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Transition‐metal‐catalyzed asymmetric α‐allylation of ketones is a particularly useful tool for constructing stereocenters via C−C bond formation. However, this type of reaction often necessitated the use of activated ketones or pre‐prepared enol intermediates as substrates. In this study, we developed a nickel‐catalyzed α‐allylation of unactivated cycloketones with allylic alcohols to synthesize chiral cycloketones with an α‐quaternary carbon center. The reaction affords the products with 42–97% yields, 72–86% ee, and no additive is needed, and the only by‐product is water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: The alkenylzincation of internal alkynes is an effective method for the synthesis of multi‐substituted conjugated dienes; however, the current catalytic systems for this reaction are limited in terms of substrate scope and selectivity control, which restricts its practical applications. Herein, we report the first iron‐catalyzed alkenylzincation of internal alkynes, which features mild conditions, simple operation, broad substrate scope (including aryl/alkyl, diaryl, and dialkyl acetylenes), excellent functional group tolerance (tolerating highly active functional groups such as ester, methylthio, amide, sulfonyl, cyano, etc.), and high activity (with a turnover number of up to 11500, the highest record for carbometallation reactions). Notably, the catalytic system described in this article also realized the highly selective vinylzincation of unfunctionalized internal alkynes as well as the alkenylzincation of unsymmetrical diarylacetylenes and dialkyl acetylenes, which have not been achieved with other catalytic systems reported in the literatures. The current study provides a highly selective access to synthetically important multi‐substituted conjugated dienes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: The design and synthesis of spirochroman‐2‐on‐4,1'‐indan‐7'‐ol (SCIOL) and its application for synthesizing chiral monophosphinite ligands are reported. The synthesis features a tandem double Friedel‐Crafts reaction/lactonization to construct the spiro framework and the desired racemic SCIOL was obtained via 6 steps with a total yield of 44.5%. Using an inclusion resolution with N‐benzylcinchonidinium chloride, the optical SCIOL could be obtained in good yields on a gram scale. The preliminary studies indicated that the corresponding chiral spiro monophosphinite ligands exhibit high catalytic activity and enantioselectivity (up to 94% ee) in the rhodium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N‐acetyl dehydroamino esters. These outcomes highlight the significant potential of SCIOL as a useful framework for the development of chiral spiro ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enantioselective addition of potent nucleophiles to ketenes poses challenges due to competing background reactions and poor stereocontrol. Herein, we present a method for enantioselective phosphoric acid catalyzed amination of ketenes generated from α‐aryl‐α‐diazoketones. Upon exposure to visible light, the diazoketones undergo Wolff rearrangement to generate ketenes. The phosphoric acid not only accelerates ketene capture by amines to form a single configuration of aminoenol intermediates but also promotes an enantioselective proton‐transfer reaction of the intermediates to yield the products. Mechanistic studies elucidated the reaction pathway and explained how the catalyst expedited the transformation and controlled the enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral benzylic amines are privileged motifs in pharmacologically active molecules. Intramolecular enantioselective radical C(sp3)−H functionalization by hydrogen‐atom transfer has emerged as a straightforward, powerful tool for the synthesis of chiral amines, but methods for intermolecular enantioselective C(sp3)−H amination remain elusive. Herein, we report a cationic copper catalytic system for intermolecular enantioselective benzylic C(sp3)−H amination with peroxide as an oxidant. This mild, straightforward method can be used to transform an array of feedstock alkylarenes and amides into chiral amines with high enantioselectivities, and it has good functional group tolerance and broad substrate scope. More importantly, it can be used to synthesize bioactive molecules, including chiral drugs. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that the amination reaction involves benzylic radicals generated by hydrogen‐atom transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free carbene readily causes multiple side reactions due to its high energy, thus its asymmetric transformation is very difficult. We present here our findings of high‐pKa Brønsted acid catalysts that enable free carbene insertion into N−H bonds of amines to prepare chiral α‐amino acid derivatives with high enantioselectivity. Under irradiation with visible light, diazo compounds produce high‐energy free carbenes that are captured by amines to form free ylide intermediates, and then the newly designed high‐pKa Brønsted acids, chiral spiro phosphamides, promote the proton transfer of ylides to afford the products. Computational and kinetic studies uncover the principle for the rational design of proton‐transfer catalysts and explain how the catalysts accelerate this transformation and provide stereocontrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a method for constructing tricyclic [1,2‐a]indoles via nickel‐catalyzed intramolecular imine‐alkene coupling reactions. This method enables syntheses of 6‐5‐5 and 6‐5‐6 tricyclic [1,2‐a]indoles. The use of NIXantphos or DPPPent as a ligand and 4‐(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid as a co‐catalyst is crucial for the reaction. The synthetic utility of the method was demonstrated by converting the product into useful indole amines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Hydrofluoride is an industry‐preferred fluoride source, and finds extensively application to manufacture diverse fluoro chemicals. The Et3N‐3HF complex is a liquid HF with improve safety. In this work, we report electrochemical synthesis of a series of sulfonyl fluoride with Et3N‐3HF as fluoride source. The sulfinic salt is a smell‐less, non‐volatile, and air‐stable sulfur source in this reaction. With the combination of Et3N‐3HF and aryl/alkyl sulfinic salt, the sulfonyl fluorides are achieved without the use of external oxidant. In addition, we demonstrate further advantage in a tandem reaction involving Pd‐catalyzed C—S cross‐coupling and formation of S—F bond. A variety of functional groups including amino acids, heterocycles, halides are well tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a nickel‐catalyzed desymmetric reductive cyclization/coupling of 1,6‐dienes. The reaction provides an efficient method for constructing a chiral tertiary alcohol and a quaternary stereocenter by a single operation. The method has excellent diastereoselectivity and high enantioselectivity, a broad substrate scope, as well as good tolerance of functional groups. Preliminary mechanism studies show that alkyl nickel(I) species are involved in the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogenation of esters catalyzed by a manganese complex of phosphine‐aminopyridine ligand was developed. Using this protocol, a variety of (hetero)aromatic and aliphatic carboxylates including biomass‐derived esters and lactones were hydrogenated to primary alcohols with 63–98% yields. The manganese catalyst was found to be active for the hydrogenation of methyl benzoate, providing benzyl alcohol with turnover numbers (TON) as high as 45,000. Investigation of catalyst intermediates indicated that the amido manganese complex was the active catalyst species for the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese complexes with tridentate PNN ligands have been synthesized as catalysts for hydrogenative cross‐coupling reaction of nitriles and amines to form secondary imines. This reaction afforded a variety of unsymmetrical secondary imines in good yields with excellent selectivity. Investigation of catalyst intermediates indicated that an amido manganese complex may be the active catalyst species for this reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly enantio‐ and regioselective hydrosulfonylation of 1,3‐dienes with sulfonyl hydrazides has been realized by using a palladium catalyst containing a monodentate chiral spiro phosphoramidite ligand. The reaction provided an efficient approach to synthetically useful chiral allylic sulfones. Mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction proceeds through the formation of an allyl hydrazine intermediate and subsequent rearrangement to the chiral allylic sulfone product. The transformation of the allyl hydrazine intermediate to the product is the enantioselectivity‐determining step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enantioselective total synthesis of pentacyclic proaporphine alkaloid (−)‐misramine has been achieved. The synthetic route features a Pictet‐Spengler cyclization to construct the fused B and C rings and a sequence of Baeyer‐Villiger oxidation, Pinnick oxidation, and pinacol‐type cyclization to install the α‐hydroxy ketal moiety. The absolute configuration of the pentacyclic framework was elucidated by X‐ray single‐crystal analyses of (−)‐11‐demethoxymisramine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A carbene insertion into electron‐deficient C−H bonds of 1,3‐diesters, β‐ketoesters, β‐ketonitriles, and malononitriles was realized by using CuCN/PCy3 as the catalyst. The reaction provides a straightforward approach to the synthetically important multi‐substituted succinic acid derivatives. A plausible reaction mechanism with cyclopropanation/ring opening as key steps was proposed based on control experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A protocol for iodine‐catalyzed oxidative rearrangement of tertiary and secondary amines has been developed. This metal‐free protocol provides an atom‐economical, efficient access to synthetically useful α‐amino acid derivatives from readily available acyclic and cyclic tertiary or secondary amines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scalable enantioselective total synthesis of (−)‐goniomitine has been developed by using an iridium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of an exocyclic enone ester to control the configuration of the molecule. The synthesis begins from commercially available starting materials, and proceeds through an integrated asymmetric ketone hydrogenation, Johnson–Claisen rearrangement, and one‐pot oxidation/deprotection/cyclization process. With this highly efficient and scalable strategy, (−)‐goniomitine was synthesized in eleven steps with 27 % overall yield, and formal enantioselective syntheses of (+)‐1,2‐dehydroaspidospermidine, (+)‐aspidospermidine, and (+)‐vincadifformine were also achieved. Going, going, goniomitine: A scalable enantioselective synthetic strategy featuring an iridium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of an exocyclic enone ester for the total synthesis of (−)‐goniomitine and formal syntheses of (+)‐1,2‐dehydroaspidospermidine, (+)‐aspidospermidine, and (+)‐vincadifformine is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Brønsted acid enabled nickel-catalyzed hydroalkenylation of aldehydes and styrene derivatives has been developed. The Brønsted acid acts as a proton shuttle to transfer a proton from the alkene to the aldehyde, thereby leading to an economical and byproduct-free coupling. A series of synthetically useful allylic alcohols were obtained through one-step reactions from readily available styrene derivatives and aliphatic aldehydes in up to 88% yield and with high linear selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A nickel(0)‐catalyzed hydroalkenylation of imines with styrene and its derivatives is described. A wide range of aromatic and aliphatic imines directly coupled with styrene and its derivatives, thus providing various synthetically useful allylic amines with up to 95 % yield. The reaction offers a new atom‐ and step‐economical approach to allylic amines by using alkenes instead of alkenyl‐metallic reagents. Experiments and DFT calculations showed that TsNH2 promotes the proton transfer from the coordinated olefin to the imine, accompanied by a new C−C bond formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Ni-catalyzed hydroarylation of styrenes and 1,3-dienes with organoboron compounds has been developed. The reaction offers a highly selective approach to diarylalkanes and allylarenes under redox-neutral conditions. In this hydroarylation reaction, a new strategy that uses the proton of methanol to generate the active catalyst species Ni−H was developed. The Ni-catalyzed hydroarylation, combined with a Ir-catalyzed C−H borylation, affords a very efficient and straightforward access to a retinoic acid receptor agonist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concise, divergent, asymmetric total syntheses of mulinane diterpenoids has been achieved. Specifically, a new strategy was developed featuring a key intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction to construct the chiral fused 5-6-6 tricyclic motif, followed by sequential Birch reduction, conjugate methylation, and homologation/ring-expansion reactions to furnish the desired 5-6-7 tricyclic skeleton bearing five contiguous stereocenters. With this efficient strategy, seven mulinane diterpenoids and two analogues were synthesized via late-stage functional modification or functionalization in 8.6-20 % overall yields and 11-15 steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ruthenium complex with a tetradentate bipyridine ligand was proved to be a highly efficient catalyst for the conversions of CO2. Turnover numbers up to 300 000, 9800, and 2100 were achieved for the hydrogenations of CO2 to formamides, formamides to methanol and amines, and the direct hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol, respectively. A ruthenium catalyst with tetradentate bipyridine ligand gave TONs up to 300 000, 9800, and 2100 for the hydrogenations of CO2 to formamides, formamides to methanol and amines, and the direct hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogenation of amides to amines has been developed by using the catalyst [Ru(H)2(CO)(Triphos)] (Triphos=1,1,1-tri(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane) and catalytic boron Lewis acids such as B(C6F5)3 or BF3 ⋅Et2O as additives. The reaction provides an efficient method for the preparation of secondary amines from amides in good yields with high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first highly enantioselective intramolecular N−H bond insertion was realized by using copper catalysts modified with chiral spirobisoxazoline ligands, which provides a novel strategy for the synthesis of chiral 2-carboxytetrahydroquinolines. This reaction features fast reaction rate, high yield, high enantioselectivity, and mild reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new strategy for the enantioselective construction of chiral 2,3- cis-dimethyldihydrobenzofurans has been developed by a ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of racemic α-aryloxybutanone via dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR), combined with a palladium-catalyzed intramolecular reductive Heck cyclization. Starting from optically active 2,3- cis-dimethyldihydrobenzofuran, the natural products (+)/(−)-PI-220 and (+)-3- epi-furaquinocin C were synthesized in high yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The B front cover picture b shows examples of work developed by Professor Andreas Pfaltz, to whom this special issue of I Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis i is dedicated. For details see the commentary by the Issue Editors, Frank Glorius and Qi-Lin Zhou (F. Glorius, Q.-L. Front Cover Picture: Special Issue Dedicated to Andreas Pfaltz (Adv. [Extracted from the article]

The chiral tridentate spiro P-N-S ligands (SpiroSAP) were developed, and their iridium complexes were prepared. Introduction of a 1,3-dithiane moiety into the ligand resulted in a highly efficient chiral iridium catalyst for asymmetric hydrogenation of β-alkyl-β-ketoesters, producing chiral β-alkyl-β-hydroxyesters with excellent enantioselectivities (95-99.9 % ee) and turnover numbers of up to 355 000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium-catalyzed hydrocarboxylation of alkynes with formic acid has been developed. The method provides acrylic acid and derivatives in good yields with high regioselectivity without the need to handle toxic CO gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An iron-catalyzed asymmetric intramolecular cyclopropanation was realized in high yields and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 97 % ee) by using the iron complexes of chiral spiro-bisoxazoline ligands as catalysts. The superiority of iron catalysts exhibited in this reaction demonstrated the potential abilities of this sustainable metal in asymmetric carbenoid transformation reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An asymmetric hydrogenation of α-oxymethylcinnamic acids was developed by using chiral spiro phosphine-oxazoline/iridium complexes as catalysts to prepare β2-hydroxycarboxylic acids with high reactivity (TON up to 2000) and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99.5% ee). By using this highly efficient asymmetric hydrogenation as a key step, a concise total synthesis of natural product homoisoflavone ( S)-(+)- 4 was accomplished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly enantioselective NH insertion reaction of α-diazoketones was developed by using cooperative catalysis by dirhodium(II) carboxylates and chiral spiro phosphoric acids. The insertion reaction provides a new access route to diverse chiral α-aminoketones, which are versatile building blocks in organic synthesis, with fast reaction rates, good yields and high enantioselectivity under mild and neutral conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium-catalyzed asymmetric OH insertion reaction was developed. Palladium complexes with chiral spiro bisoxazoline ligands promoted the insertion of α-aryl-α-diazoacetates into the OH bond of phenols with high yield and excellent enantioselectivity under mild reaction conditions. This palladium-catalyzed asymmetric OH insertion reaction provided an efficient and highly enantioselective method for the preparation of synthetically useful optically active α-aryl-α-aryloxyacetates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The palladium-catalyzed asymmetric ring-opening (ARO) reaction of azabenzonorbornadienes with iodobenzoate derivatives was realized by using chiral spirophosphine ligands with zinc powder as a reducing reagent. Various enantiomerically enriched cis-dihydrobenzo[ c]phenanthridinones, the core structure of numerous chiral natural products, were prepared by the ARO reaction and tandem amidation from easily obtained starting materials with favorable enantioselectivity (up to 86% ee) under mild reaction conditions. The present palladium-catalyzed ARO reaction avoids the direct use of organometallic reagents, enables tandem cyclization, and thus improves synthetic efficiency. The formal total synthesis of a chiral natural product, (+)-chelidonine, was accomplished with the ARO reaction as a key step, which demonstrates the potential synthetic applications of the present methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High turnover: An highly efficient catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of δ‐aryl‐δ‐ketoesters has been realized by using the chiral spiroiridium catalyst (R)‐1. Chiral 1,5‐diol products are obtained with excellent enantioselectivity and turnover numbers (TONs) as high as 100 000. TOF=turnover frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiral binding: A highly enantioselective hydrogenation of unsaturated heterocyclic acids has been developed by using chiral iridium/spirophosphino oxazoline catalysts (see scheme; BArF−=tetrakis[3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate, Boc=tert‐butoxycarbonyl). This reaction provided an efficient method for the preparation of optically active heterocyclic acids with excellent enantioselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of racemic α-arylcyclohexanones with an ethylene ketal group at the 5-position of the cyclohexane ring via dynamic kinetic resolution has been developed, giving chiral α-arylcyclohexanols with two contiguous stereocenters with up to 99% ee and >99:1 cis/ trans-selectivity. Using this highly efficient asymmetric hydrogenation reaction as a key step, (−)-α-lycorane was synthesized in 19.6% overall yield over 13 steps from commercially available starting material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient: A copper‐catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular insertion of carbenoids into phenolic OH bonds has been developed. This method can be used for the synthesis of the title compounds in high yields and excellent enantioselectivities under mild and neutral conditions (see scheme). NaBArF=sodium tetrakis[3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carboxy marks the spot: A carboxy‐directed asymmetric hydrogenation of 1,1‐diarylethenes and 1,1‐dialkylethenes with chiral iridium/spiro phosphine–oxazoline catalysts has been developed. A wide range of chiral diarylethanes and chiral γ‐methyl fatty acids were synthesized with excellent enantioselectivity (see scheme). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]