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α‐aryl α,β‐unsaturated carbonyls represent an important class of derivatizable synthetic intermediates, however, the synthesis of such compounds still remains a challenge. Recently, we showcased a novel Z‐selective α‐arylation of α,β‐unsaturated nitriles with aryl sulfoxides via [3,3]‐rearrangement involving an Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) process. Herein, we demonstrate the feasibility of reversing the stereoselectivity of such MBH‐type [3,3]‐rearrangement by switching to a new pair of rearrangement partners consisting of aryl iodanes and α,β‐unsaturated oxazolines. As a result, the two protocols complement each other in approaching E‐ or Z‐α‐aryl α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl derivatives. Mechanistic studies reveal a possible reaction pathway and provide an explanation for the opposite stereoselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Morita‐Baylis–Hillman (MBH) reaction and [3, 3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement are two paradigms in organic synthesis. We have merged the two types of reactions to achieve [3,3]‐rearrangement of aryl sulfoxides with α,β‐unsaturated nitriles. The reaction was achieved by sequentially treating both coupling partners with electrophilic activator (Tf2O) and base, offering an effective approach to prepare synthetically versatile α‐aryl α,β‐unsaturated nitriles with Z‐selectivity through direct α‐C‐H arylation of unmodified α,β‐unsaturated nitriles. The control experiments and DFT calculations support a four‐stage reaction sequence, including the assembly of Tf2O activated aryl sulfoxide with α,β‐unsaturated nitrile, MBH‐like Lewis base addition, [3,3]‐rearrangement, and E1cB‐elimination. Among these stages, the Lewis base addition is diastereoselective and E1cB‐elimination is cis‐selective, which could account for the remarkable Z‐selectivity of the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aromatic [5,5]‐sigmatropic rearrangement is an appealing protocol for accessing 1,4‐substituted arenes. However, such a protocol has not been well utilized in organic synthesis because of the difficulties in the synthesis of the substrates, selectivity issues, and limited substrate scope. Described herein is a new [5,5]‐sigmatropic reaction utilizing readily available aryl sulfoxides and allyl nitriles. This reaction features mild reaction conditions, high chemo‐ and regioselectivity, excellent functional‐group compatibility, and broad substrate scope. Computational studies suggest that the success of the reaction can be attributed to the selective electrophilic assembly of the rearrangement precursors, in which a linear ‐C=C=N‐ linkage favors [5,5]‐sigmatropic rearrangement over the competitive [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement. High five: A new aromatic [5,5]‐sigmatropic rearrangement reaction has been achieved by simply treating a mixture of an aryl sulfoxide and allyl nitrile with Tf2O (Tf=trifluoromethanesulfonyl) and DABCO (1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane). The reaction features high chemo‐ and regioselectivity, which can be a challenge for conventional [5,5]‐sigmatropic rearrangement reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We herein report a robust catalyst‐free cross‐coupling between ArI(OAc)2 and α‐stannyl nitriles, aided by TMSOTf. The transformation introduces a cyanoalkyl group to the ortho position of ArI(OAc)2 and simultaneously reduces the aryl iodine(III) to iodide, thus providing α‐(2‐iodoaryl) nitrile as the product. This transformation could be completed within 5 min at −78 °C and features superb functional‐group tolerance and efficient scalability. DFT calculations indicate that the formation of a ketenimine(aryl)iodonium intermediate and subsequent [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement are involved as key steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]