Lewis acid-catalyzed cascade

A Lewis acid-catalyzed cascade between benzylic and propargyl alcohols was developed to afford carbazoles 276 in moderate to good yield. In the presence of a Lewis acid, 275 undergoes a Meyer—Schuster... 

The Mannich reaction is a very common process that occurs in many tandem reaction sequences. For example, the Overman Aza-Cope cascade sequence is terminated by a Mannich reaction (cf. Scheme 35). Several groups have used variants of the Mannich reaction to initiate cascades that lead to the formation of heterocyclic molecules. For example, the Lewis acid-catalyzed intermolecular vinylogous Mannich reaction (01T3221) of silyloxy furan 281 with nitrone 282 produced a diastereomeric mixture (49 3 42 6) of azabicycles 284a-d in 97% combined yield (Scheme 52) (96TA1059). These products arose from an intramolecular Michael addition of the initially formed oxonium ion 283. 

Isomerization of phenols 137 over sUica gel in the solid phase furnishes the corresponding 2,3-dihydro-4-oxo-4//-l-benzopyrane derivatives 138 (equation 60) ° . The cascades of the charge-accelerated rearrangements of the ortl o-(l,l-dimethylpropenyl)phenol 139 catalyzed by Bronsted acid (e.g. trifluoroacetic acid, equation 61) as well as by Lewis acids (anhydrous AICI3 or TiCLj, equations 62 and 63) proceed via the common intermediate 140 . 

Step 6 is the final step in the cellulose-to-lactic acid cascade, involving the isomerization of the 2-keto-hemi-acetal (here pyruvic aldehyde hydrate) into a 2-hydroxy-carboxyhc acid. This reaction is known to proceed in basic media following a Cannizzaro reaction with 1,2-hydride shift [111], Under mild conditions, Lewis acids are able to catalyze this vital step, which can also be seen as an Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction reaction mechanism. The 1,2-hydride shift has been demonstrated with deuterium labeled solvents [110, 112], Attack of the solvent molecule (water or alcohol) on pymvic aldehyde (step 5) and the hydride shift (step 6) might occur in a concerted mechanism, but the presence of the hemiacetal in ethanol has been demonstrated for pyruvic aldehyde with chromatography by Li et al. [113] andfor4-methoxyethylglyoxal with in situ CNMRby Dusselier et al. (see Sect. 7) [114]. 

To conclude, the mie-pot conversion of cellulose-to-lactic acid (or lactate ester in alcoholic media) thus follows a complex cascade reaction network involving at least six reactions. These reactions have different catalytic needs, but, in general, the presence of both Lewis and Brpnsted acidity are paramount for catalytic success. Br0nsted acidity is key to the hydrolysis of cellulose (step 1) at mild temperatures (<200°C), and to some extent to the dehydration of triose (step 4), whereas Lewis acid sites play a vital role in the isomerization reaction of glucose-to-fructose (step 2), the retro-aldol (step 3), and the 1,2-hydride shift (step 6). Steps 4 and 5 are relatively less demanding they are catalyzed by both acid types. 

The same group described a Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed three-step cascade reaction of 190 involving hydride shift/cyclization/hydrolysis as well, which produced indanones 191 (Scheme 72) [70]. Hydride was delivered to acceptor in an uncommon [1,4]-manner and Lewis acid activation was indispensable. Sc(OTf)3 was the preferable Lewis acid that could catalyze the cascade process. Because of the oxophilicity of Sc(OTQ3, it not only catalyzed the cascade process but also promoted the hydrolysis of acetalic function. 

The Prins cyclization involves the acid-catalyzed addition of olefins to aldehydes and the commonly accepted mechanism involves both carboxonium and carbocationic intermediates. A computational approach was used to examine the role of Lewis and Brpnsted acids in these transformations. Another development of the Prins cyclization involves the use of a reaction cascade with an allylsilyl alcohol and internal trapping of the car-bocation intermediate (Scheme 35). Thus, the allylsilyl alcohol (167) reacts with two... 

Copper(I) catalysis has demonstrated its long-held reputation in asymmetric synthesis over the past decade. The moderate Lewis acidity and coordination property of Cu(l) salts make it a versatile metal center in various metal-ligand complex systems and thereby have broad applications in the area of organic chemistry, especially in the asymmetric catalysis field. This chapter summarizes the recent developments of Cu(l)-catalyzed asymmetric cycloaddition and cascade addition-cyclization reactions since 2010. A wide range of asymmetric transformations catalyzed by chiral Cu(l) complexes are discussed, such as the 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions, including [3+2], [3+3], and [3+6] cycloadditions. Other cycloadditions and cascade addition-cyclization reactions are also discussed. 

The utilization of copper(I) catalysis in asymmetric transformations is universal due to the special valence electron, Lewis acidity, and coordination characteristic of the metal. Copper salts are easily available, cost-efficient, and nontoxic. Copper(l)-catalyzed asymmetric cycloaddition and cascade addition-cyclization reactions are straightforward methodologies for the stereoselective construction of various biologically and medicinally important heterocyclic compounds. In the past 5 years, main endeavors have been paid into catalytic asymmetric [3+2] cycloadditions other types of cycloaddition protocols are relatively less developed. The examples described in this chapter clearly demonstrate the potential of chiral Cu(I) complexes in the synthesis of enantioenriched heterocycles. Further studies may lie in the diversification of catalytic system, reaction type, and catalysis mode. Research in this field is still challenging and highly desirable, and it would be expected that more discoveries will come in the near future. 

SCHEME 2.102 Lewis acid/chiral Br0nsted acid-catalyzed Friedlander condensation-reduction cascade reaction. 

An example of a conventional cascade system with two catalysts comprising a high-valent metal triflate Lewis add and a supported Pd catalyst for the hydrogenolysis of ethers is illustrated in Fig. 8.24. Since primary C—O bonds are resistant to cleavage, in the presence of water, there is formation of the parent primary alcohol that further undergoes acid-catalyzed dehydration to alkene and rapid, irreversible metal-catalyzed hydrogenation to alkane. 

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