Catalytic Asymmetric γ-Alkylation of Carbonyl Compounds via Stereoconvergent Suzuki Cross-Couplings

With the aid of a chiral nickel catalyst, enantioselective γ- (and δ-) alkylations of carbonyl compounds can be achieved through the coupling of γ-haloamides with alkylboranes. In addition to primary alkyl nucleophiles, for the first time for an asymmetric cross-coupling of an unactivated alkyl electrophile, an arylmetal, a boronate ester, and a secondary (cyclopropyl) alkylmetal compound are shown to couple with significant enantioselectivity. A mechanistic study indicates that cleavage of the carbon–halogen bond of the electrophile is irreversible under the conditions for asymmetric carbon–carbon bond formation

Nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings of unactivated secondary and tertiary alkyl halides and photoinduced copper-mediated asymmetric C-N cross-couplings

Thesis (Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemistry, 2013.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Vita.Includes bibliographical references.Chapter 1 describes the development of two nickel-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling methodologies that employ alkyl halides as electrophiles. In Section 1.1, asymmetric [gamma]-alkylation relative to a carbonyl group is achieved via the stereoconvergent cross-coupling of racemic secondary [gamma]-chloroamides with primary alkylboranes. Section 1.2 describes the first Suzuki carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction using tertiary alkyl halides as electrophiles; specifically, unactivated tertiary alkyl bromides are cross-coupled with arylboranes. Chapter 2 describes the establishment of photoinduced asymmetric copper-mediated C-N Ullmann-type coupling processes between racemic secondary alkyl halides and N-heterocycles. Preliminary yields and enantioselectivities for a reaction between secondary benzylic halides and carbazoles, with the use of a monodentate chiral phosphine ligand, are presented. The methodology is then extended to secondary [alpha]-haloamides, including [alpha]-halolactams, which are found to afford very promising yields and enantioselectivities.by Susan L. Zultanski.Ph.D.in Organic Chemistr

Asymmetric copper-catalyzed C-N cross-couplings induced by visible light

Despite a well-developed and growing body of work in copper catalysis, the potential of copper to serve as a photocatalyst remains underexplored. Here we describe a photoinduced copper-catalyzed method for coupling readily available racemic tertiary alkyl chloride electrophiles with amines to generate fully substituted stereocenters with high enantioselectivity. The reaction proceeds at –40°C under excitation by a blue light-emitting diode and benefits from the use of a single, Earth-abundant transition metal acting as both the photocatalyst and the source of asymmetric induction. An enantioconvergent mechanism transforms the racemic starting material into a single product enantiomer

Nickel-Catalyzed Carbon–Carbon Bond-Forming Reactions of Unactivated Tertiary Alkyl Halides: Suzuki Arylations

The first Suzuki cross-couplings of unactivated tertiary alkyl electrophiles are described. The method employs a readily accessible catalyst (NiBr[subscript 2]·diglyme/4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine, both commercially available) and represents the initial example of the use of a group 10 catalyst to cross-couple unactivated tertiary electrophiles to form C–C bonds. This approach to the synthesis of all-carbon quaternary carbon centers does not suffer from isomerization of the alkyl group, in contrast with the umpolung strategy for this bond construction (cross-coupling of a tertiary alkylmetal with an aryl electrophile). Preliminary mechanistic studies are consistent with the generation of a radical intermediate along the reaction pathway.National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U.S.) (R01-GM62871)Merck Research Laboratories (Summer Fellowship

Catalytic Enantioselective Cross-Couplings of Secondary Alkyl Electrophiles with Secondary Alkylmetal Nucleophiles: Negishi Reactions of Racemic Benzylic Bromides with Achiral Alkylzinc Reagents

We have developed a nickel-catalyzed method for the asymmetric cross-coupling of secondary electrophiles with secondary nucleophiles, specifically, stereoconvergent Negishi reactions of racemic benzylic bromides with achiral cycloalkylzinc reagents. In contrast to most previous studies of enantioselective Negishi cross-couplings, tridentate pybox ligands are ineffective in this process; however, a new, readily available bidentate isoquinoline–oxazoline ligand furnishes excellent ee’s and good yields. The use of acyclic alkylzinc reagents as coupling partners led to the discovery of a highly unusual isomerization that generates a significant quantity of a branched cross-coupling product from an unbranched nucleophile

Increasing Catalyst Efficiency in C−H Activation Catalysis

C−H activation reactions with high catalyst turnover numbers are still very rare in the literature and 10 mol % is a common catalyst loading in this field. We offer a representative overview of efficient C−H activation catalysis to highlight this neglected aspect of catalysis development and inspire future effort towards more efficient C−H activation. Examples ranging from palladium catalysis, Cp*Rh III - and Cp*Co III -catalysis, the C−H borylation and silylation to methane C−H activation are presented. In these reactions, up to tens of thousands of catalyst turnovers have been observed