Highly Effective Conditions for Nickel-Mediated Heck Cyclization Cascades Starting from Aryl and Vinyl Triflates

In contrast to the tremendous power of Pd-based Mizoroki–Heck reactions, methods to achieve such processes with other metals, particularly Ni, are generally lacking. Herein, we delineate specific conditions that can enable cascade variants of these C–C bond forming events to proceed smoothly under Ni catalysis. Critically, these reactions work with equal facility as their Pd-initiated counterparts when conducted intramolecularly, and in many cases are devoid of any Ni–H-mediated alkene isomerization within the starting materials and/or products as has typically been observed with previous Ni-based protocols. When conducted intermolecularly, the developed variant affords unique regioselectivity in product formation, substantively favoring 6-endo additions over the more standard 5-exo counterparts observed under Pd-based conditions. Finally, applications of the developed procedures to two different natural product syntheses are described

Synthesis of 5-arylacetylenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles and their transformations under superelectrophilic activation conditions

Acetylene derivatives of 1,2,4-oxadiazoles, i.e., 5-(2-arylethynyl)-3-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles, have been obtained, for the first time reported, from 5-(2-arylethenyl)-3-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles by their bromination at the carbon–carbon double bond followed by di-dehydrobromination with NaNH2 in liquid NH3. The reaction of the acetylenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles with arenes in neat triflic acid TfOH (CF3SO3H) at room temperature for 1 h resulted in the formation of E/Z-5-(2,2-diarylethenyl)-3-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles as products of regioselective hydroarylation of the acetylene bond. The addition of TfOH to the acetylene bond of these oxadiazoles quantitatively resulted in E/Z-vinyl triflates. The reactions of the cationic intermediates have been studied by DFT calculations and the reaction mechanisms are discussed.

Synthesis of 5-arylacetylene 1,2,4-oxadiazoles and their transformations under superelectrophilic activation conditions

Acetylene derivatives of 1,2,4-oxadiazoles, 5-(2-arylethynyl)-3-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles, have been obtained, for the first time, from 5-(2-arylethenyl)-3-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles by their bromination at the carbon-carbon double bond followed by di-dehydrobromination with NaNH2 in liquid NH3. Reaction of the acetylene 1,2,4-oxadiazoles with arenes in neat triflic acid TfOH (CF3SO3H) at room temperature for 1 h result in the formation of E-/Z-5-(2,2-diarylethenyl)-3-aryl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles as products of regioselective hydroarylation of the acetylene bond. Addition of TfOH to acetylene bond of these oxadiazoles gives rise quantitatively to E-/Z-vinyl triflates. Reaction cationic intermediates have been studied by DFT calculations. The reaction mechanisms have been discussed.

Synthesis of 1-(1-Arylvinyl)pyridin-2(1H)-ones from Ketones and 2-Fluoropyridine

Pyridone skeletons are found in numerous biologically active molecules and pharmaceuticals. 1-(1-Arylvinyl)pyridin-2(<i>1H</i>)-ones are synthetic intermediates derived from the enamide moiety, and only few examples of the synthesis of 1-(1-arylvinyl)-2-pyridones have been reported. In this work, a simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of <i>N</i>-vinyl-substituted pyridones from ketones and 2-fluoropyridine in the presence of trifluoromethane sulfonic anhydride, followed by base treatment is described. Various ketones with electron-donating or -withdrawing groups at the benzene rings can be used in this reaction. A preliminary mechanistic study indicates that it is not very likely that both vinyl triflates and vinyl cations play major roles as intermediates in this transformation. The thus obtained pyridones can be subsequently transformed via C–H arylation and radical alkylation reactions.

Synthesis of 1-(1-Arylvinyl)pyridin-2(1H)-ones from Ketones and 2-Fluoropyridine

Pyridone skeletons are found in numerous biologically active molecules and pharmaceuticals. 1-(1-Arylvinyl)pyridin-2(<i>1H</i>)-ones are synthetic intermediates derived from the enamide moiety, and only few examples of the synthesis of 1-(1-arylvinyl)-2-pyridones have been reported. In this work, a simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of <i>N</i>-vinyl-substituted pyridones from ketones and 2-fluoropyridine in the presence of trifluoromethane sulfonic anhydride, followed by base treatment is described. Various ketones with electron-donating or -withdrawing groups at the benzene rings can be used in this reaction. A preliminary mechanistic study indicates that it is not very likely that both vinyl triflates and vinyl cations play major roles as intermediates in this transformation. The thus obtained pyridones can be subsequently transformed via C–H arylation and radical alkylation reactions.