The mechanism of the Kinugasa reaction, that is, the copper-catalyzed formation of beta-lactams from nitrones and terminal alkynes, is re-evaluated by means of density functional theory calculations and in light of recent experimental findings. Different possible mechanistic scenarios are investigated using phenanthroline as a ligand and triethylamine as a base. The calculations confirm that after an initial two-step cycloaddition promoted by two copper ions, the resulting five-membered ring intermediate can undergo a fast and irreversible cycloreversion to generate an imine and a dicopper-ketenyl intermediate. From there, the reaction can proceed through a nucleophilic attack of a ketenyl copper intermediate on the imine and an intramolecular cyclization, rather than through the previously suggested (2 + 2) Staudinger synthesis.

The mechanism of the catalytic Kinugasa reaction is investigated by means of density functional theory calculations. Different possible mechanistic scenarios are presented using phenanthroline as a ligand, and it is shown that the most reasonable one in terms of energy barriers involves two copper ions. The reaction starts with the formation of a dicopper-acetylide that undergoes a stepwise cycloaddition with the nitrone, generating a five-membered ring intermediate. Protonation of the nitrogen of the metalated isoxazoline intermediate results in ring opening and the formation of a ketene intermediate. This then undergoes a copper-catalyzed cyclization by an intramolecular nucleophilic attack of the nitrogen on the ketene, affording a cyclic copper enolate. Catalyst release and tautomerization gives the final beta-lactamic product. A comprehensive study of the enantioselective reaction was also performed with a chiral bis(azaferrocene) ligand. In this case, two different reaction mechanisms, involving either the scenario with the two copper ions or a direct cycloaddition of the parent alkyne using one copper ion, were found to have quite similar barriers. Both mechanisms reproduced the experimental enantioselectivity, and the current calculations can therefore not distinguish between the two possibilities.

The reaction mechanism for the palladium and amine cocatalyzed carbocyclization of aldehydes with alkynes has been investigated by means of density functional theory calculations and experiments. The Pd/amine cocatalyzed transformation is a carbocyclization of in situ generated enaminynes where the C-C bond-forming step is most likely promoted by a Pd(II) species. Notably, the latent Pd(O)/Pd(Ip catalytic redox cycle of this metal/organo cooperative catalytic reaction can be merged with catalytic direct aerobic alcohol oxidation (Pd oxidase catalysis).

Organoselenium chemistry has proven to be a powerful tool for organic synthesis over several decades. Nevertheless, the use of selenating reagents has often been limited by a generally bad reputation surrounding selenium toxicity and its potential impact on the environment. In this review we would like to stress some aspects that will encourage the reader to discover an unexpected green side to this element and the chemistry connected with its organic derivatives.

Phenols, anilines, and malonates have been arylated under metal-free conditions with twelve aryl(phenyl)iodonium salts in a systematic chemoselectivity study. A new “anti-ortho effect” has been identified in the arylation of malonates. Several “dummy groups” have been found that give complete chemoselectivity in the transfer of the phenyl moiety, irrespective of the nucleophile. An aryl exchange in the diaryliodonium salts has been observed under certain arylation conditions. DFT calculations have been performed to investigate the reaction mechanism and to elucidate the origins of the observed selectivities. These results are expected to facilitate the design of chiral diaryliodonium salts and the development of catalytic arylation reactions that are based on these sustainable and metal-free reagents.

Hydroxy group-selective acylation in the presence of more nucleophilic amines was achieved using acetates of first-row late transition metals, such as Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, and Zn. Among them, cobalt(II) acetate was the best catalyst in terms of reactivity and selectivity. The combination of an octanuclear cobalt carboxylate cluster [Co-4(OCOR)(6)O](2) (2a: R = CF3, 2b: R = CH3, 2c: R = Bu-t) with nitrogen-containing ligands, such as 2,2'-bipyridine, provided an efficient catalytic system for transesterification, in which an alkoxide-bridged dinuclear complex, Co-2((OCOBu)-Bu-t)(2)-(bpy)(2)(mu(2)-OCH2-C6H4-4-CH3)(2) (10), was successfully isolated as a key intermediate. Kinetic studies and density functional theory calculations revealed Michaelis-Menten behavior of the complex 10 through an ordered ternary complex mechanism similar to dinuclear metallo-enzymes, suggesting the formation of alkoxides followed by coordination of the ester.

An important feature of the synthesis of salinosporamide A. a potent proteasome inhibitor, is the establishment of the quaternary stereocenter at C3. A new route has been developed based on the methylation of a functionalized pyrrolidinone. Direct methylation reaction led to the unwanted diastereomer: however, by means of a Corey-Chaykovsky reaction followed by LiAlH4 epoxide opening, the desired alcohol was obtained. The pyrrolidinone was elaborated through a key allylation reaction between a tertiary allyltitanium reagent and an aldehyde bearing a spiroketal moiety in alpha-position.

An unprecedented and highly diastereoselective 6-endo-trig cyclization of 2-alkenyl-1,3-dithiolanes has beendeveloped yielding trans-decalins, an important scaffold present in numerous di- and triterpenes. The novelty of this 6-endo-trigc yclization stands in the stepwise mechanism involving 2-alkenyl-1,3-dithiolane, acting as a novel latent initiator. It is suggested that the thioketal opens temporarily under the influence of TMSOTf, triggering the cationic 6-endo-trig cyclization, andcloses after C−C bond formation and diastereoselective protonation to terminate the process. DFT calculations confirm this mechanistic proposal and provide a rationale for the observed diastereoselectivity. The reaction tolerates a wide range of functionalities and nucleophilic partners within the substrate. We have also shown that the one-pot 6-endo-trig cyclization followedby in situ 1,3-dithiolane deprotection afford directly the corresponding ketone. This improvement allowed the achievement of the shortest total synthesis of triptophenolide and the shortest formal synthesis of triptolide.

We report that transition metal-catalyzed nucleophilic activation can be combined with chiral amine-catalyzed iminium activation as exemplified by the unprecedented enantioselective conjugate addition of a dimethylsilanyl group to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. These reactions proceed with excellent 1,4-selectivity to afford the corresponding β-silyl aldehyde products 3 in high yields and up to 97:3 er using inexpensive bench stable copper salts and simple chiral amine catalysts. The reaction canalso generate a quaternary stereocenter with goodenantioselectivity. Density functional calculations are performed to elucidate the reaction mechanism and the origin of enantioselectivity.

We report a new method for constructing the ABC ringsystem of strigolactones, in a single step from a simple linearprecursor by acid-catalyzed double cyclization. The reactionproceeds with a high degree of stereochemical control, whichcan be qualitatively rationalized usingDFT calculations. Ourconcise synthetic approach offers a new model for thinkingabout the (as yet) unknown chemistry that is employed in thebiosynthetic pathways leading to this class of plant hormones.