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A room-temperature (3+2) cycloaddition sequence for the synthesis of highly substituted dihydrothiophene derivatives has been developed. By utilizing structurally unique thiocarbonyl ylides, the reactivity of these traditionally high-energy intermediates can be modulated, enabling a synthetically useful transformation to proceed under mild conditions.

Organic synthesis boasts a wide array of reactions involving either radical species or ionic intermediates. The combination of radical and polar species, however, has not been explored to a comparable extent. Herein we present the hydrative aminoxylation of ynamides, a reaction which can proceed by either a polar-radical crossover mechanism or through a rare cationic activation. Common to both processes is the versatility of the persistent radical TEMPO and its oxidised oxoammonium derivative TEMPO + . The unique mechanisms of these processes are elucidated experimentally and by in-depth DFT-calculations., (© 2018 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.)

Abstract: A regioselective synthesis of pyridines by the addition of malonate anions to pyridine N -oxide derivatives, which have been activated by trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride, is reported. The reaction selectively affords either 2- or 4-substituted pyridines in good yields.

A novel ynamide preactivation strategy enables the use of otherwise incompatible reagents and allows preparation of α,β-disubstituted enamides with high regio- and stereoselectivity. Mechanistic analysis reveals the intermediacy of a triflate-bound intermediate as a solution-stable, effective keteniminium reservoir, whilst still allowing subsequent addition of organometallic reagents., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The lupin alkaloid sparteine is a well-known chiral diamine with a range of applications in asymmetric synthesis, as well as a blocker of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs). However, there is only scarce information on the VGSC-blocking activity of sparteine derivatives where the structure of the parent alkaloid is retained. Building on the recent renewed availability of sparteine and derivatives we report herein how modification of sparteine at position 2 produces irreversible blockers of VGSCs. These compounds could be clinically envisaged as long-lasting local anesthetics., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A new approach for the synthesis of 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds is reported. Chemoselective activation of amide carbonyl functionality and subsequent umpolung via N-oxide addition generates an electrophilic enolonium species that can be coupled with a wide range of nucleophilic enolates. The method conveys broad functional group tolerance on both components, does not suffer from formation of homocoupling byproducts and avoids the use of transition metal catalysts.

The carbon-carbon double bond, with its diverse and multifaceted reactivity, occupies a prominent position in organic synthesis. Although a variety of simple alkenes are readily available, the mild and chemoselective introduction of a unit of unsaturation into a functionalized organic molecule remains an ongoing area of research, and the olefination of carbonyl compounds is a cornerstone of such approaches. Here we show the direct olefination of hydrazones via the intermediacy of three-membered ring species generated by addition of sulfoxonium ylides, departing from the general dogma of alkenes synthesis from carbonyls. Moreover, the mild reaction conditions and operational simplicity of the transformation render the methodology appealing from a practical point of view.

The selective, metal-free generation of α-carbonyl cations from simple internal alkynes was accomplished by the addition of a sulfoxide to a densely substituted vinyl cation. The high reactivity of the α-carbonyl cations was found to efficiently induce hydrogen and even carbon shift reactions with unusual selecivities. Complex compounds with highly congested tertiary and all-carbon-substituted quartenary carbon centers can thus be accessed in a single step from simple precursors. Mechanistic analysis strongly supports the intermediacy of the title compounds and provides a simple predictive scheme for the migratory aptitude of different substituents., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The synthesis of α-amino carbonyl compounds is an important challenge in synthesis en route to biologically essential structures. While classical approaches involve the use of enol or enolate chemistries in combination with an electrophilic source of nitrogen, those strategies usually necessitate further transformations to reach the desired targets. In recent years, a new approach arose involving the direct use of nucleophilic sources of nitrogen along with an oxidant. This approach advantageously leads, in one-pot, to the biologically relevant α-amino compound without requiring further transformation. This review highlights the recent advances in the emerging field of oxidative α-amination reactions using nucleophilic sources of nitrogen., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Conformational mobility is a core property of organic compounds, and conformational analysis has become a pervasive tool for synthetic design. In this work, we present experimental and computational (employing Density Functional Theory) evidence for unusual intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions in a series of α-acylmethane derivatives, as well as a discussion of the consequences thereof for their NMR spectroscopic properties.

The use of readily available hydroxamic acids as reagents for the chemoselective (ortho-amino)arylation of amides is described. This reaction proceeds under metal-free, mild conditions, displays a very broad scope, and constitutes a direct approach for the metal-free attachment of aniline residues to carbonyl derivatives., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The preparation of substituted aminooxazoles and aminoimidazoles from α-arylamides and α-aminoamides through triflic anhydride-mediated amide activation is reported. These reactions proceed via the intermediacy of nitrilium adducts and feature N-oxide-promoted umpolung of the α-position of amides as well as a mechanistically intriguing sequence that results in sulfonyl migration from nitrogen to carbon. Quantum-chemical mechanistic analysis sheds light on the intricacies of the process.

Non-precious-metal-catalyzed reactions are of increasing importance in chemistry due to the outstanding ecological and economic properties of these metals. In the subfield of metal-catalyzed direct C-H functionalization reactions, recent years have shown an increasing number of publications dedicated to this topic. Nickel, cobalt, and last but not least iron, have started to enter a field which was long dominated by precious metals such as palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, and iridium. The present review article summarizes the development of iron-, nickel-, and cobalt-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions until the end of 2016, and discusses the scope and limitations of these transformations., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Tetrazolium salts are biologically active molecules that have found broad applications in biochemical assays. A regioselective synthesis of tetrazolium salts is described through a formal (3 + 2) cycloaddition. The possibility of employing simple amides and azides as starting material and the mild conditions allow a broad functional group tolerance.

A suite of flexible and chemoselective methods for the transition-metal-free oxidation of amides to α-keto amides and α-hydroxy amides is presented. These highly valuable motifs are accessed in good to excellent yields and stereoselectivities with high functional group tolerance. The utility of the method is showcased by the formal synthesis of a potent histone deacetylase inhibitor.

Much contemporary organic synthesis relies on transformations that are driven by the intrinsic, so-called "natural", polarity of chemical bonds and reactive centers. The design of unconventionally polarized synthons is a highly desirable strategy, as it generally enables unprecedented retrosynthetic disconnections for the synthesis of complex substances. Whereas the umpolung of carbonyl centers is a well-known strategy, polarity reversal at the α-position of a carbonyl group is much rarer. Herein, we report the design of a novel electrophilic enolonium species and its application in efficient and chemoselective, metal-free oxidative C-C coupling., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A general, asymmetric redox arylation of ynamides and thioalkynes with chiral sulfoxides is reported. This is the first example of a general 1,4-chirality transfer from sulfur to a carbon stereocenter through a sulfonium [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement. This reaction delivers α-arylated thioesters and amides under mild conditions in an atom-economical manner. The products are formed in high yields with enantiomeric ratios up to 99.5:0.5. Quantum chemical calculations suggest a mechanism for the chirality transfer from sulfur to carbon and explain the experimentally observed correlation of the enantioselectivity with both the catalyst and the substrate., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) plays an important role in drug discovery. Its modification at chemically reactive positions has been exploited to a large extent over the last decades, generating a wide range of analogues. In contrast, introduction of substituents at chemically inert positions remains a sizeable challenge. Hereby we wish to report the synthesis of a first series of C-19-arylated DHAA-analogues by application of a simple CH activation protocol, as well as their antimicrobial activity against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Triflic anhydride is a versatile electrophile that is able to activate poor nucleophiles. Herein, we show that readily available β-keto esters are activated by Tf 2 O furnishing γ-pyrones. Mechanistic studies suggest that this transformation proceeds via a double triflation, formation of an oxocarbenium intermediate and dealkylation promoted by a crucial nitrile additive.

Abstract: This manuscript describes the convergent synthesis of aryl- and alkyl-disubstituted γ -pyrones from β -ketoacids. The reaction proceeds in the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride via an unprecedented decarboxylative auto-condensation of the starting material. Herein, the scope and limitations of this transformation are reported.

An efficient metal-free oxyarylation of electron-poor alkynes with pyridine N-oxides has been developed. This transformation affords meta-substituted pyridines analogous to the drug metyrapone in high regioselectivities. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided important insight into the mechanism. Evaluation of the inhibitory properties revealed the most active CYP11B1 inhibitor of these derivatives, with two-digit nanomolar inhibitory activity akin to that of metyrapone., (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The rich chemistry of cyclobutanes is underpinned by a large body of synthetic literature devoted to their synthesis and decoration. This is motivated by the widespread representation of cyclobutane moieties in biologically active natural products and man-made molecules. Surprisingly, this vast array of knowledge finds no parallel in the chemistry of cyclobutenes, their unsaturated analogues. In particular, a dearth of methods to synthesize enantioenriched cyclobutenes is apparent upon cursory investigation of the literature. As a leading example, the photocycloaddition of maleic anhydride to acetylene or dichloroethylene, probably a benchmark of cyclobutene synthesis, delivers a meso cyclic anhydride which can be further converted to a cyclobutene product by enantioselective desymmetrization by ring opening. Nonetheless, such an approach delivers products with a rather inflexible substitution pattern around the four-membered ring. The lack of general approaches has motivated our group and others to develop novel routes to cyclobutene scaffolds, leading to the development of a strategy that combines photochemistry and catalysis. Indeed, we have coupled the simple and efficient photochemical isomerization of 2-pyrone into a strained bicyclo[2.2.0] lactone with palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation as a simple and versatile access to functionalized cyclobutenes. Several nucleophiles can be added to the activated, strained intermediate, including malonate anions and azlactones. The products are mono- and bicyclic building blocks richly decorated with functional groups. Importantly, they are formed with high levels of diastereoselectivity as expected by the tenets of palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation, which posit that the oxidative addition and nucleophilic capture steps proceed with inversion of configuration, resulting in overall retention (inversion + inversion). However, the transposition of the methodology to an asymmetric version subsequently led to the surprising discovery of a family of highly enantioselective, diastereodivergent catalytic processes. Indeed, we observed a ligand-dependent stereochemical outcome for a range of palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylations affording either overall retention or overall inversion of configuration, and that with very high levels of enantio- and diastereoselectivity. The new family of diastereodivergent reactions enables the conversion of the aforementioned racemic bicyclo[2.2.0] lactone into each of 4 stereoisomeric products, at will. Although the mechanistic details at the origin of this unusual stereodivergence are not yet fully elucidated, it became clear through our studies that unique Pd-allyl complexes, residing preferentially as their σ-(monohapto)-bound isomers, are at the heart of the process. The cyclobutenes prepared can also engage in electrocyclic ring-opening reactions (often spontaneous depending on the substitution pattern) that link this chemistry with that of diene and polyene frameworks. Using the strategies laid out above, our group was then able to harness the high stereospecificity of electrocyclic reactions and design modular syntheses of several natural products and natural product fragments. We believe that the methods presented herein shall soon pave the way for the streamlined synthesis of more complex polyenic natural products.

8-Aminoquinoline has emerged as one of the most powerful bidentate directing groups in history of C-H activation within the last decade. However, cleavage of its robust amide bond has shown to be challenging in several cases, thus jeopardizing the general synthetic utility of the method. To overcome this limitation, we herein report a simple oxidative deprotection protocol. This transformation rapidly converts the robust amide to a labile imide, allowing subsequent cleavage in a simple one-pot fashion to rapidly access carboxylic acids or amides as final products., (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The reaction of aryl-substituted allenes with alcohols under gold catalysis led to highly substituted indenes in good yields, with low catalyst loading and under mild conditions. During this domino transformation, two C-C bonds are formed with water as the only byproduct., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The synthesis of pyridines through direct intermolecular cycloaddition of alkynes and nitriles is a contemporary challenge in organic synthesis. A Brønsted acid mediated formal [2+2+2] cycloaddition of heteroalkynes and nitriles was developed that proceeds under mild conditions. This constitutes a modular approach to highly substituted pyridine cores., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

An unusually divergent reactivity of ynamides in the presence of azides is reported. This new keteniminium-based methodology, which only requires triflic acid as promoter, facilitates access to β-enaminoamides and biologically important oxazolidine-2,4-diones in a highly selective, divergent manner that is fully controllable by the present azide. A mechanistic rationale for these divergent reaction pathways is delineated and supported by extensive density functional theory analyses, as well as selected mechanistic experiments.

Although sulfur ylides are textbook reagents in organic synthesis, surprisingly little variation of substituents on sulfur is usually observed. In particular, vinylsulfonium ylides have been neglected so far. Herein, we present a study on their synthesis and reactivity, including interesting behavior under photocatalytic conditions.

The synthesis of α-amino carbonyl/carboxyl compounds is a contemporary challenge in organic synthesis. Herein, we present a stereoselective α-amination of amides employing simple azides that proceeds under mild conditions with release of nitrogen gas. The amide is used as the limiting reagent, and through simple variation of the azide pattern, various differently substituted aminated products can be obtained. The reaction is fully chemoselective for amides even in the presence of esters or ketones and lends itself to preparation of optically enriched products.

The electrophilic activation of amides, especially by the action of trifluoromethanesulfonic (triflic) anhydride, enables the formation of highly electrophilic and reactive intermediates, lending themselves to diverse reaction pathways. This synopsis sets out to highlight recent advances in the field of amide activation, focused on the use of triflic anhydride, and the myriad of transformations that can ensue upon addition of several classes of electrophiles to the intermittently generated high energy intermediates.

A novel formal [3+2] cycloaddition of cyclopropylacetals and aldehydes was developed, and the resulting trisubstituted tetrahydrofurans display three new chiral centers formed with highly diastereoselectivity. This method is stereocomplementary to most previously reported cycloadditions of malonate diesters, relies on the transient generation of cyclopropyl oxocarbenium ions, proceeds under mild conditions, and is based on the concept of temporary activation of an otherwise inert protecting group., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The Brønsted acid-mediated reaction of unactivated alkynes with aryl sulfoxides leads to simultaneous hydration and intermolecular C-C bond formation. This solvent- and metal-free transformation directly delivers α-arylated carbonyl compounds as the products of a formal hydrative arylation in an atom-economical manner. The products bear useful synthetic handles for further functionalization., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The first enantioconvergent palladium-catalyzed Fukuyama cross-coupling of racemic benzylic organozinc reagents with thioesters has been developed. The reaction furnishes enantioenriched acyclic α-disubstituted ketone products in good yields and high enantioselectivities. A broad substrate scope is achieved under mild reaction conditions to prevent racemization of the potentially labile tertiary stereocenters., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic cores are ubiquitous building blocks in organic chemistry. Herein, we present a family of metal-free intermolecular formal cycloaddition reactions that enable highly selective and orthogonal access to isoquinolines and pyrimidines at will. Applications of the products are complemented by a density functional theory mechanistic analysis that pinpoints the crucial factors responsible for the selectivity observed, including stoichiometry and the nature of the heteroalkyne.

A redox-neutral functionalization of cyclic amines that leads to acyclic products is presented. The reaction hinges on generation of transient aryl radical intermediates by catalytic activation with a simple hydrazine. Those aryl radicals subsequently undergo translocation and further oxidation prior to trapping with the same hydrazine, thus resulting in an overall process where the catalyst unusually also acts as the nucleophile.

Breaking good: The amide bond is widely recognized as the strongest bond among the carboxylic acid derivatives. Therefore, the potential of amides to serve as synthetic building blocks has remained mostly untapped thus far. This Highlight describes a recent breakthrough that enables the catalytic conversion of amides into esters for the first time., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Contemporary catalytic procedures involving alkylpalladium(ii) have enriched the arsenal of synthetic organic chemistry. Those transformations usually rely on internal coordination through "directing groups", carefully designed to maximize catalytic efficiency and regioselectivity. Herein, we report structural and reactivity studies of a series of internally coordinated monohaptoallylpalladium complexes. These species enable the direct spectroscopic observation and theoretical study of π-σ-π interconversion processes. They further display unusual dynamic behavior which should be of direct relevance to chemistries beyond catalytic allylic alkylation.

Hydrazines form a new family of low molecular-weight reducing agents for diazonium salts. Using only small amounts of hydrazine catalyst, the coupling of diazonium salts to a variety of reactive partners has been achieved, without the requirement for either metal adjuvants or irradiation with visible or ultraviolet light. The generality of the concept proposed herein as well as its advantages in the preparative scale is outlined and discussed.

A copper-promoted flexible synthesis of cyclobutenes carrying simple alkyl chains, enabling even the most hindered nucleophiles to be employed, has been developed. The versatility of this approach was exemplified by a short total synthesis of ieodomycin D and a straightforward preparation of the southeastern fragment of macrolactin A. The latter features a late-stage, double cyclobutene electrocyclic ring opening that directly delivers a bis-diene of defined geometry.

A gold-catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation of unactivated olefins with sulfonium ylides in the presence of a bimetallic catalyst with a novel dimeric TADDOL-phosphoramidite ligand is reported. This transformation allows a rare gold-catalyzed dynamic deracemization of chiral racemic substrates, where the same catalyst is responsible for several synergistic tasks in solution. The products are useful building blocks in synthesis and enable expeditious access to natural products., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Gold(I) catalysis of olefin activation is still a rare feature in the repertoire of that metal. Mechanistic studies on the gold(I)-catalyzed cyclopropanation of allyl-substituted sulfonium ylides, including kinetic analysis as well as detailed computational studies, reveal that the reaction proceeds through activation of the alkene moiety. Furthermore, a novel competitive allylic isomerization pathway that interconverts "linear" and "branched" allylic isomers is uncovered. The subtle interplay of cyclopropanation and olefin isomerization results in an intriguing domino process where two independent catalytic transformations combine with near-perfect regio- and stereoselectivities.

Carbene intermediates are very useful species for a range of reactions including C-H insertions and cycloadditions. They are most commonly generated by metal-catalyzed release of nitrogen gas from diazo precursors. Herein, we present a novel C-H insertion of simple β-ketoamide substrates, through reaction with (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (DIB) in the presence of a base. This unprecedented transformation bypasses the use of either diazo precursors or metal catalysts and directly delivers β-lactam products by an iodonium ylide, in a single step under mild conditions. Mechanistic studies support the intermediacy of a free singlet carbene of unique reactivity and selectivity., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A stereoselective gold(I)-catalyzed intermolecular cyclopropanation of allenamides with stabilized sulfonium ylides is reported. This transformation enables the direct synthesis of diacceptor alkylidenecyclopropanes and proceeds under very mild conditions through allene activation., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A Brønsted acid catalyzed redox arylation of ynamides that employs aryl sulfoxides as the arylating agents is reported. This metal-free transformation proceeds at room temperature and efficiently affords α-arylated oxazolidinones in a redox-neutral, atom-economic fashion., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A serendipitously discovered palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction with diorganozinc reagents, which displays broad functional group compatibility, is reported. This novel transformation hinges on a remarkable ligand effect which overrides the standard "umpolung" reactivity of allyl-palladium intermediates in the presence of dialkylzincs. Owing to its mild conditions, enantioselective allylic alkylations of racemic allylic electrophiles are possible in the presence of sensitive functional groups., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A new approach for the fully chemoselective α-arylation of amides is presented. By means of electrophilic amide activation, aryl groups can be regioselectively introduced α- to amides, even in the presence of esters and alkyl ketones. Mechanistic studies reveal key reaction intermediates and emphasize a remarkably subtle base effect in this transformation., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We have reported a direct and stereoselective synthesis of functionalized dienoic carboxylates from the simple bicyclic lactone 1. The use of oxygen- or nitrogen-based nucleophiles in a domino allylic alkylation/4π-electrocyclic ring opening affords reliable access to dienes with interesting functionalities. Alternatively, halide substitution offers synthesis of other classes of functionalized dienoic acids. Herein, we demonstrate the utility of such dienoic products as key building blocks in various transformations as well as natural product synthesis.

A one-pot protocol for the asymmetric α-allylation reaction is reported relying on a key efficient asymmetric Claisen rearrangement, triggered by electrophilic activation of chiral pseudoephedrine amides. Subsequent reduction or hydrolysis of the resulting iminium ions provides highly enantioenriched α-allylic aldehydes or carboxylic acids in a traceless manner. Compared to traditional alternatives which make use of strongly basic conditions, the work presented herein displays unprecedented functional group tolerance.

The direct functionalization of C-H bonds is an attractive strategy in organic synthesis. Although several advances have been made in this area, the selective activation of inert sp(3) C-H bonds remains a daunting challenge. Recently, a new type of sp(3) C-H activation mode through internal hydride transfer has demonstrated the potential to activate remote sp(3) C-H linkages in an atom-economic manner. This Minireview attempts to classify recent advances in this area including the transition to non-activated sp(3) C-H bonds and asymmetric hydride transfers., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A direct synthesis of stereodefined halodienes is reported. Those key building blocks enable a concise access to polyenic products, as demonstrated in a modular synthesis of Inthomycin C.