Jeffery’s ligand-free conditions

Quite different from the original Sonogashira conditions, the following cross-coupling was achieved under the Jeffery s ligand-free conditions in the absence of cuprous iodide [63] [64]. 

The intramolecular version of the Heck reaction has been extremely fruitful, enabling elegant synthesis of many complex molecules [68, 69]. The Mori-Ban indole synthesis (Section 1.10, vide infra) is a good example of such method. In addition, Rawal et al. carried out an intramolecular Heck cyclization of pentacyclic lactam 55 with a pendant vinyl iodide moiety [70]. Employing Jeffery s ligand-free conditions, 55 was converted to a hexacyclic strychnan alkaloid precursor 56 with complete stereochemical control... 

By taking advantage of the C(2) activation, 2-allyloxy-3-iodopyridine (173) was prepared by an SNAr displacement of 2-chloro-3-iodopyridine with sodium allyloxide [137]. 2-Chloro-3-iodopyridine was prepared by orrto-lithiation of 2-chloropyridine followed by iodine quench. The intramolecular Heck reaction of allyl ether 173 under Jeffery s ligand-free conditions resulted in 3-methylfuro[2,3-6]pyridine (174). 

In a synthetic route to the E-azaebumane series, an intramolecular heteroaryl Heck reaction was the major cyclization strategy [140], Under Jeffery s ligand-free conditions, E-azaebumane skeleton 182 was prepared from bromopyridine 181. The migratory insertion occurred at C(2) of the indole ring. 

An intramolecular Heck cyclization strategy was developed for the construction of indole and benzofuran rings on solid support [82], enabling rapid generation of small-molecular libraries by simultaneous parallel or combinatorial synthesis. Sn2 displacement of resin-bound y-bromocrotonyl amide 97 with o-iodophenol 96 afforded the cyclization precursor 98. A subsequent intramolecular Heck reaction using Jeffery s ligand-free conditions furnished, after double bond tautomerization, the resin-bound benzofurans, which were then cleaved with 30% TFA in CH2CI2 to deliver the desired benzofuran derivatives 99 in excellent yields and purity. 

An intramolecular heteroaryl Heck was the pivotal step in the synthesis of 5-butyl-1-methyl-l//-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4(5//)-one (63), a potent antiasthmatic agent [46], The optimum yield was obtained under Jeffery s ligand-free conditions, echoing Ohta s observation for the intermolecular version. Once again, the Caryi—Caryi bond was constructed at the C(5) position of the imidazole ring. Another intramolecular heteroaryl Heck cyclization of pyrrole and imidazole derivatives was also reported to assemble annulated isoindoles [47]. 

Jeffery s ligand-free conditions, 17, 24, 217-8, 249, 285, 370 Jones oxidation, 306... 

In 1984, Jeffery discovered that under ligand-free conditions, Pd-catalyzed vinylation of organic halides proceeds at or near room temperature, whereas normal Heck reactions require higher temperatuies [64]. Jeffery s hgand-free conditions have been broadly applied to a variety of Heck arylations that were not feasible using more standard reaction conditions. For example, efforts to use classical Heck-reaction conditions for the conversion of Al-allyl-Al-benzyl(3-bromoquinoxalin-2-yl)amine (64) to l-benzyl-3-methylpyrrolo[2,3-/ ]quinoxaline (65), resulted in slow reactions and low yields [65], which may be attributed to the poisoning of the palladium catalyst via complexation to the aminoquinoxalines. In contrast, the Jeffery conditions afforded the desired product in 83% yield. The enhanced reactivity and yield under Jeffery s ligand-free conditions may be due to the coordination/solvation of the palladium intermediates by bromide ions present in the reaction mixture, which presumably prevents the precipitation of Pd(0). 

Another often encountered substructure for intramolecular 5- xo-Mizoroki-Heck reactions is allyl side chain containing vinyl halide D (Figure 6.3) [73, 74], Based on this substrate structure, a series of 3-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-b]quinoxalines have been prepared via intramolecular Mizoroki-Heck reaction under Jeffery s ligand-free conditions in moderate to excellent yields (Scheme 6.25) [75]. 

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