The first in-flow difluorocarbene generation and addition to alkenes and alkynes is reported. The application of continuous flow technology allowed for the controlled generation of difluorocarbene from TMSCF3 and a catalytic quantity of NaI. The in situ generated electrophilic carbene reacts smoothly with a broad range of alkenes and alkynes, allowing the synthesis of the corresponding difluorocyclopropanes and difluorocyclopropenes. The reaction is complete within a 10 min residence time at high reaction concentrations. With a production flow rate of 1 mmol/min, continuous flow chemistry enables scale up of this process in a green, atom-economic, and safe manner.
An efficient stereoselective synthesis of norcembrenolide B (8) and scabrolide D (9) is reported. The strategy is inspired by biogenetic relationships of related cembrenoids. Central to this approach is the construction of norbipinnatin J which upon selective C2 deoxygenation and C8 oxygenation produces norrubifolide and norcoralloidolide A. A sequence of site-selective oxidations and skeletal reorganizations then yields in a divergent manner, compounds 8 and 9. The studies allow revision of the proposed structure of scabrolide D (9), which is identical to norcembrenolide C.
Despite the high synthetic potential of nonstabilized diazo compounds, their utilization has always been hampered by stability, toxicity, and safety issues. The present method opens up access to the most reactive nonstabilized diazoalkanes. Among diazo compounds, nonstabilized alkyl diazo compounds are the least represented because of their propensity to degrade during preparation. The continuous flow oxidation process of hydrazones on a silver oxide column afforded an output stream of base- and metal-free pure diazo solution in dichloromethane. Starting from innocuous ketones and aldehydes, this methodology allows the production of a broad range of unprecedented diazoalkanes compounds in excellent yields, while highlighting their synthetic potential and the possibility of safe large-scale diazo production.
The kinetic resolution of Z and E olefins by [2+2] cycloaddition with ketenes allows the isolation of pure E olefin, as well as the synthesis of pure cis-cyclobutanones, starting from Z/E mixtures. A computational rationale for this kinetic difference is reported. The obtained difference of energy of activation matches with the experimental results.
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