Nitrogen-rich heterocyclic compounds have had a profound impact on human health, as these chemical motifs are found in a large number of drugs used to combat a broad range of diseases and pathophysiological conditions. Advances in transition metal-mediated cross-coupling have simplified the synthesis of such molecules; however, the development of practical and selective C–H functionalization methods that do not rely upon prefunctionalized starting materials is an underdeveloped area.1–9 Paradoxically, the innate properties of heterocycles that make them so desirable for biological applications render them challenging substrates for direct chemical functionalization, such as limited solubility, functional group incompatibilities, and reagent/catalyst deactivation. Herein we report that zinc sulfinate salts9 can be used to transfer alkyl radicals to heterocycles, allowing for a mild, direct and operationally simple formation of medicinally relevant C–C bonds while reacting in an orthogonal fashion to other innate C–H functionalization methods (Minisci, borono-Minisci, electrophilic aromatic substitution, transition metal-mediated C–H insertion, C–H deprotonation).2–7,9 A toolkit of these reagents was prepared and reacted across a wide range of heterocycles (natural products, drugs, building blocks) without recourse to protecting group chemistry, and can even be employed in a tandem fashion in a single pot in the presence of water and air.

Through the design of a second generation of more reactive 7-substituted 1,3,5-cycloheptatrienes, a room-temperature gold(I)-catalyzed retro-Buchner-cyclopropanation sequence and the first zinc(II)-catalyzed version of this process, which uses inexpensive ZnBr as catalyst, have been developed. This led to a broad-scope cyclopropanation of both activated and unactivated alkenes, including late-stage derivatization of biologically relevant compounds, and to the total synthesis of (±)-lactobacillic acid.

The fate of the aryl gold(I) carbenes generated by retro-Buchner reaction of ortho-substituted 7-aryl-1,3,5-cycloheptatrienes is dependent on the constitution of the ortho substituent. Indenes and fluorenes are obtained by intramolecular reaction of highly electrophilic gold(I) carbenes with alkenes and arenes. According to density functional theory calculations, the gold-catalyzed retro-Buchner process occurs stepwise, although the two carbon–carbon cleavages occur on a rather flat potential energy surface.

A highly stereoselective gold(I)-catalyzed cis-vinylcyclopropanation of alkenes has been developed. Allylic gold carbenes, generated via a retro-Buchner reaction of 7-alkenyl-1,3,5-cycloheptatrienes, react with alkenes to form vinylcyclopropanes. The gold(I)-catalyzed retro-Buchner reaction of these substrates proceeds by simple heating at a temperature much lower than that required for the reaction of 7-aryl-1,3,5-cycloheptatrienes (75 °C vs 120 °C). A newly developed Julia–Kocienski reagent enables the synthesis of the required cycloheptatriene derivatives in one step from readily available aldehydes or ketones. On the basis of mechanistic investigations, a stereochemical model for the cis selectivity was proposed. An unprecedented gold-catalyzed isomerization of cis- to trans-cyclopropanes has also been discovered and studied by DFT calculations.

Proof-of-concept is provided that al arge estate of 16-membered macrolide antibiotics can be reached by a"unified" approach. The key building blockwas formed on scale by an asymmetric vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction;i ts alkene terminus was then converted either into the corresponding methyl ketone by Wacker oxidation or into ac hainextended aldehyde by catalyst-controlled branch-selective asymmetric hydroformylation. These transformations ultimately opened access to two structurally distinct series of macrolide targets.N otable late-stage maneuvers comprise ar are example of ar uthenium-catalyzed redox isomerization of an 1,3-enyne-5-ol into a1,3-diene-5-one derivative,aswell as the elaboration of atertiary propargylic alcohol into an acyloin by trans-hydrostannation/Chan-Lam-type coupling.M oreover,t his case study illustrates the underutilized possibility of forging complex macrolactone rings by transesterification under essentially neutral conditions.

The binolphosphoric acid-catalyzed Pictet-Spengler reaction of an N-(5-oxy-2,4-pentadienyl)tryptamine derivative with methyl 5-oxo-2-(phenylseleno)pentanoate leads to the tetrahydro-β-carboline in a 92:8 enantiomeric ratio. This product is easily converted into the substrate for a stereoselective intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of the type earlier reported by Jacobsen. These two key steps constitute the basis for a nine-step total synthesis of (+)-yohimbine from tryptamine. A similar asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction was applied to the synthesis of an intermediate in the recent total synthesis of corynantheidine by Sato.

Benzo-fused norcaradienes derived from naphthalene and phenanthrene undergo gold(i)-catalyzed cyclopropane–alkene metathesis via decarbenation.

Proof‐of‐concept is provided that a large estate of 16‐membered macrolide antibiotics can be reached by a “unified” approach. The key building block was formed on scale by an asymmetric vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction; its alkene terminus was then converted either into the corresponding methyl ketone by Wacker oxidation or into a chain‐extended aldehyde by catalyst‐controlled branch‐selective asymmetric hydroformylation. These transformations ultimately opened access to two structurally distinct series of macrolide targets. Notable late‐stage maneuvers comprise a rare example of a ruthenium‐catalyzed redox isomerization of an 1,3‐enyne‐5‐ol into a 1,3‐diene‐5‐one derivative, as well as the elaboration of a tertiary propargylic alcohol into an acyloin by trans‐hydrostannation/Chan‐Lam‐type coupling. Moreover, this case study illustrates the underutilized possibility of forging complex macrolactone rings by transesterification under essentially neutral conditions.