aromatic rings, and the presence of sp 3 -hydridized amino donors and its N,N'-disubstituted groups in chiral SalanCr(III) complexes all play significant roles in controlling polymer stereochemistry and enantioselectivity. Furthermore, a relationship between polycarbonate enantioselectivity and its head-to-tail linkages in relation to regioselective ring-opening of the epoxide was also discussed on the basis of stereochemical studies of PPCs derived from the copolymerization of CO 2 with chiral PO at various conditions.

The enantioselective, intramolecular hydroalkylation of halide-tethered styrenes has been achieved through a copper hydride-catalyzed process. This approach allowed for the synthesis of enantioenriched cyclobutanes, cyclopentanes, indanes, and six-membered N- and O-heterocycles. This protocol was applied to the synthesis of the commercial serotonin reuptake inhibitor (−)-paroxetine.

During the past decade, the use of Au(I) complexes for the catalytic activation of C–C π-bonds has been investigated intensely. Over this time period, the development of homogeneous gold catalysis has been extraordinarily rapid and has yielded a host of mild and selective methods for the formation of carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds. The facile formation of new bonds facilitated by gold naturally led to efforts toward rendering these transformations enantioselective.In this Account, we survey the development of catalysts and ligands for enantioselective gold catalysis by our research group as well as related work by others. We also discuss some of our strategies to address the challenges of enantioselective gold(I) catalysis. Early on, our work with enantioselective gold-catalyzed transformations focused on bis(phosphinegold) complexes derived from axially chiral scaffolds. Although these complexes were highly successful in some reactions like cyclopropanation, the careful choice of the weakly co...

During the past decade, the use of Au(I) complexes for the catalytic activation of C-C π-bonds has been investigated intensely. Over this time period, the development of homogeneous gold catalysis has been extraordinarily rapid and has yielded a host of mild and selective methods for the formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. The facile formation of new bonds facilitated by gold naturally led to efforts toward rendering these transformations enantioselective. In this Account, we survey the development of catalysts and ligands for enantioselective gold catalysis by our research group as well as related work by others. We also discuss some of our strategies to address the challenges of enantioselective gold(I) catalysis. Early on, our work with enantioselective gold-catalyzed transformations focused on bis(phosphinegold) complexes derived from axially chiral scaffolds. Although these complexes were highly successful in some reactions like cyclopropanation, the careful choice of the weakly coordinating ligand (or counterion) was necessary to obtain high levels of enantioselectivity for the case of allene hydroamination. These counterion effects led us to use the anion itself as a source of chirality, which was successful in the case of allene hydroalkoxylation. In general, these tactics enhance the steric influence around the reactive gold center beyond the two-coordinate ligand environment. The use of binuclear complexes allowed us to use the second gold center and its associated ligand (or counterion) to exert a further steric influence. In a similar vein, we employed a chiral anion (in place of or in addition to a chiral ligand) to move the chiral information closer to the reactive center. In order to expand the scope of reactions amenable to enantioselective gold catalysis to cycloadditions and other carbocyclization processes, we also developed a new class of mononuclear phosphite and phosphoramidite ligands to supplement the previously widely utilized phosphines. However, we needed to judiciously design the steric environment to create "walls" that enclose the gold center. We also successfully applied these same considerations to the development of binuclear carbene ligands for gold. Finally, we describe the design of bifunctional urea-monophosphine ligands used in a gold-catalyzed three-component coupling.

This is the first report of a metal-free catalytic asymmetric 1,4-fluoroamination of conjugated dienes.

We report a catalytic enantioselective electrophilic fluorination of alkenes to form tertiary and quaternary C(sp3)-F bonds and generate β-amino- and β-aryl-allylic fluorides. The reaction takes advantage of the ability of chiral phosphate anions to serve as solid–liquid phase transfer catalysts and hydrogen bond with directing groups on the substrate. A variety of heterocyclic, carbocyclic, and acyclic alkenes react with good to excellent yields and high enantioselectivities. Further, we demonstrate a one-pot, tandem dihalogenation–cyclization reaction, using the same catalytic system twice in series, with an analogous electrophilic brominating reagent in the second step.

The title catalyst combines positive aspects of solid as well as soluble supports, e.g., homogeneous dispersion in the reaction medium, easy recovery, solution-based characterization, and a catalytic activity superior to heterogeneous catalysis.

Brominated benzoxazines are obtained in high yields and with excellent enantioselectivities using the new brominating agent (I).

A chiral anion phase-transfer system for enantioselective halogenation is described. Highly insoluble, ionic reagents were developed as electrophilic bromine and iodine sources, and application of this system to o-anilidostyrenes afforded halogenated 4H-3,1-benzoxazines with excellent yield and enantioselectivity.

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) functionalized MCM-41 was synthesized by reacting 1,3-bis-(4-allyl-2,6-diisopropylphenyl) imidazolium chloride with MCM-41 using 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane as silane coupling agent, and its CO2 adduct (designated as MCM-41-IPr-CO2) was further synthesized by the reaction with CO2. In situdiffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) was used to investigate the reversible CO2 capture-release ability of MCM-41-NHC. MCM-41-IPr-CO2 adduct proved to be an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides or aziridines with excellent regioselectivity under mild conditions. Moreover, the catalyst could be recovered easily through a simple filtration process and reused multiple times without obvious loss in activity, owing to CO2 as protective group for effectively stabilizing the NHC anchored on MCM-41.

The last decade has witnessed dramatic growth in the number of reactions catalyzed by electrophilic gold complexes. While proposed mechanisms often invoke the intermediacy of gold-stabilized cationic species, the nature of bonding in these intermediates remains unclear. Herein, we propose that the carbon-gold bond in these intermediates is comprised of varying degrees of both sigma and pi-bonding; however, the overall bond order is generally less than or equal to unity. The bonding in a given gold-stabilized intermediate, and the position of this intermediate on a continuum ranging from gold-stabilized singlet carbene to gold-coordinated carbocation, is dictated by the carbene substituents and the ancillary ligand. Experiments show that the correlation between bonding and reactivity is reflected in the yield of gold-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions.

Tetracyclines and tetracycline analogues are prepared by a convergent, single-step Michael-Claisen condensation of AB precursor 1 or 2 with D-ring precursors of wide structural variability, followed by removal of protective groups (typically in two steps). A number of procedural variants of the key C-ring-forming reaction are illustrated in multiple examples. These include stepwise deprotonation of a D-ring precursor followed by addition of 1 or 2, in situ deprotonation of a D-ring precursor in mixture with 1 or 2, and in situ lithium-halogen exchange of a benzylic bromide D-ring precursor in the presence of 1 or 2, followed by warming. The AB plus D strategy for tetracycline synthesis by C-ring construction is shown to be robust across a range of different carbocyclic and heterocyclic D-ring precursors, proceeding reliably and with a high degree of stereochemical control. Evidence suggests that Michael addition of the benzylic anion derived from a given D-ring precursor to enones 1 or 2 is quite rapid at -78 degrees C, while Claisen cyclization of the enolate produced is rate-determining, typically occurring upon warming to 0 degrees C. The AB plus D coupling strategy is also shown to be useful for the construction of tetracycline precursors that are diversifiable by latter-stage transformations, subsequent to cyclization to form the C ring. Results of antibacterial assays and preliminary data obtained from a murine septicemia model show that many of the novel tetracyclines synthesized have potent antibiotic activities, both in bacterial cell culture and in vivo. The platform for tetracycline synthesis described gives access to a broad range of molecules that would be inaccessible by semisynthetic methods (presently the only means of tetracycline production) and provides a powerful engine for the discovery and, perhaps, development of new tetracycline antibiotics.

Dimerisation sous UV des naphtalenes situes a chaque extremite d'une chaine de polymere d'ethylene oxydes de longueur variable

Asymmetric, regio- and stereoselective alternating copolymerization of CO(2) and racemic aliphatic epoxides proceeds effectively under mild temperature and pressure by using a binary catalyst system of a chiral tetradentate Schiff base cobalt complex [SalenCo(III)X] as the electrophile in conjunction with an ionic organic ammonium salt or a sterically hindered strong organic base as the nucleophile. The substituent groups on the aromatic rings, chiral diamine backbone, and axial X group of the electrophile, as well as the nucleophilicity, leaving ability, and coordination ability of the nucleophile, all significantly affect the catalyst activity, polymer selectivity, enantioselectivity, and stereochemistry. A bulky chiral cyclohexenediimine backbone complex [SalcyCo(III)X] with an axial X group of poor leaving ability as the electrophile, combined with a bulky nuclephile with poor leaving ability and low coordination ability, is an ideal binary catalyst system for the copolymerization of CO(2) and a racemic aliphatic epoxide to selectively produce polycarbonates with relatively high enantioselectivity, >95% head-to-tail connectivity, and >99% carbonate linkages. A fast copolymerization of CO(2) and epoxides was observed when the concentration of the electrophile or/and the nucleophile was increased, and the number of polycarbonate chains was proportional to the concentration of the nucleophile. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, in combination with a kinetic study, showed that the copolymerization involved the coordination activation of the monomer by the electrophile and polymer chain growth predominately occurring in the nucleophile. Both the enantiomorphic site effect resulting from the chiral electrophile and the polymer chain end effect mainly from the bulky nucleophile cooperatively control the stereochemistry of the CO(2)/epoxide copolymerization.

This communication describes a convenient route to optically active propylene carbonate by a catalytic kinetic resolution process resulting from the coupling reaction of CO2 and racemic epoxides using simple chiral SalenCo(III)/quaternary ammonium halide catalyst systems.

The immobilization of homogeneous catalysts is a continuing goal for combining the advantages of both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. However, a significant loss in catalytic activity is often found in the immobilization of a homogeneous catalyst. Herein, we report a novel strategy consisting of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) functionalized with homogeneous catalysts that are developed to combine the positive aspects of solid and soluble supports. Using the oxidation of alcohols as a model reaction, the supported catalysts (MWNTs–TEMPO) can be homogeneously dispersed in the reaction medium to conquer the mass transfer limitation, which leads to their catalytic activity being far superior to their heterogeneous counterpart and similar to their parent catalysts. In addition, they exhibit the additional advantages of characterization with solution-based techniques, easy separation and reutilization.

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) functionalized MCM-41 was synthesized by reacting 1,3-bis-(4-allyl-2,6-diisopropylphenyl) imidazolium chloride with MCM-41 using 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane as silane coupling agent, and its CO2 adduct (designated as MCM-41-IPr-CO2) was further synthesized by the reaction with CO2. In situdiffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) was used to investigate the reversible CO2 capture-release ability of MCM-41-NHC. MCM-41-IPr-CO2 adduct proved to be an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides or aziridines with excellent regioselectivity under mild conditions. Moreover, the catalyst could be recovered easily through a simple filtration process and reused multiple times without obvious loss in activity, owing to CO2 as protective group for effectively stabilizing the NHC anchored on MCM-41.