Olefin metathesis catalysts provide access to molecules that are indispensable to physicians and researchers in the life sciences. A persisting problem, however, is the dearth of chemical transformations that directly generate acyclic Z allylic alcohols, including products that contain a hindered neighbouring substituent or reactive functional units such as a phenol, an aldehyde, or a carboxylic acid. Here we present an electronically modified ruthenium-disulfide catalyst that is effective in generating such high-value compounds by cross-metathesis. The ruthenium complex is prepared from a commercially available precursor and an easily generated air-stable zinc catechothiolate. Transformations typically proceed with 5.0 mole per cent of the complex and an inexpensive reaction partner in 4-8 hours under ambient conditions; products are obtained in up to 80 per cent yield and 98:2 Z:E diastereoselectivity. The use of this catalyst is demonstrated in the synthesis of the naturally occurring anti-tumour agent neopeltolide and in a single-step stereoselective gram-scale conversion of a renewable feedstock (oleic acid) to an anti-fungal agent. In this conversion, the new catalyst promotes cross-metathesis more efficiently than the commonly used dichloro-ruthenium complexes, indicating that its utility may extend beyond Z-selective processes.

Rationally designed Ru-based catalysts for efficient Z-selective olefin metathesis are featured. The new complexes contain a dithiolate ligand and can be accessed in a single step from commercially available precursors in 68-82% yield. High efficiency and exceptional Z selectivity (93:7 to >98:2 Z:E) were achieved in ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and ring-opening/cross-metathesis (ROCM) processes; the transformations typically proceed at 22 °C and are operationally simple to perform. Complete conversion was observed with catalyst loadings as low as 0.002 mol %, and turnover numbers of up to 43,000 were achieved without rigorous substrate purification or deoxygenation protocols. X-ray data and density functional theory computations provide support for key design features and shed light on mechanistic attributes.

Quantitative energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation cross-sections by tandem ESI-MS provide absolute thermochemical data for phosphine binding energies in first- and second-generation ruthenium metathesis catalysts of 33.4 and 36.9 kcal/mol, respectively. Furthermore a study of the ring-closing metathesis in the second-generation system to liberate norbornene by forming the 14-electron reactive intermediate from the intramolecular pi-complex gives an estimate of the olefin binding energy to the 14-electron complex of around 18 kcal/mol, assuming a loose transition state. The results reported here are in remarkably good agreement with the latest DFT calculations using the M06-L functional.

Development of catalyst-controlled stereoselective olefin metathesis processes1 has been a pivotal recent advance in chemistry. Incorporation of appropriate ligands within molybdenum-2, tungsten3 and ruthenium-based complexes4 has made reactivity and selectivity levels that were formerly inaccessible feasible. Here, we show that molybdenum monoaryloxide chloride (MAC) complexes furnish higher energy (Z) isomers of trifluoromethyl-substituted alkenes through cross-metathesis (CM) reactions with commercially available, inexpensive and typically inert Z-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene. Furthermore, otherwise inefficient and non-stereoselective transformations with Z-1,2-dichloro- and 1,2- dibromoethene can be effected with substantially improved efficiency and Z selectivity. Synthesis of representative biologically active molecules and trifluoromethyl analogues of medicinally relevant compounds underscore the importance of the advance. The origins of activity and selectivity levels, which contradict the previously proposed principles5, are elucidated with the aid of DFT calculations.

The discovery of new catalysts that can generate complex organic compounds via enantioselective transformations is central to advances in the life sciences;i for this reason, many chemists try to discover catalysts that can be used to produce chiral molecules with a strong preference for one mirror image isomer.ii The ideal catalyst should be devoid of precious elementsiii and should bring reactions to completion in a few hours using operationally simple procedures. In this manuscript, we introduce a set of small organic molecules that can catalyze reactions of unsaturated organoboron reagents with imines and carbonyls; the products of the reactions are enantiomerically pure amines and alcohols, which can be used to synthesize more complex, biologically active molecules. A distinguishing feature of this new catalyst class is the presence of a 'key' proton embedded within their structure. The catalyst is derived from the abundant amino acid valine and was prepared in large quantities in four steps using inexpensive reagents. Reactions are scalable, do not demand stringent conditions, and can be performed with as little as 0.25 mol % catalyst in less than six hours at room temperature to generate products in >85% yield and ≥97:3 enantiomeric ratio. The efficiency, selectivity and operational simplicity of the transformations and the range of boron-based reagents render this advance vital to future progress in chemistry, biology and medicine.

Control of enantioselectivity remains a major challenge in radical chemistry. The emergence of metalloradical catalysis (MRC) offers a conceptually new strategy for addressing this and other outstanding issues. Through the employment of D 2 -symmetric chiral amidoporphyrins as the supporting ligands, Co(II)-based MRC has enabled the development of new catalytic systems for asymmetric radical transformations with a unique profile of reactivity and selectivity. With the support of new-generation HuPhyrin chiral ligands whose cavity environment can be fine-tuned, the Co-centered d-radicals enable to address challenging issues that require exquisite control of fundamental radical processes. As showcased with asymmetric 1,5-C−H amination of sulfamoyl azides, the enantiocontrol of which has proven difficult, the judicious use of HuPhyrin ligand by tuning the bridge length and other remote nonchiral elements allows for controlling both the degree and sense of asymmetric induction in a systematic manner. This effort leads to successful development of new Co(II)-based catalytic systems that are highly effective for enantiodivergent radical 1,5-C−H amination, producing both enantiomers of the strained five-membered cyclic sulfamides with excellent enantioselectivities. Detailed deuterium-labeling studies, together with DFT computation, have revealed an unprecedented mode of asymmetric induction that consists of enantiodifferentiative H-atom abstraction and stereoretentive radical substitution.

The first instances of catalytic allylic substitution reactions involving a propargylic nucleophilic component are presented; reactions are facilitated by 5.0 mol % of a catalyst derived from a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and a copper chloride salt. A silyl-containing propargylic organoboron compound, easily prepared in multigram quantities, serves as the reagent. Aryl- and heteroaryl-substituted disubstituted alkenes within allylic phosphates and those with an alkyl or a silyl group can be used. Functional groups typically sensitive to hard nucleophilic reagents are tolerated, particularly in the additions to disubstituted alkenes. Reactions may be performed on the corresponding trisubstituted alkenes, affording quaternary carbon stereogenic centers. Incorporation of the propargylic group is generally favored (vs allenyl addition; 89:11 to >98:2 selectivity); 1,5-enynes can be isolated in 75-90% yield, 87:13 to >98:2 SN2'/SN2 (branched/linear) selectivity and 83:17-99:1 enantiomeric ratio. Utility is showcased by conversion of the alkynyl group to other useful functional units (e.g., homoallenyl and Z-homoalkenyl iodide), direct access to which by other enantioselective protocols would otherwise entail longer routes. Application to stereoselective synthesis of the acyclic portion of antifungal agent plakinic acid A, containing two remotely positioned stereogenic centers, by sequential use of two different NHC-Cu-catalyzed enantioselective allylic substitution (EAS) reactions further highlights utility. Mechanistic investigations (density functional theory calculations and deuterium labeling) point to a bridging function for an alkali metal cation connecting the sulfonate anion and a substrate's phosphate group to form the branched propargyl addition products as the dominant isomers via Cu(III) π-allyl intermediate complexes.

Catalytic enantioselective methods are introduced that allow access to a variety of allyl boronates and silanes that contain a difluoroalkene unit; the resulting products may be used for the preparation of organofluorine compounds in high enantiomeric purity. Furthermore, a number of key mechanistic aspects of the transformations have been investigated and analyzed. Thus, first, an NHC–Cu-catalyzed method for boryl substitution with F3C-substituted alkenes is introduced. These processes, unlike the previously reported strategies, are applicable to alkyl as well as aryl substituted substrates, afford allyl boronates bearing a difluoroalkene moiety (up to 98% yield and 95:5 er). Second, the corresponding silyl substitutions, the first reported cases of their kind, are presented (up to 94% yield and 97:3 er). Third, experimental and computational (DFT) investigations are described that shed light on key mechanistic aspects of the catalytic processes. Evidence (X-ray structures of Cu–alkyl intermediates and kinetic studies) is put forth illustrating that the initial Cu–boryl and Cu–silyl addition is significantly faster than the ensuing Cu–F elimination, and that the latter step can be facilitated by either a mild Lewis acid (e.g., a Li or Na cation) or a nucleophilic promoter (e.g., an alkoxide). These findings together with DFT studies demonstrate that Cu–F β-elimination probably proceeds with anti-stereochemistry. Representative cases of ways through which the new mechanistic understanding may be used to rationalize previously disclosed findings, significantly improve a transformation, or develop new diastereo- and enantioselective catalytic methods are provided. For example, an explanation is provided regarding why bisphosphine–Cu complexes do not efficiently promote boryl substitutions with aryl-substituted substrates, but the corresponding silyl substitutions are facile, and how the size of a ligand can impact regioselectivity and efficiency.