Recently, with the boosted development of radical chemistry, enantioselective functionalization of C(sp
)-H bonds via a radical pathway has witnessed a renaissance. In principle, two distinct ...catalytic modes, distinguished by the steps in which the stereochemistry is determined (the radical formation step or the radical functionalization step), can be devised. This Perspective discusses the state-of-the-art in the area of catalytic enantioselective C(sp
)-H functionalization involving radical intermediates as well as future challenges and opportunities.
Radical‐involved enantioselective oxidative C−H bond functionalization by a hydrogen‐atom transfer (HAT) process has emerged as a promising method for accessing functionally diverse enantioenriched ...products, while asymmetric C(sp3)−H bond amination remains a formidable challenge. To address this problem, described herein is a dual CuI/chiral phosphoric acid (CPA) catalytic system for radical‐involved enantioselective intramolecular C(sp3)−H amination of not only allylic positions but also benzylic positions with broad substrate scope. The use of 4‐methoxy‐NHPI (NHPI=N‐hydroxyphthalimide) as a stable and chemoselective HAT mediator precursor is crucial for the fulfillment of this transformation. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that a crucial allylic or benzylic radical intermediate resulting from a HAT process is involved.
Radical control: The first radical‐involved intramolecular enantioselective oxidative C−H amination of not only allylic substrates, but also benzylic substrates, by a hydrogen atom transfer process with a CuI/chiral phosphoric acid catalytic system is reported. Critical to the success is the use of 4‐methoxy‐PINO as a stable and chemoselective hydrogen or.
A copper‐catalyzed asymmetric radical oxytrifluoromethylation of alkenyl oxime and Togni's reagent has been successfully developed, thereby providing straightforward access to CF3‐containing ...isoxazolines bearing α‐tertiary stereocenters with excellent yield and enantioselectivity. The key to success is the rational design of cinchona‐alkaloid‐based sulfonamides as neutral/anionic hybrid ligands to effectively control the stereochemistry in copper‐catalyzed reactions involving free alkyl radical species. The utility of this method is illustrated by efficient transformation of the products into useful chiral CF3‐containing 1,3‐aminoalcohols.
Powerful hybrid ligand: Cinchona‐alkaloid‐based sulfonamides were designed as effective hybrid ligands for copper, which enabled catalytic asymmetric radical oxytrifluoromethylation of alkenyl oximes to give CF3‐containing isoxazolines bearing α‐tertiary stereocenters with excellent yield and enantioselectivity.
Reported is a novel two‐step ring‐expansion strategy for expeditious synthesis of all ring sizes of synthetically challenging (hetero)aryl‐fused medium‐sized lactams from readily available ...5–8‐membered cyclic ketones. This step‐economic approach features a remote radical (hetero)aryl migration from C to N under visible‐light conditions. Broad substrate scope, good functional‐group tolerance, high efficiency, and mild reaction conditions make this procedure very attractive. In addition, this method also provides expedient access to 13–15‐membered macrolactams upon an additional one‐step manipulation. Mechanistic studies indicate that the reaction involves an amidyl radical and is promoted by acid.
Growth rings: A two‐step ring‐expansion strategy for expedient synthesis of all ring sizes of synthetically challenging (hetero)aryl‐fused medium‐sized lactams from readily available 5–8‐membered cyclic ketones has been developed. The key step involves an uncommon remote radical (hetero)aryl migration from C to N by C−C bond cleavage under irradiation with visible light.
In contrast to the wealth of asymmetric transformations for generating central chirality from alkyl radicals, the enantiocontrol over the allenyl radicals for forging axial chirality represents an ...uncharted domain. The challenge arises from the unique elongated linear configuration of the allenyl radicals that necessitates the stereo‐differentiation of remote motifs away from the radical reaction site. We herein describe a copper‐catalyzed asymmetric radical 1,4‐carboalkynylation of 1,3‐enynes via the coupling of allenyl radicals with terminal alkynes, providing diverse synthetically challenging tetrasubstituted chiral allenes. A chiral N,N,P‐ligand is crucial for both the reaction initiation and the enantiocontrol over the highly reactive allenyl radicals. The reaction features a broad substrate scope, covering a variety of (hetero)aryl and alkyl alkynes and 1,3‐enynes as well as radical precursors with excellent functional group tolerance.
A copper‐catalyzed asymmetric radical 1,4‐carboalkynylation of 1,3‐enynes is realized, providing diverse tetrasubstituted chiral allenes. The utilization of the copper/chiral N,N,P‐ligand is crucial for the enantiocontrol over the allenyl radicals, which is difficult due to their elongated linear configuration that necessitates the stereo‐differentiation of remote motifs away from the reaction site.
The mitomycins, a family of bioactive natural products, feature a compact 6/5/5‐fused polycyclic ring structure densely decorated with highly reactive and/or fragile quinone, amino ketal, and ...aziridine as well as carbamate moieties. It is this striking feature that has defeated numerous synthetic attempts towards these apparently small molecules, rendering them one of the most formidable targets for total synthesis. We herein report the first enantioselective synthesis of (+)‐mitomycin K, a representative of G series mitomycins. The key step of this synthesis is an enantioselective oxidative cyclization catalyzed by a palladium/(+)‐sparteine system that had previously been developed by our group. The robustness of this method bodes well for further applications in the asymmetric total synthesis of natural products, particularly those with characteristic 6/5/5‐fused pyrroloindole skeletons.
Finally enantioselective: Decades after its initial isolation, the first enantioselective synthesis of mitomycin K has been enabled by an asymmetric palladium‐catalyzed oxidative tandem cyclization that quickly forged the ring skeleton with high enantioselectivity. Subsequent multistep manipulations provided (+)‐mitomycin K with 97 % ee.
We describe a photoinduced copper‐catalyzed asymmetric radical decarboxylative alkynylation of bench‐stable N‐hydroxyphthalimide(NHP)‐type esters of racemic alkyl carboxylic acids with terminal ...alkynes, which provides a flexible platform for the construction of chiral C(sp3)−C(sp) bonds. Critical to the success of this process are not only the use of the copper catalyst as a dual photo‐ and cross‐coupling catalyst but also tuning of the NHP‐type esters to inhibit the facile homodimerization of the alkyl radical and terminal alkyne, respectively. Owing to the use of stable and easily available NHP‐type esters, the reaction features a broader substrate scope compared with reactions using the alkyl halide counterparts, covering (hetero)benzyl‐, allyl‐, and aminocarbonyl‐substituted carboxylic acid derivatives, and (hetero)aryl and alkyl as well as silyl alkynes, thus providing a vital complementary approach to the previously reported method.
Two in one: A photoinduced asymmetric radical decarboxylative alkynylation of bench‐stable racemic carboxylic acid derivatives with easily available terminal alkynes provides expedient access to diverse enantioenriched alkynes. The chiral copper catalyst serves as a dual photo‐ and cross‐coupling catalyst to achieve stereocontrol over the highly reactive prochiral alkyl radical intermediates.
The intermolecular asymmetric radical oxidative C(sp3)−C(sp) cross‐coupling of C(sp3)−H bonds with readily available terminal alkynes is a promising method to forge chiral C(sp3)−C(sp) bonds because ...of the high atom and step economy, but remains underexplored. Here, we report a copper‐catalyzed asymmetric C(sp3)−C(sp) cross‐coupling of (hetero)benzylic and (cyclic)allylic C−H bonds with terminal alkynes that occurs with high to excellent enantioselectivity. Critical to the success is the rational design of chiral oxazoline‐derived N,N,P(O)‐ligands that not only tolerate the strong oxidative conditions which are requisite for intermolecular hydrogen atom ion (HAA) processes but also induce the challenging enantiocontrol. Direct access to a range of synthetically useful chiral benzylic alkynes and 1,4‐enynes, high site‐selectivity among similar C(sp3)−H bonds, and facile synthesis of enantioenriched medicinally relevant compounds make this approach very attractive.
Chiral benzylic alkynes and 1,4‐enynes can be obtained in a straightforward approach from commercially available terminal alkynes and a diverse range of compounds containing benzylic and allylic C−H bonds by using the title reaction. The success of this approach lies in newly designed anionic N,N,P(O)‐ligands bearing a stable chiral oxazoline and a pentavalent phosphine oxide that are generated in situ.
The copper‐catalyzed enantioconvergent radical C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling of tertiary α‐bromo‐β‐lactams with organoboronate esters could provide the synthetically valuable α‐quaternary β‐lactams. ...The challenge arises mainly from the construction of sterically congested quaternary stereocenters between the tertiary alkyl radicals and chiral copper(II) species. Herein, we describe our success in achieving such transformations through the utilization of a copper/hemilabile N,N,N‐ligand catalyst to forge the sterically congested chiral C(sp3)−C(sp2) bond via a single‐electron reduction/transmetalation/bond formation catalytic cycle. The synthetic potential of this approach is shown in the straightforward conversion of the corresponding products into many valuable building blocks. We hope that the developed catalytic cycle would open up new vistas for more enantioconvergent cross‐coupling reactions.
Copper‐catalyzed enantioconvergent radical C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling of tertiary alkyl bromides with organoboronate esters is developed to access synthetically valuable α‐quaternary chiral β‐lactams. The success of this work relies on the utilization of chiral N,N,N‐ligands to forge the sterically congested C(sp3)−C(sp2) bonds.
An asymmetric intermolecular, three-component radical-initiated dicarbofunctionalization of 1,1-diarylalkenes with diverse carbon-centered radical precursors and electron-rich heteroaromatics by a ...copper(I) and chiral phosphoric acid cooperative catalysis strategy has been developed, providing straightforward access to chiral triarylmethanes bearing quaternary all-carbon stereocenters with high efficiency as well as excellent chemo- and enantioselectivity. The key to success is not only the introduction of a sterically demanding chiral phosphoric acid to favor radical difunctionalization over the otherwise remarkable side reactions but also the in situ generation of carbocation intermediates from benzylic radical to realize asymmetric induction with the aid of a removable hydroxy directing group via cooperative interactions with chiral phosphate. Density functional theory calculations elucidated the critical chiral environment created by the hydrogen-bonding and ion-pair interactions between the chiral phosphoric acid catalyst and substrates, which leads to the enantioselective C–C bond formation.
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